The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-08-30
A Trip to Old Baltimore and Other
Points in Bush River Neck.
Read Before the Hartford Hist orcal Society.
August 12th. 1889.
by GEORGE ". ARCHER.

ny GEORGE W. ARCHER.
No. II.
Only few years elapsed from the erection
of the Court House, when the question OF the
removal of the couuty-seat began to be ag-
italed by interested parties. In the PRO
ceedings of the Council for 1852" is the fol-
loving letter having that end in view, and
it is not at all likely that it was the first et-
fort of the sort. The letter is the more inter
esting from the fact that the writer, a few
years before, during a temporary subversion
of Lord Batimore's tolerant rule, had been
violently prosecuted in another part of the
Province, as the most prominent among the
Quakers-all of whom were most shametully
treated at the time. | never before knew
that he was at any period of his eventtu lite
a resident within the bounds of Baltimore
county. 1t would be interesting to know
whether he lived in the Hartford portion of
the county.
The Council Record says:
The following letter was read from
Thomas Thurston Mt Council held at ST.
Marys 18th May, 1856, to Clement Hill, Tone
of the Council
April 18th, 1856. Loving Friend Clement
Hill; II thou please to remember when
saw thee last that we had some discourse
concerning our Court House that now is
not standing convenient for the whole
county, but rather out of the way. 1t is the
request and desire of the greatest part of
the county that Council will please to take
it into consideration and grant US an order of
Council to appoint place where it may be
selt for the cOnveniency of the whole county
which we doe judge will be on tue south
side of the run called Winters Run, couve-
nient for every man that may have business
there, which would be greater satisfaction
to the inhabitants and encouragement to
travellers and sGangers, humbly desiring
that the Council will grant our quest
The site must have been near the point
where the old post road crosses Winters
Run
First, [becausel that there is much land
in breadth and length still TO take up, which
is great hindrance to the proprietary.
Secondly. There is many that have
taken land up and are doubtful of seateing
for fear OF the heather.
Thirdly. 1t would be a means of driving
back the heather further into the woods.
"Fourtbly. 1t will be nearer the middle of
the county.
"Fifthly. The continuance of causes puts
men to more charge than debt, because that
in the winter people cannot come for the
frost and here every man may come winter
and summer.
"Sixlhly. 1t will be near the path that
goes from PotomaCk to the Susquehannah
river, and that will encourage strangers and
enlarge our county.
This in behalf of the peonle OF PAtapsco,
Back river Middle river Gunpowder river
and the south side of Bush river doe request
an order of Council with what speed it may
be and therein you will oblige the oppressed
and promote the proprietary right.
THOMAS THURsToN.
These for my loving Friend Clement Hill
living in Clements bay, one of his Lordship's
Council"
Friend Thurston's petition does not seem
to have moved the Council to take action ut
that time. Fourteen years later, however,
the Court House was directed TO be removed
to Fors'er'b Creek, ON the Gunpowder, and
probably for much the same reasons that had
been urged in the letter cited.
TIE OLD CHURCH AT GRAvELI.Y.
My next objective point was the site of
the old Parish Church at Gravely, about
four miles east from Old Baltimore, and half
mile south of of Michaesvlle, Gravelly be
ing the name of the tract on which the
church stood. the site is directly on the
main road leading towards Spesutie Narrows,
EproDsoIy tue Oldest ROAD OF any considerable
leng'h III tlie county, IN the edge OF the
woods, with very thick underground, and
many stone scattered around. Whether or
not these stones formed the original founda-
lion wall of this old log structure is not
, ~ 90 9 ,h, ",o seen ~ o.nei paI's VI
i i"s "' Tro .n" " no' 9G naeiuus as Jusl
a'nni ~ ,,'iso v, SoI h ST. yIais sio".n
s, r ~ on mna' niaSt n"Ne ouen we very sue
y. 'iu t siia anu cue sauhps VI otheIs re-
M irlaeu meie VI iiuGn siea'ei u.atleter
no 'nuie"s,ons ai, 'i w , .nnt tnere couIu
n INV utsn ~ 'e.i''hs vi 1ne oulluIhs NJ me
pes,un'hs VI tne p'esen. century MI
L-eaN'n' ""o V'sl'eu IIe sPo' aoous fourteen
gus "So, "lo'e lieie a' uia'eig are the
a',llos' pp',serateu ienlalns VI 'heIog church
m'ie'c 'lc nis' ,ouuueis Vi Tue parish Wof-
eh,peu, Mn.,s' lie sunkeh graves on every
sue '''aih l.iei, iasI enitniy rts'!hg place.
NOV; now / nus.Ieu rounu IN tnat lh'cket ior at
ie"sI i,"'l al hour III eager search; nut ia,ed
10 iinu any sign OF grave: Mt; Leakin
writes me slhce' thaI ne OBTAINED tG!s iniof-
nation ,n1 from SINAI! oiue book published 10
1901 ~ lhc laying OF me cornerstone attend,
ing lhe repairs OF 'le o'u 9pesu.ie ohurcn'
ann auus' 'hat "neh ne ''si'eu the spot MN
sell, IA rev y'ars since, lie conid ma no graves
The gentleman who lives on the tract
pointed out to me the stump of locust post
project ng from the bank at the very edge OF
the road, having been nearly washed out by
the recent heavy rains. He solemny assured