16th – Very fine morning but chang’d at 12 O’Clock, and Rain in the evg. Wind S. Went to Town, din’d at 1/2 past four with Mr. Wichelhausen & a large party
From the journal of Captain Henry Thompson, February 16, 1814. Courtesy the Friends of Clifton.
15th Cloudy morning, but clear’d up at midday – Wind West Went to Town, return’d to Dinner, afterwards Rode to Furley Orchard & mark’d several Trees to cut for Fencing. Beautiful mild, clear evening ~
From the journal of Captain Henry Thompson, February 15, 1814. Courtesy the Friends of Clifton.
14th – Disagreeable day & some Rain at intervals, wind S.E. Went to Town, din’d at Gl. Ridgelys
From the journal of Captain Henry Thompson, February 14, 1814. Courtesy the Friends of Clifton.
February 14th
Latitude 12, Longitude 57, 55 at 6 A.M. discovered a sail to the SE made all sail in chase. At 8, when within one mile and a half, hauled our wind, as we made her out to be a frigate, she immediately made sail in chase of us, but we soon lost sight of her.
From the journal of the Chasseur, excerpted in Baltimore American, June 2, 1814. Maryland Historical Society.
On February 14, 1814, John Merryman died in Baltimore at age 77. Born on February 16, 1736 on the 1000-acre “Hereford Farm,” Merryman moved to Baltimore Town around 1763 and built a home on Calvert Street just south of Baltimore Street.
In 1774, he helped to found the “Baltimore Town Committee of Observation,” one of many citizen groups organized around the beginning of the American Revolution to challenge the weakening authority of the British Colonial government. Merryman was commissioned as a Justice for Baltimore County in 1778 and served as a judge for the Orphan’s Court of Baltimore County in 1784. He survived by his wife Sarah Rogers Smith and four children.
Source: Browne, William Hand, and Louis Henry Dielman. 1915. Maryland Historical Magazine. Maryland Historical Society. p. 286-287.
Feby 13th – Sunday – Rain this morng. Win chang’d at 12 O’Clock to W. clear evening. Staid at home all day, no company. Finish’d Pruning Furley Orchards last evening, it has taken four hands about five weeks
From the journal of Captain Henry Thompson, February 13, 1814. Courtesy the Friends of Clifton.