Author: Patrick

Careysburg was founded in 1856. By the late 1800s, it was a medium-sized repatriate settlement, with approximately 400 residents.

In 1861, a Provisional Monthly Court and Register’s Department were both established in the township. But the court was suspended three years later.

In 1860, the national legislature appropriated an unspecified amount “with a view to develop” the iron resources near Careysburg.

Footnote: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1861, p. 79; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1864, p. 23; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1860, p. 92.

In 1872, the legislature allocated five hundred dollars to open a public road from the township to Monrovia.

In 1873, the citizens of Careysburg were granted 25 muskets or rifles and ammunition by the national government for defense.
The town had one public school in 1874 conducted by Mrs. M. E. Urey, who was paid $140 for teaching 16 students.

Footnote: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1872, pp. 10-11; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1873, p. 23; “Government schools in Montserrado County, African Repository, July 1874, p. 220.

In 1883, the legislature gave $11,000 to construct six bridge for the relief of Careysburg, along with Crozerville, Paynesville and Ammonsville, in the Old Field Mesurado River.

On year later, two local churches were incorporated. One was Sey’s Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, founded by William T. Hagan, George C. Nelson, Marshall Givens, Richard Craggs, Samuel Bates, Benjamin Hornsby and Jacob Waters (1884, p6). The other was the First Baptist Church of Careysburg. Named as officers were J.A. Curthbert, George W. Walker, Isaac Givens, Nelson Moment, F.W. Jackson, J.C. Johnson, Hank Woodson, Thomas Carroll and Richard F. Walker.

In 1890, the Methodist Episcopal Church in Liberia was granted one hundred acres of land near Careysburg. Named as trustees were Amos Brown, W. T. Hagan and Rydan Boyce].

Footnote: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1883, pp. 23-24; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1884, p. 7; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1890, p. 19.

The legislature provided funds in 1892 for the education of thirteen male youth at Liberia College. One each was to come from the Saint Paul’s River district, Marshall, Careysburg and Robertsport and three each from Grand Bassa, Sinoe and Maryland].

In 1893, a fifth regiment was created with troops to be drawn from Careysburg as well as Clay-Ashland, Louisianna, Millsburg, Harrisburg, Arthington, Muhlenburg, White Plains, Robertsville, Crozerville and Bensonville.

The secretary of war and navy was authorized to furnish arms and the necessary ammunition to several specific communities, including Careysburg. The legislature specified the following distribution: fifty Peabody rifles and fifteen thousand rounds of cartridges to Robertsport and Careysburg, one Gatling gun, two hundred Peabody rifles and twenty thousand rounds of cartridges to Sinoe and one Gatling gun, one hundred Peabody rifles and two thousand rounds of cartridges to Maryland.

Footnote: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1892, p. 10; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1893, p. 6; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1895, p. 9.

In 1896, the Bridge Association of White Plains, Crozerville, Bensonville and Careysburg was formed.

Named as officers were W.T. Hagans (president), R.A.M. Deputie (vice president), Sr., Benjamin Fagans (vice president), Cato A. Sims (vice president), James D. Carter (vice president), Edward Hunte (treasurer), G.S. Padmore (recording secretary), D.E. Howard (corresponding secretary), J.C. Johnson (manager), Jas. W. Cooper (manager), J.E. Port (manager), Jas B. Wright (manager) and Thomas W. Haynes (manager)].

In 1897, the First Presbyterian Church of Careysburg was formed. Founders included the Rev. R.A.M. Deputie, Sr., G.W.P. Wordsworth (elder), R.A.M. Deputie, Jr. (elder), Francis W.M. (elder), E.C. Deputie (deacon) and W.A. Wordsworth (deacon) (1897, p. 18). That same year, the national legislature granted one thousand acres of land to the First Presbyterian Church Careysburg, consisting of five hundred acres in the Gomooshoo district and five hundred in Glee.

Footnote: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1896, p. 3: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1897, p. 10.

Also in 1897, the legislature granted one thousand acres in the Bough Kelly section to the local Live Stock Company for raising beef and dairy cattle. Officers, who were also shareholders, included R.L. Knuckles (chairman of the board), G.W. Walker (treasurer and board member), G.W.R. Wordsworth (corresponding secretary and board member), R.A.M. Deputie [Sr.?] (recording secretary and board member), J.C. Johnson (board member), G.W. Walker (board member), and F.W. Jackson.(board member). Other stockholders were J.A. Cuthbert, J.E. Porte, Z.R. Kennedy, R.F. Walker, H.B. Woodson, E.C. Deputie, A.E. Walker, N.A. Richardson, J.H. Carr and Daniel Walker].

Several fraternal organization formed local branches in the early 1900s. The United Brothers of Friendship, Tucker’s Lodge No. 137, took the lead in 1914 (1914, p. 53). It was followed two years later by the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows. Officers of the Odd Fellows were named as D. W. Urey, past noble father; G. A. Minor, noble father; J. A. Deputie, past noble grand; W. R. Craig, noble grand; W. D. Cassell, vice grand; D. A. Ureh, p. s.; W. F. Dennis, e. s.; R. E. Knuckles, w. t.; T. A. Jackson, w. h.; G. E. Knuckles, w. c.; James Paxton, r. s.; G. R. Knuckles, l. s.; James People, r. s.; G. E. Winder, l. s.; J. T. Wordsworth, guardian; and trustees: George B. Walker, J. E. Woodson, J. L. Honsby and R. L. Knuckles].

Footnote: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1897, pp. 33-34; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1916, p. 20.

The boundaries between the settlements of Careysburg, Bensonville, Crozierville and White Plains were fixed by an act of the legislature in 1916.

In 1921, the township was elevated to a city with the following local public officials specified by law: a mayor, one auditor, one recorder, one solicitor, one treasurer, one or more tax collector, one or more magistrate, one clerk, one or more street inspectors, one inspector of weights and measures, a “suitable number” of police officers and a seven-member council.

Also in 1921, the National Baptist Board of Foreign Missions of Louisville, Kentucky, received 200 acres of local public land for missionary and educational purposes (Acts 1921-22, pp. 40-41). Three years later, E. D. Hubbard of the Foreign Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention was granted 100 acres of local public land for similar purposes.

In 1933, the mandate of the Provisional Monthly and Probate Courts in Careysburg was extended to include all petty offenses.

Footnote: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1916, p. 28; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1921-22, pp. 16-19; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1924-25, pp. 37-38; Acts 1924-25, p. 41; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1933, p. 4.

In 1938, the functions of the local court were absorbed into the Monthly and Probate Court of Monserrado County.

The local Progressive Crowd Twelve was formed in 1938. Founders included P. Edward Nelson, president; Robert D. Ureh, president emeritus; J. R. D. Craig, vice president; Gabriel E. Knuckles, Jr., secretary; Samuel P. Ureh, treasurer; William T. Ureh, master of ceremonies; and members: James G. Johnson, Henry T. Dennis and Thomas J. Wardsworth, organized, among other reasons, to “entertain the public from time to time with series of debates, social and dramatic concerts, athletic sports and other public entertainments.”

In 1938, resident Frances P. Dennis was reimbursed $60 [or 2,000 pounds of rice supplied to the Frontier Force.

Footnote: Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1938, pp. 29-30; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1938, pp. 75-76; Acts of the Liberian Legislature, 1938, pp. 12-13.