A Caroline Petition of 1790

Transcribed from an article in the DENTON JOURNAL, Denton, MD
Saturday, November 14, 1914

Submitted by Gary N. Willis

“That pressure for public office in Caroline county existed 124 years ago and that the literacy of its inhabitants was at that distant period of a high order is shown by a paper in the possession of a resident of Denton, conveying the following prayer to the appointed power and signed with the autographs of the petitioners:

To his Excellency the Governor & Council of Maryland,

We the subscribers, inhabitants of Caroline County, beg leave to represent to your Excellency and Honours, that we have reason to apprehend the present Surveyor of our County, Mr. George Martin, intends shortly to resign his appointment, either through want of ability to execute the Duties of his Office or in favour of his Friend.

Should such resignation take place, We (considering ourselves Interested in the Appointment of all Public Officers) take the liberty to recommend Mr. Joshua Willis, Junr. to succeed Mr. Martin, who we believe to be as well if not better qualified to execute the Duties of Surveyor, than any other man in the County.  He acted for some time as Deputy to the late Mr. Barrow, during all which time we believe he gave general Satisfaction to those for whom he did Business.  He made Surveys while Mr. Barrow’s deputy for several of us, and we found him, according to the best of our Judgment, Sober, Careful, and diligent in all his Transactions.  He is more over a Native of our County, and it is our Pride to have our public Offices filled with the Natives of our County rather than Straingers.

Thos. Allcock, Isaac Nicolls, Willi Alford, David Woolford, Edwards Rhodes, Jos. Nicols, John Dawson, Deverine Travers, John Blades, John Waddell, William W. Satterfield, P. Edmondson, Jno. Dickinson, Jno. Willis, John Mitchell, Hezekiah James, Thomas Griffin, Thos. Lewis, Junr., James Helsby, James Dawson, James Powel, Samuel Davis, Elijah Satterfield, Nathaniel Fountain, William Andrew, John Carmean Taylor, John Ward, Richard Pearson, Joseph Bland, Richard Clarkson, William Andrew, Aquila Davis, James McCotter, Edward Wright, John Caulk, David Dean, Lawrence Caulk, Jeremiah Nicols, Byng Whitley, Ezekiel Smith, Josiah Sterling, Leven Nobles, Peter Chilcutt, Elijah Willis, Jonathan Eaton, John Sherman, Anderson Eaton, Alexander Griffith, Thos. Clendening, Philemon Willis, Edwin Linceford, David Fountain, William Stevens, Jonathan Stevens, Junr., Rich. Sparks, Levin Johnson, James Johnson, William Lucas, Abraham Collins, William Collins, Joseph Bowdle, George Collins, Aquila Hutchings, Denis McCaris, William Collison, John Morriston, John Saulsbury, Junior, Robinson Morriston, Hawkins Feddeman, Peter Colliston, Aaron Cranor, Joshua Cranor, Joshua Smith, Seth Hill Evitts, Wm. Peters, Senr., J. Richardson, James Meredith, John Stevens, John Lucas, Bromwell Andrew, Robt. Simmonds, Henery Turner, Thomas Turner, D. Sisk, James Wright of Levin, Henry Turner, Jr., John Valliant, Lewis Ross, Edward Pritchett, Caleb P. Roberson, William Andrew, Philemon Prouse, Curtis Beachump, John Kelley, William Grayless, William Dukes, Jessee Grayless, Luke Andrew, Levin Cremeen, John Harvey, Thomas Watkins Janer, William Haskins, Jno. Cooper, Michael Lucas, Thos. Lucas, Abm. Evitts, James Chaffinch, Michael Todd, Caleb Clark, Leven Clark, Thomas Valliant, Edward Pinder Golorthun, William Willoughby, Richard Willoughby, P. Walker, Edw. Bowdle, William Harrison, John Harrison, Aaron Alford, Wm. Banning, John Oram, James Ewing, James Summers, Jacob Andrew, John Harriss, William Bing, Wm. Greenhalk, Jno. Harriss, Beachump Stanton, James Wright, Elijah Cremeen, John Wright, Axel Steavens, Elijah Russell, William Berry, Levin Wright, John Pritchet, Andrew Willes, Wm. Grey, Lemuel Wright, Jesse Hubbert, Anthony Ross, Jessee Connerly, William Fountain, Reuben Conerly, Joseph Mulliken, James Nicolls, James Carter, Thomas Hooper, Joseph Blades, Richard Andrew, Richard Andrew, Junr., Jeremiah Andrew, Richard Willis, Thoms. Eaton, Allen Parker, Major Victor, John Nicoles, James Andrew, Risdon Cooper, John Cooper, Jessee Brown, Levi Brown, Moses Walker, Ellis Thomas, Beachump Andrew, John Covey, William Jones, Nathan Manship, Patrick Spence, John Morriston, William Holbrook, Frederick Dawson, Ezekiel Pritchett, James Peters, James Perry, Cornelius Johnson, Baths. Vane, Abel Gouty, Pritchett Gouty, Daniel Harring, Francis Dean, Joseph Stack, James Waddle, Matthias Alford, Alexr. Waddle, Maids (?) Alford, John Waddle, Abraham Clark, Walter Edgeing, Thomas Fowler, Wm. Kelley, Isiah Blades, Zebulon Loften, Samuel Alphard, Jacob Faulkner, Cain Ross, Nathan Hill, Charles Waites, Joseph Watkins, Thomas Lewis, Roger Fountain, Joseph Dawson, Solomon Hubard, William Morgan, Isaac Anderson, Lindsey O. Breding, Isaac Collins, James Vaux, James Morgan, Jacob Crimeen, Southey Smith, Josh. Smith, Jr., Wm Willis, Peter Harriss, James Quality, William Sherwood, Owen Quality, Philemon Ganes, Jonathan Hird, Samuel Fountain, John Carter, Robt. Hobbs, Moses Griffin, Stph. Fleharty.”