South River Hundred

Date: 1650 [unknown]
Location: Anne Arundel, Maryland
Surname/tag: Burgess

SOUTH RIVER HUNDRED.^[1]

In 1650, Colonel William Burgess, was the central figure around whom settled a band of large land-holders. Brother-in-law Richard Beard (1626-1675) also arrived at this time.

Joseph Morley (abt.1630-1674) held "Morely's Grove."

John Freeman, son-in-law and heir of Joseph Morely, took up at the head of South River, " Freeman's Fancy," " Freeman's Stone," " Freeman's Landing." Adjoining him were John Gaither (1599-aft.1652), John Gaither II (bef.1646-bef.1702) and Robert Proctor (1621-1695), both heirs of Joseph Morely. They were surveyors of " Abington Land Grant," and final heirs of Freeman's and Morely's lands.

Mareen Duvall I (1630-1694), the Huguenot immigrant from Nantes, France, held a large estate around South River, viz: "Middle Plantation" and "Great Marsh." He came with Colonel William Burgess.

Captain George Puddington (abt.1608-bef.1674) surveyed "Puddington Harbor," and "West Puddington." Richard Beard, brother-in-law of Colonel William Burgess, held "Beard's Habitation" on "Beard's Creek," near the site of Londontown. Neale Clarke (abt.1630-bef.1676), related to both Puddington and Beard, was an adjoining neighbor near the head of South River.

Thos. Besson, the younger, adjoined Colonel William Burgess on the south side of South River. Ellis Brown was on the south side, near Edward Selbys. Captain John Welsh held lands first upon South River and afterwards on the Severn.

SOUTH RIVER HUNDRED AFTER 1660.

Patents were issued upon beautiful South River, in 1660, for "Burgess Right," for Captain Edward Burgess; "Burgh" and "Burgess Choice," for Colonel William Burgess; "Pole Cat Hill" and "Round About Hills," for John Gaither II (bef.1646-bef.1702); "Edward's Neck," for John Edwards; "Chaney's Neck," for Richard Chaney; "Baldwin's Addition," for John Baldwin; "Watkins Hope," for John Watkins; "The Landing," for Robert Proctor; " Larkins' Hills," for John Larkin; "Poplar Ridge," for Colonel Nicholas Gassaway; " Herrington," for Samuel Chew; " Todd's Range," for Thomas Todd.

1 Mar 1674; Deed of Gift; from Richard Cheney, the Elder of South River, Anne Arundel Co., planter; to beloved son-in-law William Iiams, of South River, Anne Arundel Co., planter, and my daughter Elizabeth, his wife; 100 acres of Cheney's Resolution on the southside of South River containing 400 acres; /s/ Richd Cleney (mark); recorded at request of William Ijams March 19th 1705/6 (AALR H1.50)

South River Hundred^{[2] [3]} These were the grants of land made in the South River Hundred between the years 1650 and 1663 : The first was January 6, 1650, to Richard Beard III (1626-1675), 200 acres on the south side of South River. The next grant was to George Puddington (abt.1608-bef.1674), 300 acres, and 200 acres to John Edwards. In 1651, to William Burgess (abt.1622-abt.1686), Milton Mansfield, Thomas Howell (abt.1640-aft.1682); in 1652, to Ettis Brown, Edward Selby Sr. (abt.1608-bef.1688), William Pyther, Patrick Gossinnon, Jerome Hasling; in 1658, to Edward Cox, John Collier, Thomas Benson, George Wastill; in 1659, to John Freeman, Mareen Duvall I (1630-1694), Arch. Arbuckle, Richard Cheney Sr. (abt.1621-1685), John Brewer (abt.1630-bef.1663); to Edwin Townhill, Adam Delapp, William Pennington, Richard Cheney Sr. (abt.1621-1685), William Galloway, Tobias Butler; in 1661, to Richard Beard, John Freeman, Ann Corell, George Nettleford (abt.1615-bef.1674), George Walker, John Larkin (abt.1614-1699); in 1662, to Dennis Macconough, Robert Love, Richard Wiggins; in 1663, to Nicholas Gassaway (abt.1634-bef.1692), John Gray, Jerome White, Esq., Robert Proctor. These grants were land chiefly on either side of South River.

London Town

In 1650, a Captain William Burgess, a sea-faring man who had evidently been some time in the Palatinate, settled with his brother-in-law, Richard Beard, on the south bank of South River, about three miles from the mouth. He esftablished a fleet of small ships trading between Maryland and Bristol. In the same year a company of one hundred and fifty immigrants were brought over seas by him, and settled in his neighborhood.

Captain Burgess built a wharf on his property, which, after the Act of 1683 became Londontown. Annapolis was too far off for easy communication, while the new site was accessible to the rich country lying to the southwards, between South River and Herring Creek. Burgess in the same year laid off a portion of his plantation into town lots, and associated with him, in the enterprise, Ridiard Beard, Thomas Besson (abt.1615-bef.1679) and Nicholas Gassaway. Thomas Lynthecombe, a neighbor, became the first purchaser of a plot in the new town.^[4]

The South River Club

On a half acre of ground, centrally located with respect to old All Hallows Church and the now extinct port of Londontown, stands a quaint old one story building which since 1742 has been "The House in which the Society or Company commonly called The South River Club meets" (original deed July 3, 1740).^[5][6]

Related Wikitree Sources

• Abington Land Grant
• Cheney's Resolution Land Tract

Sources

1. ↑ Library of Congress LCCN 06025620 Warfield, Joshua Dorsey. The founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland. A genealogical and biographical review from wills, deeds and church records. Baltimore, Md., Kohn & Pollock, 1905. Pdf. Page 12
2. ↑ Anne Arundel County Maryland The First Settlers from Lord Baltimore's Rent Rolls Transcribed by SallyH
3. ↑ A History of Anne Arundel County, in Maryland By Elihu Samuel Riley, 1905, Chapter Tenth: The First Settlers of Anne Arundel County.
4. ↑ Maryland Historical Magazine, 1924, Volume 19, Issue No. 2 Maryland Historical Magazine, "Londontown on South River, Anne Arundel County, MD. (240th Anniversary of its Founding, 1683-1923.)” Henry J. Berkley, vol. 19, 1924. Contradicted by Mechelle Kerns in unpublished master’s thesis London Town: The Life of a Colonial Town
5. ↑ Archive.org The Ancient South River Club by The Historical Committee of the South River Club
6. ↑ FamilySearch Side-lights on Maryland history : with sketches of early Maryland families by Richardson, Hester Dorsey, 1867-1933, Chapter XLIII

• Landgrants in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 1650-1704 : South River Hundred by Robert W. Hall
• Early Maryland Plantations Maryland Families
• Lost Town Project n, 2006. A Journey Back in Time…Discover London Town
• Lost Town Project Stories Dead Men Tell: Geophysical Survey In The All Hallows Graveyard, Anne Arundel County, Maryland
• Edward V. Coonan and Company land deed, survey, and plat collection, MS 3204. H. Furlong Baldwin Library. https://mdhistory.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/855 Accessed November 28, 2024. Chaneys Land, Burgess Choice (115) Env 11, 1700-1856
• Historic London Town & Gardens People of London Town
• Historic Graves of Maryland and the District of Columbia: With the ... edited by Helen West Ridgely] Mount Steuart Page 11
• Lost Towns Project All Hallows graveyard
• All Hallows Parish Records Collection Number: MSA SC 2458 Microfilm Reel: SCM 221-1 Title: All Hallow's Church Description:

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