Bios: Sketch of Hon. Judge Stephen Hyland from The Cecil Whig, Elkton, 1881: Cecil Co., MD Transcribed and contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Cyndie Enfinger < cyndiee@tampabay.rr.com > *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** The Cecil Whig Saturday, March 19, 1881. A SCRAP OF HISTORY. Sketch of the Life of Hon. Judge Stephen Hyland, of Cecil County. By “Bohemia,” a Corresponding Member of the Maryland Historical Society. Judge Stephen Hyland, the subject of our sketch, was born in “Harmony Hall,” the mansion on “John’s and Mary’s Highlands,” Elk Neck, Cecil county, Md., Feb. 23, 1743, and died March 19, 1806. He was a man of genial traits of character, and a person rarely to be found, his goodness of heart endearing him to all classes of people. His tall stature and strikingly handsome face, his splendid physique and intellectual forehead, gained him much distinction. The latter was one of Judge Hyland’s greatest features. Not only the inhabitants of Cecil county, but the entire State, shared the honor of his acquaintance, through his readiness in aiding them in their trails and troubles arising out of the technicalities of the “Land Grants” of his day, and by supporting their claims before different tribunals, such as committees, etc., which were so abundant in those days. Col. John Hyland, the father of the subject of our sketch, was a native of Labadeen, England, and a distinguished Colonel of the latter part of the sixteenth and the early part of the seventeenth century. Owing to the difficulties arising from his “Coat of Arms,” he resigned his commission under the English Government, and through the personal inducement of his friend Lord Baltimore came to Maryland with him, as he said, “to seek harmony.” However, upon his arrival, such was the disposition of the English Crown towards the Proprietary Government of Maryland at the time that he was unable to get a valid grant of land. In the meantime, Col. Hyland settled in Pennsylvania, securing a grant from the Penns of 1,000 acres and acquiring additional property in New York State. The ground on which the Astor House, in New York City, is built, is one of the unclaimed lots that Col. Hyland possessed at that time. He subsequently obtained a grant of 1800 acres on the Elk river (now in Cecil county, Md.,) a location at that time most prominent. His mansion was called “Harmony Hall,” from that fact that, upon the congratulation of Lord Baltimore upon his settlement in Maryland, Col. Hyland replied: “Your Lordship will perceive that his humble servant has found harmony and peace since he settled on Elk river, in your Lordship’s province.” The mountainous location of the land suggested the name of “John’s and Mary’s Highlands:” and to the present day portions of this tract are still in the hands of his descendants. Judge Hyland being the eldest son, according to the English law of Primogeniture, fell heir to the whole of this vast estate, and held the same until his death. Dec. 1, 1774, he married Miss Rebecca Tilden, of the old Tilden family of Maryland. By her was born a son, bearing the name of John Hyland (after his grandfather,) and on the 10th day of the same month Mrs. Hyland died (Oct 10, 1775). On the 20th day of March, 1777, Judge Hyland married his second wife, Miss Araminta Hamm, daughter of Dr. Thomas Hamm, of Bohemia Manor, of distinguished family connection, both in England and America. Her mother was an aunt of Governor Bassett, of Delaware, and a niece of Col. Augustine Herman, Proprietor of Bohemia Manor. After the death of Mrs. Judge Hyland’s father, Dr. Thomas Hamm, her mother married Dr. Thomas Biard, who resided for some time at Elkton, Md. Mrs. Biard, while on a visit to her nephew, Gov. Bassett, at that time residing on the Bohemia Manor, was taken sick and died a few days afterwards, and was buried in Gov. Bassett’s private vault, in site of his mansion on the Manor. Judge Hyland, by his second marriage, had seven children-two daughters and five sons. One of his sons, Col. Stephen Hyland, Jr., gained many military honors in the War of 1812. His eldest daughter (Mary) married Hon. William Craig, Jr., of Bohemia Manor, who represented Cecil county twice in the General Assembly of Maryland, and who died while in discharge of his duties at a session held December, 1822. Appropriate resolutions were passed by the General Assembly, and its members wore scarfs during the remainder of the session. Mr. Craig was buried at Annapolis with all the honors on the part of the Legislative and State departments. Mr. Craig, at his death, left several children. Among them was the late James L. Craig, at one time editor of the Baltimore Pilot, which was owned by the late General Duff Green. He was a member of the Associated Press of Baltimore, and a general contributor to the newspapers. After his removal to Cecil county, upon the place of his birth, he became a contributor to the county press, among them his historical articles of “Bohemia Manor” and his continued stories appearing in several issues of the The Cecil Whig, entitled “Court House Point, Its Mysteries of the Past,” are well remembered to the present day. After becoming prominently connected with the old Whig party of the county, he was elected to, and chosen President of, the Board of County Commissioners in 1853, of which the late David Scott and Charles H. Haines were members. When Thomas G. Pratt was chosen by the Whig party as their candidate for Governor of the State of Maryland, Mr. C. was nominated for the General Assembly o the county Whig ticket. Judge Stephen Hyland’s youngest daughter married William A. Schaeffer, a prominent Baltimorean. Mrs. S. still survives him, and is the mother of the present Gen. Francis B. Schaeffer, late of the U. S. A., now residing in Washington, D. C., a renowned Mexican war hero. President Lincoln honored him with the appointment of the Captaincy of the Select National Riflemen, stationed at Washington, D. C. Judge Hyland, at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, called together a small company of citizens in this vicinity for the protection of Cecil county property. This company he held strictly private and paid it himself. After General Washington was informed of Judge Hyland’s organization of his company of private soldiery, he sent him several hundred men, and commissioned him Colonel. At the time of the expected arrival of the British fleet in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, Col. Hyland was stationed on the eastern shore of the Susquehanna river, to keep the enemy from proceeding up it, with the brave Gen. Smith on the western shore of the river. While stationed at this point, intelligence was received that the British had entered the Elk river and were landing at Court House Point. After this information was received, Col. Hyland marched by way of Charlestown, crossing the North East river with an additional one hundred men from General Smith’s command, and gained the shore of Elk river opposite the Bohemia river, but not until the British were leaving the river, after they had discovered that they had taken the wrong course. (At this time the county seat of Cecil county was destroyed.) However, as the British barges were leaving, as it happened opposite him, he formed his command in line of battle and fired a volley into the British. Again, as if determined to excite the courage of his command by his own example, he galloped out along the shore, waving his sword and calling upon his men to follow, which they did, and fired another volley of bullets, which caused many to fall and desert the decks of the British barges of war. Immediately after this, a wild fire of cannon from the barges ensued, which cause a retreat in Colonel Hyland’s command. Again they came to the front and held their former line, and a similar firing followed. By this time and the intervening of the retreat from the British cannon, the British found sufficient time to gain the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. During this year, and while Hyland’s command was stationed on the Susquehanna river, Gen. Lafayette, with his fleet, was frozen up in the Elk river opposite the Colonel’s mansion. During this time Col. Hyland tendered military honor to the Marquis and honored him with a banquet and dance. The ice being frozen so solid, Col. Hyland ordered it to be carpeted from the boat to his mansion. The large doors of “Harmony Hall” were thrown open to the distinguished quest at that day, while the lively music of a military band heightened the general enjoyment. Mrs. Col. Hyland led the promenade with Gen. Lafayette, while wine and rich cordials were served the company of distinguished American and French patriots during the course of the evening. Sometime afterward that, Col. Hyland, with his command, was ordered to Annapolis, at which station he remained nearly up to the close of the Revolutionary War.