bartholomew booth himself graduated from saint john's college, oxford in 1754, was ordained deacon in st. margaret's westminster in 1755 by edmund keene, bishop of chester; was ordained priest in chester cathedral by the bishop of chester in 1758. he was then licensed for the chapel of st. mary's chapel, parish of stockport and county of chester (1760). booth and his sons, william and robert, accompanied by patrons mrs. bardsley and her sister, miss mary valens came to the colony of maryland in 1773, settling at the “needwood forest” near petersvillle, frederick county, maryland. at the outbreak of hostilities in patriots from middletown, maryland threatened the safety of booth and his two female patrons. they sold needwood to the maryland lee family and moved west to washington county, maryland, with other western maryland tories. despite the local suspicion of his tory leanings, booth nonetheless was appointed to frederick county's committee of observation on january 24, 1775, by president john hanson.