Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-01-23
THE ANCESTRY QF
governor NARF|ELD..
Descended From a Long Line
Prominent Public Men.
lllustrious in the His
tory of MARYLAND.

The coming of Governor Warfield to
dwell in Annapolis as the Chief Ex-
ecutive o: the State is peculiarly pleas
ing to ones idea of the fitness of things
Ii is a striking case of the return of
the native, as 200 years and more ago
many of his forebears were the highest
Colonial officials in Maryland and the
chief dwellers in the Ancient City. and
for successive generations their descend
ants have rendered notable service in
the State.
Annapolis. in the year 1894. became
the capital of the province. and as such
was the center of the social life of the
early aristocracy, which constituted the
influential court circle, for in those ear
ly days privileges were for the privileg-
ed classes
In the gay panoply of Deputy Govern
ors. councillors. judges. and military
commanders. who, with their families
and retainers, lent luster to the little
capital more than two centuries ago, few
can be named from whom our Governor
does not trace lineal descent.
The house occupied by the first Gov
ernor at Annapolis was the home of his
ancestor. Col. Edward Dorsey the judge
of the High Court of Chancery and
Keeper of the Great Seal. and was oc-
cupied by the kinsman of Mr.. Warfleld,
Sir Francis Nicholson, first Royal Gov
ernor resident at the new capital (l694).
This house of Col. Edward Dorsey was
the meeting place of the Assembly un-
til a suitable house was built for its ac-
commodation.
The present Executive Mansion stands
on the site of the old Ridgely home,
owned by a co-descendant with Govern
or Warfield of Col. Henry Ridgely. an
other juctice of the High Provincial
Court, member of Assembly and captain
of "foote" in the Colonial militia.
Whitehall, the palatial mansion of
Governor Horatio Sharp. stands upon
part of Greenberry's forest. originally
patented to Col. Nicholas Greenbury.
Deputy Governor of Maryland 1858
1891. Keeper of the Great Seal. etc.
one of the most distinguished ancestors
of Mr. Warfield: and st. Margaret
Church, in Anne Arundel county. was
given from the same tract by Col Green
bury for the purpose of erecting the
church. His son, Col. Charles Green
bury. confirmed the bequest upon the
death of his father.
The very streets of the ancient city
recall the fact that in the year 1896 the
Assembly passed an act appointing the
first body corporate of the town of An
napolis, which included, in addition to
the Governor, Sir Francis Nicholson
aud Sir Thomas Lawrence, Hon. Mich
olas Greenbury, Major Edward Dorsey.
Major John Hammond. three of the an
cestors of the present Executive. King
William and Mary's School and st
Anne's Church received large contribu-
tions of tobacco from these aud other
Colonial forebears of Governor Warfield.
the school and vestrymen of the church
in the struggling early days of these in
stitntions.
Others of his progenitors who left
their impress upon the Colonial life and
Government. and whose names are
prominent in the annals of the little city
were Col Nicholas Gassaway, member
of Lord Baltimore's Council and Depu-
ty Governor of the Province; Maj Gen.
John Hammond, justice of the Provin-
cial Court and member of the High
Court of Admiralty; Capt. John Worth
ington. one of the Quorum of Gentle
man Justices. member of the Assembly
Thos. Claggett, of the British Navy,
Major John Welsh, of the Quorum and
High Sheriff of Anne Arundel County
Matthew Howard, called "Of the Nor
folk line;" John Macubbin, Richard
Bowie and many others of equal promi-
nence.
Taken together these men filed every
office in the gift of the King, the Lords
Baltimore and the people; and go it hap
pens that there is scarcely Colonial
mansion in the ancient capital or man
orial estate in its outlying suburbs in
which Governor Warfield is not person
ally interested because of his descent
from their original proprietors.
There are no more interesting Colon.
ial doorways in Maryland than those
through which this composite descend
ant of Maryland's best blood can take
retrospective pictures by the Guberna.
torial fireside.
Pictures of "ye olden times. " in which
naughty bellies, dressed in rustling bro
cades. the then latest importations from
London. danced the stately minuet,
while the men who move through the
scenes do so III time to the clanking of
Colonial and Revolutionary swords or
ride to hounds across country with the
g.. a. !.