The Baltimore County union., 1881-10-29
Correspondence Baltimore Co-H,y r-ie".
YORKTOWN.
A Town Of Revolutionary Pame Ancient
Buildings-A Curious win. &C.


space in your paper viii give you n Is~ of the
jottings took down white attending the York.
town centennial celebration last week. and Shieh
will conten.e a. mueh ~ = ssiblc. Aner reach
ing iorktown asd paying my respects 10 the
TowsOn Guards. who I found very pleasantly
situated and apparently enjoying camp life, was
kindly invited By Capt. Cole, Of Co. Il. Sth Nd.
Regiment, TO dine With him and number sf other
officers of the regiment aecepted the Invitation
with aiaefity and was soon seated nj table boun-
tfuliy laden with all the deIieseies Of the season,
around which eat \ ine body of military men.
Among the guests were bis honor. Mayor Latrobe,
Hon. John l.. Thomas. Mr.. Gist 7. Cockey, Of
| cockeysville, aud Mr. A. W. Bradford, son Of the
late ex-Goy. Bradford. After dinner I started
out 90 zee the town. In the fret place sought
out the oldest white inhabitant Of the place aud
vas escorted by him FIRST 90 what is called the
"old Nelson dwelling" which was built by Thos.
Nielsen. father Of the fret Colonial Governor Of
Virginia. This house was occupied by three gene
rations of Nelson's, the head Of the family Of each
being nsmel Thomas. Their tombs are In the
yard of the Episcopal church and have the Eng
sh coat Of arms with other inscriptions that have
been almost obliterated by time. The frst Thomas
vas born in 1871 and died October sth. i74j. The
son Thomas. whe was Colonial .Governor, died
Nov. 10Th, liza, aged 81 years. noneend Of this
| ancient dwelling 10 hole said 10 have been made
BY cannon ball during the seige in l7sl. One
Of the descendants Of this family, Miss Fannie
Nelson, nov occupies . house near the old man
sion, and which was built BY the Governor for his
son Thomas.
Grace Episcopal church, the only church In the
town, and Of which the Rev. A. Y. Hendiey is now
town, in 1890, had . populatiun Of 1000 mostly
whites: now it has bat about 900, nearly all
| eoioreI.
The "Moore house." situated about two miles
below Yorktown proper, 10 said TO be the house In
which the treaty was signed In 1881. Daring the
"a IL L. IL
as his headquarters. IL has also the mark Of .
cannon bail In the chimney. The building which
10 said 90 have been the 6rst custom house In this
| country. has inscribed ON . stone over the front
door. "R. d., l7%9." IL is . little two-story and
attic structure and was used At one time ~ the
county court house. Directly opposite 10 the
house in which washington's heaJquarters were
located after the surrender Of cornwalis. Il 10 .
small building and u used as n provision
store. The court house of the present time l. q
small. two story affair and rented out for $500
during the celebration for sleeping apartments.
"cornwaliis's cave, as IL Is called, and Ia which
IL Is said he lived when at Yorktosn. was visited
by many. admission fec of % cts. being charged
for the privilege OF Inspecting IL. / am eredibly
informed that cornwailis did not live in this cave
but that Il was used 10 store smusglei goods.
From Mr.. Lew. Van B"'kerck. who was clerk
Of the court in lsGs. procured copy of the first
will ever recorded In Virginia. Il 10 called "the
pig will. and rs II Is curious document send
IL To you herewith. j.. L.
below !. the will above alluded TO:
10th March, 1851.
In the name Of God. amen. This will and ties.
lament teing the last will and Testament of An
drew whoail, made the 10th Of March, 1851, be-
ing in his perfect senses he in his life
time. witnesseth. that make Christopher Stocks
my lawful oVerseer to that the bond Of this my
will be performed rs follows:
HeS Gssi. l bequ-ath my soul to Almighty
.ast, l..fv 10 -. -. l.. al.