The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-07-30
VOL. XXXI----NO. 81.
Hartford Towns a Century Ago.

AT the recent meeting of the Hartford His
torical Society Mr.. John s. Hughes read some
extracts from Scott's Gazetteer of 1895 and
1893, in which several Hartford towns are
described as follows
JoPPA.
Situated upon an eminence contiguous to
east side of Gunpowder, about miles above
its confluence with the Chesapeake. 1t CON
tains nearly 30 dwellings and an Episcopal
church."
In 1899, only four years later, it is spoken
of as follows: Now hardly vestige of the
old place is to be found"
Hartford or Bush Town-the name "Bush"
still clings to the place in spite of legislative
enactment-in 1875 was described as ''situat-
ed on Bush Creek. 1t contains but few
houses and is partly fallen to decay since the
courts fjustice were removed to Bell Air"
The description of Bush in 1899 contrasts
pleasantly with the above;
ut contains Is dwellings and 1870 inhabi-
tants, u complete merchant mill tan yard,
a cooper's wheelwright and blacksmith's
shops, 2 stores and 2 taverns. The lots be-
longing to the town are very fertile and well
adapted for gardens and meadows. In the
vicinity are large beds of yellow ochre, of ex-
cellent quality. Situated at the head of navi-
CATION it enjoys safe and easy communica-
ton with Baltimore and the different ports
and rivers which have immediate connec-
ton with the Chesapeake Bay. Itcarries on
an extensive trade in wheat with the Eastern
Shore Of Maryland, Virginia and Hartford
county, and the adjacent parts of York and
Cumberland county, in Pennsylvania. The
situation is healthy and agreeable. In the
neighborhood are several neat country seats"
ABINGDON
in 1T01 was n small town plpaeapflv situotad
on an eminence one mile w. s. w. of aar-
ford Town. IA college was situated here by
the Methodists in 1885 and named Cokes-
bury, in honor of their two principal bishops,
Coke and Asbury." ut is large brick build
ing, two stories high, handsomely built"
Abingdon in 1900 contained "Fifty-one
dwellings and 240 inhabitants, of which &C
ure blacks" at has eight stores, filed
with West India produce and the various
manufactures of Europe; lanyard and sew
eral shops in which all the useful and me-
chanical arts are carried on. Cokesbury
College was burned down in 170G. Here are
Church"
HAvRE DE GRACE.
Havre de Grace is described in two lines
in 1875. ut contains about 40 houses and
$40 inhabitants" In 1893 the description is
the same, except 10 are added to the number
of inhabitants.
BEL AIR.
Bel Air in 1895 is spoken of as "the chief
town of Hartford county, Nd" ut contains
a Court House, gaol and few dwellings,"
In 1899 it says, Bel Air "has an elegant
court house and gaol u Methodist meeting
house. In the town are four licensed inns,
three stores,2 blacksmiths' shops, 2 joiners,2
chairmakers, l shoemaker, 1 wheelwright
and 1 taylor" 1t contained in 1893, 1877 in
habitants, of whom SO were black. In the
vicinity of the town is the county poor
house. The soil in the neighborhood is ex-
tremely thin"
According to this old gazetteer Hartford
county contained in 1895 1876 inhabitants, of
which 3 AT are slaves. 1tisagreeably variegat.
ed with hills I; but the land in many parts is
exceedingly poor" He gives better descrip-
ton in 1859: ut contains 10, 900 Inhabitants
and is divided into the following hundreds:
Upper and Lower Gunpowder, Upper and
Lower Deer Creek, Upper aud Lower Har-
ford, Upper and Lower Spesute, Upper and
Lower Bush River, Eden, Broad Creek
and Susquehanna." Hartford is divided into
lowlands near the bay and high or forest
lands. The lowlands are in general the
most fertile, producing from to 30
bushels of wheat and 10 to 60 bushels of
Indian corn. 1t also produces an abund-
ance of excellent fruit and large GUAM
titles of best cider. On the creeks and rivers
are valuable merchant mills. On Deer Creek
forge and Sitting mill. From there are
sent to Baltimore flour by barrel and slit,
iron, lumber &c. There are. Episcopal
churches, Chapels, Presbyterian, l Roman
Catholic, Baptist, 1 General Baptist, l
Methodist and Quaker churches"