small quantity of ground originally taken for the town, and from the difficulty of extending the town in any direction, as it was surrounded by hills, water-courses or marshes, it is evident that the commissioners did not anticipate either its present commerce or population. The expense of extending streets, of building bridges, and of levelling hills and filling marshes, to which their successors have been subjected, and which unfortunately increases that of preserving the harbor as improvements increase and soil is loosened, have been obstacles scarcely felt in other American cities, requiring immense capitals of themselves, against which nothing but the great local advantages for internal and external trade would have enabled the citizens to contend. The situation relative to other parts of the country, however, afforded the most direct communication; the proximity of better soil, the great security presented by the harbor, the abundance of stone, lime, iron and timber, and the proximity of seats for water-works, all contributing to make the first part of the town the centre around which additions have been nearly equally made, affords some proof of the commissioners' judgment and foresight. It is to be noticed also, that the lots toward the river were all taken within the first three days, and not one of those on Baltimore street, except that on the north side, next adjoining the great public road, now McClellan's alley.

It appears that Roger Mathews was presiding justice at this time, and Thomas Sheridine sheriff, but the latter was succeeded the same year by John Hall.

During this year a ship-carpenter, William Fell, brother of Edward, who settled east of Jones Falls in 1726, bought the tract of land called Copus's Harbor, and built a mansion there, on the present site of Lancaster street, so that the subsequent improvements and disposition of the property have resulted in what still bears the name of "Fell's Point."

The situation of the town at this time was unhealthy, and would continue to be so until a large marsh was reclaimed. The alluvion of the falls, spreading from the shore from Harford run to South street, already limited the channel of the river on the north side of it, and formed some islands which continued to be overflowed by high tides, until the islands and shoals were made fast land, as they now are. Certainly the commissioners were not regardless of the navigation, or they would not have located the town by the water; yet the exterior lines nowhere reached the shore, and one street only, Calvert street, appeared to communicate with it, for between the east end of Baltimore street and the falls, there was a marsh, and on the south, Charles street terminated at Uhler's spring branch, or rather a precipice which stood on the south side of it, as did the north end of Calvert street, at a greater precipice, where, indeed other commissioners closed the street by erecting the Court-house, which stood on a bluff overhanging the falls, precisely where the Battle Monument now stands.

The zeal of the founders of our city furnishes evidence this year, in the passage of an Act by the Assembly on the 16th of June, for the erection of a parish church in Baltimore, which, being the first church erected in the town, we will endeavor to give a brief history of the same from the first knowledge we have of it, down to the present time. In January, 1675, Mr. Jeremiah Eaton in his will devised to the first Protestant minister who should reside in Baltimore County, and his successors, "Stokely Manner," containing 550 acres. Up to this time there had been no resident Protestant, in other words Church of England, minister in the county. This Manor was about two miles south from Abington, as it is now called, and four or five miles northeast from Joppa, and six or seven miles from the bay.

It is not probable that as yet there was a population of more than one thousand in the whole county, which extended from below the Patapsco river to the north line of the Province, a distance in a direct line from north to south of more than forty miles, and a considerable proportion of it was on the south side of the Patapsco. The rest, save on the Spesutiæ and Bush river neighborhood, were scattered widely distant from each other on the rivers and inlets along the bay. Little land could as yet have been brought under cultivation, and a house of unhewed timbers from the wild forest, afforded the most comfortable dwelling possessed by any one. The original terms for seating lands in this country indeed had materially hindered the increase of population. Not only had the time fixed for the emigrants sailing from England been too short as well as unseasonable, but each one was obliged to keep three servants, above three years old, upon his plantation, which many were not able to do. Besides all this, through this vast region of wild forests lay the great war-path of the "Sasquesahanocks" and more northern Indians, in their too frequent forays on the Piscataway nations on the Patuxent. Of these a few were sometimes killed in their passing through by the settlers, and revenge was not long delayed; and when even not prompted by revenge, the lives and property of the settlers were alike a prey to their savage depredations. It is not long after this date that we have a petition, quite illustrative, to the General Assembly, from Thomas Hawkins of this county, asking for relief, in which he states that the Indians had lately broken into his house with violence and spoiled him of all his goods, so that he had not a bed left him to lie on or a spoon left to eat his victuals with. It may not be out of place to mention here some account of the Indian tribes which inhabited Baltimore County, and the surrounding country. Captain John Smith, in his history, speaking of the habits and customs of the Indians, says:

"When they need Walnuts they break them between two stones, yet some parts of the shels will cleave to the fruit. Then doe they dry them againe upon a Mat over a hurdle. After they

put it into a morter of wood, and beat it very small. That done, they mix it with water, that the shels may sinke to the bottome. This water will be coloured as milke, which they call Pawcohiccora, and keepe it for their use. Of their Chesnuts and Chechinquamins boyled, they make both broath and bread for their chiefe men, or at their greatest feasts. They divide the year into five seasons. Their winter some call Popanow, the spring Cattapeuk, the sommer Cohattayough, the earing of their Corne Nepinough, the harvest and fall of leafe Taquitock. From September untill the midst of November are the chiefe feasts and sacrifice. Then haue they plentie of fruits as well planted as naturall, as corne, greene and ripe, fish, fowle, and wilde beasts exceeding fat. The greatest labour they take, is in planting their corne, for the Country naturally is overgrowne with wood. To prepare the ground they bruise the barke of the trees neare the root, then doe they scortch the roots with fire that they grow no more. The next yeare with a crooked peece of wood they beat up the weeds by the rootes, and in that mould they plant their Corne. There manner is this: They make a hole in the earth with a sticke, and into it they put foure graines of wheate and two of beanes. These holes they make foure foote one from another. Their women and children do continually keepe it with weeding, and when it is growne middle high they hill it about like a hop-yard. Their corne they rost in the eare greene, and bruising it in morter of wood with a Polt, lap it in rowles in the leaues of their corne, and so boyle it for a daintie. As small as the proportion of ground that hath yet beene discovered, is in comparison of that yet vnknowne; the people differ very much in stature, especially in language, as before is expressed. Some being very great, as the Sasquesahanocks; others very little, as the Wighcocomocoes: but generally browne when they are of any age, but they are borne white. Their hayre is generally blacke, but few haue any beards. The men weare halfe their beards shaven, the other halfe long; for Barbers they vse their women, who with two shels will grate away the hayre of any fashions, agreeable to their yeares, but ever some part remaineth long. They are very strong, of an able body and full of agilitie, able to endure to lie in the woods vnder a tree by the fire in the worst of winter, or in the weedes and grasse in ambuscado in the sommer. Some are of disposition feareful, some bold, most cautelous, all savage. They are soone moued to anger, and so malicious that they seldome forget an iniury. For their apparell they are sometimes covered with the skinnes of wilde beasts, which in winter are dressed with the hayre, but in sommer without. The better sort vse large mantels of Deare skins, not much differing in fashion from the Irish mantels, some imbrodered with white beads, some with Copper, other painted after their manner. But the common sort haue scarce to cover their nakednesse, but with grasse, the leaues of trees, or such like. Their women, some haue

their legs, hands, breasts and face cunningly imbrodered with divers workes, as beasts, serpents, artificially wrought into their flesh with black spots. In each eare commonly they haue 3 great holes, whereat they hang chaines, bracelets, or copper. Some of their men weare in those holes, a small greene and yellow coloured snake, neare halfe a yard in length, which crawling and lapping her selfe about his necke oftentimes familiarly would kisse his lips. Others weare a dead Rat tyed by the taile. Some on their heads weare the wing of a bird, or some large feather with a Rattell. Those Rattels are somewhat like the chape of a Rapier, but lesse, which they take from the taile of a snake. Many haue the whole skinne of a Hawke or some strange foule, stuffed with the wings abroad. Others a broad peece of Copper, and some the hand of their enemy dryed. Their heads and shoulders are painted red with the roote Pocone brayed to powder, mixed with oyle, this they hold in summer to preserve them from the heate, and in winter from the cold. Many other formes of paintings they vse, but he is the most gallant that is the most monstrous to behold."

In closing his description he says: "So then here is a place, a nurse for souldiers, a practise for mariners, a trade for marchants, a reward for the good, and that which is most of all, a businesse (most acceptable to God) to bring such poore Infidels to the knowledge of God and his holy Gospell."

Under all these circumstances, it is not wonderful that the early settlers of this country had not as yet been able to have the services of a minister; and it was a noble Christian act for Mr. Eaton to provide as he did for the support of a resident minister, for this scattered, struggling, destitute people. The Rev. John Yeo, who removed to this county from Calvert about 1682, is the first Church of England clergyman, or any other of whom we have any mention, in Baltimore County. Mr. Eaton having made the provision which we have mentioned, it may have been some inducement to Mr. Yeo to remove to this county. The places for holding public worship were generally private dwellings; for we have found no hint that there were any other than such in the county, save St. George's, which was simply a log-building. St. Paul's Parish were accustomed to assemble for public worship in Patapsco Neck, the neck of land between Back Creek and the Patapsco river, east from the city of Baltimore. Their place of assembling at that time, was probably from six to eight miles from the present city limits. Mr. Yeo was spared to minister here only a few brief years. He died in 1686, leaving a married daughter, and a son John, if no other children, to which son the Court gave his property, and

made Miles Gibson his administrator.

Within three years after the death of Mr. Yeo, on the first of August, 1689, occurred what is called the Protestant revolution in Maryland. On that day the government of the Province was seized by the Protestants, without bloodshed, which put an end here to

the Roman Catholic rule and domination. The government passed into the hands of a Protestant Convention of the Colonies, and Lord Baltimore's officers were deposed. After its continuance for two years and a half, the government of the Province was taken in charge by King William and Queen Mary, and early in the spring of 1692 Gov. Copley arrived as their Majesties' Governor. In this government no Roman Catholic was permitted to hold

office.

By the Act establishing the Church of England in the Province, passed on the 9th of June, 1692, every taxable inhabitant (and such were all male persons, and female slaves, female mulattoes born of white persons, and free negro women), of the age of sixteen, were obliged to pay 40 pounds of tobacco annually to the support of the parish minister. Patapsco Hundred, or St. Paul's Parish, in the returns of the year 1694 to the County Court, contained 231 taxable inhabitants, equal to 8240 pounds of tobacco, or $226 less than one dollar tax to each inhabitant. Under the Act of 1692, the several parishes having been determined or defined, the freeholders of each parish were then directed to meet by the appointment of the County Justices, and make a choice of six vestry-men. Such an appointment having been made, the freeholders of Patapsco Parish, as it was then called, now known as St. Paul's, accordingly met and elected a vestry. But of that meeting we find no record. That they however did so meet and make then an election, the following entry, found in the records of the Baltimore County Court for 1693, folio 126, fully proves. It is this:

"We, the Vestrymen for Patapsco Hundred, met together at the house of Maj. John Thomas," when it was determined "that at Pettetes old field was the most convenient place to erect a church, and also appointed John Gay to be clerk of the Vestry, Mr. Watkings being absent. And at another meeting at Master Demondidies, did confirm the above mentioned proceedings. Mr. Watkings also absent. George Ashman, Nicholas Corban, John Terry, Richard Sampson, Francis Watkings, Richard Cromwell." This record thus tells of two vestry meetings, of what was done at, and who the vestry-men were. Such were the beginnings at the organization of this parish one hundred and seventy-nine years ago.

General Tobias Stansbury, who died in 1849, aged 92 years, said that the old St. Paul's Church stood about thirty or forty rods west of where the Sollers Point road leaves the North Point road on the left side as you go east. It was built of brick. In 1765 it was then in ruins, and the bones of the dead buried there were removed to Baltimore town. The plough has not left a trace of the old building on the spot where it stood.

In 1702 St. Paul's was made a missionary parish, mainly under the ministry of Rev. Wm. Tibbs, who does not appear to have been a faithful rector. After several unsuccessful attempts to build a new church, the parish at last succeeded, and about 1702 built, as is