At London Town, a trip across the river of time
Ferry established In 1696, burgesses of the Assembly declared “a public ferry be kept upon South River in Ann Arundel County for the Carrying over of all persons that have business here at Provincial Courts and Assemblies … at Ann Arundell Towne” — which was soon to be renamed Annapolis.
The same measure set ferries to cross the Patuxent and Severn as well.
Becoming a ferry master was potentially lucrative, especially since holding that license also allowed one to operate an ordinary or tavern without a separate license.
And London Town, being the first officially established ferry, became a prized opportunity.
In the 18th century, 25 individuals held both ferry and ordinary licenses at London Town. Five of them were women who took over their husbands’ spots.
After the official sanction in 1696, one of the early records shows Edward Rumney applying to operate a private ferry at London Town in 1712.
Rumney had been building boats and running a tavern at London Town a few years earlier. He was granted the license to run the ferry because he could run it more cheaply than others by being able to provide his own boats.
Years later, William Brown applied to run the ferry from the London Town side of the river, partnering with Jacob Lusby, running things from the Ferry Point side.
Atown’s undoing But a year earlier, the Colonial government had made a decision that would prove part of London Town’s undoing. Though it was once a bustling tobacco port, a 1749 measure establishing official tobacco inspection stations — and export locations — did not include London Town.
By the 1780s the town had faded. But the ferry continued operating for nearly 100 years.
Starting in 1760, Brown began building a brick home and tavern at London Town; he also had sleeping accommodations for travelers and businessmen. That house is a centerpiece of today’s London Town historic site.
Both Brown’s and Rumney’s fortunes faded. Rumney mortgaged his property to Charles Carroll in 1711; nine years later Carroll foreclosed and sold the property to Stephen West, who also became a ferry master, until the tavern ceased operation about 1730.
E.B. PAT FURGUSON/ BALTIMORE SUN MEDIA GROUP This painting from about 1840 depicts the London Town ferry site from the Ferry Point side of the South River. It was painted by Mary Duval, a likely relative of onetime ferry master Samuel Duvall.
And there were mishaps. In October1769, the ferry was carrying people to Annapolis for a major horse race. The boat — typically a flat-topped, low-slung, rowed vessel about 25 feet long — was overloaded.
“About 200 yards from shore the boat capsized — ‘over-set’ as they called it,”
Dalton said. There were 20 people and 11 horses. “A lot to get on a boat. I can see the operator saying, ‘Sure, we can do that.’”
Some women ran the ferry business. In 1838, Jacob Slemeker’s will noted ownership of both sides of the South River ferry.
He left it to his daughters. One daughter, Elizabeth, was married to Samuel Duvall, who became the ferry master and lived on Cherry Stone Farm on the Ferry Point side of the river.
One of their relations painted a depiction of the ferry.
Details of history Duvall kept his log from 1838 recording trips, money collected, duck and geese shot and a detailed daily record of the day’s weather and other notes. One entry from 1838: “June 4 — rainy, blackberry bushes in bloom — temp. 67 — $2.00. Not a lucrative day.”
It’s believed the ferry hung on past the Civil War, quickly fading after an emblem of the modern age — a bridge — was built across the South River in the 1880s.
The log book of those last days is an old family heirloom found in a box of papers recently by Duvall’s descendant, Suzanne Scarborough, who lives down the street from the old ferry site by Historic London Town and Gardens.
“It’s good to know you are connected to the history of the place you live” she said, detailing how her grandmother, Lillian Fleet, transcribed part of the ledger.
Her family also owned a painted copy of the circa-1840 oil painting by Mary Duval depicting the ferry site looking across the river from Ferry Point.
The landing and customs house are clearly shown on the far bank at London Town, and the William Brown house, the notable landmark of Historic London Town and Gardens, is visible to the right.
“I grew up here. I remember playing in the basement of the William Brown house,” she said.
“Knowing you are a part of the land and history, it means something.”
“And still being able to occupy that land.
That is a blessing.”
JOSHUA MCKERROW/BSMG The William Brown House in London Town, built in 1760, once looked over ferries crossing the South River.
The same measure set ferries to cross the Patuxent and Severn as well.
Becoming a ferry master was potentially lucrative, especially since holding that license also allowed one to operate an ordinary or tavern without a separate license.
And London Town, being the first officially established ferry, became a prized opportunity.
In the 18th century, 25 individuals held both ferry and ordinary licenses at London Town. Five of them were women who took over their husbands’ spots.
After the official sanction in 1696, one of the early records shows Edward Rumney applying to operate a private ferry at London Town in 1712.
Rumney had been building boats and running a tavern at London Town a few years earlier. He was granted the license to run the ferry because he could run it more cheaply than others by being able to provide his own boats.
Years later, William Brown applied to run the ferry from the London Town side of the river, partnering with Jacob Lusby, running things from the Ferry Point side.
Atown’s undoing But a year earlier, the Colonial government had made a decision that would prove part of London Town’s undoing. Though it was once a bustling tobacco port, a 1749 measure establishing official tobacco inspection stations — and export locations — did not include London Town.
By the 1780s the town had faded. But the ferry continued operating for nearly 100 years.
Starting in 1760, Brown began building a brick home and tavern at London Town; he also had sleeping accommodations for travelers and businessmen. That house is a centerpiece of today’s London Town historic site.
Both Brown’s and Rumney’s fortunes faded. Rumney mortgaged his property to Charles Carroll in 1711; nine years later Carroll foreclosed and sold the property to Stephen West, who also became a ferry master, until the tavern ceased operation about 1730.
E.B. PAT FURGUSON/ BALTIMORE SUN MEDIA GROUP This painting from about 1840 depicts the London Town ferry site from the Ferry Point side of the South River. It was painted by Mary Duval, a likely relative of onetime ferry master Samuel Duvall.
And there were mishaps. In October1769, the ferry was carrying people to Annapolis for a major horse race. The boat — typically a flat-topped, low-slung, rowed vessel about 25 feet long — was overloaded.
“About 200 yards from shore the boat capsized — ‘over-set’ as they called it,”
Dalton said. There were 20 people and 11 horses. “A lot to get on a boat. I can see the operator saying, ‘Sure, we can do that.’”
Some women ran the ferry business. In 1838, Jacob Slemeker’s will noted ownership of both sides of the South River ferry.
He left it to his daughters. One daughter, Elizabeth, was married to Samuel Duvall, who became the ferry master and lived on Cherry Stone Farm on the Ferry Point side of the river.
One of their relations painted a depiction of the ferry.
Details of history Duvall kept his log from 1838 recording trips, money collected, duck and geese shot and a detailed daily record of the day’s weather and other notes. One entry from 1838: “June 4 — rainy, blackberry bushes in bloom — temp. 67 — $2.00. Not a lucrative day.”
It’s believed the ferry hung on past the Civil War, quickly fading after an emblem of the modern age — a bridge — was built across the South River in the 1880s.
The log book of those last days is an old family heirloom found in a box of papers recently by Duvall’s descendant, Suzanne Scarborough, who lives down the street from the old ferry site by Historic London Town and Gardens.
“It’s good to know you are connected to the history of the place you live” she said, detailing how her grandmother, Lillian Fleet, transcribed part of the ledger.
Her family also owned a painted copy of the circa-1840 oil painting by Mary Duval depicting the ferry site looking across the river from Ferry Point.
The landing and customs house are clearly shown on the far bank at London Town, and the William Brown house, the notable landmark of Historic London Town and Gardens, is visible to the right.
“I grew up here. I remember playing in the basement of the William Brown house,” she said.
“Knowing you are a part of the land and history, it means something.”
“And still being able to occupy that land.
That is a blessing.”
JOSHUA MCKERROW/BSMG The William Brown House in London Town, built in 1760, once looked over ferries crossing the South River.
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