The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-06-03
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JoPPA.

1t is well known that it is a matter of
universal repute that Joppa on the Gun
powder river is the place where the first
Court House in Baltimore county was To-
Gated. The numerous Joppa roads that
run through the county in the direction of
the place that was the site of the CITY
whose decline and decay have long since
consigned her to oblivion are the only cir
cumstances that survive to renew its men,
ory
That Joppa was once place in history
and had her name recorded on the calen-
dars of commerce is fact that cannot be
disputed. Tobacco was conveyed to her
wharves in vast quantities, in hogsheads that
were rolled from the place of cultivation
by placing pin or gudgeon in each end,
on which shaft was fixed, and horse at
tached that gave the motive power to the
cargo. To aid the commercial prosperity
of the place, law was passed at an early
period of her history providing "that every
debtor who should bring tobacco to Joppa
for the purpose of paying a debt should be
allowed reduction or discount of ten per
cent. on the claim" This was done to
build up the business of the place by at
tracing trade and custom to her MARKET
1t, of course, brought great quantities of
that commodity to the town, and this, with
other articles of export, gave her a consid-
cradle commerce with the West Indies and
Europe. Being made port of entry, she
was one of the most important seaport
towns of Maryland up to the time that
Baltimore became her rival. That Joppa
is the place where the first county seat was
located is not correct, though common re-
port says she is.
The county being established i'll 1869, its
first session of Court was held at the resi-
dence Captain Thomas Howell in the year
1861. Soon after this Court House was
built at point, not now definitely known
on Bush river about four miles Northeast
of Joppa on the Gunpowder, and now in
Hartford county. AS late as 1858 the Court
House was located at this place, which
was also port of entry.
Between the years 1888 and 1907 the
Court House at this place was abandoned
and another erected on Gunpowder rive,
at place called Fosters Neck. In 1907
the Colonial Assembly passed an act direc.
ting that the Court House at Fosters Neck
SHOULD be deserted, and in lieu thereof
fifty acres of land in tract on said river,
belonging to Anne Felix's, called Taylor's
Choice, should be erected into town, and
the Court House of the said county should
be erected there" The place thus desig-
mated was afterwards named Joppa.
The appointed commissioners at once
began operations to put the Court House
in shape for business. When the work was
nearly completed, the news arrived that
Queen Anne had vetoed the bill. History
does not tell us why the good Queen re.
fused her signature to the bill removing
the Court of Baltimore county to Joppa.
To cure the defect of proceeding under a
void act, it became necessary to have O
subsequent law passed to legalize the work
that had been done, and fix the county seat
on "Taylor's Choice This was done by
the Provincial Assembly in 1712, and was
entitled can act for settling the Balti-
more County Court at the new house at
Joppa." 1t confirmed the proceedings Of
the Commissioners and declares "that Bal
timore county Court shall from henceforth
be held at the said Court House, now built
at the town of Joppa, and not elsewhere
and that the same house be to all intents,
constructions and purposes, adjudged, used
reputed and taken as the proper Court
House for Baltimore county"
This first blunder in building the Court
House, before there was any legally con.
stituted authority for doing it, was one fol
which there was more excuse than there
was for the second, though in point of i'm
portance to the county it is difficult to tel
which was of the most serious nature
This second yblunder was putting the new