Col. John Eager Howard and sons during the War of 1812

The namesake for Howard County and owner of land there ("Waverly") was too old to fight, but his sons helped protect Fort McHenry and Baltimore. Howard's "Lodge Farm" [H on map, width of the penisula, to top of map] on Patapsco Neck was next to Gov. Charles Carnan Ridgely (of Hampton Mansion) [R] and in the way of the British who landed at North Point [X] on Sept. 12, 1814.

Although the British had beaten the Americans in a battle north of Washington DC, then burned the Capitol and White House, they would be delayed by fierce fighting going to Baltimore, their General Ross was killed and Fort McHenry survived a bombardment from the ships (there's a song about it).

Civil War female spies and their connection to the Patapsco Female Institute

Patapsco Female Institute had at least two connections to famous Civil War Confederate female spies.  Two daughters of Rose O'Neal Greenbow were students.  Clara Haxall Randolph Howard married the grandson of John Eager Howard and was a cousin of Sarah Randolph, the last principal of the school.

Gen. E. B. Tyler - captured at Jug Bridge then escaped to Ellicott's Mills... or not

During the Civil War, Brigadier General Erastus Bernard Tyler (1822-1891) was sent to defend Baltimore in June 1863, and was involved in the Battle of Monocacy on July 9, 1864.  He commaned the troops protecting Jug Bridge on the east side of Frederick. It was an intense fight, but the Union troops held.  There were false newspaper reports that he had been taken prisoner, escaped and went to Ellicott's Mills.  He married a local lady, remained in Baltimore and died at his home "Rosedale" near Calverton.

Jug Bridge - Jonathan Ellicott proposed a "bold plan of this bridge with 4 arches [each with a] 65 [foot] span" and built 1808-9 when Col. John Eager Howard was president of the Frederick Turnpike.  The bridge lasted 140 years, and the Jug monument was moved to I-70's East Patrick exit.

Chronology of the B & O railroad 1825-1853

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was started by businessmen in Baltimore, with the first line going to Ellicott mills.  As recalled by JHB Latrobe, John Eager Howard hosted a dinner at his mansion "Belvidere" in 1825 (or 1826) to discuss the possibility of a railroad. In 1827, a more formal meeting was held at George Brown's home.

Colonel Gassaway Watkins and "Walnut Grove" family cemetery

Gassaway Watkins (1752-1840) fought in the Revolutionary War, and later as a Colonel in the War of 1812. He lived at "Richland" until his father-in-law Capt John Dorsey died and with wife Ruth (Dorsey) Watkins moved to the nearby Dorsey lands and built their home "Walnut Grove". He and his third wife are buried on a hill by their home (right side of photo), which was cleared, sodded and the site of July 15 Boy Scout Eagle Project commemoration. Links with more info at end of post.

Sailing on the B & O railroad in 1830

The sail in a basket rail-car was created by Evan Thomas (1781-1863), who with his brother Philip, promoted the building of a railroad from Baltimore.  He traveled to Europe and studied a new railroad in UK.  Upon Evan's return, John Eager Howard hosted a dinner at Belvidere in 1825 (or 1826) to discuss the possibility of a railroad.  In Feb, 1827, 25 merchants and influential men met at the home of George Brown to form the B&O.

Waverly Jumbles

Governor George and Prudence Ridgely Howard named the home and lands that his father, Col. Howard, gave them "Waverly" after the enormously popular 1814 Sir Walter Scott novel Waverley. His brother Benjamin's wife, Jane Gilmor Howard, included a recipe for the rose water flavored cookie in her charity cookbook Fifty Years in a Maryland Kitchen in 1873.

The Dairy - at Waverly and Doughoregan Manor

Gov. George Howard's (1789-1846) large stone dairy was built c1822 according to an early sketch of his "Waverly" buildings and payments to a stonemason. The second story window on the front has been changed into a door, but the side windows look like the sketch. His wife Prudence Ridgely Howard (1791-1847) had been raised at "Hampton" (north of Baltimore) which operated a large dairy operation making over 5,000 pounds of butter in 1822. Howard's neighbor Charles Carroll's lovely dairy at "Doughoregan" was much smaller. 

5 Maryland Governors and Howard County

Four governors lived in the county, and it was named for a fifth governor with extensive land holdings there - Col. John Eager Howard.  When the Revolutionary War hero lived in Jennings House (left) in Annapolis, his son George Howard was born in 1789, and would return to Jennings House (the official residence from 1777-1870) when he too became governor in 1831. Other governors: Thomas Ligon of "Chatham" in 1854; John Lee Carroll of "Doughregan" in 1876 and Edwin Warfield of "Oakdale" in 1904.