The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1903-05-02

- ~ '''A ''S''lllN' llllll.
The counties W"r" represented i'll the
first convention by committees. and each
r"uuDr had one vote only. aud all uu"~-
ri"n~ w"r" determined by majority of
counties. In the conventions suhScqucnl-
~ called together previous to Drrrmlur.
NO, tn" members were styled deputies.
John NcaH"y. Jr.. Joseph GiIpin, John
u. Thompson. Nathaniel Ramsay, and
Patrick Ewing. represented the county
III til" convention of ITO. OF this mum
Der. M"SNrS. Ncazcy. Thompson. and
| Ramsay. were signcrS of the Declaration
l"r tn" FrC"mcn of Maryland. Il document
somewhat similar in character To The
Declaration of Independence. II seems
proper 10 state in this connection that
Peter Lawson. William Currcr. and
Charles Rumsry. of this county. also
signed the Declaration.
In the convention that met August
l4th, lII6. this county was represented
by Joseph Gilpin. Patrick Ewing. David
Smith and benjamin Brcvard.
Th" first military organization in the
county 1T this time of which any account
has come down 10 us, WAS an iudrpcnd-
"nt company. of which Samuel Evans
was commissioned captain September 2S
b. or this company Henry DObSoh
WAS first lieutenant, Thomas Rumscy was
second lieutenant. and William Stewart
| was ensign They were all commissions
ed on the same day. There is reason to
b"ii"v" that DObSOn took Il very active
| pant III the organization of this company.
| On the day he received his commission
| he seems To have been in tunapuliS. for
the council ordered the Treasurer of the
Western Shore I" pay him 800 for the
us" of Charles RumScy. Henry Holdings
worth. and Edward Parker. ON account
of til" lying camp. The council the same
day ordered that Parker furnish sutii-
ci"nt linen t" supply tn" company with
tents. and thai til" commiSsary furnish
D"hS"n twelve camp kettles. Srvrnty-SiX
cnrt0uch boxes. and also Il like number
of printing wires and brushes. etc.. which
he probably brought home with him.
| Henry l)uhson was captain of this or
another company at the time of his death
a. shown by Il part of the payroll. noW
i'll possession of his relatives. We learn
from this scrap of paper, which ouly
contains eight names, that Robert Allan
was sergeant of the company, William
| Phillips, corporal, Andrew IIcgarty, tifrr.
and that John jackson had been drum
mrr, but was reduced to the ranks. From
II list of articles belonging to Henry
| l)nbSon at the time of his death il may
| be inferred that the uniform of his COM
pnnN was very brilliant. \ scarlet coat.
guld-lac"d, with cpaulet<, and four black
feathers, are mentioned aS being part nt
| his effects, rs We're also II testament ami
prayrr-kook
| Henry l'ob>on was the grandson #
Richard lrbSoE. who for many years
was Register of North Elk Parish and
Abigail, the daughter Of Henry Holdings
worth, the first of that name who SET
He'd at the Head Of Elk. in 1910. The
l'"h>"n family owned and lived ON the
| plantation bordering on the west sid. of
| Little Elk Creek, and on the road lead
ing from Elktun 10 North East. Cecil
| County produced no Drawer man or bet
ter soldier than Henry DobSon. At the
time he was commissioned he was not
Vet twenty-five years of age. He was
| the maternal uncle of the lat" Henry
p"hSon Miller. who was Register of
Wills Of this county for twenty-eight
years. He was wounded at the battle OF
Brandywinc and killed at the battle of
| '''N"" ''bi ihSN, III ipl III lH'' twenty
| sixth year of his age.
ON the 9TH of January, 1TT6, the con-
| rcntion ballutcd for officers of the mill
tia with the following result Bohemia
Battai"n-Iohn Neazey, Jr, colonel ,
John ID. Thompson, lieutenant colonel ;
William Rumsey, first major DIR. Josh
ia Clayton, second; Samuel Young, quar-
t"r-maStcr. Elk Battalion-CharlcS Rum
>"J, colonel; Henry HollingSworth lici-
tenant colonel; Edward Parker first
major: John Strawbridgc, second; Thos.
higgins, quartcr-mastcr. Susquchanna
Battalion 49, George Johnson. colonel:
| Thomas Hughes. lieutenant colonel: John
llnrtShorn, first major; Elihu Hail. sec
ond: John Hambleton. qunrtcr-maStrr
| There is reason 10 believe that thrS"
| EattalionS were intended for home pro-
lection and defence. and existed us dis
| tlrt organization but Il short time,
when those of whom they were composed
entered the Continental Army
| AT this time Colonel Henry Holings-
worth was in the prime of life and re-
sided in the old brick mansion in Elkton,
| at Main and Bow Streets
He was an cminently patriotic
man, and Judging from the letters
he received and the important positions
he filled, did more than any other citizen
of the county for the advancement of the
interest of the coloniStS. The Head of
Elk being directly upon the route be-
tween the northern and southern colon
les. he was often called upon. in dis
| charge of his duty as commiSSary. to fur
niSh supplies for the troops when their
line of march lead through that village,
which then was place of so much i'm
portnncc that the Legislature passed an
act in the spring of 1777. authorizing the
Governor to purchase land and contract
| Tor the erection of good. substantial
stone or prick building to be used for
the accommodation of new recruits or
soldiers passing through it. The Cover
nor was also requested to solicit the aid
of Congress in prosecuting the work.
| Probably for the want of means. the