The earliest named Gypsy in America was Joan Scott who in
1695 was charged with fornication and bearing a child out of wedlock. The Henrico County Virginia court records
describe her as “an Egiptian and noe Xtian woman (Egyptian and non-christian)”. Her case set the tone for negativity against
Gypsies.
By 1767 people described as Gypsies had scattered across the
colonies. In August of 1767 three servant men ran away
from forges at the Patuxent Iron Works on the Patuxent river about twenty miles
south of Baltimore. They had been
transported to America as convicts from England and they were purchased for a seven
year contract to serve as bound labor.
Below is the ad in the Maryland Gazette that described them as Gypsies.
The previous two paragraphs were based on works by Ann Ostendorf. So early on any recorded media showed the Gypsies in a
negative light. Gypsies are usually
defined as any member of a traveling people traditionally living by itinerant trade
and fortune telling. They speak the Romany
language that is related to Hindi and are believed to have come from a group of
people from north west India. So much for definitions, by the 1800s they were
all over America. Traveling in bands,
making their living from horse trading and tinkering for the men, removing
sickness, giving curses and fortune telling for the women. Today
with so many amusements at our viewing pleasure Gypsies are not as much a
factor as they were from 1850 to 1950.
In 1900 about every six months a tribe of Gypsies would go down the
Delmarva Peninsula stopping every week or so at a different location. The men and women would go house to house
selling their trade be it tinkering (tinsmithing, basketmaking, leather work
and shoe repair), selling good luck charms and potions, fortune telling, horse
trading, selling lawn chairs made from branches, etc. Some time smaller groups would follow the
crops working as itinerant workers in the canneries and fields. In larger cities they might stay for a month
or so.
above 1938 Salisbury Times
As bad publicity spread about their actions (they would always
be accused of stealing chickens, stealing children, or stealing money) the
local governments would try and enact regulations against them. In 1964 Wicomico county required the below
licensing fees mostly pertaining to gypsies.
When they passed through Delmar they would frequently camp
at Leonard Mill pond. Since all traffic
traveling what is today RT13 had to cross Leonard Mill pond it was noticeable spot
for all travelers be they gypsies or non gypsies. In the 1850 to 1950 time period there was
grove of trees by the pond and travelers would camp there over night or for a
couple of days. It had the requirements
of water, trees and owners that would allow people to camp out there. They would park their covered wagons start
their campfires, visit local houses to sell their wares and return to the grove
to play their music at night and locals would visit the camp for the adventure or to buy what ever they were selling. After a
couple of days they would continue on down the shore.
I am sure there are still followers of a good fortuneteller
but today they are not as prevalent as before 1960 in which many of our
relatives would seek out fortune tellers and for five or ten dollars be told a
great story of events to befall them. Gypsy
fortune tellers rated high above all others.
above 1954 ad
One of the family stories we have in my family is when my grandmother ran
a small grocery store in Venton, Somerset county in 1920. When the gypsies came through my grandmother
had to keep an eye on the Gypsies and her younger sister, who would give away
anything in the store if they would read her hand and tell her fortune.
The Gypsy was romanticized in the movies, plays, books
etc. Local groups performed what was
called Gypsy entertainment sometimes in churches sometimes in schools.
below is a 1929 Delmar Maryland High school play that
included Gypsies.
Front Row; Nadine Hudson and Frances McGuinness
back row; Thelma Powell, Irene Parsons, Catherine Elliott, Pauline Small, Jeanette Walls, Virginia Hudson
back row; Thelma Powell, Irene Parsons, Catherine Elliott, Pauline Small, Jeanette Walls, Virginia Hudson
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