Elkton in Cecil County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Hollingsworth House
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
1. Hollingsworth House Marker
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Patriots & Patriotism • War of 1812. A significant historical year for this entry is 1750.
Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located near 39° 35.814′ N, 75° 50.436′ W. Marker was in Elkton, Maryland, in Cecil County. Marker was on Landing Lane. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 590 Landing Lane, Elkton MD 21921, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Carriage Steps (within shouting distance of this marker); Valentine Hollingsworth (1632-1710) (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Hollingsworth House (within shouting distance of this marker); Henry Deibert and E. Deibert Bros. Barge Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Native Americans in the 1600's (within
this page online
Regarding Hollingsworth House. The War of 1812 and Historic Elk Landing
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Welcome to the Historic Elk Landing Foundation War of 1812 web site; the place for all things Elk Landing as they relate to the War of 1812.
Seeing it today, Elk Landing looks like a cool, calm, and tranquil location along the Little Elk Creek where birds nest, fox, deer, and ground hogs roam and make their home, and two hundred year old buildings dot the landscape. But on April 29th, 1813 that tranquil reality was shattered by the sound of musket and canon fire.
Five individuals would play a major roll in the drama that would lead to a confrontation between British naval forces and the Cecil Militia, charged with defending Elkton, the Cecil County seat.
The first individual would be Lt. George Augustus Westphal of the British Navy who led sailors and Marines on their mission to burn Elkton and who, later in
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
2. Hollingsworth House Marker
Over the next two years, The Historic Elk Landing Foundation will present research, audio/video, links to other War of 1812 web sites, living history activities, and interpretations of the events that we now call Defenders Day at Elk Landing, the day in April, 1813 when the Cecil Militia successfully defended the town of Elkton from the British torch and certain reduction to ashes.
This constantly evolving web site begins with some pictures of past Defenders Day events, some history, and War of 1812 web site links. Over time, other notifications will be added. We hope you will enjoy your tour and better yet, we hope you will come to The Landing to experience a time in our history
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
3. Hollingsworth House Marker
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The War of 1812 and Historic Elk Landing History Resources
In anticipation of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812, a former Elk Landing Foundation board member, Mr. Bruce Leith, composed a brief history of Elk Landing's part in that late war, using existing resources. The War of 1812 and how it relates to Elk Landing.
Early in the 19th century, a young lad of 12 lived in what we now call the Stone Building at Historic Elk Landing. Thomas Jefferson Samples (letter 1, letter 2, letter 3, letter 4) and his family would later move to the state of Indiana where he would grow up and eventually become a judge. In old age, Judge Samples wrote several letters to the Cecil County Whig newspaper describing his boyhood in Elkton, including an account of the April, 1813 British attack on Elk Landing and celebrations of the Cecil Militia victory.
A twenty-eight year old British Navy Lt. George Westphal, led a small expedition of British sailors and marines from Frenchtown to Elkton. They were stopped by the militia forces stationed at both Fort Hollingsworth and Fort Defiance on opposite shores of the Little Elk Creek below Elkton. In spite of his defeat at Elk Landing, Lt. Westphal would go on to greater heights in the British Navy as detailed in
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
4. Hollingsworth House Marker
"…they took one of the female slaves, with them, and tried to bribe her to act as their guide. She took them to Cedar Point opposite Fort Hollingsworth, then in command of Captain Henry Bennett, who opened fire upon them and they made a hasty retreat . . ."
This is how 19th century historian George Johnston describes the War of 1812 attack on Elkton in April of 1813. Our focus today is on that "female slave" referred to in Johnston's narrative. Who was she? Where did she come from? What happened to her after the war?
To find out, as a part of its ongoing research and development of information and future programming around the War of 1812 at Elk Landing, the Historic Elk Landing Foundation enlisted the help of local historian Mike Dixon, the first president of the Foundation. Mike was asked to track down this slave woman and tell us what he could about her. Here, in brief, are his findings: An Investigation of a Slave Woman's Role in the Defense of Elkton during the War of 1812. In addition, Mike supplied copies of a newspaper interview with
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
5. Hollingsworth House Marker
The War of 1812 was very much a maritime war, both around the world and in Cecil County. As a result, the study of that war in Cecil County takes us not only on the water of the Elk Creek, but under it. In 2003, Masters degree candidate, Michael Plakos, from Eastern Carolina University, published his thesis about his work on an underwater archaeological study of the burned and now submerged packet boats that the British encountered and destroyed in April of 1813. That study, “The Exploration of a Burned American Vessel from the War of 1812 in the Upper Chesapeake Bay” (click here for part one) (click here for part two) goes into detail, not only about the history that attracted the archaeologists to the Frenchtown area, but the methodology and equipment that the scientists used. Our thanks to the Historical Society of Cecil County for allowing us to scan and publish this valuable document.
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Additional commentary.
1.
Marker not found on June 30, 2020. Although the hmdb.org entry you are reading remains, I have submitted a Hollingsworth House marker found much closer to the steps leading to the porch.
— Submitted 
June 30, 2020, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland.
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
6. Hollingsworth House Marker
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
7. Hollingsworth House Marker
Hollingsworth Historical Herb Garden
dedicated in Loving Memory of Julie Anne Wilcox-
June 13, 2009
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
8. Hollingsworth House Marker
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
9. Hollingsworth House Marker
Photographed By Don Morfe, October 26, 2013
10. Hollingsworth House Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 1, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,350 times since then and 42 times this year. Last updated on June 30, 2020, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on October 29, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
