The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-02-02
FOF Ihe I,cll y
IRON MAKING
THE COLONY OF MARYLAND
112O-11SO.
THE PRINCIPLE COMPANY.
CONTIN UED.

! [CoNTINUED.
There are many curious articles of wear
| ing apparel and household use, with
! quaint names, contained in these Old in
voices, but the subject being somewhat
! foreign to this sketch must be passed over
and brief mention made of the slaves who
! formed an important part OF the commu-
nifty. Badly treated they undoubtedly
/ were in many instances, according to our
more enlightened views, but we have no
reason To believe they were any worse off in
the hands of the Principle Company than
| in those of the neighboring gentry. They
were doubtless punished severely at times
! and doubtless deserved it. Moreover the
practice of tlogging slaves has not been
abolished SO long but that there are living
! to. day many who can bear witness to it.
, In the basement of an old stone mill, still
standing at North East and formerly owned
! by the Principle Company or its immediate
successors is large iron staple securely
driven into one of the .ioists. To this
staple, tradition says, the slaves were triced
up to be whipped, and not many years ago
an old negIo was still living who used TO
declare that he had often been tied there
and logged. Those who, like the writer.
hail from the State Of the whipping post
and pilory will be disposed to vindicate
the practice, ohen properly applied. Like
/ al, I'M. Il
only TO cases requiring such treatment.
| That the slaves were fed in abundance
the large quantities of corn and pork raised
and purchased will attest. On all holidays
they were treated to an ample allowance Of
rum, which was then universal drink,
and was kept in store and retailed by the
Company. Fancy some of our iron manu-
facturers of the present day keeping bar
rels of whisky in the office to sell to their
wolkingmen.
Another class of servants who gave much
trouble, were the convictS. The colonies
being in some degree, penal settlements,
ard those who were compelled "to leave
their country for their conntry's good y
were transported to America, where they
were hired out or auctioued off TO serve the
! time of their Punishment Escape was, of
course, the object first and last of these
wretches. Stephen Onion records, in 1126,
| how a forgeman named Gregory made no less
than nine attempts to escape in the space
of sixteen months, but was ANONYMOUSLY
captured ard brought back each time
except the ninth. After his first capture
he attempted to cut his throat, but made
such a poor job of it that he was saved.
Onion spent two days and nights searching
the woods for him on the occasion Of his
last attempt, and not finding him, contented
| himself with offering forty shillings reward.
Many names are found in the old records
| that are familiar ones among the present
residents of that vicinity, and it is not
| improbable that there are men now en-
! ployed in the present iron works whose
great-great- grandfathers worked at the
same business on precisely the same spot,
an unusual circumstance in this new
country. There are likewise names that
sound oddly now, such as ''Christian Cry
anpeale," - Samuel Mintskin, " Abraham
| Job and "Isaac job evidently Jews.
"Ann Fishpaw," William Godsgrace,
and "Viol Chubb." Bulwer- Lytton might
have been interested to learn that an
"Owen Meredith" lived at that time in
Philadelphia. while Marmaduke Tilton "
would seem a happy coincidence. Then
there were Bayards, CAROLS, Crawfords,
Fell, Gilpins. Hollingsworths, Harveys,
Russels, etc.
Among the papers of later date are some
illusions to Elkton. In 1871 Lord Corn
wallis was on the western shore of Virginia
and the British fleet held Chesapeake Bay,
| Washington's armies were beginning the
corner on the former, which terminated in
the surrender at Yorktown. The following
was written in March of this year. "Thc
troops coming down have rendered it i'm
possible for me to procure vessel to 90
for pig iron, but as they will embark i'll a
day or two, expect some vessels will peep
out of some corner or other. The Marqu S
intends going by water to Virginia."
Here is "Reminiscences of conviviai
nature. Thomas May, writing in Sep;em
Der, 1882, says: " The gentlemen of Elk
turned out this morning, without ladies,
on fishing party, and doubt not it will
be as famous for killing wine and spirits as
fish" Perhaps the modern town Of Elk
ton still uphods its ancient reputation.
The works at Principle and North East
were operated continuously until the fevo
luton, but the limited space of this sketch
will not permit any fuller account of them
in detail. The Principle Company, how
ever, did not confne themselves to these
two spots only, and their proceedings i'll
other places must be noted. They were
early in treaty with Capt. Augustine Wash
ington for land in Virginia, on which to
erect a furnace. In February, 1925, the
furnace was ready for work, and John Bar
kerr founder at Principle, was sent there
to start it. The new works were called
Accolseek," and were located, according
to Col Byrd, in King George county, four
teen miles from Fredericksburg, and proha
bly, near the present village of Accokeek,
although this has not been verified. G.