Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1892-08-11

OF IseonafdtoWn, we have word 10
shy about Sheppard's Old Fields.
This was tract Of land much larger
than that which Leonardtown now
occupies, and was owned and culti-
waited BY a numerous family named
Sheppard long before the bounds Of
/ the county were described
1t seemed to have been kind Of
headquarters Tor traflic.in skins Of
Wild animals, anch as foxes, wolves,
beavers, bears, SC. About three
and a-half miles north Of this place
was tile Beaver Dame. where beay-
efs were numerous, and were shot
and trapped BY Indians and citi-
zens. and sold At Sheppard's, from
whence they were shipped BY sail
ing craft to Kent Island and trad
ing stations in Virginia.
This tract ct land passed into the
hands If Philip Lyncs, aud from
/ him TO Thomas Cooper, ard through
Cooper To Thomas Spalding, IT.,
and Catherine, his wife, whom II
appears were the owners Of the land
At the time l.eonardtown was laid
out About the Time that the name
Of I4eonardtown appears, wolves,
squirrels aud crows were numerous
lin Maryland; the wolves attacked
lambs, pigs, calves, and even chill
drcn; the crows not only psslled mp
the young corn In the Spring, but
large docks of these birds would
light On The corn IN d field aud cAt
and waste eighty bushels IN 4 day.
/ Squirrels, in droyeg ~ hundreds,
we're even more destructive to tho
corn faaelsth thccFewa, and would
also visit liclds u wheat, rye and
other grain, emf an ihe heads and
carry them to their dons. A law
was therefore passed exacfing from
every taxable inhabitant IN 4 fannie
II three squirrel scalpa or crows
heads every year, 70 bo produced
bcfosc some lnstieeDS Peace, dc.
If amy pers0n failed 10 perform
bis or her dnsy II this matter, BE
OF she WAS subject 10 a iiuc Of two
pounds II tobacco. A reward 81
two hundred pounds Of tobacco waa
given To ans person who might
j Bring d wolf head before ans Jas
kiee az the pcArc for the county III
which the wolgwas Killed. and, that
the head " said wolf might not be
/ offered Tor Gale q second time, the
Justice vas required to cut ont the
tongue aad etop off the ears, &c.
Attorneys neglecting their eli
ents caUse ia any 81 tho county
Courts we're liable IL 4 fne o. four
hunared pounds 81 tobacco, 81.
psofane swearing WAS made punTsll-
able BY One, drunkenness by d fine
Of iiys shillinKa for every offence,
! aud blasphemy by fine 81 twenty
pounds sterling. and 4 hole bored
/ through the tongue " tho offender.
Sabbath breaking was made pun
I ishable by i fine of two hundred
poFnds oi tobacco, aud housckeep.
ers selling strong liquors on san
day we're subject 10 d lne Of two
thousand pounds 81 The same artl-
Gle.
A law against gambling was en-
acted; also against opening public
or private letters.
\ For stealing ans provincial seal,
! che offender WIS to be whipped with
| thirsy-nine lashcs, stand5n the pill
| Tory twohours and then Be- hanishcd
from the Province. II Is said that
| the seals were never stolen OF conn.
forfeited after the passage d this
4 act.
An net was passed October Q,
| 1904, prohibiting Interpretations d
| bread, -four, beer, meat, wheat, o.
/ other English Or Indian grain 81
meal, horses, colts, tilliea OF tobae-
20 from Pennsylvania and the ter.
\ ritories thereto Belonging.
This act was doubtless caused b5
the controversy between Lord Bal.
Il timorc and William Penn, in regard
to their respective charters, which
lasted about eighty years, and was
| finally settled by running Mason
and Dixon's line ii 1866, which de-
priyed Maryland Oh a very large ter
ritory to which she was justly ontt
tied.
I In 1fl5 an net was passed TO units
New Port hundred, now part d
King and Qneen Parish, to William
and Mary Parish, in Charles conn
j IN, and reunite the same to King
! and Queen Parish in st. Mary
| county.
In The year 1877 an oct was passed
empowering the Justices to sell ths
old Court House, prison and ths
land upon which they stood, II
Charles county, and give d fee sim.
Pile for the,aanc; and 10 purchase
land, at place called and known
ID Chandler Town, Oh the cast sidt
Of the head Of Port Tobacco Creeh
IN said county, and to erect thereon
b Court House and Jail, where ths
records Of the county should b.
Kept and the Courts Of the county
should be held there forever, ant
not elsewhere.
If the above act has not been RE-
pealod. d legal question would seen