18ST751 Rousby Site

Site History

The Rousby site dates to the second half of the 17th century and was most likely the residence of John Halfhead and his family. Halfhead was one of the original settlers to arrive in Maryland aboard the Ark and the Dove in 1634. He was an illiterate brick-maker who served as an indentured servant to pay for his passage to Maryland and then claimed land in return for his service and for transporting other settlers to the colony.

In 1649 Halfhead was awarded approximately 250 acres at the mouth of the Patuxent River, a tract that is currently located aboard the Naval Air Station Patuxent River not far from the Mattapany-Sewall site. As his plantation was already established by the time Charles Calvert moved to Mattapany-Sewall, it is possible that Calvert hired his new neighbor Halfhead to fire the bricks for his new dwelling. Such skilled labor was scarce in the mid-17th century in Maryland.

By 1684, the property may have been acquired by Christopher Rousby, a prominent settler who held several public offices but who suffered a falling out with the Calvert proprietary. Though Rousby also owned other tracts in the area, the site was named for him because its proximity to his grave indicated that he might have resided there until he was scandalously murdered by Charles Calvert’s cousin, George Talbot, in October 1684. Even if Rousby did live at the site, however, his tenure there was short and the majority of the occupation may be attributed to the Halfhead family.

Archaeology

Archaeologists identified the Rousby site during a Phase I survey of Harper’s Creek aboard the Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Phase II excavations to follow up on the Phase I survey placed 14 test units in areas of high-artifact concentration. Notable features indentified included a refuse pit and an intact tile-paved floor, both dating to the second half of the 17th century.

For more information:

http://www.jefpat.org/IntroWeb/RousbySite.htm

Child, Kathleen M., Sean Alexander, Michael B. Hornum, and Martha Williams. 2005. Phase II Archaeological Evaluation of Site 18ST751, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, St. Mary’s County, Maryland. Report Prepared for Commander, Atlantic Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Norfolk, Virginia.

Galke, Laura, and Michael W. Kell. 2000. Phase I Archaeological Resources Inventory of the Harper’s Creek Area Naval Air Station Patuxent River, St. Mary’s County, Maryland.

The Rousby Site archaeological collection is owned by the Naval District Washington, Naval Air Station Patuxent River and curated at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory.