"Jumping off Point for St. Clement's Island" Coltons Point by grandmaR

Marker for Dr Gerard

Colton's Point was formerly Longworth Point and was the home of Dr.Thomas Gerard, surgeon, came into the Province of MD by April 1638 with five men servants (Md Land Office Patents Liber 1, folio 19). After several trips between Maryland and England, Thomas Gerard sold his holdings in England. On 19 Sep 1650 he demanded 2,000 acres of land for transporting himself, his wife and 5 chidren, a Mr Austin Hill, 8 men servants and 4 women servants in to the Province (Md Land office Patents L AB&H, f 47).

Thomas Gerard became one of the largest land owners in Maryland. on 3 Nov 1639, he was issued one of the first manorial grants to be issued in St Mary's Co. He acquired a patent for 1,030 acres he called "St Clement's Manor" (Md Land Office Patents Liber AB&H, Folio 68). This patent included St Clement's Island, the landing place of the first Maryland settlers in 1634. With this patent, he also achieved the status of "Lord of the Manor". On 24 Mar 1651, Thomas Gerard received a patent of 1,500 acres, he called "Bastford Manor" and a patent of 500 acres for I'St Winifred's Freehold" (Ibid. Folio 193-194). Thomas Gerard also acquired 3,500 acres of land called Gerard's Preserve" in Westmoreland County Virginia. He continued to acquire lands and at the time of his death his holdings contained about 16,000 acres.

Since Thomas Gerard's wife Susannah and their children were Protestant, he erected an Anglican Chapel for them on St Clement's Manor. According to Edwin Beitzell's writings the chapel was erected "at the head of a branch of St Patrick's Creek". It was the third Protestant church to be erected in Maryland.

He was a big wheel in Maryland politics until he aligned himself with the Fendall Rebellion of 1660. With the collapse of the rebellion, Thomas Gerard was banished. He went to live in Westmoreland Co Virginia until he was pardoned by the Maryland council and was restored to citizenship in the Province but was forbidden to hold office (Md Archives Liber III, folio 406-407).

Susannah (Snowe) Gerard died in 1666 St Clement's Manor. Thomas moved to "Gerard's Preserve" in Westmoreland County Virginia. It was there that he married Mrs. Rose Tucker.

Thomas died in Virginia in 1673 and he was taken to Maryland and buried beside his first wife, Susannah Snowe. In his will he stated - "Testator desires to be buried by deceased wife Susanna". His will was dated 5 Feb 1672 and it was probated in St Mary's County 15 Dec 1673 (Md Cal of Wills L 1 f 567)

Susanna is buried at Longworth's Point,directly overlooking [in St.Clement's Manor] the cite where the Ark and the Dove first landed in Maryland..

From St. Clement's Island museum

Colton owned the property around the time of the Civil War. He may have won the property playing poker and the post-office there took his name. He had a Civil War era hotel there on the River.

One of the main attractions of the modern Colton's Point is that you can go to the St Clement's Island Museum and you can also ride the water taxi to St. Clement's Island.