Maryland Historical Magazine, 1920, Volume 15, Issue No. 1
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{m-i-sy MARYLAND HISTORICAL MAGAZINE PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUTHOEITy OP THE MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY VOLUME XV BALTIMORE 1920 ARCHIVES OF MARYLAND IPioblislied. toy authority of the State VOLUME XXXIX This volume is now ready for distribution, and contains the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assembly of the Province, during the Sessions held from 1732/3 to 1736. During this period, Samuel Ogle was Governor, and he met difficult situations with tact and firmness. In 1733, a very important act was passed for emitting bills of credit, under which a considerable amount of paper money was issued, with such wise measures for the establishment of a sinking fund, that the bills were finally redeemed. An important militia act was passed, as also was one for the improvement of the navigation of the Patuxent River. Towns were erected at Elkridge Landing, on the site of Princess Anne, etc. A general law for the relief of insolvent debtors completes the important legislation of the Session. The Session of 1733/4 lasted only six days, when the Governor dissolved the Assembly, because the Lower House expelled four members, who had accepted office from the Proprietary. A year later, a new Assembly was convened without great change in the membership. It did the surprising act of electing Daniel Dulany, one of the expelled members, as its speaker, and, when he declined, chose James Harris, a new member, though Colonel John Mackall, the old speaker had been re-elected to the Assembly. A general naturalization law was then passed, and the importa- tion of negroes, "Irish Papists," and liquors was restricted. The act concerning ordinaries was revised, and a license was required from peddlars. A duty was laid for the purchase of arms and ammunition. In 1735/6 a second Session, styled a Convention, was held with- out any legislation, since the Houses fell out with each other, over the question of allowances to the Councillors. After a proroga- tion of ten days, the Houses re-assembled, and, in a short time, passed a considerable number of laws, some of which had been discussed at the earlier meeting. Among these, were acts to remedy the evil conditions of the Annapolis jail by building a new one, to erect Georgetown and Fredericktown on the Sassafras River, to encourage adventurers in iron works, and to amend the laws in regard to the inspection and sale of tobacco. The ques- tion as to the Councillors' allowances was settled by a compromise, and the disturbances along the Pensylvania boundary line, which are associated with the name of Captain Thomas Oresap, find echo in the legislative proceedings. The attention of members of the Society who do not now receive the Archives is called to the liberal provision made by the Legis- lature, which permits the Society to furnish to its own members copies of the volumes, as they are published from year to year, at the mere cost of paper, press work, and binding, this cost is at present fixed at one dollar, at which price members of the Society may obtain one copy of each volume published during the period of their membership. For additional copies, and for volumes pub- lished before they became members, the regular price of three dol- lars is charged. THE MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY INCORPORATED 1843. OFFICERS. President, W. HALL HARRIS. Vice-Presidents, HENRY STOCKBRIDGE, DECOURCY W. THOM, VAN LEAR BLACK. Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, J. APPLETON WILSON, GEORGE L. RADCLIFPB. Treasurer, HEYWARD E. BOYCE. THE COUNCIL. THE GENERAL OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVBS OP STANDING COMMITTEES: CLINTON L. RIGGS, Representing the Trustees of the Athenaeum. JOHN M. VINCENT, " Committee on Publication. RICHARD M. DUVALL, " Committee on the Library. PHILLIPS L. GOLDSBOROUGH, Committee on Finance. McHENRY HOWARD, Committee on Membership. RUXTON M. RIDGELY, Committee on the Gallery. JAMES MoO. TRIPPE, Committee on Addresses. BERNARD B. BROWNE, M. D. Committee on Genealogy. BENEFACTORS OF THE SOCIETY. 1866. GEORGE PEABODY, Gift, $20,000 1892. J. HENRY STICKNEY, Bequest, .... 1,000 1909. ISAAC F. NICHOLSON, Gift, 1,000 1915. MBNDES COHEN, Bequest, .... 5,000 1916. ISAAC HENRY FORD, Bequest, .... 1,000 1916. ISAAC TYSON NORRIS, Gift, 1,000 1916. MRS. MARY WASHINGTON KEYSER, Gift of the H. Irvine Keyser Memorial Building. 1919. MISS ELEANOR S. COHEN, . Historical Relics and $300 1920. HON. HENRY STOCKBRIDGE, . Gift, .... 1,000 CONTENTS. PAGE COLONEL GEBAED FOWKE. Gerard Fowke, 1 SOME EABLY COLONIAL MABTLANDEES. McHenry Howard, • - 19 EXTEACTS FEOM THE CABEOLL PAPERS, 29 EXTBACTS FEOM THE DtTLANY PAPEBS, 43 THE CALVEET FAMILT. John Bailey Calvert NicTclin, - - - 50 CASE OF THE " GOOD INTENT," 60 PEOCEEDINGS OP THE SOCIETY, 63 LIST OF MEMBEES OP THE SOCTETT, 80 Committee on Publications SAMUEL K. DENNIS, Chairmm. JOHN M. VINCENT, BERNAKD C STEINEE. LOUIS H. DIELMAN, Editor. CONTENTS OF VOLUME XV PAGE SOLOMON ETTING. Aaron Baroway, 1 IN MEMOEIAM, IV. Compiled hy Alice Saswell, ... 20 THE LIFE OF THOMAS JOHNSON. Edward S. Delaplaine, 27, 180, 251, 324 KEVEEDT JOHNSON PAPERS IN THE LIBEART OF CONGRESS. Bernard C. Steiner, 42 EXTEACTS FEOM THE CAREOLL PAPERS, .... 56, 194, 274 SOME EAELY CotoNiAt MAETLANDEES. McHenry Howard, 65, 168, 292, 312 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 71, 420 LIST OP MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY, 84 THE OLD INDIAN EOAD. William B. Marye, - - - 107, 208, 345 THE ROYAL PEOVINCE OP MAEYLAND IN 1692. Bernard C. Steiner, 125 NOTES, 202 EDWIN WAEFIELD, 1848-1920, 203 SEVEN PIONEEBS OF THE COLONIAL EASTEEN SHOEE. Percy 6. SUrven, 230, 395 NOTE ON WILLIAM HAZLITT, 303 PEESBYTEEIAN BEGINNINGS. Bernard C. Steiner, - - - - 305 CONEAD ALEXANDRE GISEARD. EUzaheth 8. Kite, . - - - 342 THE MARYLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY INCORPORATED 1843. OFFICERS. President, EDWIN WARFIELD. Vice-Presidents, W. HALL HARRIS, HENRY STOCKBR1DGK, DEOODRCy W. THOM. Corresponding Seoretary, RICHARD H. SPENCER. Recording Secretary, GEORGE L. RADOLIPFE. Treasurer, HEYWARD E. BOYCE. THE COUNCIL. THE GENERAL OFFICERS MB J. APPLETON W1LSOM, MoHBNRY HOWARD, JOHN M. VINCENT, RUXTON M. RIDGELY, RICHARD M. DUVALL, JAMES McC. TRIPPE, PHILLIPS L. GOLDSBOROUGH, DR. BERNARD BROWNE. BENEFACTORS OF THE SOCIETY. 1866. GEORGE PEABODY, Gift, . $20,000 1892. J. HENRY STIOKNEY, Bequest, 1,000 1909. ISAAC P. NICHOLSON, Gift, . 1,000 1915. MENDES COHEN, Bequest, 5,000 1916. ISAAC HENRY FORD, Bequest, 1,000 1916. ISAAC TYSON NORRIS, Gift, . 1,000 1916. MRS. MARY WASHINGTON KEYSER, ' Gift of the H. Irvine Keyser Memorial Building. 1919. MISS ELEANOR S. COHEN, . Historical Relics and $300 1920. HON. HENRY STOCKBRIDGE, . Gift, .... 1,000 CONTENTS. PAGE SOLOMON ETTING. Aaron Baroway, 1 IN MEMOBTAM, IV. Compiled by Alice Easwell, . - - 20 THE LIFE OP THOMAS JOHNSON. Edward 8. Delaplaine - - 27 KEVEEDT JOHNSON PAPERS IN THE LrBEAET OP CONGBESS. Bernard C. Sterner, , - - 42 EXTEACTS FBOM THE CAEEOIX PAPEES, 56 SOME BAELT COLONIAL MAEXLANDEES. McHenry Howard, - - 65 PEOCEEDINGS OP THE SOCIETY, 71 LIST OP MBMBEES OP THE SOCIETT, 84 Committee on Publications SAMUEL K. DENNIS, Chairman. JOHN M. VINCENT, BERNAED C. STBINER. LOUIS H. DIBLMAN, Editor. SOLOMON ETTING. 1764-1847. MARYLAND HISTORICAL MAGAZINE VOL. XV. MAECH, 1920. No. 1. SOLOMON ETTING1 1764-1847 AARON BAROWAT Among the most progressive citizens of the latter days of Baltimore Town and the earlier years of Baltimore City were a number of the members of the Etting family. They played a prominent part in the commercial and political life of the city. They did their share, on the one hand, to enable Balti- more to compete with the other growing American cities in the contest for leadership in onr national expansion, and they took part, on the other hand, actively and unostentatiously in the social, political and religious life of the city. The most promi- nent member of the family was Solomon Etting, the subject of the following sketch. Solomon Etting was a son of Elijah Etting, who was born in Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, in 1724, and came to America in 1758. In JSTovember, 1759, he married Shinah Solomon, the daughter of Joseph Solomon,2 a merchant who 1 This sketch was prepared at the suggestion of Dr. Harry Friedenwald. The author is indebted to Dr. Friedenwald and Dr. David S. Blondheim for much advice and aid regarding sources for material and the character of the article. 'The first inscription in the Hebrew Bible of the Etting family reads: " Shinah, the daughter of J. [Joseph, according to Etting family records] a MAEYLAIfD HISTOKICAI. MAGAZINE. had formerly lived in London and who was residing at Lancas- ter, Pa., at that time.3 It may well he that Elijah Etting lived in Lancaster, but there is not evidence to establish such a sup- position. It seems that he lived in York, Pa., as early as 1763.4 Captain Alexander Graydon has left us in his Memoirs 5 an interesting account of the family life at the parental home of Solomon Etting in York when Solomon was a boy of nine. In connection with the reminiscences of his six months' sojourn in York in 1773 he wrote: " York, I must say, was somewhat obnoxious to the general charge of unsociableness under which Pennsylvania had always labored; or if I wrong her, I was not the kind of guest that was calculated to profit of her hospitality. Perhaps I approached her under unfavorable auspices, those of a young man debauched by evil communications; or perhaps there was want of con- geniality between her manners and mine. Be it as it may, there was but a single house in which I found that sort of re- ception which invited me to repeat my visit; and that was the house of a Jew. In this I could conceive myself at home, being always received with ease, with cheerfulness and cordi- ality. Those who have known York, at this period I am speak- ing of, can not fail to recollect the sprightly and engaging Mrs.