I could be wrong but I thought Gunpowder Co was in the county of Baltimore, MD It was named for the Gunpowder River. Gunpowder Bridge was burnt down July 10, 1864 [Civil War] ======================================================= The original Joppa Town was a major seaport and commercial hub in the eighteenth century. The town proper was located on what is now called _Rumsey Island_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rumsey_Island&action=edit) (which is not, and never was, an island), where the _Big Gunpowder Falls_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Gunpowder_Falls&action=edit) and _Little Gunpowder Falls_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Little_Gunpowder_Falls&action=edit) meet to form the _Gunpowder River_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_River) . The only original building remaining is the Rumsey Mansion, once home of colonial patriot _Benjamin Rumsey_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Rumsey) . There are original building foundations and gravesites on the adjacent Church of the Resurrection property. Ruins of the original wharf and docks, as well as the town jail, were still visible until _hurricane Agnes_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Agnes) swept through in 1972. Joppa Town was the county seat of _Baltimore County, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_County,_Maryland) from 1712 to 1769. Present-day _Harford County_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harford_County) was part of Baltimore County until 1773. Joppa Town's "mile wide harbor" on the _Gunpowder River_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_River) could accommodate the largest ocean going ships of the day. Joppa and _Ellicott City, MD_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellicott_City,_MD) were Maryland's most important commercial centers in colonial times, with tobacco being the primary export. They were once among the busiest seaports in the western hemisphere, long before _Baltimore_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore) was established. Joppa Town was also a vital hub for land transportation, and it was said that "all roads lead to Joppa". Joppa Town was the original terminus for _Joppa Road_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joppa_Road&action=edit) , which ran north to what is now _Towson, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towson,_Maryland) , and beyond. Joppa Road connected to York Road for points north, and to Rolling Road to points west. The original post road to _Philadelphia_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia) also went through Joppa Town, and a ferry across the Gunpowder River connected to points south via what is now _Chase, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chase,_Maryland&action=edit) and Eastern Avenue. Many famous colonial figures invariably passed through and boarded at Joppa Town. Economic growth was also stimulated via the establishment of various commercial enterprises just north of Joppa Town, utilizing water power from the Little Gunpowder Falls. The most notable of these is the still standing _Jerusalem Mill_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jerusalem_Mill&action=edit) complex in _Kingsville, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsville,_Maryland) , which, among other enterprises, fabricated weapons for the _Continental Army_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Army) during the _Revolutionary War_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutionary_War) . By the end of the eighteenth century, agricultural and other land development upstream caused the Gunpowder River and Joppa Town's harbor to silt up, making access by large ships impossible. Ellicott City's port suffered a similar fate. _Baltimore_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore,_Maryland) and _Annapolis_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapolis,_Maryland) became Maryland's major shipping ports, and by 1814 Joppa Town was mostly abandoned. Joppa Town and its immediate surroundings were used for farming (mostly string beans) until the Panitz Company began development of the planned community called "Joppatowne" in 1961. The original Joppa Town site, including the Rumsey Mansion, were slated to become Joppatowne's "swim and tennis club". The efforts of a few concerned historical preservationists went ignored until the matter was brought to the attention of First Lady _Jacqueline Kennedy_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Kennedy) . Mrs. Kennedy convinced the developers to relocate the swim club, and to cede the land where colonial Joppa Town's church stood to the _Episcopal Church_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church) , who held arguable claim to the property as the US descendant of the _Church of England_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_England) . The Panitz Company also sold and donated additional adjacent lots to the Episcopal Church, effectively preserving most of the land where Joppa Town stood. The Episcopal Church subsequently re-consecrated the grounds and built the aptly-named Church of the Resurrection adjacent to the foundation of the original "St. John's Parish" of Joppa Town in 1970. The Church of the Resurrection has proved an excellent custodian of this site and its history, preserving its archaeological ruins and serving as a repository for documents, research, and artifacts related to colonial Joppa Town. _Gunpowder Town_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gunpowder_Town&action=edit) , or simply Gunpowder, was a failed English settlement that pre-dated colonial Joppa Town, and was located close to it. This first attempt to establish an English settlement on the Gunpowder River was reportedly abandoned because it proved to be a poor location choice. Though documents and records exist for the settlement, including official papers in the archives of the United Kingdom, nobody knows exactly where it was located. It was somewhere just west or northwest of present-day Joppatowne, probably in what is now the swamps and marshland of the confluence of the Little Gunpowder, Big Gunpowder, and Bird River. Some speculate it was located somewhat further north. No trace of the "lost town of Gunpowder" is known to have ever been found. The inhabitants of Gunpowder, and the St. John's Parish, relocated briefly to another short-lived settlement in the area of present day Joppatowne, sometimes referred to as the Foster Branch settlement. It was located on the eastern bank of the Gunpowder River, near the stream known as Foster Branch (or "Foster's Branch"), at or below the southernmost boundary of present-day Joppatowne. Again, its precise location is unknown, but was reportedly abandoned due to an outbreak of _smallpox_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox) . From there, St. John's Parish moved inland, to where the Officer's Club at the _Edgewood Area_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edgewood_Area&action=edit) of _Aberdeen Proving Ground_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_Proving_Ground) is currently located, and relocated to Joppa Town in the early 1700s. After the decline of Joppa Town, St. John's Parish was finally moved to nearby _Kingsville, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsville,_Maryland) in the late 1700s. <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.

Some of our old Hendricks records list a Gunpowder Creek in Maryland and one of our James Hendricks is cited as being born on the Gunpowder, 1740. ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 5:28 PM Subject: Re: [VACULPEP] Gunpowder Co., MD? I could be wrong but I thought Gunpowder Co was in the county of Baltimore, MD It was named for the Gunpowder River. Gunpowder Bridge was burnt down July 10, 1864 [Civil War] ======================================================= The original Joppa Town was a major seaport and commercial hub in the eighteenth century. The town proper was located on what is now called _Rumsey Island_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rumsey_Island&action=edit) (which is not, and never was, an island), where the _Big Gunpowder Falls_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Gunpowder_Falls&action=edit) and _Little Gunpowder Falls_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Little_Gunpowder_Falls&action=edit) meet to form the _Gunpowder River_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_River) . The only original building remaining is the Rumsey Mansion, once home of colonial patriot _Benjamin Rumsey_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Rumsey) . There are original building foundations and gravesites on the adjacent Church of the Resurrection property. Ruins of the original wharf and docks, as well as the town jail, were still visible until _hurricane Agnes_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Agnes) swept through in 1972. Joppa Town was the county seat of _Baltimore County, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_County,_Maryland) from 1712 to 1769. Present-day _Harford County_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harford_County) was part of Baltimore County until 1773. Joppa Town's "mile wide harbor" on the _Gunpowder River_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_River) could accommodate the largest ocean going ships of the day. Joppa and _Ellicott City, MD_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellicott_City,_MD) were Maryland's most important commercial centers in colonial times, with tobacco being the primary export. They were once among the busiest seaports in the western hemisphere, long before _Baltimore_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore) was established. Joppa Town was also a vital hub for land transportation, and it was said that "all roads lead to Joppa". Joppa Town was the original terminus for _Joppa Road_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joppa_Road&action=edit) , which ran north to what is now _Towson, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towson,_Maryland) , and beyond. Joppa Road connected to York Road for points north, and to Rolling Road to points west. The original post road to _Philadelphia_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia) also went through Joppa Town, and a ferry across the Gunpowder River connected to points south via what is now _Chase, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chase,_Maryland&action=edit) and Eastern Avenue. Many famous colonial figures invariably passed through and boarded at Joppa Town. Economic growth was also stimulated via the establishment of various commercial enterprises just north of Joppa Town, utilizing water power from the Little Gunpowder Falls. The most notable of these is the still standing _Jerusalem Mill_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jerusalem_Mill&action=edit) complex in _Kingsville, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsville,_Maryland) , which, among other enterprises, fabricated weapons for the _Continental Army_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Army) during the _Revolutionary War_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolutionary_War) . By the end of the eighteenth century, agricultural and other land development upstream caused the Gunpowder River and Joppa Town's harbor to silt up, making access by large ships impossible. Ellicott City's port suffered a similar fate. _Baltimore_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore,_Maryland) and _Annapolis_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapolis,_Maryland) became Maryland's major shipping ports, and by 1814 Joppa Town was mostly abandoned. Joppa Town and its immediate surroundings were used for farming (mostly string beans) until the Panitz Company began development of the planned community called "Joppatowne" in 1961. The original Joppa Town site, including the Rumsey Mansion, were slated to become Joppatowne's "swim and tennis club". The efforts of a few concerned historical preservationists went ignored until the matter was brought to the attention of First Lady _Jacqueline Kennedy_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Kennedy) . Mrs. Kennedy convinced the developers to relocate the swim club, and to cede the land where colonial Joppa Town's church stood to the _Episcopal Church_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_Church) , who held arguable claim to the property as the US descendant of the _Church of England_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_England) . The Panitz Company also sold and donated additional adjacent lots to the Episcopal Church, effectively preserving most of the land where Joppa Town stood. The Episcopal Church subsequently re-consecrated the grounds and built the aptly-named Church of the Resurrection adjacent to the foundation of the original "St. John's Parish" of Joppa Town in 1970. The Church of the Resurrection has proved an excellent custodian of this site and its history, preserving its archaeological ruins and serving as a repository for documents, research, and artifacts related to colonial Joppa Town. _Gunpowder Town_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gunpowder_Town&action=edit) , or simply Gunpowder, was a failed English settlement that pre-dated colonial Joppa Town, and was located close to it. This first attempt to establish an English settlement on the Gunpowder River was reportedly abandoned because it proved to be a poor location choice. Though documents and records exist for the settlement, including official papers in the archives of the United Kingdom, nobody knows exactly where it was located. It was somewhere just west or northwest of present-day Joppatowne, probably in what is now the swamps and marshland of the confluence of the Little Gunpowder, Big Gunpowder, and Bird River. Some speculate it was located somewhat further north. No trace of the "lost town of Gunpowder" is known to have ever been found. The inhabitants of Gunpowder, and the St. John's Parish, relocated briefly to another short-lived settlement in the area of present day Joppatowne, sometimes referred to as the Foster Branch settlement. It was located on the eastern bank of the Gunpowder River, near the stream known as Foster Branch (or "Foster's Branch"), at or below the southernmost boundary of present-day Joppatowne. Again, its precise location is unknown, but was reportedly abandoned due to an outbreak of _smallpox_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox) . From there, St. John's Parish moved inland, to where the Officer's Club at the _Edgewood Area_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edgewood_Area&action=edit) of _Aberdeen Proving Ground_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_Proving_Ground) is currently located, and relocated to Joppa Town in the early 1700s. After the decline of Joppa Town, St. John's Parish was finally moved to nearby _Kingsville, Maryland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsville,_Maryland) in the late 1700s. <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message