Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-06-21

from Governor Seytnouz* who wa,
Governor of the Provinee from l7os
to l70S inclusive.
A number of lots were t.lsan mp and
improved in the town, - me Court
House was built betwos los and
ITO. for We find that i session q
the Legislature held 1t A1aapolis. .ip
the Province Of Mary laad - the 2oth
of October, ITO, an act rs passed
directing that st. Marys county
Court be continued at ii ~ Court
House, built at Seymou ToEn, 9th.
erwise 'Sheppard's Old Fisl.ls. :" :.
Before passing % 70 origin Of
Leonardtown We have a word to say
about Sheppard's Old Fields This
was tract of land much larger than
that which Leonardtown now occupies,
and was owned and cultivated by a
numerous family named Sheppards
long before the bounds of the county
were described.
1t seemed to be kind of head
quarters for traffic in skins Of wild
animals, such as foxes, wolves, beav-
ers, bears, sc. About three and a.
half miles north of this place was
the Beaver Dams, where beavers were
numerous; and were shot and trapped
by Indians and sold: at Sheppards, 5,
! from whence they were shipped by
sailing craft to Kent Island and to
trading stations in Virginia.
This tract of land passed into the
hands of Philip Lynes, and from him
to Thomas Cooper, and through Coop
er to Thos. Spalding, Jr., and Catha-
rine, his wife, whom it appears were
the owners Of the land at the time
Leonardtown was laid out. About
the time that the name OF Leonard.
town appears wolves, squirrels and
crows were numerous in Maryland;
the wolves attacked lambs, pigs, calves
and even children; the crows, not only
pulled upthe young corn in the Spring.
but large hocks OF these birds would
light on the corn in the field and eat
and waste eighty bushels in day.
| Squirrels in droves of hundreds were
even more destructive to the corn
fields than the croys, -aad Yonld also
visit fields of wheat, rye and other
grain. cut off the heads and carry
them to their dens. A law was there
fore passed exacting from every taxa
bic inhabitant in a family three squir-
rel scalps or crow heads every year,
tc be produced before some Justice of
the Peace, &c.
If any person failed to perform his
or her duty in this matter, he or she
was subject to fine of two pounds OF
tobacco A reward of two hundred
pounds Of tobacco was given to any
person who might bring VOLTS head
before any Justice Of the Peace for the
county in which the wolf was killed
and, and that the head of said vol
might not be offered for sale the sec.
ond time, the Justice was required tc
cnt out the tongue and crop off tho
ears, &c.
Attorneys neglecting their client:
cause in any of the county Court,
were liable to fine Of four hundred
pounds of tobacco. Profane swearing
drunkenness and blasrhemy were alsc
punishable, the latter by fine o
twenty pounds sterling and hol,
bored tongue OF the offender.
Sabbath breaking was made pun
ishable by a fine of two hundrc,
: pounds of tobacco, and housekeeper
selling strong liquor on Sunday wer
4, subject 70 fine of two thousand pound
: OF the same article A law agains
I gambling was enacted. also againa
opening public or private letters. Fo
e stealing any provincial seal the often
$ der was to be whipped with thirty
0 nine lashes, stand in the pillory tw
n hours and then be banished from IL
!, Province. 1t is said that the sea-
= were never counterfeited or stolen a
ter The passage Of this act. While
|. appears that our forefathers found
t, necessary to pass stringent laws fc
4 the punishment of crimes and misd,
@ meanors, they nevertheless displaye
q commendable solicitude for the ca
a tivation Of the minds and morals
V the youth Of the Province; for We fin
), that the subject of education too
.e root At an early period in the Provinc
Il An act that was passed in 1902 +,
y the encouragement of learning in Il
le Province was revived in l723,
l. which ST. Mary's was represented |
y the Rev. Leigh Massey, Col. Thom
,e Trueman Greenfield and Jas. Bowie
ia Esqr. These gentlemen, with thirt