Defenders Day 2001: Mysteries, Militias, and Minstrels
By Eric F. Mease
I wonder what Old Zebulon Hollingsworth of 1776 would think about 200
of his friends trampling through his front yard, peeking into his bedroom,
and drinking orange soda where he once planted tobacco. I wonder, because
that’ s exactly what happened at Elk Landing’s Defenders Day, April
28, 2001. Over 200 people explored Zebulon’s home, the Hollingsworth
House, from top to bottom learning how the original house was built and
how the burned out shell was rebuilt and expanded in 1848. We crisscrossed
his property in an attempt to relive the failed British invasion of 1813
as re enactors, shooting Brown Bess muskets, portrayed the scene.
Finally
we listened to music and stories of the time when taxation without
representation was the number one topic of the day and even how men and
women played the courtship dance 200 years ago. Amazingly, all of these
activities and more were packed into the one April afternoon.
The house tours were lead by architect Jim Wollon. Jim took visitors into several rooms and noted that all the doors in the 1848 house are original along with their doorknobs and hardware. He pointed out that many of the outside shutters are also original along with much of their hardware and many window pains. Even some mystery questions were offered for the group’ s consideration. At one point Jim took his tours into a second floor room, walked into a smaller room off the main chamber and asked, “what is this?” Several visitors looked around and suggested it was a “mother-in-law” suite or maybe a nursery, or a nanny’s quarters. Jim noted that these were all good guesses, but he said, no one really knows why the room was built or how it was originally used. Off that same large room, Jim pointed to a walk-in closet, large even for today’s standards. This time, Jim says he knows how this room was used, but he said it is unusual for mid 19th century homes to have walk in closets. Why is there one here? Other mysteries include: how was the original two-story 1750 Hollingsworth house laid out? No one knows. Why is the basement on the 1848 addition smaller than the rest of the house? Why were there never any shutters on the two upstairs rooms of the 1848 addition where house slaves are believed to have lived? And finally, why, in a rear pantry, were shelves placed on the walls before the walls were plastered? Doing so, made it much more difficult for the masons to do their job.
While Jim and his guests were exploring the Hollingsworth House,
members of the Cecil County Colonial Militia were busy camping on Zebulon’s
lawn. Amongst them was a cook, cooking a chicken, a blacksmith making
canon balls, and soldiers of every rank cleaning their weapons, marching,
and discussing camp life, which wasn’t always pleasant. But the militia’s
mission for the day was to do “battle” with invading British marines
who were attempting to capture Elkton with hopes of reducing it to ashes
has they had done to many other villages and towns up and down the
Chesapeake Bay. As was the case in 1813, the Brits were defeated and
forced to return to their boats and sail back to the bay.
Back over at the Hollingsworth house, visitors could glean information
about 18th century life by listening to the Living History Troupe which
performed several skits explaining the everyday life of men, women, and
children of the day. From rather rowdy arguments over British taxation
just prior to the Revolutionary War to more light hearted discussions
between young and older women of the time reminiscing over how they fell
in love, courted, and finally married their respective spouses.
These
themes continued in the music played by Musica Antiqua, a trio of women in
18th century costume playing a harpsichord, various recorders and flutes,
as well as a violin. Each piece was accompanied by a verbal explanation of
its origin and how it fit into dances and songs of the day.
Lest we leave the impression that the afternoon was filled only with
adult activity it should be noted that children too were told stories
popular with late 18th and early 19th century young people as well as
drawing, and of course, many of the skits which were geared to the future
historians in the crowd.
The highlight of the day came in mid afternoon when Delegate Ronald
Guns made a big announcement. Speaking from the Hollingsworth House’s
brand new front porch, Ron told the gathered crowd that the state of
Maryland had awarded the foundation a $200,000 grant, which will be used
to install a new heating and air conditioning system in the house. See Elk
Landing Awarded State Grant.
In short, old Zebulon Hollingsworth probably would be proud that so much interest remains in his land, his house, and his story after so many years. To keep up with future events at the Hollingsworth homestead, better known as Elk Landing, return to this web site for updates and lists of activities.
More photos from Defenders day 2001
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