Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-11-24

Attorney-General. Deputy Governor
and Register of the Land Office, by
Leonard Calvert during the period
from the first the principal office of the
I637-le4G The land Office became
provinve. but,.up 10 1860. was not al
together a distinct department, as il
has been since
THE office was so created because
OF the then great increase Of business,
all title 10 the Proprietary's land in
itiating therefrom, and which for cen
turtles has been the Repository Of
Maryland Records.
Duties And Responsibilities
THE duties and possibilities OF
John Lewger were numerous. as in
scribed on this memorial and verified
by history They comprehended prac-
tically not only the duties now dis
charged by the Commissioner, but
many others He seemed 10 have act
ed as the right arm Of the Governor,
says Bozman in his history OF Mary
land. Perha-s, no one man, except
Governor Calvert himself, was clothed
with more power and greater responsi-
bilities than was John Lewger. He
was not. however as has been stated.
technically speaking the first Land
Commissioner. because that Office was
first created by the Constitution Of
1851, although he actually discharged
all the duties thereof in his day as the
Officer in Charge of Land Grants; OF
course. many changes necess arily have
taken place in this Office in nearly
three centuries, as it has occurred in
every other department of our Govern
ment since organized. Time and the
! ingenuity of man have evolved many
| changes the automobile has sup
planted the one-horse chaise. the type
writer the quill pen, the harvester the
sickle Wi.hal. the accuracy and full
ness the recording under the admin
istration OF John Lewger in this de-
partment has not been improved upon
as the records Will disclose: there is
| no superiority whatsoever disclosed
7 in the transition from his day TO this
Z unless it be such as | have suggested
4 in the use of up-to-Gate devices in Or
1 der TO meet the requirements of the
/ present age, as we'll to expediate work
Z thereby necessarily reducing expenses
when We consider, as we must. the
largely increased volume Of business
which could not be done under the old
/ cvGtau1 and n tho old WOW
Others present to participate in
/ these exercises have already present
/ ed, at length, in a most interesting man
ner sketch of John Lewger. to which
there is little / can add. His record to
1 be found here and in the Maryland
memorial is bat a just and fitting tri-
butte to his memory and official life
Credit Due Mrs. Hodges
1 Il almost feel it a duty, certainly i
! is a very great pleasure, TO call your
attention TO one who is entitled &c
much credit. if not a major part, for
the untirng effort. zeal and interest
manifested in having practically orig
4 mated and materially aided in design
1 ing this attractiyely Illuminated me-
mortal: | speak Of Mrs George W
/ Hodges, OF Annapolis. Historian of the
Society of the Ark and the Dove. re
no other more than Mrs Hodges. /.
my humble opinion, should credit b
given, not only in this movement K
perpetuate the memory and services o,
John Lewger, but in so many othe,
undertakings and accomplishments re
lating to Maryland history and geneo
logy
The cabinet under the memorial
contains 10000 Colonial Marriage Ii
! ferences, carefully and accurately pre-
pared by Mrs. Hodges and purchased
| by the State of Maryland. the purchase
price but slightly representing the
| labor, most tedious and firing, she has
performed in her research 10 uncover
! this data. and accomplished more from
| her love of the work than for pencani-
| airy gain. II is truly fitting tribute
10 one who deserves it as she does
/ and | speak with full knowledge Of he
]
have seen her toll for years in thi
work and know. in a limited degree
from experience, what il calls for
ut gives me very great pleasure tc
receive this memorial to John Lewgei
for safe-keeping in this Office, and 1
present the same to Your Excellency
Governor Harrington, representing the
State of Maryland. confident that
will be accepted in the spirit it Is
given, to perpetuate the memory anC
service of the distinguished official o.
the 18th Century. John Lewger"
The Governor Accepts
In accepting the tablet and memoria
to John Lewger on the part of tht
State, Governor Harrington paid {
tribute to the historic society under
whose auspices the ceremony was held
and who conceived the idea of present
ing the memorial, and to other State
historic societies, whose work he
commanded