The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-06-02

the April issue of The General
Magazine and Historical Chron-
icle.
1T was from Mr.. Joseph T. Rich
ards, of Philadelphia a man now
more than eighty years of age, and
born almost in the shadow of the old
tree, that I got the story of Elizabeth
Maxwell
Until she was eighteen, Elizabeth
lived in London. Her mother was
born Defoe. She was sister of
Daniel. The brothers desire to re-
form the realm by writing pamphlets
criticising Her Majesty's government
got him into trouble. To escape ar
rest in 1905 he fed to Mrs Maxwell's
home and lived in seclusion for years.
His niece. Elizabeth became his
pupil from her fifth year, and enjoyed
her uncle's company and stories.
When she was eighteen she became
engaged to young man of whom
her mother did not approve. This bar
to their marriage made the girl de-
spondent. and she felt that she must
cut herself off from all of her accus-
toned association with her friends.
After few months of this isolation,
Elizabeth heard that ship was about
to sail for America from a wharf near
her home Without a word to any
one, she ran aboard just in time, and
was Off After long weeks on the
voyage, she made port at Philadel-
phia.
Such unceremonious passage as this
was not unusual in those days appar-
emily, and these young people did not
hesitate to sell themselves as bond
servants to those who would pay their
passage money. So Elizabeth and
group of her fellow passengers came
up for sale soon after landing. In the
crowd around the auction block she
saw man wearing the broad brim-
med hat of the Quakers. She had
J known these people at home to be
kindly and so she asked this man to
pay her passage money and to take
her as servant for the required sew
en- years.
This man was Andrew Job He had
five sons, but no daughters. His wife
needed help in her housekeeping. So
Andrew paid Elizabeths fare, and
started home with her. He lived at
East Nottingham, some fifty-five miles
away They probably went on horse
back, and they probably followed
what is now Route l. Andrews home
was near the Brick Meeting house,
now the village of Calvert 1t was
about eight miles east of the great
Richards Oak. A great white oak
now stands within half mile of the
site of the Job home. William Penn
is said to have climbed this tree to
survey the countryside in 1901. He
helped the Nottingham Friends select
the site for the Brick Meeting House,
built there in that year.
Elizabeth served out her seven
years. but during all that time she did
not write home. At the end of her
time Of service she married one of the
five sons, Thomas Job. with whom she
hnd AL
quainted. Then she wrote home, tell
ing her mother the whole story.
Months passed. Finally a letter
came from her Uncle Daniel Then
she learned that her mothers anxiety
Tor her safety could never be satisfied
for she had died some years earlier.
: Her uncle told her further that by
her mothers will "in case she should
ever be found alive" she was to have
a good property and her mothers
furniture. Daniel said that he would
SEND this furniture to her and asked
that she preserve it carefully, beceus a
1T had come to the family from their
Flemish ancestors who had sought
refuge under the banner of Queen
elizabeth from the tyranny of Phil
lipe."
He went on to apologize for the
wooden seats in two chairs, explainine
that he had worn out the cane seats,
and had replaced them with wood.
Ii is interesting to know that at
least one of these chairs is still to be
seen at Nottingham. 1t is also inter-
esting to know that Elizabeth's de-
seendants have been highly respected
citizens and that they and their neigh
bors honor her memory.
Her uncle's fame may have its
source in Elizabeth's tragic departure
for he wrote Robinson Crusoe in 1913.
the year after she left London. It
may we'll be that Daniel Defoe's lone
l1ness gave him the background for
the famous narrative"
The above sketch is supplemented
by the following from a member of
the Job family, and resident of near
the Brick Meeting House:
Rising Sun, Md,
May 18th, 1888
In reading over this article relating
to Elizabeth Maxwell Job, that was
written by man. many years older
Nlan ! am ! do not feel as though 1
would be able to add much to it with
out looking over some of the Cecil
county History written by George
Johnson. In speaking of the pieces of
furniture that Elizabeth Maxwell was
TO get from her native home or Daniel
| Defoe there We're two cane seat
chairs. They We're at one time in
possession of Hannah Griffith, at Brick
Meeting House, Cecil county, Md.
The writer of these few lines was
fortunate enough to see one of these
chairs, and also has a good picture of
IT, Saw the one that Hannah Griffith
mad at Brick Meeting House several
years ago, but she finally parted with
the chair by giving or selling to some
historical Society. The chair thar
James Trimble had is now in the pos
session of the Historical Society of
Delaware. in Wilmington, because in
that city James Trimble spent the
last thirty years of his business life
tReturn to History again) Eliza
beth Maxwell became the wife of
Thomas job son of Andrew, in l725.
ana as soon as possible after settling
in married life she wrote home to her
mother and father, and in the course
OF time received letter from her
father stating that her mother was
dead, and that a large property, in ad
dition to her mothers furniture. had
been left to her by will in case she
should ever be found alive. An in
/ aA~v.w -aA 4.