Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-04
WHEN TOBACCO WAS KING
Georgetown Was the Center of q Thrivin
Business.

Georgetown Was the Center of Thriving
Business
In the days of the first settlements on this
part OF the river. writes Mr.. Hugh r. Taggart
tobacco was the most profitable. and hence be-
came the principal article Of produce of the
colOnists. Owing to the scarcity Of money
tobacco usurVej its functions as the standard
e value and became the great medium of ex-
change. The public dues and the penalties
imposed BY the colonial laws were PAYABLE in
pounds Of tobacco" and even recove-ies in
the courts against recalcitrant debtors were In
the same commodity instead OF money. An
early English writer calls it the meat. drink
clothing and money of the colonists" Our
District records show that "a late as the year
1NOl a defendant convicted In the courts of
lrrceny vas sente need TO be ''pilloried for one
quarter of an hour and TO have ten stripes and
10 pay go ncurds Of tobacco" and tina. two
other persons convicted. Of the same offense-the
stealing OF hog IL this instance-wers SEN
fenced 10 pay fOur-fol1. to wit. GOO pounds of
tobacco. to the owner. Robert Peter
On account o: its importance the regulations
IN regard to its export were very strict and re-
qni-ed That previous thereto 1T should be
brought to certain warehouses to be inspected.
These warehouses were called inspection
houses
HOW 1T WAS TRANSPORTED.
Either on account OF the convenience of that
method Of moving it. or tie scarcity of wheeled
vehicles. the planters adopted the method of
r3iiInG the tobacco (that Is. putting it in
large hogshead. averaging ZOO pounds. rugged
With an axle and tongue and drawn BY horses
or men over the roads to the nearest ware
house. TINS gave rise to the terms rolling
roads and rolling houses sometimes ap-
pied to such roads AMI warehouses. In 1865
There was In Frederick county bu- place
Tor the Ins1ection os tobacco. ard that at the
hFuU~- lrNlH
near the mouth Of Rock CreeE-' Exact
~ when tnlS house was built Goes
not appear. but u WIS certainly be
tween the wears 1884 and lis. il Wa
doubtless On=.r-';ed of logs. the most
available bridirs rnsteria! Of those primitive
days. and vas surceeleI iG,er b: twO large
buildings OF brick. It's sic the original
nap Of Georgetown Is marked the ware
house lot a:a l. nOw OccuTIedb by the buildings
OF the Washington anu Georgetown EdIiroad
Company II j. probable that Ninian Bea:l
AID George Gordon were the first persons TO
make "a settlement at or near the site of George
town. BellI obtained patent for 795 acres
under the name ~ the Rock o. DuTHDart0n'
III the year 1903. and, according to Baich.
pitched his tent IN the wilderness about
where 5he seminary building stands. al
the corner Of Cav and Washington streets.
He evidently man of note in the
province. for IA 1899 the colonial legislature of
Mary land passed 'an act o. gratitude" to Col
NIniGn TEAL .or MS services upon all incur
siOns and disturbances Of the neighbo-ing In
GiauS. and appropriated I 80 sterling for the
benefit of himself and his family. lie died
according 10 B,lch, at Fife Lars5. one of his
estates on the Eastern branch. a the advanced
age o. one hundred and seven years.
George Gordon became tine owner in 1884 OF
apart % ''hUave's disappointment" tract
Containing 800 acres which had been patented
to James Smith in 1882 and which adjoinS the
Rock OF DumDdrtOr. aud which part
thereafter known rs George Gordon's Rock
Greek PISu = Ton
Thriving TRADE.
In the year 1851 numerous families princi-
paIy Scotch. wee settled in this vicinity and
upon the clifton Of some OF them to the iegis-
lature in that wear setting forth that there was
a convenient ViHce for a town in Frederick
counts, ''Uu the io.o-,ac river above the mouth
of Rock creek. aGjSc=n: to the Inspection
House, a. ac- Wa tis -eti appointing commits
siOaers Gu, a --CcIzlug them to purchase sixty
acres of nUi ar,. % iIy Them of into eighty
lots for town. 30 be cEi.cl Gecr-"town.
Ire ''In-pec;ion EoIse" referred 20 was on
thu land Ot George Gordon and part of the tract
''hnayes disappointment, owned by him. an
also parts 81 sWo tr-c:s Ov.ei By Col George
Bean. naI..Cly, ''tl- CTO-S' disappointment
ari Ross OF DIn5a-toa." the former OF
which had been patented 10 him JUEe -. 1894.
and the latter o. when Re had inherited under
the p-imograi-are laws IS the eldest son and
helTat-saw OF Ills fatllU-. Col. NI1ian i;eall. TO
whom i: had been patented November Is 1903
were included N tn town. The inspection
houses Ea-U&liy became censers OF trade. and
the inspection House o. Rolling House..
which George Gordon built, vas the germ OF the
- futC-e city.
The tobacco business of Georgetown grew
RAPIDLY and ultimately assumed such proper
tons Jhat three large warehouses were re-
quired to accommodate II. We have the au-
thO.i;y Of Gen. Washington for the statement
that il the yeGr l72i it ranked the greatest
tobacco market IN the state, II not in the
Union
An OLD BILL OF LADISG.
There is 20 the historian Encouraging lack
OF specific details TO the Potomac trade in
colonial days. bu. the following copy of a bill
o. lading issued in tine year 1173 preserves the
name OF enc vessel that was then engaged in it
and that Of her commander. and The quaint
character of its Ih-aaeology gives 1t an interest
a. type of the Kind then vogue.
shipped by the grace of God. in good order
and well conditioned. by William Lee. in and
upon tine good sap called the Friendship.
whereof IL master under God for the present
voyage William Roman. and nov riding at
Choir In the river Thames and by Gods grace
bound for Virginia. to saw one case. one trunk
one box OF merchandise. being marked ana
numbered as IN the margin. and are to be de-
hye-ed IN like good order and we'll conditioned
at the asOTesaId port OF Virginia 1.-THE danger OF
the sea only excepted unto Mrs. Anna Wash
lEgton al IOpe > creek. Potomak river. or to
her @ssiyns-.rsight FOR the said goods being
paid with DrlmsSe and average accustomed.
In witness whereof the master or purser of
the sand shiD hath affirmed to three bills of lad
ing, ali of snis tenor and date. the of which
three bills being accomplished. the other two
TO stand void And so God send the good ship
TO her desired port of saFety-Amea.
Dated at London, December u, 1873
''WM. ROMAN
There another form OF bin OF lading in
use Of a less religious character upon its face
and from which the frequent mention of tine
name OF the Deity omitted. George
town business man who had both on hand rather
irreyere ntlv advertised the TACT thai he had for
sale bills OF laiiag with without the grace
of God
Tx PIONEER MERCHANT.
Although not the very frat men to engage in
merchandising In Georgetown. Robert Peter
was among the first to so engage and may well
be considered as entitled 20 the historical dis
tnction o. having been GeorgetoSn's pioneer
business man. for the business places that ex-
is:ed at me time of his arrival iEsisnif-
He VA. horn IN Scotland In LIS and