Preserving the Past

Over the years I have collected images of the surveyor's art.  These are some of my favorites ... if I must choose. They put a lot of time and effort in their presentations for the courts. Feel free to clip and add to your ancestral land plats.  These are from Talbot and Queen Anne's county records. 

Tidbits of History - Talbot County

A will can be one of the most informative documents when researching family history.  And then sometimes, if you are lucky, you will find a little more family history than expected, where they are buried, what they were thinking and what was important to them as they considered their demise.  All with a little personality divulging itself, were these directions followed?

In the will of Jeremiah Banning who died in 1799 he requested “to be buried by those of Nicholas Goldsborough and my mother and a tombstone to be erected over each of them. The former died November 14^th 1756 in the 52^nd year of his age, the latter died November 11^th 1767. Myself was born March 25^th 1733. I desire that the burying place be enclosed with stone or brick without delay.”

Samuel Keene D.D. who died in 1818 wishes to be “buried in the family burying ground in my orchard at Long Marsh in Caroline County.” And makes a devise to “Sarah Keene my adopted daughter, the daughter of my brother Vachel Keene and wife of Charles Goldsborough”

Mary Ann Turbutt Goldsborough in 1811 states very specific burial directions – she requested “my poor remains be entombed at Ashely near my honoured mother, only my friends, relations and the poor may attend my funeral” she then added a codicil requesting her executors "to lay out and build of strong brick a wall around the grave yard at Ashely and build a roof over the whole ground that contains the remains of my dear departed parents and friends as soon as materials can be collected for the purpose.”

Robert Goldsborough who died in 1798 directs his executors to “sell the negroes – those the least beneficial and most contentious and troublesome to the family” and mentions the family bible “my grandfather registered his marriage….” 

John Leeds Kerr in 1844 only asked to be decently interred in the family burying ground on his farm called Belleville in Oxford Neck. 

Whatever Happened to....

Preserving the Past - Caroline County

A 1917 publication preserved and shared by Henrietta Wood, historian and genealogist of Caroline County

more to come ....

Black and White and "Read" All Over - Happy Halloween

Some Eastern Shore Ghost Stories

“I really do not believe in ghosts,” said a gentleman from Kent county, in a company of gentlemen at the Malby House, “but there have been several little occurrences in our family for which we have never been able to account. – Some years ago my uncle was taken with what proved to be his death sickness.  For three days before he died there were the most unaccountable noises heard all over the house. Knockings were heard in every room, and sometimes a demoniacal laugh would ring out in a room known to be empty.  The family were greatly disturbed by these things.  My dying uncle did not seem to mind them much, though.  We noticed upon several occasions that he was talking with some invisible being.  Upon asking him about it, he stated that he was conversing with an old friend, naming him, whom we knew to have been dead many years. My uncle persisted that the old chap was in the room skipping about and thumping on various pieces of furniture with his knuckles.  We heard the knocking, but of course could not see the ghost. These noises ceased after my uncle died.”

“When I was a young chap,” said another of the company, “a cousin of mine and I were devoted friends.  We made a compact one night of eternal friendship living or dead.  In 1849 my cousin caught the gold fever and went to California.  We wrote to each other regularly.  Three years after he left home I began to realize that I was haunted.  It was not unpleasant to me.  I rather liked it.  The first time I felt it was one night while lying in bed I heard three gentle taps on my chamber door. I opened the door, but no one was there.  But I seemed to feel that some one came into the room.  One night I opened my eyes and saw my cousin in the room.  He soon vanished.  The next day my aunt told me she saw him the same night. His letters stopped coming from California, but I thought of him incessantly and seemed to feel that he was with me.  I was distinctly conscious that there was an invisible being with me a great deal. 

“After this had been going on for about two or three months his mother received a letter that he was dead.  He died on the same day of the night that I first commenced to be haunted. – Now, how in the world the poor old chap got over that 3,300 miles between the Eastern Shore and San Francisco so quickly I can’t tell, but it was the shade of my cousin beyond doubt.  Even yet I’m satisfied the old fellow comes about me, and though he cannot speak enjoys my company.”

“I have seen two ghosts in my life,” remarked another gentleman with some solemnity.—“One was that of a man and the other a dog. They have been known to haunt a certain locality near the village of Church Creek in Dorchester county, for two or three generations.  I saw them both one evening in what was known as “Tick’s Path” in a piece of woods near the old time village schoolhouse.  The man was old and bald and his eyes looked sightless.  The dog accompanied him, and the strangest part of the occurrence to me was that the dog seemed to have no head.  He had a very long tail, which curled over his back.  I was utterly paralyzed with fear.  They were not visible longer than a minute, but it seemed to me like a week.  I was a boy of 15 then, but I have never forgotten it.  These same ghosts were seen by a number of people and the story is true.  I have not lived in that part of the country for 35 years, but I’ll bet my bottom dollar that the ghosts still walk in “Tick’s Path” if the woods has not been cut down.  If the timber is destroyed I’ll guarantee that I can find in this city a dozen men and women who either saw the ghosts when they were school children or conversed with those who had seen them.”

The Chesapeake Bay Ghost – Mr. Hudgins assistant keeper of the Wolf Trap Lighthouse in Chesapeake bay, who gave up his position on account of ghostly visitations, reports that three unpleasant spiritual disturbances still continue.  A number of prominent citizens in the neighborhood have recently undertaken to investigate the ghost, but without being able to prove fraudulent.  He is evidently a merry ghost as he whistles when called on, and when requested to dance gives a regular “double-shuffle” or Virginia “hoe-down” in the very room occupied by his would be investigators.  He declines however to be interviewed more closely and will not down.

All from the 1884 newspapers

Preserving the Past - Queen Anne's County

A resruvey of land called Beedle's Outlett in 1702 located in Talbot County, now in Queen Anne's County.  This certificate was found in the oddest of places along with a few others. You just never know where the court clerk would record information.  At the time of this survey the Talbot County court was still held at York. The land would later be called Bennett's Outlett.

Preserving the Past - Kent County

The Bramble Family collection of documents, pictures and ledgers at the Kent County Historical Society.

Written in Stone - Caroline County

Along Rt. 313 in Caroline County at the edge of the road is a little cemetery of the Johnson family.  Seemed like photos were necessary to ensure preservation.  It appears atleast one stone has already been damaged.

Preserving the Past - Eastern Shore

In the earliest of property valuations found in the orphans court they describe their estates, the dwelling house, it's size, the out buildings, what they are built of, the garden and what condition the fencing is in and they inventoried the orchard.... lots of apple and peach trees, a couple of quince and cherry trees and a couple of damson plum trees. Everybody had them. They knew what was good.
Just standing stirring the pot is a trip down memory lane. The memories of helping make it as a child, hand covered in that purple goo trying to get every seed out, the smell of it cooking, chatting while someone stirred the pot .... and then the moment you waited for all day long....fresh damson jam on hot biscuits, and knowing the next morning it was more of the same!

Black and White and "Read" all over - Kent County