The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-08-23

the same forces. Thosei in the field did not
contain water simply because they were
several feet above the level of the river,
which therefore could not rise into them
through any subterranean way that might
exist, while the rain fall would of course
trickle through until it found its level.
Whereas the bottom of the supposed dock
was perhaps below the river surface Though
am not certain OF this) and if there was
any underground communication, the water
in both would necessarily preserve the same
level ut all times. However, if, after all, this
should turn out to be veritable dock,
where Old BatimOres vessels were wont To
glide in and out, the discovery would GER
tainly be a very interesting one, and | can
not help hoping that the conjecture may
some day be verified.
can get no positive information as to
when town was first established here. /
find, however, in the proceedings of the
Provincial Council" that on the Goth April,
1863, eco years ago. the Governor, under
the PrOpretary's instructions, proclaimed
about dozen ports of entry in the Province,
among which was one "in Baltimore county
afore the Town Land in Bush River" And
on the Both June, 1871, he proclaimed about
the same number of ports of entry-some of
them, strange though it may appear, being
the same as two years before. Among them
is one "at the land late of Thomas Samson,
in Bush river" Why the expression "late
or should be used is uncertain, unless the
land had been bought of Samson since the
proclamation OF two years before for the use
OF the Province-perhaps for warehouse
for the more convenient inspection of to-
baccO, &C. or possibly for the court house
of Baltimore county. 1t would certainly be
well to ascertain where Samson's land was
situated. The probability, however, is that
this was the same port of entry proclaimed
two years before with the locality more
clearly indicated to the public of that day.
Eight years earlier, 1861, Samson and four
other settlers had fight near his plantation
on Bush river, with nine raiding Seneca In
dams, killing five Of them and losing one of
their number.
1t will, of course, be admitted that the use of
the words "aiore the Town Land" shows that
a town had already been established there in
1GG0-though how long before there Is as yet
nothing to show. 1t is marked down on
llermans map which was published in 1870.
Tradition informs lis that William Osborn
established the town and built there the first
house erected within the limits of what is
now Hartford county. There is an interest.
ing account of Osborn's sad experience here
abOuts, which Mr. Leakin states he received
from the late Dr. George I. Hays, who was
one OF Osboln's descendants, and who got it
from some very Old member of the family;
and Mr. Charles W. Michael, also one of
Osborn's descendants, has recently confirmed
to me the main features Of that account.
Osborn's Oldest son was carried off by Sas-
quehanua Indians to their haunts on the
eastern side Of the bay. He and his friends
crossed in pursuit, but failed to recover boy.
Father and son never met again in this world.
Long after the distressing event, however, an
old Indian chief told the bereaved father that
his son was living, and was at that time
chief, and that he was one of those who, In
1852, signed the famous treaty with Penn
under the great elm at Shackamaxon. 1t is Il
pity that this romantic story should have
ended here-lhat Mr.. Osborn should have
made no effort to see his long lost son.
Here, too, where the river is little over
half a mile in width, Osborn established
ferry, which for awhile was managed for him
by Philip Phillips, who had accompanied him
to this region This Phillips was the great
grandfather of the one who, with his wife, is
buried at Old Baltimore. He soon bought
the ferry from Osborn, and probably kepta
public house at its eastern terminus, not only
for the accommodation of those who patroniZ-
ed his ferry, but of such as visited the town
during the terms of court and at other times.
His son, Capt. James Phillips, certainly kept
such house, being designated in deed of
1850 as an "lnnholder." 1t was perhaps the
latter's son, James, who, in 171S, gave the
two acres on which to erect the second par
sh church.
Mr.. Leakin's latest Investigations seem to
prove Ito his satisfaction at least) what he
had not before suspected, that Court House
was not erected, nor courts held, at Old
Baltimore, until Cecil was separated fIom
Baltimore county-namely, in 1874. If this
had been so, it is not likely that the town
would have been called Baltimore until that
date, and yet it is marked Baltimore on
Hermans map of 1870. The courts, Mr..
Lcakin thinks, had been held in Cecil county
Enough in no regularly established Court
House and indeed, at several different
points, ever since the erection of Baltimore
county in 1869 And it may be so. But so
far as he bases it on the alleged fact that "the
population and wealth Of Baltimore county
was al first on the east side of the bay, the
west side being exposed to Indian incur
sions,' | must take issue with him. The
Indian iICursi0ns freely admit; but it can
be proved that the Uties, Beadles, Gould
smiths, Calelts, and many others had planta-
lions and residences along the bay, from the
mouth Of the Susquehauna to Bush river, at
least rs early as the first settlements on the
Cecil side, and there is nothing to show that
we lolIheI "cic not pu!le us prosperous us
the latter.
Leaving the disputed point, it is certain,
that in 1914, the year that Cecil was erected
an net was passed by he Assembly to pro-
vide each county in the Province with a
courthouse and prison and this act may have
been carried INTO effect without delay,
Mr.. Leakin bases his argument (lhat the
first courts were held east OF the bay mainly
on the historical fact that in 1864 Seneca
Indian, who had been captured ON the Pataps-
CO, within the limits OF Baltimore county,
was sent sent to Maj. Goldsmith, who lived
on the west side of the bay, and was by him
sent across TO Carpenters Point, where u
court was held for his trial Mr.. Leakn con-
tends that the Indian who was charged with
murder would not have been sent across the
bay il courts were ever held at that time on
Bush River Since, however, the western side,
AS Mr.. Leakn elsewhere asserts was much
more harassed than the eastern by the incur
sOns of the Sene,as, it was certainly more
prudent, even if Old Baltimore had been the
regular place of holding courts, to remove
the prisoners just across the bay to Carpen-
ters Point, Qhe place where this particular
Indian was tred) lest his savage friends
should swo0p down to his rescue, and TO
something infinitely worse. Mr.. Leakin also
says that court was held in 1861 at the house
of Capt. Thomas Howell in Cecil county, on
Sassatras river. Unfortunately he gives no
authority for this statement and il true ii is
a little strange that Johnston in his History
of Cecil County he has been indie
iatigable in hunting up the records concern
ing early courts held in that county and gives
a very detailed account of the trial of the
Seneca in 1GG4-does not once allude to the
earlier court held at Capt llowells.
In 1850, as we find from the Council Pro-
ceedings" James Phillips WAS appointed
Town Officer" of Baltimore, whose duty it
was to see that there was no smuggling or
other evasion of port duties, either on entry
or departure, by vessels trading there. The
goods Of all such offenders were to be seized
and contiscated they were themselves to be
imprisoned for one year and never thereafter
to be entitled to grant of land anywhere
within the Province.