The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-08-22
The Egis & telligencer
Bel Air, Md. August 22. 1890
THE GARRETTSONS.
For the Egis and Intelligencer.


TWAS my good fortune a few years. since to ge
into controversy with personal friend about thu
location of the pioneer church in your county, anl
unlike most controversies, we both reached the sam.
became St Georges Parish Church, on the cree
ton of parishes under the act OF 1892, chapter
was The frst place OF worship built IN that part
IL is not likely however, that public worship
was entirely neglected before that time. although
there Is no evidence OF clergyman having hlthef
to performed divine service in the county
Capt. John Smith. whose romantic life is so close
~ identified with the history OF virginia IN ms
two voyages of exploration, traversed the Chesa-
peake Bay, in the year 1905 as Tar as the ouSaue-
hanna, and drew map of It; which Is singularly
accurate for first effort. without actual surveys.
Bagnall, who was with the company, acting as
chrurgeon. says, Our order was dally 10 nave
prayer, with psalm, at which soienhtle; tne
done awhile, they were busted with consultation,
till they had contrved their business"
The VOYAGES of Smith were made when, what
afterwards become Maryland, formed portion of
Virginia. and his account of both sides OF the Bay
is the first authentic statement of visits of the
Kent Island was seated and peopled about 1923,
under the Virginia government, three or four years
before the Kings grant to Lord Baltimore. Clai-
borne claimed to have discovered the Island to
have bought it of the kings of the country, TO have
thereon. The spiritual wants of the people were
supplied by the Rev. Richard James, OF the church
OF England.
The settlementon Kent Island was represented
by Nicholas Martin in the Virginia House OF Bur-
gesses in the year 1881 1t had for some time pre-
yious, been used as trading post, and Palmer's
Island, at the mouth of the SuSQuehanna, was used
for the same purpose. 1t Is not unlikely that MIR.
James. at that time performed his spiritual func-
tons among his people at the latter place, but OF
this we cannot speak with certainty.
In my Investigations / discovered. that among
@ earliest 81 patents d%f sG Mss e eT om
Cecilius, the second Lord Baltimore, and first Pro
prletor of Maryland, to Col. Edward Carter, OF
tract of 400 acres, which he called Carriers Rest,
lying on the south side of Musketto Greek. This
instrument is dated at st. Mare's, which was then
the capital of the Province. 4th March, 1861.
1t was not long after this grant that emigration
set in, and Col. Nathaniel Ute, who was the great
land agent and Spectator OF that day, having be-
come the owner of Carriers hest, divided the 400
acre tract into three parcels which he sold to the
following persons: $50 acres to Ruthel Garrett,
$50 acres to Edward Beadle and 90 acres to Robert
Jones.
The deed to Ruthel Garrett bears the date Goth
May. 1875, and is recorded IN Lber j. h., NO, r
p, folio 2. The consideration mentioned i'll the
deed is 1900 lbs. of tobacco.
AS strange as 1t may seem TO those OF the pres
ent day, who do not reflect on the transition OF
names which takes place from age to age, this
Ruthel Garrett was the prog enltor OF the reSpeca
Bile family of Garrettson, SO numerous, at one tinle
III Baltimore and Hartford counties, many of whose
members were substantial farmers and planters,
while others became conspicuous in civil life. and
by their zeal and eloquence adorned both the pull
pit ana the bar. The change OF name took place
gradually. but finally seems to have become per-
manently fixed in its present form.
Ruthel Garrett died. His widow married the
Rev. John Yeo, clergyman of the Church of Eng
land. and as far as now known positively the first
minister who preached the gospel OF Christ in
Baltimore county.
The fact OF marriage and relationships shown by
a deed addressed to all Christian people, dated
10Th December, 1858, in which John Yeo conveyed
to his sOnnaw. Garrett FitZgarrett, tract OF $50
acres of land, called New Parke, adjoining said
sOn-in laws land. Carters Rest, to go to his child
rem, if he leaves any, if not to go, at his DEATH to
his mother Somelia Yeo, If she be then living. but
If dead, to go to the heirs OF the said John Yeo
The title to New Parke had been acquired by John
Ieo, by patent, on 25th september 1858; The
I'd July, 1858, and was assigned by him to Yeo.
The land was described as laid out in place in
Baltimore county, called the LEVEL. lying in the
woods beginning at a marked red oak, standing by
swamp, near to a tract OF land called Carriers
Rest
1t is not necessary that the educated should be
the Norman prefix, "Fitz." a corruption OF "fils,
derived from the Latin Filius, and therefore they
is. the of Garrett, in the deed of 1885, had be-
come Garrettson, when he sold his patrimony on |
18th August, 1898, fifteen years later, to
Anthony Drew for 1900 pounds OF tobacco. In |
this deed he describes himself as Planter. while
Anthony Drew, the purchaser, was then without
occupation, and is called gentleman" The land |
sold was Carriers Rest, the same which was con- |
veyed by Col. Ute to Ruthe Garrett, and the sale
proves two things, at least, that his father was
prove That there were no other children, because
under the law OF pr1mogeniture. which then ex- |
listed, the eldest son inherited all the estate.
The deed from Garrett Garrettson to Anthony |
Drew was made when GarrettsOn was married; |
but to remedy some defect, he executed confirms
tory deed of the same land on 14th June, 1908 in |
which his wife. Elizabeth. released her right OF |
dover. This wife was a Freeborn, and she was. |
no doubt, person of some education. The records |
of ST. Georges Parish show that Garrett Garrett
son was Joined i'll the holy state OF matrimony with
Mrs. Elizabeth Freedom, spinster, on the fifth |
day OF December, in the year OF our Lord. 1702 and
they further show that he died on October oath. |
1913. and was buried on the I'd November in the |
Those old records frequently dispel illusions and |
traditions which have been fostered for genera |
lions. In courts of law record evidence is prefer
red to all other and tradition is set aside, when
be obtained.
Garrett Fitzgarrett, Cor as afterwards called |
Garrettson,) must have died interstate. or without
leaving will, as. after his death the land known
as New Parke was inherited by his eldest son and
hier at law, George Garrettson. who divided the |
tract into two parts of 20 each. of which
by deed of 18th March 1883 he gave to his brother
l74o, he gave to his brother John. Both duly on
their face express the fact that the gift In each
case was made at his fathers request.
The memoir of Rev. Freeborn Garrettson, |
grandson of Garrett Garrettson has been written
by eminent biographers. His life successfully
devoted TO his Redeemer's cause, and so far no
mistake is made, but both subject and bIographers
seem to have been ignorant of his family history.
might have taught him more than he seems to
have known OF those who had gone before.
DIR. John McClintock says that Rutland Gar
married to Elizabeth Freeborn, an English lady,
who was also an only child, and thus the name
duced. This is biography, as written. Could
more mistakes have been crowded into one short
sentenee?. 1t was Garrett Garrettson who mar
ried Elizabeth Freedom. Instead of an only son,
Rutland, the records of ST. Georges show that he
had six sons and five daughters, and no one bore
the name of Rutland. The land records of Balti-
more county show that George Garrettson was
his eldest son and heir-at-law. Elizabeth Free
born instead OF being an only child, was one OF
Richard Freedom. The land records show. that
after the death of Richard Freedom, Samuel
Howell, who married Priscilla Freeborn on Sth
December, 1920, lived upon the land where the
deceased had resided and purchased the interest
of his wifes sisters, Mary the wife of Thomas Toly
of Baltimore county, Jane Thomas, widow, of Ann
Arundel county, and Elizabeth Garrettson, widow.
The land was composed of two tracts lying at the
head of Swan Creek, adjoining each other one
called Johnson's Bed, the other Johnson's Rest.
excluding theretrom such part as Doctor Josas
Mddlemore shall take away by an elder survey.
The deed was made and acknowledged by Eliza
beth Garrettson. on Goth October, 1873, before
AqIilla Paca and Parker Hall, and is recorded in
Liber ii. w. S., No. l. A. folio 292.
1t will be seen that there is much of what is call
ed history to be unlearned before we can build up
true history. w. A. s.
baltimore, August H. 1890.