John Currier was born March 17, 1717/18.  He was the son of a land owner on North East River of Cecil County, Maryland  John Currier and his wife Sarah, last name unknown recorded in the St. Mary Anne’s Parish records, North East Maryland. The records were compiled as Early Anglican Church Records of Cecil County by Henry C. Peden, Jr., page 75.

This part of the Maryland is dominated by the Chesapeake Bay and it's many rivers and streams.  At the very northen most reach is the current town of North East. In 1717 it was the location of the Parish church was in Port Deposit on the Susquehana River.  In 1743 a new church bulidng was errected at the head of the North East River.  The town came later.  The Bay is considered to begin at the junction of the Susquehana, North East  and Elk River  From that point the Susquehanna is entered by going north west.  The North East River by going north east, and the Elk by going east north east.  The point of land that lies between the Elk and the North East is now called Elk's Neck.  There is still remnants of a boat landing at St. Mary Anne's church from when parishioners went to church by boat, as well as visiting neighbors. It was easier than over land. The location of the church in Port Deposit is not known by me, but I would also assume travel by water as the land there is very hilly with steep cliffs.  Cecil Ct. Historic Map  shows the rivers details in 1785. The county is that land between the Susquehanna and the Sassafras Rivers.  In the late 1600s it extended south of the Sassafras River.

Out of the Currier Family file at the Cecil County Historical Society is a paper done by Grace J. Currier.  She states that in 1687 William and Jane Currior bought land from George Talbot called "Helena" on the North East river.  I cannot find the Deed transfer, but I did find the original patent given to George Talbot.  It is Patent Record SDA, page 230 in 1683 for 32000 acres in Cecil Ct called New Conought Mannor also known as Susquehanna Manor.  This land is on the West side of the North East River.  Helena is just south of current Charlestown MD.  The History of Cecil County by George Johnston 1881 states on page 129, that in June 1687 George Talbot executed the only deed executed by him for land in Cecil County "that is on record".  So we will probably not find the deed.

On June 16, 1740 almost 16-years-old, Millliscent Johnson wed John Currier.  This is recorded in the St. Mary Anne’s parish records, and listed in Peden’s book on page 62.  John Currier was just 23 at the time of their marriage and had inherited his father’s dwelling and plantation in the spring of 1738.  It is not presently known just where that plantation was located. Cecil County Wills Vol 14, will of John Currier folio 345.  The marriage was also noted in the Sermon Book - noted toward the end of this story.  John Currier was serving in the Maryland Militia in 1740.  He was in the Foot Company under Captian Edward Jackson.  from Inhabitants of Cecil County 1649-1774

In 1740 Cecil County had many Plantations, though some of the land was already in decline because of the continual cultivation of tobacco.  There were active furnaces and milling operations and the need was felt for a real town, with shipping capabilities.  Hence in 1742 Charlestown Maryland was incorporated.  The town was laid out on a point the west side of the North East River.  The design of the town was complete in the spring of 1743 to contain 500 acres.  200 acre lots were laid out with 7 streets laid out at right angles to the river and five crossing streets.  300 acres were set aside for the communal use.  Sale of the lots began on May 10, 1743.   A wharf and warehouse were erected, the county court house was erected and for years two town Fairs attracted people from all over the east coast.  It eventually became rather rowdy in nature.  This town history is from the History of Cecil County, pages 265 – 269, by George Johnston written in 1881.   The County seat eventually moved to Elkton and the commercial wharf closed.  Today Charlestown remains much as it was laid out.  A quiet, pleasant Bay-side town with many marinas along the river edge and historic buildings a careful 3 blocks from the river.

St. Mary Anne's is the name of the church of the North Elk Parish.  This Parish was erected by an act of the Maryland Legislature in 1706 to include the part of the county north of the Elk River and East of the Susquehanna.  It originally met in Port Deposit on the Susquehana, but in 1743 they built a church and vestry house at the head of the North East River, now in the town of North East.  John Currier was a vestryman at the time along with Captial Nicholas Hyland, Edward Johnson, Henry Baker, Captain Zebulon Hollingsworth, and Thomas Ricketts.  At the time the History of Cecil County, pages 218 - 222 was written in 1891, there was still a cornerstone from this original building on the lovely building now standing on same ground.  It had the inscriptions of the Rector and vestrymen of 1743.  It read "Rd WYE: HB: NH: DEI: ZG: TR: IC: 1743"  The I was used for Capital J.  In the fall of 2009, I could not find the cornerstone.  I hope it has been preserved somewhere out of the elements.  In 1748 the Vestry purchased for 180 pounds, 100 acres from John Currer for a glebe. Deed Vol 7, p. 18 It was part of Clayfall which is near, just south I believe, from Charlestown.  This was sold 1784 for 605 pounds.  A glebe is church land.  It is not known how the land was used.
 
Nicholas Hyland, Milliscent Johnsons half brother,was one of the original town Commissioners assigned the task of creating a town.  He purchased a ½ lot deed to lot #11.  This lot was 2 blocks north of the warehouse and on the river.  On June 12, 1744 John Currier, "Innholder in Charlestown" bought for 12 shillings 6 pence ¼ of lot #11 from his brother in law, Nicholas Hyland.  The deed goes on to say “it being the quarter part of the said lot that the said Currer now lives on”.
Charlestown Land Records 1744-1801 Vol 1, page 6.

On July 28, 1750 John Currier and wife Melisant of Charlestown sold the ¼ lot #11 for 129 pounds 15 shillings, 7 ½ pence.  He made a tidy profit on that sale.
Charletstown LR., Vol 1, pg 129.

John Currier made two other lot purchases in Charlestown that we know of.  On Nov. 6, 1746, he purchased ¼ lot #133 for 3 pounds.  This is on the interior of the town on a public square. . He was still listed as Innholder in this deed. on page 50  And on Nov. 11, 1748, John Currier purchased from another town Commissioner ¼ of Lot #1 for 15 pounds.  This lot was either next to or shared the site of the Warehouse. page 89 Sale of either of these last two properties has not been found. So we know that by 1743 John and Milliscent Currier had moved to Charlestown where he was an Innholder. The Inn may well have been where they lived on Lot #11. 

The Cecil County Historical Society has a family group sheet for this family that lists 8 children with their names, birth dates and for some young death dates.  The only ones that are also in the St. Mary Anne Records is the eldest and the youngest. Page 62 & 67
Thomas Currer  born July 23, 1741
Augustine “Leny” Currer born Sept 15, 1743, wed Jacob Jones Dec 10, 1759 
Sarah Currer      born Aug. 2, 1746,died Sept 24,  1747
John Currer        born Jan 28, 1747
Rebecca Currer  born May 10, 1750 died Aug 20, 1751
Lihichay Currer  born Aug 21, 1752, died May 26, 1754
Nicholas Currer  born March 16, 1754, died March 26, 1754
Bennoney Currer born Oct. 4, 1755

Milliscent Johnson Currier died just a few days after the birth of Bennoney or Benoni.  According to the family records kept in the Currier Sermon book, she died Oct. 7, 1755. She was 31-years-old.    In the Cecil County Historical Society library Surname File on Currier there is a letter from Mrs. Oliver M. Currier of Havre de Grace, Maryland dated 1975.  In it she describes a Sermon Book given to  Mrs. Loreen Buffum Robinson of Long Beach CA.  The Sermon Book was given to Mrs. Robinson by a 95 year old cousin.  “The Sermon Book is the remains of a book of sermons preached by a Currier preacher in England at the time of Cromwell.  Augustine Currier Jones used this book as a family bible.The birth and death dates were found in the Sermon Book. Mrs. Robinson had already sent the genealogical sheets and sermons to the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore in 1975. 

John remarried in Nov. 24, 1756 to Rosamund Pennington. She was the widow of Thomas Pennington and mother of Rachel Pennington.  from the Currier family files of the Cecil County Historical Society.   Bef 6/13/1757 - Maryland Indexes Marriage References MSA S 1527 Currer, John, m. by 13 June 1757, Rosamond, admx of Thomas Pennington of CE Co. (MDAD 41:154).

There is a note that John Currer died August 1760, but I have no documentation for that statement. If Augustine kept the family bible, it should be in there.
 
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
If you know the answer please CONTACT US
1. Look at original St. Mary Anne’s church records.  Perhaps some were missed by Peden.
2. Find the Sermon book at the Maryland Historical Society
3. What became of John after his second marriage?
4.  What became of the St. Mary Anne's Cornerstone?


 
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Date Last Edited: 2/4/2009