The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-12-29
TVr VCVTI
Historical Researches that Quilp Made
as a Bohemian.
CHAPTER XIV

and Delaware rivers turned their attention
to the erection of towns, and jamestown
and New Castle early sprung into exist
ence as the result of their efforts, the early
colonists of Maryland appear to bave been
wholly absorbed in the culture of tobacco,
and had no time to devote to the erection
of towns. Except in the single case OF
St. Maries, there appears to have been nc
effort made, previous to the year 1858, tc
erect town in the province. The neces
sity of having some protection against the
Indians led the colonists at St. Mares tc
erect town, or at least to place theil
dwelling houses in close proximity to each
other, but as the other colonists became
better acquainted with the Indians, they
had less cause to apprehend danger from
them, and do not appear to have thought
of building towns. But in the year 1864
the legislature appears to have become
aware of the fact that there were no towns
in the province, and they set themselves to
work with much energy to supply want,
the existence of which seems suddenly to
have obtruded itself upon their attention.
But their zeal defeated the object they had
in view, and they made so many imaginary
towns that not one of the number attained
any magnitude or distinction as town or
city. Indeed but few people, at present
residing in the immediate neighborhood
of some of the sites of these imaginary
towns, ever heard of their existence, though
it is quite probable that each and every
one of them was used for time as a port
of entry, the erection of which ports was
probably the great object the legislators
had in view when the law was passed that
called them into existence. The act of
1852 provided for the erection of thirty
three towns or ports of entry in the pro
vince. At that time there were ten coun-
ties in the province, and the act provided
for the erection of at least two towns or
ports in each county, though some of the
counties had as many as five of these i'm
aginary towns erected within their limits.
The places named in Cecil county were as
follows: "At Captain Johns creek, Will
liam Prices plantation in Elk river; in
Sassafras river, at William Frisby's plan
tation in Worten creek; and by two sup
Elementary acts passed in 1884 and sc,
at the plantation of John West, in Sassa-
fras river, and in Elk river, at a place
called Ceciltown, at the mouth of Bohe-
mia river"
Commissioners in each county appear to
have been named in the act to carry out
but their names do not appear in the alb
stract given in the ancient laws of that
day. One hundred acres of land were to
be purchased by the commissioners at each
of the locations mentioned in the act, pro
Vided the owner was legally able and will
ing to dispose of it. In case he was
legally incapacitated, Or unwilling to do so,
the commissioners were empowered to sum
mons jury and have the land condemned
and valued. The commissioners were to
cause these tracts "to be surveyed and
staked out and divided into convenient
streets, lanes and alleys, with open places
to be left for erecting church, chapel,
market house, or other public buildings,
and the remaining part of the said one
hundred acres to divide into one hundred
equal lots, the owner of the land to have
his first choice for one lot. No person to
purchase more than one lot during four
months after the 25th of March, 1854, and
the county only. But if not taken up by
them within the said four months, then to
be free to any person whatsoever to take
up the same, paying tile ooner proportion
ately." Although the commissioners ap-
pointed of the act were enjoined to purchase
the land from the owners, such does not
seem to have been the practice of the times
nor the meaning Of the legislators; on the
contrary, those who wished town lots were
to pay the owner of the land for them, and
they were to be holden of the Lord Proprie-
tary and his heirs forever, under the yearly
rent of one penny current money for each
respective lot. Each person, who became
prophet or of lot, was to erect "twenty
foot square house on it before the last day of
August, 1885, and in case he did not erect
the house, he forfeited his right to the lot,
and any other person might enter the same
in the clerks book, upon the payment of
eighty pounds of tobacco, which was the
clerks fee in cases of that kind.
The act provided "that the owner of
any store house within such towns, his said
store house not being full and having no
occasion thereof for his own proper to-
bacco, shall, on request suffer the owner
of any tobacco brought there in hogsheads
to put in and secure it as if it were his own
in such store house, the owner of the to-
bacco paying the owner of the store house
ten pounds of tobacco per hogshead, which
the store house keeper shall secure for
twelve months or less, casualties by fire
only excepted"
The legislators were fearful that they
had taken pains to erect too many towns,
and in order to neutralze or remedy the
bad effect, which they apprehended might
follow, they close the act with a proviso as
follows: Lest the great number of towns
may in time become burdensome to the
public by increasing the number of bur
gesses, no town shall hereafter be capable
of sending citizen or citizens to any as
sembly till such time as the said town shall
be actually inhabited by SO many families
as shall be sufficiently able to defray the
expenses of such delegate without being
chargeable to their respective county by
reason thereof; but the said charges to be
betrayed by the respective inhabitants of
the towns sending such delegates" The
act provided "that from and after the Sth
of August, 1886, the towns, ports and
places therein mentioned shall be the
ports and places where all ships and vessels
trading into this province shall unload and
put on shore, and sell, barter, and traffic
away all goods etc, imported into this
province, and all tobacco, goods, etc, of
tho Growth productiOn or manufacture of