Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-06-21
"REMINISCENCES OF COLONIAL TINES.
SheppArd's Old Fields, Seymour aud
Leonard Tewn in ss. Mary - Ceansy.
BY VINCENT CAVALIER

From the 9th Of March, 1884, Jn-
han tIme,' when Leonard Calvert,
Commander. Keeper OF the Great Seal,
&C., with his two hundred followers
landed on the shore OF Augusta, Car
ol!ua afterwards st. Marie's, and now
s. MarYs, sixty-one years passed
away before the bounds Of st. Mary 4
county were established. At the May
session of the Assembly IN 1906, il
WAS enacted that from and after. the
23rd of April, 1896. the bounds Of
st. Mary's county should begin at
Point Lookout and extend up the Po-
tomac river to the lower side of Budd e
Creek, and over, by a straight line
drawn from the head Of the main
branch Q; SAID creek to the head OF
Indian Creek in Fatuxent river, in.
Guiding all that land lying between
PatuXsnt and Potomac rivers, from
the lower part of the said two creeks
ana branches OF Budd's and Indian
Creeks. by the line aforesaid and
Point Lookout. At this same session
the bounds Of Charles and Prince
Georges counties were described, and
the latter erected in county which
should, on and after the said 23rd OF
April, 1896. (being st. Georges day.
enjoy all nights and benefits equal
with the other counties of the Pro-
vince.
1t was also at the same time enac-
ted that the st. Marys county Court
be and forever hereafter held at the
city OF ST. Mary's, as we'll as all such
other decent services the Justices
should deem convenient and agree to.
The Island OF Kent was added to
and made a part Of Talbot county in
1896, and in 1907 it was made a part
OF Queen Annes county and has re-
manned 20 ever since.
In l693 trustees were appointed 10
purchase lands adjoining The Foun.
tains OF Healing Waters" called the
"Cool SPRING. in St. Mary county
for the purpose OF building houses for
the use OF such poor and impotent per.
sous as should 20 to the springs for
cure. The act was partially carried
out, and Francis Nicholson, Esq, then
Governor, caused Episcopal services to
be held there once a week, and Bibles
and prayer books to be given to the
poor. The place is now known as
Charlotte Hall, the seat Of learning
in Southern Maryland, where IN form
er years the talents OF many young
men OF Maryland were developed into
ripe scholars .ip. who became promi-
nent IN the affairs OF the Nation, and
today Charlotte Hall School compares
iavorably with any like institution ot
learning in the United States, and
the clear cool water still flows abun.
iantly from the Healing Fountain
impartinc to all who paItake of il
now the same curative properties il
dispensed in l69e.
In this year Governor Nicholson
was appointed Governor of Virginia
and Governor Nathaniel Blackstone
Esquire, was made Governor Of Mary
land, and met the Legislature of tn,
Province 1t Annapolis in l699, form
erly Ann Arundel Town, at which
: session Annapolis was made by Law
the chief place ana Seat OF Justice 10
holding the Assemblies and Provin
cial Courts and in the same year tn
State House was struck by lightning
several Of the members of the Legs
lature weIe struck down and one @
them killed.
Four years after this event the Stat
House was consumed by fire and wa
rebuilt in 1907. In 1907 there wer
twelve counties in Maryland, and !
l70S Annapolis was created a city
her charter dating the 22nd of N
vamber Of that year.
About this time an enlightened 20
ICY prevalled-water mills were bull
new roads opened, towns laid out an
many wholesome laws passed for ii
benefit Of the people.
The first move towards erecting
town, on the land now occupied
Leonardtown, was IN tie year l7O
al Sheppard Old Fields, near Il
Head OF Brettons Bay, on the land
Philip Lynes. This act was disallov
Ell, but was revived by an act of Il
Legislature in l70S, appointing cor
: missioners TO purchase Fifty -
acres Of land at the aforesaid pla
and have the same surveyed and Ia
!, ont in lots for the erection Of a tow
to be known as Seymour Town, whe
= the Court House was 10 be built and
!; Mary $ county Court 10 be held in 1