BLOOMINGDALE Patented 1665
A BEAUTIFUL tributary of the Chesapeake Bay which attracted many of the early settlers is the Wye River. After passing Bennett's Point, upon entering "The Wye," and the long and historical peninsula of the Bennett estate, this river separates and forms a "Y." The south prong, known as "Front Wye," and the north
prong, known as "Back Wye," bound the north and south sides of Bordley's or Paca's Island. On the north prong are some noted estates, among which are "Wye," "Wye Island" and "Cheston-on-Wye." At the head of the northeast branch of "Back Wye" is situated one of the finest brick colonial residences in Queen Anne's County, "Bloomingdale." This property was orginally patented by Capt. Robert Morris under the name of "Mount Mill" by letters patent issued on June 7, 1665.
In 1684 the tract was acquired by Jacob Seth, who added to the property by purchase, making it two miles square. Jacob Seth occupied the property until his death in 1698, and by his will devised it to his son, John, with a provision that if John died without descendants [page 127] it should go to his son, Charles. John died before reaching maturity and the property was occupied by Charles until his death in
1737- Jacob Seth married, in 1676, Barbara Beckwith, a daughter of Capt. George Beckwith and Frances Harvey. They resided on a tract of land on the Patuxent River in St. Mary's County which had been granted to Nicholas Harvey, the father of Frances Beckwith. Nicholas Harvey came into the Province with Leonard Calvert in
1634. Charles Seth by will devised the property to his sons, John, James, Charles and Jacob. Jacob, by subsequent purchases, became the owner of the whole tract, and at his death it went to his oldest son and heir-at-law, Thomas Johnings Seth, who died about 1820 without descendants, and the property was sold by a trustee in chan-
cery to Edward Harris, whose heirs, Mary and Sallie Harris, became the owners of this estate at his death and rechristened it "Bloomingdale." Sallie, the surviving sister, willed it to her cousin, Severn Teackle Wallis, and he to his nephew, who sold it to Hiram G. Dudley of Baltimore City, the present owner.
