Hill papers

The papers themselves are mostly of a legal nature, concerned with such things as land warrants, certificates of survey, and financial agreements. Also included are several indenture articles, a will, and court proceedings with related memoranda. There are some incoming and a few outgoing letters dealing with various business enterprises, mostly land sales, local merchandizing, and the tobacco trade with England.

Of particular interest is a group of documents relating to what seems to have been a bitter land dispute between Clement Hill, Sr. and a Major Nicolas Sewall. Sewall claimed that Hill surveyed his land in 1698 falsely to gain property for himself, which Hill subsequently denied. A court battle ensued, and the decision apparently went against Hill, who continued at length to exclaim his innocence. His nephew took up his defense after Hill's death in 1708 and managed to bring John Carroll and a D. Dulany into the dispute, but nothing came of it. The nephew called the affair, the [UNK] pound mistake, citing shady dealings between Sewall and Carroll, keeper of the rolls.

A letter dated August 12, 1764 discusses the issue of Colonial taxation and a shipment of tobacco to John [UNK] an English M.P., who vigorously took to defending the colonies against the governments of Grenville and Townshend.

The Clement Hill Accounts

There are about 200 items in this series, dating from 1701 to 1823. Like the Clement Hill papers, the accounts are arranged chronologically.

Types of documents included in the series are bills of lading, statements of accounts, bills from London merchants, correspondence from assorted London tobacco agents discussing market prices and soliciting trade, along with various local accounts with doctors, merchants, and other individuals.

The papers reflect the change that occurred between the late seventeenth century up to the end of the eighteenth century in the nature of the tobacco trade. The first Clement Hill was a small-time merchant and producer of tobacco, and his accounts reveal only a limited trade. Through to the last Clement Hill can be seen the growth of the trade -- gradual at first, then expanding very rapidly. Thus the last Hill's accounts reveal a large involvement in the trade and his accumulation of moderate wealth from it.

Of particular interest are the numerous items of correspondence from the London tobacco agents who detail market conditions and often political conditions in England as well. The major agents corresponding were Thomas Philpot, Stewart and Cambell, Charles Digger, Perkins, Buccanan and Brown, and Forrest and Stodderd.

The Clement Hill Survey Books

The survey books consist of three volumes. Volume One is the land office warrant book for Calvert and Prince George's county, dated 1670 to 1715. Volume Two is the Calvert County survey book, dated 1682 to 1684. Volume Three is the Calvert and Prince George's county survey book, dated 1698-1714. Contained within these volumes are the specifics regarding surveys (many with detailed drawings) done in Calvert and Prince George's counties. Land ownership and boundaries are listed in varying detail.