The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-03-07
The Egis and Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, March Z, 1854.
history OF CECIL COUNTY, MD.


And the Ea,{y Settlements around TIE Head Of CheSa
pedke Bay and on he Deia'care riUer acith Sketche
Of some Of The on Families Of Cecil Co"mfy. y,
GEORGE JOHNSTON, kWtoH. P"MiShed by M
author, 1881.
We have recently received copy of this book
which is well printed on good paper, with large
plain type, and bound in cloth. 1t contains 81.
pages, including an index and map oil the upper
part OF the peninsula, showing the early land
grants, old manors, Indian forts, boundary lines
and many other things designed to elucidate the
matters treated of in the body of the work.
The History opens with an account of the eX-
p.oration of the Chesapeake bay and its tributa-
ries, by Captain John Smith, of Virginia, in 1G0S,
and shows that the first European settlement in
the State was made on Palmers, now Watson's
tnorr conceived the idea of obtaining patent
for tho colony of Maryland. Much of the first
seven chapters Of the book are devoted to the e,-
at the time of the first exploration of the country
and for period of nearly two centuries after
baltimore and Philadelphia now stand.
The history of the warlike Susquehannocks,
river along the banks of which they lived, is en-
tered into in detail, and together with their wars
with other tribes and the English settlers forms
one of the most interesting chapters in the book.
This part of the work, as well as the account OF
the Burning of Havre de Grace by the British in
Tidewater Canal and the Philadelphia, Whining
ton and Baltimore Railroad, and the account of
the adjustment of the boundary line between
Cecil and Hartford counties, cannot fail to be OF
great interest to our readers those matters being
al integral part of the history of Hartford county
The history of the difficulty between William
Penn and his sons and the Lords Baltimore, re-
speeding the boundary line between the two pro-
vinces, is given 1T length, and is said by the His
torcal and Genealogical Register, of Boston,
Published by the New England Historical Soce-
ty. tn be the best account of NdSOn dnd DiT0a'$
Hhe Wdt tie pliteF erer SdtC.
The religious sects, including the Labadists of
Bohemia Manor. the Episcopalians, the Presby-
tcrans and the Methodiss receive due attention,
anl that part of the book devoted to their history
is instructive and interesting. The Acadians,
whose cruel treatment by the British in 1903, fur
nshed the immortal Longfeow with the incl
dents upon which his beautiful poem Evangelne
was founded, a number of whom at one time re-
sided in Cecil county, are referred to and several
pages of the most interesting part of the book is
devoted to their history. The author in his pre-
face states that when compiling the work he CON
suited the g lonial records Of New York, Penn
S. lyania and Mary land, as well as the records of
the courts of Cecil and the adjoining countess
aud quoted largely from these sources rs well us
from the writings and correspondence OF many
PERSONS mentioned in the work. believing it bet
ter to do this than to obtrude his own language
ani opinions when il could be avoided. The re-
at of this method is that much interesting cor
reSpondence between the early settlers and Others
has been incorporated in the book, and forms
very interesting part of it:
The work has been reviewed by some, of the
leading journals in Baltimore and Philadelphia,
and by all the newspapers in Wilmington and the
local press of Cecil. well as by the Nation" Penn
Oga@ Of he Te Engs@d Hsto1icG Sdc ie ali of
which without single exception commended it
% John e Mon ny
Evans, John il. b. Latrobe, president Of the
Maryland Historical Society Judge Smith
Futhey; of West Chester Pa, Judge John Arch
er, of Texas Judge VIM. A. Stewart, of Balti-
more, Right Rev. Bishop Becker, of the diocese
of Wilmington, and many others. The estima-
ton in which the work is held by the people of
Cecil county is shown by the fact that nearly
every intelligent family in that county has pur-
chased copy of it.
The author desires us to state that he has about
fifty copies of an edition of one thousand, for
sale. The price of the book is $500, and % cents
must be sent to prepay postage when the book is
sent by mail. 1t is written in pleasant, graphic
style and indicates vast amount of careful re-
search among the musty records of the past 1t
is a valuable contribution to the history of this
region, for which the author deserves substan-
tal reward now, and for which he will receive
the thanks of the future historian.