The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-05-16
The Egis & Intelligencer
Bel Air, Md, May 16, 1890.
The Hartford Historical Society.
Resolutions with Regard to the Late DIR.
Lee-The Rise and Fall of Joppa.

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Resolutions with Regard to the Late DIR.
Lee-The Rise and Fall of Joppa.
The Hartford Historical Society held its regular
quarterly meeting at the Court House, last Satlr-
chair. Other members present were DIR. Geo.
W. Archer. J. p. Silver, A. T. Silver, Charles W.
Michael, W. Beatty Harlan A. +. Galbreath, w. L.
l.. Taliaferro, N n. Mock and +. w. Baker. Rev.
W. A. Alrieh, OF Perryman, was also present.
Dr. Forwood presented a number OF 0ld news news
papers sent to him anonymously, and some inter
esting specimens of Continental currency from Mrs
Robert j. Walker. They belonged to Roland
Spencer, Mrs. Walkers grandfather.
MIR. w. L. l.. Taliaferro presented copy OF the
Hd7Jord Democrat of December 20, 1856, published
in Bel Air by the Democratic county committees.
one of the old Cranberry burying ground, on the
farm owned by Mr.. VIM. B. Baker, and the other
Deer Creek belonging to DIR. David Harlan The
graves are located on these plats by actual
measurement.
Mock, a drawing representing Bald Friar, on the
Susquehanna river, near Conowingo.
old magazines, &C., the gift of Mr.. Daniel Scott,
and some specimens of tourmaline from Winters
Of Ba hf old newspapers. From Mr. john 5.
Richardson, the account OF John Reardon, post
master in Bel Air, with the General Postoffice,
from Nov, 1894, to June, 1906. John ReardOn was
Mr.. Richardson's grandfather and kept the post
Office in the same place in which Mr. Richardson l
now discharges the same duties. From Mr.. Benz.
Cole. a lottery ticket of June, 1916.
Mr. w. Beatty Harlan offered the following re-
solutions with regard sg to the death OF DIR. H. ID.
Whereas, it has pleased Almighty God to remove
from our midst by death our fellow member, DIR.
ReSOlged, That we desire to express our pro-
found sorrow at the loss OF a fellow member whose
memory will be ever dear unto us.
Res0lUed, That in his death this society has lost
an honored and valued member. the community a
faithful and true man. beloved by all, who in his
daily life and walk exhibited the noblest virtues of
a Christian gentleman; the medical profession an
earnest, able and eminent practitioner, who adorn-
ed the profession of which he was member.
Resokged That we tender to his family our heart
felt sympathy in their sudden bereavement.
Resolved, That these resolutions be spread upon
the minutes of this society and that the Secretary
send IA copy of them to Dr. Lees family.
In presenting his resolutions MIR. Harlan paid a
a grand and noble life No man having sorrow or
JOY ever came in contact with him without feeling
beoyyed PbV a He around in self sacr
ing way looking for reward above pecuniary fees.
Such sefsacrifice is seen oftener IN the medical
profession than any other. except, perhaps, in the
ministry.
The resolutions were seconded by Messrs. A p.
Silver and A. F. Galbreath. The latter said his
earliest associations with Bel Air were connected
with DR.. Lee, who always had warm grasp even
Dr. Forwood said he felt DIR. Lees death as per-
sonal sorrow. He always regarded him as one of
the noblest men in the medical profession.
DIR. Archer read a second paper on the Early Set
Elements on the Gunpowder:
In his first paper DIR. Archer showed that when |
on Bush River Neck. it was not established in Fos
ters Neck as is universally supposed, but in the |
Fork of the Gunpowder, near the Junction OF the |
two branches. 1t was abandoned in 1712, the next
county seat being established at Joppa In 1724, on
land belonging to a minor son Of Col; Maxwell
Thomas Tolley, Capt. John Taylor. Daniel Scott, |
Lancelot Todd and John Stokes were appointed |
Commissioners to purchase 20 acres OF land for the
public buildings. The county surveyor, Col: John
respect the dwelling house of Mrs. Elinor Rumsey. |
This is supposed to be the large brick house now |
and long known as the "Rumsey Mansion" One |
acre was reserved for the parish church.
of the owners Of lots, taken from paper furnish
ed him by Mr.. John B. Rumsey, which was found |
among the papers OF his ancestor. Col Benjamin
In 1850 Baltimore town was ushered into exist
enee and Joppa. then six years old, began to wane.
The decay OF Joppa was accelerated by an epidemic
of smallpox which was so serious that the Assem-
bly, suspended the sessions OF the county court
there for nearly six months, during which time the
away. Joppa at that time contained about 200
inhabitants, thirty of The town lots having been
All the buildings OH the immediate site of Joppa
have disappeared, though the remains and dimen-
Warehouses ware and half dozen other buildings may
yet be traced These buildings were all OF brick or
stone.
The leading citizens of Joppa We're the Rumseys.
Dorseys Whites, Pacas, Halls, Bordleys, Matthews,
Stokes, Hollingsworths, Roberts, Johns, Maccubins
Hughes Days, HammondS and others, who were
among the most influential citizens of Maryland.
One of the first buildings erected was the parish
church. which was to supersede the old one in Elk
Neck 1t first intended to be built upon tract
of land called Rayma, about two miles north OF
.Joppa. Legal obstacles IN the way of title to
land in Joppa being removed the church was built
at Joppa. 1t probably first used for religious
purposes in 1725 The vestry of st. Paul's parish,
in Baltimore town, were so fayOrably impressed
with its appearance, that when contracting for the
erection OF their own church they specified that it
be built after the pattern OF the Church in Joppa.
Joppa church without pews for the first ten or
twelve years. In 1916 the VeStry contracted with
William Stark to build fourteen pews in the
church. Floors were now for the first time placed
therein. mother, earth, carpeted with leaves or
straw, forming the only floor, except, perhaps, in
the chancel. MIR. George Archer, architect, OF
Baltimore has reconstructed the plan OF Joppa
church, from material furnished by DIR. Archer.
In 1850 the vestry ordered chapel of ease to be |
built in the Forks OF the Gunpowder. This chapel |
stood at or near the site of st. James Manor |
church on My Lady's Manor" Is miles from JOp- |
pa In 1853, before The chapelwas completed the |
vesry of Joppa church contracted for ten or twelve
benches TO be placed at Nicholas Hutchins in order
services might be held in that vicinity. In ITO st.
James parish was formed out of part of st. |
Johns parish the st. James chapel of ease to be
the parish church.
charter having been issued August Is, 1865 by the
Grand Master at London. The lodge was opened |
style No. /. A discourse was delivered by Rev. |
Samuel Howard and ball was given by the |
Masonic fraternity at night. 1t is believed that |
Mount Ararat Lodge of Bel Air is identical with |
this lodge at Joppa. A war vessel was built at |
JOppa during the revolution, and Col. Benjamin |
Rumsey and his bother John Rumsey marched the |
men of JOppa to the defence OF Baltimore In 17l6.
In 176S an act was passed for the removal of the |
county seat and the sale of the court house and |
prison at Joppa, new court mouse ana prison
The removal of the records by the clerk, Alexander
Lawson, was attended with violence, the inhabi- |
tants resenting the act.
The filling up of the harbor as a shipping point |
also tended to end the prosperity OF Joppa.