Houses that have Vanished -- the Hickman Home, Greenbackville Road:
The "Hickman Home," built 1736, was undoubtedly Mattapony's finest dwelling for the two centuries it lasted. The north gable, the only part standing a decade ago, was still impressive by its towering height. Even 35 years ago, the house was sufficiently intact to make restoration feasible. Now, it will clearly never rise again. Here's hoping that this modest narrative will serve to keep its history from vanishing entirely into the chasm of Time.
I encourage readers to master the colonial meaning of the word "Mattapony." I remind you that during our first few decades (1660-1742), Worcester and Wicomico were lumped into old Somerset County, which, in turn, was divided into about nine districts that were known as "hundreds." Had I lived in thoses times, my will would have started, "I, Bob Jones, of Mattapony Hundred, do hereby . . . " Mattapony was essentially southern Worcester County, that is everything south of Ayres Lane and Castle Hill Road. North of that boundary was another "Hundred" known as Bogerternorton (Snow Hill, Berlin, and the future Ocean City). What we know as the Eighth Election District is basically old Mattapony.
The main gateway was located on the Pocomoke River, not far from Beth Eden Church Road and Route #113. Fittingly, it was referred to as Mattapony Landing. See below photo of the church that stood nearby.
For the first 100 years after settlement, most of the houses built were quite small, often only one room and a loft -- see photo in Comments. The only grand home in southern Worcester County was "Beverly" built on the Pocomoke River in c1774. In the northern part of the County, grand colonial homes would include "Genesar" (c1730) and "Radcliffe Hall" (c1750) the main dwelling on a large working plantation of 2,200 acres.
The "Hickman Farm" was originally part of a tract called "Transylvania," patented in 1676 to William Walton for 800 acres. It is located on the south side of Greenbackville Road, which runs from George Island Landing Road, at Portersville, to the town on Greenbackville. The house was set far back in the field, the lane some four tenths of a mile. I have not visited the ruins in several years -- today, there may only be rubble.
When the first settlers arrived from Accomack Co. to our area, the first land claimed was along Worcester's Chincoteague Bay and the Pocomoke River. One of the earliest land grants, for example, was effected just the previous year (1675) when Lord Baltimore granted Mt. Ephraim (2000 acres) near Public Landing, which lies outside Mattapony. So, "Transylvania" may well have been the first land grant in Mattapony Hundred.
In Part II, I will tell you about the Hickman family who lived there and give a description of the house. Below, in Comments, there are six photos to go with this account. --RFJ
The "Hickman Home," built 1736, was undoubtedly Mattapony's finest dwelling for the two centuries it lasted. The north gable, the only part standing a decade ago, was still impressive by its towering height. Even 35 years ago, the house was sufficiently intact to make restoration feasible. Now, it will clearly never rise again. Here's hoping that this modest narrative will serve to keep its history from vanishing entirely into the chasm of Time.
I encourage readers to master the colonial meaning of the word "Mattapony." I remind you that during our first few decades (1660-1742), Worcester and Wicomico were lumped into old Somerset County, which, in turn, was divided into about nine districts that were known as "hundreds." Had I lived in thoses times, my will would have started, "I, Bob Jones, of Mattapony Hundred, do hereby . . . " Mattapony was essentially southern Worcester County, that is everything south of Ayres Lane and Castle Hill Road. North of that boundary was another "Hundred" known as Bogerternorton (Snow Hill, Berlin, and the future Ocean City). What we know as the Eighth Election District is basically old Mattapony.
The main gateway was located on the Pocomoke River, not far from Beth Eden Church Road and Route #113. Fittingly, it was referred to as Mattapony Landing. See below photo of the church that stood nearby.
For the first 100 years after settlement, most of the houses built were quite small, often only one room and a loft -- see photo in Comments. The only grand home in southern Worcester County was "Beverly" built on the Pocomoke River in c1774. In the northern part of the County, grand colonial homes would include "Genesar" (c1730) and "Radcliffe Hall" (c1750) the main dwelling on a large working plantation of 2,200 acres.
The "Hickman Farm" was originally part of a tract called "Transylvania," patented in 1676 to William Walton for 800 acres. It is located on the south side of Greenbackville Road, which runs from George Island Landing Road, at Portersville, to the town on Greenbackville. The house was set far back in the field, the lane some four tenths of a mile. I have not visited the ruins in several years -- today, there may only be rubble.
When the first settlers arrived from Accomack Co. to our area, the first land claimed was along Worcester's Chincoteague Bay and the Pocomoke River. One of the earliest land grants, for example, was effected just the previous year (1675) when Lord Baltimore granted Mt. Ephraim (2000 acres) near Public Landing, which lies outside Mattapony. So, "Transylvania" may well have been the first land grant in Mattapony Hundred.
In Part II, I will tell you about the Hickman family who lived there and give a description of the house. Below, in Comments, there are six photos to go with this account. --RFJ
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