Landmarks and Homes of Sassafras Neck, Cecil County, Maryland

Index for Ward and Associated Families of Sassafras Neck, Cecil County, Maryland

The Anchorage:
The Anchorage is located about a mile and a half north of Cecilton, on the left hand side of the road. The original part of the house, built in 1835, was the home of the Lusbys. Miss Ruth Lusby married Commodore Jacob Jones and this became their home. Commodore Jacob Jones was buried in the graveyard of St. Stephen's Church and later reinterred in the Wilmington Brandywine Cemetery. He was born in Smyrna, Delaware March 1768 and died in Philadelphia, August 1850, according to the inscription on his gravestone. He was in the Navy nearly 52 years.

Beaufort - Originally known as Ford's Landing. It is believed to date back to the late 1600s or early 1700s. The Ford family is listed among the oldest families of the area.

Bloomingdale, orignially called Hawse Neck, (colloquially Hall's Neck) was built in 1846 by Thomas Chandler Cruikshank.

Bohemia (Milligan Hall):
On the State Road before crossing the Bohemia River, is Bohemia, the estate of the McLane family. It was built for Colonel John Baldwin between 1743 and 1745 (later it passed to the Knight, McLane and Este Fisher families) Sometimes called "Little Bohemia," this estate was once the home of Louis McLane, member of the Delaware House of Representatives (1817-1827), Minister to England (1829-1831), (1845-1846), Secretary of the Treasury (1831-1833), Secretary of State (1833-1834). The picture of Little Bohemia show the house with a lovely brick wall and archway leading to the garden. An old sun dial adds to its charm. The house is said almost 300 years old.


Bohemia Manor : Bohemia Manor is the fine home of the late Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, lineal descendant of Augustine Herman. Herman's original house was burned.


Ceciltown: Founding a town called Ceciltown was a favorite project with the early settlers. The one to be established at the present Town Point failed. Another attempt was made at Broxen's Point, at the junction of Scotchman's Creek and Bohemia River. This project also failed. Later, as towns were continually being established, another attempt was made by Alfonse Cosden. This time the settlement was permanent.


Cherry Grove: After leaving the Anchorage, turn to the left just before reaching the Bohemia River. A road leading four miles in a southwesterly direction brings you to Cherry Grove, associated with the Veazey family. Founder of this family was John Veazey who emigrated from Essex County, England, in 1687 and purchased this place. Thomas Ward Veazey, youngest son of Captain Edward Veazey, was born here. Captain Edward Veazey served in the Maryland line and was killed at the Battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776.
Cherry Grove was visited by the British and the story goes that when they were warned that the British were coming, the treasured silver was taken from the cupboard and placed in the yard under a pile of dirt. Then the pig-pen was moved over it.

Essex Lodge:
Essex Lodge, a three-story brick home, is located almost within sight of St. Stephen's Church. The farm land adjoins that of the church-owned Glebe Farm. It was patented by William Brokes in 1660. Upon his death it passed to his daughter Susannah, who married Edward Veazey after the death of her first husband. In 1775, their son Colonel John Veazey, became commandant of the county. Although no complete record of ownership exists, it is known that the descendants of the Ward and Knight families were owners. Traces of a garden with box wood and brick walls suggest the formality of earlier years.

Fredericktown: In the southern part of Cecil County is Fredericktown, where George Washington stopped several times [according to "Routes Traveled by George Washington in Maryland," a map prepared for the Maryland Commission for the celebration of the 2ooth anniversary of the birth of George Washington, 1732-1932]. It was formerly called Pennington's Point or Happy Harbor, and was laid out in December 1736 by William Rumsey, a well known surveyor of the time. Fredericktown was a residence for some of the Acadians, or French Neutrals, who were exiled in 1765. Fort Duffy was erected at Fredericktown as one of the defenses of Cecil County during the War of 1812. Colonel Thomas Ward Veazey, afterwards Governor of Maryland, commanded this fort and his men attempted to repulse the British who, on May 6, 1813, came up the Sassafras River in fifteen large barges and three small boats and burned Fredericktown and Georgetown.

Frisby's Delight (Rich Neck) - The house was probably built between 1690 and 1710. The original land grant was made to the grandson of Charles, Lord Baron of Baltimore.

Frisby's Prime Choice - The farm was surveyed "on ye 28th of March, 1674, for James Frisby by the side of White Marsh, poss. by Thomas Frisby" and boarders on a branch of Scotchman's Creek. Among the early owners of this property were Thomas Bordley and Daniel Cheston and wife Francina Augustina of Bristol, England. In 1752 the property was sold to John Veasey who willed it to his son, Capt. John Ward Veazey. A subsequent owner was Samuel Chew who called it "Chew's Resurvey".

Glen Ellen (Baltimore County). Some think that the waters of Loch Raven cover a castle. A castle did stand at one time close to the waters of Loch Raven's Hampton Cove and for a time could be seen rising to the southeast above the lake's shore. Now, however, only its ruins remain. This was Glen Ellen castle, built by Robert Gilmor III (1808-1874) for his wife, Ellen Ward, daughter of Judge William Henry Ward and Maria Redding (of Delaware); granddaughter of William Ward "Fourth of Woodlawn" and Anne Veazey.

Greenfield Castle:
built by the Pacas, was formerly one of the fox hunting centers of the county, a sport much in favor with the early settlers.

Greenfields - This manor house was probably built between 1740 and 1760 on land patented to John Ward in 1674. The Ward family occupied it for at least 100 years. It was one of the fox hunting centers of the county, a favorite sport of the early settlers.

Heald Farm


Johntown: Near St. Stephen's is Johntown, where the second Methodist Society in Cecil County was organized in 1773.


Larramore, now called Wickwire: The two oldest houses on the "Four Corners" in Cecilton, or Cecil Cross Roads, as it was formerly called, were built by James Morgan, a wealthy and influential man of the latter part of the 18th century. He was born and lived at "Larramore," now called "Wickwire." His name appears on the records of St. Stephen's Church as a vestryman.

Linden Manor (originally "Browning's Neglect") - early owners were the Biddles and Penningtons.

Mount Harmon The Mount Harmon Plantation began in 1651 as a land grant of 350 acres to Godfrey Harmon by Caecilius Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore who was then owner of all of "Maryland". The picture to the right is from the article about Cecilton in the Cecil County Magazine.

Mt. Pleasant was the home of Dr. John Thomspon Veazey, who was the son of Dr. Veazey of Essex Lodge. The house is almost 200 years old and was occupied by the Veazey family until the early 1900s.

Information about New Castle, Delaware

Octorara


Ordinary Point: Ordinary Point is where Casparus Hermen built the first Court House of Cecil County in 1692. There is an excellent view of the river from here.


Rich Neck Farm, Grove Neck Rd., Earleville vicinity:

Rose Hill:
Five miles southwest of Cecilton and four miles south of Earleville, is "Rose Hill." Major-General Thomas Marsh Foreman, an officer of the Revolutionary War, built the brick part of this old house. He was also responsible for the rows of lovely chestnut trees which at one time bordered a public road in the vicinity. He is buried in the family burying ground on the place, a short distance from the house, on a knoll overlooking the Sassafras River.


The Rounds: The Rounds is situated on the main road leading to the Church of St. Francis Xavier and was the birthplace of Judge David Davis on May 9, 1815. He was educated at Kenyon College and Yale and then moved to Illinois where he established a law practice later becoming judge of the noted 8th judicial district.
An intimate friendship between Judge David Davis and Abraham Lincoln was established during this period. Lincoln appointed him to the Supreme Court, a position he held from 1862 to 1877, when he became United States Senator. Judge Davis has been referred to as Lincoln's closest friend. At the request of his family he became the administrator of his estate.

Strawberry Hill - Dr. Hugh Matthews, Jr., grandfather of Kitty Knight, purchased the property from James Douglas in 1757.

Swan Harbor - was patented to the Earle family in the 17th century. Tradition has it that the name derives from the fact that for many years flocks of swan used the quiet coves in the creek during their migration to the North. The Earles were parishoners of St. Stephen's Parish and their burial plot can be seen in the cemetery.

Ward's Knowledge:
Ward's Knowledge was granted to John Ward on March 10, 1694 by the Lord Proprietary of Maryland, and has been owned by the family at least up until 1967. The property is on the Cecilton-Sassafras road at Ward's Hill. The rambling frame house consists of the original building with the additions made at later times. In 1820 John Ward Davis inherited the farm and had the beautiful iron grill work placed around the front porch. It is comparable to that found on mansions throughout the South.


Warwick: Warwick is close to Cecilton. Washington stopped here many times when he traveled by the Eastern Shore Road between Philadelphia and Mount Vernon. James Paul Heath, who came here some time before 1746, is responsible for the town and its name. He was a merchant, a large land owner and half-owner of a vessel engaged in trading between the Sassafras River and the West Indies. Maryland's legislature incorporated the "the town of Warwick" in southeastern Cecil County in 1867.

Whitehall on the Elk River, owned by Frisby Henderson during the War of 1812. The British met fierce resistance at Fort Defiance where they had the intention of going up the Elk River to Elkton. They were forced to abandon the water route and landed at White Hall. Here they bribed a female slave to act as their guide to Elkton but she fooled the British and took them to Cedar Point, which is opposite Fort Hollingsworth at Elk Landing. The militia opened fire and the invaders beat a hasty retreat.

Wickwire (once known as "Larramore") James Morgan, a wealthy and influential man of the latter part of the 18th century, was born and lived here.

Woodlawn:
Woodlawn, the third house built on land patented by William Ward in 1681, is a spacious old, two story, brick home which has undergone many architectural changes over the years. Back of the house is a lovely old terraced boxwood garden descending to a reflection pool. Originally, the head waters of McGill Creek started here. The property, first called Spry's Hill, later Neighbors' Grudge, and then Woodlawn, was the homestead of the Ward family for seven generations.


Worsell Manor: Near Warwick is Worsell Manor. The name appears to trace its origin back to the vicinity of Warwick, England, the family home of the Heath family, early owners of Worsell Manor. The first owner was Major Peter Sayer, who was probably a descendant or other relative of William Saire, one of the gentlemen founders who came with the first colony to Maryland in the Ark and Dove.

Churches of the Area

St Stephen's Episcopal Church North Sassafras Parish; The Rectory at St. Stephen's:
St Stephen's Episcopal Church is near the village of Earleville. This Church belongs to North Sassafras Parish, one of the thirty original parishes in the Province of Maryland. When St. Stephen's was built in 1705, it succeeded a meeting-house which was standing as early as 1691. St. Stephen's Church has played a large and important part in the development of this part of the County.

St. Xavier or Old Bohemia:
The Roman Catholic Church of St. Xavier, also called the Old Bohemia Shrine, is near Warwick. This building is not the original one but there was a church here as early as 1704, the oldest Roman Catholic Church on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Bohemia offered advantages which were influential in the selection of this spot for a center of missionary enterprise. It was accessible both by land and water. A trading post at a nearby landing offered opportunities for the shipment of tobacco to England and the import of supplies needed by the colonists. By land, the Delaware Path or Highway was an artery of traffic between the two bays.

Shrewsbury Parish (South Sassafras Parish)
St. Augustine Parish (Bohemia Manor, Chesapeake City, MD)
St. Paul's Methodist Church at Johntown
Zion Methodist Church Cecilton

Last updated: January 8, 2003.

Ellen Ward
ellen@bcpl.net

Back to my home page


St. Xavier or Old Bohemia: The Roman Catholic Church of St. Xavier, also called the Old Bohemia Shrine, is near Warwick. This building is not the original one but there was a church here as early as 1704, the oldest Roman Catholic Church on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Bohemia offered advantages which were influential in the selection of this spot for a center of missionary enterprise. It was accessible both by land and water. A trading post at a nearby landing offered opportunities for the shipment of tobacco to England and the import of supplies needed by the colonists. By land, the Delaware Path or Highway was an artery of traffic between the two bays.