Phase II and Phase III Archaeological Database and Inventory
18BA526 AVW/ Area 2/Site 3
Diagnostic Artifact Data
Features
Summary
Site 18BA526, also known as AVW/Area 2/Site 3, is a late 19th century artifact concentration located near the Middle River area of Baltimore County. The site is situated on a terrace just east of Windlass Run. At least two unnamed tributaries of Saltpeter Creek are to the east of the site. The site is surrounded by upland flat terrain. At the time of the site’s discovery in 2005, it was composed of overgrown agricultural fields. The dominant vegetative setting of surrounding landscape contains several hardwood and coniferous species, including red oak and other oak varieties, yellow poplar, sycamore, red maple, sweetgum, black cherry, beech, sassafras, Virginia pine, loblolly, American holly, and cedar. Soils at the site are primarily poorly drained Issue silt loams.
The site area is likely affiliated with William J. Vanness (or Vannass). The first record of Vanness is an 1857 Map of Baltimore City and County, where a property and house are indicated in this area south of a local road. Three years later, the 1860 US Census has a single record for a William J. Vanness in Maryland. The Vanness the census describes was a merchant who lived in the 14th Ward of Baltimore City. According to this information, William J. Vanness was likely an absentee owner who employed a caretaker to live on and operate his property in Middle River.
In April of 1866, William J. Vanness sold his property in Middle River to a Mary Howell. In the 1870 United States Census, Mary Howell (62) is indicated as living in Middle River with her husband, David Howell (41). The couple are described as being immigrant farmers from Wales. An 1877 Atlas of Baltimore County indicates that David Howell owned a house in the approximate location that William J. Vanness’ is depicted in two decades earlier. In 1883, the house owned by Mary and David Howell was willed to their son Henry, who likely remained at the estate until his death in 1915. According to documentary evidence, Henry Howell appears to be the last resident of the parcel containing the site.
The site was first identified in 2005 during the course of a Phase I archeological survey of the site and surrounding areas. The work was carried out on a 1,000 acre property (which included the site) slated for development of a new business campus. Construction of the business campus was contingent upon receipt of a wetlands permit through the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland Department of the Environment. Thus, the survey was required under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended).
The site was identified based on the presence of 50 historic artifacts found in 17 shovel test pits (STPs) within a 61 X 183 m (200 X 600 ft) area. The STPs were placed at 15.24 X 15.24 m (50 X 50 ft) intervals and were excavated according to natural stratigraphy. All soils were screened through hardware cloth. Artifacts recovered at the site were either surface collected or located in Stratum I, which was identified as plowzone. Artifacts were also identified on the ground surface north and west of the site boundaries. Those artifacts were not included within the site since they were located outside the project area and were part of a previously tested area.
Among the 50 artifacts recovered were 1 undecorated pearlware sherd, 1 undecorated whiteware sherd, 1 porcelain sherd, 1 ironstone sherd, 3 salt-glazed stoneware sherds, 1 engine-turned stoneware, 1 black-glazed redware sherd, olive container glass, 2 manganese-tinted container glass fragments and kaolin pipestems. The material recovery appeared to be confined to an upper disturbed plowzone layer. No intact cultural features were found in the site area. After examining the data, the site was classified as an artifact scatter connected with a 19th century domestic occupation. The site was recommended for Phase II testing, which was carried out immediately.
Following the Phase I survey, Site 18BA526 was found to be located in very close proximity to a previously identified historic site, Site 18BA517 (see synopsis report). Due to their relative location to each other, there is potential that Sites 18BA517 and 18BA526 are related. Site 18BA517 was identified in 2004 during a Phase I survey for the Windlass Run Sanitary Sewer Extension. Work at the site eventually progressed to a Phase II level of research during the summer of 2004. The site was found to represent a domestic residential occupation extending from the mid 19th to the mid 20th century. With the exception of a cellar foundation, no vertical integrity was evident and horizontal activity patterns appear to have been mixed by modern plowing. The site was determined ineligible for listing on the NRHP.
Phase II work in 2005 at 18BA526 made use of the grid system created during the prior Phase I survey. The system was further expanded to conduct more precise testing. The Phase II grid was composed of shovel tests spaced apart at 15.24 m, 7.62 m, and 3.81 m (50, 25, and 12.5 ft) intervals. All shovel test locations were excavated manually, using spade shovels and trowels. The STPs were also excavated stratigraphically in order to maintain vertical control over the artifacts recovered and soils were screened through hardware cloth. A soil profile was prepared for each shovel test location excavated. Soils were described by texture and color and data was recorded on standardized forms. A total of 193 shovel tests were excavated.
The material recovery resulting from the STP work was plotted on a field map in order to display the distribution of artifacts. The artifacts were found to be fairly evenly distributed over the site area with a rather wide dispersal of materials. However, a concentration of artifacts was identified in the western portion of the site area. After examining the nature and distribution of the artifacts, six 91 X 91 cm (3 X 3 ft) test units were excavated. Four of the units were placed in the western half of the site. The other two were situated in the eastern half. Test units were excavated manually, using flat shovels and trowels. These units were also excavated stratigraphically in order to maintain control over the vertical provenience of artifacts recovered. Selected strata in excess of 7.62 cm (3 in) were further excavated by arbitrary levels. All excavated, non-feature soils were dry-screened in the field using hardware mesh. A standardized form was also used to record soil characteristics, stratum depths, and recovered materials. A scaled profile of one wall was drawn for each unit and the profile was also recorded using black and white photography.
One hundred twenty-one shovel tests and all six test units produced positive artifact recoveries. A total of 2,417 artifacts were recovered. By quantity, the recovery consisted of the following: 2 prehistoric artifacts, 2,324 historic artifacts, and 91 modern objects. The two prehistoric materials were quartz and chert debitage, both of which were identified within disturbed modern plowzone. The 91 modern materials are included in the tally above as “Miscellaneous objects”.
The historic collection was composed of several functional artifact groups. The assemblage consisted of 1 activity item (a piece of hardware), 1,795 architectural artifacts, 1 clothing item (a brass button), 561 kitchen related artifacts, 1 kaolin pipe stem fragment, and 57 miscellaneous artifacts (unidentifiable iron and slag fragments, 8 pieces of coal, 14 fragments of charcoal, and six clinkers). The architectural assemblage included 170 brick fragments, 1,601 window glass fragments, 1 machine-cut nail, and 23 other nails. Kitchen-related artifacts were 234 ceramic sherds (9 unglazed earthenware, 1 Jackfield, 2 creamware, 6 late pearlware, 42 decorated whiteware, 77 undecorated whiteware, 3 Rockingham, 2 yelloware, 30 miscellaneous stoneware, and 62 other sherds), 320 pieces of container glass, and 7 faunal remains (2 animal bones and 3 oyster shells).
The Phase II data suggest a small, but long-term domestic occupation at the site. This view was supported by the extensive recovery of domestic and architecture-related materials. The residence was likely occupied between 1840 and 1914, based on the presence of creamware, Rockingham, Jackfield, Bristol/Albany Slip stonewares, and manganese-tinted glass. Those occupying the site were likely farmers who have been connected with the Vanness and/or Howell families. The artifact recovery was confined to organic strata overlying subsoil. These strata were classified as exposed and buried plowzones.
No intact masonry or other architectural features were identified during Phase II work at 18BA526. However the presence of so much domestic and architectural material suggests that substantial residence was once present. It was thought likely that the site represents an extension of nearby site 18BA517 where a possible structure was encountered. Based on the quantity and nature of the artifacts, the residence was thought to have been occupied for several generations. The nature of the ceramic assemblage suggests that site occupants were middle income planters. The research potential of this site is dramatically reduced by the lack of soils with good stratigraphic integrity and apparent displacement of the artifacts recovered. If this was the yard of a residence at 18BA517, plowing over the century that followed site abandonment obliterated the potential of 18BA526 to provide significant information related to the occupants of the Vanness/Howell farmstead.
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