The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-06-27
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, June ~. 1890.
THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN BUSH
RIVER NECK.
introductory to a History of st. Georges
Parish.
BY DIR. GEO. w. ARCHER.

BY DIR. GEO. w. ARCHER.
Although the act of Assembly, or the order in
Council whichever 1t may have been erecting Bati-
more county has never been found, its date IS, for
early as 1859. There is among the records of
the county the acknowledgement Of a deed official
ly certified by John Collett, clerk OF the commits
sioners of Baltimore county," bearing date June
%, in the year above named, which shows that the
county government had then been organized .,.,
The county originally embraced all the territory
from the Patapsco on the Western Shore and from
Chester on the Eastern Shore. north to the 10th
IN that direction. Pennsylvania did not then exist
her famous founder being still in his teens
cause or the effect of the erection of the county
now only be conjectured-there was an extensive
movement thther of settlers from the shores of the
lower bay and its tributaries especially from Ann
Arundel county, whose enterpriSing colOnsts had
SanS of Se Patapsco only Iva awaiting such faYora
Bile moment to pass over into the promised land
There was certainly a wide choice before them; for
this new county Though it may surprise some to
hear it embraced over three thousand square miles
Of most desirable territory, including not only
Carroll the Western Shore, the most of Kent and
the whole of Cecil on the Eastern Shore, but the
greater portion of Chester, York and Lancaster
counties, long since made part Of Pennsylvania by
one of the most shameless frauds of the age.
IN this magnificent county however; which was
and far more fertile, all was not plain sailing for
these adventurous pioneers. Besides the ordinary
on the alert against willy sayages though not ,
strange as may seem against the nearest and most
formidable tribe, the SuSQuehannOckS. who for the
most part were friendly, but against the Oneidas
Senecas, and Mingoes, who from their haunts on
when least expected, in small marauding parties,
and after making the circuit of the settlements,
vanished with their plumber and too often with
bloody trophies dangling from their belts.
This state OF things prompted our settlers in
Bush River Neck with whose fortunes we are now
more particularly concernedD especially those who
had families, to keep near the shores, since with
the water on one side, they were already half pro-
tected from these ever threatening perilS.
With the exception OF trading post which was
established by the famous agitator, Claiborne, on
Palmer's. NOW watson 81 Island abouta year after
the first colonists landed III the province. and which
was supplanted by the Proprietarys order two
ledge his authority. no white man seems to have
Yentured to establish himself even as an Indian |
trader within the extensive limits Of what was
afterwards Baltimore county. until about twelty
years had eapsed-that is, shortly before the co.n-
~ was erected Nathaniel Ute, who is said TO
bes. obtained license in 1858 to trade with the
Indians near the head of the bay; and in July of
tia Island Edward Beadle in that year, also set
tied with his family on the main land, just across
time William CARPENTER most nrobablV an G Indian
trader, obtained patent embracing what is now |
Carpenters Point. about three miles from Spesu- |
were but the prelusve drops of the deluge which |
began to pour in during the following year when the
already stated many of the settlers of Ann Arundel
were crossing the Patapsco and taking up lands on
the east side OF Bush and Gunpowder rivers that
at the end of ten years. plantations extended far
along the shores of both, being in some instances |
continuous for several miles.
Matthew Goldsmith settled on Swan Creek two |
three miles above SpeSutia Island Bernard Ute
on Mosquito Creek which flows into the Southern |
Goldsmith, some three miles below the Narrows |
on the bay shore; Francis and Henry Stockett on |
present Darlington; and George Ute on Romney |
Creek; while William Osborn and two or three |
between Bush river and ROmney Creek near where |
Old Baltimore afterwards stood. These were Just |
the kind OF men to lead the march of civilization
into the wilderneSs-bold, reSolute and intelligent
all Of them
A glance at the map will show that they could
not well have selected better position for resist
ing encroachments of the savages The settle
ments extended across the acute angle formed by
tected by the water in all directions except to the
north-for that, they had to look to their arms
They seemed to have formed themselves in groups
of some half dozen families-each group being in the
vicinity of one of the bold pioneers already named
with few intermediate settlers who in the event
to another: so that all could be speedily concen-
trated against the foe.
others were soon emboldened to take up interme-
diate and outlying tracts, so that it was but few
years before there was a Gordon of settlements
from Spesutia Island nearly to the head of Bush
river.
Early in 1861 less than three years after the first
pioneer had set foot on this shore, band of Senecas
who were one of the Five Nations, made descent
upon the settlements hereabouts, but met with a
bloody repulSe. In May of that year the Provincial
Council met on Spesutia Island and examined wit
nesses in order to learn the facts Among others
.aDout the 25th of April Thomas Samson and
Richard Hays seeing nine Indians coming down
news of their approach. They all armed and took
to their boats. One of the canoes. containing
four Indians landed. One of the informant's dogs
bit one of them who at once shot the dog, and i'm
mediately another Indian shot at the Informant |
and their party, the bullet piercing the boats. Then
fha OF fV f1rada f fhQ Tpdi
were in the canoe. The Indians the shore fired,
killing one Of the informants' party, John Spurne
by name.'
The decisive fight which came off quarter of |
century before in P0comoke river, between the |
Proprietary two pinnaces and Claibornes shallop.
has been styled 1.-The first naval battle in the waters
OF MARYLAND; The second was undoubtedly this |
And if the Importance OF battle is to be measured
by bloodshed. this one is quite as worthy of notice.
since, with only about one-ffth the number of COM
batants there were just twice as many Slain-if the
dog, who took an active part in the engagement |
and drew the first blood is to be counted, as he
surely deserves to be. 1t was. indeed, a bloody |
short, sharp and decisive Strugge-SiX out of 4
could be ascertaned, we ought certainly, in this |
age of monuments to erect one there on that Shore
as the scene of our countys greatest battle up to
tie OF Havre de Grace scarcely deserves mention |
How deadly must have been the ann of those Bush |
river ri1emen especially when we consider the |
fact that they were on an unsteady element For
unless there was second volley fired, which ap-
the four who left after Spurne killed must
have brought down five Indians at one volley-not |
merely wounded, but dead. Indeed, it is by no |
means impossible that the exemption which fol- |
lowed, of nearly two years. from similar incursons
was the direct result of this deadly conflict.
A week or two after this investigation concern |
ing the outrages committed by the Senecas, the |
Governor, Philip Calvert, with his Secretary and
Council held, on the same island, solemn treaty |
with the most famous chiefs Of the Susquehan- |
nocks, who being mortal enemies of the Senecas |
were, in so far, friendly towards settlers The
great chief were decked out in the highest style of
magnifcence, Gas they viewed it, and went through
the ceremonies in the most imposing manner. The |
result was treaty offensive and defensive against
all enemies. Among other terms the English stip- |
uated to build for their new allies fort at the
Susquehanna river nersects the fortieth degree of
latitude. 1t was soon completed, and force Of
fifty men was sent to aid in defending it against the
relentless SenecaS.
The trouble with the Indians recommended in
the summer of 1868 by the massacre of two whites |
at the head OF the bay and one on the PatapSco.-
Two boys were also carried Off one of whom may
have been the son of William Osborn, of the Yici
captivity, far as known, have elsewhere relat-
ed. In August of this year the Council met at
Goldsmith Hall. the residence of Mai Samuel |
Goldsmith, about midway between Spesutia Island |
affairs. They appointed Major Goldsmith as ennis
sary to the SuSquehannockS, who were now, as
usual at war with the Senecas. inviting them
down to another treaty. For some reason now
unknown they failed TO come, though they con-
tinued friendly.
Early in the following summer one of a band OF
twenty-one Senecas was captured on the Patapsco
and sent TO Major Goldsmith to be disposed Of
The Major sent him across the bay to Carpenters
Point, where he was examined very closely, and
tried before the court held there for the purpose.
The willy savage seems TO have nlystified their
HOnors to such an extent that they merely sent
inn f,S arrc 70 ha liant haot L.,