The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-11-07
miscellaneous.
HISTORY OF ST. GEORGES PARISH.
BY DR.. G. w. ARCHER.
NO. Ill.

tract Just sent me by DIR. John r. Quinan, of
Baltimore, from "Perry's Contributions to
the History Of the Church in Maryland."-
The facts were probably obtained by the
author from the records of Baltimore county,
or from leaf of the vestry book, long since
lost:
"1696-Vestrymen in st. Georges Parish,
Hartford county. William Hollace Hollis,
Lawrence Taylor, John Packer, Paca?l
Roger Matthews, Thomas Cordea.
"Taxables, 1877"
Some of these were probably the very first
vestrymen under the act OF establishment,
and hence even had their names never before
been heard of by the present generation they
would now be read with no little interest,"
But some of them are familiar to US. Will
liam Hollis was, no doubt, the man of that
name W no, thirty-five years before, with three
other settlers, had the deadly fight, already
described, with the Indians on Bush river
The name Roger Matthews was highly
honored several generations later in the per-
son of one of our local revolutionary patriots.
While there is little doubt that the name
written "Packer" should be Paca, and that
the vestryman of two centuries ago was the
ancestor of our sturdy Signer who did SO
much to win our independence. The first
record we have hitherto had of that family
is the following from the register OF the
parish, rnder the date of December Oath,
1899: Mary Paca, mother of John Hall and
Aauila Paca, died, aged sixty-six years-one
OF the daughters of William Parker, late of
Calvert county, merchant, which was one
of the Hamburg Tor Hanburg] Company and
died in London"
That Mary Parker married first Hall and
afterwards Paca, is well known hereabouts,
but more than this concerning any OF the trio
has not heretofore been revealed to us Of this
remote generation. In the light OF the above
extract, no wever il is a fair conjecture, at
least, if nothing more, that Mary Paca came
to Baltimore county, probably at very early
period of its settlement, with her second hus-
band, bringing her two children, John Hall
and Auuila Paca, both of whom afterwards
became 50 prominent in our local history. DIR.
Quinan suggests that the name ofthe vestry-
man was Parker. But Parker" could scarce
ly have been misspelled, while "Paca," being
a very unusual name, was too much for the
clerk of those days. Indeed, the name is
even now often pronounced as if written
Packer" and Peka.
Calculating from the lumber OF taxables
given in the extract we find that the popula-
ton of the parish at this early period was
about $50.
l will now return from this enforced
depression.
Ia 1922 John Hall is credited with
"f51 1910 for plate for the use ofthe Church,
and other items" "Taxables 435."
In January of that year the vestry "agreed
with Rev. Mr.. Robert Weyman to off1ciate
temporarily, he to have the whole 40 per
POLL" Of him have no knowledge beyond
the fact that short time before this agree
ment he had been requested to perform GER
tain ministerial offices in the very church in
which DIR. Evans had been stricken down.
His charge of ST. Georges, as implied by an
entry of tbe.following April, was very brief
"Vestry agreed with Thomas Knight to
pay him 500 tobacco per quarter as reader, to
attend every Sabbath day if God permits"
In the following year the vestry made what
seems to have been their first investment in
/ land: april, 1928. Agreed with Mr.
Edward Hall for 200 acres for Geab fol
the Parish, for 1000 tobacco" / can fine
nothing at all in the records of that day, Oh
later. to indicate in what part of the parish
this land was situated Edward Hall was 6
son of the first John Hall, of Baltimore coun
ty. The son was sheriff of the couty
from 1719 to 1929, Chief Justice in 1882
and again Sheriff two years later; bu
what land he held, or in what portion of the
parish he resided at the time OF the purchase
| does not appear. His fathers will, bequeath
ing to him part of Crauburry Hall, in Busf
River Neck, and certain lands on Deer Creek
was not made until January, 172S, severa
wears after the purchase of the Glebe, and il
endorsed, "This will was never executed IL
consequence of sudden death"
The taxables in 1923 were Ats, indicating
a population of about 900 within the parish
bounds.
The following would seem to show not only
that the Church had al first been temporarily
covered in-probably with boards which
subsequently served as sheathing tor the per
manent roof-but that an addition had beer
built: "Feb. 1st, 1894. Vestry agreed with
the Addition with poplar thick at the butt
| for 5000 tobacco"
On the second day of the ensuing Decem
Der, REV Mr.. John Humphreys produced al
Induction from the Governor and was &C
cepted. He agrees that when the 40 PEI
poll of this Parish amounts TO $4,000 tobacco
he will relnquish St. Johns and any othe
| Parish and entirely reside and do duty here
every Sunday" The amount of tobacco
named would have required $50 taxables-
1t is not likely that this number was reached
for some years, and although MIR. Humphrey
was duly indicted, he certainly never enjoy
| ed the benefit OF his far-reachlng proVlso, 10
in September, 1925, "the vestry agreed will
Rev. John Holbrooke that il he brings al
Induction from the Governor into the Parish
he NAV agree with the vestry of st. Johns
To serve in this Parish two Lords Days to
gether, and the third with them" The mex
extract indicates that the induction was no
forthcoming "Oct., 1926, Thomas Knigh
to have 500 tobacco per quarter as reade
every Sabbath"
agreed with Obadiah Pritchard to cove
the vestry with good drawn boards of rel
oak, for 600 tobacco" 1t had no doubt beef
roughly covered several years before.
From the expiration of Mr.. Humphreys
brief term, the TWO parishes never had tn
same rector until the close of the revolution
when theywere jointly served by Rev. jaime
Jones Wilmer, from 1888 to 1885.
March 18th, 1885, Rev. Charles Smitl
having brought his Induction dated the 11th
designs to offciate about Easter, and thel
every Sunday"
The following letter shows at once the un
fitness of the last appointment and the auto
cratic control exercised by the writer IN tn
matter OF inductions.
"Sir, perceive, Notwithstanding my lette
to you wherein ordered you to conform t
the Government or else to return your Undue
ton, that you have done neither. there
fore pOsitiyely REQUIRE YOU to deliver you