The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-09-19
Stealing the Marquis d'Oyley's
House by Installments.

Two gentlemen from Easton or a fish
Point TO Sharp's Island. AS they ap
preached the island they Eaw 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 tear
ing down and cHrrS ing off the dwelling
house, which is unoccupieI, as She island
is now uuinhabited. We Atherboar1ing
had besn taken off, h)ors ripped up,
doors, sash and shutters have dissap
peared. Somebody is Stealing the house
on the iustaiimcn'. pl Ii. It. is large,
roomy Two story frame building. Sharp's
Island is in the Chesapeake, near the
mouth of the Chup:dTk river, about
three miles from tie main. 1t is in
Talbot county. Choptank vessels plying
up the bay p ISIS between the island and
the Talbot main, but the ship channel is
between the island and the Dorchester
main
bot county, Shsrps 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 H.
Starring, October 6, 1887. for So, 900.
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, Eason Island,
and by other names. The island was
granted to John Batemau by letters
patent from the lord proprietary of the
Province of Mary land, February %,
1869. Bateman conveyed it to Potter
Sharp December 3, 1869, "and in the
four and fortieGh year OF the resign of
Cecilius, absolute lord proprietary of
the Province of daryl md and Avalon,
Lord Baron Baltimore" the deed says.
In 1878 Sharp sold it to John E .son for
400 pounds Of tobacco. Eason's deed
calls for 700 acres In 1884 Easou con-
veyed it to John Viuer, and Viner 20
VIM. Morrison in 1893, who conveyed it
to Richard Bennett in I694
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 S10,250
Gibsons deed calls for 621 acres. In
1917 it passed to his daughter, Ann
Reynolds, wife OF Joseph Reynolds
from whom jeremiah Valiant bought it,
in 1880, for $1,000. 1t remained in the
Valiant family until General Starring
bought it, in 1899, for 81, 200, and when
a survey then made showed it contained
300 acres.
Sharp's Island was once a valuable
grain farm, aud also one of tue best
fishing and cunning points on the bay,
rapidly washing away, and after few
years will disappear. the waters of the
bay never leave its banks, which +
crumbling and falling into the bay con-
SIauIly. w Hal upl iuu Is lell HAS OecOIue
sailed by the bay water flying over it
in storms, so that it is reproductive.
The fine wood of white oak and massive
pines has gone into the bay. Only a
few trees are left. The men who are
stealing the Marquis d o. ley's house are
anticipating the natural forces only by d
few years, for 1t will soon come to pass
that the Marquis will have neither house
nor island
Rabbits are the onli thing that thrives
on Sharp's 1slaud. A lew years ago Mr.
William S. Deeny pug two teml, aad
one male rabbit OH The island there being
none there. Now there are thousands,
and they are hunted for in the rabbit
season by the few sportsmen that know
about it and who are venturesome enough
to make The trip to Sharp's Island.