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Oxford Bellevue Ferry
On November 20, 1683, Talbot County authorized the establishment of a ferry service for “Horses and Men.” Richard Royston was paid 2,500 pounds of tobacco per year (about $25) to operate the ferry. Royston was a kinsman of Seth and Elizabeth Foster, who owned Tilghman and Poplar Islands. He came to Talbot County from London as a merchant, and settled in what is now called Ferry Neck, across the river from Oxford, with his wife Mary. He was one of Oxford’s founding fathers, and when the town of Oxford was laid out, he took up Lot No. 1. Royston was convicted of forgery in 1686, after he had given up the Tred Avon ferry. He died at sea in 1694. Early history is vague—other ferry keepers included Amy Jensen, Will Alderne and Isaac Sassaerson. Sassaerson ran the ferry for five years. It appears that there may have been a brief break in service late in the decade when the county cut off its financial backing and told Sassaerson to continue the service and charge whatever he could get. The predictable result was that the ferry operations stopped. Until it switched to steam power in 1886, sails and oars were used to propel the boat carrying mostly local workers between orchards and farms. It has been continuously operated since 1836, seven days a week, except for November (weekends only). It is closed for the winter months between December and March. The Talbot began service in July 1980 and participates in local celebrations, including an occasional wedding ceremony. As a small ferry, it only carries nine vehicles, passengers, bicycles and motorcycles, although it sometimes carries dump trucks and cherry pickers. (Ferry website and Wikipedia)