The Testimonies for Henry Harford - Page 10 - Transcript
was prosecuting the Pleas of the Proprietor. His
Situation did not lead him the Knowledge of the
Revenues of the Country, or of the Extent of the Landed
property of the Proprietor, but was generally informed
the Proprietor did enjoy a considerable Revenue from
Quit Rents, Duties, Manors and other Particulars.
He had no Knowledge of the General Value of the
Revenue during his stay in Maryland, the Proprietor
and his Agents having been very silent on that Head.
He never recollects a tolerably good guess having
been made on that Head. As Att.y General it did
not fall in his Way to know any thing of the Property
in the County of Harford, there was no Prosecution for
Quit Rents. Refers to M.r Dulany’s Pamphlet
published in 1766 which contains some statements of
the Tonnage &c for four or 5 years preceding. Says it
consists with his Knowledge that a very large sum of
Money was annually obtained from the sale of vacant
Lands and reserved Manor. Says that in every one of
the old Counties there was a Manor reserved by the
Proprietor - partly under the Idea of their becoming in
future more valuable, and partly to take particular
Lands out at the general Regulation as to Settlement.
In St. Mary’s Charles & Prince George’s County, there were
more Manors than one. The Manors were from 1500
to 10,000 Acres in Extent. The Greatest reserve was
that near Fort Cumberland which cont.d near 150,000
Acres. But the Sales were made out of the vacant
Lands independ.t of the Reserves. The vacant Lands
[Transcribed by Kyle Roberts]
