The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-10-23
Old Garrison Fort.
(By Charles L. shipley.)

Two miles northeast of Pikesville
lies the estate known as Fort Garri-
son Stock Farm, belonging to Mrs.
Charles J. Moore. The name seems
a peculiar designation for country
estate, but when it's origin is sexplained
and one becomes acquainted with
the story concerning the old stone
building upon the estate, and which
gives to its appellation, the mystery
is cleared away and there stands
forth instead a colonial story which is
we'll worth the study of everyone in
terested in Maryland history.
At the accession of William and
Mary to the throne of England, in
1888, war broke out between Eng
land and France, followed by an
invasion of Ireland by James II
Gather of Queen Mary, against whom
and Catholic supremacy his son-ln-
law, King William, was fghting)
aided by France. This war extended
to the colonies in America, both
nations struggling for their possess
ions.
One of the most noted partisan
leaders in the colonies on the part of
France during this conflict was
Baron Vincent Castine. Baron Cas-
tine left his home on the Pyreness,
came to Quebec, raised the French
flag on the St. Croix, and commenced
a relentless warfare on the border
settlements of New England to reach
an extent as to cause Governor Andres
to offer large reward for the capture
of the doughty Frenchman, who, es
Gaping to the Penobscot region in
Maine, settled among the Abenaki
Indians, where he married an Indian
wife and gained great influence among
the savages, exciting the tribe by
religious and political motives against
the English. So much was the
prowess of the Baron feared that a
letter was sent by one Captain James
of Cecil county to Governor Copley
in 1892 stating that he was informed
that Castine with 800 Indians was
encamped upon the manor of Colonel
Herman, with hostile intentions, and
that he forwarded the testimony of
one Drury, who had visited the manor
of Colonel Herman, and being ac-
quainted with the Penobscot Indians
and the wife of Castine, identified
them as the same.
Becoming alarmed at these rumors,
on March 8, 1892, the Council of
Maryland ordered three forts to be
built, in each of which was to be a
dwelling house sufficient to accommo-
date captain and nine soldiers, with
a cabin for four friendly Nanticoke
Indians. One fort was in Charles
county, then including Prince George
county, under the command of Capt.
John Addison; one in Anne Arundel
county, including Howard county,
under the command of Colonel Mich
olas Greenbury, and the other (Garri-
son Fort) about the Falls of the
Patapsco, toward or near the Sus-
quehanna river, in Baltimore county.
An assessment of so, 900 pounds OF
tobacco was laid on the inhabitants
to meet this emergency, and a vessel
was sent to conciliate Castine, or, fail
ing in this, to arrest and bring him to
st. Mary; but on March II, 1892,
Drury testified that he was mistaken
in identifying Castine, who was not
on the manor, though his wife was.
This false alarm, however, did not
stop the Councils order. The three
forts were built, and very properly, as
the frontiers were continually exposed
to Indian raids, especially on the
high ground between the Patapsco
and the Susquehanna.
In August, 1899, Governor Njchol.
son called on Capt. John Oulton, then
commanding the Garrison" for a
report of its location. Capt. Oulton
replied as follows: AN account Of
heroads made back of the inhabitants
by the rangers of Baltimore county
is as follows: Northeast from the
Garrison to the first cabin, Is miles
northeast to the second cabin, IL
miles or thereabouts; then 10 miles
further from the same course to an
other cabin on the north side of Deel
Creek; likewise between Gwynn's
Falls and the main falls of the
Patapsco, 10 miles; which said road
being marked and duly and weekly
ranged by me and my lieutenant
according to order of Council,
Capt. John Oulton, appointed com
mander in 1896, was from that par
of Baltimore county which is nov
Cecil. His name is variously spelled
Oulton or Olton. While captain, hi
in June, 1896, obtained a patent TO
$40 acres, including all the surround
! ing property and also the fort, o
garrison. Here he built house
one hundred feet south of the Garri
son, and in 1899 conveyed the prop
erty to Thomas Cromwell and Jane
Murray. In 100 Murray becam
the sole possessor, and in 1901 sold
part of it to VIM. Talbot; his widoy
. L