The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1902-10-04
JohnSton'S History
Of Cecil County
CHAPTER MI CONTINUED.


land Historical Society, but which has
no date upon it shows that +. A. Her.
men, sought to obtain the Kings dis
sent to the act of the Legislature, of the
colony confirming his grandfathers will.
This will. to which reference has been
made before, was properly proved and
recorded. but some malicious person tore
out the leaves of the book upon which it
was written. \ copy of the will being
afterwards produced. it was lcgalized by
an act of the colonial legislature and ad-
mtted to record. Ephraim's object prob
ably was to acquire Il fee simple title
to the Manor, as he did to Little Bohc-
mia, as Middle Neck was then called. in
1924, by an act of the Legislature passed
at his solicitation. and which broke the
entail of that part of his grandfather :
estate. There is reason To think that his
motive was mcrccnary one. but it prob
ably would have saved his family much
trouble had he succeeded in accomplish
ing his purpose, as the history of the dis
puted succession to the Manor will show.
Mary, or Mary Augustine Hermen, as
She is sometimes called. because she as
sumed the Christian name of her great
grandfather, was of very weak mind in
deed, if tradition is true. She was almost,
if not altogether, an idiot. Now it so
happened that Il cunning and designing
lawyer, one John Lawson. made the ac-
quaintancc of this idiotic girl and fell in
love, not with her, but with her fortune.
and resolved to marry her that he might
obtain it. In order to accomplish his
purpose he sought every opportunity to
be thrown i'll contact with the young
lady, and was in the habit of taking her
carriagc-riding with him for long dist
anccs. Nor was this all. for upon these
occasions. III order to secure the success
of his wcll-laid scheme he taught her to
repeat much like Il parrot would have
done, the proper answers To such qucs-
tons as he believed Il jury would ask her
when cmpanclcd to ascertain whether
or not she was compos mcntis. 1t is
highly probable, indeed it is almost GER
tain, that during this time she was under
the care of her Step-mothcr, Mrs. Alex
andcr. who probably was not cOgnizant
of LawSom'$ ncfarious scheme to cntrap
her. and who. if she was. may have been
gratiticd with the prospect of being re-
lcvcd of the responsibility of taking
care of her. Owing to the strenuous and
persistent efforts of the designing Law
son, the young lady was 50 we'll instruct
ed when the proper time arrived. which
was probably when she reached matul.-
ity and WAS about to take possession of
her share of the Manor. that she an
Swcrcl the questions propoundcd by the
jury 50 intclligrntly that they pronounced
her to be of sound mind, and she WAS
legally Invested with onc-haf of the
rents and profits of the Manor. Lawson
soon aftrrward sought another oppor-
tunity to take her ont carriagc-riding.
During this ride he and the hciroSs were
married, and the dccp-lad scheme that
put him in possession of onc-half of the
princcly domain that Augustine IIcrmcn
obtained i'll order to pcrp"tuAtc his name
was successfully accomplished.
This happened some time previous to
the year 1IJ1. for the records of the
county show that in that year Peter Au-
guStinc Bouchcll. who was of an ancient
family that came to the Manor while
the LabadiStS We're in the hcyday of
their power and prosperity. and who
had married Catharnc Hermcn. the sis
ter of the Simpic-mindcd woman. and
John Augustine Lawson. jointly leased
several plantations on the Manor.
These two persons. the reader will OBJ
serve hotil assumed IN" name of AT
ShStihr' IN arr"fhAhc" with the Will of
tnelr wives rrat-%rahdlathrr. Young
Hcrmrn. the halfbruthcr of these ladies,
p'lh% acha' th"E were, or were supposed
to be, the sole and rghtful heirs of the
Manor Wnlch then was divided int" up
""i"S I'll HitE Plahta'l"hS' most OF winch
haa oe"h leased by former proprietors
loF ions terms OF years. Tor what now
monl" he considered very low rents.
ineSc rents Wer" generally made pay
ap!e III lhe Manor House. Srml-annualIN.
I'll 'hrlSihiaH ana NhitSuhtldr. All or
i"r9e hummer "l 'hchl Wer" paEabl" III
gram OF TOBACCO, ana frequently pair
Vi goa ln' caI"hS OF HuhG-hlll fowls
were ADDED as part OF the rent, 50 that
'"e l"o'e Oh the l-ofh OF the Manor
", ~, ne wen S"ppiru WIN poultry.
ne "l''"W Oh Ephralm y. Herm"n
Nheh MIS-. 'att"' was living at this time