The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-08-02

answer the charges. Savin had served thu
summons upon him, as appears from hi
affidavit taken before David Smith, at tina
time Justice of the peace, and aiterward:
for long time Register of Wills: but Cor
don refused to attend, and sent word to The
committee that if they wished to see him
they could come to his place: that it was
large enough To hold them, and that they
| had better not come inside his yard gate o,
there would be lives lost: all of which mes
| sage and much more was couched in Stron.
language intermiXed with profanity
| Whereupon the committee resolved that Ii
should be under the ilnputation Of being an
enemy to this country and as such they
would lave no dealings or communications
with him or suffer him to transact any bust
ness with them until he should satisfy them
respecting t he trut h of the charges preferred
| against him.
The counties We're represented in the first
convention by committees, and each county
had one vote only and all questions were
determined by Il majority of counties. In
| theconventi"nS subsequently called together
previous to December, lI1I, the members
were styled deputies. John NeaZey, Jr,
Joseph Gilpin, John ID. Thompson, Nathan
iel Ramsay and Patrick Ewing represented
the county in the convention of 1115. OF
this number, MeSSrS. NeaZey, Thompson
and Ramsay We're 81 gncrS of the Declara-
ton of the Freemen of Maryland, Il docu-
ment somewhat similar in character to the
Declaration Of Independence. 1t seems
proper to state in this connection that
Peter Lawson, William Currer and Charles
Rumsey, of this county, also signed the
Declaration.
In the convention that met August lith,
lII6, this county was represented by Joseph
Gilpin, Patrick Ewing David Smith and
Ben amin Brevard.
The first military organization in the
county, Of which we have been able to find
any account, is an independent company,
of which Samuel Evans was commissioned
captain, september 18th, 1776. OF this com
pany, Henry DobSon was LIST lieutenant;
Thomas RumSey was md lieutenant, and
William Stewart was ensign, They We're
all commissioned on the same day, and
there is reason to believe that DobSon took
Il very active part In the organization of the
company. On the day he received his COM
mission, he seems to have been in Annapo-
lis, for the Council ordered the treasurer of
the Western Shore to pay him $500 for the
use of Charles RumSey, Henry Holdings
worth and Edward Parker, on account of
the flying camp. The Council tho same day
ordered that Parker furnish sufficient linen
to supply the company with tents, and that
the commiSSary furnish DobSon twelve
camp kettles, seventv-siX cartouch boxes,
and also Il like number of printing wires and
brushes, etc, which he probably brought
home with him.
Henry DobSon was the grandson of Rich
ard Dobson, who, for many years, was reg
lister of North Elk parish; and Abigail,
the daughter of Henry Hollingsworth, the
first OF that name who settled ut the Head
of Elk, in 17l0. Cecil county produced no
Drawer man or better soldier than Henry
DobSon. At the time he was commissioned
he was not yet twenty-five years of age.
He was the maternal uncle of the late Henry
Dob>on Miller, who was Register of Wills
of this county for twenty eight years.
Henry Dobson participated in the battle Of
Br;ndywine, where he was wounded. At
that time he was captain, having been com
miSSioned on the 10th OF January, III.
He was killed at the battle of Eutaw Springs
in 1881, in the 2ith year of his age.
ON the 9TH of january, l716, the conven-
ton halioted for officers of the militia with
the following result: Boi,emia BottdlioH-
John Neazey, IT., colonel John ID. Thomp-
son, leutenant-rolonel: William Rumsey,
LIST major: DIR. Joshua Clayton, 2nd; SAM
uel Young, quartermaster. Ek Edttalion-
Charles RumSey, colonel; Henry Holdings
worth, lieutenant colonel; Edward Parker,
list major: John Strawhridge, Ind: Thomas
Higgins, uuartermaSter. SuSYuehannd Bat
to1ion-feorge johnson, colonel; Thomas
HughS, lieutcnant-colonel; John HartShorn,
lSt major: Elihu Hall, 2nd: John HANDLE
ton, quartermaster.
There is reason to believe that these bat
talionS were intended for home protection
and defence, and existed rs distinct organi-
cations but short time, when those of
whom they We're composed entered the con-
tinental army.
Col Henry HollingSworth was n grand
s,p ,,fI npry Hnl1inrS,ynrth H., in ha
prime of life and lived in the house in Elk
ton now occupied by his grandchildren, the
Partridgcs. He was an elnincntly patriotic
man, aud-.ludging from the letters he re-
ceivei and the important POSITIONS lie tilled
did more than any other citizen Of the
county for the advancement of the interest
of the coloni>tS. The Head Of Elk being
directly upon the route between the north
ern and southern colonies, he was often
called upon, in discharge of his duty as
commissary, to furnish supplies for the
troops when their line of march lead through
that village, which then was a place of SO
much importance that the Legislature passed
IN act in the Spring of l1,1, authorizing the
Governor To purchase land and contract for
the erection of good substantial stone or
brick building to lie used for the acculnino-
,lation of new recruits or soldiers passing
through it. The Governor was also re-
llt>tttl ~ Sbiltli VI S'bll SFItNS III
prosecuting the work. Probably for the
want of means, the building was not erect
ed. Mr.. HollingSworth was as cnterpriS-
ing rs he wls patriotic; and with i view of
aiding the cause of his country, he made Il
proposition to the convention To manut:tc-
, mr.. y,,n ,r.-ls-asssl. h;lxaaets for the Use
| of the troops. The convention took Il, -
| upon this proposition on the 22nd of May
| l1I6, and resolved "that the sum of f50t
should he advanced to him" He was to
give bond for the payment of that sum in
good substantial gun barrels, well bored
| and ground, q of an inch i'll the bore and
81. feet in the barrel, at twenty shillings
| per barrel, and good substantial steel bayo-
nets, at eight shillingS per bayonet." These
barrels We're stocked bya Mr.. William Win
| tiers, who had Il mandatory for that pur-
| pose at CheStertown. Mr.. HollingSworth
| WIS the first person that engaged in the
manufacture of warlike munitions in this
| State for the use of its soldiers.
The January before this happened, Ed
ward Parker, who then resided near the
Brick Meeting House, had memorializcd the
convention in regard to the manufacture of
linen and WOODEN goods, and had received a
subsidy of e3O0 TO enable him to start bust
ness. Hestated that he had erected house,
provided himself with all manner of imple-
mentS, and had five looms constantly EN-
ployed in manufacturing. In this connec-
ton the following letter, which we copied
from the original now in possession of his
grandchildren, will be interesting. 1t was
written only eight days after the promulga
ton of the declaration of independence, and
shows the promptness with which the peo-
pie of that time acted.
In COUNCIL OF SAFETY,
18th July, l776.
Sir:-We are in immediate want of about
1OD I,,youptS of di ffrreut sized sockets for