The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1914-06-19
Friday, June 10Th, 1914
A Chapter from Southern Maryland
History.

Mr.. Walter Worthington Bowie of
WashiD gton, D. c., before the South
ern MARYLAND Society at its quarterly
meeting at the Hotel Belyedere, Balti-
more. June s, 1914.
The remarkable influence exerted by
Southern Maryland on the social and
political life of the entire State began
Mai ch %, 1854. Its inception on that
date sprang from the accidental Ian din G
on Blakiston Islaud of Gov. Leonard
Calvert with his $50 Gentlemen Adven-
turers and 800 other persons" who had
accompanied him IN two little ships the
Ark and the Dove, on that stormy voy-
age of four months across the Atlantic.
The arrival in the New World of that
intrepid band of pioneers, mostly re-
cruited from the country gentry of
England, marked the true dawn of
American Liberty. For though Mary
land was by Royal Charter granted to
Lord Baltimore and its original settlers
accepted him as their cover Lord"
they Immediately enacted code Of
laws for their local government which
secured personal liberty. property
rights, and religious federation un-
known to the Old World.
Never intolerant like the puritans of
New England, or domineerng like the
Cavaliers in Virginia, Maryland enjoy
ed a political and religious freedom
which made the colony refuge for
bold spirits from other lands who be-
lieved in self government and the right
to worship God according to ones con-
science
Under the benignant rule of the Pro-
prietor. the community rapidly grew
in wealth as it's numbers were aug
mented by fresh arrivals, principally
from England, Scotland and North
Ireland. New settlements extended
along the water courses, and, designat-
ed as .hundreds". selected represent
atives to the General Assembly at St.
Mary's City, which first convened in
1885. Among the emigrants constantly
arriving were sons of influential fami-
lies, who brought considerable property
and numerous retainers. To such, &C
cording to the number of their retinue,
Baltimore issued Patents to tracts of
land of 1000 acres and over, which
were designated as "Manors."' and gen.
orally named for older localities. The
recipient of the grant was known as
''Lord of the Manor" These holdings
were sort of little states within the
larger state. Each owner with the aid
of the Freemen residing on his domain
as tenants, passed bylaws and held
court for the punishment of thieves,
poachers and other petty offenders
On such estates the life partook of a
Datriarchal completeness; each being a
small world within itself, having its
Great House" with spacious dining
hall and wainscoted walls on which
hung the family portraits. A chapel,
smoke-house, stables an / negro cabins
were grouped around the main build
ing, while further off were the dwell
lngs OF the freeholders or tenants.
Surrounded by their dependents the
Lords OF the Manors lived in truly
Baronial style much like their fore
fathers in the land of their birth.
Owing to the geogl aphical position
OF the peninsula forming Southern
Maryland surrounded by the waters of
the Chesapeake on the east, the wide
Potomac on the south and west, and
divided its entire length by the Patux-
ent river, the inhabitants were in a
measure separated from other colonies
AS rule marrying among themselves
they maintained the original purity of
their stock and developed along lines
peculiarly their own, yet retaining the
best racial chafacte ristics of their pro
genitors. lmbued with all the senti-
ments of the Anglo. Norman aristocracy
In their chlvairous devotion and cour-
tesy to woman and combining there
with that bulldog tenacity of purpose
characteristic of the race, they imbrib-
ed with their mothers milk an intense
patriotism, genius for politics, and a
deafness attachment for the land of
their birth.
Though the laws were democratic and
free from class legislation, public af-
fairs were usually directed by the land
ed gentry. This ruling class was fairly
well educated and possessed much of
the culture and refinement of the Old
World. Many sent their sons abroad
or to Provincial colleges, and private
teachers residing in the family instruct
co the daughters and younger children.
Fox hunting was their recreation and
political discussion their hobby. The
women were famed for their wit and
beauty, While the men, sensitive, brave,
and spirited, too often resorted to THE
Code" for adjustment of personal diff
hcultles. From that slave-hoiding land
ed aristocrasy of Southern MARYLAND
Sprang dominant race of men who for
generations impressed their individual
lty upon the destiny Of the Colony and
moulded its domestic policy and its
relations with other states.
The distance of St. Mary's CITY from
other portions of the Province induced
the removal of the Seat of Government
from the latter place to Annapolis in
1894. AS the former city lost it's pres
tige, Annapolis hourished, until it was
known as til gay metropolis of the
New World; "the Athens of America. :"
Other thriving towns sprang up along
nayigable rivers On the Patuxent
were the towns of Lower Marlboro,
Nottingham, Queen Anne, and Upper
Marlboro on the Western Branch. The
latter was founded in 1896 by a band
of Scotch emigrants under Presby-
terrain divine, Nathaniel Taylor, and
named in 1706 for the Duke of MARI
borough. Nottingham was located
prior to Upper Marlboro on land prev
iously granted to Major Thomas 81 coke
in 1868, which in the deed was said to
be ''in the woods on the west bank of
the Patuxent, between Spicer and Mat
taponi Creeks" and extended west to a
boundary stone bearing the owners in :
itlals, ct. B." The village there took
its name from those letters and is still
known as at. B."
The Province was happily free from
the devastating effects of any serious
Indian war, and a long era OF peace
and plenty had raised the colony to a
high state of prosperity, when the pas
sage of tie Stamp Act by the English
Parliament in 1865 awoke all America
to opposition.
Throughout Maryland societies called
Sons of Liberty were formed The
fervid eloquence of the great Daniel
Dulaney of Annapolis aroused the peo-
pie to frenzy, and Southern Maryland
became an armed camp, seething with
the spirit of revolt. October 18th, 1774,
the Peggy Stewart arrived at Annapo-
lis with a cargo of tea bearing the OBJ
noxous stamps. An excited throng
took possession, and demanding of Mr..
Stewart, the owner, either to fire his
ship, or hang in front of his door, he
chose the former. This was the act of
prominent citizens in bread day, and
without disguise, striking contrast to
C ID