182 S52 mmm ■ ■ ■ HI HI ' H IB II ■ ■ HH H 111111 PI Wffl ;fVUU:'Ai.-..; ; RHH BB9H unHH HBBfflffwB HHMMI1H 93 MM IHa BE HHH^HHHBflN WSSBM HPiH Bi m I l» ill ■Ha fflffllfflraffl ll£guIH| M I^H Class_ Ex&a. Mk.j2*JL COPYRIGHT DtTOSIT Tales of Old Maryland History and Romance on the Eastern Shore of Maryland BY J. H. K. Shannahan, Jr. PRESS OF MEYER & THALHEIMER Baltimore f\^ [itBRAHYof CONGRESS Two Ooofcs Received MAY 27 190? ISv Cepynrtt Enfry J cussfl A XX'., no- COPY B/ Copyright, 1907 TALES OF OLD MARYLAND CONTENTS. I. In Ye Olden Time. II. The Romance of Wye House. III. Fred. Douglass. IV. The Quaint Little Town of Oxford. Tench Tilghman. Robert Morris. V. Old White Marsh Church. VI. A House with a Strange History. VII. The Story of Royal Oak. VIII. The Old Quaker Meeting House. IX. Some Old Colonial Homes. X. Patty Cannon. " To all Eastern Shoremen Where e 'er dispersed. ' ' BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION r T is not to be supposed that the sketches contained in this little vol- ume cover all those places and per- sons of the Eastern Shore that might be justly entitled to an appearance here. I have merely collected those which in my hum- ble opinion were the most interesting and were more available. I am one of those who think the Eastern Shore of Maryland the ' ' Garden Spot ' ' of the World — have been taught that from the cradle up. Many of the tales told here are some we have heard since childhood, and as this is an inquiring age, in recent years I have looked into them a little to ascertain just how much was fiction and how much was truth. I have concluded that it is difficult to draw a hard and fast line between them with the meagre information at hand, and have therefore let legend and fact go hand in hand with but one object in view, that of pre- senting a series of sketches, founded on fact, By Way of Introduction which may help to while away an occasional hour or two. Many of the stories are told differently in diverse localities, which must always be so as long as no special effort is made to preserve for future generations the history and tradi- tions of the present. Many have been handed down by word of mouth from one generation to another, and no doubt have gained or lost color in the telling. There has never been a time when the Colonial period has been before the public as now. Many are turning to the Colonial type in building their homes and in furnishing them. This, too, caused me to feel a pardon- able pride in the richness of our possessions of that period, the most picturesque of our history, and to feel a desire to present to the public sketches of these grand old buildings which have stood the test of time, and are today the best examples of the Georgian style of architecture in this country. By Way of Introduction _^____ ■ _ ■ My acknowledgements are due Col. Edward Lloyd of Wye House ; Mr. C. Howard Lloyd ; Mr. Charles Goldsborough of Myrtle Grove; Col. Oswald Tilghman, Secretary of State; Col. Henry Hollyday, Jr.; Mr. P. M. Pastor- field of Royal Oak ; Mr. S. Elliott Shannahan, and especially to Mr. Wilson M. Tylor of Easton, who did much towards making this book possible, giving me the use of several cuts used in the publication of his more pre- tentious and comprehensive volume, "The Land of Legendary Lore," from which I have drawn freely, and which I can recommend as an interesting history of this favored region. If I succeed in placing this little volume in the hands of those, who like myself, were born on the Eastern Shore, but whose business has taken them elsewhere, I shall have accom- plished all I hoped for. CHAPTER I. / IN YE OLDEN TIME CARE not where you go, nowhere does the sun shine on a fairer land than the Eastern Shore of Mary- land. Situated on the peninsula formed on the one side by the waters of the Chesapeake, whose many estuaries wind in and out among its fertile farms, and on the other by the State of Delaware and the Atlantic, it presents natural charms, which in the early days of the colonization period, invited many families of position and wealth from the old country, to build there a new home. And today we find the same conditions existing. While the ravages of man in the past two hundred years have somewhat depleted its natural resources of oysters, crabs, fish and that most toothsome of all the Chesapeake Bay delicacies — the diamond back terrapin — it is still a land of plenty, flowing with milk and honey. The old spirit of hospitality for which it has been famous the world over, still exists, and the casual visitor within its domains, is given Tales of Old Maryland the glad hand and the best the land affords. Nor must we think of it for its productive- ness only, for there much of our state history has been made, and the many romances woven about the old country places, some of which have been in the same families for generation after generation, are of interest not merely to those who live there, but read like so many fairy tales. To the student of what we now call "Col- onial Architecture ' ' there is no better field, for there are many relics of the manor houses of the pre- Revolutionary period, not copies, but houses which have stood the tests of two cen- turies or more. During the period with which our narra- tion is mostly concerned, what we now call the ■ ' Georgian ' ' style of architecture, was affected in England and the gentlemen who came over to this side to build themselves homes, built after the same manner. On account of the impracticability of bringing In Ye Olden Time over marble with which to build and because of the abundance of timber of all kinds, the houses were of frame construction, of large and generous proportions, though many were built of brick brought over from England in the ships which came for tobacco. I cannot conceive a life better worth liv- ing than that enjoyed on the Eastern Shore of Maryland a hundred or more years ago, by what the slaves called "quality folks." The large plantation of a thousand or more acres with its commodious manor house — the scene of many a revelry — the quarters for the slaves, altogether made the planter a veritable Norman lord with a feudal system all his own, yet void of that harshness which marked the reign of his earlier brother. Hospitality and courtesy were the key-notes of the day. A living was there in plenty for every man. There was not the grand scramble we now see on every side of us, the stronger passing rough-shod over his less fortunate brother, anything in order to get there. Tales of Old Maryland So far as the picturesque is concerned, to my mind the social life of that day, if a bit more ceremonious than at present, was far more pleasing. Picture Christmas morning on one of the old plantations. You are awakened at the break of day by a chorus of darkies singing under your window : "Christmas comes but once a year and dis am Christmas mawning." You arise to the grateful glow and warmth of the old fire-place in which a house servant had kindled a fire while you slept. On appearing on the broad veranda you are greeted by the family of your host, who is receiving his black henchmen one by one, and presenting each with some trifling present, while the delighted blacks bow and scrape with a "thanky, Massa." One of the older field hands then approaches and with a grin announces that the log is ready. According to the old custom, on Christmas morning a new back log was placed in the fire- In Ye Olden Time place of the great room, and as long as it burned, the slaves had a holiday, excepting the small chores which must be done. Usually the log had been kept soaking in a neighbor- ing swamp since the previous Christmas, but the master was always informed with many wags of the head, that "de shorely wouldn't have much of a holiday dis year, for dat log am dry as tinder." Passing over the other events of the day until you were summoned to dinner, which was served by an old colored butler, usually the descendant of several generations who had served the same family in that capacity, the table of polished mahogany fairly groaned under the load of good things piled upon it. The barbarian custom of serving one course at a time had not then been introduced, and the master of the house did the carving at the table, with his guests as delighted wit- nesses of his deft movements with knife, never once removing his fork until the fowl had Tales of Old Maryland been neatly and accurately dismembered and served. Passing on again to the dance in the evening, the uncarpeted floors had been pre- viously waxed and prepared for the occasion, and two negro violinists from the "quarters " brought in to furnish the music. All the country squires and belles within a radius of thirty miles are there. The room with its quaint, simple, yet elegant furniture, huge fireplace, wax candles, and the gracefully mov- ing couples in the minuet, make a picture we can not equal today, no matter how spacious the surroundings. Compare the stately country gentleman in his knee breeches, lace waistcoat, silk hose, buckled slippers, powdered hair and cocked hat (which played a prominent part in the bows of that period) with the gentleman of today in his immaculate shirt front and sombre clothes. In Ye Olden Time If we could, by virtue of our wish, by some magic be whisked out of these times of haste and insincerity, back to those times of peace and plenty, I do not think many of us would care to give up even those primitive ways for the modern conveniences and preten- sions of the twentieth century. But enough of "what was"; let us see what we have left of this almost forgotten period of luxury and ease, and see how the sons of these sturdy country squires have aided in the building of the state and nation. CHAPTER II. THE ROMANCE OF WYE HOUSE HILE there are many families in Maryland now living on estates granted their ancestors by the Lords Proprietors, Wye House in Talbot County, for more than two hundred years the ancestral home of the Lloyd family ; in point of dignity, beauty of location and richness in associations, is the peer of anything of its kind, not only in Maryland, but the country at large. In 1668, Edward Lloyd, the first of that name in Maryland, set up his son, Philemon, as Master of Wye. Ever since that time the estate has been handed down from one gener- ation of Edward Lloyds to another, until now the seventh of that name in a direct line is the holder of the property. The first two returned to England, there died and were buried. In the old family burying ground at Wye, which stands back of the manor house, there lie four succeeding generations IO Tales of Old Maryland of the name, four grave-stones bearing the name of Edward Lloyd. Besides the present courtly master of Wye, there are his son Edward, and his grandson Edward, making nine successive generations of the same name in Maryland. The original house of Wye was burned by the British shortly after the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, and was robbed of many rich treasures, both paintings and plate. All the old records of the Lloyd family up to that time perished in the flames. Later, after the war was over, several pieces of plate, bearing the arms of the family, were returned by the Crown. Of the original manor house only a frag- ment remains, and that is now used as an outbuilding, occupied by an employee of the estate. The present house of Wye was built just before the end of the Revolutionary war, and The Romance of Wye House n remains today intact, just as constructed over 125 years ago, a monument not only to the elegance of that period, but to the thorough- ness with which the artisans of that day builded. The joists of the house are appar- ently as solid now as when first put in. "The main building of two lofty stories, including the hall, drawing-room, parlor, din- ing-room and chambers, all of noble propor- tions, is connected by corridors with one storied wings in which are the library on one side and the domestic offices on the other, presenting a pleasing facade of two hundred feet, crowning an eminence which commands a view of the lawn and leafy avenue and over the woods to Wye River and the Bay." Back of the manor is an old garden with many beautiful winding walks, along which many generations of the Lloyds have strolled with their sweethearts, ending at an artistic little arbor at the far end of the garden, 12 Tales of Old Maryland beneath which the lovers plighted their troth. Behind the garden is the family burying ground, rich in information for the genealo- gist. Here have been buried many illustrious sons and daughters of the Lloyds, both those who were born to the name and those who acquired it by marriage. Commodore Lowndes and Admiral Buchanan, both of whom married daughters of Wye, are also buried here. The entrance to the burying ground is formed by an old brick arch, flanked on either side by a wall fast crumbling away. No one seems to know just how old this wall is, but it is thought to have been built at the time the original house was constructed. Many of the grave-stones are crumbling, others have been restored. Some of them are very interesting, as much from the quaint inscriptions they bear as for their great age. One of the oldest bears this inscription : ENTRANCE TO BURYING GROUND AT WYE The Romance of Wye House 13 HENRIETTA MARIA LLOYD, Shee who now takes her Rest within this Tomb Had Rachel's Face and Leah's fruitful womb, Abigail's Wisdom, Lydia's faithful heart, With Martha's care and Mary's better Part. Who died the 21st day of May (Anno) Dom. 1697, aged 50 years, months. 23 days. To whose Memory Richard Bennett dedicates this Tomb. No one seems to know how many acres were comprised in the original grant to Edward Lloyd I, but the present Master of Wye inherited from his father something over 5000 acres, though the estate has dwindled somewhat below that now. Imagine life at Wye in Governor Lloyd's time. The Governor was the fifth of his name and early represented his district at Annapolis, later became Governor of the State, went to Congress and to the Senate. Surrounded there on every hand with the luxuries of life ; the products of field and river fairly bursting his storehouses ; with hundreds of slaves to carry 14 Tales oj Old Maryland on the plantation of many thousand acres, his was the life worth living. In his time grain had supplanted tobacco as a crop, and Gover- nor Iyloyd was the largest and most successful wheat grower of his day, while his live stock was the pride of the country. To this day, the cattle raised at Wye are the finest which go to the city markets. It was a sister of the Governor, who when quite a lass, while the British were despoiling the place, sat in a chair and covering her gold shoe buckle with her hand, defied them to take it. Before we close this narrative of Wye House and its associations, there is a little romance relating how the beautiful Sarah Cov- ington became the Mistress of Wye, which we must not overlook. It happened at one of the quarterly meet- ings of the Society of Friends at the old Third Haven Meeting House, near Talbot Court House, that the brothers, Philemon and The Romance of Wye House 15 Edward Lloyd 3d, for the first time saw the demure Quaker maiden and both fell instantly in love with her. After the meeting, each with his own plan in his mind, made some excuse to his friends, mounted his horse, and rode in an opposite direction from his brother. After allowing sufficient time for the others to become pretty well scattered, each turned his horse towards Somerset, the home of Miss Covington, and met at her gate. First they swore, then they laughed, and then spoke Edward, the elder : "In as much as she can not be for us both, let her be for him who saw her first." Whereupon said Phil : ' ' No sooner had I taken my seat in the meeting than I saw and loved her." And said Edward : "I saw her first on the county road, seated on the pillion behind her father, who did enquire of me the road to the Meeting House, whereupon I did fall in love with the maid." 16 Tales of Old Maryland Then Phil mounted his horse and rode away, while Edward turned in the lane. Thus it happened that three years later Sarah Cov- ington became the Mistress of Wye. While these worthies of the earlier days have passed away, and their ashes are mingled with the dust of the old burying ground in which lie so many of the Lloyds, those of the name who survive still maintain the traditions of the family ; that free, old time hospitality for which the Eastern Shore is famous, and of which the Lloyds have always been ex- ponents, is still dispensed at Wye House by its present master and mistress. The visitor who now may cross the lawn to the "Great House" will be received as graciously by the host and hostess as was ever a guest of the Governor or Henrietta Maria Lloyd, both of whom added lustre to the name and honor to the State. The present Mistress of Wye is a grand- daughter of Col. John Eager Howard of The Romance of Wye House 77 Revolutionary fame, and of Francis Scott Key, famous as the author of the ' ' Star Spangled Banner." Times have changed and new conditions have come about which render the cultivation of a large plantation well nigh impossible, or at least unprofitable. There are no more hordes of eager slaves to do the Marser's bid- ding. But there still remains at Wye House a negro of the old school, Harrison by name, who would scorn to work for any one but a Lloyd. Harrison has his place at Wye and knows it. Some years ago when a member of the family was in London, one of the children said: "Uncle Henry, we had a letter from Mr. Howard today, he is in London. Were you ever in London?" The old man scratched his head and said slowly, not wanting to be outdone: "Yes Miss, I driv' your pa there once." CHAPTER III. FRED. DOUGLASS ^ URING the life of Governor Lloyd, there was born in St. Michaels a 3 mulatto boy, the illegitimate son of a white man of considerable learning and a colored woman, who was owned by a sailing master in the employ of the Governor. Consequently this boy, who later became known to the world as Fred. Douglass, until he was eight years of age, was much at Wye and played with the little pickaninnies there and sometimes with the Governor's son, Daniel. When about nine years of age, the boy, who had accompanied his master on a trip to Baltimore, ran away and was lost sight of for years, until he turned up in the person of Fred. Douglass, a well educated and traveled man of the world. It was said that he was the first colored man who was ever dined by Queen Victoria, though I believe Booker T. Washington was later similarly honored. Pres- ident Cleveland was much censured for enter- Tales of Old Maryland taining him at the White House. Douglass was at one time minister to Hayti and later became Marshal of the District of Columbia. About 1 88 1 the old man was moved to revisit the scenes of his childhood. One day, in company with several customs officers from Baltimore, he came to Wye and in the absence of Col. Edward Lloyd, was shown over the estate by his son, Mr. Howard Lloyd* Douglass evinced his remarkable memory by- calling by name many of the points, creeks- and bayous, names purely local and which he could not have heard during his long absence, some of which had even then, been forgotten by the boatmen around St. Michaels. That blood will tell, was again proven, for when in the old garden, he seemed to be musing, entirely oblivious of his companions, and dropped into the negro dialect : ' ' Dar, ' ' he said, "is war me and Mars Dan uster trap Fred. Douglass 21 rabbits." Marse Dan was the son of the Governor. Some years later Mr. Howard Lloyd was in a Pullman car on his way to Philadelphia and noticed the aged figure of Marshal Doug- lass in the fore part of the car. Before reaching the city, Mr. Lloyd went forward to speak to him. The Marshal evidently did not recognize Mr. Lloyd and greeted him with a cold stare, possibly suspecting him to be a newspaper man. Mr. Lloyd held out his hand and said: "I don't believe you recognize me, Marshal." The Marshal paused, looked at him keenly, then jumped to his feet, hat in hand: "Yes, I do; it is Mr. Howard Lloyd." Then followed more musings on the part of the old gentleman. When told by Mr. Lloyd that he was wearing his great grandfather's watch (that of the Governor) Mr. Douglass begged to be allowed to hold it in his hand. "How well I remember him," he said, "stately old gentleman, moving about the 22 Tales of Old Maryland farm in that quiet, dignified way of his, with his high hat and cane." Then the eyes of the Marshal twinkled a bit. ' ' I remember, ' ' he continued, "when the Governor imported a bull of special breed and went out one day to inspect the animal. As he moved across the pasture, the bull glared at him with lowered head, but the Governor, not scenting trouble, went on. Presently, with a roar, the animal made for the old gentleman. That was the only time I ever saw Governor L,loyd act in an undignified manner, his hat went one way, his cane another, while the Governor made for the fence." Just what part Douglass played with John Brown I do not know, but letters were found in the possession of the latter which must have implicated him to a certain extent, for Governor Wise of Virginia made a requisition on President Buchanan for the person of "Frederick Douglas, a negro man, supposed now to be in Michigan, charged with murder, Fred. Douglass 23 robbery and inciting servile insurrection in the State of Virginia." Douglass evidently had an idea how the land lay and went to Canada and later to England. The matter was never pushed after his return and was soon lost sight of. THE ORDER OF THE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI This gold eagle was presented by General Washington to Lieut. -Col. Tench Tilghman. It is one of six that Lafayette had made in Paris for Washington who presented one to each of his six Aides. CHAPTER IV. THE QUAINT LITTLE TOWN OF OXFORD ^J==S^: XFORD was the first town to be ■ r^v)|B settled on the Eastern Shore of •\X^3^i Maryland. Just when that was is a bit uncertain. There are some who claim it was as early as 1635, and that it was then known as "Thread Haven;" pre- sumably called "Thread Haven" because of its excellent shipping facilities which caused many ships to put in for hemp, cordage, rope and supplies of various nature. From "Thread Haven" the name became "Third Haven." It is not difficult to imagine that the river at whose mouth it stands, now known as the " Tred Avon," is a modified form of the same name, though "Third Haven" is still found on many old maps. In 1695 the town was surveyed by one Captain Phillip Hemsley, a King's Surveyor, and was renamed " Williamstadt." Just when that name disappeared and the name of Oxford was used is not definitely known. It is claimed that a prominent Englishman who had 26 Tales of Old Maryland recently graduated from Oxford University, came over and settled there. By his munifi- cence and kindness he so won the hearts of the people that they desired to name the town after him. This he would not permit, but suggested instead the name of Oxford, after his alma mater. Tench Tilghman, Aide de Camp on the staff of General Washington, was born in Talbot County, and was for a number of .years in business in Oxford. Matthew Tilghman, that grand old man of Maryland, spoken of by the historians as the ' ' Patriarch of the Colony," the uncle and father-in-law of Tench (who married his first cousin), pre- sented Mrs. Col. Tench Tilghman the fine old estate of Philhimmon, now owned by Mr. W. H. Meyers of Oxford. The widow of Tench Tilghman is buried in the Oxford cemetery. Near her grave is a tomb erected to the memory of her illustrious husband. Strange to say, and contrary to the general impres- X h 5 >* 7 ° o s z The Quaint Little Town of Oxford 27 sion, Col. Tench Tilghman is not buried there, but is buried in Old St. Paul's Cemetery in Baltimore. The tomb at Oxford is merely erected in his honor and bears this inscription: IN MEMORY of TENCH TILGHMAN, Lt.-Col. in the Continental Army, and Aide de Camp of Washington, who spoke of him thus : "He was in every action in which the Main Army was concerned. A great part of the time he refused to receive pay. While living, no man could be more esteemed, and since dead, none more lamented. No one had imbibed sentiments of greater friendship for him than I had done. He left as fair a reputation as ever belonged to human character." Died April 18th, 1785. Aged 42 years. The Tilghman homestead was the Hermit- age on the Chester River, near Chestertown. 28 Tales of Old Maryland This property is now owned by a daughter of the late Otto Holland Williams who inherited it from his sister, the widow of Richard Cooke Tilghman. It was here that Matthew Tilgh- man was born, February 17th, 17 18. Tilgh- man' s Island was once owned by him, as well as several thousand acres in Talbot County; the present site of the town of Claiborne was originally a part of his estate. The sword which Congress presented to Col. Tench Tilghman in recognition of his famous ride from Yorktown to Philadelphia, carrying to the Continental Congress then in session at that place the news of the sur- render of Lord Cornwallis, is now in the pos- session of Col. Oswald Tilghman of Kaston, the present Secretary of State. It is not a generally known fact that Robert Morris, father of the financier of the Revolution, lived for many years in Oxford, in fact was a prominent and successful business man there, having large shipping interests. TENCH TILGHMAN'S SWORD The Quaint Little Town of Oxford 2Q It was the fortune thus made, inherited by his son, which enabled the latter to be of such great assistance to Washington in his worst times of need. History says that Robert, Jr., was born in England, yet the records show that his father moved to Oxford before the birth of his son, and remained there until he died, July 12th, 1750, from the effect of having his arm shat- tered by a wad from a gun fired as a salute in his honor from one of his own ships. He is buried in the Old White Marsh Church burying ground. There are some who say that Robert, Jr., was born in what is now a wing of the old Tred Avon Hotel, the Morris homestead hav- ing stood on that site. CHAPTER V. OLD WHITE MARSH CHURCH |N the road leading from Easton to Oxford, near Hamilton, or "Hole in the Wall," as it is sometimes called, amid the tangled briers and weeds of its unkept grave yard, stand the ruins of Old White Marsh Church, a mel- ancholy reminder of earliest Colonial Times. Before the doorway of the old church, many an old fashioned coach has stood, its body hung to the running gear by leathern straps; the postillion and outriders gossiping with the servants from other plantations while the owners were taking the sacrament inside. Within the old cemetery sleeps many a pow- dered wig, many a man who, no doubt, took a prominent part in the colony, but whose grave now is unmarked and unknown. If the ruins but had a tongue, it would not be necessary for the scribes who have attempted to wring from reluctant old records the history of the church, to use such phrases as: "It is said," or "there is a story told." 32 Tales of Old Maryland For, I doubt not, if they could but speak for themselves, the tales they could tell of the belles and beaux who have smiled across its aisles, the lovers whose vows were there sealed in holy matrimony, who later returned after time had placed its mark upon their brows, to be laid in the little city of the dead in the yard outside, we should find romances enough, which aside from any historical value this sketch may have, would be sufficient excuse for its appearance here. The old church, after facing the storms and suns of two centuries and two score years, was destroyed by fire, the victim of careless- ness. Much of its earlier history is lost in the maze of time, but certain it is that this is one of the very first church buildings ever erected in the New World for the Church of England. It was constructed of English brick, brought over in the clipper ships and paid for in tobacco, about 1658. Old White Marsh Church JJ One of the many interesting stories which are told about this old church, concerns a Doctor Maynadier, a Huguenot, who was rec- tor in 171 1. The rectory was situated about a mile from the church. The wife of the minister was taken ill, was pronounced dead and buried in the church burying ground. During her illness Mrs. Maynadier had expres- sed the wish that she be buried with an old ring of considerable value. After the funeral, two strangers who had heard of the ring and its extraordinary value, hied themselves to the cemetery and after dark opened the grave and attempted to remove the ring from the ringer of the worthy lady. This they were unable to do, so one of them drew a knife and severed the finger at the joint. Now, according to the story, Mrs. Maynadier was not dead, but in a trance, and the pain inflicted by the finger being severed caused her to regain conscious- ness, much to the fright of the two rogues, who made a hurried exit. Summoning all her 34 Tales of Old Maryland courage and strength, with her shroud wrapped closely around her, she managed to walk the mile to the rectory where she fainted after falling against the library door. The astonished rector picked up the form of his wife and bore it to a couch. It is claimed that she fully recovered from the shock of her experience and lived for a number of years afterwards. When at last she did die, she was again buried and so far as known, has remained so. In one of the unmarked graves lies — or ought to lie, for tradition says that once a year it comes forth and again visits the scenes of life — the body of an old doctor, who dur- ing life was famous for two things; his skill as a practitioner and the brand of whiskey he drank. Some attributed the former to the latter, as he was said to be at his best when drunk. Be that as it may, one day while in his cups, he was sent for to attend a close friend who had accidently shot himself. The senses of the old gentleman this time were a Old White Marsh Church SS little dulled, and instead of going to his friend who died for want of surgical aid, he wandered about the county roads in his one horse shay, muttering: "Show me the way; oh, show me the way," finally dying from exposure and cold. On every anniversary of his death, along the county roads in that vicinity, it is said that you can hear the rattle of the old vehicle and a voice muttering: "Show me the way; oh, show me the way." Robert Morris, father of the financier of the Revolution, who is spoken of in another chapter, is buried in the old grave yard. The original tombstone long since broken and undecipherable, has been replaced by the Daughters of the American Revolution and bears this inscription: 36 Tales of Old Maryland IN MEMORY of ROBERT MORRIS, Natiye of Liverpool in Great Britain, Late merchant at Oxford. Punctuality and Fidelity influenced his dealings. Principle and honesty governed his actions with an uncommon degree of sincerity. He despised art and dissimulation. His friendship was Firm, Candid and Valuable. His charity Free, Discrete and Well Adapted. His zeal for the public was active and useful. His hospitality was enhanced by his conversation with cheerful wit and sound judgment. A salute from the cannon of a ship, the wad fracturing his arm, was the means by which he departed on the 12th day of July, MDCCL. CHAPTER VI. A HOUSE WITH A STRANGE HISTORY |N A thickly wooded piece of land, which thrusts itself into the Miles (or St. Michael's) river, between Glebe and Goldsborough creeks, stands a house with a strange history, famil- iarly spoken of as "The Villa." As early as 1661, Wenlock Christ ison, the much persecuted Quaker of Boston, secured from Lord Baltimore a grant of land in Mary- land, of which the present site of "The Villa" is a portion. Here Christison found a refuge under the religious toleration of Maryland and soon became one of the prominent men of the community, wearing his hat in the presence of Governors and magistrates alike. The property remained in the Christison family for several generations, when it passed to one Isaac Atkinson, who had married into the family. A fragment of the old manor house, built of English brick, still remains just back of where "The Villa" now stands, 3 8 Tales of Old MaryLnd a fast crumbling relic of the early settlement of the province. After some years, the estate passed into the hands of Richard France, the Lottery King, ( the State at that time legalized the lottery) who realized the opportunities of the site, built there an elegant mansion, surround- ing it with walks, fountains and statuary and every conceivable luxury that money could buy. Within a few years the conscience of the State Fathers began to worry them, and they revoked the license of the Lottery King, who thereupon went to Delaware, and being a small state, it is said, bought up the legisla- ture with but one exception, for which bur- gess, who was of a religious mind, he built a church. In a short while, Delaware too, became prudish, and France again lost his license. Then followed reverses, caused mostly by the plundering of the business by a com- petitor, whom he had been compelled to take THE VILLA A House with a Strange History jq into partnership, and the last we hear of the "Lottery King" is that he died in a debtor's prison. Then followed a Mr. May, of Baltimore, as owner of the property, a churlish recluse, for whom no one had any very great regard. After his death, a Mr. Randall succeeded to the proprietorship of what seems to be this unlucky property, dispensed a lavish hospi- tality, soon squandering a large fortune in attempting to revive the grandeur of early days. With the exit of Mr. Randall, "The Villa's" day of decline began. The walks were overgrown with grass, the garden gods fell from their pedestals and the fountains became choked with briers and weeds. Next came a Mr. Brady, of New York, who had neither the means nor the inclination for a country life. Under his regime ' ' The Villa" did not revive its former grandeur. The fine old trees which dotted the lawn, 40 Tales of Old Maryland were all that time and neglect had not affected. They stand today firmer and sturdier for the many trials and troubles which they have looked down upon during the more than 200 years since Christison first took up his abode there. It is claimed, and not without reason, that this secluded spot was used by Boss Tweed as a place of refuge when he was fleeing from justice in New York. The neighbors caught fleeting glimpses of an old man with a flowing beard, moving furtively about the place until a yacht anchored off shore, and with its disap- pearance the next day, the shutters of the old house were opened, revealing many shock- ing gaps in the panes, and the mysterious stranger was not seen again. Mr. Brad)', it is said, was formerly a gar- dener on the country place of Boss Tweed on the Hudson. This adds color to the prob- ability of the fugitive seeking refuge there. A House with a Strange History 41 The negroes claim it is "hanted," and I have been told it is impossible to get one to stay on the place at night. Dr. George Nickerson, of Easton, next bought the property, and in a short while sold it to a lady in Washington. It later became the home of the Maryland Nautical Academy, but the unfortunate history of the place seemed to follow it, for the Academy did not flourish, and it too is now a matter of history. CHAPTER VII. ¥3 THE STORY OF ROYAL OAK HE little town of Royal Oak has more to make it famous than the particular brand of ' 'fried chicken" which it annually serves up to the summer boarders who come there in hordes, watch the slaughter of the pullets, dig their toes into the sandy beaches and acquire a genuine salt air tan with which to begin another year's work before again having two or three weeks of delicious idleness in which to breathe in the pure air of "God's Own Country." There are many who claim that the East- ern Shore of Maryland is the site of the original Garden of Eden and the good folks around Royal Oak and Saint Michaels firmly maintain that it was right there the Garden stood — a claim supported by many Baltimore- ans. There are two stories told of the way in which the town got its name. One is, that during the war of 1812 as the British fleet 44 Tales of Old Maryland came up the Chesapeake, it got a whiff of the aroma arising from the frying pans in which the pullets were assuming a beautiful brown and put into the Eastern Bay to investigate. A part of the investigation was to shell the town of St. Michaels at night, which would no doubt have suffered quite a bit, but for the long head of one General Benson, who ordered all the lights in the lower floors of the houses put out and carried to the upper rooms and roofs instead, thus causing the British to aim their shots so high that the major part of them passed harmlessly over the town. According to this version, two shots which were fired in the direction of Royal Oak, struck a gigantic white oak tree which stood on the present site of the store of P. M. Pastorfield & Brother. From this instance the tree was called "Royal Oak" and the village which was fast growing up around it, became known by the same name. The Story of Royal Oak 45 Another version of the origin of the name, well vouched for, is that the town was known as Royal Oak before the war of 1812, taking its name from this remarkable old tree which is said to have measured 40 feet in circumference one foot above the ground. This tree stood until 1867, when it was cut down by T. P. Pastorfield, as its branches which overspread the county road, were a menace to travel. Two cannon balls, a large one and a small one, were found near Royal Oak and were taken by Mr. Robert Banning, who kept them on his farm for a number of years when they fell into the possession of one Elijah Marshall, an oysterman, who having no idea of their historical value, used them as an anchor for his boat. They were seen and recognized, however, by a Mr. Henry Banning, a promi- nent bank president of Wilmington, Delaware, who had them sent to his home where they re- mained until 1885, when Mr. Banning returned 46 Tales of Old Maryland them to the town through Dr. J. A. Robinson, requesting that they be properly preserved and suspended so as to be in plain sight of all. The balls were then placed in front of the store of P. M. Pastorfield & Brother, where they still may be seen. CHAPTER VIII. k THE OLD QUAKER MEETING HOUSE HE oldest building now standing ever erected for public worship in Maryland, (and I believe in the thirteen colonies) is the Old Quaker Meeting House on the outskirts of Kaston. The Society of Friends, or Quakers, is strong in this section. Minutes of meetings of the Society held as early as 1660 are still in existence, and show that this building was started in 1682, was finished two years later, the first meeting being held there on the 24th day of October, 1684. The Old Swedes Church at Wilmington was not erected until 1698. Prior to the time this building was erected, the Society met at private residences and at a house which stood on Betty's Cove, now a part of the estate of Senator R. B. Dixon. No trace of the Betty's Cove Meeting House, is left. The following is an extract from the minutes of the Society held in 1681, when it %C 48 Tales of Old Maryland was decided to build a new meeting house: "This meeting, according to ye advice of ye last Half Year's Meeting, makes choice of William Southbee, Henry Woolchurch, William Sharp, Lovelace Gorsuch and William Stevens, Jun'r., to purchase ye land for ye meeting- house of John Edmondson, viz., three acres, and to get a firm conveyance for it, with free egress and progress to ye sd land according to a deed of uses, and also yt ye sd John Edmondson and ye aforesd Friends, advise together for ye most convenient place upon the said land to sett ye building upon, and also to agree with ye carpenter or carpenters for ye building of ye sd house, according to the dimensions hereafter specified, 60 foote long, 44 foote wide and to be strong, sub- stantial frame work, with good white oak ground sills and posts, with girders and sum- mers, and small joyst, and ye upper floors to be laid in plank, and ye roof to be double raftered, and good principal rafters, every 10 The Old Quaker Meeting House 4Q foote, and to be double studded below, and to be well braced and windows convenient, and shutters, and good large stairs into ye cham- bers, which chambers are to be 40 foote square at each end of ye house, so yt they may be entire and 20 foote vacant space betwixt them; and for other conveniencys to be left to the descretion of ye aforesaid Friends." Just how two rooms on the second floor, each 40 foote square with a " 20 foote vacant space betwixt them ' ' can be gotten into a building whose dimensions are specified as being ' ' 44 foote wide and 60 foote long, ' ' is more than I can figure out. There are many lessons which the builders of "ye olden time" can teach the modern contractor, and possibly this is one of them. Those who may be interested in knowing how the thing was done can go there and measure for themselves. This old frame structure was used as a place of meeting until 1880, when a brick building was completed a few yards away. jo Tales of Old Maryland Within the walls of the old structure have worshipped many of the prominent persons of the colonies. William Penn and George Fox are said to have visited there. Lady Balti- more came with a retinue of servants ' ' to see how these simple folks worship." She was so moved by the powerful speech of a blacksmith that she went away deeply impressed. The Meeting House is located near a branch of the Tred Avon River, formerly called Third Haven, hence it was called the "Third Haven Meeting House near Talbot Court House." Kaston was then only a ham- let known as Pitts Bridge. It was to the Third Haven Meeting House that Sarah Covington came to attend one of the quarterly meetings, mounted on a pillion behind her father, and was seen by the broth- ers, Philemon and Edward Lloyd, both of whom fell in love with her as told in another chapter. No doubt there were many other romances of similar nature which owed their The Old Quaker Meeting House origin to the meetings which brought together the Friends from all over the Eastern part of the Province. In the old grave-yard which is near at hand, it is said many bodies were interred feet foremost, thus causing the dead to stand in their graves, bolt upright as when in life. While the building shows many signs of age, it stands today precisely as erected 225 years ago. The old benches, painful in their severe hardness, on which the simply clad Friends, wearing their hats, waited for the spirit to move them, are still to be seen. This is comparatively a new country, but when we think that this building has seen part of four centuries, it doesn't seem so new after all. Built the latter part of the 17th century, it lived through the 18th and 19th, and is now well on its way into the 20th. Who can tell, perhaps some chronicler of the 2 1 st century with a more versatile pen than mine, may have something more to say of this remarkable old building. CHAPTER IX. SOME OLD COLONIAL HOMES MYRTLE GROVE. SZSnUST across from "The Villa," on the opposite shore of Goldsbor- ough's Creek, is Myrtle Grove, the home of Mr. Charles Golds- borough, and as fine a specimen of the old colonial manor house as we have. Of a differ- ent type from Wye, more like Readbourne, it is built of brick along plain and simple lines, yet withal an impressive and dignified build- ing. The frame part of the house was built in 1734 and the brick part in 1795. Contrary to the story generally told about Myrtle Grove, the bricks were not brought from England but were made on the farm, and the exca- vation from which the clay was taken can still be seen. The interior of the house is noteworthy for its broad hall and graceful stair; the rooms all of lofty ceilings, furnished now, as a hundred 54 Talts of Old Maryland years ago, with solid mahogany furniture of massive yet simple design. Near the house are a number of gigantic trees, some of which must be several centuries old, while the driveway, now overgrown with grass and weeds, is lined on either side with trees of great size and beauty. Myrtle Grove, in its day, was one of the social centres of the Shore, and many a belle and beau have danced in the great rooms and hall. I think I can see them now, on the eve of a dance. The guests are arriving in their great, lumbering coaches with outriders, coming up the driveway, while others, possibly the Lloyds from Wye, are coming by barge, rowed by a crew of blacks, and are making a landing at the pier. Quite a pretty picture they make, crossing- the greensward. The dainty lady with her powdered hair and patches with the gallants in all their finery of knee breeches, silk hose, buckled slippers, lace ruffles and cocked hats. Some Old Colonial Homes jj It was a bright day in June of the year 1905 that I first visited Myrtle Grove, but the quaint charm of the place took me captive. Everything, from the old trees on the lawn to the house itself with it's grandfather's clock (not bought from an antique dealer), Chippen- dale chairs and the huge four posted beds, spoke eloquently of the most picturesque period of our history. Amid such surround- ings, it did not require much of a flight of the imagination to be back among the dames and squires of a hundred years before. If Madam Goldsborough herself had stepped into the great hall to bid me farewell as I departed, I should not have been very much surprised, for that was all that was lacking to make the setting of the picture complete. READBOURNE. In Readbourne, the ancestral home of the Hollyday family on the Chester River in Queen Anne County, we have a colonial manor of 56 Tales of Old Maryland a different type from Wye, but none the less pleasing. Like the other mansions of its period it is terraced down to the river and commands an unrivalled view of the surround- ing country. When Colonel James Hollyday, who was a member of Lord Baltimore's Council, brought his bride, who was the beautiful Miss Coving- ton, and before her marriage to Col. Hollyday the widow of Col. Edward Lloyd of Wye House, to Readbourne, they lived for a while in a small house which they called ' ' The Box." In the meantime Mrs. Hollyday, with the assistance of her husband's friend, Lord Baltimore, planned and built the stately mansion, the bricks for which were brought over from England, the ships returning with cargoes of tobacco. Readbourne was completed in 1734. Tht walls are panelled and the stairway is of a gracefully winding design. Some Old Colonial Homes 57 This stately old mansion was made famous by Mrs. Hollyday for the lavish hospitality with which she entertained and which has ever been characteristic of this old and distin- guished family. Like Myrtle Grove and the other manors of that time, Readbourne was a rendezvous for the belles and beaux of the counties of Kent, Queen Anne and Talbot. It was the custom in those days for each plantation to have its own burying ground, which was usually near the house. Whether this was due to the fact that the distances between the various homes were too great to have a common place of burial, or because of a desire to have their loved dead near them, I do not know. It may have been from a desire to protect the graves from prowling animals which were more plentiful then, and in the earliest times from the Indians as well. Back of the manor of Readbourne is the j8 Talis 9/ Old Maryland burying ground in which all the Hollydays have been laid to rest. The grave of Colonel James Hollyday is marked with a tomb which bears this inscrip- tion : Here lies buried the body of Coi,. JAMES HOLLYDAY Who departed this life on the 8th day of October 1747 Aged 52 years. "He was for many years one of his Lordship's Council and in public and private life, always supported the charac- ter of a worthy gentleman and a good christian." The portrait of Mrs. Sarah Lloyd Hollyday, who built the old mansion at Readbourne, is now owned and in the possession of Col. Henry Hollyday, Jr., of "St. Aubin" near Easton, who is her great- great- great-grandson. The portrait which is nearly 200 years old, was painted when she was very young, and Some Old Colonial Homes $q shows at once what a beautiful and lovely girl she must have been. The following is an extract from the will of "Mrs. Sarah Hollyday," recorded in Liber W. H. ct. No. i, folio 80, etc., one of the Will Record Books for Queen Anne's County, Maryland." The will is dated March 24th, 1749, and was proved August 1st, 1775. ' ' Witnesses : Henrietta Maria Robins, Esther Wrightson, John Gourdsley. Devises : "For as much as r children, Edward Lloyd, Richard Lloyd and Rebecca Anderson, are settled in circumstances, that it cannot De thought that they stand in need of any assistance from me, I give to each of my said children a mourn- ing ring to be paid for and delivered by my Executor. 60 Tales of Old Maryland ' ■ Whereas I have given to my son, Henry- Holly day, by deed, negroes and stock and have also given him the sum of ^200 Sterling and 100 pounds currency, I do hereby ratify and confirm the said gifts and I do give to my said son, Henry Hollyday, a mourning ring to be delivered by my Executor. "I further give to my son, Henry Holly- day, 150 acres, part of a tract of land lying in Talbot County called ' Hemsley's Brittania.' \ ' To my daughters-in-law, Anne I^loyd anH A — ~ Mari day, to each of them a mourning ring. l-law, William Ander- son, a mourning ric "I give to my son, James Hollyday, my plat ehold goods and stock of all kinds, and all the rest and residue of my personal estate." The will is duly signed by Mrs. Hollyday and states that her son, James Hollyday, was the executor. Some Old Colonial Homes 6l RATCLIFFE MANOR. In 1749, Henry Hollyday, the son of Col. James Hollyday and Sarah Covington Hollyday, brought his bride who was Anna Maria Robins, to Ratcliffe on the bank of the Tred Avon. Just when Ratcliffe was built I have not been able to ascertain, but it must have been about 1740. Like Readbourne, it is built of brick which was no doubt brought over from England. By many Ratcliffe is regard u st type of the brick Colonial mar house i: ence. Its portico is perfectly proportioned to the size and style of house. The entrances, or porticoes, to the ho of that period were among their most attrac- tive features, indeed the keys to the success or failure of the houses architecturally. If the portico was not in perfect taste and did not harmonize with the remainder of the building, the effect was lost. 62 Tales of Old Maryland Ratcliffe was for a number of years the residence of the late Charles Hooper Gibson, the last Eastern Shoreman to ocupy a seat in the United States Senate, — more's the pity. THE ANCHORAGE. When Commodore Charles Lowndes of the United States Navy married Miss Sarah Scott Lloyd, daughter of Governor Lloyd, the fine old estate known as ' ' The Anchorage ' ' was givoB *~ tl wedded couple by the Gov- house is one of the show places lit state. It after the same style as Wye, and of fra e construction, with its main .ding connected on either side by corridors 5. ..ings, its lofty portico sup- ported by large columns, it is one of the best examples of the frame houses of the Georgian period in existence. This estate, unfortunately, like many of the old places, has passed out of the family and is now owned by the estate of the late Some Old Colonial Homes 63 General Chas. Chipley, who during his life time did much to improve the property, yet retaining all the style and dignity of the times in which it was built. The Anchorage is on the bank of the Miles River, with Myrtle Grove and the Villa within plain sight. At the end of the long bridge which spans the river at this point, and con- nects the "neck" with the road leading to Easton, stands an old stone church. This was erected for the use of the plantation owners in the "neck," had its own rector, thus doing away with the long ride to Baston to attend service. The building has not been used for that purpose for years, and is now rapidly becom- ing a picturesque ruin, though I believe when the Maryland Nautical Academy was conducted at The Villa, the cadets used the building as a chapel. CHAPTER X. PATTY CANNON EAR the peaceful little town of Reliance in the eastern part of Dorchester County, only a few yards distant from the Delaware line, stands a house around which in the early part of the nineteenth century, were enacted many deeds of blood. This was a place of terror to the negroes of the two states, for here were the headquarters of Patty Can- non's gang, and in those days, "her's was a name to conjur with." One had but to men- tion to a negro that Patty Cannon was com- ing and the darkey would turn as ashen a hue as his color would permit and fly for his life. It was also noteworthy as much for the villany of Joe Johnson, Patty's son-in-law, as for Patty herself, and to this day the site of Joe Johnson's tavern is on the map as "J onn - son's Cross Roads." Rarely in modern times do we find a woman so void of all human emotions and \ 66 Tales of Old Maryland sympathies as this degenerate creature who was at the head of as vile a gang of slave traders, cut throats and murderers as ever stretched a gallows rope. It was about 1802 that Patty Hanley came to the Eastern Shore of Maryland from parts unknown and married a bright mechanic of good family, named Jesse Cannon. They had two children, one of whom married Joe John- son, with whom she later made an alliance for the purpose of stealing and selling slaves. Jesse Cannon died mysteriously and it was thought his wife made way with him, though there was no tangible evidence. Many years later, when the net of her own misdeeds was closing in about her, she admitted having given him poison. Some say that Patty was a gypsy. She was more or less robust, had a wealth of black hair and her face, while showing the effects of her evil passions and dissipations, was more or less good to look upon. Patty Cannon 67 The gypsy blood in her seemed to be dominant, for she coveted wealth with a passion that brooked no interference. A human life, if it stood between her and the realization of her desires, counted for naught. Many murders were laid at her door, blood shed by her own hand, while in her garden she had a small cemetery of her own in which she buried her victims. If any of the negro women hidden at the tavern had children which were too small to be marketable, they mysteriously disappeared. On one occasion when the crying of an infant annoyed her, flying into a violent passion, she seized the child and threw it into the fire. It was her greed for gold that led to the alliance with her son-in-law, which for many years reaped a rich harvest. The spot selected for her house and that of Johnson could not have been better located for the purpose. About midway between Easton and Princess Anne, with Dover onlv a short distance to 68 Tales from Old Maryland the east, they had a rich field for the plying of their nefarious traffic. At that time that section of the country was but sparsely settled and was surrounded on every hand by dense tracts of timber land. Located between the Chesapeake and the Delaware Bays, little arms and branches of which made up near the place, they had the double advantage of being able to work by water as well as by land. Patty's house was erected squarely on the line between the two states, so that when the officers from one state came for her, she had but to go into an adjoining room to be out of their jurisdiction. The house built by John- son, which he erected at the cross roads, was within calling distance of Patty's and only a few yards from the line. This house was known far and wide as "Joe Johnson's Tavern." It was here that the miserable wretches were kept imprisoned in the attic until a favorable opportunity pre- sented itself for their being spirited down Patty Cannon 6g South, or until a "nigger trader from Georgie" came for them. The attic was specially constructed for this purpose, and many of the devices put there for the safe keeping of the prisoners remained for many years after the death of Patty and the escape of Johnson. It has been described to me by one who saw it, as being "sealed with two inch white oak plank, with ring bolts fastened securely into the ceiling and walls, to each of which a chain was attached. The space was divided into two rooms, the back room being without windows, while the door opening into it was double, with heavy iron fastenings. There was a sort of transom over the door, strongly protected by iron bars, through which came the only ventilation the room ever had." While Johnson was the working head of the gang, it was Patty's fertile brain which devised the many subtle schemes by which they worked. 70 Tales of Old Maryland One of the plans which was successful for a long while was that Johnson would engage a number of free negroes as a crew for his boat, which was supposed to be employed in a legitimate traffic. When once he got them on board and below deck, the hatches were bat- tened down and he then put back for home, turning the captives over to the tender mercies of Patty who arranged for their sale to the slave traders further South. Woe to the man who went to the ' ' Cross Roads ' ' to buy slaves and carried too much money. On one occasion, when an injudicious trader spoke of his "roll," he was told in a friendly way that the ' ' Tavern ' ' was not a safe place for a man with much money on his person and was cordially invited to stop at Patty Cannon's across the way. While at supper Mistress Patty excuses herself and goes into the garden to do some hoeing. Slipping up behind the guest, while he was still at the table, she shoots him dead and with the Patty Cannon 71 assistance of a negro in her employ, dismem- bered the body so as to get it into a chest which was buried in her private cemetery. So wholesome was the fear in which she was held by this darkey, that for years he kept the secrets of the house and its many tragedies. It was for this very murder that fourteen years later she was arrested and locked up in the Georgetown jail. Probably it would never have been discovered but for the fact that while having the field plowed one spring when the ground was soft, the horses broke through this shallow grave, disclosing its ghastly contents. This exposure, together with the betrayal of the negro who assisted, led to her undoing. Another of the plans by which the negroes were entrapped was by means of several agents, many of them negroes themselves, who caused it to be known that their house was a refuge for runaway slaves and that assistance y 72 Tales of Old Maryland would be given them to escape North. When once a runaway took refuge there, he was detained long enough for word to reach Patty, when a raid would be made, and not only the fugitive, but the decoy as well, would be tied hand and foot and carried off, despite his loud protestations. The decoy was, of course, later released and returned to bait another trap. By this means suspicion was for a long time averted. After a while, even this failed to bring results and more desperate means were em- ployed. Not satisfied with capturing free slaves and fugitives on their way to a free state, they would steal negroes in bondage. The last raid of any consequence which was planned and executed, was into the very town of Dover itself, though on account of a warn- ing given of their coming, it failed dismally. One human trait which seemed to have remained in this woman, was that she loved with all the passion of her nature, the worst Patty Cannon 7J villain of the gang. Perhaps it was his con- summate skill in the trade which called forth her admiration. But her love was never to be rewarded, for he received injuries in the Dover raid from which he died on the porch of the tavern even as the officers of Maryland were closing in about the house to arrest the mistress. Johnson had received warning of the ex- pected arrest and had made good his escape the night before, taking with him a large sum of money which Patty had obtained by murdering a slave trader whose gold had caught her avaricious eye. In vain did she beg Johnson to take her with him ; cursing her for the selfish gratification of her own desires which had caused their downfall, he left her to her fate. Thus she stood, on the porch of the old tavern, deserted by all those whom she had gathered round her, with the dead body of the only man she ever loved staring her in 74 Tales of Old Maryland the face, when the officers approached her. She made no protest and went to the George- town jail, where she was placed in a cell and chained in much the same manner as she had treated her own captives. Filled with remorse at the failure of her plans and her desertion by the members of her gang, she took poison and within a few days died as she had lived — miserably. Many stories were told of her physical prowess. She could stand in a bushel measure and lift three hundred pounds of grain to her shoulder. In a hand to hand fight she was as good as two men. Woe to the darkey who happened to meet her alone on the county road. Many a time she had grappled with a strapping negro, tied him hand and foot and thrown him unaided into a wagon. Dead men tell no tales, nor did the victims of Patty Cannon when once they got into her clutches. They were either sold South with- out having an opportunity to communicate Patty Cannon 75 with friends, or were added to those who lay in the garden back of the house. Only one negro who was captured ever escaped. He was confined in the attic prison with a chain and ball. Being alone, he managed to open the trap door and drop into the room below. The house being deserted at the time, he made good his escape to Seaford where the chain and ball were taken off by a Mr. Hazzard, whose son later wrote a history of Seaford in which he included the story of the negro's escape. I have been told that some years ago, a young attorney of Baltimore was visiting near the old tavern and was dared to spend a night in it. The forfeit being posted, the young man went to the house, made himself a bed on the floor and went to sleep. He was awakened towards midnight by the sound of a chain dragging across the floor. Having an easy conscience, he struck a light and insti- tuted a search which revealed the presence j6 Tales of Old Maryland of a dog, which had broken loose from his kennel and had wandered into the house, dragging his chain after him. Being wide awake, the young man determined to find the mysterious chamber, the location of which so long defied detection, finally locating its en- trance from a closet with a false door. Meantime, several belated travelers, seeing lights in the old house, fled to Seaford, swear- ing that Patty Cannon had come back. The house is not haunted, far from it. But has been remodeled and is now occupied by Mr. James M. Smith and family, to whom I am indebted for much of this narrative. There has been so much said about Patty Cannon which could not be substantiated, that as a matter of curiosity I had the court records at Georgetown examined to see what indictments could be found against her. Mr. Ell wood Wright, the Deputy Clerk, examined the books as far back as 1750. Strange to say, in all the indictments against Patty and Patty Cannon 77 the members of her gang, the case of Joseph Johnson for kidnapping a free negro man in Delaware and taking him into Maryland is the only instance where there is any record of the parties ever being brought to trial. While I have not been furnished with copies of all the indictments against the various members of the gang, I have one dated April 13th, 1829, charging Patty Cannon with the murder of three infants seven years prior to that time. In another indictment of the same date she is charged with being an accessory with Johnson in the murder of a negro boy. There are no records to show that Patty herself was ever brought to trial. That she was arrested and locked up is certain, and that she took poison before her trial is also substantiated. It is claimed that she is buried in a corner of the jail yard at Georgetown. The indictment in the kidnapping case in 78 Tales •/ Old Maryland which Johnson was tried and punished, is as follows : State vs. Joseph Johnson, / "Indictment. Kidnapping. 1 John Stevenson, Jessie Cannon, Jessie Cannon, Jr. \ True Bill. Martha Cannon, Mary Johnson, November 12, 1821, the defendant, Joseph Johnson, pleaded "Not Guilty." " Guilty, " says the Attorney General. November 14th, 182 1, continued upon affidavit of defendant and now to wit: this 25th day of April 1822, Joseph Johnson was brought to the bar of the Court and a Jury drawn, verdict of the jury "Guilty," April 30th, 1822. Notice by council for defendant to show cause why the said verdict should not be set aside because Patty Cannon yg there was reasonable grounds for the jury to entertain doubt of the guilt of the defendant. " May ist, 1822 : Upon agreement, rule was discharged and now to wit : the third day of May 1822 the defendant was brought into court by the Sheriff of Sussex County, Delaware, being convicted of having feloni- ously kidnapped, taken and carried away from this State into the State of Maryland, a free negro man, named Thomas Spence. ( ' The sentence of the court is that Joseph Johnson shall be publicly whipped on his bare back with 39 lashes, well laid on, and shall stand one hour in the pillory with both ears nailed thereto, and at the expiration of the one hour, shall have the soft part of each ear cut off and shall pay the cost of this prosecution, and the above judgment to be executed on Tuesday, the fourth day of June next ensuing, between the hours of 10.00 A. M. and 4 P. M." x £tJr 80 «+-T^& Tales of Old Maryland An entry dated June 12th, 1822, reads as follows : "On Tuesday, the fourth day of June, between the hours of 10.00 o'clock A. M. and 4.00 o'clock in the afternoon, the punish- ment upon Joseph Johnson was inflicted agree- able to the order of the Court, except the cutting off of the soft part of the ears, which was remitted by the Governor." (Signed) William Ellkgood, Sheriff. The Martha Cannon named in the indict- ment, is no doubt Patty. "''"'>' 3 ' "> ■ LIBRARY OF CONGRE^" 014 368 153 ii $ ml ■* 1 ■HI mm m Hffli HI I MB -v.t-.'.v i;5#ff' Hi ^M^^W^^^HhE illl ■■■JBlfl Hh IffiiH 1 Si IMslB Hill S8HBG WW HUH ■qgqhh IHf HB HI HH E HIM M HHmmr