As the county became more populated, residents spread out in Cecil County. The public needed a more centrally located spot for its courthouse. The land at Courthouse Point was chosen for this reason, along with its accessibility by water. In August of 1717, land owner Colonel Ephraim Augustine Herman was “allowed 300 pounds of tobacco for two acres of land on the Elk River upon Bohemia Manor for ye building of a courthouse”. In November of 1717, Col. Herman obtained the contract for building it, for which he was allowed 35,000 pounds of tobacco. Tradition says that the structure that was erected was made of brick and floored with mortar. Later that same year, Herman was ordered to clear all convenient roads leading to the property.
The court met for the first time in the new building in March of 1719. The court ordered, at that time, that a jail be constructed. The records say, “Ordered, that Col. E.A. Herman be allowed 1,000 pounds of tobacco for building a 15 feet prison and ten feet wide at ye courthouse, on Elk River, with hewed logs and a substantial pillory and stocks neare ye same. The said prison to be floored with good substantial hewed logs, lofted with ye same at least seven feet high between flore and flore.” The completed structure was about twenty feet square, one story high and very strongly built of yellow pine logs.
Abel Van Burkaloo, then the sheriff of Cecil County, was paid 300 pounds of tobacco for bringing the records and stocks from the old courthouse to the new one. According to Johnston’s History of Cecil County, “Court House Point was admirably adapted for the purpose for which it was chosen, and was the best selection that could have been made. New Munster and the country along the Susquehanna and North East was rapidly being settled at this time, and no doubt the wishes and convenience of the people living in those parts of the county were consulted and respected.”
Many legends exist concerning the executions of prisoners at the Court House Point location. According to Johnston’s History of Cecil County, these legends include stories of criminals who were “drawn and quartered, their remains exposed to public view, different parts being placed upon different sides of the river.”
In 1781, the people of the county wanted a new, more accessible location for the county seat. More and more people were living in the northern part of the county and Courthouse Point wasn’t convenient for them. In the November session of the court, Thomas May, John Stockton, and David Smith were authorized to act as judges of an election to be held in the last week of February. This election would decide the new location of the court. On Monday and Tuesday, voting would take place t the current courthouse, On Wednesday and Thursday, citizens of Head of Elk would vote, and on Friday and Saturday voting would take place in Charlestown.
At the election held at the courthouse, there were 43 votes for Charlestown, 1 vote for Head of Elk, and 2 votes for no move. At Head of Elk there were 34 votes for Charlestown, 2 votes for Head of Elk, and no votes for Courthouse Point. At the election in Charlestown, 450 votes were cast for Charlestown, and they were all for Charlestown.
The move to Charlestown began in 1781.
