The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-09-07

Island. Shrewsbury Parish, which now is
in Kent county. was erected as before stat
ed, in 1892. The names Of the vestrymen
in 1855 were VIM. Pearce, VIM. Harris,
Edward Blay, VIM. Fins, Edward skid
NOR and Geo. Shirtou. The records of
Cecil county show that this ves,ry obtained
4 deed from Charles James, in 100. for Isl
acres of land, for which they had paid
1000 pounds of tobacco To Charles James,
the father of the grantor, then deceased.
This land is described As being near 4 val
ley at the head of 4 branch of Churn creek.
In 1902, We learn from the records of the
court, one Richard Lugg was indicted for
disturbing public worship ut Shrewsbury
Parish Church, and found guilty and fined
100 pounds tobacco. In 1895 the taxabIes
i'll Shrewsbury were $40, thirteen more than
were assessed in all the other parts Of the
county. During the few years that this
parish was under the jurisdiction OF this
county, it was under the care of the rec
tors of North Sassafras. except for 4 short
time in 1909, when the Rev. Stephen Bord-
ley, the rector of 1t. paul's Parish. adjoin-
ing it ON the south, served 1t one third of
his time.
In l7li the taxables of North Sassafras,
which now embraced the country between
the Elk and SassafraS rivers, had increased
to go; and in 1921 they numbered 20 In
100 Ir ID -i. Of
North Sassafras, having had charge of it
more than twenty-six years. In 1924 the
parish was vacant, aud Thomas Parsley
was appointed reader by the vestry, and
was to PIT up the green's in the church at the
usual time He was to have 1000 pounds
of tobacco for his compensation.
In 1923 the Governor of the province in.
quired of the commissioners of the county
how many parishes there were in it and the
number of the taxables in them, and they
replied that there were two parishes, and
that st. Stephens North SassafTas was
thirty miles long and sixteen miles in
breadth, and contained 1,0lt taxables;
that North Elk was about twenty miles
long and was about the same width, and
contained $50 taxables; and that 81. Steph
en's Parish had a glebe of $40 acres.
In 12i the Rev. John Urmston was in
dncted into the parish, and We are sorry to
say that he was au incorporate man, and
the records of the parish show that, upon
one occasion, he was $50 overtaken witt.
liquor in the church that he could not read
the service, SO that the people went out
SO they complained of his bad conduct,
and some of the neighboring rectors and
other officials of the adjoining parishes
tried him on a libel exhibited against him
by the church wardens for many wicked
and immoral actions, which were proved
before the said commission. The crimes
for which he was deposed were glaring
that the reverend gentlemen did not think
fit to appeal from the decision OF the COM
mission that tried him, but being instigated
10y the PapistS, rs was alleged by the pre-
siding officer, he sought legal advice, and
was about 10 bring suit for the recovery Of
his salary and also to prosecute the presi-
dent of the commission that tried and de-
posed HIM for acting without a commission
from his majesty, the king, when he, i'll
drunken fit, as was supposed, fell into the
fire and was burnt to death. \ sad but
fitting end for one who had disgraced the
holy office, and had probably assumed its
duties in order to prostitute it TO his own
ACKNOWLEDGMENT The vestry considered
the parish vacant and petitioned the Gov
ernor to appoint another rector, and in re-
Spouse he sent them the Rev. Hugh Jones,
who took charge OF the parish in 1881.
lie was a graduate of the University OF
oxford, and came to Maryland in 1896.
lie WAS then in the twenty six year of his
age. lie had been engaged in the minis
try in Calvert county, Maryland, and also
in Virginia. He was a Jealous churchman
and seems To have been much annoyed by
the fact that some Roman Catholics, Pres
byterians, Jesuts aud Quakers were resi-
dents of his parish In 1873, an act hav-
ing been passed by the General Assembly
for the purpose of raising the requisite
funds, the vestry agreed with John Baben-
hme and James Bayard for the building of
a new church at or near the place where
the old church stood for 81, 600 pounds of
tobacco. The vestry also bought from
Benjamin Sluyter two acres of land on the
Manor upon which TO build a chapel, and
agleed with him for the building of one
A. la gsl,n -ss..i
with radius of ten feet. This was the
old Augustine Church which was standing
AZ 81. Augustine when the HcsSians, under
kuyphausen, visited the Manor in III.
Just before the battle of Brandy wine. /;
is worthy of remark that when the build
| ing of the church was contemplated, four
OF the veStrymen voted for it TO be built at
! Newtuwn, which no doubt was the name
then gwen tn Cecilton, at the mouth Of
Scotchmcn's creek, which had been laid
out in 1890. Why it was not built there
we have no means of ascertaining.
| The following letter from Hugh Jones TO
the secretary of the Society, FOR the propa-
/ CATION OF the Gospel, shows the character
and zeal of the man SO much better than
! any thing We could write, that we insert it
| 50 that our readers can fern whatever juds
I ment OF him they choose:
| ST. STrruEN's PARISH,
in Cecil county, Md.
July 30th, 1879.
Nay il P'ea~ Your Reference To ex-
/ cuse the presumption OF me and my vestry
IN making application to you for the dona-
ton of library to this parish; for though
this place belongs not TO any of your mis-
sions, yet il may have Just claim TO
/ partake of your pious fayors as any, being
I the chief mark 1t which the virucnt darts