The Life of John Creswell
 

John Creswell,  it is known, lived in the is area between 1789-1828

He was the father of John AJ Creswell whom was one of Port Deposits most famous citizens. It was John Creswell who in 1789 bought a track of land along the Susquehanna river which  is today known as Port Deposit. It is through his effort that other important features that were the incubation of our history and prosperity came to be. He is instrumental in establishing the Maryland or Susquehanna Canal as well as the Susquehanna Bridge and Bank company. He was the Sheriff of Cecil county and and all around outdoorsman. His wife is the infamous Mrs. Murphy who ran Mrs. Murphy Hotel and Tavern. The famous building is One Center Street which is opened as a Bed and Breakfast today. Back before the town was subdivided it was known as Creswell's ferry. Within 25 years of the purchase of this riverfront property, the volume commerce  generated from local quarrying and Susquehanna Arks coming down from Pennsylvania and New York was generating 13 million dollars annual in 1812.

In 1813, The State of Maryland granted a charter for the incorporated town of Port Deposit to be created from the area know known as "Creswell's Ferry", "because it was a port of deposit" before transfer goods from the Arks to taller deep draft ships coming from the Chesapeake bay