The Historical Society of Cecil County is pleased to announce the addition of an important new collection of Civil War and 19th century material directly related to Port Deposit and Snow’s Battery. Thanks to the generous donation of materials from Dr. Davy McCall, professor emeritus at Washington College in Chestertown and an accomplished historian, these documents will now be available for future generations of researchers.
The McCall Collection contains extensive documents related to Civil War Cecil County. These materials include letters and other documents, as well as journals and diaries. Many have a particular focus on Snow’s Battery, one of the most distinguished artillery units in the Union Army. The battery’s officers and enlisted men were mainly volunteers from the Port Deposit area. The unit fought in many battles, and today, a historical marker in Port Deposit recognizes the contributions of these Union volunteers. Dr. McCall collected these documents around 1990.
He was for many years a professor of Economics at Washington College. Teaching was his second career. After receiving his Ph.D. From Harvard University, he had a long and distinguished career in the Foreign Service, focusing on economic development, and spending many years abroad with the World Bank. After joining the Washington College faculty, he became very active in matters of regional history. He has authored a book on the 300th anniversary of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kent County, and has restored three 18th century homes on the Eastern Shore. He has undertaken a great deal of research into African American families in Chestertown, Md. He was the founding chair of the Kent County Historic Preservation Commission, and currently serves as vice-chair.
The Society has had the McCall Collection professionally catalogued and indexed by Jenifer Dolde. Click here to view the detailed finding aid. “This collection is a treasure, it’s a gift, and thanks to the generosity of Dr. McCall, it has returned home to Cecil County,” said David Healey, Society president.