The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-08-08
BY JOHN E. FLAYHART.

BY JOHN Z. FLAxHART.
In the early days of Baltimore
county there came from Europe to
America in 1888, two brothers,
Thomas and Ezekiel Towson, who
settled on the south slope of Sater's S
Ridge, about seven miles north of
Baltimore town. They were born in
Germany, but some time before their
removal to this country made their
home in London, England, where the
latter married Catherine Allen.
The first mention of them on rec
ord is in 177I, when Samuel Worth
ington, one of the justices Of the Levy
Court, paid Thomas Towson the
bounty on one hundred and thirteen
squirrel skins. From the time these
two brothers located here the place
was known as Towsontown, until a
few years ago the United States Gov
ernment, while shortening the appel
lations of its postofice stations, with
its usual far-sighted judgment chop
ped off the infantile suffix. Then the
village stood proudly forth dressed in
its new title of Towson. This was
legalized by John P. Poe in his codi-
flying process, and town" is known
now only to the old villager, who
dislikes to see the march of time en-
croach upon relics of the ante-bellum
period.
The rapidity of infant Baltimore's S
growth attracted considerable travel
in its direction from the Northern
1tases' 4 gleaI In many taking s9niJ9H tas 59aa
Ezekiel Towson, with an eye to busi-
ness as we'll as humane feeling for
man and beast, established tavern
here.
The next mention we find of these
settlers is in 1896, when Thomas
Stansbury was appointed supervisor
of the road from Towson's Tavern to
the Long Calm, and was allowed five
pounds for keeping it in repair. This
is now the Joppa road. In 1896 Will
liam Welsh was allowed seven pounds
for keeping in repair the road from
Ezekiel Towson's tavern to Walter
Dulany's ford on the Falls of the
Gunpowder, which is now the Tow
son and Dulany's Valley turnpike.
In 1899 the York turnpike was be-
ing laid out, and Ezekiel Towson was
very much dissatisfied with the line
that had been adopted, perhaps be-
cause it did not pass the door of his
hospitable inn, and he petitioned the
General Assembly for change in his
favor. His petition recited "that he
is the owner and possessor of tract
or parcel of land in Baltimore county
on which there are considerable i'm
provements; that he hath for many
years kept at the said place a house for
public entertainment that by the es-
tablishment of the York road in said
county considerable quantity of
meadow has been DESTROYED and his
property materially injured and the
difference between the road fixed by
the commissioners of review and that
contemplated by him and intended to
run by his buildings is not more than
thirty-two perches."
The General Assembly, consider
ing that Towson had a good griev-
ance, and that he was willing to give
up that portion of his lands over
which the road would pass, enacted
that "The York turnpike road when
altered shall pass by or near the
buildings of the said Ezekiel Towson
that is to say, beginning for the said
alteration at the place where the said
turnpike road intersects the orchard
of John Hopkins (about ~ miles
south of the town and running thence
with straight line until it intersects
the old York road at or near Ezekiel
Towson's tavern ; thence again until
it intersects the said turnpike as laid
down and confirmed by the commits
sioners of review"
In compliance with this act of the
General Assembly the Board of Re-
view directed the surveyor "to lay
down and make plat of the road,
beginning at Towson's tavern, and
running thence, passing close to the
west end of Perrigo's house, until it
intersects the recorded road below
Norwood's." 1t appears from this
that the turnpike as originally sur
veyed was considerably west of its
present location, probably near where
the county Jail now stands; thence
over what was then called Sater's
Ridge, by the gap near the Marsh
family burying ground, near the pres
ent residence, of Mrs. VIM. S. Keech,
back of Sandy Bottom, and did moi
strike the present location until il
reached the property then owned by
Norwood, but now part of the Hamp.
ton estate, near where Jas. w. Shea's
tavern is now located, short distance
south of what is called the Luther.
vile woods.
There is one thing of which the
residents of the little settlement ir
after years were proud, and that i:
the name of Towson. The old anC
| vOi1no rich and NOR reoordtecc n