The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-08-16
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, August 16, 1889.
HARTFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

The Hartford Historical Society Of Hartford roun-
ty met at the Court House on Monday, August I'm.
There were also present Dr. Geo. W. Archer, Rev.
T.. A. Colbun, Vice President M"Ssrs. !: = silver,
A. I. Silver, James McCurdy, Charles W Michael,
". 4. l.. Taliaferro, HenryC Hail. W; Beatty liar
Ian. y. y. Mock. DR.. Benz Smith and +. W. Baker
active members Miss Katie Forwo0d. Dr. j.
Edwin Michael, OF Baltimore Dr. Harvey 'oihlrh
The donations to the Socrty's Library consisted
isGi. from Miss Annie NJ Waters and a copy Of
the same paper, dated July I1th, no the AaryNd
journal, Aug 20, l7,; and the ta'mfr ant Ga'de"er
ian. -. ls:i4, from Mr.. VIM. Il, Hopkins
Dr. Geo. W. Archer presented number of relies
obtained at the site of Old Baltimore, in Bush
The Constitution was amended to change the title
Of the society To The Historical Socrty ol Hartford
ChaS. " Michael W. r. l.. Taliafrrro and +. W.
Baker weEc appointed "A committee 10 confer with
the managers Of the Circulating Library and Jack
son Guards RaZar. with reference Ia securing
room in the proposed library building iur the per.
nGlnent use of the Historical Society. The rIrSi,
dent. by whom the suggestion was made. said that
room belonging To the sGcicty would 20 Tar
towards making 1t a pcrmlnent Institution
in the county and materially increase its interest
THE RICHARDSON FAMILY.
DR.. Archer, at the preceding meeting Of the
society presented an old Bible. the gift Of Mr. j.
d. Bond, Of Baltimore. The book formerly be.
longed to Mrs'Mary Richardson AN anccStrcSs Of
Mr. Bond The following sketch Of the Richard
son family, written by MIR. Bond, WAS read by )r.
Archer;
The accompanying Bible was the property of
Mary Richardson She was Of Welsh descent, her
,loppa Hartford county, Maryland. about the year
l74o She married William Richardson. who was
nD IN, her sane =, N i All ye Tor I h r
her husband had purchased few years before his
marriage. Both her own and husbands family,
together with other old Hartford families, of whom
were the COales Bonds aud Hopkins, were among
the earliest settlers Of what is now known as iar-
ford county. They were colony Of fnritaus who
putiyF1teI "a NIrpipi1 bt.i pI
there by the established church. sought the tOlcr.
ant protection Of Lord Baltimore'S Jurisdiction and
arrived In Anne Arundel county in 1919. \ difficult
tyoccurred between them and Ballmorr'S troops
and u battle was fought at Horn Point, near An.
napolis In which 30 men werr killed RcrOncilia.
tiOn soon followed and number OF these cOloniStS
then found their homes in the wilderness especial
~ about the cad-watrrs OF the Chesapeake from
JOppa to flavrc de- Grace. 1t is sal" 10 say no
other body OF colnulSS to Hartford county ever
made greater impress in all that concerns the
material progress Of the people than these EN-
grants. They SUhducd the forests. opened the Il.
ways, fought for civil and religious liberty, rst;.u-
liShcd order maintained social purity and orgauU
ed all the earlier schools and MOI pTratira
churches. When quite Il young man, William
Richardson began clearing the forest on his White
House farm. His sun Benjamin USED to show the
spot not far below III" spring house, on the old
homestead where his father found luck rntam-
glcd by ms anlrr> In tree, and killru the animal
with Il pocket knife. and also related the incident
illustrated his courage that when he had ir>trrcct
ed his house, and going there alone after night
fall, he heard the alarm OF Il riIttc->nakr given
make light. he cut pole from the adiaCent forest
and beat the floor in tn" direction of the sound
until the noise ceased, when he went tn bed in the
same room To find In the morning large rattle
snake dead on the floor, Here after Il house had
been built, garden enclosed and some land culti-
waited he brought his bride aud the White House
became one NJ the land marks Of the county
situated ut the forks Of the road which led several
ly to JOppa and the Upper and Lower Cross Roads.
Ii was central point for the gathering If the
neighbors the muster Of the militia and the barbr-
cue Of the politicians. From the White House
t,sIfs ali Il
benjamin Richardson. thc son Of Williaml march
ed to the defence Of Baltimore. in 1914. A store
WAS Kept for years here by some Of The family
and died at the age Of 80 years. in November $50
Her children were Henry, Martha. William, Bena-
min. Elizabeth, Vincent, Joshua, samuel. Mary
and Sarah. All except Sarah, the youngest lived
to years Of maturity. From the good woman who
was noted for the energy Of her character and the
now owning the name of Richardson in Hartford
county and many others III other portions ut the
country. OF her children benjamin, Elizabeth
Vincent and john were unmarried: Henry, vii.
liam and Samuel married ladies Of Hartford named
Morgan. Martha married Mordeca Amo>S and
Mary married John Bond: Her children We're all
educated at the Burnt school House." which was
situated about one mile eastward Of the White
House near the residence of the late David Preston
To this school came all the children for or miles
around. The elder DIR. Thomas +. Bond possibly
attended no other school The curriculum EN-
braced at least the elementary studies together
with geography, surveying aud navigation. Mary
Richardson died worthy member Of the NIrthO-
dist Church. She attended the services heldat
Freedom tarrettSOn'S and Dr Bonds house and
established Il preaching place" at her own home
where y society, was formed OF which She was
the first to join which is now known as Friendship
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Dr. Archer also read an interesting and valuable
paper containing the results of trip to Old Ball
more, In Bush River Neck. synopsis Of which will
be published hereafter DR. Archer suggested the
appointment of Il committee To visit tho supposed
site Of Baltimore, EdrntOWn, Washington
Chillbury and Hartford towns, the Site of which are
not definitely knOwn-the committee to obtain all
the information and definitely locate the places
where these towns once stood. The subject was
referred 10 the Historical Committee. consisting Of
Henry C. Hall. Or. Geo. W. Archer and Charles w.
Michael being added to the committee.
Mr.. James McCurdy reau paper on The PhyS-
cal Geography OF Hartford county" in which he
described in detail the general characteristics of
various portions OF the county.
MIR. y 4; Williams was proposed as an active
member Of the society.