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Cecil County MDGenWeb is a free genealogical site about the history of the county. It is a member of MDGenWeb, which is a member of USGenWeb®. We hope you find helpful clues for your research of Cecil County ancestors.

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County Coordinator: Norma Hass normahass01@gmail.com

COUNTY FORMATION

John Smith sailed the Chesapeake, the Susquehanna, the Shannon, the Elk and the Sassafras in 1608, mapping the area and learning of its native inhabitants. The Dutch commissioned Augustine Herman to purchase land for them in the area now known as Bohemia. A few years later, he agreed to make a survey for the Calvert family. In 1672, beautiful map drawn by Herman was engraved in London and presented to the Calverts, for which work Herman was granted lands.

The first settlement was on Palmer's Island, now known as Garrett's Island at the mouth of the Susquehanna River, in what was then Virginia. The first permanent settlement was at Carpenter's Point near the mouth of the Principio Creek.

Cecil County was erected by proclamation on June 6, 1674. It was named in honor of Cecilius Calvert, the first Proprietary of the Province of Maryland. The present county of Kent was in the original bounds for two weeks, until the inhabitants of Kent demanded their territory be returned.

A court was standing by 1679 when the Labadist missionaries, Sluyter and Dankers visited Ordinary Point in Sassafras River.

In 1717, the court was moved to Court House Point on Bohemia Manor; then on the Charlestown; and in 1778 to "Head of Elk" a village at the head of the Elk River. In 1787 a new courthouse was built here and the village's name was changed to Elkton. Elkton is the county seat.