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Samuel Ogle Signs and Lord Baltimore Confirms Land Title in Colonial Maryland
Samuel Ogle Signs and Lord Baltimore Confirms Land Title in Colonial Maryland
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Description:

Colonial America

Lord Baltimore Confirms Land Title in Colonial Maryland

 

This copy of a deed for 284 acres of land in northeastern Maryland demonstrates the complications of competing land claims, which the provincial government had to untangle.

 

SAMUEL OGLE, Manuscript Document, Deed, to John Williams, August 24, 1736. 1 p., 23.5" x 13.25". On vellum. Significant tears at folds, some affecting text; repairs to verso using silk.

 

Complete Transcript

Maryland, ss. Charles, Absolute Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces of Maryland & Avalon, Lord Baron of Baltimore, &c To all persons to whom these Presents Shall Come Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting, Know ye That Whereas John Williams of Cecil County by his humble Petition to our Agent for Management of Land Affairs within this Province Did heretofore set forth that he was Seized in ffee Simple  of and in a Certain Tract or parcel of Land Called Rycrofts Choice lying and being in the County afd Containing Three hundred acres Originally on the fourteenth day of May Anno Sixteen hundred Seventy nine granted unto a certain John Rycroft under new Rent which said Tract by Sundry means Conveyances Alienations and mutations of possession became the right of the Petitioner who upon Inspection into the County thereof found that great part of the said Tract was taken away by an Elder Pursey Called Widows Lott belonging to the heirs of Capt John Hyde of London Merchant which proved of great Damage to the Petitioner who therefore humbly prayed that a special warrant might be granted him to resurvey the said Tract with Liberty of adding what Vacant Land Could be found thereto Contiguous so as to make up his Compliment of Acres mentioned in the Original Grant and if upon the Resurvey thereof it Could not be Included in one Survey by its running through the afd Tract Called Widows Lott the surveyor might be Impowered to return separate Certificates thereon and that upon Complying with all requisites he might have our Letters Pattent issued unto him thereon which we thought fit to Condescend unto and Accordingly a Warrant on the twenty Eighth day of June Seventeen hundred and thirty five unto him for that Purpose [did? issue I pursuance whereof it is Certified into our Land Office that the said Tract is resurveyed by which it appears that there is neither surplus Included nor Vacancy Added but on the other hand a Difficiency of Sixteen Acres in the Original Tract so that the whole now Contains no more than the Quantity of Two hundred and Eight four acres of Land WE DO therefore hereby Grant and Confirm unto him the said John Williams all that the aforesaid Tract or parcel of Land now resurveyed and still Called Rycrofts Choice lying and being in the County of afd Beginning on a high Bank upon the south side of a Deep run now Called Rock Run which falleth into Susquehannah River where it is supposed the original begining marked Oak did stand being a few perches above a Grist Mill on the said Run now in the possession of John Steel and as the said Original Tract is Cut into two Separate Tracts or parcells by a more Antient Survey Called the Widows Lott as afd the said two parcels are returned & made Separate and Distinct bounds and Lines for each parcel Viz.

Begining for the first parcel at the place afd and running South Sixty degrees west Twenty perches down with the afd Run to the afd River Susquehanna then with the River South East One hundred and Eight perches & with the River south thirty two degrees East One hundred and Ten perches then north East Ten perches to a marked Oak said to be the Second bounder of the same Land then as in the Original Survey north East three hundred and Ten perches where it Intersect the west Line of a Tract of Land Called Widows Lott Originally Surveyed or Granted on or about the Eighth day of October Sixteen hundred seventy Eight and from the said Intersection with that Line runs west Two hundred Sixty and Six perches till it Intersect the Last or Given Line of the Original Survey of Rycrofts Choice which is found to be south fifty nine degrees westa dn with at Line to the place of Begining Containing in this part or parcel Two hundred and fifty acres more or less and Begining for the Second part or parcel at the spot where the north East Line of five hundred thirty four perches in the Original Survey mentioned crossed the southwest by South Line of the afd Land Called Widows Lott and running north East Seventy perches to the Extent of that Original Line and then as in the Original Survey north west ninety perches and then South fifty nine degrees west forty six perches to the afd Line of Widows Lott and then with sd Direct Line to the afd Spot of beginning

Containing in this part thirty four acres of Land more or less both which parts together Contain and are now Resurveyed for Two hundred & Eighty four Acres of Land more or less according to the Certificate of Resurvey thereof taken and entered into our Land Office bearing date the twentyeth day of September Seventeen hundred and thirty five and there remaining, together with all rights profits benefits and Privileges thereunto belonging (royal mines excepted) To have and To hold the same, unto him the said John Williams his heirs and assigns for Ever To be holden of us & our heirs as of our Manor of Baltimore in Cecil County in free & Common Soccage by fealty only for all Manner of Services Yielding and paying therefore yearly unto us and our heirs at our Receipt at the city of St. Marys at the two most usual feasts in the year viz. the feast of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Michael the Arch Angel by Even and Equal portions the rent of Eleven Shillings and four pence half penny Sterling in Silver or Gold and for a fine upon Every Alien:

of the said Land or any part of parcel thereof one whole years rent in Silver or Gold or the full Value thereof in such Commodities as we and our heirs or such Officer of Officers as shall be appointed by us and our heirs from time to Time to Collect and Receive the same shall accept in Discharge thereof at the Choice of us and our heirs or such Officer or Officers afd Provided that of the said sum for a fine for Alienation shall not be paid unto us and our heirs or such Officer or Offices afd before such Aliena and the said Aliena Entered upon Record Either in the Provincial Court or County Court where the same parcel of Land lyeth within One Month next after such Aliena then the said Alienation shall be Void and of no Effect  Given under our great seal of our said Province of Maryland this twenty fourth day of August Seventeen hundred and thirty six  Witness our Trusty and well-beloved Samuel Ogle Esqr Lieut General & Chief Governour of our said Province of Maryland Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal thereof.

[Docketing:

Cecil County

Mr John Williams  ?  284 Acres Called Rycrofts Choice

Recorded in ?  ? fol 500 ?

Historical Background

In 1632, King Charles I granted the original charter of Maryland to the 2nd Baron Baltimore, in addition to the colony of Avalon (in the future Canadian province of Newfoundland) that he had granted to the 1st Baron Baltimore. The Calvert family recruited Catholic aristocrats and Protestant settlers with generous land grants and a policy of religious toleration. Lord Baltimore held all the land directly from the King in return for the annual payment of two Indian arrowheads and one-fifth of all gold and silver found in the colony. As Proprietor, Lord Baltimore had many powers including that of conveying or leasing land.

 

Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore (1699-1751) was the great-grandson of Charles II of England. His father, the 4th Baron Baltimore withdrew Charles from a Jesuit school, and they thereafter worshiped in the Church of England. King George I restored the Province of Maryland to the Calvert family around 1715, when Charles Calvert swore publicly that he was a Protestant and had embraced the Anglican faith. He traveled to Maryland in 1732 and personally took charge of the colony for a brief period as governor in his own right. He returned to England that same year, leaving the government of Maryland in the hands of Governor Samuel Ogle. He served in Parliament from 1734 to 1751, and as Lord of the Admiralty from 1742 to 1744.

 

Samuel Ogle (c. 1694-1752) became a captain of a cavalry regiment in the British Army. He was appointed provincial governor of Maryland by Charles Calver, 5th Baron Baltimore late in 1731 and sailed to America in 1732. He served as Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1731 to 1732, 1733 to 1742, and 1746 to 1752. During his administrations, there was a continuous border dispute with Pennsylvania, not settled until 1767, when both colonies accepted the Mason-Dixon line as the boundary.

 

 

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