The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-06-29
Historical Researches that Quilp Made
rs Bohemian.
CHAPTER NNEI
CONCLUDED

/ lowed 800 lbs of tobacco for and in con-
sideration of two acres of land lying and
being on Long point now Court House
| poin) on Elk river upon Bohemia Manor
| for ye building of a court house in said
county,
/ Shortly afteiw wards, in the same year, he
I was ordered to lay out "A road from Bohe
mia ferry to the site of the new court house
and to clear all convenient roads leading to
/ the same. Nj. Van Bibber and John Jaw
ert were appointed to see the road laid ont.
! OF the size or character of this court house
we know but little for the record of the
county containing the contract, is not to
| be found, but tradition saith il was a wooden
! structure, whether frame or log is unknown.
| +. A. Herman obtained the contract for
building it, for which he was allowed 30,
00C pounds of tobacco. The order for this
allowance was passed at the November
court, III. He was allowed 5000 pounds
more after the house was finished " for
his extraordinary expenses betrayed about
| building it,
The court met in the new building for
| the first time on Sth day of March, 1919.
At this court it was ordered that 81
clause be put into the warrant of the over
seer of North Elk hundred for clearing
the path that leads out of Turkey point main
road to the directeSt and best way that goes
to Elk River ferry" Able Van Burkaloo
was allowed 800 pounds of tobacco for
bringing the records and stocks from the
old court house on Sassafras river. He
was then sheriff, and was probably the son
of the Van Burkaloo. whose name IS now
applied to creek on Bohemia Manor.
| Though VIC are ignorant of the size and
| character of the court house, we find this
order among the records of the civil causes
tried before the court in IT'S: "Ordered,
that Col. E. a. Herman be allowed 1000
lbs. tobacco for building 15-feet prison
and ten feet wide at ye court house, on Elk
river, with hewed logs, and substantial
pillory and stocks near ye same. 1t is
further agreed between We said county and
ye said Herman, that if We said Herman
should make it fully appear, by just &C
count, that he should be at more charge in
We building and finishing of We said works
than what he is out more than is already
allowed him, he be allowed ye next year at
ye laying the then levy--the said prison to
be tloored with good substantial hewed
logs, lofted with We same at least seven feet
| high between fore and fore" Old people
who were familiar with the buildings on
Court House point in their childhood, state
that the Jail was standing there fifty or
seventy five years ago, and that it was
about twenty feet square, one story high,
and very strongly built of yellow pine logs.
The same year NJ. Van Bibber, Col. John
Ward, and John Jawert were appointed by
the court to sell the old court house at
jamestown, on Sassafras river which they
did by public auction, on the 9th day of
February, 1919, to Col. John Ward, for
>, 700 pounds of tobacco, he being tie high
est and best bidder. There was some land,
belonging to the county, sold at the same
time, the quantity and location OF which
are not stated, nor is there any deed on
record conveying the same to Ward.
Court House point would now be con-
sidered a bad location for the seat of JUS
tice, but we must not forget that, when it
was selected for that purpose, many of the
residents of the county were in the habit of
going to court by water. The first settlers
located along the navigable streams, and
when they wished to 60 to court, they got
aboard their shallop or smack, hoisted sail,
and if the wind was favorable, soon reached
their destination. There were few roads
and still fewer vehicles in the county at
this time, and then the custom of going to
court by water had been common while it
was held on the Sassafras, and the people
were 10th to abandon it. Considering the
customs which prevailed aud the geogra-
ply of the county, Court House point was
admirably adapted for the purpose for
which it was chosen, and was the best
selection that could have been made. New
Munster and the country along the Susque-
hanna and North East was rapidly being
settled at this time, and no doubt the wishes
anu VI lliC ptOpiC HFiIiS III
those parts of the county were consulted
and respected.
In 1921 John Jawert was authorized by
the court to lay out the Court House land
at his discretion in lots, and "agree with
those persons who were nclinable to build
on the same for such lots as they shall take
up not exceeding 100 lbs. of tobacco for
each lot beside surveyors fees" Shortly
after this time we learn that Aaron Latham
had purchased two of these lots, upon one
of which he had erected small wooden
house, and that he wished to exchange
them for another lot, near the river, upon
which he proposed to erect larger house
The reason he gave for wishing to be nearer
the river was that he was afraid of con-
tlagration that might consume his house.
The house which now stands upon this
point is very old and was no doubt iire
specimen of architecture when it was built.
The cornice is very elaborate and probably
is entirely different from any other now
extant in this county. The house is said
to have been occupied by the sheriff of the
county during the time that the court met
there, and its appearance and architecture
Indicate that such may have been the fact.
After the removal of the court to Court
House point, the ferry across the Elk river
became one of the most important ones in TIE
county. \ brick house was erected on the
north side of the river, which was used for
tavern for many years. Every trace of
it has long since disappeared but a part of
the wall of the ferry house still remains.
IL is close by the river and partially GOV
cred by the vines of several trumpet flow
ers which cling to the ruined old wall as if
anxious to conceal the ravages which time
has made upon them.
There are many traditions concerning
the executions OF criminals at Court House
point How they were drawn and quar-
tered, as was the custom at that time; and