The first courthouses of Colonial Maryland, including Cecil County, met in the homes of private citizens and in public houses. After Cecil County was founded in 1674, it took almost 20 years for the county to build its first courthouse. According to the Maryland State Archives, the first building was said to have been built in 1692 on the “north side of the Sassafras River, a short distance from Ordinary Point. This location was later named Jamestown and identified on maps of Cecil County as Oldtown”.
George Johnston’s History of Cecil County states that this location was chosen because of its access to navigable water. At this time, less than a dozen residents lived north of the Elk River, and they lived along the North East River. They would have easy access to the courthouse by boat.
The minutes of the court show that in 1690 the court met at the house of Thomas Jones, and on April 12, 1692 it met at the house of Shadrack Whitworth. At the next meeting, which was held at Matthias Matthiason’s home, Shadrack Whitworth prayed the court to be admitted as an attorney to practice in the court. His petition was granted and he was admitted and took the oath.
A legislative committee, in 1697, met and reported that the courthouse was not finished. They reported “There is a new court house building in Cecil County wherein may be a brick chimney and there, when finished, the records are to be kept and no ordinary.” The builder was Casparus Herman, but it is unknown if or when it was finished. No description of the planned courthouse exists other than the brick chimney reference. . The county seat was moved to Courthouse Point before it was complete.
In 1719, Matthias VanBibber, Colonel John Ward, and John Jawert were appointed by the court to sell the old courthouse at Jamestown. A public auction was held and on February 9, 1719, it was sold to Colonel John Ward for 5,700 pounds of tobacco.
