Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-17
STEALING A HOUSE.
Wreckers Carrying Away the House of
Marquis d'Oyley on Sharp's Island,

Marquis d'Oyley on Sharp's Island.
EAsroN, Sept: 1.-TWO gentlemen on
Il fishing excursion recently went from
Cooks Point to Sharp's Island. AS
they approached the island they saw
two canoes, apparently loaded with
lumber, hastily leaving and lacking
towards the western shore Of the bay.
They went ashore and found that
wreckers had been tearing down and
carrying off the dwelling house, which
is unoccupied, as the island is now un
inhabited. Misunderstanding had been
taken off, floors ripped up, doors, sash
and shutters have disappeared. Some
body is stealing the house on the INSTALL
ment plan. 1t is large, roomy two
story frame building. Sharp's Island is
in the Chesapeake near the mouth of
the Choptank river, about three miles
from the main. 1t is in Talbot county.
Choptank vessels plying up the bay
pass between the island and the Talbot
main, but the ship channel is between
the island and the Dorchester main.
According to the land records of Tai
bot county, Sharp's Island is the prop
erty of John Evans d'Oyley, Marquis
d'Oyley, of Paris, France. II was con.
veyed to him by Gen. Frederick A.
Starring, October 9th, 1887, for $4,000
This island has had an interesting his
tory. 1t has had several other names
besides the one it now bears, being
known at different times as Claiborne
Island, Baltimore Island, Easton Island
and by other names. The island was
granted to John Bateman by letters
patent from the lord proprietary of the
Province of Maryland, February 2Sd,
1863. Bateman conveyed it to Peter
Sharp December 3D., 1869, "and in the
four and fortieth year of the reign
of Cecilius, absolute lord proprie-
tary of the Province of MARYLAND
and Avalon, Lord Baron of Balti-
more" the deed says. In 1875 Sharp
sold it to John Eason for 2,100 pounds
of tobacco Eason's deed calls for 700
acres. In 1884 Eason conveyed it to
John Viner, and Viner to William Nor
rison in 1893, who conveyed it to Rich
ard Bennett in 1904. During the next
century it had various owners. At the
beginning Of the present century it was
in possession of the Philip Thomas
family, from whom Jacob Gibson
bought it, in 1910, for $10,250. Gibsons
deed calls for 621 acres. In 1917 il
passed to his daughter, Ann Reynolds,
wife of Joseph Reynolds, from whom
Jeremiah Valiant bought it, in 1885, for
$4,000. 1t remained in the Valiant
family until General Starring bought it,
in 1888, for $4,000, and when survey
then made showed ii contained 300 acres.
Sharp's Island was once valuable
grain farm, and also one of the best fish
ing and cunning points on the bay, but
1t is now almost valueless. 1t is rapidly
washing away, and after few years
will disappear. The waters of the bay
never leave its banks, which are crumb-
ling and falling into the bay constantly.
What upland is left has become salted
by the bay water flying over it in storms,
so that it is unproductive. The fine
wood of white oak and massive pines
has gone into the bay. Only few trees
are left. The men who are stealing the
Marquis d'Oyley's house are anticipat-
ing the natural forces only by a few
years, for it will soon come to pass that
the marquis will have neither house nor
island.
Rabbits are the only thing that thriyes
on Sharp's Island. A few years ago Mr..
William S. Denny put two female and
one male rabbit on the island, there
being none there. Now there are thous-
ands, and they are hunted for in the |
rabbit season by the few sportsmen who |
know about it and who are venturesome |
enough to make the trip to Sharp's |
Island.