The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-09-12
The Egis Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, September IL, 1890.
Hartford Historical Society.
Interesting Scraps of Local History ano
Tradition

Hartford historical Ooclety.
Interesting Scraps of Local History and
Tradition.
Reported for The Egs.
The Hartford County Historical Society met at
the Court House, last Saturday. The President,
DIR. Geo. W. Archer presented the following
donations
4 second installment of the Rumsey Papers, to
w.t.
An indenture of 1749 between William Browne,
Jr., ana Col. John Hail. an Account of Sales OF
tour hogsheads of tobacco, shipped from J0ppa IN
l!62 by Charles Rumsey. It shows the oppression
Of the colonsts by the mother country the fees on
every hundred dollars worth of tobacco amounting
to $50; the will of Ann Felix's, 49, devsing to her
kinfolks, the Maxwells, the tract of goo acres on
which Joppa was laid out five years later; copy
OF the Orders and Directions OF the commissioners
for laying out Joppa; an indenture OF I'D gVing
acres in the Fork of the Gunpowder, the property
of Heathcoat Pickett, who seems to have been the
man who was hung as traitor at Joppa towards
the end of the revolutionary war. and was an ac-
complete of the notorious John Paul, who so mar
rowly escaped felOns fate on the same occasion;
List of the lots taken up at Joppa; two Resurveys
of Arabia Petra tract OF more than 5000 acres,
on the north side of Deer Creek granted in 1873 to
DIR. Charles Carroll, OF Ann Arundel county; sur:
veys of various parts of the same tract. one Of
which is accompanied by plat, showing the site
Christian, of Kent county: 172s. Also the Hays
Papers, including papers OF the 10th Regiment Of
Maryland Militia; Ration Book and Receipt Book
B Bel Air in ISL paving the streets OF Bel Air
fragments of the tombstone of James Cain.
left at the graveyard OF the old Catholic
chapel at Priests Ford-"died 1857 fragments Of
graveyard of the first Presbyterian church in Har-
ford county, about two miles east of Churchville,
died 1876"
WAGES AND PRICES SIXTY YEARS AGO.
From the Hays papers ii appears that the wages
of carpenters in 1886 was 81 $40 per day. Much
of ha on
Air was done by William w. Harryman. Plas-
terng cost cents per. yard; Stating s. so per
per thousand feet; laths so cents per 100; digging
out foundation and laying stone, 62!2 cents per
perch. The contractor was Elijah Walton the
commissioners to Superintend the work being ThOs.
A. Hays Samuel Bradford and Henry Dorsey.
HOW EEL AIR STREETS WERE PAVED
The streets of Bel Air were paved by the proceeds
of lottery. from which the street commissioners,
Thos A. Hays, VIM. B. Bond and III. D. Cough re-
ceived $1,000. The first money was received from
the lottery commissioners in 1874, and the first
work done in 1877. Bricks for sidewalks were
hauled from DOZENS brick yard.
In the account for repairing the Court House in
1929 it appears that cut nails were cents per III
Ii inch screws l2 cents per dozen; putty 12 cents
per h.. linseed oil 81 25 per gallon; cart, four
oxen and driver 50 per day.
THE FIRST BALTIMORE TOWN.
DR.; Archer also read an entertaining paper,
entitled "A Trip to the Forks of the Gunpowder."
DIR. Archer's expedition was with view of fixing
the site of the court house which stood there about
1886 or $ to 17l2 when the county seat was remov-
ed across the river to Joppa. He was ma
terally assisted in his quest by Col B. F. Tay-
Tor, whose estate he Supposes includes the site OF
the vanished town. All of the boundary marks have
disappeared
From Mr.. Alfred Crossmore however, who owns
nearly all the land in the Fork south of Col. Tay
lors DIR. Archer obtained a number of old papers,
by means of which he thinks he has obtained suf-
ticent data to Justify the society in investigating
the matter still further in a body He therefore
proposed special meeting, in November next,
when the society shall proceed to the spot in
body and conduct the Investigation. As further
inducement Col. TAYLOR has kindly offered TO en-
terrain the members.
Dr. Archer has located the old site within circle
of two or three hundred yards diameter.
The Fork was once favorite resort of the red
men. According to tradition it was through the
untutored savage the river received its name
Wishing to secure permanent supply of gunpow
der. they begged the early settlers for "a few
abundant crop Their request s was Complied with
but they were probably enlightened before the
"seed" came up. The joke was thought good
OLD ROADS AND FERRIES.
The Oldest road in this region, according to DIR.
Archer is the Post road, or as it is more correctly
called, the old Colonial road, which is Identical
with the Philadelphia turnpike. 1t passed around
the head of Bush River. crossed the Little Gun
powder short distance above the head of tide,
about mile from the junction of the two branches,
and running little south of west crossed the main
branch at the very head of tide, most probably by
ferrage. and then ran nearly southwest course
to the Patapsco.
Soon after this road was established a ferry was
started across Bush River, at Old Baltimore, from
which. no doubt. road was made passing around
the head of Ludoricks creek and about one-fourth
of mile north of EdgewOod running thence west
to the old post road at the Little Gunpowder.-
When Old Baltimore was abandoned as the county
seat in 1886 the ferry was probably broken
AT Joppa ferry was established. posi-
bly, about 1712 or II years later. From this ferry
ferry and road were kept up for nearly a.hundred
years.
hereabouts is the La Fayette road. 1t left the old
post road at the west bank of the Little Gunpow-
der and crossed the Great Gunpowder about a
mile above the point where the old post road cross
ed that stream. 1t was made by the patriotic
Frenchman whose name it bears in 1881, while on
his march to Virginia. A few short sections of
this road and of another made by Gen. La Fayette
are still open but are not kept in repair
RUINS OF OLD MILLS.
At the river DIR. Archer found the ruins of ex-
tensve iron works which existed in full operation
for nearly $50 years. Here holes still to be
in a rock in md-stream, where great rings were
fixed for securing vessels, while loading and dis
charging at the wharyes, the logs OF which are
still visible at low tide. The water which once
Is feet deep at this point, will now scarcely float
good sized turtle
In later years the post road crossed here by
bridge, all trace of which has disappeared except
the stone-abutments. There is now neither bridge,
ford nor ferry, and the road leading to it is verl
table cI de sac. The very latest vessel that as
cended TO these old wharveS, about 1868. was load
ed with shell-lime and took return load of wood
ousfurnaces and rolling mills. The walls are still
in good condition, though the roof has fallen in.
Two or three hundred yards up the stream are
remains of large Touring mill, the walls of which
are three feet thick. Near by are the remains of
a saw MILL
Near the head OF Bro River Dr. Archer saw the
site of the old Red Lion tavern, said to have
been one OF the largest and best-kept inns in the
province. The outlines OF the original structure
by the celebrated MOL Roe. alias Turner. Ira
dition does not say what she celebrated for,
but the following couplet written on scrap Of
paper found on her grave near the tavern soon
after her death. conveys pretty broad hint of her