The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-06-08

in Mary land. The rent was generally made
payable at the Manor house in the month Of
November. In many cases good fat capon
or two dung hill fowls were exacted of the
tenant as part of the annual rent. One of
the most curious and suggestive consid-
erations mentioned in these leases, is that
in the lease for the tract on which
Port Herman stands. 1t was executed in
1913, and the consideration was one ear of
Indian corn, payable annually, if demanded
in the month of November, aud the fur
ther consideration that the lessee was to
"keep two hunting hounds, that were to
be part of the cry of hounds that the lord
of the manor then kept" This was low
rent for $50 acres of land, but probably
tie tenant was expected to devote some of
his time to the entertainment of his lord
ship, and it might have cost him more in
time and trouble than at first sight is APP
parent.
In 1924 the lord of the manor obtained
an act of the legislature investing him with
an estate in fee simple in Little Bohemia,
as Middle Neck was then called, and which
he had inherited from his father, but not
as lord of Bohemia. He was man of
business and several times represented the
county in the legislature of the colony; and
the records of the court show that he de,
voted much of his time to other public bust
ness, of which we shall tell when we write the
history of the building of the court house at
Court House point. He died in 1875, leav
ing one son, who was called by the same
name as his father, whom we believe
was the last male descendant of the
founder of the manor, who bore the
name of Herman. His personal property
was appraised at 1915, and consisted of a
large amount of household goods and eigh-
teen negro slaves. His manor plantation,
consisting of $50 acres of land, is represent
ed as being in very bad condition. The
house and outbuildings were in delapi-
dated condition, the fences were down, and
Judging from the return of the appraisers,
which is recorded among the land records
of the county, it must have presented a
forlorn and doleful appearance. The land
was divided into four fields, and there was
on it an orchard of about $50 old apple
trees. The rental value placed upon it
was only ef0, Maryland currency, after the
quit rent was paid. The disparity between
the value of the personal and real estate is
very notable, and it is more than likely
that the proprietor of the manor had neg
ected his estate while attending to the
public business, and sacrificed his individual
interest to the public good. The miserable
condition of his plantation was probably
owing to the existence of slavery and the
baneful effect which invariably followed its
introduction. His widow executed a mar
riage contract in 1888 between herself and
William Alexander, in which it is stipu-
lated that her son Ephraim Augustine Her
man was to have five negro slaves which
belonged to her. She is known in this con-
tract as Araminta Young, which indicates
that she had married person of that name
after the death of Herman, and was again
a widow.
Anna Margaretta, the oldest daughter of
Augustine Herman, married Matthias Van
dehuyden. His name indicates that he
was native of Holland, and the old
colonial laws show that he was nat
uralized in 1862. He was prominent
man, and for long time was one of
tha inc of hn 10 b.,
bly, died in 1929, for his will was proved
in that year. He left three daughters, the
eldest of whom mari led Edward Shipper,
of Philadelphia of whom the wife of Bene-
dict Arnold, the traitor, was descendant.
Augustine Herman's second daughter, Ju-
dith, married John Thompson, descend
ant of whom-Samuel Thompson-now
lives upon part of the land devised to her
by her father, the founder of the manor
The countenance of this remote descend
ant bears strong remembrance to the por-
trait of Herman as delineated upon his
maps of Maryland and Virginia, which
were published more than two hundred
years ago. Francina married Mr.. Wood.
She left issue, but it is believed to be long
since extinct.
Prominent among the early settlers on
Bohemia Manor were two brothers, Isaac
and Matthias Van Bibber. They were ma
tives of Holland, and came to Cecil county
previous to 1909, in which year they were
naturalized by the colonial legislature of
Maryland. In that year, Matthias bought
part of John Moll's land, which the reader
will recollect was the easternmost of the
four nscks which comprised the Labadie
tract. Two years afterwards he bought
another portion of the same tract, and in
170S his brother Isaac bought 100 acres of
it, which he and his wife Fronica sold to
Matthias, in I'LL, for $780, which, it is
stated in the deed, had been expended in
the erection of mill then occupied by the
said Isaac. This mill is believed to have
been located upon branch of the Bohemia,
called Mill Creek, on the site Of what was
formerly known as Sluyter's mill, every
vestige of which has long since disappeared,
even the land once covered by the dam now
being cultivated. This is the first mill
mentioned in the history of that part of
the county. 1t was probably built short
time before the date of the deed.
Matthias Van Bibber appears to have
been fond of the acquisition of land, for he
afterwards purchased st. Augustine Manor,
as before stated. He also became the pro-
prietor of Van Bibber's Forest, which was
patented to him in 1870. This was large
tract of land in the Third district, near
Mechanics Valley, containing $50 acres
In addition to this he owned another tract,
which is described in his will as his planta-
ton at the head of Elk, and is believed to
have been located short distance south
east of the mansion of Hon. J. A. J. Cres-
well. He was for long time chief justice
of the county and occupied that RESPONSE
BILE position when the court house was
built at Court House Point.
Isaac Van Bibber's will was proved in
1928. lie left three sons, Jacob, Peter and