What Is The "Baltimore Hundred" & Where Is Horntown?

Our family's roots cover the lower Delmarva Peninsula. The Gray family is from the Baltimore Hundred of Sussex County, Delaware. The Welburns hailed from further south in Horntown, Accomack County, Virginia until Poppa George Welburn migrated north.

1868 Map of the Baltimore Hundred,

Sussex County, Delaware

The Baltimore Hundred is the most southeastern section of Sussex County and the state of Delaware. It is directly south of the Indian River Bay, directly north Worcester County, Maryland, and immediately west of the Atlantic Ocean. A "Hundred" is an old colonial term applied to a sectioned area of the county in which 100 farms should fit.

The 1868 Map from Beers Atlas actually marked the location of Baltimore Hundred landowners, including our patriarch George Welburn. It has been color altered to distinguish some creeks from roads and George Welburn's name is marked in red.

The Drummond Welbourne House

Our great-great-great-great-grandmother Hannah Welbourne, was one of few slaves owned by Reverend Drummond Welbourne. He operated a tavern from his home and was the 2nd postmaster of Horntown (the current Horntown Post Office sits on a parcel of his land). As a Methodist minister he was expected to live an impoverished life, but his wants outweighed his means. He began construction on one of the nicest houses in town and went into debt.

Drummond's relationship with George's mother Hannah is unclear, but he cared enough to free her on June 30, 1818 before his creditors took his assets. Despite being free and against Virginia law, Hannah remained on the Welbourne property when Drummond wrote his will on August 8, 1818. She was the only person to benefit from the will which merely confirmed her emancipation and assigned executors to his indebted estate. His pregnant wife and mother of his children was not even mentioned. 3 days later Drummond Welbourne committed suicide by hanging in his unfinished house (according to local lore). Below is a rare photo of the Drummond Welbourne House well before its demise in the 1950's.