An open invitation to Snow Hill historians, genealogists, and community members
As we begin the process of restoring the property that will become Cypress River Inn & Spa, we want to be clear about something important:
this land did not begin with us.
Our purchase of the property has not yet been finalized, but long before any renovation plans, architectural drawings, or hospitality concepts, this land already carried a deep and meaningful history—one closely tied to Snow Hill, Worcester County, and many of the families who helped shape this town.
This post is not presented as a finished or closed historical record.
It is a working history, grounded in documented land patents, deeds, wills, and public Maryland archives. We are sharing it now to invite the Snow Hill community—especially those with genealogical and historical knowledge—to help us refine, correct, and expand it.
From England to the Eastern Shore: The Proprietary Roots of the Land
All land ownership in colonial Maryland traces back to the proprietary charter granted in 1632 by King Charles I of England to Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore. Under this system, land was surveyed, patented, and conveyed through the Maryland Land Office using handwritten parchment documents—often referred to as “sheepskin” grants.
Before Worcester County was created in 1742, this region fell within Somerset County, which explains why many early Snow Hill–area land records appear in Somerset County archives rather than Worcester.
Understanding this framework is essential for interpreting early land ownership in and around Snow Hill.
The Earliest Known Patent: The Tract Called “INCH” (1686)
The earliest documented land tract directly connected to the property history we are tracing is a tract known as INCH.
Earliest Patent (“Sheepskin”)
- Date: 10 September 1686
- Tract Name: INCH
- Acreage: 200 acres
- Patentee: Alexander McCullough, of Sussex County, Delaware
- Jurisdiction: Then Somerset County, Province of Maryland
This 1686 patent is the origin point of the tract under Lord Baltimore’s proprietary system. Every later conveyance of INCH flows legally from this original grant.
Chain of Ownership for INCH (1686–1797)
The ownership of INCH can be traced with unusual clarity through surviving deeds:
- 10 Sept 1686 – Patent issued to Alexander McCullough (200 acres)
- 1 Oct 1742 – McCullough → Adam Spence (200 acres)
- 20 July 1744 – Adam Spence → Absalom Brittingham (200 acres)
- 23 Oct 1795 – Jesse Henderson and wife Rachel Henderson, the only heiress of Absalom Brittingham, convey INCH to Samuel Johnson (200 acres)
- 5 Jan 1797 – Samuel Johnson sells 40 acres of INCH to Thomas Brittingham, retaining 160 acres
This confirms that Samuel Johnson was the principal owner of INCH by 1795 and still held the majority of the tract after 1797.
The Johnson Family in Worcester County
By the late 1700s, the Johnson family was firmly established as landholders in what had become Worcester County.
Public records—including wills, land commissions, and deeds—show Johnson family ownership of multiple tracts in and around Snow Hill, including:
- INCH
- Bachelors Lott
- Bridgewater Supply
- Thornbury Addition
- Corn Hill and Corn Hill’s Addition
A 1797 Worcester County Land Commission ruled that the real estate of Samuel Johnson could not be partitioned, listing Three Brothers, Corn Hill, and Corn Hill’s Addition, extending from St. Martin’s River to Spring Branch, and including a one-half interest in an old grist or water mill (shared with the Kerby heirs).
This confirms that Samuel Johnson’s landholdings were not isolated parcels, but part of a broad agricultural and commercial landscape tied to milling, farming, and river access.
Johnson Property Within Snow Hill Itself
The Johnson family’s presence was not limited to rural farmland.
In 1853, Samuel Johnson and his wife Elizabeth conveyed a portion of land described as part of “Snow Hill Confirmation” to George Washington Purnell Smith, a Snow Hill attorney. This parcel later became associated with what is now known as the George Washington Purnell House.
This deed establishes that the Johnson family also held town property in Snow Hill, including land along Church Street and Market Street, reflecting the close relationship between rural farms, town life, and river commerce.
A Deeper Family Context: Wills and Revolutionary-Era Service
Earlier Johnson family wills further anchor this lineage in Worcester County:
- Elisha Johnson (will dated 1770)
- Owned a plantation at Mattipini Landing
- Held a dwelling, store, and household goods
- Places the family squarely in the Snow Hill / Pocomoke watershed by the 1770s
- Eliakim Johnson (will dated 1790, proved 1792)
- Owned Bachelors Lott, Bridgewater Supply, and Thornbury Addition
- Served as a Lieutenant in the Snow Hill Battalion of the Maryland Militia during the Revolutionary War
- Was a deacon at All Hallows Church in Snow Hill
These records show a continuous Johnson presence from the colonial period through the Revolutionary era and into the early republic.
Our Family’s Connection & the American Revolution
Our family are proud members of both the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).
Our documented lineage includes ancestors who served during the American Revolutionary War, including Eliakim Johnson, whose militia service directly ties Snow Hill, Worcester County, and our family to the founding of the United States.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence, this history carries special meaning for us. These were not distant figures—they were farmers, deacons, landowners, and community members whose lives unfolded on the same land and streets we are now privileged to help steward.
Connecting This History to Castle Farm
Castle Farm, officially recognized by the State of Maryland as a 200-Year Century Farm, sits within the same historic agricultural landscape shaped by these early families.
While the name “Castle Farm” is modern, the land itself has been farmed continuously for centuries. The same families who appear in the INCH chain of title and Snow Hill records—Johnson, Brittingham, Purnell, Spence, and others—are documented throughout this region.
Castle Farm’s designation reflects documented agricultural continuity through the 1800s, but the land’s true roots extend back into the 1600s, under the same proprietary land system that produced the INCH patent.
A Living History — and an Open Invitation
We want to be very clear:
This history is not complete.
Land records are complex.
Names change spelling.
Boundaries shift.
Families intermarry.
Documents disappear and reappear.
That is why we are sharing this research now—and why we are openly inviting the Snow Hill community to participate.
If you have:
- family records
- deeds or plats
- oral histories
- corrections or clarifications
- genealogical research
- photographs or documents
we would be honored to learn from you.
Why We Are Sharing This Now
We are not approaching Cypress River Inn & Spa as a simple renovation project.
We are approaching it as stewards of a historic landscape.
Before renovations.
Before branding.
Before hospitality plans.
There is history—and that history deserves respect.
As our research continues, we will share updates, sources, and discoveries openly, with links to public Maryland databases whenever possible.
Cypress River Inn & Spa is not just a new destination.
It is the next chapter in a very old story.
And we are grateful to be part of it—together with the Snow Hill community.
Historical Sources & Citations
The history shared in this post is based on documented public records, archival materials, and genealogical research. We have relied primarily on original land patents, deeds, wills, and official Maryland archival sources. Where interpretation or inference is involved, we have noted this openly and invite clarification or correction.
Maryland Land & Property Records
- Maryland State Archives
Certificates, Patents, and Plats (Land Office Records), including early proprietary grants issued under the authority of the Lords Baltimore.
https://msa.maryland.gov - Maryland Land Records (MDLandRec)
Worcester County deed books and indexes, including 18th–19th century conveyances referencing the tract known as INCH, Snow Hill town lots, and associated Johnson, Brittingham, Henderson, and Purnell transactions.
https://mdlandrec.ne - Maryland Land Office Tract Index (Worcester County)
Tract name index identifying original patents, resurveys, and subsequent references for named tracts including INCH, Bachelors Lott, Bridgewater Supply, Thornbury Addition, Corn Hill, and Corn Hill’s Addition.
Documented Chain of Title: Tract “INCH”
- Patent:
INCH, 200 acres, patented 10 September 1686 to Alexander McCullough of Sussex County, Delaware, under the proprietary government of Maryland. - Deeds:
- Alexander McCullough → Adam Spence (1 October 1742)
- Adam Spence → Absalom Brittingham (20 July 1744)
- Jesse Henderson & Rachel Henderson (only heiress of Absalom Brittingham) → Samuel Johnson (23 October 1795)
- Samuel Johnson → Thomas Brittingham (40 acres of INCH, 5 January 1797)
(Recorded in Worcester County deed books; citations available through Maryland Land Records.)
Probate, Wills & Estate Records
- Elisha Johnson, Will dated 16 February 1770
Worcester County / Hall of Records, Annapolis
References plantation and dwelling at Mattipini Landing, store, household goods, and landholdings. - Eliakim Johnson, Will dated 10 April 1790; proved 6 November 1792
Worcester County
References tracts Bachelors Lott, Bridgewater Supply, Thornbury Addition; names heirs and identifies Eliakim Johnson as a deacon at All Hallows Church. - Worcester County Land Commission Records (1797)
Determination that the real estate of Samuel Johnson could not be partitioned; lists Three Brothers, Corn Hill, Corn Hill’s Addition, and a one-half interest in an old grist or water mill extending from St. Martin’s River to Spring Branch.
Snow Hill Town Property
- Deed (1853):
Samuel Johnson and wife Elizabeth → George Washington Purnell Smith
Conveyance of a portion of land described as part of Snow Hill Confirmation, later associated with the George Washington Purnell House.
(Referenced in Worcester County deed books and National Register documentation.)
Revolutionary War & Lineage Documentation
- Maryland Militia Records
Service of Eliakim Johnson, Lieutenant, Snow Hill Battalion, Maryland Militia (Revolutionary War). - Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
Lineage documentation confirming descent from Revolutionary War–era service members tied to Worcester County, Maryland. - Sons of the American Revolution (SAR)
Lineage documentation confirming service and descent through Johnson family lines associated with Snow Hill and surrounding tracts.
Historic Maps (Public Domain)
- Dennis Griffith, Map of the State of Maryland (1795)
Library of Congress
Illustrates Somerset County prior to the creation of Worcester County in 1742.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2011596646/ - Carey & Lea, Geographical, Statistical, and Historical Map of Maryland (1822)
Library of Congress
Shows Worcester County and Snow Hill in the early national period.
https://www.loc.gov/item/2011596136/ - Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Snow Hill, Maryland (1895, 1904, 1910)
Library of Congress
Detailed town-lot mapping including Church Street, Market Street, and the Pocomoke River.
https://www.loc.gov/collections/sanborn-maps/
Notes on Methodology
- Early land records may appear under Somerset County due to Worcester County’s creation in 1742.
- Tract names, spellings, and boundaries may vary across documents and over time.
- Some conclusions rely on geographic continuity, family associations, and corroborating records rather than a single document.
This research is ongoing. We welcome corrections, additional documentation, or alternate interpretations supported by primary sources.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of 1895 from the Library of Congress
