Save the Date for the Plant Sale! Free for everyone on Saturday, September 26 from 9am - 2pm. But we also wanted to make sure you knew about a special offer - The Plant Sale Pre-Order! **Only for members and volunteers** This special pre-order allows you to pre-purchase select plants from the sale. This sale only runs through August 31st. It features plants from our gardens (camellias, ilicium, poet's laurel, etc) as well as from select vendors. Learn more about the plant sale AND the pre-order at www.historiclondontown.org/plantsale. As a non-profit organization, this plant sale and pre-order is the biggest fundraiser for the gardens each year. All proceeds go directly to support our gardens. Not yet a member? You can become one at www.historiclondontown.org/member! P.S. Debating about becoming a member? Not only do members receive free admission to London Town, but you can enjoy reciprocal admission to 300+ gardens nationwide. See the full list at https://bit.ly/AHSRAP

Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed the Sin and A Secret series since April. Unfortunately, this is our last story and recipe for the series. We are grateful to all of you who have followed along. Welcome back to another "A Sin and A Secret." Mix yourself a drink based on a colonial recipe and then curl with a completely true, completely salacious story. Enjoy a new #ASinAndASecret post every week. Read more in the series here. Mother and Child, Jacques Francois Amand, 18th century, The Metropolitan Museum of Art On February 4, 1757, a widow named Mary Jones walked into the tailor’s shop of Thomas Law and his sister Elizabeth. Mary asked Thomas “for three quarters of a yard of cheque,” but it was a busy day and Thomas had to help another customer. When he returned to help Mary, he found that she was gone, and so too was a bundle of 19 yards of linen. Thomas spotted Mary on the street and called after her, beginning a foot chase that did not last long. She had tucked all the fabric under her petticoats, which must have made it difficult to flee. A few weeks later, Mary Jones was tried at the Old Bailey. At the end of a very short trial - during which no witnesses came to her defense - Mary was sentenced to transportation. This meant she was sent to the colonies in America to serve as a convict servant as her punishment. She was placed aboard the Trial with 84 convicts under Captain William Mill. (Mill replaced Captain Scott, who drowned in an unfortunate accident early in their voyage.) Mary Jones arrived in Annapolis on June 12, 1757. She then disappears from the historical record until 1762. It is quite possible that her servitude was immediately purchased by William Brown (who built the largest eponymous building still standing at Historic London Town and Gardens). She may have begun her life in the colonies working at his tavern. In 1762, she re-appears, showing up in several court records. In the first, Mary Jones is a co-defendant with a man named John Reresby. Unlike Mary, Reresby was not a convict servant. He was fined for the maintenance of Mary’s “bastard child” Elizabeth. By law, a convict like Mary Jones was not allowed to testify in court against anyone other than a fellow convict, and so the judgement record for “Lord Proprietor v. John Reresby, Mary Jones” does not explicitly state that he is the father, although it is the most likely scenario. Little is known about John Reresby. He did keep at least one convict servant, who ran away in early 1762, and who Reresby said was “accustomed to wait in a Tavern” and “brought up a House Painter.”49 Whether Reresby ran a tavern, or kept his servant employed as a painter, is unknown. What we do know is that Reresby was a vestryman at St. Ann’s Church in Annapolis. “Lord Proprieter v. John Reresby, Mary Jones,” Maryland State Archives, Anne Arundel County Court Judgment Record, November Court 1762, Liber IMB1, Folio 603. In that same court session, William Brown sued Mary Jones for “having had two Bastard children.” Mary was his convict servant by this time, possibly earlier. Of the first child, almost certainly Elizabeth, the court said the “Father can’t be proved (she [Jones] being a convict).” Her second child was unnamed, but Jones had “sworn it to William Logan a convict servant man belonging to Andrew Buchanan.” [William Jones’ story was told in last week’s post here] Because both she and WIlliam Logan held the same status as convict servants, she could testify against him in court. As mentioned before, she could not testify against the free John Reresby. The court ordered Mary Jones was ordered to pay a fine to William Brown for both children, and to serve an additional two years of servitude to make up for lost time. She was also ordered to pay an additional fine, or to serve yet another year under William Brown. This prolonged her servitude to 10 years, as well as requiring her to pay fines to a man who wasn’t furnishing her with wages. On January 3, 1765, William Logan was married by Reverend David Love at All Hallows Parish, the local Anglican church for London Town and the South River, to “Mary Tool.” We have not found any other records referring to a Mary Tool in the Annapolis or London Town area. It is possible that this was the maiden name of Mary Jones, as she was a widow before she came to America. It might also be that Mary Tool was a resident of the area and simply does not appear in any other records, only coincidentally sharing the same given name as the mother of William Logan’s child. Whether Mary Jones was jilted in love, raising two children as a single mother of little means, or gained respectability by marrying the father of one of her children who had become a relatively successful local businessman, we shall never know. Assuming that Mary Tool, Mary Jones, and Mary Logan were indeed the same person, this is what we know happened next: In 1771, Logan acquired land in Queen Anne’s County called Raresby. He purchased it from William Paca, a future signer of the Declaration of Independence. Raresby sounds similar to Reresby, and it is possible but uncertain whether it was named for John Reresby, the likely father of Mary’s first child Elizabeth. In the early years of the Revolution, William Logan was not a prominent figure. He is largely absent from the historical record except for a single order given in March of 1779 asking the Auditor General to pay Mary Logan twenty-five pounds “for the Use of William Logan due him.” It could be that Logan was serving the Continental cause, and his pay was being given to Mary while he was away. Or perhaps she was just handling the ledgers on his behalf. It’s uncertain what happened to Mary Logan after this. In 1780, soldiers damaged her husband’s warehouse. Although the state paid the family “the sum of six thousand Pounds in full for the Damages,” the currency of the brand new United States of America had been so depreciated with the war that it was virtually worthless. William Logan began selling so-called miracle medicines as a result. His “American Balsamic Ointment” was said to cure everything from gunshot wounds and tumors to sunburn and pimples. His advertisements were accompanied by quotes from prominent gentlemen across Maryland all testifying to the amazing properties of his concoction However, the family’s attempts to stay afloat didn’t succeed. By 1788, they appealed to the County Court. Their property was sold at vendue to offset their debts. The last reference to the Logan family was in 1791 when a tanner named John Adam Bayer advertised that he would run his business out of “the house formerly occupied by Mr. William Logan.” In honor of Mary Jones, enjoy a delicious “mocktail” called Rose. Rose · 4 cups of water · ½ cup of sugar · 2 lemons · 2-3 medium size sprigs of rosemary (3-4 inches) · 4 bags of Earl Grey tea (or your preferred tea) 1. Using a small knife or vegetable peeler, remove the yellow zest of the lemon. Be careful to not get too much of the white pith underneath. The pith is bitter and too much will create a not very pleasant taste. 2. In a small pot combine the lemon peel, water, and sugar. Bring the content to a boil. 3. Turn off the heat and remove. Add tea bags and rosemary to pot, cover and steep for 5-15 minutes. 4. While steeping, juice the remaining lemons and set aside. 5. Strain the mixture without pressing the bags. 6. Combine the mixture and juice and chill. 7. Serve over ice and enjoy! Upcoming Colonial Cocktails Programs Colonial Cocktails: Syllabub & Sangaree (Sangria) Thursday, August 27, 2020 6:30 – 7:30pm Colonial Cocktails: Fish House Punch & Mint Julep Thursday, September 24, 2020 6:30 – 7:30pm From punches to bounces, syllabubs to juleps, colonists imbibed a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. At Colonial Cocktails, you’ll get to make and enjoy two historical drinks and learn about colonial tavern culture. Participants must be 21+. For the safety of participants and staff, this event will be held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance. Members: $25 Non-Members: $30 (Become one today!) Pre-Registration Required Maximum of 20 attendees ​ REGISTER HERE for Syllabub & Sangaree (August 27) REGISTER HERE for Fish House Punch & Mint Julep (September 24)

Welcome back to another "A Sin and A Secret." Mix yourself a drink based on a colonial recipe and then curl with a completely true, completely salacious story. Enjoy a new #ASinAndASecret post every week. Read more in the series here. In 1755, William Logan was one of two King’s officers given control of the Ruby for a whole month. The ship had just finished a voyage and was tied off in East London, England. In control of the ship, Logan took advantage to sell its muskets and pistols to one Alexander Bean. Logan had apparently also stolen gallons of rum – for sale and for himself. Logan’s crimes were discovered, and he was sentenced to “transportation” – seven years of unpaid labor in the colonies. Until then, he was held at Newgate Prison. Newgate Prison, Inner Court, 18th Century, Wellcome Library. Logan’s wife (name unknown) devised a scheme for his escape. Donning two dresses, she visited Logan in prison. He put on one of her dresses. Logan was described as “of a very small Stature, and an effeminate Look.” He was so convincing as a woman “that the people of the gaol chuck’d him under the chin as he went out, and call’d him a pretty little girl.” When Logan was discovered missing, his wife was threatened with transportation. Not wanting to go to America, she turned him over to the authorities. Gazetteer and London Daily Advertiser, April 28, 1756, page 3. In June of 1756, ninety-one convicts, including William Logan, were loaded onto the Lyon.The Lyon arrived in Annapolis, Maryland on August 30, 1756, and the convicts were sold into seven years of servitude. Maryland Gazette, September 2, 1756, page 3. William Logan’s servitude was purchased by Archibald Buchanan in Annapolis. Buchanan was a wig maker and barber. He employed Logan in this trade. In 1762, Logan appeared in the court records with Mary Jones. She was the convict servant of William Brown (of the William Brown House here at Historic London Town and Gardens). Brown sued Jones for “having had two Bastard children.” Jones swore that her second child was fathered by “William Logan a convict servant man belonging to Andrew Buchanan.” Jones was ordered to pay a fine for both children and to serve an additional two years of servitude to make up for lost time. She was also ordered to pay an additional fine or to serve another year under William Brown. Stay tuned as next week's story will focus on Mary Jones! Logan ran away at least once during his servitude, but it must not have been long, as he was freed by 1763. Convict servants were generally sentenced to an additional ten days of labor for every day they are absent from their masters. Maryland Gazette, September 22, 1757, page 4. On January 3, 1765, William Logan was married at All Hallows Parish, the local Anglican church for London Town and the South River, to Mary Tool. It’s possible that this was the maiden name of Mary Jones, who was a widow before she came to America. Or she might have been a different person entirely. Maryland Gazette, December 15, 1764, page 4. The previous year William Logan opened a barber’s shop in Annapolis. He grew his business rapidly and expanded to other endeavors. In 1765, he opened a tavern. Later that year, a teacher named Samuel Bennet rented space in Logan’s tavern, “the Sign of the White Heart on the Dock,” to teach math and navigation. A couple weeks later, the merchant John Mitchell announced he would sell imported goods and enslaved people at William Logan’s house. Shortly thereafter, William Logan he advertised that he “will take in” politicians who were in town for the legislative session, providing “Good entertainment for Man and Horse, as usual.” As his business prospered, he also purchased additional tracts of land. In the early years of the Revolutionary War, William Logan was not a prominent figure. He is largely absent from the historical record except for a single order given in March of 1779 asking the Auditor General to pay Mary Logan 25 pounds “for the Use of William Logan due him.” It could be that Logan was serving the Continental cause, and his pay was being given to Mary while he was away. Or perhaps she was just handling the ledgers on his behalf. In 1780, things took a sharp downward turn for the Logan family. American or French soldiers operating in Annapolis so thoroughly damaged his warehouse and wharf that “the Governor & Council are of Opinion that the State is bound to make good the Damages arising since they were employed by them, and direct an Order to be drawn to the said William Logan for the sum of six thousand Pounds in full for the Damages.” With the economic strife of war, the currency of the new United States was severely depreciated, so even this tremendous sum may have been next to worthless. Perhaps to raise extra money, William Logan began offering miracle medicines for sale in the Maryland Gazette in 1783. Logan’s “American Balsamic Ointment” was said to cure everything from gunshot wounds and tumors to sunburn and pimples. His advertisements were accompanied by quotes from prominent gentlemen across Maryland all testifying to the amazing properties of his concoction. Even if Logan’s snake oil really was a miracle cure, it might not have been enough to save his family. In 1788, he appealed for help to the County Court, who called his creditors to meet. Advertisements were placed on his behalf by the Court, which stated his property would be sold at vendue to offset his debts, and demanding that all his debtors make immediate payment. The last reference to the Logan family came in April 7, 1791, when a tanner named John Adam Bayer advertised that he would run his business out of “the house formerly occupied by Mr. William Logan.” Hot Buttered Rum · 1 stick of butter (yes, a whole stick) · ½ c light brown sugar · 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract · 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon · 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg · 1 teaspoon ground cloves · 1 teaspoon ground ginger · A pinch of salt · 2 ounces dark rum · 6 ounces (¾ cup) hot water To make the drink: 1. In a bowl combine butter, brown sugar, spices, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and all ingredients look well combined. This can be saved for later drinks if not all is used. 2. In heat proof glass add the rum and butter mixture. 3. Top with hot water and stir. 4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick for flair and enjoy. Upcoming Colonial Cocktails Programs Colonial Cocktails: Syllabub & Sangaree (Sangria) Thursday, August 27, 2020 6:30 – 7:30pm Colonial Cocktails: Fish House Punch & Mint Julep Thursday, September 24, 2020 6:30 – 7:30pm From punches to bounces, syllabubs to juleps, colonists imbibed a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. At Colonial Cocktails, you’ll get to make and enjoy two historical drinks and learn about colonial tavern culture. Participants must be 21+. For the safety of participants and staff, this event will be held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance. Members: $25 Non-Members: $30 (Become one today!) Pre-Registration Required Maximum of 20 attendees ​ REGISTER HERE for Syllabub & Sangaree (August 27) REGISTER HERE for Fish House Punch & Mint Julep (September 24)

We need your help! Our benefit is going virtual this year. Show some "Love for London Town" at our online auction this year, November 1 - 13. Do you have something you'd be willing to donate to the auction? We'd greatly appreciate it! You can let us know about your auction donation using this form or email lauren@historiclondontown.org. Thank you so much! Stay tuned for more information.

Welcome back to another "A Sin and A Secret." Mix yourself a drink based on a colonial recipe and then curl with a completely true, completely salacious story. Enjoy a new #ASinAndASecret post every week. Read more in the series here. In honor of Mehitable's many business talents, here are a selections of women from Marcellus Laroon’s "Cries Of London," 1687. See more of them here. Mehitable (Holland) Pierpoint; neé Larkin Mehitable was born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland c.1667, the daughter of John and Katherine Larkin. She married Otho Holland in 1684 - the same year her father, John, acquired some land in London Town. This land (one or two town lots) was next to the ferry landing and also had on it the county courthouse (London Town was the county seat from 1684 – 1695). When John Larkin sold the land to John Baldwin (Larkin’s son-in-law) in 1699, the transaction indicates that Larkin was an “innholder” and that enough ground for a “twenty-foot house” to be built be kept free next to the river for Mehitable to use during the course of her “natural life.” Information in this transaction also shows that Mehitable was married to Otho Holland and that Otho was operating an ordinary out of the old “twenty-five foot” courthouse. This record indicates that Mehitable probably spent some of her youth in a household that operated an ordinary and also undoubtedly helped her husband Otho operate his (their) ordinary. Otho Holland died by May 9th, 1702. When the surviving Anne Arundel County Court Judgment Records begin in 1703, the widowed Mehitable Holland asked for and received a renewal of her ordinary license during the June 1703 session. Mehitable appears a second time in the court records during 1703. She sued Captain James Mitchell for nonpayment of debts (this hints at some of the other activities Mehitable was involved with). In addition to the usual ordinary-related charges of cider, beer, diet, and lodging, Mehitable claimed that Mitchell also owed her for selling him hops, grinding seven bushels of malt, and brewing. In return, Mitchell claimed that Mehitable owed him for malt, cheese, and butter. In addition to the usual ordinary-related charges of cider, beer, diet, and lodging, Mehitable claimed that Mitchell also owed her for selling him hops, grinding seven bushels of malt, and brewing. By January 1705 Mehitable had remarried and her new husband, John Pierpoint, received the official ordinary license. However, this marriage was not to last. During the March 1708 court session, Mehitable petitioned the court to recover debts owed John Pierpoint in her own name because John had run away. The court granted her request. Though Mehitable had grown up in or around London Town and had many personal ties to it, that history and her ties did not stop her from migrating to Queen Anne in Ann Arundel County around 1711. She continued her ordinary-keeping through at least 1718. Though Mehitable left London Town, it seems that her son John Holland stayed here through 1717. During that time he operated an ordinary and a ferry across the South River. By 1754 she was living with her son in Frederick County. If this is correct, then she lived to at least 85 years of age. If this is correct, then she lived to at least 85 years of age. Mehitable’s story gives us a rare glimpse into the life of a woman in early Maryland. We can assume she aided her father and husband in their work running taverns and ferries. What is unique about her story is that we have proof that she engaged in a number of different business enterprises in her own right. Upon the death of her husband, she continued to operate the tavern, sued men who did not pay their debts, sold hops, milled grain, and brewed beer. Additionally, we know she legally separated from a husband who abandoned her and lived to the ripe old age of ~85. We have paired this story with a modern drink, a beer mimosa, in honor of Mehitable’s beer brewing. Beer Mimosa 1 lighter beer of choice (an IPA would work nicely but if you dislike IPAs this could easily work with a summer shandy or a pale lager) 6 oz orange juice ¼ cup of fresh or frozen berries of choice (raspberries are quite lovely in this, but all work!) 1. Muddle fresh or frozen berries in the bottom of a tall glass (at least 22ozs). 2. Pour beer on top of the muddled berries. 3. Top with orange juice and enjoy!

A sunny aster of the prairies, open pastures and even eroded soils. Rudbeckia sps., Black-eyed Susan - the State flower of Maryland - is a rewarding robust perennial aster that every sunny garden should adorn. Each flower head has close to 500 small flowers and to numerous pollinators, this sunny aster is nectar heaven! It belongs to the aster family, enjoys full sun, open areas and even disturbed soils. With tolerance to drought, disturbed soils, and the added benefit of self seeding, Rudbeckias make for an extremely rewarding plant. For a larger impact, plant them in mass borders, but they can also create good impact in a small sun pocket window. Most of the Rudbeckias at London Town are in the driest, sunniest spot, but there are a few tucked into the woodland gardens, in small sun pockets. The color lasts for long, and it brightens up the woods. In the woodland gardens at London Town, one of the sun pockets has chartreuse green Hakonechola and Rudbeckias mixed in a border, it makes for a lemon lime color palette to enjoy throughout summer. Also with Tiger Lilies in the back drop, it is a pollinator oasis. "Most are considered perennial; however, there are some annual species, such as R. hirta. Species that are commonly available are R. hirta, R. fulgida, R. grandiflora, and R. triloba." https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/rudbeckia/ "Black-Eyed Susan matures rapidly in average, well-drained soil in sun to partial shade. Because it blooms in the first year when planted from seed in early spring, it is seen as an annual. However, it freely self-seeds and usually remains in the garden." https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/rudbeckia-hirta/ Watch out though, all the qualities - including drought and disturbed soil tolerance, full sun and, ability to self seed very easily - make for a concoction of an invasive/aggressive habit. A plant that can survive and thrive in neglect is usually the one that could flourish and out compete the other needy plants. But when you have a sunny golden flower that helps local pollinators, adds ornamental value, and isn't leggy or unsightly, it can still pass with flying colors and make it to every garden, even while having an invasive tendency. Rudbeckias enjoy open disturbed soils but will flourish when given the room to thrive. It is a biennial that can act as a perennial when in a happy spot. Having rhizomatous roots makes it difficult to remove, and its self seeding ability adds to yearly recurrence in the same spot or more. Now to me, that's a happy problem to have in case of Black-eyed Susan's, because who doesn't want a beautiful sunny golden daisy border that will also feed the local pollinators for many summers to come. Rudbeckia maxima: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c864

A woodland or ornamental garden walk on sunny days of July isn't complete at London Town without Lilies treating your visual and olfactory senses. They are grand, fragrant, some spotted-dangling down and others loaded with luscious fragrance. Tiger Lilies, Lilium lancifolium, is a downward facing lily. A swath of these bright Tiger Lilies adorns the spring and winter walk. Their bright orange petals, with dark brown spots resemble the tigers skin and the butterflies absolutely adore them. Sun or part shade would do just fine to grow them. But as gorgeous as they are, they lack the robust Lily aroma. A true treat for your olfactory nerves are the Casa Blancas, Stargazers, or the large trumpet lilies. Lilies are a popular cut flower because of its sturdy flower shape and lingering aroma. But watch your nose and clothes as you draw closer to smell the lilies, their pollen can be a big stain master! London Town has an acre of ornamental gardens, where you will find some nice varieties of hybrids such as Stargazers, Casa Blancas and trumpet lilies. One of the borders has Casa Blancas in the back row, close to a wooden fence for added support. Right in front of the large Casa Blancas are sedums planted in a mass which start their blooms as the lilies drop. Lily bulbs will thrive when their base isn't disturbed. Leave room for their bulbils to drop and regrow, leave room for the mother blub to multiply and grow and mostly leave room in your yard where you can sit and enjoy the blooms up close. Lilies to me are natures perfection of a flower. Here is a neat link to Lilies cultivation and care: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/yard-and-garden-planting-lilies Also, here are also two links to Lililum formosanum, one of my favorite fragrant lilies and a link to wild Lilies: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=282155 https://quarryhillbg.org/quarryhill/page13.html Amongst the many ornamental lilies we will be adding this autumn, we also hope to give home to one of the wild Mid-Atlantic Lilies, Lilium superbum, Turkscap Lily: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d880 True lily beauty is certainly of those found in the wild. Leaving you with a wild lily that I enjoyed watching in the woods of Pacific Northwest: Washington Lily, Lilium washingtonianum: https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/lilium_washingtonianum.shtml If you come to London Town, make sure to trek down the spring and winter walk to enjoy the Tiger Lilies and, if you catch a butterfly visiting it, please snap and share! Mini Succulent Workshop You can now have a lively hands-on experience with succulents right here at London Town on Saturday, August 1st during the Mini Succulent Workshop. Follow the link on: www.historiclondontown.org/events.

Welcome back to another "A Sin and A Secret." Mix yourself a drink based on a colonial recipe and then curl with a completely true, completely salacious story. Enjoy a new #ASinAndASecret post every week. Read more in the series here. In April of 1756, a man named Edward Marriott used a hooked stick to smash the kitchen window of John Reed on Arundel Street in the Strand, a crowded sailor’s neighborhood in London. Marriott was spotted by James Cooper. Cooper may have been a Bow Street Runner, one of the first police officers in Britain. Cooper arrested Marriott and dragged him before John Fielding. Portrait of Sir John Fielding, Nathaniel Hone, 1762, National Portrait Gallery. Blinded by a cannon accident at sea as a teenager, John Fielding took the place of his brother and famous novelist Henry Fielding as chief magistrate and head of the Bow Street Runners. Called the “Blind Beak,” it was said that John Fielding could recognize 3,000 criminals by the sound of their voice. Fielding committed Marriott to prison, and James Cooper testified against him at Hicks’ Hall, ensuring a conviction and sentence of transportation. In June of 1756, Edward Marriott and 90 other convicts were loaded onto the Lyon under Captain James Dyer and shipped across the Atlantic. The Lyon arrived in Annapolis, Maryland on August 30, 1756, and the convicts were sold into seven years of servitude. Maryland Gazette, September 2, 1756, page 3. Among the Marylanders who bought servants form the Lyon was William Brown, the London Town ferry keeper, carpenter, and tavern owner. Brown had several convict servants; many of them trained in various forms of woodworking. A later source identified Edward Marriott as a joiner, and so perhaps this profession is what drew Brown to purchasing his servitude. Marriott, like most of Brown’s convicts, did not take to working for him. On November 2, 1756, after only about 2 months of labor, Marriott ran away. William Brown took out an advertisement in the Maryland Gazette offering a reward for his return. Marriott must have returned of his own accord, or been captured, but when and how this happened does not survive in the known historical record. Maryland Gazette, November 4, 1756, page 2. Edward Marriott gave another go at freedom. He escaped from William Brown on March 6, 1757. Making his way across Maryland from London Town, Marriott was detained by George Fraser on the Potomac River. Wily and clever, Marriott presented a forged pass, and swore that he was a sailor that had run away from the Anne galley, under Captain Hamilton. Fraser, thinking he’d got the best of the “sailor” ordered him carried to the Anne, unwittingly delivering Marriott from recapture. Maryland Gazette, April 7, 1757, page 3. For months, William Brown took out additional ads, trying to recapture the runaway. Marriott (perhaps aboard the Anne) managed to escape Maryland and make his way back to England. On March 28, 1758, after a year of freedom, Edward Marriott returned to his old ways. He was committed to New Prison “on suspicion of breaking a house.” He was instantly recognized by James Emms, a turnkey for New Prison. Knowing that he could very well hang for returning to London, Marriott tried to hide from Emms, but the game was up. John Fielding, the “Blind Beak,” charged him with returning from transportation. The Public Advertiser, March 29, 1758, page 2. On April 5, 1758, Edward Marriott was tried at the Old Bailey. His only defense was claiming to be a different man named “Thomas Rice,” but both James Cooper (who arrested him back in 1756) and James Emms testified that it was Marriott. However, the court found him to not be “at large” and therefore not subject to the death penalty. April 5, 1758 Old Bailey Sessions Papers - Justices' Working Documents for the Edward Marriott case. A few months later, Edward Marriott was loaded onto the Tryal under Captain Nicholas Andrew. This was almost certainly the same transport that hauled Mary Jones to Maryland. After an unusually arduous passage of 16 weeks, the Tryal finally dropped anchor in Maryland, delivering Edward Marriott back into servitude. Edward Marriott disappears from the known historical record from this point forward. Colonial Drink Recipe: Sangaree We have paired this story with the drink, Sangaree. What would become modern sangria, sangaree is a simple drink with few ingredients and easy preparation. It a friendly, low alcohol punch beverage made with brandy and port wine. The addition of brandy used is somewhat of a twist on the original which only calls for Madeira wine. Brandy can certainly be changed for your preferred spirit or left out altogether. Later cookery books would create different recipes each using a different base: ale, sherry, gin, porter, etc. Sangaree was chosen for Marriott due to the drink’s knack for changing over time, just as Marriott changed his identity in an attempt to avoid capture until old habits came back to bite him. Brandy Sangaree ½ teaspoon granulated sugar 1 teaspoon water 2 oz brandy 1 oz port wine Grate nutmeg for garnish 1. Fill serving glass with ice and set aside to chill. 2. Add sugar and water to another mixing glass and stir until fully dissolved. 3. To the mixing glass add ice, brandy, and port wine. Stir until fully combined and cold. PLEASE NOTE: The more the drink is stirred the more water will melt from the ice, resulting in a “weaker” drink. 4. Toss ice from serving glass out, strain the drink into the chilled glass and garnish with nutmeg. 5. Enjoy! Enjoying Sangaree? Join Us for the Next Colonial Cocktails: Syllabub & Sangaree! Thursday, August 27, 2020 6:30 – 7:30pm From punches to bounces, syllabubs to juleps, colonists imbibed a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. At Colonial Cocktails, you’ll get to make and enjoy two historical drinks and learn about colonial tavern culture. In this session, you’ll whip up a Syllabub, a frothy cream dream with hard cider. You'll also explore the origins of Sangria, making an earlier version, Sangaree, with port wine and brandy. Participants must be 21+. For the safety of participants and staff, this event will be held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance. Members: $25 Non-Members: $30 (Become one today!) Pre-Registration Required Maximum of 20 attendees SIGN UP HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!

Last week, we shared a photo on our social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram) of a Monarch Butterfly in our gardens, lamenting they were showing up everywhere *except* for our milkweed (Asclepias)! But just in time for #WildlifeWednesday, we caught sight of a monarch butterfly AND a bee enjoying the milkweed. Loving all these pollinators! Many people already know that milkweed (and other Asclepias) is important because it's where monarch butterflies lay their eggs. And of course, as shown, it's an important source of food for butterflies and other pollinators. We talked with our director of horticulture about the relationship between monarch butterflies and milkweed. She said, "I have been reading about milkweed toxins and how the monarch feed on them to then use the toxin for their own defense." She put together a few resources on the subject: “All milkweeds contain a milky sap which can be seen if the stem or leaf is broken. Within the sap is a toxin, cardiac glycosides, causing poisoning of humans and animals if eaten. Some insects have evolved over time to become adapted to feeding on these toxins, and the insects become poisonous to the predators that eat them. The insects have developed a way to take the toxins from the milkweed while eating the leaves and sap, and use the toxins as a defense mechanism against birds, animals and other insects that want to use them as a food source.” (Source: http://www.ladybug.uconn.edu/FactSheets/asclepias-milkweeds.php) Here are some additional websites she recommends for more information: https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/milkweeds-fascinating-plants-home-to-colorful-insects/ She says the following is "A very detailed but excellent resource": https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/R2ES/Pollinators/8-Milkweeds_Handbook_XerSoc_June2014.pdf Have you seen monarch butterflies or other pollinators around? Have you planted milkweed or other pollinator friendly plants? We'd love to hear how they're doing!

Welcome back to another "A Sin and A Secret." Mix yourself a drink based on a colonial recipe and then curl with a completely true, completely salacious story. Enjoy a new #ASinAndASecret post every week. Read more in the series here. The Burning of the Peggy Stewart, Francis Blackwell Mayer, 1896, Courtesy of the Maryland Commission on Artistic Property Did you know that Annapolis had its own tea party, much like the famous one in Boston? Our story begins with two London Town businessmen: Anthony Stewart and James Dick. The two were both business partners and family. Stewart had married Dick’s daughter Jean. The duo owned numerous lucrative businesses, including a store in Annapolis. Paintings of Anthony Stewart and Jean Dick, Both paintings by John Hesselius, c.1760s, Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston However, the first crack in their partnership came in February 1770. The brig “Good Intent” sailed into Annapolis, laden with forbidden goods from London. Tensions had begun heating between the colonies and England, and the British government had begun taxing many items the colonists’ relied on. In response to these heavy taxes, locals had decided to ban tea and other taxed imported goods. Dick had even helped create the agreement that had expressly forbidden the goods on-board. Chastised by their fellow Annapolis merchants, Dick and Stewart were forced to send the Good Intent back without unloading a single item. This put them deeply into debt to the London merchant James Buchanan. Their rival (and sometimes customer) Joshua Johnson shared the details in his gossipy letters, “I am told they own J.B. & Son not less than 10 or 12,000 pound and that he had determined not to pay their bills or send them any more goods.” Despite the setback, Dick and Stewart Company continued operating a store in London Town – and they found innovative ways of making money. In 1773 – apparently seeking to avoid paying custom officials – a letter signed by them mentioned needing a vessel fast enough “to pass and repass cleverly.” Among their vessels was the “Peggy Stewart,” named after Stewart’s daughter and Dick’s granddaughter. In 1774 – well after the Boston Tea Party – the Peggy Stewart was surreptitiously loaded with a cargo of tea by their merchant in London (apparently against the captain’s objections and his American counterpart’s wishes). Nonetheless, when the Peggy Stewart arrived in Annapolis, Stewart insisted on paying the tax on the tea, even when the collector warned him not to. Locals became incensed by this violation of the non-importation agreement. Mobs gathered in Annapolis from around the colony. Some even threatened Stewart with hanging! Charles Carroll of Carrollton suggested offloading the tea and burning it under the gallows, but the mob wanted more. Stewart himself was rowed out to the Peggy Stewart and set her on fire. She burned to the waterline, destroying the cargo. This finally satiated the mob. The Peggy Stewart Tea Punch and Gunpowder Green Tea Options! In honor of the Peggy Stewart Affair, we have prepared multiple cocktail recipes: The Peggy Stewart Tea Punch (developed long after the burning of the ship) Gunpowder Green Tea Infused Gin Gunpowder Green Tea Cocktail (using the Infused Gin) The Peggy Stewart Tea Punch From Forgotten Maryland Cocktails Recipe by Mrs. J. Pierre Bernard, Peggy Stewart House, Annapolis 3 pints cold water 8 teaspoonful best tea Thin rind and juice of 8 lemons (about a cup of juice) 1½ pounds cut sugar 1 quart rum ½ pint whiskey Let tea boil, leaving lemon and rind in. While on the fire throw in pulp of lemons (having squeezed out juice). When boiled sufficiently, pour off into a bowl. Put in sugar, juice of the lemons and add rum and whiskey if you like. Pour over ice to serve. Source: https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2015/8/26/maryland-forgotten-cocktails-book-interview-recipes Gunpowder Green Tea Infused Gin ¼ cup gunpowder green tea leaves 1 (750 ml) bottle of gin such a Bombay Sapphire Honey Syrup 1 cup honey 1 cup water Gunpowder Green Tea Cocktail 1 ½ oz infused gin (see above recipe) ½ salted honey syrup ½ oz lemon juice 1-2 dashes of your favorite bitters To Prep Combine green tea and gin into a large bottle and let sit and infuse for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours strain the infusion and put back in the original gin bottle. It would be a good idea to label the infused gin. Combine water and honey into a small pot. Bring to a boil, stir to combine, then turn off and allowed to cool. To make the drink In a shaker full of ice combine infused gin, honey syrup, lemon juice, and bitters (if using). Shake until the shaker is frosted or completely cold to the touch. Strain into a glass with crushed ice. Serve and enjoy! And don't forget to sign up today for Colonial Cocktails: Bounce & Bumbo on Thursday, July 23, 2020, 6:30pm. From punches to bounces, syllabubs to juleps, colonists imbibed a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. At Colonial Cocktails, you’ll get to make and enjoy two historical drinks and learn about colonial tavern culture. This session will explore Bounce, a pleasant concoction of fruit-steeped brandy, and Bumbo, a common rum punch. For the safety of participants and staff, this event will be held outside with appropriate distancing, group sizes, and cleaning in accordance with CDC and local guidance. Members: $25 Non-Members: $30 (Become one today!) Pre-Registration Required Maximum of 20 attendees Participants must be 21+ Sign up today!

Spanish Bayonet Yucca, Agauos Agave, and Amazing Aloe Succulents soak in the sun, enjoying every bit of the bright UV rays even when temperatures start soaring. Don't need any water yet? Let's have a look at three stalwart plants of the succulent family: Agave, Yucca and Aloe. All three, when gifted to anyone, will surely be received with wide open arms, for it is almost impossible to kill them. Yes, you can forget to water them and they will still live on. Succulent survival at its best! Aguos Agave 'Blue glow' Let me introduce you to a marvelous Agave variety: the leaves have a blue green tinge, a red margin and a stunning arrangement of rosette leaves. Agaves are one of the best succulents you can leave alone and forget to water. But when in pots, they could use a soil fix. Adapted to zone 8-11, this blue green Agave flowers only once in 10-15 years and then dies. This particular Agave is small in size and best for containers. Agave americana Agave americana on the other hand is a very large Agave with beautiful creamy yellow strip to the leaves and killer spike at the tip. Agave americana 'marginata' needs its own space in a garden, it can make a bold statement with its size and stripes. Spanish Bayonet, Yucca What's not to like about Yuccas? They thrive in dry, neglected soils and live on for years. A pretty drought tolerant variety is Yucca filamentosa, the specific epithet referring to fibers on the yellow green leaf margin. The flower spikes can reach up to 6 ft and the bright white flowers are a magnet for the bees. Amazing Aloe Aloe are soothing, everlasting and smooth to touch. One of the most kid friendly succulent. And amazing because of its healing properties and also how far back their history is recorded to "Aloe vera’s use can be traced back 6,000 years to early Egypt, where the plant was depicted on stone carvings. Known as the “plant of immortality,” aloe was presented as a funeral gift to pharaohs." Source: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/aloe-vera Here is an excellent guide to care, culture and types of succulents as well as a reference to one of my favorite succulent gardens - truly a 'dry garden oasis' - Ruth Bancroft Gardens in Berkeley, CA. "Most cacti and succulents are adapted to dry habitats, and are found in arid regions all over the world. Most are able to store water, enabling them to survive long dry periods. The word 'succulent' means 'juicy' — and, in truth, that’s exactly what they are, thanks to their ability to store water in their leaves and/or stems." Source: https://piedmontmastergardeners.org/article/succeeding-with-succulents/. You can now watch a webinar for this garden on July 25th, follow the sign up link on: http://cactusandsucculentsociety.org/ Mini Succulent Workshop Looking for something more hands-on? Well, you can now have a lively hands-on experience with succulents right here at London Town on Saturday, August 1st during the Mini Succulent Workshop. Follow the link on: www.historiclondontown.org/events. Succulents, big or small, spiky or smooth, all are an outstanding group of plants considering the wide array of choices. Whether in ground or in a container, a succulent in a sunny spot in your yard or glass window is a reminder of the sun, fun and natures gift of plants that can thrive in the toughest, driest of conditions, thriving in soaring high temperatures, a true wonder of life!

Thank you to the Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and the Four Rivers Heritage Area for awarding London Town a grant to construct a much needed education pavilion on-site. Learn more about all 114 grants awarded to cultural organizations across the state at https://mht.maryland.gov/documents/PDF/MHAA/MHAA_CurrentGrantAwards.pdf This grant will be more than matched by a generous grant from the Phillips Charitable Foundation and a private donor. We plan to be ready to serve students in our educational field trips on-site as soon as is safely possible again. These grants will allow us to expand our educational offerings so as to introduce more students to discover history and horticulture in their own backyard. We are incredibly grateful. The design of the pavilion has been completed by local architect Michael Dowling.