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Archives' Bulldog

Newsletter of
The Maryland State Archives
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Vol. 19, No. 5
mdsa.net
May 18, 2005
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Good-bye to Miss Shirley and Miss Elaine
by Mimi Calver

Archives staff threw a big retirement party for two long serving staff members who are retiring on May 31. Shirley Salisbury and Elaine Hunt were guests of honor at a luncheon on Tuesday, May 17; among the guests were members of both Shirley and Elaine's families, as well as former employees who returned to honor them. Shirley is retiring after 35 years of state service, 24 of which have been at the Archives. Elaine has worked at the Archives for all of her 23 years of state service.

Almost the entire Archives' staff contributed to the enormous buffet which stretched across much of the searchroom. Before everyone dug in, Ed Papenfuse and Kevin Swanson thanked Shirley and Elaine's for their long and faithful service and Chris Allan, former deputy state archivist, noted that researchers for many years to come will be using the archival records preserved by Shirley and Elaine on microfilm.

Ed and Kevin then presented both with citations from the governor's office, engraved silver plates honoring their years of service, and gift certificates to the Annapolis Mall. Each also received a scrapbook of congratulatory messages from staff and photographs documenting their years at the Archives. The scrapbooks were assembled by Vicki Lee and Jenn Foltz Cruickshank of the Conservation Lab. After the presentations, Shirley spoke for both herself and Elaine in saying that the Archives has been like family over the years and thanked everyone who worked with them, especially those in Imaging Services.

The delicious lunch which was organized by Kathy Beard, Cecelia Smith, Emily Oland Squires, Richard Richardson, Barbara Schisler, and many others. It really was a memorable send-off for two beloved members of staff who will be missed by us all. We wish them many happy years of retirement.

ed and elaine
Ed Papenfuse presents Elaine Hunt with
governor's citation
Shirley and Elaine
Shirley and Elaine cut their retirement cakes
families
Elaine and Shirley and their family members at
their retirement lunch
staff
Archives staff members at lunch

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Justice Tempered With Mercy
by Robert Barnes

Jonathan Hanson, son of Timothy and Barbara Hanson of Philadelphia Co., PA, came to Maryland, where he settled in Baltimore County. He married twice: 1st, to Keziah, daughter of James Murray, and 2nd, on May 29, 1719, to Mary, daughter of Mordecai and Mary Price. He bought 31 acres of Cole’s Harbor from Charles Carroll, and built a mill in Baltimore Town near Bath and Holliday Sts. He died some time before May 27, 1727 when his widow Mary posted an administration bond for his estate. She later married George Walker who administered Hanson’s estate in 1730 and 1733 (from Robert Barnes, Baltimore County Families, 1659-1759, p. 300).

Little else was known about Hanson’s life and death until the following proclamation was found recorded in Provincial Court (Land Records) PL 6, pp. 161-162, [MSA S552].

    Charles absolute Lord and Proprietary of the provinces of Maryland and Avalon Lord Baron of Baltimore &.r To all whom These presents shall come Greeting Know ye that WHEREAS Mary Hanson of Baltimore County widow and Relict of Jonathan Hanson of the said County Millwright Dec.d by her humble petition hath set forth that by an Inquisition lately had and found before Thomas Sheredine one of our Coroners of our said County her said Husband      was found to be the unlawful & unnatural Instrument of his own Death and that she was advised that by that unlawful act all the Goods and Chattels of her said Husband were forfeited to us which Goods and Chattels will not much Exceed the Just Debts of the said Jonathan and that he the said Jonathan hath Left Issue Two young Children who Together with the said Mary would (were They Deprived of the said Goods and Chattels) be Reduced to the Greatest want & misery and humbly supplicating us to remit unto her the said Mary all or any of the Goods and Chattels Rights and Credits which were of the said Jonathan which to us were or may have been forfeited by the said Jonathan by reason of the premises: We taking the Deplorable Condition of The said Mary into Our Consideration Have freely and  absolutely released and Discharged and by These presents do Freely and Absolutely Acquit Release and Discharge unto the said Mary all and singular the Goods and Chattels Rights and Credits which were of the said Jonathan at the Time of his Death and which to us hath been or may be Forfeited for or by Reason Occasion or means of his the said Jonathan his Killing himself or being the Cause of his own Death as fully Clearly and Amply as if the said Jonathan had Dyed a Natural Death PROVIDED nevertheless that these presents shall not hurt Injure or prejudice any of The Creditors Children or other representatives of the Deed but that all and singular his Goods and Chattels Rights and Credits shall be Liable to the same payments Burdens Charges and Distributions as the personal Estates of persons Dying natural Deaths and Intestate are Liable unto any thing herein to the Contrary Notwithstanding Witness our Trusty and well Beloved Charles Calvert Esq. Our Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over our said province of Maryland at the City of Annapolis this Seventh Day of September in the Eleventh year of Our Dominion &.r Annoq Dom 1726.

Although the law said that the goods and chattels of a suicide should revert to the Province, it would appear Governor Charles Calvert did have a heart.

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From the Fifty-third Annual Report of the State Board of Education, Showing Condition of the Public Schools of Maryland for the Year Ending July 31, 1919 [Government Publication E10448]

"On the night of November 28, [1919] McCoy Hall, in which the offices of the State Department of Education were located, was destroyed by fire. Although the fire was notices immediately, it spread so rapidly that it was impossible to enter the building to remove any of  the contents.

"...[T]he Department ... was fortunate in being located on the first floor and at the south end of the building, for there the fire burned from the top and some of the more important records were buried under the debris before they were completely destroyed. Among the records thus rescued were most of the card records of the elementary school teachers, some of the certificate and general correspondence, and the high school teachers' records - all more or less charred around the edges, but ... not too badly damaged to be copies. The floor of the front and back offices did not fall through, and most of the county superintendents' reports ... were only slightly scorched. The safe in the front office was warped, but opened without difficulty and showed the contents to be practically unharmed. These consisted of the minutes of the State Board of Education, the account books, the certificate registers, and correspondence...."

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THE ARCHIVISTS' BULLDOG
Founded 1987
Edward C. Papenfuse, State Archivist
Kathy Beard, Production Editor
Patricia V. Melville, Editor
Mimi Calver, Assistant Editor
Lynne MacAdam, Web Editor

The Maryland State Archives is an independent agency in the Office of the Governor and is advised by the Hall of Records Commission. The Chairman of the Hall of Records Commission is the Honorable Robert M. Bell, Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals.

The Archivists' Bulldog is issued monthly to publicize records collections, finding aids, and other activities of the Archives and its staff.

The Editor welcomes editorial comments and contributions from the public.

The Archives maintains a web site on the Internet at http://mdsa.net

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