Rock Point, Maryland

Rock Point is an unincorporated community located near Cobb Island at the mouth of the Wicomico River in Charles County, Maryland, United States.^[1]

Rock Point was named for the rockfish, or striped bass. At one time, Rock Point had a large hotel serving summer vacationers and winter duck hunters, a steamboat wharf and warehouse, a sizable store, an oyster shucking and packing plant, a crab steaming and picking plant, and many houses. General Billy Mitchell, a duck hunter, was a regular patron. Rock Point became a center of Confederate activity, and was occupied by 300 Union troops throughout the American Civil War. Columbus Lancaster, who owned the store, was arrested and put in the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C. on suspicion of collaborating with the Confederates. Rock Hall is the ancestral home of the Lancaster family, and was originally the 490-acre (2.0 km²) dowry of Elizabeth Neale at her wedding to John Lancaster in 1731. As of 2009, this home has been owned by the same family since it was granted to James Neale in 1641, as part of Wolleston Manor.^[2]

"Charleston" was an 800-acre (3.2 km²) plantation, worked by 100 slaves, on Charleston Creek, north of Rock Point. The plantation was part of Wolleston Manor. Its owner in the early 19th century was Daniel Jenifer, a minister to Austria and a member of the United States Congress. Henry Clay and Daniel Webster were among the many prominent guests whom Jenifer entertained at Wolleston Manor. 

Prominent resident

• William Colby, former Director of Central Intelligence

References