History of Elkton, (Cecil County) Maryland United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Elkton, (Cecil County) Maryland, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

Henry Lyon Davis, educator, was born in Elkton, Md., about 1775; son of Naylor Davis of Prince George's county, Md. He was graduated from Dickinson college in 1794, and was teacher of mathematics and vice-principal at Charlotte Hall academy, Md., 1790-1802. He was ordained a deacon in the P.E. church, and was advanced to the priesthood in 1802. He was rector of Trinity parish, Charles county. 1802-04; St. Stephen's, Cecil county, 1804-15; and St. Anne's parish, Annapolis, Md., 1815-26. He was vice-president of St. John's college, Annapolis, 1816-18; professor of mathematics, 1818-20; and president, 1820-24. He was removed from office by the board of Democratic trustees, as he was an avowed Federalist. In 1826 he accepted the presidency of a college at Wilmington, Del., and in 1827 returned to Maryland and settled in Anne Arundel county, where he served as rector at Elkton and Georgetown. He was a member of the standing committee of the diocese of Maryland for twenty-two years, and president of the committee for eleven years; secretary of the Maryland diocesan convention for eight years; and a delegate to the General convention in 1803. He was married in 1819 to Jane Brown Winter of Fredericktown, Md., and Henry Winter Davis, representative in congress, 1855-65, was their son. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred upon him by Dickinson college in 1820. He died at Georgetewn, Md., in 1836.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Robert Davidson, educator, was born in Elkton. Md., in 1750. He attended Newark academy, Del., was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1771 as valedictorian, taught for a time, and studied theology. In 1774 he was appointed to the chair of history and belles-lettres in the University of Pennsylvania and in the same year was licensed to preach. He was ordained by the presbytery of Philadelphia in 1775 as assistant to the Rev. Dr. Ewing of the First church. He was professor of the Greek and Latin languages in the University of Pennsylvania, 1780-82, and of history, 1782-64. Upon the organization of Dickinson college at Carlisle, Pa., in 1784, he accepted the vice-presidency of the institution, together with the chair of history and belles-lettres. He was acting president from its organization to the time of the arrival of President Nisbet from England in June, 1785, and again in 1786 when the president temporarily resigned for a few months pending the adjustment of a difficulty with the faculty. In addition to his duties as vice-president Dr. Davidson was professor of history, geography, chronology and rhetoric, 1785-1804, and of moral philosophy, 1804-09. On the death of President Nisbet, Jan. 18, 1804, he succeeded to the presidency of the college and resigned in 1809, when he was succeeded by Jeremiah Atwater. He was pastor of the Presbyterian church, Carlisle, 1784-1812. He was married to Margaret, daughter of the Hon. John Montgomery of Carlisle. He was elected a member of the American philosophical society in 1783, and received the degree of A.M. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1780, and that of D.D. in 1784. He is the author of: Epitome of Geography in Verse (1784); The Christian's A B C (1811); and New Metrical Version of the Psalms (1812). He died in Carlisle, Pa., Dec. 13, 1812.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Hiram McCullough, representative, was born in Cecil county, Md., Sept. 26, 1813; son of Samuel and Mary (Hall) McCullough, and grandson of Samuel and Mary McCullough, who came from Scotland to New Castle, Del., in 1710. He attended Elkton academy, and was admitted to the bar in 1838. He served in the state senate, 1845-51, and was one of the codifiers of the laws of Maryland during the winter of 1852-53. He was a Democratic representative from the first Maryland district in the 39th and 40th congresses, 1865-69. He was a delegate to the Democratic national convention that met in New York, July 4, 1868; a representative in the Maryland legislature for several terms, and speaker in 1880. He died at Elkton, Md., March 4, 1885.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

James Black Groome, senator, was born in Elkton, Md., April 4, 1838; son of Col. John Charles and Elizabeth Riddle (Black) Groome; and grandson of John Groome and of James Rice Black. His father was unsuccessful candidate for governor of Maryland in 1857. The son prepared for college at Tennant school, Hartsville, Pa., studied law under his father, and was admitted to the bar in 1861 and opened an office in Elkton. He was a member of the state constitutional convention in 1867; of the state legislature in 1871 and 1873; was a presidential elector on the Liberal ticket in 1872; and in 1874 was chosen governor of Maryland to complete the term of Gov. William P. Whyte, who had been elected U.S. senator. At the expiration of the gubernatorial term in 1876 Mr. Groome returned to his law practice. He was married Feb. 29, 1876, to Alice Leigh, daughter of Col. Horace Leeds Edmondson of Talbot county. In 1879, he entered the U.S. senate as successor to G.R. Dennis, serving till March 4, 1885. He was collector of customs for the port of Baltimore during President Cleveland's first administration. He died in Baltimore, Md., Oct. 4, 1893.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor