The Cecil Whig., 1878-06-22
Historical Researches that Quilp Made
as Bohemian.
CHAPTER XXVI.

CHAPTER XXVI
WILD sToCK--RANGERS--C OF
TAXEs--wILD ANIMALs--THE FIRST COURT
HOUSE AT JAMEsTowN-THE JUSTICES
CoURT--FIRsT TRIAL BY JURY--THE
WRoTH FAMILY-THE JUSTICES REFUSE
TO HOLD COURT--ATToRNEYs-
RULES OF COURT.
The stock of the early settlers was al
lowed to run wild in the forests, and after
the lapse of years became very plentiful.
The county was very sparsely settled and
but little of it was under cultivation, and
much of it being covered with the original
growth of timber, which afforded shelter
for these animals, they increased very fast.
1t was customary for the owners of this
stock to mark it in some way commonly
by making a number of Sits, notches or
holes in one or both of the animals ears.
This custom was recognized by an act of
the Legislature, which provided for the
registration of these marks among the rec
ords of the county. Some pages of these
books are yet extant, in which are to be
found the names of the marks used by our
forefathers. A swallow tail, which appears
to have been made by shaping the end of
the ear like the folked tail of that bird,
was one of the favorite marks The under
keel which was made by cutting a long
oval strip from the ear, was another; mum
Der of notches, slits or holes, and every con-
ceivable combination of under keels and
swallow tails are among the number of re-
corded marks.
AS early as 1857 George Talbot, it will be
membered, speaks of the wild horses and
neat cattle upon Susquehanna Manor, and
in 1705 the Quaker preacher, John Church.
man, speaks of the trouble he experienced
from wild horses enticiug away colt which
accompanied the mare he rode while upon
an errand for his father. Many of these
cattle and horses were unmarked and ran
wild in the forests, and owing to the fact
that some of the land was yet in the pos
session of the Lord Proprietary, he claimed
them as his own.
In 1715 an act was passed by the Legis-
lature in reference to these animals, which
provided for the appointment of an officer
in each county where they prevailed, whose
duty it was to capture this wild stock. He
was called the ranger, and was appointed
by the Governor and Council upon the re-
commendation of the justices of the quorum
in the county where he resided. His COM
pensation was one-half of the stock he cap
tured. John Ryland is the first person
mentioned in the records Of the county as
ranger. In 1929 he petitioned the court to
be discharged from the office, but the court
not having appointed him, rejected the peti
ton. In 1924 Thomas johnson presented
a petition to the court, stating that he was
a person of "good name, fame and repute,
and prayed the court to recommend him for
ranger of the county, which they did.
A fragment of book two of the original
land records of the county, containing for
ty-seven leaves, is yet extant, in which is
to be found the copy of power of attor-
ney from Peter Coode, commander of his
majesties' advice boat, the Messenger, at
tending the province of Maryland, to John
| Fowke, then belonging to the said advice
boat, authorizing him to "collect from all
tories thereunto belonging, be ye same in
any manner of ye production of the growth
of We said province, as tobacco, Indian corn,
| peas, beans, and all manner of cattle what
for and n hut fp his
| proper use." This document was given in
| l701, and bears upon it's face evidence that
the collector of the kings revenue was
farming out the emoluments of his Office
A detached leaf of another book contains
an account of the receipts of taxes for part
of the year 1896. Among the items on it
are the following:
Received of Mr.. James Couts, for import
ing seven hundred and tifty-two gallons of
rum, SOS lis. Cd.
Received of John Smith, for 124 gallons
of rum, e4 13s.
Received of Capt. Deane Cook, for ex-
porting of 80 cubbs, 80 bears, 100 deer
skins, 100 raccoon, 80 fox and cat, and 10
fishers, 81 1Ss. Sd.
Received of Matthias Clements, for i'm
port of two negro boys and one woman, e3.
Received of Col. VIM. Pearce, for i'm
port of two negro men, e2
Received of Capt VIM. Surfing, for eX
port of 12 raccoon, IA fox, otter, and .
muskrat skins, 2s. Sid.
The above is only small part of the
account, but it will serve to show the char
| acter of the exports and imports of the
af hot tipa Tho Sta milo of
importation were rum and negroes; the sta
pie articles of export were skins of ami
mas-which were still abundant-and to-
bacco. What kind of "varmint" the
fisher was we have no means of knowing;
his hide, however, appears to have been
valuable, else it would not have been ex-
ported. AS late as 1924 Benjamin Allen
prays the court for an allowance due him
for ons VOLTS head and thirty eight squr
rels' beads which had been omitted in the
levy for that year. The same year Corne-
lius Mccormack prays to be allowed for
eighty six squirrels heads and large num-
Der of crows heads. These animals were
so numerous and destructive for long
Iudt Guo isidtOiS VI
set price upon their heads for the pur-
pose of keeping them in subordination.
This served good purpose, for money was
scarce and squirrels and crows were plenty,
and the tax payers were allowed to pay
their taxes in squirrels and crows heads,
which was great advantage to them as
well as to the commonwealth. In 1850,
wolves seem to have been very plenty in
the adjoining county of New Castle, for
the court ordered fifty wolf pits or houses
to be made, and enjoined the constables to
see that they were well baited and tended.
On account of the organization of Kent
county, which included that part of Cecil
lying between the Sassafras and Chester
rivers, which was effected in 170G, it be-
came necessary for the convenience of the
inhabitants having business before the court
e., ra,nya ho Saat Of inct;ce tn n mara oap-