While conducting walking tours, I usually joke with visitors that the Potts Lot in Area G is Mount Olivet’s only “gated community.” This is an area on the northeastern approach of Cemetery Hill that includes a large, multi-plot collection of a few of Frederick’s most prominent families—primarily hailing from the Courthouse Square neighborhood of Frederick. The Potts Lot is surrounded with decorative, iron railing—a delineation barrier that dates from the cemetery’s earliest days in the 1850s, when it was not uncommon to see many family lots “fenced-in” so to speak. The practice was both practical and decorative. Iron railings and fences, complete with closeable gates like the one here at the Potts Lot, started with a simple purpose in mind—keeping unwanted animals out. We are not just talking simply about woodland creatures here, but more also cattle, pigs, sheep and large wild animals. As far as cemeteries are concerned, fencing has also served as a sign of respect to buried loved ones and added a degree of attractiveness and panache to family lots. This practice was also accomplished by the construction of stone and brick walls around church yards and cemeteries. Based on the early burials (and reburials) found within the Potts lot, it’s not hard to see that the graves here date primarily from the early to mid-1800s. The surrounding fence is authentic and shows the talent and work of craftsmen of a time before pre-fabricated shapes and mouldings. The Potts Lot fence is hand-hammered with evident grooves and dents. No one is quite sure when this fencing was added, but it is thought that it was done within the first few years of the cemetery which opened in spring of 1854. I once had a brief conversation about the fence with my friend, Elizabeth Comer, longtime professional archaeologist and president of the Catoctin Furnace Historical Society. We both agree that there is an possibility that this particular railing could have been forged at the Catoctin Furnace due to connections to this Potts family of decedents, and relatives of another that has been forgotten here to time—the Marshall family. Liz and I promised one day to make a study of the Potts Lot's fencing to see if it matches other known exports of Catoctin Furnace. One particular example of fencing from Frederick history seems like a good starting point to this exercise. I’m talking about Courthouse Square, a place where many of the decedents buried here in the Potts Lot once resided. As a matter of fact, I broached the subject exactly five years ago back in March 2019 when I wrote a story about Gen. James C. Clarke, a transportation captain of industry and namesake of Frederick’s Clarke Place who helped add to the beauty of our town’s Courthouse Square. Frederick became incorporated as a city in 1817 by an act of the state assembly. Prompted by animals grazing on the courthouse lawn, an ordinance issued that same year ordered that all hogs and geese found wandering in the streets be impounded. Notice of their arrest was made by public outcry at the Market. To prevent animals from using the courtyard as a pasture, residents and officials decided to enclose the Courthouse grounds with iron railings and ornamental iron gates much like a London square. Authorities were stunned by the expense of the proposed project, however a leading citizen and neighbor in Col. John McPherson agreed to donate the railings. Beginning in 1818, Courthouse Square resident, Col. John McPherson began installing iron railings around the Frederick County Courthouse and subsequent public lawn. This material was forged at McPherson’s Catoctin Furnace operation located in the north sector of the county between Lewistown and Mechanicstown, destined to become Thurmont. Apparently, the neighbors of “the Square,” consisting of the town’s “upper crust,” were annoyed with the recent phenomena of rogue animals grazing on the prestigious courthouse lawn that once boasted legal luminaries such as Francis Scott Key, Roger Brooke Taney and Reverdy Johnson. What seemed like a philanthropic venture by McPherson soon angered the general citizenry as they saw this “fencing” symbolizing an obtrusive wall to a public place and access to courthouse amenities and officials. It also seemed an extension of the adjacent affluent neighbors hoping to keep all others out of their prestigious neighborhood unless they had official court business to perform. The squabble would last for many decades. Seventy years later, the railings were finally removed in 1888. To help pacify the masses, Gen. James C. Clarke found it necessary to offer an olive branch to all citizens by providing a perfect centerpiece to the courthouse green—an ornamental fountain. The Clarke fountain was duly dedicated to all people of Frederick. That’s all well and good, but doesn’t exactly connect dots to Mount Olivet and our Potts Lot. Or does it?There are several unique connections among this cemetery, the Potts Lot and the history of Catoctin Furnace. It has more to do with former residents and entrepreneurs than the actual manufacture of iron. Outside of the Potts Lot, one can find the graves of the Fitzhugh girls about 30 yards to the north. These were daughters of one-time Catoctin Furnace owner Perigrine Fitzhugh who later moved to California. In Area H/Lot 416 sits the gravestone of Isabella Hudson (Fitzhugh) Perryman (1844-1864) and three sisters: Amy, Amelia and Henrietta Fitzhugh. Isabella was the namesake for the existing iconic second stack structure of the once booming pig-iron furnace operation. I wrote a "Story in Stone" about this family of Fitzhughs in October, 2017. To the east, about 20 yards from the Potts Lot, we have the graves of the fore-mentioned Col. John M. McPherson (1760-1829) and his son in law John Brien (1766-1834). These two gentlemen were partners in ownership of Catoctin Furnace in the early 19th century (before the Fitzhughs), and were also next door neighbors in “Court Square.” For it was these gentlemen who built impressive twin mansions at 103 and 105 Counsel Street, now spelled Council Street. These structures date to 1817, and Col. McPherson is best remembered for his role in helping to bring the Marquis de Lafayette to town in late 1824. The French hero of the American Revolution was wined and dined by Col. McPherson, himself, at that time in the home that still stands today. Today these homes are known by the names of later owners as the Ross and Mathias mansions. A mother and daughter tandem, part of the same local Mathias family that produced Sen. (and noted statesman) Charles McCurdy “Mac” Mathias, are the current residents. The elder Theresa Mathias Michel owns the house formerly owned by her parents (Charles McCurdy Mathias, Sr. and Theresa McElfresh Mathias) and grandparents (Charles B. and Grace Trail). Daughter Tee Michel owns the former Ross Mansion next door. However, this house (originally known as the McPherson Mansion) could also go by the name of the Potts Mansion, or Marshall Mansion as it did during other ownerships. I’ve had the good fortune to dine within and explore the interiors and gardens of both houses over the years. To do this though, I had to gain entry through the heavy wrought iron front gates that are reminiscent of those found in places like Charleston, South Carolina and New Orleans. Since the original builders of these houses owned the furnace, it’s no wonder how they got here. The iron railing in front of these homes on Council Street also provides a tangible example of the quality of the former fence that once surrounded Court Square. To think that Gen. Lafayette gained entry to the Ross/McPherson home by use of this same front entryway. Another individual of major patriotic fame to do so was more of a frequent visitor to the Ross Mansion in the early 19th century—Francis Scott Key. Key’s supposed law office was a stone’s throw away on North Court Street. The “Star-Spangled Banner” author regularly looked in on his first cousin, Eleanor Murdoch Potts (1773-1842), who resided here in the house after McPherson’s ownership. Eleanor Potts is one of 42 family members holding that surname and buried within Mount Olivet’s Potts’ Lot. She and husband Judge Richard Potts (1753-1808) are more than worthy of having their own “Story in Stone” written, which I will surely do on another day. Eleanor and Judge Potts died long before the opening of Mount Olivet, and originally reposed at the All Saints’ Protestant Episcopal burying ground along Carroll Creek. Our records don’t specifically say the exact date, but it is safe to assume that they were among the first two individuals placed in the Potts Lot around the time of Mount Olivet’s opening. Upon closer inspection of the entrance of the Ross home, one will notice a polished, brass “doorbell pull” at the top of the front door landing. Etched directly below this entry accoutrement is the name “R. H. Marshall.” "Who is this gentleman, you may ask?" Well, his full name is Richard Henry Marshall, and he would be the one I’d love to have had the opportunity to ask about the Potts Lot fence here in Mount Olivet. Mr. Marshall, a lawyer, was not only one of our original cemetery founders, but was a member of Mount Olivet's first Board of Directors from 1852-1865. In looking at old "minute books," I saw that Richard Marshall actually proposed the location for the superintendent’s house to be built in the northeast corner of the property and directly adjacent the entrance off South Market Street. It was also Mr. Marshall who is responsible for establishing this large, fenced plot area known as the Potts Lot, in which he would have re-interred his wife Hariett's family members from All Saints’ Protestant Episcopal Cemetery. I soon learned that Richard H. Marshall purchased lots in which to move Francis Scott Key’s parents (John Ross and Ann Phoebe Key) and the Taneys including Ann (Key) Taney (1783-1851) and daughter Alice on behalf of his old friend and legal studies mentor, Roger Brooke Taney. They occupy the Potts Lot as does another interesting individual Marshall moved from All Saints’ by the name of Arthur Shaaf. Mr. Shaaf was a cousin of Francis Scott Key and local lawyer who served as a mentor to both Key and Taney. The Marshalls actually have the largest grave monument within the Potts Lot. I also have noted that the surname can be found upon the fore-mentioned Potts Lot fencing. So, this is why I have always wondered why this area is not referred to as the Marshall Lot? My question was answered when I found that Richard Marshall married Miss Harriet Murdoch Potts, a daughter of Hon. Richard Potts and wife Eleanor, in 1823. Mrs. Marshall died in 1867, just 13 years after the cemetery opened. In conversations with a few friends of mine with a commanding knowledge of Court Square lore and history, I learned that Mr. Marshall certainly helped his own standing, both professional and personal, by marrying into one of Frederick’s wealthiest and most respected families. This led to his eventual place of residence becoming the later known Ross mansion on Council Street, originally built by Col. John McPherson and once the home to Marshall’s in-laws—Richard and Eleanor Potts. So, just who was this Mr. Marshall? Richard Henry Marshall Richard Henry Marshall was born March 8th, 1799 at Marshall Hall, a former plantation located diagonally south and across the Potomac River from George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Marshall Hall is near Bryans Road in Charles County, and sits on the majestic banks of the lower Potomac River. I had the opportunity to visit this place last June after my son’s participation in a nearby baseball tournament. It was certainly worth the look. Although only ruins remain today, it's not too hard to imagine that Richard H. Marshall’s upbringing here was “not too shabby” to say the least. Multiple generations are contained within a “Marshall Lot” here on the old grounds within a fenced-in burial space. This includes Richard H. Marshall’s parents, Dr. Thomas Marshall II (1757-1829) and Anne Claggett Marshall (1778-1805). In this private family plot are Richard’s two brothers in Thomas Hanson Marshall (1796-1843) and George Dent Marshall (1802-1820); and grandparents Capt. Thomas Hanson Marshall I (1731-1801) and wife Rebecca Hanson Dent Marshall (1737-1770). For good measure, one will also find our subject’s great-grandparents here as well: Thomas Marshall I (1694-1759)and Elizabeth Bishop Marshall (1693-1750), first owners of Marshall Hall. With his whole family tree within one family lot, it’s not hard to imagine why Richard saw the importance in keeping the Potts family of his wife together, along with having a place for his own offspring to be buried with himself and his spouse. In its heyday, the Marshall family retreat was a classic colonial-era mansion, and what remains of it is now part of Piscataway Park operated by the National Park Service. The home is said to have been “one of the finest built on the Maryland shore of the Potomac in the early 18th century” as the Marshall family were minor gentry and owned as many as 80 slaves by the early 19th century. Marshall Hall, patented as “Mistake” in 1728 by Thomas Marshall, was the home to this family from sometime after 1728 until 1857. The mansion house dates from the earliest period and was erected as a one and one-half story brick house and enlarged c. 1760. Soon after the Civil War, the site became a highly frequented picnic ground because of its proximity to Mount Vernon. Steamship lines, originally established to ferry tourists from Washington DC and Alexandria to/from Mount Vernon, discovered a new source of revenue in the park across from the historic estate. In the 1880s, the Mount Vernon and Marshall Hall Steamboat Company ran large ships between Washington, Alexandria, Mount Vernon and Marshall Hall: the round-trip fare at that time was $1, and included admission to Mount Vernon. Washingtonians fled the summer heat of the city for all sorts of events at the picnic grounds, from exclusive catered events to popular cultural events such as a swimming exhibition given by the daredevil Robert Emmet Odlum in the summer of 1878, seven years before his death at the Brooklyn Bridge. Marshall Hall later became one of the first amusement parks in the Washington, DC area in the 1890s, offering numerous "appliances of entertainment" for visitors who wanted to do more than picnic, many of them arriving by river boat. Starting in the 1870s, annual jousting tournaments took place at the site. In the last century, the site of Richard H. Marshall’s childhood home and family estate was known as a small amusement park opened in the early 1920s, and included a small wooden roller coaster. It was a favorite of Washington, DC residents who continued to arrive via an excursion boat. New attractions were added throughout the 20th century, and gambling became a major draw for a while after World War II. Between 1949 and 1968, the Southern Maryland area offered the only legal slot machines in the United States outside of Nevada. A larger wooden roller coaster was built in 1950, but would be destroyed by tornado force winds in July 1977. This was the beginning of the end for the amusement park which officially closed in 1980. The National Park Service gained control of the park after Congress, acting upon a request from the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, mandated that the views from Mt. Vernon had to be protected and returned to something resembling the days when George Washington sat on his colonnaded porch and looked across the Potomac. The term "historic viewshed" was coined for this act of preservation and the Park Service tore down all vestiges of the amusement park in 1980, whose popularity had declined due to competition by much larger, newer parks. A fire destroyed much of the colonial house soon after in 1981. In January 2003, a truck driver slammed his rig through the remaining hulk. The damage done to the brick shell was repaired the following year. Getting back to Richard H. Marshall, he was the son of Dr. Thomas Hanson Marshall I, a surgeon in the continental army during the American Revolution. He is said to have been “on terms of intimacy with the family of Gen. George Washington, who was his nearest neighbor.” I couldn't find anything on Richard Marshall's childhood, but I'm sure he was provided with an education which would prepare him for the study of law, and the mentoring he received from Roger Brooke Taney in Frederick around the year 1820. On completing his studies, he became a member of the Frederick bar. With the exception of a few months at Georgetown, DC, he would reside in our fair city. As stated earlier, he married Harriet Potts on June 12th, 1823. The couple would have multiple children, however only one lived to maturity in Miss Ann Potts Marshall (1827-1890). The others included Eleanor Ann Marshall (1824-1827), Harriet Potts Marshall (1826-1826) and Mary Elizabeth Marshall (1831-1833). The family resided at 101 Council Street. Mr. Marshall certainly involved himself in town activities including delivering a patriotic address on July 4th, 1825 in conjunction with a parade culminating in a public celebration held at the Frederick Courthouse. In 1844 Marshall was appointed associate judge of the circuit court, at that time embracing Frederick, Washington and Allegany counties. He was succeeded by Hon. Madison Nelson in 1851. In 1878, he became president of the Central National Bank as successor to Col. George R. Dennis. Judge Marshall appears in the early newspapers quite often in conjunction with legal handlings, trustee sales and the many boards he served on. Harriet Marshall died a week before Christmas in 1867. This too would cause his name to appear in our local weekly papers, including an executor's notice which was rare to see for a woman at this period of history, but not in Mrs. Marshall's case. Richard H. Marshall died on September 3rd, 1884 at the age of 85. He would be laid to rest next to his wife who had predeceased him nearly 17 years earlier. Here, Marshall had erected a large monument to her memory. A few yards behind this grave marker, one can find three small monuments marking the reburials of the couples young children who died in the 1830s and were originally buried in the All Saints’ burying ground. The last member of the immediate Marshall family here in Frederick died in 1890 at the age of 62. This was only six years after her father's death. Ann Potts Marshall never married and the surname of this mighty Maryland family ceased with her. This, more than anything else, explains why the Potts name has stuck to this unique gated lot within Mount Olivet’s Area G.
Richard H. Marshall's grave lot in Mount Olivet, and former home in Frederick, don't carry his family name, but there exist subtle reminders, etched and forged, in metal. At least an old rollercoaster and amusement park once carried the mighty name of Richard's prominent colonial family—but that too is slowly becoming a faded memory of yesteryear.
0 Comments
“In your life, the people become like a patchwork quilt. Some leave with you a piece that is bigger than you wanted and others smaller than you thought you needed. Some are that annoying itchy square in the corner, and others that piece of worn flannel. You leave pieces with some and they leave their pieces with you. All the while each and every square makes up a part of what is you. Be okay with the squares people leave you. For life is too short to expect from people what they do not have to give, or were not called to give you.” -Anna M. Aquino Nobody knew this concept better than Anna Catherine (Hummel) Markey Garnhart. Not only is her name a “stitched-together masterpiece” unto itself, but her life and family relationships seem to have been so as well. Add to this the fact that her chief hobby in life appears to have centered on the craft of quilting. Works of hers are well-known by applique quilt and coverlet experts as well as collectors around the country. Examples of her craftsmanship can be found in both private and museum collections. One such repository includes the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Museum in Washington, DC, where one of Garnhart's signature quilts, "the Eagle Quilt," is displayed and bears as its central object an eagle. A corresponding label states that: "Eagles were a hot design trend in the decorative arts, throughout the United States and not only in quilts, from the early years of the republic through our semicentennial in 1826. Garnhart made four eagle quilts, probably all before about 1830, and all with her extensive use of reverse appliqué. The sawtooth borders are typical of this region." Catharine Garnhart's prime contribution to the trade comes in the form of applique quilting. Applique is a needlework technique in which one or more pieces of fabric are attached to a larger background fabric to create pictures or patterns. The fabric can be attached by hand, machine or fused. The word comes from the French meaning "applied or laid on another material." Catharine is said to have shopped in Baltimore, paying up to a dollar per yard for her chintzes - a lot of money back then. Over fifty small prints appear throughout Garnhart’s quilts, and over twenty large-scale chintzes. Many prints appear in several quilts. Many of this Catharine's quilts can be seen online including a site called the Quilt Index (www.quiltindex.org) and various other websites. Catharine Garnhart Anna Catharine (Hummel) Markey Garnhart was born on April 16th, 1773 on the eve of the American Revolution. Her parents were immigrants including father John Hummel (1743-1781), whose mother brought him to America in 1749 from Wurttemberg, Germany, and twice-married Christiana Catharine (Grundler) Hummel Feaga (1747-1849), who emigrated to the New World (from Germany) in 1754. John Hummel would take part in the American Revolution and died in battle as a result. He served as a corporal in Capt. Jacob Baldy’s company of the 6th Battalion of Berks County (PA) militia commanded by Col. Joseph Hiester (this stated by Sons of the American Revolution records). Corp. Hummel’s grave is said to be located beneath the Frederick Evangelical Lutheran Church and cannot be seen or photographed. Anna, better known as “Catharine,” was a life-long resident of Frederick. Her mother, the fore-mentioned Christiana Grundler, immigrated to America as a young girl with her mother, father and four older sisters. During the passage, Christiana’s mother died and was buried at sea. After arriving in America, Christiana's father placed her with "adoptive" parents Friedrich and Catharina Wittmann, who needed the help of another child, and raised her in Frederick. These were (her future husband) Johann Hummel’s mother and step-father. Christiana was married for the first time in 1771 to husband Johann Hummel, a farmer, mill owner, and land investor. She gave birth to five Hummel children (including our subject “Catharine”) before losing her husband, Johann Hummel, in 1781. He was only 38 at the time. I couldn’t find the final resting place of this gentleman, but his namesake son, John Hummel (1777-1826) is buried in Mount Olivet’s Area NN. After struggling with Mr. Hummel's estate, Catharine’s mother married again in 1782. Her new spouse was a Hessian soldier and prisoner of war named Johann Philip Fiege (1750-1829). This former mercenary soldier came to America to fight under the British flag. He would be captured at the Battle of Yorktown and would be imprisoned in Frederick. Like many Hessian soldiers kept here in Frederick, they were loosely guarded at the aptly named barracks located a block from our cemetery’s front gate. Upon war’s end, Philip Fiege and his comrades were welcomed wholeheartedly by Frederick’s German community, and decided to stay in this new country instead of going back to Germany where their leaders sold them out to Great Britain in most cases. Mr. Fiege had experience with mills in Germany, and soon made a successful business from the mill on Johann Hummel's property. He would eventually change the spelling of his name to Feaga and his sons would continue to prosper with the milling operation. In time, the hamlet where the family lived and work would take the family name of the former prisoner of war and principal landowner—Feagaville. This is located about four miles southwest of Frederick City on MD route 180. In this marriage, Christiana Feaga would have four more children. Philip Feaga died in 1829 and was originally buried in the Evangelical Lutheran Churchyard. He would be re-interred in Mount Olivet’s Area F/Lot 78 in 1860. Christiana died in January of 1849, and was moved here to Mount Olivet from Evangelical Lutheran as well. According to a great, great-grandson's family history, Christiana was a devout member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and a financial supporter. She enjoyed good health and spoke English with a German accent while living to be over 101 years of age. Christiana outlived all but four of her nine children and remained financially independent throughout her 22 years as a widow. The young Catharine (Hummel) experienced the loss of her father at age eight, and the trials and tribulations of her mother’s life, but with the accompaniment of many siblings it appears. For a girl of her times, she would have been well-versed in cooking and home-keeping tasks, but it’s likely that her well-rounded mother taught her things such as writing, music and needlework. The latter being a given! Catharine married David Johann Markey (1771-1820) in 1796. They had three known children: Frederick Markey (1796-1827), David John Philip Markey (1809-1885) and Christina Catharine Markey, b. 1812 , about whom nothing is known as she likely died in infancy. David Markey worked as a wheelwright and served at least one term as Constable and was later Clerk of the Sheriff's office. Catharine’s husband, like her father, fought for independence against the British but in the second go-round with the War of 1812. Markey was one of the townspeople recruited by Capt. John Brengle and Rev. David Schaeffer on August 25th, 1814. He served in Brengle's company and is believed to have been engaged in the defense of Baltimore which helped win Francis Scott Key immortal fame thanks to a catchy song. David Markey died in 1820 and was originally buried in the All Saints’ Protestant Episcopal burying ground before being re-located to the Markey Family Lot in Area E/Lot 86 in 1868. The Markey family lived in Frederick Town and, in 1818, Catharine Markey is on record having bought what is now 218-220 N. Market Street from Jacob Gonzo. Following David Markey's death, Catharine would remarry. This gentleman was a widower with deep ties to neighboring Jefferson County, Virginia (at the time). His name was Henry Garnhart (b. 1754), and from what I could find was a tavern operator earlier in life before coming to Frederick. Sadly, Catharine would endure the loss of her adult son Frederick in 1827. Frederick Markey was formerly a partner on a blacksmithing/white-smithing business in town. He was married to Elizabeth Dill (1800-1866) and left three children. Catharine’s second husband, Henry, would die the following year in 1828. He was buried in a small, family cemetery near Hall Town (today's WV), but would later be moved to Edge Hill Cemetery in nearby Charles Town (WV). I’m theorizing that our subject, Catharine, worked out her grief from both of these great losses by keeping busy with making her appliqués, once again defined as "ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric are sewn onto a large piece of fabric to form pictures or patterns.” Catharine Garnhart still had her son David John Philip Markey at arm's reach, and "Jack" (as he was commonly called) was one to be extremely proud of. While still in his twenties, Catharine’s son perceived the need for a planing mill to produce window sashing, doors and moulding in the city. Trained as a carpenter and familiar with lumber milling thanks to his mother’s family, David John Philip "Jack" Markey partnered with John Hanshew to build and operate a highly successful planing mill at the northeast corner of North Bentz and West Second Street. Today this is the site of Calvary Methodist Church. The firm also acted as a building contractor with projects ranging from housing to the parsonage of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Frederick where Markey also served terms as elder and alderman. He was a prominent citizen of the community, co-founder and board member of the Mutual Insurance Company of Frederick and city councilman, alderman and Tax Commissioner. The home residence of David J. P. Markey and family was built near the mill around 1839 at the southeast corner of North Bentz and West Third Street (134 W Third). His marriage of over 52 years to Susan Bentz produced eight children, including Frederick shoe merchant John Hanshew Markey (1835-1895), father of David John Markey (1882-1963) who would be responsible for forming Company A of the Maryland National Guard, and this unit’s original home, the Frederick Armory, located cata-corner from the site of the family planing mill. A memorial stone for David John Markey, great-grandson of Catharine Garnhart. This gentleman was quite impressive as he served as a politician, career Army officer, businessman, and college football coach. He served as a Major in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II. He was a candidate for United States Senator from Maryland in 1946. Although buried in Arlington National Cemetery, this memorial cenotaph can be found in the Markey family plot in Mount Olivet’s area E Anna Catharine (Hummel) Markey Garnhart was blessed with eleven grandchildren. She would make a quilt for each (including nine large quilts and three crib-size quilts which survive today). In addition to the previously mentioned John Hanshew Markey, most of these grandchildren are buried here in Mount Olivet. Out of David J. P. Markey’s eight children, all but one, Daniel Scholl Markey, are here. (D.S. Markey moved to San Francisco). Appliquéd Chintzwork Quilt, by Catharine Garnhart. Two grandchildren’s quilts ended up in the same branch of the family, so it’s unclear whether this was made (ca. 1845) for Rebecca Markey or her sister Susan, both children of David Markey. Part of an exhibit in Colonial Williamsburg called "Art of the Quilter" in the Foster and Muriel McCarl Gallery (Gift of David and Linda Davidson) As for Catharine, she had died at the age of 86 on February 3rd, 1860. She would be spared the stress and strain of the American Civil War, having lived herself through the two wars for independence. It's also safe to assume that she knew Barbara Fritchie, ten years her senior, but I'm sure they were both "cut from the same cloth." These ladies have the same bonnet and beautiful smile as evidenced by the fortunate fact that we have surviving photographs of both women. (Note: I'm being very sarcastic about the smiles.) Two days after her death, the body of Anna Catharine (Hummel) Markey Garnhart would be the first to be buried in the Markey family lot in Area E. As already mentioned, first-husband David Markey, and son Frederick, would be removed from Evangelical Lutheran to be buried on each side of her. Decades later, David J. P. "Jack" Markey and wife Susan would be placed here, and their children (Catherine's grandchildren) Lucy Emma Russel Markey and David Jacob Markey. Other family members, and generations, would surely follow to more recent times. Anna Catharine (Hummel) Markey Garnhart was so much more than I could find recorded about her. In writing and researching this story, its not hard to see the similarities between a patchwork quilt, and a family tree. That's something that will stick with me, as will my memories of my own loving grandmothers, and their role in "enveloping" families with love, tradition, support and kindness. When done correctly, it's kind of like that warm and euphoric feeling you experience on a cold winter day or night, when you wrap yourself in the cocoon of a heavy blanket or duvet. All this hits home as my grandmother Haugh even knitted me an Afghan when I was a kid, and it continues to be a prized possession. How many of you have a quilt or homemade textile made by your grandmother or great-grandmother? I originally learned about this woman from my good friend Theresa Mathias Michel of Frederick’s Council Street. She showed me a picture of one of Catherine's quilts that she actually owned, and had told me of Mrs. Garnhart’s fame in quilting circles. I soon learned that a collection of her quilts is being displayed at the DAR headquarters in Washington as I relayed at the start of this "Story in Stone." While digging through online newspaper archives, I was pleased to discover an article showcasing Mrs. Garnhart’s quilting work in the Frederick News-Post in 1991. Mrs. Michel and her quilt were featured as the article promoted the fact that a special exhibit of Garnhart's quilts was occurring that summer at the DAR Museum in Washington, DC. I soon learned a bit more about Catharine's handiwork by consulting the internet, specifically the website and blog of Barbara Brackman, a quilter, quilt historian and author. I would soon learn that Ms. Brackman was not just an enthusiast, but one of the country’s leading authorities on the subject, not to mention being a “Hall of Famer.” She was inducted into the Quilters Hall of Fame of Marion, Indiana in 2001. Barbara has written numerous books on quilting during the Civil War including: Facts & Fabrications: Unraveling the History of Quilts and Slavery, Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler, Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Appliqué, America's Printed Fabrics 1770-1890, Civil War Women, Clues in the Calico, Emporia Rose Appliqué Quilts, Making History–Quilts & Fabric from 1890-1970, and Quilts from the Civil War, all published by C&T Publishing. Her Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns contains more than 4000 pieced quilt patterns, derived from printed sources published between 1830 and 1970. In 2019, Barbara Brackman conducted a deep dive of research on our subject Catharine Garnhart. She wanted to see if the Frederick woman was truly an originator and innovator of designs which would be later copied and found around the country. Ms. Brackman theorized that the Garnhart group of quilts are products of Maryland's commercial quilt-making workshops, seeing these as a parallel style to the more abundant Baltimore album-style quilts. She had her doubts, thinking that Catherine Garnhart was just a customer who purchased similar quilts—a generous grandmother who could afford to buy some fashionable luxury gifts for her family. Brackman carefully studied existing specimens and conducted intensive detective work, publishing her findings in the six posts below: Barbara Brackman concludes: "Catharine Garnhart bought her family quilts, possibly as gifts for grandchildren, probably purchased in the Baltimore vicinity where a group of seamstresses were selling basted and/or finished blocks and quilts in the kind of workshop I was looking for in Frederick. This group of designers and seamstresses making the Garnhart group may predate the high-style Baltimore album group which dates from about 1845 to 1855, but it seems likely that the two types of quilts overlapped in the late 1840s." I can’t say I know much, or, honestly anything substantial, about the textile trade, but Ms. Brackman certainly does. Read the blogs for yourselves, and feel free to post your own theories and conclusions in the comments after the story. Regardless of the authenticity of Catharine Garnhart’s quilts and talents, the greater family of Ms. Garnhart is quite a tapestry itself, one which certainly typifies the quote featured at the outset of this article, especially the following three lines:
“You leave pieces with some and they leave their pieces with you. All the while each and every square makes up a part of what is you. Be okay with the squares people leave you.” Perhaps the following short story is certainly more suitable for early October instead of late February. I recently learned that October 1st is International Raccoon Appreciation Day. This find came simultaneously with an interesting and bizarre obituary I saw in a vintage newspaper while researching a completely different story. International Raccoon Appreciation Day (IRAD) is a day meant to celebrate all animals, specifically raccoons, that, while being an important part of their ecosystem, are misunderstood. Often these "bandit-looking" creatures are commonly associated with thefts from garbage cans and dumpsters, but moreso rabies. It's fair that most of us consider these woodland creatures as “pests” or “nuisance animals," like foxes, wolves and coyotes. The raccoon is a nocturnal mammal characterized by its bushy ringed tail. It is native to North America and can be found in many parts of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the northern part of South America. There are also raccoons in Germany, Russia, and Japan. IRAD was started in 2002 by a young girl in California. It was meant at first to show that some folks liked and respected raccoons, as evidenced by a plethora of raccoon items from stuffed animals to t-shirts. There are also some people who have misguidedly tried to keep raccoons as pets. As word spread of the young lady's campaign (mainly to the girl’s relatives in various world countries), the name was changed to International Raccoon Appreciation Day in 2003. The day also encourages people to protect the raccoon’s natural habitat. I have yet to see a raccoon here in Mount Olivet, but I would bet that we've had some of these visitors in the past as I've seen coyotes, foxes, deer, and even a bear. A few weeks ago I was drawn to the Mount Olivet gravesite of Henry Milo Warrenfeltz, born January 15th, 1864. He wasn't my prime search on that particular day as I found him solely by stumbling upon the obituary of his paternal grandmother while working on another story about quilting. I soon after sought out his grave in Mount Olivet's Area T, and found him a literal hop, skip, and a "shoot if you must this old grey head" from the final resting spot of Barbara Fritchie. Remember that I said "shoot" here as that plays a paramount role in our story. Henry would be my Mount Olivet connection to an interesting early immigrant family that descends from Switzerland. They have the prototypical story of Frederick County with early German and Swiss immigrants settling in the northern reaches. The apocryphal tale says that our mountainous terrain at the eastern edge of the Maryland Piedmont reminded these people of their former homes in Europe, thus inspiring them to clear forests for family farms. In this particular case, it is said that Johann Jacob Werenfels (1730-1807) came to America around 1749 from his native town of Basel. The surname would eventually be anglicized to Warrenfeltz in time, and it would become one of the well-known names of the area up to the present-day. This gentleman apparently acquired 999 acres of land between Wolfsville and Ellerton on the western foot of Catoctin Mountain, north of Myersville. In the late 1770s, he married Hannah Ann Hartman (1754-1818) and raised 11 children on his large farm. Johann Jacob is also said to have made buckskin breeches and gloves. His neighbor, Godfrey Lederman (later Leatherman), was a Revolutionary War veteran, and owned a like amount of property to the north of his, which was considered to be in Wolfsville. Three of Mr. Lederman's children would marry three of Mr. Warrenfeltz' children. Close-up view of Wolfsville-Ellerton vicinity on this 1858 Isaac Bond Map showing Warrenfels family properties as labeled on map. The original property is to the center/right along the Harmony-Wolfsville Road and marked with heirs "P Warrenfels" and "J Warrenfels." Henry Milo Warrenfeltz grew up on the farm of his father, Daniel Warrenfeltz, which is located upper left and marked as "D. Warrenfels." One of these pairings would be Johann Jacob Warrenfeltz, Jr., born September 21st, 1785 and Mary Ann Lederman (1788-1879). The couple married in 1809 and built a nice stone house on a 30-acre parcel that "John" bought from his father-in-law. By 1828, the couple had ten children with one of these being Daniel Warrenfeltz (1814-1901), the father of Henry Milo Warrenfeltz —the gentleman who started our impromptu "roots quest" here, and buried in Mount Olivet within Area T. Henry Milo is somewhat of a "Burial Black Sheep" of the family in terms of resting place, as his parents and most of his siblings were interred in Wolfsville Reformed Cemetery. Here is where our story gets a little interesting in regard to "wildlife fun," just not so much for the aforementioned grandfather of Henry Milo Warrenfeltz —Johann "John" Jacob Warrenfeltz, Jr. We must slip back to the 1820s to tell the story of his unfortunate death. And yes, this is where this week's colorful story title comes in. The history of raccoon hunting in our time can be traced to Native Americans, who hunted them for food and pelts. The practice was adopted by European settlers, who introduced raccoon hunting dogs to the equation in Colonial times. George Washington was credited with owning some of the best raccoon hounds. Early dogs had trouble tracking the raccoons when they climbed trees, so breeders developed varieties that learned how to follow treed raccoons. In the mid-to-late 1800s, raccoons were hunted primarily for their pelts. A fair price for a pelt, half a century later in 1885, was 25 cents. On the 9th of October, 1828, John and a few of his teenage sons (likely including Daniel aged 14) went on a night-time hunting excursion in the darkened woods by their home. Descendant Virginia Kuhn Draper wrote in her book The Smoke Still Rises (published in 1996) that this party was not the only one in the vicinity on this particular, moonlit evening. Apparently a neighbor, a Mr. Kline, had gone out in search of squirrels for his supper that night. It seems that Mr. Kline had instant success in bagging his prey and was on his way back home when his dog started to bark wildly ahead. When he caught up to his hunting companion, he found that his dog had "treed" a raccoon, as it had taken refuge in the top of a tall arboreal specimen. Mr. Kline discharged his firearm a few times with no luck of shooting the "interloper." Feeling he did not have the right ammunition, he quickly returned to his nearby home in hopes to return shortly and finish off the business at hand. Meanwhile, while Kline was on his way for greater firepower to fell the raccoon, John Warrenfeltz and his boys came on to the scene as their dogs "re-treed" the raccoon, who I am assuming was a little late in trying to make a great escape (after Kline stepped away for the moment). Mr. Warrenfeltz had been successful in killing the rogue animal on his first shot, however it was lodged between tree branches. John laid down his gun and proceeded to climb the tree in an effort to retrieve the masked-beast. Just then, Mr. Kline returned to the area with a silver bullet in his gun's chamber. Unfortunately, this is when a major breakdown in communication between all parties occurred. What a tragedy, and one that would later be recounted in newspapers throughout the country in 1879 upon the death of John's widow, Mary Ann, who would die on June 27th, 1879 at the age of 90. She had remarried in 1831, but would raise her children (including Henry Milo's father Daniel) into adulthood. Her obituary told the melancholy story of her first husband being mistaken for a raccoon, 61 years earlier. Although well known in the upper Middletown Valley, the former Mrs. Warrenfeltz would become "almost-famous" posthumously the country over as her obit (carrying this sensational story of her first husband's death) would be carried everywhere. I found newspapers presenting the disturbing last moments of life for John Warrenfeltz all over the country. I even found it published in German! As with many stories, it became a bit embellished along the way. Nonetheless, this sensational tale from Ellerton, MD made publications all over the country including the Westminster (MD) Democratic Advocate, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Times, Bridgeton (NJ) West Jersey Pioneer, Winnemucca (NV) Silver State, Ironton (MO) Iron County Register, Austin-Mower County (MN) Transcript, Superior (WI) Times, Decatur (IL) Daily Review, Sterling (IL) Gazette and the Jeffersonville (IN) National Democrat to name a few. As for the gravesite for John Warrenfeltz (aka Johann Jacob Warrenfels, Jr.), I could not find one. Jacob Holdcraft's Names in Stone didn't help me in this arena either. I hypothesize that he would have been buried with his parents in the Warrenfeltz Family Cemetery shown earlier, or in the Wolfsville Reformed Burying Ground. His gravestone was either lost to time, or never placed. He did leave Mary Ann, his wife, with multiple children and a large farm to run. She remarried soon after as I've stated. Williams' History of Frederick County states that John's son, Daniel, would become a prominent member of the community and Catoctin District. He would eventually purchase property from the heirs which included 130 acres of farm and timber land, and spent his life cultivating and improving it. He was also engaged in sawing out timber for buildings of all kinds. Daniel married Susan Ludy, daughter of another local and prominent farmer of the area, and had 13 children, raising 11 to maturity, Henry Milo being the second youngest. Daniel eventually operated a farm west of Wolfsville which can be found on the Bond Map of 1858, and again on the Titus Map of 1873. This is where Henry Milo Warrenfeltz spent his childhood. The boy would attend local area schools and had a successful professional career engaged in teaching, running a commercial business, and lastly, banking. He was also one of the incorporators of the Catoctin and Pen Mar Railway Company. He can be found in census records living as a boarder in Elder Hotel on East Main Street in Emmitsburg. Henry Milo married late in life a local woman named Daisy Ramsburg, and the couple lived in her family home (with a sister) at 12 East Third Street in Frederick. Henry Milo Warrenfeltz' life story is represented in his obituary of November 27th, 1943. His death made the front page of a Frederick News edition which included up to date information about the second World War raging in Europe and the South Pacific. However, there was absolutely no mention of his grandfather's untimely death. The great-grandson of the supposed "Ellerton (supposed) Raccoon" was laid to rest in Mount Olivet Area T/Lot 3. Henry's wife Daisy (Ramsburg) would join him here in March, 1954. One particular rabbit hole, or should I say "Raccoon Hole," that I explored with no luck was finding out where that nifty middle name of "Milo" came from. Although, I couldn't make this familial connection, I did make another to a stuffed animal that relates nicely to the wonderful world of raccoons. Along the way of research, I also found this interesting aside on the magical internet. The unsung heroes, or instigators in our story are the four-legged hunting companions of John Warrenfeltz and Mr. Kline. You could call them "coon dogs," a popular name for such well-trained beasts. Well, I learned that there exist a Coon Dog Memorial and its located in a special graveyard in Colbert County, Alabama. It's called the Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard. This is a specialized and restricted pet cemetery and memorial, reserved specifically for the burials of coon dogs. The cemetery was established by a man named Key Underwood on September 4th, 1937. Underwood buried his own dog there, choosing the spot, previously a popular hunting camp where "Troop" did 15 years of service. More than 300 dogs are buried here. With Black History Month here once again, I can't help but think about the research I was conducting seven years ago at this time with a special three-part story exploring the first people of color buried here within Mount Olivet Cemetery. This cemetery opened in 1854 and was segregated for its first century of operation. This was no different to Frederick having separate schools for black and white residents, and the same could be true for parks, restaurants and shops. Special entrances were employed for races at places of entertainment like our several theaters, while the Great Frederick Fair had restrooms and water fountains for white patrons and black patrons. It was a different time, and this history is not meant as a shaming lesson, but one of understanding and moving forward as we are all Fredericktonians, Frederick Countians, Marylanders, Americans, humans before we should start separating off into skin, hair or eye color and matters of faith, politics or what sports team or musical stylings one follows. The "Stories in Stone" blog was just months old in February 2017, as I had just started it in November 2016. As a matter of fact, I was still a new employee with Frederick's historic garden cemetery, having begun work as community relations and historic preservation manager in February 2016. I called (what I had thought would originally only be a two-part story) "Sidestepping the Color Barrier: The First Blacks Resident Buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery." This was not my first foray into this subject as I had developed, produced, researched, wrote, shot and edited a 5.5 hour documentary focusing on the Black history of Frederick County, Maryland back in 1996-97 when working for GS Communications' Cable Channel 10. To me, it was soon revealed that Frederick's African-American heritage is a tremendous and dynamic case study of "a border county within a border state." The award-winning video documentary explores the achievements and struggles of local Blacks since the inception of Frederick County in 1745 up through Emancipation in 1864 and the Civil Rights movement 100 years later. The magic of the program was certainly due to the incredible on-camera commentators who shared their research, experiences and stories. I was so lucky to have had so many great mentors and teachers for this, a truly humbling experience. So, I had a pretty good contextual background to guide me going in search of the very first African-Americans buried here in Mount Olivet. As its been 30 years now since I first had the idea to produce that project with my very supportive employers (the Delaplaine and Randall families), I have put together an adult-learning class to act as a companion to the video. In that same manner, I have continued doing some new research as I truly watch in awe the fine work being done with the local AARCH (African American Resources Cultural and Heritage Society) Group and their work towards opening a research center and museum here in town. Since 2017 and my "Sidestepping" series, I have done a few other subjects connecting to our local Black History and have made connections to some interesting national figures and events. In the process I am putting together a Cemetery walking tour that will help tell a very interesting cultural story, of course employing various gravestones to represent the lives of subjects whose mortal remains lie below. Coming full circle, I began my "Up From the Meadows" documentary with a montage of gravestones in Black cemeteries throughout the county, and posed the question: "If these stones could tell the stories of those they represent." This would eventually become the premise for my blog here. Last September, I stumbled upon a discovery that changes one of the major claims of my 2017 "Sidestepping" article in which I claimed that the first Black individual buried here in Mount Olivet was a woman named Hester Houston in the year 1896. As I said back then, I had been familiar with this individual for roughly 25 years, all due to a book entitled The History of Carrollton Manor by William Jarboe Grove, onetime president and treasurer of the M. J. Grove Lime Company. The noted philanthropist grew up on Carrollton Manor and published his memoir laced history book in 1922. On page 48, Mr. Grove speaks of Hester Houston (whom he misnames Easter Houston) a slave once-owned by his aunt Margaret Lauretta Jarboe(1838-1900): “It was not unusual that some respected colored slave was buried beside her master. I will mention one, Easter Houston, who was owned by William Eagle, she was given to his daughter, Lauretta, the wife of Thomas R. Jarboe, who is buried by their side in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.” Anyway, there is more to the story, and you can read about it for yourself as I am including the links to the three-part story at the end of this blog. I feel that I may have found an individual and person of color who may have been buried 17 years earlier in 1879. With the approaching Frederick Fair at hand, I decided to write a like-themed story on one of the early Fair Board presidents buried here by the name of Edward Buckey (1797-1881). Edward was the man in charge during the Civil War period, one of only three times in which the Fair was canceled, the other two being times of health pandemics in 1918 and 2020. Born in Libertytown, Edward Buckey was the son of Peter Buckey (1775-1848) and Mary Salmon (1778-1864). His father was one of eight siblings born to Matthias Buckey and wife Mary (Hoffman). Two of these were John and George Buckey who would be responsible for helping to create the crossroads town south of Frederick that bears the family name-Buckeystown. John was a tavern-keeper and blacksmith and George was a tanner. Edward Buckey was a longtime farmer who never married. After settling his deceased mother's estate, his family farmstead was sold, and he moved in with his widowed sister, Mary (Buckey) Getzendanner and his three nieces in a townhouse located on Frederick's East Church Street. Mr. Buckey would pass on October 7th, 1881 at the age of 84. His body would be buried in the same burial plot containing his parents in Area F/Lot 33. In looking at our cemetery records, I became especially interested in this grave plot. Edward's father died in 1848, six years before the cemetery opened in May of 1854. He would be the 163rd interment as he would be reburied here in the "new" family plot in early June (1854). At this same time, Edward's sister was removed here as well, having died in 1841, the wife of Daniel Grove Smith. Mr. Smith would remarry first former wife's sister Eleanor. This woman is buried in this lot as well, dying in December, 1855. Edward would eventually lay his mother to rest beside her husband and two daughters in March of 1864, four months before the Battle of Monocacy. Jubal Early and his soldiers passed somewhat near the family farm located south of Butterfly Lane. There is one more person in this lot, and this was the most surprising find of all. She was a woman named Harriet Costly, who had died in 1879. I was familiar with this surname from my "Up From the Meadows" research and immediately recalled this name's association with the greater Libertytown and Mount Pleasant area. Our records state that she was 74 years old when she passed the day after Christmas, December 26th, 1879. Harriet would be buried here three days later. I immediately sought out her obituary without luck, but I already had a transcript of it written in our records but without a source. It reads as follows: "Harriet Costly, an old colored servant in the family of Mr. E. Buckey, East Church Street, died suddenly on Sunday morning last in the 74th year of her age. She was raised in Mr. Buckey's family and was held in high esteem by everyone who knew her as an honest and faithful servant. Her funeral took place Tuesday afternoon. The interment was made in Mr. Buckey's family lot in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Rev. Martin Spiddle officiating." I next went to find her in the census records, and low and behold, found her living with Edward Costly in the 1870 US Census. This was the residence on East Church Street, and the census offered that she was working as a domestic. Amazingly, I would later learn that the townhouse in which Harriet and Mr. Buckey lived (and died) was my home back from 1995 to 1998, the exact time I produced "Up From the Meadows." Perhaps I was channeling her energy? Sadly, I didn't get much further in my research, however, the discovery places her here in Mount Olivet before Hester Houston, making her the first person of African blood here that I know about. However, there is also that situation with another Harriet —that of Harriet Heckman. The downside to the story is that I couldn't find Harriet's gravestone. I searched the Buckey plot for it with no luck, and then had to actually look at the individual grave spots as they are mapped out by way of our cemetery lot card collection. Harriet again is verified as being buried here, but I was perplexed that there was not a gravestone. That's when I called in my volunteer preservation/repair experts, lovingly known as "the Fixers." They carefully excavated the site and found only a base buried beneath the ground's surface. Where was the dye, the upright part of the stone? All they could find was a partial piece of marble with no writing whatsoever. Is this the stone of Harriet Costly? More research needs to be done. Then again, maybe she was buried here "quietly," as well? Was there pushback of any sort after she was buried which would cause the stone to be taken down or hidden? Again, as is the case with Hester Houston, not a lot of fanfare or attention was brought to the burial here of these ladies as to cause "issues." It was a a time when this was "a whites only cemetery." The preservation team just used a piece of buried marble fragment found at the site to mark her grave for now. As I just stated, additional work needs to be done, and a tasteful monument or memorial to Harriet's memory is certainly in order. Perhaps by next February, 2025, I will find myself writing an addendum to this story with news of a marker for Harriet, and hopefully more information about her time among the living. If you haven't read the 2017 three-part "Sidestepping a Color Barrier: The First Blacks Buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery" series, here are links.
Love is certainly in the air as Valentines Day is coming up once again. We’ve featured “Stories in Stones” in the past exploiting this romantic holiday theme. One of my favorites included a 2022 inventory of people named “Valentine” and entitled “Mount Olivet Valentines,” while another was about a "love quadrangle" in the early 20th century called “Maryland’s Prettiest Girl stars in Too Many Valentines.” So, I thought I’d try my hand again at playing up the Valentines Day theme. Now all I needed was a willing participant from our cemetery population of 41,000 to write about. I consulted my trusted assistant Marilyn Veek, and we sat down at our computer database and starting looking at names that have possible connections to Valentines Day and what it represents, not simply a vital date that includes February 14th. We began looking for names such as “Rose,” of which we have 16 individuals by that name here in Mount Olivet. Next, we searched “Flowers” in which we have two. This was followed by two strikeouts with "Candy" and "Chocolate." The late comedian John Candy proves that the former last name is indeed a real thing, while, low and behold, I learned that Chocolat is actually a surname that can be found in Argentina and the Congo according to the website: www.Forebears.io and is the 4,532,898th most common surname in the world. Nothing was truly captivating us, so we looked up the name "Heart." There were no entries of decedents having that name, however, we hit the motherlode by tweaking the spelling to “Hart.” Here is a rundown of those with “Hart” as a surname and the number of interments in Mount Olivet: I still wasn’t feeling it. I needed a name that conveyed the essence of Valentine’s Day—the unbridled “joy of love.” That’s when Marilyn suggested we look to see if we have anyone by the name of "Love" in our cemetery. We soon discovered four folks with the name of “Love,” and four others whose surname had the root of “Love.” These latter examples include: an infant Elizabeth Loveder (1834), Allene I. Lovelace (1908-1979), and Susan R. Loveless (1950-2001) and one more, which would be our overwhelming choice to research. Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to Sara C. Lovejoy—a sweet and sugary surname that says it all! I’m well aware of the term “killjoy,” and this is its polar opposite or antithesis. As for our proposed subject, I would quickly learn that she was a career educator who served as the Dean of Students for Hood College during the second half of the “Roaring 20s” up through her premature death in 1931. Sara C. Lovejoy Sara Cutts Lovejoy was born November 17th, 1874 in 1910 in Bradford, Essex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Thomas H. Lovejoy (1833-1908) and wife Abigail F. Jenkins (1835-1890). Her father worked as an editor and Sara came from a family with deep roots going back to the Revolutionary War and early Massachusetts and Maine on her mother's side. She was named for her maternal grandmother. Sara experienced childhood in Haverhill, Massachusetts and grew up in a “learned” household, gaining a fine, early primary education. She attended college in Hadley, Massachusetts at Mount Holyoke, and would be a graduate of the Class of 1898. In the summer of 1900, Sara can be found living with an uncle and aunt (John and Caroline Andrews) in Newton City, Massachusetts. She had just performed two years of instructional teaching in Huntington, Long Island while earning her masters from Columbia University in New York City. Miss Lovejoy received her first administrative position at this time, which would call for a move to Kentucky. I found that the spelling of the school’s name was off in the first article I had found, as it should read the Sayre Institute in Lexington, Kentucky. This school was founded in 1854 by David Austin Sayre for the education of young women. Sayre believed that women deserved an “education of the widest range and highest order.” Originally named Transylvania Female Institute, the school was renamed in honor of Sayre in 1885. The school’s original curriculum included French, Latin, German language and literature, and vocal and instrumental music, which were typical courses of study for women in that era. But, true to Sayre’s educational philosophy, other classes offered by the school included algebra, geometry, trigonometry, geology, chemistry, astronomy, history, English literature, and philosophy. These courses were somewhat of a departure from the traditional female academies which primarily focused on music and languages. The institution still exists today and is known as the Sayre School. Sara C. Lovejoy served here until 1906, at which time she moved to State College, Pennsylvania to take the job as Director of the Household/Home Economics Department. While here at Pennsylvania State College (aka Penn State), she would be named Acting Dean of the school's Woman’s Department. In 1908, Miss Lovejoy was promoted to Dean of Women. I had my memory refreshed by reading about Home Economics and wondered, to myself, why this class isn’t taught today in public schools as was the case in my youth? I soon came across an article Sara had written for the February, 1912 edition of an agricultural journal published by the school and called The Penn State Farmer. I think I have a good handle on the job duties associated with a school principal, and also those of a collegiate president. I thought it would be good to revisit the job duties of a college dean, and in particular, a “Dean of Women.” I consulted Wikipedia and here is what I found: “The dean of women at a college or university in the United States is the dean with responsibility for student affairs for female students. In early years, the position was also known by other names, including preceptress, lady principal, and adviser of women. Deans of women were widespread in American institutions of higher education from the 1890s to the 1960s, sometimes paired with a "Dean of Men", and usually reporting directly to the president of the institution. In the later 20th century, however, most Dean of Women positions were merged into the position of dean of students. The Dean of Women position had its origins in the anxiety of the first generations of administrators of coeducational universities, who had themselves been educated in male-only schools, with the realities of coeducation. The earliest precursor was the position of matron, a woman charged with overseeing a female dormitory in the early years of coeducation in the 1870s and 1880s. As the number of women in higher education rose dramatically in the late 19th century, a more comprehensive administrative response was called for. The Deans of Women served both to maintain a protective separation between the male and female student populations and to ensure that the academic offerings for women and academic work done by women were kept at a sufficiently high standard. In the initial years, the responsibilities of the dean of women were not standardized, but in the early 20th century it quickly took on the trappings of a profession. The first professional conference of deans and advisers of women was held in 1903. In 1915, the first book dedicated to the profession was published, Lois Rosenberry's The Dean of Women. In 1916, the National Association of Deans of Women was formed at Teachers College. By 1925, there were at least 302 deans of women at American colleges and universities.” This background on the title speaks volumes, and demonstrates that Sara C. Lovejoy was not just one of many women to serve in this role within the educational profession, but was a pioneer and trailblazer. This woman destined to be the very first “Blazer” Dean to serve at our local Hood College helped shape and mold this position, and attended the National Association of Educators Conference in New York City in early July, 1916 where a special session was held for Deans of Women. I also found that Sara had attended the 13th Annual Convention of the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations, held in Washington, DC in November of 1916. She was quite an ambassador for her employers. One more find of mine in conducting Google searches on Dean Lovejoy showed that our subject was a stickler for holding students to a high standard as she is quoted as saying that too many female students "show a lack of previous training that hinders their rapid progress." Sara C. Lovejoy is remembered on the Penn State campus by having a dorm, Lovejoy Hall, named in her honor. It provides on campus hous ing for graduate students. By 1919, Sara found herself in the position of Dean of Women at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio. Over her five years here, she continued her shaping of young women’s minds and I found a clipping where she spoke on the benefits of recreation for females as exemplified by the Y.W.C.A. (Young Women’s Christian Association). Miss Lovejoy would make her way to Frederick, Maryland in 1924 as she would be appointed to the position of "Academic Dean" and "Dean of Women" for Hood College. She worked under Dr. Joseph Henry Apple, first president of the institution, and lived on the new campus which had only opened less than a decade earlier. In 1925, Sara would travel to Indianapolis to take part in the American Association University Women Conference bringing together some of the brightest women educators across the globe. She would go on to serve as president of Frederick’s local chapter of the AAUW from 1927-1929. To illustrate the experience and insight that Sara C. Lovejoy brought to Hood College, we can look at President Apple's yearly reports. Hood College archivist Mary Atwell shared with me a few pages from Dr. Apple's 1925 Annual Report on the College which shows that Dean Lovejoy was a force to be reckoned with, even in her first year on the job here in Frederick. The local newspapers are filled with mentions of Dean Lovejoy hosting school functions and events and presenting talks and lectures both here and abroad. She was certainly at the pinnacle of her career and had worked hard at her craft. However, I find it interesting that she never married or had children. An expert on teaching women how to properly conduct households, she would never quite be in that position herself. Instead, she worked in high-end academic positions. As this article is supposed to be about the “joy of love,” I presume that her career in education was the “love of her life,” without rival. In the summer of 1928, Miss Lovejoy spent the months abroad in Europe. She would return to Frederick and her duties in mid-September prior to the start of the fall semester but had to be hospitalized at Frederick City Hospital due to contraction of Typhoid Fever. She would make a recovery after a month’s hospitalization. By November, she would be performing her regular duties in earnest, including the hosting of the annual Thanksgiving banquet. In March of the following year, she traveled to Cleveland to participate in a Deans of Women conference. The 1930 US Census shows Sara C. Lovejoy living in Frederick on the Hood campus in a building once named Westview, which sat behind the President's original home. In the 1930 census, Dean Lovejoy is residing here with three other women teachers: Elizabeth Bower, Onita Prall and Grace Brane. The only building on the Hood College campus named for a faculty member is the Onica Prall Child Development Laboratory. This is the former Westview. Built in 1921 by the College’s workmen, it was a residence for the vice president, Charles Wehler. The building was renovated as a child development laboratory school after Miss Prall’s arrival at Hood and was further renovated in 1966. Miss Prall’s life was devoted to improving the quality of early childhood education and in 1971 the building was named in honor of her pioneering work. (Today this is shown on the current Hood map as Georgetown Hill Lab School). For the next few years, Dean Lovejoy continued with performing her regular duties until she became ill again in January, 1931 after her return from Christmas break. There would be no full recovery this time as Sara was suffering from cancer. Dr. Apple and Sara's co-workers sadly saw that this was a dire situation and began making succession plans. Dr. Apple's Annual Report of 1931 shows his concern. Sara Cutts Lovejoy succumbed to her illness six months later on July 22nd, 1931 in Baltimore. Her death certificate states that she died of apoplexy at the Kelly Clinic, a private hospital operated by noted physician Dr. Howard A. Kelly (1858-1943) at 1418 Eutaw Place in Baltimore. Dr. Kelly was one of the founding “Big 4” professors of Johns Hopkins University and is credited with establishing gynecology as a specialty by developing new surgical approaches to gynecological diseases and pathological research. Miss Lovejoy’s funeral service was held in our Key Chapel here at Mount Olivet with services conducted by Dr. Joseph Henry Apple, himself. Her body would be laid to rest in Area LL/Lot 132. A special memorial service for Dean Lovejoy would be held at Hood a few months later when school was back in session. This would be for the benefit of the students who had been on summer break at the time of her death. I found it interesting that Sara would be buried here in Frederick, a place she had only lived for barely seven years. Her half grave plot contains six spaces but only one other individual is buried here. This woman’s name is Elizabeth Bower, and she died in November of 1970. In looking a bit closer, I learned that Miss Bower had a very special relationship with Dean Lovejoy. At the very least, she was a teaching colleague, housemate, and “close friend.” She is even listed as such in Miss Lovejoy’s obituary. I also found that Elizabeth Bower would serve in the role of Sara C. Lovejoy’s Executrix, and it seems she assumed much of Miss Lovejoy’s estate including the grave plot here at Mount Olivet. Miss Elizabeth Bertha Bower was born on October 12th, 1883 in Mooresburg, Montour County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of a Union Civil War soldier and had attended Pennsylvania State College where she would receive her Bachelor of Sciences degree in 1909, and her Masters in 1912. She most definitely met Miss Lovejoy at the college while the latter was serving as Dean of Women. Elizabeth Bower was a professor of chemistry, and from what I’ve read, was called for by Miss Lovejoy to take a position at Hood in 1925. I went back and searched the ship log of the SS Minnekahda which sailed from London to New York in August of 1928. This was the ill-fated journey that would precede Sara’s bout with Typhoid fever. Low and behold, I found Miss Bower as Sara’s travel companion to Europe. Whatever the relationship these two women had, and considering neither married, I take heart in knowing that they were the closest things to Valentines for each other, and hopefully found joy in their close friendship on many "February 14ths" up to Dean Lovejoy’s last in early 1931. Miss Bower stayed in Hood College’s employ until her retirement in 1958. Miss Bower’s legacy lives on at the college through the Elizabeth B. Bower Prize, awarded annually to an outstanding student in chemistry. The prize was established in 1956 by the late Rebecca Ann Eversole Parker '55, who was inspired by Professor Bower to make chemistry her career. At the time of her untimely death, Rebecca was studying for her doctorate in chemistry at Oxford University. In 1962, the Eversole family endowed the prize as a memorial to Rebecca. Elizabeth Bower kept herself busy in retirement by traveling and taking part in various civic groups. She gave many presentations as historian for the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter. Elizabeth Bertha Bowers died in November 1970, and at that time was placed in the gravesite next to her old friend Sara who had preceded her in death nearly forty years earlier. A woman by the name of Beatrice Malone of Lutherville, MD took care of Elizabeth's burial plans and was the Personal Representative for her estate. She was a student of Dean Lovejoy at Lake Erie College and again in the Hood class of 1926. She would become a supervisor for the Children's Aid Society of Maryland. Sara C. Lovejoy and Elizabeth Bower helped build the great tradition of Hood College, one that continues on. Think of them with both love and joy as you cherish loved ones, past and present, this coming Valentine’s Day. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Very special thanks to Mary Atwell, Archivist and Collections Department Librarian at Hood College, for her assistance with visuals and additional information for this story.
So, tell me one thing: ”Are you ready for the big day?” It’s early February, and I am in no way referring to the Super Bowl, or sport of football. There’s certainly no need for goalposts, however specific “goals” are critically important in what I’m referring to, while any and all connections to “post” is just plain paramount. I guess you could say, “It’s all about the delivery.” —theirs, not mine. February 4th is National Thank a Mail Carrier Day! It’s a time when “going postal” is actually a good thing, but please don’t get this event confused with National Postal Worker Day. The latter is observed every year on July 1st. Keeping track of all these newfound “national days” is quite confusing, I know. The folks in this profession brave the elements and work hard to get us our letters, packages, magazines and campaign mailers in a timely manner. Our nation’s letter carriers “serve with great fidelity” in the faithful execution of their work as public servants. The American Community Survey, in conjunction with the US Census Bureau, estimates that there are about 302,000 mail carriers currently working in the United States. The profession can thank the ratification of the United States Constitution in 1788 which gave Congress the power “To establish Post Offices and Post Roads” in Article I, Section 8. One year later, the Act of September 22nd, 1789, continued the Post Office and made the Postmaster General subject to the direction of the President. Four days later, President Washington appointed a gentleman named Samuel Osgood as the first Postmaster General (under the Constitution). At that time, almost four million residents would be served by 75 Post Offices and nearly 2,400 miles of post roads. Carved in stone over the entrance to the old New York City Post Office building on 8th Avenue, one can find the quote, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” According to the United States Postal Service, the quote often mistaken as the US Post Office motto comes from “The Persian Wars” written by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus around 445 BC and refers to the Persian system of mounted postal couriers who “served with great fidelity” during the wars between the Greeks and Persians (500-449 BC). Frederick is no stranger to the postal service. In fact, the most famous postal professional of all-time visited Frederick in the spring of 1755. This was Benjamin Franklin who had been sent by the leaders of the Pennsylvania colony to assist British Gen. Edward Braddock in his expedition into the interior of the country to battle the French & Indians. Communication to and from the unsettled wilderness with the colonial capitals would be "a necessity" for Braddock and governors like ours in Horatio Sharpe and Virginia's Alexander Spotswood. Franklin started as postmaster of Philadelphia in 1737, and eventually was elevated to serve as postmaster general of the Colonies. This would last until 1774, at which time the British authorities finally figured out that Ben Franklin was a revolutionary who could not be trusted. Not good to have a man of his stature wielding power of the principle communication delivery system of the day. Christina Martinkosky of Frederick City’s Planning Department wrote a fantastic article last April on the subject of Frederick's early post office and subsequent homes in the Frederick News-Post newspaper as part of her heralded “Preservation Matters” series. She wrote: “In the early years of Frederick, there was an absence of post offices and mail routes. Correspondences were deposited in public-houses and messages were transported to their intended destination through ad hoc methods. Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general in 1775. By 1815, there was a daily mail service to Washington, DC, Baltimore, Hagerstown, and Wheeling. The mail was carried by hired riders in some cases, who, it has been said, frequently changed horses in Frederick as a major connection hub to other regional destinations. Stagecoaches then played a role as the earliest thru-roads and turnpikes came into existence." The town's inns and taverns were the first mail centers in places like Frederick and eventually surrounding towns. In 1825, the post office of Frederick was situated on North Market Street next to the town’s Market House. Today, this is the site of Brewer’s Alley restaurant. Fourteen years later, town diarist Jacob Engelbrecht made an interesting entry in his famous journal on January 4th, 1839: “Post Office—John Rigney Esquire the new Post master of this town, entered on his official station on Tuesday last 1 instant. The office is now kept in Bentz’s old house near the Market Street Bridge, opposite the residence of Mr. Rigney.” The Post Office would bounce around a bit, sometimes associated with established business sites, and at other times, private homes. The deciding factor in most cases resided with the Post Master himself as it had to be in close proximity to his regular workspace or home domicile. Nearly 20 years later in late March, 1858, Engelbrecht states that the Post Office of Postmaster J. J. Smith, Esquire moved from its home on West Patrick Street adjacent the City Hotel, to the house of Basil Norris on Court Street. Norris conducted a grocery store of sorts. The town Post Office would be back on West Patrick within 20 years as it is mentioned within the City Hotel in advertisements in the late 1870s. Ms. Martinkosky, in her article, adds: “By 1887, the post office was at the southwest corner of the intersection between Court and Church streets. This property, known as the Court Square Building, was originally constructed in 1782 as one of the fine homes that circled the original courthouse. The unique “top hat” dormers are likely an original feature. For many years the property served as headquarters for several long-lasting institutions, including the Central National Bank and Annapolis Bank. Sanborn Maps show that the western half of the building was used as a post office between 1887 and 1902.” In 1902, the Masonic Temple Association purchased the property at 22 W. Church St. and constructed an impressive four-story building. Between 1902 and 1917, the post office operated from the first floor. Frederick’s first post office, specifically constructed for that purpose, was located on the corner of East Patrick and North Carroll streets. The cornerstone was laid in 1917. The Greek Revival styled building was built of white brick and Indiana limestone. The former structure once stood where the current parking lot of the Downtown Frederick USPS Office is located. Parts of the old Frederick Post Office were thought to be re-used locally, but seemed to disappear. Some sections of the beautiful Doric columns of the old Post Office's front entrance were employed for a while as earlier window-dressing for the Carroll Creek Promenade. Many referred to these as "Tinkertoys" after the famed childhood building toy playset of yesteryear. The loss of the post office entails a very sordid and sad story. I will leave that for another day because I want to talk about a few of Frederick’s earliest mail carriers—also referred to as “letter carriers." A friend of mine, Caroline Eader, provided me with the following image of mail carriers and other postal staff in front of Frederick’s Post Office of June, 1914. This would be the site of the Post Office when it was located on West Church Street within the former Masonic Lodge, today the home of The Temple Cosmetology School. Caroline had a particular interest in the photograph because of an ancestor named Edward M. Eader. This gentleman is buried in Mount Olivet and is Caroline’s great grandfather. I trust my friend's family lineage because her mother, Edie Eader (1944-2022), was one of the best genealogists in the area for over 30 years. More importantly for Frederick, Mr. Eader was one of our town’s very first mail carriers. Edward was not alone as the picture attests. As a matter of fact, the four gentlemen to the right of the line (and likely dressed in light gray) within this old 1914 photograph were our mail delivery pioneers. This includes the following who served Frederick City: (Left to right) Edmund F. Moberly, James Edwin Duvall, Edward M. Eader and Charles Robertson. All four of these fellows are actually buried in Mount Olivet, along with other letter carriers that would subsequently take their place in delivering our city (and county's) mail up through the present day. In doing research for this story, I found that mail carriers of yesteryear, both city carriers and rural deliverers, were pseudo celebrities. Everyone knew these individuals, and they were usually associated with bringing joy in the form of vital communication, especially in those early days before widespread telephone use, television and radio broadcasting, and the email and texts of today that have been the postal service's biggest competitor in modern times. People anxiously awaited letters from loved ones, friends, personalized correspondence from businesses and government entities and magazines in the form of subscriptions. It was an endorphin rush to receive a letter in my youth. Now, not so much. Today, the mail carrier is tasked with delivery of bulk mail circulars, bills, and (to some) dreaded election campaign marketing pieces. With a high school senior in the household, I’m shocked to see the number of colleges that have sent parcels to my home. So back to the vintage photograph and our mail carriers. On September 18th, 1914, an article published in the Frederick News stated: “The Post Office Department invites your attention to the benefits to be derived from the use of private mail receptacles. Such receptacles in the form of a box or a slot in the door obviate the necessity of patrons responding to the carrier’s call at inconvenient moments, permit the safe delivery of mail at all times, and contribute materially to the efficiency of the service.” Mailboxes for both delivery and reception were quite helpful to resident and letter carrier alike. Many of our historic homes still boast original mail receptacles in the form of interior boxes and mail slots in front doors. Let's take a closer look at those four early mail carriers captured in the photograph. Edward M. Eader Edward Melancthon Eader is buried in Mount Olivet's Area L/Lot 189 not far from the rear of Key Memorial Chapel. He was born December 22nd, 1855. He was the son of Anna Mary Eader (1832-1876), however his biological father is said to be unknown. His mother remarried a man name Joseph Talbott and moved to Howard County without Edward from what I can tell. In 1860, he can be found living on the farm of a maternal uncle (Charles Ezra Eader) who would die at Gettysburg three years later during the American Civil War. In 1870, Edward would be living with his maternal grandparents here in Frederick. Edward M. Eader can be found living on East Street with his widowed grandmother in the 1880 census where his occupation is simply listed as a laborer. Edward married Fannie M. Heard (b. 1860) in late 1880 and the couple raised three sons: Roy, Harry and Lewis (Caroline's grandfather). Soon, he would be one of the three inaugural appointees for the job of "city-carrier" with Frederick’s Post Office. Mr. Eader would be chosen in February 1890 by Frederick's new Post Master, Harry Clay Keefer, and would serve faithfully for 31 years. I found only a couple of articles of note in local newspapers on Edward M. Eader, as most others mentioned him in connection with involvement in the Independent Hose Company and the Sons & Daughters of Liberty Organization. Edward would serve as State Councilor for the organization. Edward M. Eader spent most of his adult life living at 505 East Church Street extended. The 1930 census shows two grandchildren living with he and wife Fannie. He would pass three years later on September 17th, 1933. Great-grandaughter Caroline Eader supplied me with an image showing clippings pertaining to Edward's obituary and funeral announcement. Note that fellow letter-carriers served as pall-bearers. I found like articles in the local newspapers saying much the same. I was impressed that this made front page news. Mr. Eader would be laid to rest in Mount Olivet's Area L/Lot 189 as I mentioned earlier. I thought it would be interesting to search the cemetery for the other three "letter-carriers" in the vintage photograph taken on West Patrick street nearly 110 years ago. Following are their obituaries and gravestones. Edmund F. Moberly (1850-1935) James Edward Duvall (1839-1929) Charles Robertson (1852-1911) One of the most interesting finds along the way was this little article which appeared in the March 17th, 1915 edition of the Frederick Post. This led me to search further, and I would learn a great deal about Julia M. Shafer of Knoxville in the southwestern part of Frederick County. As the article states, Miss Shafer (b. Sept. 1885) was one of the first female rural mail carriers in the Eastern U.S. Being a rural mail carrier was regarded a rougher challenge than city-carrier based on the roads of the time, weather issues and wild animals occasionally making the job a bit more difficult. She unofficially began in this endeavor by assisting her father (Thomas K. Shafer) in 1896. The family lived off of Petersville Road, just southeast of the village of Burkittville and on the greater Needwood estate of the earlier Lee family. A feature article appeared in the Frederick News in December, 1911 stating she had been in the U.S. Service for eight years. Miss Julia May Shafer never married but served her employers with "great fidelity." She would retire after 30 years under the United States Postal Service, and it is said that she traveled over 234,000 miles in her goal of delivering mail to the masses. Another feature article appeared shortly after her retirement in January, 1934 and states that adding her work-based travel miles together would equate to circling the globe five times. It's an amazing feat regardless of sex, however her story is one for the ages. Julia M. Shafer died in January, 1961 at the age of 75. She is not buried here in Mount Olivet, however her mortal remains are reposing with her family in Burkittsville Union Cemetery. For well over 30 years, Miss Shafer would dutifully pass this burying ground, in the shadow of South Mountain, almost daily as part of her established rural postal route. I hope this article gave you a little more appreciation for our mail-carriers, both past and present. Even though National Thank a Mail Carrier Day (February 4th) falls on a Sunday this year, please give them a thank you on Monday if you see them — better yet, leave them a note or letter.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. The only downside to writing (and reading) this particular blog, is knowing that they all end the same—the main character dies. Such is the struggle for the “cemetery journalist” based on his available subjects. However, the fascination always lies in asking the basic two questions regarding the gravestones and monuments that comprise all burying grounds, big or small, and that is: “Who were these people?” and “How did they die?” A few weeks back, I wrote a story about an interesting, above-ground crypt in Mount Olivet called the Roelkey Vault, which contains multiple members of the family of John and son, Joseph Roelkey. One day when I was shooting photos of the Roelkey Vault, for that story, I took particular notice of a large monument I was standing next to. The family’s name of “Gilson” was new to me and I my curiosity was piqued by seeing the names of two decedents (and brothers) who had died in their early thirties. These included J. Emory Gilson (1866-1898) and Thomas J. Gilson (1882-1913). Below the latter, was the name of Thomas’ wife, one I had familiarity with thanks to producing a history documentary about the town of Thurmont years ago. I would find that Alice H. Osler (1883-1951) was the daughter of Van Buren Osler (1840-1901), a Union Civil War veteran, merchant, former president of the town commission and one of the founders of the town’s first bank in 1889, along with partner Samuel Birely. This institution would become known as the Thurmont Bank in 1901 (after Osler’s death) and was housed in one of the most iconic buildings in town up through this day. Another Union Civil War vet was on the other side of the gravestone I was positioned beside in Area R/Lot 57. This was the father of the two brothers (John Emory and Thomas). His name was Charles Albert Gilson, a native of near Emmitsburg. Born in 1840, this man was the son of Richard Gilson whom author T.J. Williams calls “a native of Frederick County, who was of Scotch-Irish extraction” in his History of Frederick County (Vol. II) published in 1910. Charles grew up on his father's farm located on Middle Creek just southeast of the town of Emmitsburg. The fabled history book goes on to say that Charles A. Gilson spent the early years of his life in the occupation of a farmer, but afterwards devoted himself to mercantile interests. "He was a member of the Union Army for four years during the Civil War, serving with much credit, and participating in many of the hard fought battles of that struggle. Charles was married February 27th, 1866, to Harriet E. Morrison, of Emmitsburg District, Frederick County." It appears that the family may have gone west to Iowa for a few years, but were back in Maryland for the 1870 census in the area of Emmitsburg. In 1877, Charles located to Frederick, and was engaged in the agricultural implement business. The couple had five daughters and three sons. The family lived on East Third Street in 1880 and relocated to West Church Street by decade’s end. Mr. Gilson passed in 1892 and was revered as a man who was highly respected in the community in which he lived. Interestingly, all three of his boys are also buried in this plot including Charles Albert Gilson, Jr. (1875-1950) who lived a considerably long life compared to his male siblings. Charles, Jr. spent most of his existence in the field of banking under the employ of the Farmers & Mechanics’ National Bank of Frederick. Charles, Jr. would assist his mother in burying his older brother John Emory on October 12th, 1912. Unfortunately, I failed in finding out more about this man and his exact cause of death because my historical newspaper subscriptions don’t currently include papers from the week he died (Oct 6-18th). All I know is that he had lived in Washington, DC at the time of his marriage to Louise Griffith in September of 1891. He was mentioned to have been ill and recuperating at the home of his mother at 73 South Market Street in September, 1898. To come full circle, we can wrap up with a known cause of death for Thomas Jones Gilson, husband of Alice Osler mentioned at the outset. After looking into this further, I can tell you with certainty that Thomas was unlucky, unfortunate, luckless because he found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time in December, 1913. That place was Elephant Butte, New Mexico. To backtrack a bit, Thomas was born on September 26th, 1883 and attended school here in Frederick. He was eight when his father died, and was raised into adulthood by his mother on South Street. He can found living with her in the 1900 US Census and working for a laundry. Thomas married Miss Osler in 1904, and worked as a salesman. In 1910, he can be found selling pianos and living in Quincy, Illinois, where they had their first child, Thomas. Soon after, Mr. Gilson took a job as an engineer with the United States Reclamation Service. He moved to Provo, Utah where he and Alice would welcome a second son in June, 1912 (Charles Osler Gilson). In spring, 1913, Thomas would be assigned to a project in Sierra County, New Mexico. It involved building a dam near an ancient landform known to locals by its Mexican name of “El Elefante.” It’s a butte, an isolated hill with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively flat top. In the case of Elephant Butte, it has an elevation of 4,639 feet. To put things in perspective, the highest elevation of our very own Catoctin Mountain is 1,880 feet. If you look at its shape closely, it resembles an elephant that is sleeping on its side. The area around Elephant Butte is noted for its hot springs, and the first public bath in the area was built at John Cross Ranch over Geronimo Springs in the late 19th century. The hot springs are part of the Hot Springs Artesian Basin. Major settlement here began with the construction of Elephant Butte Dam and its reservoir starting in 1912. The dam was completed in 1916, but our subject would not live to see it. This engineering accomplishment was a part of the Rio Grande Project, an early large-scale irrigation effort authorized under the Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902. I’ve found several photographs and articles regarding the Elephant Butte reservoir project, including pieces in national magazines like Scientific American and several overseas periodicals. One of the most common images used is the following which depicts a 20 ton “dinkey” railway engine swung across a canyon over the Rio Grande River. This method of cableways would be used to transport many thousands of tons of machinery and materials for the dam project. In 1916, the nearest town to Elephant Butte was incorporated as Hot Springs. It became the Sierra County seat in 1937. By the late 1930s, Hot Springs was filled with 40 different natural-hot-spring spas — one per every 75 residents at the time — though primarily catering to visitors. An interesting aside includes the city willingly changing its name from Hot Springs due to confusion with other places titled “Hot Springs” around the country. In March 1950, Ralph Edwards, the host of the popular NBC Radio quiz show Truth or Consequences, announced that he would air the program on its 10th anniversary from the first town that renamed itself after the show. This is when Hot Springs, New Mexico officially changed its name to Truth or Consequences on March 31st, 1950. The program was broadcast from this city the following evening and Edwards visited the town during the first weekend of May for the next 50 years. This event became known as Fiesta and eventually included a beauty contest, a parade, and a stage show. Today, Elephant Butte is the centerpiece of Elephant Butte Lake State Park, and has served as an island since the completion of the dam and surrounding water reservoir. When the Gilson family arrived here in 1913, it is assumed they were provided housing by the federal government. Old photographs show small settlements in the vicinity of Elephant Butte for the workers. Oddly, Mr. Gilson would receive a debilitating injury that would lead eventually to his death weeks later. Interestingly, this would not be an “on the job” accident, rather one that just occurred while on the way back home one day. Although friends and family back home were sent a telegram about the initial incident, Thomas Gilson was thought to be on the mend according to his wife’s correspondence. Just days after Christmas, the Frederick community would learn of his death at age 30. Although, the exact cause of death is not stated, it must have been some sort of infection, or consequence, of his head suffering the blunt force trauma of the wood. I theorize that the sawmill where Mr. Gilson stopped was heavily used for producing boards for concrete forming for the dam project. The local newspapers carried subsequent stories of Gilson’s body being shipped back home to Frederick for burial, culminating with his funeral on January 6th, 1914 in Mount Olivet. His mortal remains would join that of his older brother John Emory, and his parents—his mother having died in 1908. Alice would return to Provo and remarry a man named Charles Karney. Her son Charles Osler Gilson would die in 1918 of appendicitis at the age of six. The family would relocate to Olympia, Washington. She would live until 1951, at which time her body would be brought back to Maryland for reburial next to her first husband in Mount Olivet. While it may not matter to many people, learning who this man was, and how and where he died has been very enlightening to me. From here onward, every time I pass his gravestone sitting high, I will have the image of that incredible butte resembling an elephant in my brain as that is likely among the last images that he would have before passing.
Last week, the Frederick, Maryland area experienced multiple winter storms. We hadn’t seen a significant snow since March, 2022, and this was quite an event with a Monday night-Tuesday snowfall of about 4 inches, and a like amount on Friday. Now in no way does this compare to the Blizzard of January, 2016, or “Snowmageddon,” a double-shot of massive precipitation endured back in early February of 2010 when we received nearly three feet of snow. Of course, in my lifetime there were other memorable snowstorms I can recall harkening back to 1996, 1983 and 1979. However, these recent storms of early 2024 were quite manageable, reminding us again of the beauty of snow, especially when resting in the comfort of one’s own home. With the recent snow, I took the opportunity to venture out of my office last Wednesday to capture some of the sights and scenes within our historic, snow-blanketed, garden cemetery. The trek did not disappoint, but my hands did get quite cold as the gloves I had were not conducive to smartphone photography. I constantly found myself having to take them off on such a frigid day. Regardless, here is some of my handiwork: One photo, or shall I say gravestone, particularly resonated with me for more than simple visual appeal. This was due to the family surname. This was the burial space of a Civil War veteran with an old German name of Frederick that originally was spelled “Sturm,” but was changed to “Storm.” Both words can be defined as “a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow.” Interestingly, we had just received the latter, and I had to smile when seeing multiple stones in Mount Olivet’s Area A/Lot 65 with this surname. The scene of this particular gravestone was made more stunning due to a small flag placed recently for Veterans Day, and a wreath on “Wreaths Across America” Day back on December 16th. This is the grave of John Peter Leonard Storm, born April 19th, 1838 in Frederick and died July 3rd, 1896. It’s safe to say this gentleman’s birth and death days had likely no snow in the forecast, but a storm consisting of rain, wind, thunder and lightning is certainly not out of the question. Speaking of “storms,” we currently have 38 Mount Olivet “residents” with the surname of Storm, and four others with the pluralized version— Storms. Our records show that John P. L. Storm was a carpenter by trade and later worked as a bank cashier. He married the widow Louisa (Fardwell) Kirwin on January 23rd, 1866 (a day that possibly had snow about). They had one known child, Harrie Edward Winfield Storm (1866-1939). John P. L. Storm served with the Union Army during the American Civil War and participated in the ranks of Companies E and G within Maryland’s Seventh Regiment. Our cemetery records show him taking part in the Battle of Five Forks, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia. This was one of the last battles of the war, taking place on April 1st, 1865. He and his regiment would be on hand at Appomattox Court House eight days later for Gen. Lee's surrender of his Confederate Army to Gen. Grant. Storm's military record appears on a memorial page within our Mount Olivet vets.com website in the section published last Veterans Day (2023) featuring Mount Olivet Union soldiers of the American Civil War. John P. L. Storm returned home from war and stayed active in civic and local affairs. He was particularly revered in Frederick’s local Masonic Dual Grand Lodge. He died one day shy of Independence Day, July 3rd, 1896, having been ill quite some time, and his obituary was printed in the local Frederick News that same day. I am already quite familiar with John P. L. Storm’s grandfather, John Peter Storm. Better known as Peter Storm, this gentleman is buried to the left of John P. L. and also has a snow-covered grave adorned by a flag and wreath, and appears in our MountOlivetVets.com site as well. Peter Storm was a veteran of the War of 1812 and held the rank of corporal in the 3rd Regiment of the Maryland militia under George W. Ent from August 24th –September 30th, 1814. Peter Storm was born January 21st, 1787 in Frederick to parents Jacob and Julianna Storm and was one of six children. His father was a participant of the American Revolution as a wagoner in Captain Jonathan Morris’ Company of the 7th Maryland Regiment. Peter Storm advertised his services as a coppersmith in the local newspaper of the early 1800s and eventually became a tavern-keeper. He married Mary Magdelena Haller on January 13th, 1807. Rev. David F. Schaeffer, who would also play an interesting role locally in the 1812 conflict, presided over the matrimony ceremony. The couple went on to have three known children: Peter Leonard Storm (1807-1875), Mary Ann Elizabeth (Storm) Cromwell (1811-1852), and Lydia Ann Rebecca (Storm) Dadisman (1812-1832). Peter Storm died on April 28th, 1821 at the age of 34. His mortal remains were originally buried in Frederick’s Lutheran graveyard, but moved here to the Storm family plot in Mount Olivet, likely in 1862 when his wife died, or earlier when the lot was purchased in 1855. I found a reference to Mary Magdelena (Haller) Storm operating the family’s tavern on Market Street (likely South Market) as late as 1825 in Jacob Engelbrecht’s diary. She lived out her life on South Market Street, and I found her in the 1850 census living in a house next door to her son (Peter Leonard Storm). Back in 2014, the cemetery placed a special marker on Peter Storm’s gravesite speaking to his military involvement during the War of 1812. This was during the 1812 Bicentennial commemoration, as we did the same for the other 1812 veterans buried here in Mount Olivet. Peter and Magdalena’s son, Peter Leonard Storm (b. November 12th, 1807), is buried directly behind his father. He worked as a bank clerk for the Central Bank of Frederick and, in 1861, would be promoted to the position of cashier. He would enjoy quite a career in the banking field. In personal life, Peter Leonard Storm would be married two times. With first wife, Henrietta Riehl, he was father to John Peter Leonard Storm, whose gravestone started this Story in Stone “Storm Storm” in the first place for me. Peter Leonard is also the man who purchased the family lot here in Area A, and would bury both parents here. It would also be the final resting place for both his wives, the aforementioned Henrietta (1812-1844), and second wife Isabella Burrows (1821-1879). Henrietta, like father-in-law “Peter” Storm, was originally buried in the Evangelical Lutheran graveyard, but we have records showing she was moved to Mount Olivet in 1855. Peter Leonard Storm remarried in 1848 and was known to have lived at today’s 403 South Market Street. He had five children with Henrietta, also known as Harriet, and four children with Isabella. It’s the first-born child of Peter Leonard and Isabella that really ties our story together, but more on that in a moment. Peter Leonard Storm would pass in October, 1875. He is buried between wife #1, and wife #2. We started our story with John Peter Leonard Storm, and I just made reference to a stepbrother who should have been my original inspiration for this snow-laden story. However, he is buried a good distance away in Mount Olivet’s Area Q, just south of what we call Founder’s Garden atop Cemetery Hill. On the southern slope of downtown Frederick’s highest landform, you will find the grave of Luther W. Storm and wife Alice. Although a simple middle initial exists on the tombstone, it gives me great pleasure to tell you this gentleman’s middle name—Winter. That’s right, the eldest son of Peter Leonard and Henrietta Storm was Luther Winter Storm, born August 4th, 1849. I can guarantee that this occupant of Area Q’s Lot 13 was not given his name in a driving snow storm in August. The secret likely lies with his mother’s Burrows family, but that’s enough “name game” for one day. Luther married Alice Olivia Rice and went on to have four sons holding respectable names of Charles, Frank, William and George. Peter was successfully sidestepped. Luther Winter Storm can be found in the occupation of cigar maker in the 1880 US Census and living on South Market Street. Luther Winter Storm would eventually become a bookkeeper for a tobacco firm and relocated to Lancaster, Pennsylvania where he lived on North Shippen Street. He would die in Lancaster on September 23rd, 1912, and his body would be brought back home to Frederick for burial. When looking at all the Storms buried in Mount Olivet, I was pleased to find one with an even more magical name than “Winter Storm.” This would be the daughter-in-law of our initial subject, John Peter Leonard Storm. On June 2nd, 1892, John P. L. Storm’s only son Harrie (and yes, that’s the correct spelling) would get married in Jefferson County, West Virginia. The ceremony was presided over by a Rev. Feel. On this momentous occasion, Harrie’s blushing bride, the former Fairy Belle Daniels, became Fairy Belle Storm. She was the daughter of farmer Dennis Monroe Daniels and wife Mary Ann (Sperry)Daniels of Bakerton, West Virginia near Harpers Ferry. Fairy Belle was born on April 28th, 1871 and died at Frederick Memorial Hospital on April 12th, 1954. The couple had four sons, and also avoided the name Peter: Frank, Charles, Sperry, and Edward. I read that this family would occupy the old homestead at 403 South Market. Sperry Storm was a noted music teacher in town, and Edward was a lawyer who would serve as a Maryland State Senator in the mid 20th century. Ironically, I had to do a double-take of the pictures I took on Wednesday in which I found that my final photo taken was that of beautiful plantings found on the north corner of Area GG. In the background were the graves of Sperry L. Storm and former senator Edward D. Storm, grandsons of John P. L. Storm. Almost sounds like we should have the following customized inscription on a gravestone:
“Here lies in Mount Olivet steadfast, a family with a quite Stormy Past." Happy Quitters Day and Weekend! In the “Christmas season” of holidays, Three Kings’ Day/Little Christmas on January 6th is not the official end. No sir, “Quitter’s Day” is celebrated on the second Friday of every year as the day when most people are most likely to abandon their New Year’s resolutions. That’s right, after suffering through one weekend, why let a second one go to waste. Live it up! Last week, in part 1 of our “Story in Stone” focused on the early Roelkey family of Frederick, I endeavored on working toward my personal New Year’s resolution of writing/publishing a story on these German immigrants, something that I have been wanting to do for about seven years now. I centered on the unique family vault built into a hill and located in Mount Olivet’s Area R. This structure was built by John Roelkey, Jr., born October 16th, 1823 as Johann Christian Heinrich Roelke, Jr. in Oedelsheim, on the Weser River, in Germany. This week, we are traveling about 75 yards to the northeast of the Roelkey Vault to Area F/Lots 21-23. Once here, we find the gravesite of John’s parents and a few other relatives, including a family member who traded in her maiden name for a very similar new married surname, and a descendant who not only documented her own genealogy, but is responsible for helping countless others do the same—including adding greatly to Mount Olivet’s historical records and database. Christian Roelkey The bodies of Johann Christian Heinrich Roelke (1793-1861) and his second wife, Maria Christena Dreyer occupy Area F’s Lot 22. Last week, I shared the fact that the original Roelke name has been spelled a variety of ways including Rolicke, and Rölke with an umlaut. Along the way, it was anglicized by several family members to Roelkey. The name has been pronounced here locally in a variety of ways, particularly as “Rell-key” and “Rull-key.” Regardless of spelling and pronunciation, this surname crudely translates from its Germanic origin to “Glory for the Wolf.” Let’s talk about John Roelke (Roelkey), Sr., better known as Christian Roelke, more in depth in part II of this story. The patriarch of my focus on this family in Mount Olivet is not interred within the Roelkey Vault, but rather in Area F. Born February 9th, 1793 to Johann Conrad Rolke and Elizabeth Niemeyer, Christian immigrated to America in 1837 with his second wife (the former Christina Dreyer) and eight children, eventually settling in Frederick. Williams’ History of Frederick County (1910) states the voyage from Bremen (Germany) to Baltimore was made in rapid manner taking just 21 days. A family history on Ancestry.com shows documents that this occurred aboard the ship Elise, under a Capt. John Koch. Once here in America, and Frederick, the family first engaged in weaving carpets and woolen goods, but eventually took up huckstering farm goods. Apparently, this was the family trade back in their native Hesse-Cassel. Christian and Maria Roelkey's children included: 1.) William , a marble maker turned cabinet maker and later a tobacconist in Frederick; 2.) Augustus, coffee merchant in Baltimore; 3.) Peter; 4.) Harmon, enlisted at age 18 for the Mexican War and in 1849 went to seek gold in California, where he married and would reside in Sacramento; 5.) Chrissie (1812-1888), married a baker by the name of Henry Koester and buried in Area H/Lot 315; 6.) Caroline Sophia (1827-1904) aka "Lena," married Frederick Soelke; 7.) Eliza (1822-1887), married a machinist named David Haller and buried in Area A/Lot 36); 8.) and the aforementioned John (1823-1897), who worked at the Eagle Iron Works of Calvin Page before becoming a prominent farmer whose former plantation can be found near the intersection of US 15 and Biggs Ford Road north of Frederick. Christian and Maria and family appear in the 1860 census living on the south side of West South Street and west of Mantz Alley (now known as Ice Street/Broadway Street). This would place them just west of the site of a new, large condo complex (being built at the site of the former location of Rollin’s Funeral Home). The address of the Roelkey home is today’s 126 West South Street, and was purchased by Christian in 1854. In the Williams’ Frederick Business Directory of 1859/60, Mr. Roelke is listed as a “carter,” defined as a driver of a horse-drawn vehicle used for transporting and selling goods like produce. This line of work would also label Christian as a professional hauler and also a huckster. Speaking of this, Frederick diarist Jacob Engelbrecht made a few entries (in the 1850s) mentioning the making of “sauer kraut” from cabbage he had bought from Christian Rolke (sp). In 1856, Engelbrecht notes Roelkey’s involvement in hauling dirt and sand for the municipality to fill and fix city streets. Unfortunately, a change in profession for Christian Roelkey would be a contributing factor to an early grave. I take you to the turbulent year of 1861.This was the year following the hotly contested election of 1860 in which Abraham Lincoln became president. Although there were many factors, the election and subsequent inauguration of Lincoln helped ignite the American Civil War as Fredericktonians would soon hear news of the firing upon, and capture, of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina’s harbor in April of 1861 by Confederate forces. Residents then watched Southern states secede from the Union, including next door neighbor Virginia. President Lincoln could not allow Maryland to follow suit, thus surrounding Washington, D.C., as there existed strong sympathy and support throughout the state, especially in Southern Maryland, the Eastern Shore, and Baltimore which would come under martial law following the Pratt Street Riot of that same April. Two weeks after the Confederate capture of Fort Sumter, South Carolina, Maryland Gov. Thomas H. Hicks called the General Assembly into special session here in Frederick, a strongly Unionist city to debate secession. The state capital, Annapolis, was seething with resentment over the recent Federal occupation of that city. Both the Senate and the House of Delegates began the session on April 26th, 1861, in the former Frederick County Courthouse which had been built in 1875. The next day, the senators and delegates moved to Kemp Hall, a larger meeting space that belonged to the German Reformed Church. Only a block away, Kemp Hall is positioned on the southeast corner of Church and Market streets and the building served as the capitol of Maryland during the spring and summer of 1861. Apparently some local Rebels didn’t take to kindly to the move of state government, and decided to send a poignant message. Court House Fire—This Morning between one & two o’clock (a.m.) the Court House in this City was certainly set on fire & burnt nearly out, except the lower part where the court, lawyers & jury usually sat—the whole, or nearly of the roof was on fire when first discovered & being such an unusual hour of the morning when nearly everybody was fast asleep. The Sheriff’s office & the Collector’s office were in the east and west wings & all their books and papers were saved. But in the Grand Jury room upstairs were many old papers of not much value were destroyed—there was insurance in the Frederick Mutual Office for $5,000. Jacob Engelbrecht, May 8th, 1861 It has always been surmised that this deed was done by Confederate sympathizers to send a message to not only the townspeople, but also the governor, legislators and entire state. Plans were made to build a new county courthouse while the legislature continued to meet at Kemp Hall throughout the summer. As early as June 20th, 1861, under Lincoln’s suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, Federal troops began arresting suspected pro-secession legislators like Delegate Ross Winans of Baltimore, who was stopped on his way home from the session here. He, like several other lawmakers, was confined briefly under Lincoln’s orders. Finally, lacking a quorum—primarily because of the arrest of so many secession-leaning senators and delegates—the General Assembly adjourned in September without ever considering a secession bill. In early August, the Baltimore firm of S. H. & J. F. Adams won the bid for building a new courthouse. Demolition work was begun by mid-month and the courthouse would be completed just over two years later in October, 1863 when it again hosted the Frederick County Court. Christain Roelkey would play a part in the new courthouse, but would not live to see its completion, dying on November 10th, 1861. Our cemetery records include a footnote from the sexton’s records of the former German Reformed Burying Ground where Mr. Roelkey was originally buried. These records state that Christian Roelkey “died from a wound received while digging a well for the new courthouse.” This find led me to the old newspapers of town and the pages of the Frederick Examiner of October 30th, 1861. I could not find Mr. Roelkey’s obituary in the paper, but he suffered from that injury for nearly two weeks before succumbing to death at the age of 68. If only he just would have stuck to selling cabbages. Christian Roelkey was buried in the German Reformed Graveyard on the northwest corner of West Second and North Bentz streets—today’s Memorial Park. Maria would join him here upon her death in August, 1871, but both bodies would be re-interred to Mount Olivet on November 12th, 1873. That fall of 1861 was a bad one for the extended Roelkey family, especially for Christian and Maria’s daughter Caroline Sophia Amelia Roelkey (b. January 27th, 1827), better known as “Lena.” Miss Roelkey would likely confuse some, and impress others, when she married in 1847. I have to admit that her grave monument had the same effect on me, standing only a few yards east of her parents in the general vicinity of Mount Olivet’s only other above ground crypt belonging to James Whitehill and family. Lena’s husband’s name was Frederick William Soelkey, and now she held the moniker of Lena Roelkey Soelkey. Mr. Soelkey was born on December 5th, 1818 and his last name appears in early records as Zoelkey and Zulkey. “Fred” also was a native of Germany, born in Habichthorst in 1818 and could be found living in Martinsburg (WV) with wife Lena and listed as a carpenter in the 1850 US Census. Frederick Soelkey applied for naturalization in 1852, which means he was here in America for at least five years up to that time, as 1847 was also the year of his marriage. He would be fully naturalized in 1855. In October of 1861, the couple lived with their five children in Frederick at what is now numbered 140 West South Street, not far from Lena’s parents at 126 West South. Just as Christian Roelkey would not know his unpleasant fate at the beginning of October, 1861, neither would his son-in-law Frederick Soelkey. His imminent death would come from an equally unfortunate on-the-job accident. This would not occur in Frederick, but at a place called Elysville on the Patapsco River in Howard County. The 42-year old was working on a railroad bridge at the small hamlet north of Ellicott City. Frederick’s body would be brought back home to Frederick and he was buried in Mount Olivet on October 5th, the day after his accident. In the weeks to follow, administrator announcements could be found in local papers, as well as an interesting article in December, 1861 noting that there were insurance payoffs in both men’s deaths. Lena Soelkey and her children eventually moved to Baltimore on April 1st, 1867. She rented out her Frederick home and is said to have used the monies as support for her children. Lena Soelkey would continue to live in Baltimore until her death in 1904 at which point she would be brought back to Frederick and was buried next to her husband. A fine, large monument would cover their grave. Over the years, their children’s names would be added to the stone as they too would be buried here. As I spent time in these Roelkey and Soelkey adjoining family lots in Area F on the southern slope of a hill once known as Cemetery Hill and Pumphouse Hill to past generations, I couldn’t help but notice the small grave marker of a studious lady I am quite familiar with and even had the opportunity to work with on a few occasions a few decades ago. Margaret Myers was more than a genealogist, she was a “genealogist’s genealogist.” Frederick County historical repositories have much of her past work in their collections, and we at Mount Olivet owe her a huge debt of gratitude for vetting and updating our interment records as she worked diligently to do so. She worked very closely to my boss, Superintendent J. Ronald Pearcey. When Margaret passed, the cemetery received her old desktop/personal computer, containing tens of thousands of names of past residents and their family connections. The above-mentioned Roelkeys and Soelkeys were very familiar to Margaret’s watchful eye as these were direct relatives. Christian Roelkey was Margaret’s great-great grandfather. Margaret died in 2009 and is buried about five yards away from Christian, and the same distance from her parents Edwin Irvin Myers (1896-1979) and Julia Susannah (Roelkey) Myers (1895-1977). Julia Myers was a daughter of Elroy Livingston Roelkey (1858-1929) and wife Genevra Lucetta (Zimmerman) Roelkey (1864-1929). Elroy was the son of John Christian Roelkey, Jr., last wekk’s “Story in Stone” prime subject and the man who built the Roelkey Vault—youngest son of Christian Roelkey, this week’s prime subject. Now that I’m finished with this story, I feel quite perplexed. On one hand, I completed my resolution by writing a two-part “Story in Stone” on this interesting Roelkey family. However, I can’t go any further with it, which some may perceive as “quitting.” I promise that this is certainly not the case as I will commit my resolve to the research, writing and publishing of many more of these “Stories in Stone” featuring families and decedents laid to rest in Frederick’s historic garden cemetery of Mount Olivet.
If anything else, I have helped "gain glory and fame" for the wolf with modern day readers. New Year's resolutions have been shared, and bantered around, all week—a natural occurrence for the start of the year. Just as the Christmastime holiday season brings its own set of traditions to each and every one of us, so does early January boasting a clean slate for us to act on things we’d like to change, or enhance, about ourselves. Some commit to a goal of “living life to its fullest,” which may incur things like travel or new hobbies. The spirit of this post-holiday period annually shows a rise in gym memberships, healthier foods jumping off grocery store shelves at a fast rate, folks downloading self-organization apps (while “old-schoolers” buy the latest edition of day planners), a dip in cigarette sales, and spirited attempts to keep disparaging comments and criticisms about others to one’s self. “Carpe diem!” as the Roman poet Horace wrote in 23 BC. However, while many of us “seize the day,” week, or perhaps the entire month of January, a recent yahoo.com study found that 91% of Americans ultimately fail at sustaining their New Year’s resolution goals. Now, I’m not going to sit here and gloat or criticize, as there are plenty of resolutions that could be chosen to better my current well-being. Instead, I want to guarantee a 100% compliance with this year’s goal, perhaps do my part of upping that “resolution success rate” for this current year’s yahoo survey, if you will. I have chosen my said resolution from a work-related “Story in Stone” perspective. For the last ten years, I’ve wanted to learn more (and publish a story) about a family with a name that comes from Old High German and roughly translates to “fame and glory for the wolf.” If your Deutsch and history skills are extraordinary, then you certainly know I’m talking about the Roelke (later Roelkey) family. In Mount Olivet, we currently have 102 individuals interred with the name Roelke, and 41 more with Roelkey. I plan on showing my commitment to this noble resolution with a two-part story! My “Cryptic” Goal For many years, I’ve been curious about a rare, funerary structure on Mount Olivet’s Area R/Lot 96. This started when I began leading cemetery tour groups to this feature back in 2013. It’s known as the Roelkey Vault, and I have visited often both day and night. Of course, it’s certainly more memorable under the cloak of darkness, as I have shone countless lanterns and flashlights through its stylish, iron gates. This was while I was “moonlighting” with Ron Angleberger’s famed Maryland Ghost Tours business while I was working for the Tourism Council of Frederick County. I’ve seen no actual apparitions in the form of humans here, or wolves for that manner. Instead, I have marveled at the architecture employed, and the ideology of family crypts like this one. And so have our many visitors. Surprisingly, we have only two “above-ground crypts” of this nature on our spacious grounds, the other being that of the Whitehill family in nearby Area F. I wrote about the Whitehills and their eternal home back in October of 2020. In that particular story I made mention of the Roelkey Vault, only 75 yards to the southwest and located along a short driveway. It is constructed into a hillside in the same manner bank barns utilize the natural environment. The archway over the tomb announces that this is the vault of John & Joseph E. Roelkey. Within, are the bodies of 11 family members occupying nine of twelve designated spaces. These units were designed in the form of full-length compartments to accommodate a casket, and also feature an end panel displaying the decedent’s name and vital dates. If you look closely at each panel, you can see two rings which were used to hold the endpiece during opening and closing. The casket (or urn) of each passing Roelkey family member was placed within a respective compartment, and this occurred over a century from 1863-1976. I can at least date the Roelkey Vault to the early 1860s, as I’m still trying to find info on its initial construction. John Roelkey, Jr. was born October 16th, 1823 as Johann Christian Heinrich Roelke, Jr. in Oedelsheim, on the Weser River, in Germany. His parents were Johann Christian Heinrich Roelke (1793-1861) and his second wife, Maria Christena Dreyer. The original Roelke name has also been spelled Rolicke. We will talk about John, Sr., better known as Christian Roelke, more in depth in part II of this story as he is not interred in the Roelkey Vault, but rather in Area F. What I will say here is that he immigrated to America in 1827 with his wife and eight children, eventually settling in Frederick. The family were first engaged in weaving carpets and woolen goods, but eventually took up huckstering farm goods. Christian Roelkey bought a property fronting 123 feet on the north side of west South St in 1854 from Peter Mantz, executor of Peter Mantz Sr. Today that property is 119-133 W. South St. Son John, as his executor, sold part of the property in 1864 and the remainder in 1868. John Roelkey bought a property fronting 124 feet on the north side of W. South St in 1855 from Peter Mantz, executor of Peter Mantz Sr. Today that property is 143-153 W. South Street. He sold part of the property in 1857, part in 1861 and the remainder in 1867. I’m assuming that he was living in this vicinity when the 1860 Census was taken. As he was listed as a laborer in 1850, the 1860 Census recorder has him as a plow (plough) maker. The Williams’ Frederick Directory of that year places him at the Eagle Foundry here in town. Operated by Calvin Page, this operation was located a short distance away. I theorize that this was the time that the cemetery property was purchased by the Roelkey family in Area R (Lot 96). With Mr. Roelkey's expertise and talent in working metal, I strongly feel that he designed and crafted the metal gates on the front of his vault at the Eagle Foundry. John Roelkey eventually gave up this latter vocation in order to devote full time to farming. I did find that his name adorned a plow model that he created while at the foundry. Either way, he now would be using those plows in his new profession, one that an old Frederick history book deemed to prove to be very successful. John was married twice like his father. His first wife, Julia Ann Metcalfe (January 13, 1821-January 18, 1848), was the daughter of Thomas M. and Mary (Hiteshew) Metcalfe. She died young as can be discerned by her birth and death dates. The couple had no children together. John would remarry ten months later on October 10th, 1848. His new bride was Susanna Rebecca Allbright (b. October 5th, 1825), the daughter of Carl “Charles” Philip and Elizabeth Matilda Rebecca (Measall) Allbright. As a side note, Mr. Allbright (1794-1863) was the first body interred within the Roelkey family vault in 1863, with Mrs. Allbright (1809-1887) in 1887. Susanna’s brother, William Harmon Allbright (1820-1882) is here as well, actually in the same compartment as his father. John and Susanna Roelkey went on to have eight children (five reaching adulthood). They were twins Alumina Roelkey (1850-1851) and Clementina Roelkey (1850-1851, infant son Roelkey (1851), Fanny Drusilla (Ramsburg) (1852-1922), Charles Christian Allbright Roelkey (1855-1902), Elroy Livingston Roelkey (1858-1929) (husband of Genevra Jenny Lucetta Zimmerman), Celeste Manzetta “Sadie” Roelkey (1862-1946 ) never married, and Joseph Edward Roelkey (1865-1931). With an expanding family, John Roelkey bought 110 acres north of Frederick in 1865 to farm. This location was situated between Richfield, the former home of Gov. Thomas Johnson, Jr., and Biggs Ford Road, as this is between today’s US 15 and the Monocacy River. An existing house had been built @1851 by former owner John W. Birely (1816-1896). Mr. Roelkey’s heirs would sell this farmstead in 1897. John and his brother, Edward Roelkey, bought a 228-acre farm on Opossumtown Pike in 1878 from Anna Mary Kunkel. Edward would later sell his portion to John and eventually it too would be sold by heirs in 1898. This farm was part of Tuscany, shown on the Bond map (previously owned by the Kunkel family). Today it is part of the Clover Hill developments. The old newspapers of town regularly mentions John Roelkey, Jr., usually in conjunction with farming. He was also appointed a road and turnpike supervisor as well. I was surprised to find that he also made the paper on a few occasions for wrongdoings done him, accidents, mishaps and fires too. One of the highlights of John Roelkey’s life must have been a trip to Europe he took in 1872. Going back to his native Germany was quite an adventure, and the Frederick Daily News mentioned his departure from town and arrival back. Of particular interest, however, was a mishap experienced along the way. John Roelkey died on November 30th, 1897 at Harmony Grove north of Frederick City at the age of 74. Susanna died the following April and her body would be reunited with that of her husband here in the Roelkey Vault. I said earlier that the archway over the Roelkey Vault prominently displays the names of John & Joseph E. Roelkey. That brings us to a more in depth look at Joseph Edward Roelkey, John and Susanna’s youngest child. He was born May 10th, 1865, just weeks after Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Gen. U. S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, thus ending the American Civil War. Joseph Roelkey bought a two-acre parcel known as "the Rail Road Station property" at Harmony Grove in 1891 and sold it in 1908. Of course, this was just south of the previously mentioned Richfields plantation and had the tracks of the Frederick & Pennsylvania Rail line going through. One can still see the location of the one-time station from US 15 on the east side of the road where Worman's Mill Road terminates. A small shelter exists, most recently utilized in conjunction with the Walkersville Southern tourist excursion train. In addition to being the property at which John Roelkey later died, Joseph Roelkey apparently operated a grain elevator there, based on this article from the News of February 8th, 1894. Joseph Edward Roelkey married Margaret Worman (b. December 17th, 1866) on July 29th, 1891 in Baltimore. She was literally “the girl next door” and connected to the adjoining Worman farm property to Joseph’s Harmony Grove farm. Of course, many are familiar with this as the one-time site of the Worman Mill, and today’s residential community north of MD route 26. Margaret’s parents were Henry Clay and Margaret (Cochran) Worman. Joseph farmed here for a short time before moving to Taneytown in Carroll County. There he became a merchant operating his own store located on the town square. Around 1915, he moved his immediate family to California, possibly prompted by his uncle Harmon Roelkey who had gone west during the famed “Gold Rush,” and stayed. Once here in the vicinity of San Francisco, Joseph Roelkey is said to have promoted, sold and built farm silos. This vocation was a relatively new field for that area of the country. I'm assuming the silo business was not what Joseph Roelkey had hoped because I found that he had "changed gears" professionally by 1917 and was selling automobile parts in San Jose, California. He was the proprietor of the Broadway Auto Equipment Company located at 73 N. First Street. Although not listed as living with them in the 1920 census, Joseph and Margaret Roelkey had one daughter, Roberta Celeste Roelkey (b. January 8th 1894). More on her in a minute as she, too, can be found within Mount Olivet's Roelkey Vault. I searched a few California newspapers for more on Joseph and Margaret but didn't glean much. I found an article about a dinner party with friends from back home in Maryland, and also a mysterious article which could point to Joseph (mistyped as James) involved in the hotel business and a trade for a wine ranch, but I didn't have time to explore further. This "scandal" could be connected with another article in which I saw Margaret Roelkey's name attached as a defendant in a suit. Joseph Roelkey would remain in the Golden State until his death on September 30th, 1931 in Los Angeles at the age of 66. His body was brought back to Frederick and interred in the family vault on October 6th, 1931. Margaret Roelkey outlived her husband by 27 years, dying in Los Angeles on January 12th, 1958. She was likely living with her daughter at this time. In between the deaths of Joseph and wife Margaret, the Roelkey Vault was the scene of another Roelkey interment. This was Joseph’s sister, Celeste Manzetta “Sadie” Roelkey. Born in 1862, Celeste never married and died here in Frederick in 1946. Although given her aunt’s moniker for a middle name, Roberta Celeste Roelkey surely has an interesting story all of her own. I found an advertisement in a California paper that showed her as a singer for a musical act performing at a hotel. Of greater interest, Roberta was married four times, something not uncommon, especially as she spent a good amount of time living in Los Angeles. Roberta’s first husband, Chauncey Ames Bergh was a Wisconsin native who graduated from the University of Southern California and became a lawyer. I found more than a few clippings of their "surprise" wedding in early 1916 when the bride was 22 years old. I soon found another article explaining the alleged demise of said first wedding. I was able to find a few photographs of Chauncey A. Bergh but none of the other Roelkey family members in the vault in our cemetery. Hopefully a family member reads this and contacts me one day with some so I can add to the story. Mr. Bergh went on to marry three additional times and is buried in one of the most famous cemeteries of them all. His mortal remains repose in Forest Lawn Memorial Garden in Glendale, California with the likes of legendary stars of stage and screen like Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Clark Gable, W. C. Fields, Nat "King" Cole and Michael Jackson. Back to Roberta, she next married Alfred Simmons and then a man named Edwin H. Kastings (May, 1889-January 25th, 1937). Roberta eventually made her way back to Frederick and married a local product in widower William “Billie” M. Hampe (July 3rd, 1876-March 29th, 1962). Interestingly, Mr. Hampe’s first wife, Ida S. Hampe is buried with her husband (William) in one of the compartments in the Roelkey Vault. This is the only one of Roberta’s husbands in our crypt on Area R/Lot 96. I had hoped to learn more about this woman, especially about her life and times in Los Angeles in the early days of the motion picture industry. Did she attend big parties and experience the high life? Roberta would live out her life on the east coast in Sarasota, FL, finally passing on September 26th, 1976. She would be the 11th, and final, individual to be placed in the Roelkey Vault, and is in the company of Francis Scott Key, Barbara Fritchie, and only about 20 yards from the grave of Robert Downing, one of the top stage actors of the late 19th century. The Roelkey Vault received a new roof from our cemetery staff about a decade ago. This was quite a project, but necessary as the ceiling was in a state of caving in. This spring, we plan to give the crypt feature a nice cleaning as it is vine covered and filled with leaves and a few errant beer cans. I presume the wolves were thirsty as well as “worthy of glory” as their surname implies. Power washing the exterior will make a big difference. A nice dose of D2 solution should clean the marble compartment panels nicely, and the gates may just get a new coat of paint. Best of all, a large urn sits within the vault and has been long overdue for being placed atop the vault once again. It’s been in here for years for safe-keeping. We are lucky to have such a structure in our beautiful garden cemetery. Next week, join me for Part II as we travel roughly 75 yards to Mount Olivet’s Area F to meet a few more Roelkeys and yet another variation on the original name.
New Year’s Day and I’m actually working at the cemetery. It is a Monday and all, but our Mount Olivet staff is fortunate to have this as an official day off. Hey, I’m not complaining at all, as I truly love my job, and my co-workers to boot. While the workplace setting is open 365 days/year for family visitation and tourist exploration, today is one of a handful of weekdays in which the administrative office is quiet—or dare I say the four-letter word you think I may utter sarcastically? I won’t but it both starts and ends with a “d.” Speaking of which, I became engrossed in thinking of the cemetery’s early history on holidays such as this. This led me to search to see if anyone was ever buried here on New Year’s Day. Knowing that it had to have happened many times over, I reduced my quest to see if the happenstance occurred on Mount Olivet’s first New Year’s Day in 1855, having been officially opened seven months earlier in late May, 1854. Our aged, and very first, cemetery interment book contains a few entries pertaining to two young females buried on January 1st, 1855. These included two daughters of Frederick residents Elkanah Bateman and wife Sarah (Rice) Bateman. The children in question were named Mary Emma ("Mollie") and Alberta. I soon discovered that both sisters are buried beneath a very unique, grave monument called a “cradle grave.” This is not the only design of its kind here in Mount Olivet as we possess several “cradle graves.” These were also known as bedsteads because they mimicked the design of grand beds of the day—complete with marble pieces crafted to resemble a headboard, footboard and side rails. (NOTE: Please read our earlier “Story in Stone” on “cradle graves,” originally published in October of 2020.) The girls’ gravesites are found within Sarah Bateman’s Rice family plot located in Area B/Lot 112. Other members of Sarah’s greater Rice family are buried here beside the two girls mentioned above, and a third sister, Ada Bateman, who lived to be 46 years of age. Elkanah and Sarah, along with Ada, each have their names etched upon a large monument representing the various other nuclear families in the plot. These three family members also have individual footstones simply marked with the decedent's initials: “E.B.,” “S.B.,” and “A.B.” Now with my initial query of a burial on New Years’ answered, my curiosity was piqued as to the question of cemetery business being conducted on a holiday, or so I presumed. Further inspection in the newspapers of the time period showed that “New Year’s Day” was not officially treated as a special work-related holiday per se, like it is today with many bank, business, school and government closures. Time for a bit of history of the day, courtesy of our friends at Wikipedia, which states: “In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the calendar year occurring on first day of January. Most solar calendars (like the Gregorian and Julian) begin the year regularly at or near the northern winter solstice, while other cultures and religions that observe a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their Lunar New Year at less fixed points relative to the solar year. In pre-Christian Rome under the Julian calendar, the day was dedicated to Janus, god of gateways and beginnings, for whom January is also named. From Roman times until the middle of the 18th century, the new year was celebrated at various stages and in various parts of Christian Europe on December 25th, March 1st, March 25th and on the movable feast of Easter. In the present day, with most countries now using the Gregorian calendar as their civil calendar, January 1st (according to Gregorian calendar) is among the most celebrated public holidays in the world, often observed with fireworks at the stroke of midnight following New Year's Eve as the new year starts in each time zone. Other global New Year's Day traditions include making New Year's resolutions and calling one's friends and family.[1]The first of January represents the fresh start of a new year after a period of remembrance of the passing year, including on radio, television, and in newspapers, which starts in early December in countries around the world. Publications have year-end articles that review the changes during the previous year. In some cases, publications may set their entire year's work alight in the hope that the smoke emitted from the flame brings new life to the company. There are also articles on planned or expected changes in the coming year.” Many readers are aware that this day is traditionally a religious feast, but since the 1900s it has also become an occasion to celebrate the night of December 31st as New Year's Eve. As a matter of fact, New Year’s Eve, with its parties, public celebrations (often involving fireworks shows) and other traditions focused on the impending arrival of midnight and the new year, has somewhat eclipsed New Year’s Day in attention, if not, popularity in many cultures like ours in the western world. Watchnight services are observed by many, at least those that can stay up until midnight, but to those living in the days when candles and gaslights provided the primary illumination for residents, staying up for hours “after dark” was difficult to do. What was the purpose, other than reading by the fireplace or bed stand candle? Without electricity and all the innovative devices for information and entertainment that would come into existence over the next century, sitting in a chair staring at a grandfather clock or pocket watch was a pretty dull way to spend a night—especially if you had to work in the morning. One early New Year's event that was going on during this period was a grand ball held by the local Chippewa Tribe of the United Order of Red Men. Going back to our story of the Bateman family, I searched the newspapers of the 1850s in Frederick. I saw some interesting happenings on New Year’s Eve and Day, however it generally seemed that January 1st was “business as usual” kind of day. I did see some townspeople that wanted to stray from this notion, and it would all come in good time as they say. Now, let me get you in the mindset of New Year’s Eve (December 31/1854) and New Year’s Day (January 1st) 1855. As a matter of fact, it was a two-day period devoid of “polar bear plunges” and college football “bowl” parades and games. There was no ornate “ball dropping” at midnight in New York City’s Times Square, as that event was first organized by Adolph Ochs, owner of The New York Times newspaper. The legendary “ball drop” was first held on December 31st, 1904 to welcome 1905 as a successor to a series of New Year's Eve fireworks displays held at the New York Times building (hence the name Times Square) to promote its status as the new headquarters of the newspaper. The drop at Times Square has been a center of attention ever since, as it has been held annually except in 1942 and 1943 in observance of wartime blackouts. So by now you certainly have figured out that there was no Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve in the 19th century either. This latter audio/video extravaganza could not happen way back then because the music aficionado (Dick Clark) would not be born until 1929, and “rock ‘n’ roll” is considered to have had its inception with Elvis Presley recording his first single (“That’s All Right”) in 1954. So if anything else, dazzle your friends and family with the trivia fact that Mount Olivet was a century old when rock music came onto the scene. When you really think about it, the cemetery has served as an open-air “rock amphitheater,” since its opening. No music, just polished forms of marble and granite. As usual, I digress. Mary Emma Bateman was affectionately given the name "Mollie." She was born the day after another holiday we have been proudly celebrating since 1776. The Batemans welcomed their first daughter on July 5th, 1849. She would sadly die at the tender age of two and an half on January 22nd, 1852. Nothing is really known about her, as our cemetery records cite an obituary for this child appearing in the January 28th edition of the Frederick Examiner. No cause of death was given, as it just listed the child’s parent’s names and age of 2 years, 6 months and 19 days. Now this was a time that predated the official opening of Mount Olivet, so Mary Emma Bateman was originally laid to rest elsewhere. I don’t know what burying ground in town that would have been, but my initial thought was based on past experience with the name "Rice" being Germanic, thus pointing perhaps to the Lutheran burying ground at East Church and East streets, or the German Reformed graveyard at the corner of West 2nd and North Bentz streets. I was actually pulling for the German Reformed graveyard (today's Memorial Park) because of an interesting event that occurred in 1852 that I discovered while trying to find the original cemetery young "Mollie" Bateman was originally buried in. When perusing Jacob Engelbrecht’s diary for any info on the Batemans, I learned of an event involving this ancient, former burial ground which still contains about 300 bodies buried beneath the impressive military monuments that adorn the space today. In July (1852), a robbery was committed on the City Hotel and its manager, Mr. Norman B. Harding. Apparently a hand valise/carpetbag containing clothing and $150 worth of bank notes was also gotten, the property of a Mr. Martin of Baltimore. Two days after the theft, the hand carpetbag of Martin was found in the German Reformed graveyard. It had been cut open and was hid under some gravestones. Captain Ezra Doub, an early constable working the case, found that the robber had overlooked all the money which was found “all snug wrapped up in one of the vests” the victim had in his bag. Engelbrecht went on to say that the the robber was later apprehended in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and committed to jail as he was in possession of several items of Mr. Harding and Mr. Martin. It's a great story, but as for the German Reformed graveyard being the first resting place for Mollie, I would find later that I was wrong. She was most likely buried elsewhere, but more on that in a minute. When perusing Jacob Engelbrecht’s diary for any info on the Batemans, I learned of an event involving this ancient, former burial ground which still contains about 300 bodies buried beneath the impressive military monuments that adorn the space today. In July (1852), a robbery was committed on the City Hotel and its manager, Mr. Norman B. Harding. Apparently a hand valise/carpetbag containing clothing and $150 worth of bank notes was also gotten, the property of a Mr. Martin of Baltimore. Two days after the theft, the hand carpetbag of Martin was found in the German Reformed graveyard. It had been cut open and was hid under some gravestones. Captain Ezra Doub, an early constable working the case, found that the robber had overlooked all the money which was found “all snug wrapped up in one of the vests” the victim had in his bag. Engelbrecht went on to say that the the robber was later apprehended in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and committed to jail as he was in possession of several items of Mr. Harding and Mr. Martin. It's a great story, but as for the German Reformed graveyard being the first resting place for Mollie, I would find later that I was wrong. She was most likely buried elsewhere, but more on that in a minute. "Mollie's" sister, Alberta Bateman, lived a far shorter life of just four days. She was born on December 27th, 1854, a belated Christmas gift to her family. Just as the holiday flies by for so many of us, the infant would be gone by week’s end, dying on New Year’s Eve. Our records show that she was buried here in Mount Olivet on New Year’s Day, proving that staff members were on hand to perform the task. Alberta’s death gave cause for the Batemans to reconsider Mollie’s grave location. The decision was promptly made that the sisters be buried together in Mount Olivet. They were placed side by side, and the cradle grave shown earlier would soon be crafted for use over "Mollie" and Alberta Bateman's final resting places. I would learn that the girls’ maternal grandfather, Rev. Lewis Rice, would be re-interred to this same burial plot in Mount Olivet’s Area B/Lot 112 on January 2nd, 1855. His obituary, which I found in the Baltimore Sun, gave me a better clue of where "Mollie" (Mary Emma Bateman) had been originally buried. This was the Methodist Episcopal Church’s graveyard that once existed east of Maxwell Alley (formerly known as Middle Alley) on the south side of East 4th Street. It was now time to wrap things up by seeking information on the Bateman parents, Elkanah and Sarah. Starting with Mrs. Bateman, I located an obituary that perfectly described her life and character. Her death occurred a decade after she had her father and daughters buried in Mount Olivet. Sarah's actual death date was September 1st, 1866. However, I had to smile when I saw her birth date in our cemetery records. It was January 1st, 1828. I suddenly saddened realizing that she had buried her baby daughter Alberta on her 27th birthday. This woman’s lengthy obituary appeared in both the Frederick Examiner and Maryland Union newspapers. This was generally an uncommon thing for women of the period. Elkanah was now left to raise daughter Adrianna “Ada” into adulthood. She was born in Frederick in 1856, and was around 10 at the time of her mother’s death. The head of the family was also the bearer of a very interesting name. I soon found its meaning defined as follows: “In the Book of Samuel in the Torah and Old Testament, Elkanah was the husband of Hannah and the father of her first son, Samuel. This Hebrew boy's name is an alternative way of spelling Elqānāh. It means "god has purchased," and comes from the words el, meaning "god," and qaneh, which means "to acquire." Our subject was born in Fairfield, Cumberland County, New Jersey on December 19th, 1823. Unlike his wife, he had been baptized in the Presbyterian Church. He was raised in New Jersey by parents Elkanah Bateman (1788-1833) and wife Sobrinah Elmer (1788-1855). Our subject, Elkanah, Jr., married Sarah Rice in 1842 in Cumberland, NJ. Rev. Rice appears to have been a minister here before relocating to Frederick. This likely explains not only where Elkanah met his wife, but also why the Bateman family came to Frederick, Maryland, with Sarah following her parents to town. Elkanah was a laborer early in life and worked within the realm of milling and was dedicated to the making, packing and the delivering of flour. He and his father-in-law (Lewis Rice) were partners in a milling business, trading as Rice & Bateman, until the death of Lewis Rice. The location of this operation was known as "Keefer's Prospect" and contained 21 acres with a mill, buildings and water rights obtained from Michael Keefer in 1850. It was known as Keefer’s Mill and was situated on Ballenger Creek, just east of where Ballenger Creek Pike crosses over the tributary. It was sold in 1853, a year after Rev. Rice’s death. In the 1859/60 Williams' Frederick Directory City Guide and Business Mirror, Elkanah is said to have been either living or working on the east side of Love Lane (East Street) between Patrick and Church streets. This is the site of today's Everedy Square, and I'm assuming that Bateman was located closer to Patrick Street because of the former site of a Lutheran cemetery on the southeast corner of Love Lane and East Church Street. The family lived in Yellow Springs, north of Frederick City in the 1860 census, taking up residence with Sarah's mother and other siblings. Since I grew up out that way, I venture a guess in wonderment regarding any connection Elkanah ever had with an old mill that was located at the intersection of Walter Martz Road and Yellow Springs Road. This no longer exists in a new landscape of traffic circles, and was in a state of decay when my elementary school bus passed it in the mid-late 1970s. A year after Sarah’s death, I found an article in the Maryland Union newspaper praising Elkanah for an important advancement made in “bolting” flour. His invention led to having a US patent registered under his name. Here’s a description from a website for the Old Stone Mill national historic site in Delta, Ontario, Canada which helps differentiate bolted flour from traditional milled flour. “The flour from the grindstones is a mix of the entire wheat kernel which consists of bran (the outer layer), endosperm (food for the seed) and germ (the root). This is our Whole Grain flour - it contains every part of the kernel. However, it is a very heavy flour and cannot be used in all baking applications. To be able to have a finer flour (one rises more to make a lighter bread and can be used for things like cakes), the flour needs to be separated to extract the finer portion. This is done using a machine called a bolter. The bolter contains spinning screens with various hole sizes. The flour enters one end of the bolter, the end with the finest screen. The lightest part of the flour, the fines and superfines come out from this screen. Gravity carries the remaining flour, separating out the "middlings," the "shorts," and finally, the bran." Elkanah moved to Virginia sometime after this as I next found him living in St. Annes Parish in Albemarle. He was living with millright William H. Wash and continuing his “rising” career in the flour business. He made a career change in the late 1890s though. On February 21st, 1897, Elkanah Bateman was appointed postmaster for Cabell-Floyd, Virginia. I last found him within the 1900 census. He was living in Madison, Virginia (also within Cumberland County). It’s interesting to note that he started and ended life in Cumberland County, just two different states (New Jersey and Virginia). Elkanah Bateman would breathe his last breath in early July, 1901 in Virginia. His body would be brought to Frederick and laid beside the other members of his immediate and extended family in Area B. I looked in vain for his obituary, but couldn't find it anywhere. Perhaps a deeper dive is needed in Virginia newspaper archives. Our cemetery records state that he was placed in the grave on July 4th, 1901. Damn, somebody was working here at Mount Olivet on that holiday as well! Just over a year later, the last member of the Bateman family died, leaving no surviving heirs for this family that came by way of New Jersey. Adriana Bateman would never marry. She died on July 23rd, 1902 and was buried next to the two sisters she never had the chance of knowing, and the same that were buried on New Year's Day, 47 years earlier. Happy New Year, and thanks for your support of us at Mount Olivet and these “Stories in Stone” articles throughout 2023.
Another Wreaths Across America (WAA) event is in the books, having taken place here in Frederick’s Mount Olivet Cemetery on the beautiful, and unseasonably warm, Saturday afternoon of December 16th, 2023. It was spectacular weather, considering it was just nine days before Christmas with no aspirations of a “white," snow-filled holiday to come. We had an estimated crowd of about 700 volunteers on hand taking part in decorating the graves of over 4,300 veterans. These patriots connect to various periods of our country’s illustrious military history with veterans of the 1700s, 1800s, 1900s up through the present. In performing my duties as emcee of the WAA Opening Ceremony, I took the opportunity to tell our audience that we have 4,935 veterans in total, laid to rest at Mount Olivet, at present count. On this day, we would be placing three wreaths on behalf of the 138 veterans buried within our mausoleum complex. We would also be laying one wreath for 408 Confederate soldiers re-buried here in a mass grave in Area M. These southern soldiers were previously interred on the farms involved in the Battle of Monocacy of July, 1864 and would be moved here in 1879 to join 306 others buried beneath upright stones. These soldiers did not die on the battlefield, but in local hospitals during the Civil War, and their graves constitute Confederate Row on the northwest boundary of Mount Olivet. We placed a grand total of 4,381 wreaths when all was said and done. In my remarks, I suggested participants do something in addition to laying wreaths in a reverent fashion after saying each’s name and thanking them for their service. I invited them to fully bring the memory of each of our veterans “back to life” on this special day in which 4,000 cemeteries across the country would be holding Wreaths Across America events. I implored the group to photograph the gravestones and markers on which they placed wreaths. I asked each participant to repeat the name of each veteran they had earlier decorated at dinner, and a third time at bedtime. I suggested that they post photos of their wreath-decorated veteran’s grave with on various social media pages, with or without themselves in the picture. Lastly, I invited participants to perform a Google internet search on their veteran’s name to see what details, if any, they could learn about the life of these soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, etc. As the ceremony ended, the crowd of volunteers went in various directions to areas throughout the cemetery where wreath chaperones waited to greet them and distribute four wreaths each to distribute. I was able to snap a few action shots with my smartphone camera, and luckily had others doing the same. It was so refreshing to see so many people of different ages and backgrounds. One of our FOMO members, Ray Crough, actually built a gallery of photos from a day. I also gave some impromptu history lessons as I came upon participants in the vicinity of vets whose life stories I was already familiar from—mostly thanks to this “Stories in Stone” blog series. These included Charlotte Berry Winters (the oldest living female veteran of World War I at the time of her death in 2007 at age 109), Col. Henry Cole of Cole’s Cavalry (1st MD Cavalry, Potomac Home Brigade) of Civil War fame who fought a battle atop Loudoun Heights in a falling snow in January, 1864, and Calvin Cannon who grew up in Yellow Springs north of Frederick City and lost his life on Omaha Beach on D-Day. As the afternoon passed, the cemetery slowly emptied of the living as the main work of the day was done with the coverage of the 4,300+ veterans. Meanwhile, other families from around the region were here on holiday decorating missions of their own families, placing other wreaths and decorations on the resting places of husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, siblings, children, grandparents, great-grandparents and beyond. It too, like Wreaths Across America, is a family ritual and annual tradition this time of year. At the end of the day, I caught up with one of our key volunteers from our FOMO group. Heather Sutton assists with veteran research and logistics for this big event which has been skillfully orchestrated under the watchful eye and leadership of FOMO member Sylvia Sears over the past three years. On Saturday, Heather served as a wreath chaperone for Areas A and B at the front of the cemetery, and was in the process of doing a final check of the 50 veteran gravesites in A, and 44 in B. She was almost done Area A, and was tired and asked if I could finish up the job as I had my son Eddie with me. I immediately found a few individuals for which I had familiarity based on past “Stories in Stone.” I soon saw the completed wreath to Thomas Johnson Grahame, grandson of Gov. Thomas Johnson and a member of the First Maryland regiment from the War of 1812. He grew up in Rose Hill Manor, the home built for his parents as a wedding present. There was Conradt Mehrling, of the First Maryland Potomac Home Brigade, Maryland Infantry who was killed at Loudoun Heights across from Harpers Ferry in late May, 1862. He was the first Frederick City resident killed in the American Civil War. I also saw Edward Sims Boteler, another 1812 soldier who fought with an Ohio volunteer regiment of dragoons and was captured at Detroit. His daughter-in-law, Alice, operated a boisterous oyster saloon on Court Street during the Civil War era, and was one of the first female bar owners in our history. I checked off a former US congressman who served in both the senate and house, representing the state of Pennsylvania, in Civil War general James Cooper (1810-1863). He would die while serving as commandant of Camp Chase, a military staging, training and prison camp near Columbus, Ohio. To round out Area A, it was a pleasure seeing the grave of Richard “Cha Cha” Baumgartner. The World War I vet was better known as a big band era crooner earlier in life. He was featured on national radio programs and a regular at noted clubs in the nation’s capital. Baumgardner’s true claim to fame was his standing as a talented restaurateur who gave us the famed Peter Pan Inn once located in Urbana. He went on to open a series of eateries, called Kapok Tree Inns, within the state of Florida where he lived the final decades of his life in the Clearwater area. I also came upon two individuals in Area B, whom I was vaguely familiar with in name, but not in life. Both would live great portions of life away from Frederick—one in Florida, and the other in Texas. Louis Eichelberger His surname literally means “acorn mountain” and is as German as they come. Louis E. "Coach" Eichelberger, of Frederick, passed away on September 6th, 2016 at the age of 91. Born on March 30th, 1925, he was the son of the late Louis E. and Susie M. (Hammond) Eichelberger. Louis was a graduate of Frederick High School class of 1942. Louis served in the Maryland State Guard in 1942 and entered the US Merchant Marines from 1943 to October of 1944. He then enlisted in the United States Army in 1944, serving with the 32 Red Arrow, Division Co. E. 126 Infantry, Heavy Weapons in the Philippines. Louis served on the S.S. Henry Ward Beecher, S.S. Sweetwater, S.S. Salmon P. Chase, making trips to Oran Africa, Naples Italy, Liverpool England, and Glasgow Scotland. Louis had many ribbons and metals from the merchant marines and the U.S. Army, including a Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star and many others. During his government career, Louis worked for the Veterans Administration, the U.S. Postal Service, and the U.S. Department of Navy at the Regional Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida. In January of 1988 Louis retired and moved back to Frederick. He began working for Washington Millinery Supply and the FCNB Bank in Frederick. He was a life member of the Merchant Marines, US Navy Armed Guard, a life member of the AMVETs Post 2, Frederick and a life member of John R. Webb VFW Post 3285, where he served as commander from 1991-2000. Louis also held District #7 offices for the VFW. Louis was also an avid baseball and football fan-loved the Orioles- and loved all his animal companions throughout his life. Travis White Many are familiar with the town of El Paso for two iconic things in popular culture: a brand of taco, tortilla and burrito dinner kits and related Tex-Mex style food items from General Mills, so named under the Old El Paso label; and a beautiful, sultry and apparently wicked Mexican maiden named Felina. This young vixen would cause the eminent demise of a wild, young cowboy in a ballad written and recorded by country singer Marty Robbins in 1959. Our Frederick connection to the border town is another one of our 4,935 wreath recipients at Mount Olivet in Travis White occupying Area B’s Lot 97. Born in Frederick on July 3rd, 1894, Littleton Travis White, was a World War I vet who went on to become a noted attorney in El Paso. His father, John Kearnes White, was a Methodist Episcopal clergyman from a prominent family of Portsmouth, Virginia. His mother, Carrriebell Travis (spelled a variety of ways), was a graduate of the Frederick Female Seminary and possessed talent as an artist, poet and writer who would play a role in the local suffrage movement. Carriebell had ties to Frederick through her mother's Carmack family, but her father hailed from the Westchester, New York vicinity. Our subject was born a year after his parents married in spring of 1893. "Travis" first appears in the US Census of 1900, but his father is missing from the household in 1900. I found that his parents divorced and John Kearnes White (1869-1943) eventually married a Thurmont woman and for a time was editor of the Catoctin Clarion according to his obituary. He died in Thurmont, but is buried in Arlington, VA. Travis appears to have been a standout student who participated in a number of activities in his youth as his name can be readily found in the local newspapers of the time for all the right reasons. He would graduate from Frederick High School in 1911 and received scholarships to attend the University of Virginia where he would earn a law degree. Travis White would eventually begin his law practice in Staunton, VA, at which place he resided during the war when he enlisted in the US Army. His service, however, would be limited due to health reasons connected with tuberculosis. A move west for a different climate was prescribed for health purposes. Travis would move to southwest Texas and continued his practice of law in El Paso. He would eventually become City Attorney and served for more than three decades. I learned in a newspaper interview that Travis White had a "self-proclaimed" addiction as a recreational hobby. This was the trick-taking card game of contract bridge, or “bridge" for short. He would be recognized as a national authority on the subject and was a regular contributor to the “Bridge World” with tips appearing in local and distant newspapers. In 1934, he authored a book entitled “Odd Tricks,” a book on the popular card game. It has been reprinted and is still available today on Amazon.com. On the personal life side, Travis White married in 1937, but like that of his parents, the marriage would not last. The couple had one daughter, Dorothy (White) Morse and these ladies would eventually re-locate to Albuquerque, New Mexico, when Travis’ ex-wife remarried a man named Edwin French. Travis White’s civic involvement was notable as well. His tenure as El Paso's city attorney throughout the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s ranked as one of the longest in the country and earned him recognition in the form of El Paso holding “A Travis White Day” in his honor in May, 1972. Travis White passed away the following year while on vacation visiting relatives prior to Christmas. This occurred December 8th, 1973 in Maryland while he visiting his sister Roxanna living in Annapolis. She was married to a professor and president of St. John's College. Travis had taken ill and died shortly thereafter, 1,949 miles from “Rosa’s Cantina” and his west Texas home. He would be buried in Mount Olivet in the White/Carmack family lot in Area A. Travis White would be placed next to his mother who had died in 1954. I first learned of Travis White when a friend of mine, Lori Swerda, asked me to help her find his grave to pay respects on behalf of a relative. She had recently stayed in a Bed & Breakfast owned by Travis' daughter, Dorothy (White) Morse. Ms. Morse is in her 80s and lives in Albuquerque. Interestingly, Lori Swerda, a former Frederick resident and author, moved to "the Lone Star State" a few years back. Before doing so, she had penned a novel entitled Star Spangled Scandal, and we hosted her for our first annual "Flag Day Author’s Talk" event back in June 2021. Lori’s book centers on the brutal and sensationalized death of Francis Scott Key’s son, Phillip Barton Key, in in February, 1859. This connection is quite special because Travis’ gravesite offers a terrific view of the Francis Scott Key memorial only 50-60 yards away to the northeast. Of greater interest, there is a family tie to Travis White's family, and that of a central character in the death of Mr. Key who served as the district attorney of Washington, DC at the time of his murder. Lori Swerda had quite an experience writing her book, one that was written in minor part based on my cheerleading. I had conducted a private tour for Lori and her children as part of a class field trip to the cemetery back in 2017. She had espoused her interest in Francis’ son Philip Barton Key (1818-1859), who had been shot and killed by a brash New York congressman, and later Civil War general, named Daniel Sickles (1819-1914). Key was found to be having an affair with Sickles attractive, young wife, Teresa (Bagioli) Sickles. After learning about the tryst, the congressman murdered Phillip Barton Key in broad daylight outside the Sickles home in the vicinity of Lafayette Park across from the White House. Not only was this murder especially noteworthy and shocking due to the nature of each man's profession, but the killing was in plain sight of several eyewitnesses and bystanders. The Key murder trial of 1859 that followed received national attention because of the notoriety of both defendant and victim. Not only was Philip Barton Key the son of a patriotic celebrity songwriter, but he was currently serving as the district attorney for the District of Columbia at the time of his death. You may be familiar with the outcome of the case as Sickles would be acquitted for the heinous crime— the first successful use of the temporary insanity plea in our country's history. Lori was interested in the motivation for the murder as evidence and hearsay surely point to others in DC's power structure at the time. She also became enthralled with Teresa DaPonte (Bagioli) Sickles (1836-1867), a tragic figure in her own right. Lori's research would lead her to New Mexico where she was a guest of our subject Travis White's daughter, Dorothy as mentioned earlier. The reason Lori sought Dorothy out was due to the fact that Mrs. Morse had inherited a unique necklace/locket (from her father and grandmother) that had once been owned by Teresa Sickles. Apparently, Teresa’s mother, Elizabeth C. (Cooke) Bagioli (1819-1894) was friends with Travis White's maternal grandfather named LeGrand Travis (1830-1909). LeGrand is buried in the same lot as Travis White in Area A/Lot 97. He was a friend of Mrs. (Cooke) Bagioli (Teresa's mother) and an eventual executor of her estate. Their connection comes with being former residents of Croton Falls, Westchester, New York. In fact they could have been related as well due to Elizabeth’s sister marrying into the Travis family. Another genealogy link to Travis White comes also from his father's side as his paternal grandfather Littleton Harrison White married a Margaret Cooke. Regardless, LeGrand Travis, an attorney, would come to Frederick upon his marriage to Catharine “Kate” Carmack. To this union came daughter Carriebell who married Rev. John Kearns White. In 1894, Mrs. Bagioli died, and her granddaughter, Laura B. Sickles gave LeGrand Travis a necklace that belonged to her mother, Teresa. This heirloom would be handed down to Carriebell to Travis and then to Dorothy. The necklace plays a role in Lori’s novel, and all these former, deceased owners of said necklace are in our Area B (Lot 97), not far from the father of Teresa's lover. Was Phillip Barton Key the man who gave her the necklace/locket? We may never know, but here is some info on Carriebell (Travis) White, taken from her obituary: “Mrs. CARIBEL TRAVIS WHITE, formerly of Frederick, died early Thursday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John S. Kiefer, 139 Market Street, Annapolis. While she had been in ill health for some time her death was quite sudden and was due to cerebral hemorrhage. Mrs. White was born in Croton Falls, West Chester County, New York, the daughter of Le Grand H. Travis and Catherine Carmack Travis. She lived most of her life in Frederick, but since 1935 has made her home in Annapolis.” Lori Swerda’s book (Star-Spangled Scandal) can be found on Amazon.com. Meanwhile, there is one more roundabout genealogical connection between Key and this family from New York. Carriebell’s mother, "Kate" was a Carmack as said earlier. You will also find here in Area B/Lot 97 the grave of Samuel Carmack (1792-1879), a War of 1812 veteran who participated at the Battle of Bladensburg in late August, 1814. Carmack was 4th Sergeant in the Maryland Militia out of Frederick County. He recently received a wreath on his grave, just like another nearby veteran who participated in that same infamous battle often called the Bladensburg Races (because our militiamen did more running away than fighting against the attacking British who would march into Washington and set the White House ablaze.) This eventually resulted in Carmack’s compatriot earning everlasting fame weeks later when he went to Baltimore and wrote the Star-Spangled Banner while viewing the siege of Fort McHenry. Of course I’m talking about Francis Scott Key. As we have a great legacy of Francis Scott Key and his fellow War of 1812 veterans here at Mount Olivet with interpretive exhibits and special veteran markers, Travis White has a lasting reminder of his life and accomplishments there in El Paso. While it might not be a prominent monument, he does have a municipal park named for him. The surrounding residential development that encompasses Travis White Park also takes this former Frederick native’s name and currently boasts nearly 4,000 residents. It just goes to show that where you find a veteran wreath placed during "Wreaths Across America," you are bound to learn an interesting or entertaining life story which connects to so many other lives , places and events—some of legendary stature like Mr. White's.
I’ve just illustrated a few of the many "Stories in Stone" that exist in two small, and early, sections sections within Mount Olivet. The memory and deeds of the men and women whose mortal remains lie below ground, can be channeled above ground this time of year through the beautiful flags and wreaths complementing existing grave markers. Within military history, US flags signify patriotism, while wreaths carry special layers of meaning including victory, bravery and peace. The tradition of wreath-laying is a reverent gesture marking sacred ground. Thanks to the service and sacrifice of all our veterans. And thanks to our hundreds of wreath sponsors and Wreaths Across America day participants. The purpose of this event is to show a united front of gratitude and respect across the United States of America as we REMEMBER the Fallen, HONOR those who serve and their families, and TEACH the next generation the value of freedom. Mission accomplished once again. AUTHOR'S NOTE: The following "Story in Stone" was researched and written by Hood College senior Luke Jones as part of his internship with us here at Mount Olivet Cemetery (Fall Semester 2023). Here’s a question: How much have you thought about the design of your furniture, or a special woodcraft item? Chances are that you have not given it much thought once you bought it and put it in your home. Yet at the same time, many could not imagine their living space without intricately patterned wooden furniture or decorative objects. Plastic seats and toys do not invoke the same feeling of homeliness and completeness. The person to thank behind these designs in the woodwork is called a turner. A turner is one who works in woodturning, the craft of carving wood into various shapes and patterns using a lathe and handheld tools. Like a potter does with clay, a turner turns a seemingly ordinary piece of wood into something new and improved, connected to yet distinct from what it was before. Now, there are not any famous or revolutionary woodturners known to be buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery. But there is a “turner” interred here that did help craft materials into improved versions, and just like many turners, he has often been forgotten despite the great impact he had. I am referring to one Andrew G. Truxal (1900-1971), third president of Frederick’s famous Hood College as well as the first president of the renowned Anne Arundel Community College. Mr. Truxal fits the turner mold in two ways. “Truxal” is derived from a German word for “turner,” with the name having many variations including Troxel and Traxal. Like many surnames, people likely received it due to their professions as woodturners. Mr. Truxal was far removed from any woodturning ancestor, but he fit the term in a more metaphorical way. Just as a turner turns wood into something new and special, Mr. Truxal as an educator helped turn young minds to more knowledgeable and moral individuals. It is even more fitting for him specifically, as he was especially concerned with the character of his students, perhaps selectively so. Andrew Gehr Truxal was born on February 2, 1900, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania to Jacob Q. Truxal and Elizabeth S. Truxal (née Gehr). At the turn of the century, Greensburg, like much of the rest of the United States, was going through great changes as new technologies such as automobiles became more common and industries more expansive. Greensburg was continuing to grow from a small town to the largest city in Westmoreland County, spurred by the large coal mines nearby. Andrew Truxal was part of a long lineage. Germans had been a key demographic in Pennsylvania since the foundation of the original colony by the Quaker William Penn. Their descendants, the Pennsylvania Dutch, continue to have social and cultural influence on the state and adjacent areas, and many Pennsylvanians state that they descend from Germans according to census data. It appears the Truxal family that led to Andrew first arrived in the mid-1700s with Johann Daniel Troxell or Trachsel (1725-1814), who was born in the Saarland in what is now Germany. Note how the surname changed over time, becoming more anglicized, likely the result of living near English-speaking colonists causing linguistic drift as well as perhaps a desire to fit in, or it could simply be a transcription mistake. Whatever the reason, the Truxal family remained remarkably sedentary, never leaving the region in and around Westmoreland County. Truxal family members witnessed many national events, such as the American Revolution and the Civil War; in fact, Jacob Dotterer Truxal, Andrew’s paternal great-great-grandfather, was a soldier in the Continental Army. For his part, Andrew was no exception to seeing conflict and crisis. During his youth, Andrew saw worldwide tensions boil over into the First World War, and during his adult years before Hood he saw the Great Depression and the Second World War. In fact, Andrew’s whole career would coincide with great changes in the United States and the world, and those changes provided context for his actions and beliefs. But that’s for later in this story. Going back to Andrew’s early years, there are few records of his childhood. He left no personal recollections outside the school records he wrote during his later duties as administrator. But by researching around him, a general picture can be constructed. He was the fifth child and third son of Jacob and Elizabeth Truxal, who were probably thankful for his survival; a previous child, Hazel, sadly died at only a year old. Unfortunately, that would not be the only untimely passing in the family. Two years after Andrew graduated from Greensburg High School in 1916, his older brother Jacob, Jr. was killed while serving in France during the First World War, and then eight years later his other older brother, Todd, died at the untimely age of 34, leaving Andrew as the eldest living Truxal son. In addition to mourning expected by the family, there was also undoubtedly pressure on the young Andrew to succeed as the primary heir of the Truxal name and legacy. It is possible these early deaths in the family pushed Andrew towards familial sociology and earnest Christian faith as an adult to seek understanding and comfort. Despite these tragedies, Andrew continued with his higher education. For a very brief moment, Andrew was drafted into the Army in the final months of World War I, but the war ended before he saw combat, sparing him from his brother's fate. Resuming his education, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the renowned Franklin and Marshall College in nearby Lancaster in 1920, specializing in sociology, or the study of human relationships and interpersonal functions, but also focusing on history, social statistics, and religion. He also joined Phi Kappa Psi, a noted national fraternity. Three years later, he received his Master of Arts degree from the same location, and that same year he completed his training at the Lancaster Theological Seminary of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, becoming an ordained minister of the titular church. In 1923, Andrew Truxal married Leah Deldee Groff. She was also a person of German descent in western Pennsylvania; she graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore in 1920 with a degree in mathematics, and she was a teacher from 1920 to 1923. How she met Andrew is unknown, though judging from the timing and background, it is likely they met in 1923 in Lancaster, though it is possible they knew each other earlier. While it may seem strange for a sociologist and a mathematician to fall in love, they were both interested in teaching. Combined with their shared ethnic background, Andrew and Leah were drawn to each other. They remained happily married and had two children, son John Groff and daughter Nora Deldee. The family’s long health and unity provided key support for Andrew Truxal when his other family members died. Above all else, Andrew Truxal was devoted to educational and moral teaching. According to a later piece for the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, a friend suggested getting into law, with the eventual goal of becoming a judge. By Dr. Truxal’s own words, “They happened to be in a political position to do just that!” But rather than accepting his friend’s ethically dubious aid and advice, Andrew Truxal wanted to do what he enjoyed (while also getting paid). This was the first indicator that above all else, Mr. Truxal was both passionate and serious about being an educator, something that would remain consistent throughout his life. No doubt his skills as a minister were not only useful for teaching but also partially explained why he liked teaching; from a certain perspective, spreading the word of Jesus Christ and instructing the next generation are similar in their overall goals and methods. Andrew Truxal entered the teaching profession in a familiar place, serving as an instructor of history and economics at Franklin and Marshall from 1923 to 1925. He then went to another institution, this time State Teachers College in Millersburg, Pennsylvania, again serving as an instructor of history during the summers of 1925, 1926, and 1927. He might as well have been eternally in school during the Twenties, either as a student or educator. It appears he missed the heights of the Roaring Twenties, though maybe the general prosperity of the period permitted this thorough education and career. It is also possible he pushed through due to the deaths of his older brothers; the legacy of the Truxal name was resting on his shoulders. Evidently, Andrew Truxal was on a roll, for he then went to Columbia University in New York for his Ph.D., which he had earned by 1928. Once that was achieved, he went to Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school in Hanover, New Hampshire. It was the farthest he had ever gone from his home county, and it would be the next major chapter in his life. 28 year-old Dr. Andrew Truxal joined the faculty at Dartmouth in 1928. He appeared to have no prior connections to the institution. Considering the prestigious nature of the college, it seems Dr. Truxal was invited there due to his credentials. It certainly was not for the salary; Truxal later admitted that out of all the options, Dartmouth was actually the least attractive option in terms of earnings, yet he chose it anyway. If so, it speaks highly of him as a learned educator; not everyone is appointed as instructor at an Ivy League school they have never attended for relatively low pay. For the next twenty years, Dr. Truxal was part of the Dartmouth faculty, and it was during this period he started to earn greater renown for his skills and dutifulness. Initially, he was a mere instructor in sociology, meaning he was only teaching students rather than participating in the administration. Though, he must have been happy to actually teach his most preferred subject for once. In an article for Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, written in 1957 while he was President of Hood College, Dr. Andrew Truxal described his experience as wonderful and even joyous. He wrote: "To begin with, the administration of Dartmouth was so enlightened that we faculty members had confidence that our pursuit of the truth, wherever it might lead, would meet with the staunchest support from the President. This dedication to the principles of academic freedom provided a climate in which it was a joy to work. Likewise, the President felt that a good faculty member should also be a good citizen and participate in civic affairs. This led, in my case, to a most rewarding experience in town government." While transcribed years later, this does imply that Dr. Truxal’s dedication to not only knowledge but also moral character started early on. He enjoyed Dartmouth because, according to him at least, it produced and exalted good people, rather than just sharing good information. He continues: "In the next place, the students were a highly selected group of young men and, with very few exceptions, if they were treated with the respect due them as persons, one received their respect in return. Finally, the emphasis of the institution was on teaching and not on research. Consequently, my associations were with colleagues whose primary objective was teaching rather than spending the best working hours of the day on research and then, in utter weariness, meeting classes." In essence, Dr. Andrew Truxal was describing a close-knit community, rather than a purely educational facility. Dartmouth was a second home to him. Considering his focus on familial social connections, as well as the tragedies of his youth, such an institution would have greatly appealed to Dr. Truxal, explaining why he remained for so long. Of course, Dr. Andrew Truxal did not remain a mere instructor for twenty years; very few people could hold such a relatively minor position for that long. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Sociology department, becoming an Assistant Professor in 1930, before rising to become a full Professor of Sociology in 1935, being named the Chairman of the Sociology Department at Dartmouth and becoming more entwined with the faculty and administration. He held special courses on family and public welfare, fitting for a man of his interests. He also earned an honorary degree from Dartmouth in 1936. Dr. Truxal became a prolific figure at Dartmouth. By this time, he had joined the American Sociological Society, which was not so surprising. What is more surprising is that in 1940 he became a Selectman of Hanover, which was essentially a local government member in New England towns. In a way, the idea of joining the government first posited years before came to fruition, though in a different way than anybody expected. It was somewhat ironic, for he himself admitted if often referred to administration as “The Ad Building” in less-than-complimentary terms. Considering his focus on character as well as knowledge, it is possible that Dr. Truxal disliked the politics behind the scenes that interfered with his work. Yet ironically, administrative duties would become what Dr. Truxal was most renowned for. One person, recommending Dr. Truxal for Hood College, even said, “Dr. Truxal has served Dartmouth in every possible capacity except as President.” The same year he became a Selectman, Dr. Truxal also became President of Phi Kappa Psi, which he held until 1942. This man kept finding positions of authority, despite his interests in just teaching! By 1948, he had additionally finished his book, The Family in American Culture, which was one of the very few books he wrote throughout his life, though he had also written various articles, including at least one at Dartmouth concerning interstate migration. By the end of Dr. Truxal’s time at Dartmouth, the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, along with other sources, noted, “He [was] recognized as one of the country's leading authorities in this field.” Renowned for his lectures on sociology and Christianity, it seemed he would have been happy to remain at Dartmouth for the rest of his life. Popular with faculty and students, Dr. Truxal certainly achieved his dream of improving others’ character, as well as his own. Dr. Truxal also served on various committees at Dartmouth, and not always under great circumstances. One committee was the Special Committee on Academic Adjustments, which handled academic opportunities for veterans. Dr. Truxal had an ever so brief experience in this realm, but was perhaps inspired by his long-deceased brother? Then in 1946, Dean Earl Gordon Bill became unable to do his duties due to a longtime illness, so Dr. Truxal, along with Bancroft H. Brown and W. Stuart Messer, became part of a triumvirate committee that directed the Office of the Dean of the Faculty in Bill’s absence. Sadly, Bill took his own life in November 1947 due to the pain of his illness, after he had retired. Dr. Truxal and his compatriots had to remain in their special committee until a new Dean could be found. Dr. Truxal co-authored a piece with fellow professor Michael E. Choukas that celebrated the Dean’s life. What Dartmouth did not know was that Dr. Truxal would soon leave them, too, though fortunately for much more optimistic reasons. In 1948, Henry I. Stahr, the second President of Hood College, resigned from his post. In anticipation, the Hood administrators called upon Dr. Andrew Truxal as the new potential leader of the Frederick institution. The nearly fifty year-old professor, with his years of experience in both teaching and administration, was a natural choice from a practical standpoint. But there were other probable reasons for Dr. Truxal’s appointment. Truxal was not only from Pennsylvania, a place relatively near to Frederick, but he also was part of the same Christian sect (German Reformed Synod) that Hood founder Dr. Joseph Henry Apple hailed from. There is no solid proof that Dr. Truxal and Dr. Apple knew each other personally, but at the very least, they must have been aware of each other considering how prolific both were within the Reformed Church and its descendant congregations. (The Reformed Church went through several mergers throughout the twentieth century, eventually leading to the modern United Church of Christ.) In a sad coincidence, Dr. Apple died the same year Dr. Truxal became Hood President, preventing them from forming a deeper relationship. In any case, Dr. Truxal’s similarities to Dr. Apple made the former an appealing choice. Yet, there were perhaps even more reasons for Dr. Truxal’s appointment. In several respects, Dr. Truxal could be considered conservative, a trait which would become more prominent in later years. His focus on moral character as well as knowledge, and his staunch Christianity, was the same as many conservative figures during the period after World War II. Implicitly, the Hood board wanted someone to maintain traditional values during this time of change and uncertainty. It is noteworthy that most of Dr. Truxal’s tenure occurred in the 1950s, famously known as conservative decade, and he left in the early 1960s, just as social changes began to sweep the nation. In essence, Mr. Truxal was a bastion against changing times. Whatever the reasons, Dr. Andrew Truxal became the third President of Hood College in July 1948, beginning a tenure that lasted for over a decade. Truxal and his family moved from the familiarity of Hanover to the new locale of Frederick, in a way returning to their German heritage. The occasion was celebrated by the newspapers, and many were excited to see how the renowned professor would elevate the Frederick institution. According to local newspapers, approximately 1500 people attended Dr. Truxal’s inauguration, including the presidents of John Hopkins University, Franklin and Marshall College, and Dartmouth as well as leaders of the Evangelical and Reformed Church to which Dr. Truxal belonged. In addition, the event also featured Maryland Governor William Preston Lane and numerous student leaders. Dr. Truxal's father Jacob also came to congratulate his son. In his speech, Dr. Truxal reiterated the values he had held as a teacher, saying: "We have been entirely too content with the mere training of the intellect. The only kind of education that will be at all adequate for the world of tomorrow must be an education which gives equal emphasis to the training of intellect and to the development of character." After the excitement of the inauguration, however, the hard work began. While Dr. Truxal had held positions of power before, he had never had such a high and powerful job before; even his two years as Phi Kappa Psi President could not prepare for what ended up being over a decade in college administration. No longer was he just a teacher, he was a leader. The first years were not particularly happy ones for Dr. Truxal, at least on a personal level, for he faced several family tragedies once again. In 1950, his nephew died (John) in an accident, causing Mr. and Mrs. Truxal to leave the campus to deal with the situation. A year later, his father Jacob Quimby Truxal passed away, undoubtedly saddening Dr. Truxal even more. Now he was the immediate Truxal patriarch, putting more pressure onto the new Hood President. But in more positive news, President Truxal was happy to announce that his daughter was getting married to Randolph G. Wilson in 1953. Whatever he faced, the ups and downs of his personal life did not impede his duties as Hood President. President Andrew Truxal’s tenure at Hood College was a period of stability and growth. He sought to expand the college, as despite several decades of growth from its humble beginnings, it was still a relatively small campus in terms of attendance and space. Starting in 1955, Hood built multiple new structures, including Hodson Science Hall, Smith Hall, the Thomas Annex in the Apple Library (which later became the Joseph Henry Apple Academic Resource Center), and perhaps most excitingly for Dr. Truxal, Coffman Chapel. These buildings still stand today and perform important functions for the Hood community. Of course, these large building projects required large amounts of funds. He also wanted to connect alumni with the current student body, the latter of which he also sought to enlarge. To kill two birds with one stone, President Truxal started the “Hood Forward” and “Hood Looks Ahead” programs. These initiatives sought out alumni and other associates to ask for donations and contributions to improve Hood. The "Hood Forward" program occurred early in Truxal’s tenure, while the "Looks Ahead" program occurred in his final years at Hood. Both were immensely successful and reflected Truxal’s dedication to social bonds and relationships. The "Looks Ahead" program made around $700,000 thousand dollars; in today’s money, that’s over seven million dollars! Part of those funds went to the Andrew G. Truxal Chair of Economics and Sociology, which was named in the president’s honor and to acknowledge his career as a sociologist. Truxal was also successful in increasing the size of the student body, which grew into the thousands. Hood College’s renown increased throughout Truxal’s tenure, and many notable individuals came to the campus. The President of John Hopkins and the Maryland Governor were already impressive clientele, but 1951 saw a visit by famous general and statesman George Marshall, the namesake for the Marshall Plan that helped rebuild Europe after the Second World War. Truxal had the honor of hosting and shaking hands with Marshall, perhaps a highlight of his long career. About nine years later, Truxal had the second honor of hosting Senator John F. Kennedy himself during his presidential campaign. Meanwhile, President Truxal led Hood through turbulent times. The Cold War began in earnest just as Truxal took his position, and fears, sometimes justified, many times unfounded, permeated the nation, and Frederick was no exception. At the same time, the 1950s were known for their image of post-war happiness and stability, and Truxal, while generally avoiding politics, did seem to thrive in that environment. President Truxal performed numerous sermons and talks at the Chapel in addition to his presidential duties, talking about Christianity’s place in the changing world. He brought not only his skills as a teacher and sociologist but also as a minister to the Hood presidency, focusing all his qualities to bring his own style and values to Hood College. Under his tutelage, Hood fully transitioned from an educational facility to an engaging and productive community, where the character of the students mattered just as much as their knowledge. This spirit still remains today, with the stated goals of Hood matching the ideals of Truxal from so long ago. President Andrew Truxal found the most success during the conservative 1950s. But by the end of the decade, society started to shift. The Cold War was heating up and had no end in sight, and the United States was starting to face a reckoning of its bigoted past and present as civil rights movements began to gain steam. A new generation of youth, born during and after the Second World War, had far different ideas from their parents and wished to take the country in a new direction. President Truxal, now sixty, saw the shifting tide, and in a sign of wisdom and acceptance, declared in 1960 that he would resign by July next year. Explaining his decision, he declared that he thought it was “wise to hand over administration of the college to a younger leader.” He would be greatly missed by both students and faculty. His successor was Randle Elliott, a political scientist, and Truxal greeted him as he took up his new post. However, that did not mean Dr. Truxal was done with administration. By his own admission, he wanted to retire, having spent his whole adult life in education. But as Hood was growing, another nearby school was being conceptualized and established called Anne Arundel Community College. By coincidence, Anne Arundel Community College was founded the same time Dr. Truxal decided to resign. By this point, Andrew Truxal had become renowned throughout Maryland and the country. The leaders of Anne Arundel considered Dr. Truxal to be ideal for the first president of the college, and they offered him the position when Dr. Truxal decided to leave Hood. Despite his original intentions, Dr. Truxal accepted, becoming President Truxal once again at Anne Arundel in 1961. President Truxal had the new challenge of building up an entirely new school, rather than joining an established institution. From 1961 to 1968, Truxal guided the faculty and students through those first awkward years every school goes through. His most impressive achievement was maintaining and growing Anne Arundel Community College, moving into its own campus and receiving full accreditation, having originally been at Severna Park High School with nightly classes. As these things were achieved, giving the college a stable future, Dr. Truxal decided to retire, this time for good. Before he left, the students honored him by voting to name the college library after him, in a way paralleling the Apple Library at Hood. The Andrew G. Truxal Library still stands today as a marker of his legacy. That was not to say Truxal’s tenure at Anne Arundel was without any controversy. In 1967, Dr. Truxal stated, “Not every youngster is entitled to college.” He explained that since college was improving character as well as imparting knowledge, students need to be the best they can be so they can eventually lead society. This meant that some individuals were not “fit” for college and that such people should pursue other careers. He also stated that an imbalance in student commitment and capabilities made it “impossible for a professor to teach.” Being an educator for over forty years, Dr. Truxal had definitely seen many types of students. Perhaps he was venting some long-simmering frustrations? In any case, it was somewhat ironic or even hypocritical for Dr. Truxal to have such views. Anne Arundel, being a community college, was designed to be more accessible than someplace like Hood or Dartmouth. Additionally, equal opportunity for education is dearly held by many, and only became more popular during Truxal’s time. Even the press notes that this is an unpopular opinion from a respected man. Maybe the aging Truxal was starting to lose touch with the students he cherished, convincing him to retire for good. Dr. Andrew Truxal fully retired in 1968 and moved to Florida with his wife Leah Deldee. After decades of learning and teaching, he had earned a deserved rest. While he had vague ideas about continuing to write, Truxal spent his last days in quiet peace. Unfortunately, he would not get long to enjoy the leisure. On February 3, 1971, just one day after his birthday, Andrew Truxal suffered a heart attack and passed away. President Tuxal's body was brought back to Maryland, and his funeral service was held at Hood College, the place he helped grow, permanently tying him and his legacy to the institution. All who wrote about him noted he was an accomplished and respectable man, dedicated to the personal improvement of his students, whether as a professor or a president. He was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Area FF, Lot 306. Leah Deldee lived for decades in Frederick after her husband’s passing, participating as an honored guest for many Hood events. She died in 2001 at the age of 101, being buried beside her husband. the Truxals' son, John G. Truxal, became a respected professor in his own right, going to M.I.T. and specializing in electrical engineering. Andrew Gehr Truxal left an impressive legacy, even if his name is little spoken today at Dartmouth, Hood, or Anne Arundel Community College. The latter two colleges are among the most renowned higher education institutions in the state of Maryland, with Anne Arundel being rated as one the best community colleges in the United States for the past several years. Anne Arundel also has a “Dr. Truxal Award,” celebrating students for achievements on both the sports field and in the classroom. In 1991, the Hood student body dedicated the pergola at the center of campus in Truxal’s name. A beautiful piece of work, the pergola symbolizes the unity of the Hood community, a place where bonds are created and enhanced. It has even been the site of more than a few wedding proposals. Hood legends state that friends should not “split the poles'” or else risk bringing bad luck. Andrew Truxal would have been proud. In his own way, Andrew Truxal was a turner, improving the character of his students, whether he was a teacher, writer, or administrator. Like a woodturner, his influence may not be obvious, but he forms a fundamental part of the local legacy and image. Through all his tribulations, Andrew Gehr Truxal truly lived up to his family name.
Special thanks to Mary Atwell, Archivist at the Hood College Archives, for her assistance with this article. Well, maybe that’s not the best title choice for a blog article coming from a cemetery, but it certainly describes the days and weeks following Thanksgiving in which a central activity for many becomes the frantic pursuit of gifts for Christmas. The “Olympic Games of Commerce” boast, as their opening ceremony, the unofficial holiday of “Black Friday,” which now extends through the entire weekend. This is book-ended by “Cyber Monday,” the online version of the previous three days. If you still see your own shadow without presents for all on your list, you better not pout because there are nearly four more weeks of shopping before “Santa Claus” comes to town. I decided to look at the Frederick News of a century ago to study this phenomenon "back in the day" as they say. A logical place to start was December 1st, 1923, as I wanted to see what shopping options were available (here in Frederick) long before there was something called “Black Friday.” As a matter of fact, this particular year of 1923 came six years before the infamous “Black Thursday” of October 24th, 1929—the day of the largest sell-off of shares in U.S. history causing the Great Stock Market Crash. Let's get back to the topic of holiday shopping. The answer was clear back then—your best strategy for scoring Christmas deals was keeping a keen eye on advertisements in the "local" newspaper, and getting to the "local" store as fast as possible. Usually this required a trip to downtown Frederick, because this was the prime hub for almost everything in the realm of commercially bought gifts. As I hearken back to the time period of the “Roaring 20s," it’s important to recall that all presents did not come from stores or shipping warehouses as the majority do today. Back then, a popular alternative included handmade, and homemade, gifts. These could come in many forms and included specialty crafts, clothing and valued antiques. However, not everyone had the talent, time or know-how. I found an article touting holiday shopping in downtown Frederick in the November 20th edition of the Frederick News. This appeared five days prior to Thanksgiving that particular year. Frederick had several nice shops to choose from ranging from Doll Brothers to Bennett’s, Hamburgers to Hendrickson’s. However, there was one additional store that particularly stood out from the rest. This was Kemp’s. Perhaps it was the marketing acumen of owner Clarence Thomas Kemp, or maybe it was his location on the northeast corner of the town square, known better as “the Square Corner” at the intersection of Market and Patrick streets. Whatever the case, this endeavor offered not just the customary ground floor browsing, but the addition of a second and third floor. Talk about a store of many departments! And come holiday time, the third floor would be transformed into a magical oasis of Christmas gift offerings. Kemp’s was the place, and as the advertisement above makes mentions, it even boasted an elevator to assist customers to those upper floors. A busy venue all-year round, Kemp’s Dry Goods and Notions Store was Santa’s workshop for “kids from 1 to 94” as Karen Carpenter would sing. And if you, like me, are curious to the commercial meaning of notions, they are small objects and accessories such as buttons, snaps, and collar stays used in sewing and haberdashery. Notions also include the small tools used in sewing, such as needles, thread, pins, marking pens, elastic and seam rippers. Oh, the lost art of sewing and "at-home" alteration of "hand-me down" clothing! Clarence Thomas Kemp Although previously familiar with this leading merchant of Frederick’s rich past, I knew I had a short cut waiting for me in respect to compiling a biography of his life, or at least part of it. Clarence Thomas Kemp's biography appears in Volume 2 of T. J. C. Williams’ History of Frederick County, published in 1910. The following passage is taken from that work, and paints a robust picture of Mr. Kemp, whose early ancestors hailed from Germany and Switzerland as is well-documented in genealogical work of Frederick County. In fact, his great-grandfather, Lt. Col. Henry Kemp (1763-1833) led soldiers in the War of 1812 and resides in our cemetery in Area NN. Henry's father, John Ludwig served as a member of the Committee of Observation during the American Revolution here in Frederick. You may also be familiar with a road connected to this early family, located just north of downtown Frederick as it links Rocky Springs Road with Shookstown Road on a northwestern perimeter of Fort Detrick property—Kemp Lane. Here's that promised biography: “C. Thomas Kemp, one of the leading citizens of Frederick, Md., proprietor of one of the most successful drygoods and notion houses, situated on the northeast corner of Market and Patrick streets of the city, began life as a poor boy and owes his present eminence in the community to his own earnest efforts. By good management and close application to his business interests, coupled with strict integrity, and fair dealing in his relations with others, he has acquired a reputation and a general regard that are most creditable. Mr. Kemp, who was born July 5th, 1862, is a son of Lewis G. and Sarah M. (Miller) Kemp. The Kemp family traces its ancestry to reputable lineage in its old home in Germany. The founder of the American branch of the family (Conradt Kemp (1685-1765)) was one of the early settlers of Frederick County, Md. Lewis G. Kemp, father of C. Thomas Kemp, was for many years an active farmer. Later in life, he moved to Frederick. He is now about eighty-five years old, and with his wife resides in Frederick. Mr. Kemp is a member of the Reformed Church. For the past sixty-five years he has been connected with the Democratic party, whose ticket he has constantly supported. His wife, Sarah M. Miller, is a descendant of the well-known Miller family. Three of their children are living: Mary Margaret, unmarried, resides in Frederick; C. Thomas; and B. M., of Chicago, Ill. C. Thomas Kemp, son of Lewis G. and Sarah M. (Miller) Kemp, grew up on the home farm where he was born. When he was five years old, his parents removed to West Virginia where they remained until 1876, when they returned to their native county, bringing their son with them. Mr. Kemp was educated in the public schools of West Virginia and Frederick, displaying a bright mentality in his studies, and exhibiting that strength of intellect which subsequently characterized him in his business career. At the age of sixteen, he entered the drygoods store of George L. Cramer, of Frederick, where he remained as clerk for about three and a half years, showing a marked aptitude for that line of effort, and applying himself to the duties assigned him with a zeal that won for him the high regard of his employer. Mr. Kemp was next employed by G. J. Doll, when he began business for himself, forming a partnership with Mr. Renner. The firm of Renner and Kemp did a general retail business in drygoods and notions, and speedily became known as one of the most reliable business firms in Frederick. In September 1899, Mr. Kemp bought out Mr. Renner’s share of the enterprise, and conducted the business under the old stand until January, 1910, under the name of C. Thomas Kemp. He has an extensive trade in drygoods and notions, making a specialty of women’s and children’s ready-made wear. No similar house bears a more enviable reputation and the success attained is directly traceable to the business ability shown by Mr. Kemp in its management. He is progressive in his methods, his integrity as a merchant is unquestioned, and he has built up the extended trade enjoyed by his house through fair and liberal dealing that has gained for him an enviable reputation. He is a man of sound judgment, keen foresight, untiring effort, and stands high in the community as a worthy citizen of a genuine public spirit, and unquestioned usefulness. Mr. Kemp is a director in the Fredericktown Savings Institution. Mr. Kemp is a Democrat and has always been an active advocate of the principles of the party, although he has never aspired to public office, having no taste in that direction, preferring to be numbered among the rank and file rather than to aspire to political preferment. Mr. Kemp is well known in fraternal circles being a leading member of the Lynch Lodge, No. 163 A. F. and A. M. of Frederick; of Enoch Royal Arch Chapter, No. 23, Royal Arch Masons; and of Jacques de Molay Commandery, No. 4, Knights Templar. He stands high in the Masonic order as one of the most popular gentlemen allied therewith. Mr. Kemp is an active and earnest member of the Evangelical Reformed Church, in the work of which he takes a prominent part, promoting its interest in every way possible. C. Thomas Kemp was married, March 18, 1890 to Matilda, daughter of Theodore Shultz, deceased of Frederick. They have one daughter, Annie Brunner Kemp. C. Thomas Kemp lived primarily at three locations in Frederick City. In 1880, he lived with his parents at 297 West Patrick. From here he would reside at today's 20 West 3rd Street by 1900, likely moving here after his marriage in 1895. He would be residing here in 1910 when the biography appeared in Williams’ History of Frederick County. Interestingly, his next door neighbor in that census was Frederick City Hospital foundress Emma J. Smith. The original site of Kemp and John P. Renner's dry goods store was 15 North Market Street. This structure no longer stands and is the current site of District Arts. Kemp would relocate to the northeast corner of "the Square Corner" at the intersection of Market and Patrick streets, so named because it was the town square of Frederick. This site had many previous usages, including that of a drugstore in the picture above. A previous "Story in Stone" on Daniel M. Grumbine illustrated its use for a tailoring business, and I also learned of a Milton A. Woodward who was a grocer, and the name of the structure was once familiar to residents as the Woodward Building. Mr. Kemp would enlarge the brick building to three stories in 1908, and it would soon be billed as "the Square Store at Square Corner." C. Thomas Kemp added men's and boy's clothing departments to his initial offerings of women's and children's apparel. A long list of items were sold here ranging from shoes, silk hosiery, handkerchiefs, jewelry, neckwear and corsets. Mr. Kemp went on to purchase the adjacent Rosenstock building on East Patrick Street in 1921 and expanded even further. By June of 1923, he was running advertisements which touted Kemp’s as “Frederick’s Greatest Store.” Year-in and year-out, Kemp worked hard to keep his operation humming. As mentioned earlier, it appears that he put extra effort into his marketing messages and advertisements. A key area of interest revolves around newspaper-based holiday ads, and more specific, Christmas advertising. My case study involved careful scrutiny of Mr. Kemp's work leading up to Christmas, 1923—a century ago. I found C. Thomas Kemp as one of the earliest businessmen to really “sell” the holiday. He continued his successful marketing strategy and clearly flexed the Kemp's brand. In addition, C. Thomas Kemp counterbalanced his advertising with a specific new department for his store during the holiday season. In December of 1923, we see the third floor, which had usually served as home to men’s clothing, becoming the "Gift Shop.” The "ramp up" week to Christmas included a second ad, in the daily newspaper, designed to provide special gift ideas to the Frederick populace. I was curious about the entire campaign of 1923, so I researched each day and found these gems from December 18th-22nd. Not quite the 12 days of Christmas, but a brilliant marketing campaign nonetheless. C. Thomas Kemp topped off each holiday with a heartfelt message to his customers and community. He did this on each major holiday, and here in 1923, he accentuated ads for Christmas and New Years. Since I had the Christmas Eve edition of the local paper in hand, I thought I'd share the front page and a few interesting articles from said front page that pertain to Santa Claus coming to Frederick. This should get you in the Christmas spirit! C. Thomas Kemp had worked his way up from the bottom and was enjoying the fruits of his labor. His personal life would eventually center around a new home for him and wife Mary in one of Frederick’s finest neighborhood—Rockwell Terrace. Kemp's ads would continue to attract customers up through the proprietor's death in 1930. As a matter of fact, I was interested to find an advertisement announcing to the community that the business would be closed for several days on account of Mr. Kemp's death in early July. A great sign of respect among business owners came that same week as his competitors shared their condolences. C. Thomas Kemp actually passed on July 1st, 1930. He died at his home at 208 Rockwell Terrace, just four days shy of his 68th birthday. His obituary states that he had been ill for quite some time, suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. C. Thomas Kemp was buried in Mount Olivet’s Area C/Lot 138/140 beside his in-laws, Theodore and Mary (Dill) Shultz. Wife Mary Matilda Kemp would join him here upon her passing in 1941. Mr. Kemp’s parents Lewis (1824-1913) and Sarah (1821-1912) are only about 75 yards up the hill in Area E/39, and other early Kemp family members are in this section too. C. Thomas Kemp's former business partner, John P. Renner, and other friends in the dry goods business such as Charles J. Doll (1859-1930), who died the day after Mr. Kemp, are buried nearby as well. Kemp’s Department Store would continue to operate for decades after C. Thomas Kemp’s passing. Daughter Annie, and son in-law, Sam Maples, would operate the store until the early 1960s. Routzahn & Sons, Inc., owners of a furniture, television and appliance store at 24-26 East Patrick Street would purchase the store and property in 1961. They continued to operate under the Kemp's moniker before eventually changing it to Routzahn’s Department Store. The rest, as they say, is history. Thank you Mr. Kemp for outfitting and assisting with "the spirit of giving" during the holidays for so many past (and present) Fredericktonians.
So with Thanksgiving at hand, I decided to take a look into what was happening in my hometown of Frederick, Maryland for the "Turkey Day" back this week, 150 years ago. According to my calculations, that puts us into the third week of November, 1873. Jacob Engelbrecht (b. 1797) was alive and well at this time. I immediately decided to consult his legendary diary, the greatest single, documentary of our city's rich history (kept from 1819 until the author's death in 1878). This would be a particularly sad time for Jacob, as he lost his wife, Eliza, at the very end of 1872. He would move from his home on West Patrick Street to that of his son Phillip on South Market Street only a few blocks from Mount Olivet's front gate the previous May. This would be his first Thanksgiving as a widower, and away from his longtime home next to the Carroll Creek, (and across from the original site of the Barbara Fritchie house). Outside of that, it was a quiet year that saw Ulysses S. Grant start his second term as U.S. President. Jacob commented on March 4th (the time of Grant's inauguration) that he hoped that Grant "would conduct himself as he had done in his first four years, and we'll be alright." He went on to write, "I think he managed as well taking all in all as good as a man possibly could. He's a good President." On the local level, the big news of the year was the corporation's decision to replace the old Market House, dating from 1769. This landmark on North Market Street was home to municipal government and would be replaced with a commodious building of brick at a cost of $8,000. The size and scope of the project necessitated additional properties on both sides, and behind, to be purchased. The demolition occurred in spring of 1873. Throughout the summer, residents saw the new structure, which would include a theater on the backside to accommodate lectures, concerts and theatrical productions, take shape. Of course this would become the City Opera House. I found Engelbrecht's diary entry of September 8th to be very ironic based on the structure's current use 150 years later: "New City Hall & Market House - On Saturday last September 6, 1873 the masons finished the brickwork on the above building, and on the strength of it, they had two kegs of "lager bier" and basket full of cakes for all hands concerned." You know this locale today as the site of Brewer's Alley Restaurant. Thanksgiving was celebrated by the fabled Pilgrims and Indians of eastern Massachusetts in fall 1621. In 1873, the "holiday" was not a given as we have today, 252 years later. Proclamations by both the United States President and individual state governors actually had to be made to recognize these days as special and worthy of closing banks and businesses, while encouraging the citizenry to get into church and be "thankful" for their blessings. I researched the history going back to George Washington and the time of the Nation's founding to learn that Thanksgiving has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789, with a proclamation by our first president after a request by Congress. President Thomas Jefferson chose not to observe the holiday, and its celebration was intermittent until President Abraham Lincoln, in 1863. Honest Abe proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", calling on the American people to also, "with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience ..... fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation." Just remember this as you are watching the Lions and Cowboys tomorrow, or as you are carving the turkey. Lincoln declared a day of Thanksgiving to be held the last Thursday in November. On June 28th, 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law "The Holidays Act" that made Thanksgiving a yearly appointed federal holiday in Washington, D.C. On that last Friday of November, 1873, Jacob Engelbrecht would write in his diary: "Day of thanksgiving —Yesterday was Thanksgiving day by proclamation of President Grant and Governor Whyte of Maryland and was generally observed in our town. The different churches had divine service." In case you were curious, this practice of political proclamations would continue until 1885. Another irony of history because an act of Congress would thereby make Thanksgiving, and other federal holidays, a paid holiday for all federal workers throughout the United States. This legislation would be enacted on January 6th of that year (1885). Perhaps, that's a better way for all of us to remember the importance of January 6th—instead of another "questionable" narrative involving the capitol and congress on that day? Jacob Engelbrecht did not write anything more on that first Thanksgiving without his beloved Eliza. Studying this man, I'm sure he found plenty in life to be thankful for, as it had been a wonderful one thus far. And like George Bailey, where would historians, genealogists and others be without this great Fredericktonian who kept his diary from 1819 until his death in 1878. In addition to serving a term as Frederick mayor, he was more importantly a friend to many. Thanksgiving week of 1873 however had started off pretty unnerving. This was due to a fatal incident on West 6th Street that left a man dead. "Killed or murdered —Last evening a man (stranger) named John McCormick was struck with a "slug shot" by John Philby from which he died soon thereafter. It occurred in Sixth Street. Philby was released on bail ($200). The coroner's jury was that he was injured by the fall on the pavement." Jacob Engelbrecht Sunday, November 3rd, 1873 Who was this John Filby? Who was John McCormick? I immediately was intrigued when I learned that Mr. Philby (or Filby) was buried here in Mount Olivet in Area H/Lot 134 nearly four decades later. McCormick would be buried in a potter's field at Montevue, the county almshouse, north of town. Consulting the newspapers of the day, stories of this event could be found in papers involving the Baltimore Sun, Cumberland Daily News, and Montgomery County Sentinel. The local papers of the day, the Maryland Union and the Frederick Examiner gave a much more thorough account of events as you can imagine. Just what more could I find out about John Filby, a man who, like our friend Jacob Engelbrecht, I clearly presume had an equally tough Thanksgiving in November of 1873? John J. A. Filby John Jacob Astor Filby was born March 24th, 1854. He was the son of Samuel Thaddeus Filby (1823-1886) and Mary Anna (Mulhorn) Filby (1836-1894). It appears that John's father was from the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania area originally. In fact, Samuel's sister, Mary Ann (Filby) Wade, was the mother of Gettysburg's most famous resident during the famed American Civil War. This was Mary Virginia "Jennie/Ginnie" Wade, who was killed by an errant bullet on July 3rd, 1863 while in the process of kneading bread. This would make Jennie/Ginnie our subject John's first cousin. Our cemetery records list Samuel Filby as a stagecoach driver, something I confirmed in the 1850 US Census as it showed him in residence at Keefer's Hotel on West Church and Court streets. The Filby's, interchangeably spelled Philby, lived on West Sixth Street in Frederick near the intersection with North Bentz Street. The 1860 Census record perhaps speaks a bit toward young John's upbringing. The family residence appears to have been a "Grog House." If you don't know what this is, it's a tavern or bar, with "grog" defined as spirits/alcohol. This locale is made even more colorful by the tenancy of one Ellen Banks, her profession listed as prostitute. Alrighty then! It was tough sledding to find out more about John Filby. As I gleaned a bit of his early life up until the day he literally knocked John McCormick's "lights out" in November of 1873 at age 19, one thing was definitely clear—his life would certainly not compare to that of his namesake John Jacob Astor (1763-1848). The German-born American businessman, merchant, real estate mogul, and investor died six years before John Filby's birth, and I have no idea why any parents would be so fond of the wealthy gentleman. This was a confusing name to give to a newborn because its well-known that Astor made his fortune in "sketchy" ways which included a fur trade monopoly, by smuggling opium into China, and by investing in real estate in and around New York City. He was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States. John Filby was only 11 years old when President Lincoln was assassinated and the Civil War ended in April of 1865. He can be found living at home on West Sixth Street in the 1870 census. John would marry his first wife, Miss Elizabeth Gerloch (Gerlach), in January, 1879. I found this woman, an immigrant, working as a domestic servant for wealthy mill owner and the Frederick Fair Board's first president, Gideon Bantz, in the 1870 census. Our subject likely worked as a laborer according to census records, and the few news articles I found. I had difficulty locating him in the 1880 Census, but located a person named John Philby of his age working alongside older brother Samuel at a horse livery on the north side of High Street in Baltimore. I was confused as to the whereabouts of the former Miss Gerloch, John's wife. I assume she could have died shortly after the marriage because I can't find her anywhere, including Mount Olivet. There was another instance of John Filby and a dead man in his path so to speak. One such story from the 1880s places him at the site of the water reservoir that used to be on West Seventh Street. Today this area is encompassed within Max Kehne Park. John J. A. Filby's parents are both buried here in Mount Olivet, but in different areas of the cemetery. Samuel passed just before Thanksgiving of 1886 (November 20th to be exact) and can be found in Area Q/Lot 218. Likewise, Annie (Linton) Filby died a week before Thanksgiving as well (on November 17th), 1894 making for another emotional Thanksgiving for our subject. Annie was laid to rest in Area H/lot 182. The 1890s are always problematic with a lack of the 1890 Census records, lost in a fire. I did not even come across any articles to bridge the gap to the 1900 census. I would however be able to place John at West Sixth Street in the first decade of the new century. He had remarried Joanna (Stimmel) Burrall. around 1893/94 and the couple would be living with a daughter from his new bride's former relationship. This was Joanna's third marriage as she originally been married to a gentleman named Anton Shelhorn. I reveled in seeing a new profession noted for John J. A. Filby, one that followed in his father's footsteps. He was a keeper of a saloon. I soon found other mentions of this establishment located on Montonqua Avenue, aka West Seventh Street. This was known as Filby's Road House and was considered to be on the outskirts of town at the time. It was positioned at the intersection of Montclaire Avenue and near the site of the old toll house. In 1901, a terrible windstorm took off the establishment's roof. It apparently made its way to the Oppossumtown Pike, the name for North Bentz Street above Seventh Street before the name of Motter Avenue would be applied. The occasion called for a photograph to be placed in the local newspaper as well giving us a visual. This structure, despite the damage, still stands today! It's now home to La Villa Nail Salon and Mackie's Barbecue Co. at 325 & 327 West Seventh Street. It's directly across from the hospital. Under Filby's ownership, the Road House often found itself in the center of controversy and bawdy conduct. The Filby Road House was sold around 1906/07. Newspaper advertisements show that Joanna, not John was the true owner or purse strings of the Road House. Joanna would also own several build-able lots on West Seventh. The 1910 census shows shows John without a job, or simply enjoying his retirement. However, Joanna is listed as operating a grocery store. I'm thinking this was done utilizing the couple's home domicile. John Jacob Astor Filby was reported ill in a few of the February News editions. He would be dead within a month, passing on March 21st, 1912. Filby would be buried not far from the grave of his mother in Mount Olivet's Area H/Lot 134. A sizeable dark gray monument stands over his grave. As I thought I had things nicely buttoned up on this story about a Frederick man who inadvertently killed another man, an apparent vagabond, just days before Thanksgiving, 1873, I couldn't help but think of John's wife Joanna Filby having to endure a lonely Thanksgiving in November, 1912. Regardless of how that went down, she appears relatively "grief free" by Thanksgiving of 1913. To my great surprise, Joanna had worked relatively quickly in getting remarried once again. This time her husband was in his early twenties, while she was 50. Forget turkey talk, we have a cougar on our hands "By George!" This was a future World War I vet by the name of William R. Brightwell. The articles below help illustrate the couple's interesting relationship. Apparently Joanna dabbled in a few other "questionable" endeavors as well. Months after her divorce, Joanna would suffer a major life setback as her home was consumed in a fire on West Sixth on October 24th, 1925. During this event, six homes in the neighborhood burned. These homes were seen as part of a slum area. The opportunity came for the City to rebuild public housing here in years to come as the John Hanson Apartments. The exciting life and times of Joanna (Filby) Brightwell would come to a close on February 23rd, 1928. She had been living with her daughter in the vicinity of Rose, Michigan at the time of her death caused by heart disease. She would be buried with her "old," both literally and figuratively, husband John J. A. Filby in Area H. Sadly, no one took the opportunity to ever apply her death date on her gravestone. Happy Thanksgiving, and smokers out there, I suggest you carry your own lighter and matches. Don't always count on the goodwill of others to offer you a light, as you may get more than you bargained for like John McCormick that Thanksgiving week of 1873.
The Belvedere Hotel made its formal debut in 1903, taking its name from the estate of John Eager Howard (his son Charles would marry Francis Scott Key’s daughter Elizabeth in 1825.) Located at 1 Chase Street in downtown Baltimore, this was the center of Charm City’s social scene for many years. The structure still stands today, however its primary usage today is boasting luxury condos. In its heyday as a hotel, the Belvedere hosted many famous celebrities ranging from movie stars and musicians to politicians and three U.S. presidents. The hotel’s majestic ballroom was used nightly for formal dinners and fanciful galas. An event that occurred here on the night of Monday, January 11th, 1910, did not possess the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood party, nor did it have the stuffy air of a formal state dinner. No, on this particular night, a group of Union veterans of the American Civil War once again gathered together to reminisce about days of old, and enjoy each other’s company during times of peace—something they had been doing since their inaugural edition of these annual reunions decades before. This group was known as Cole’s Cavalry, a military outfit of volunteers that had been formed 49 years earlier in 1861 at the outset of “the War between the States.” Although the event was well-attended and went off without a hitch, there was something noticeably different in comparison with previous gatherings of this set of cavalrymen attached to a military unit known as the Potomac Home Brigade. Plain and simply, absent was the group’s wartime leader and namesake—Col. Henry A. Cole, a Frederick, Maryland native. Col. Cole had died the previous May. In 1861, Henry Alexander Cole rose to the rank of American colonel and bravely commanded the 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion, Potomac Home Brigade in operations across his home state of Maryland and Virginia during the American Civil War. An 1881 newspaper article appearing in a newspaper called the Carbon Advocate (Lehighton, PA) spoke of our subject: “Maj. Henry A. Cole of Frederick, Md., was the commander, and it is needless to say that he was a man of great dash and courage. From the first fight in which he led his four companies of brave mountaineers, down to the close of the war, the cavalry he commanded bore his name and I doubt if there was ever one of those sturdy veterans who did not take pride in saying that he belonged to Cole’s Cavalry.” Henry Alexander Cole was born on July 25th, 1838, in Frederick. He was the third son of George A. Cole (1806-1886) and wife Ann F. (Hilton) Cole (1803-1877). One of eight children, Henry was educated in local schools and took on the trade of carpenter like his father before him. Over the next decade, Henry used his skills in the contracting and construction of residential, commercial and public structures. The Cole family lived on South Market Street, just south of the intersection with All Saints St. They had a house on the east side of Frederick’s principal north-south thoroughfare, and this was three doors down from the B&O Railroad passenger station (across Market Street from the US Hotel). With the winds of war prominently blowing on Frederick in the spring of 1861, local residents had seen events such as the fall of Fort Sumter (SC), the fall of Harpers Ferry and defection of Virginia from the Union, the Pratt Street Riots in Baltimore, and the capital of Maryland temporarily moved from Annapolis to downtown Frederick. An early war zone would soon constitute our county’s southern border. This was the Potomac River, true dividing line between North and South, the Union and the Confederacy. Before the war, Henry A. Cole was a commissioned "Major" in Maryland’s Militia on May 1st, 1861. He would serve as Aide-de-camp on the staff of Major General Anthony Kimmel (commander of militia in the western part of the state.) On July 19th, 1861, US Congressman from Maryland, Francis Thomas, received authorization from Edwin Stanton, President Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of War, to provide for the raising of four regiments of infantry for the protection of persons and property in the area. In addition to the four companies of infantry, Representative Thomas also planned to raise four regiments of cavalry who would prove useful for the exact services that the brigade was being raised for – scouting, patrolling river crossings, and anti-guerrilla operations. Secretary Stanton’s order was brought to Frederick and a request for volunteers was called for with interested parties asked to assemble at the old Hessian Barracks site on South Market Street, a stone’s throw from Mount Olivet Cemetery. The day was August 10th, 1861. As this was a volunteer unit, most of the men who answered the call were young and had come from local farms, bringing their own horses for use in the war effort to preserve the Union. This would be the same day that Henry A. Cole enlisted in the Union Army. Like the men under him, he was mustered into the military for three years’ service. Just over three months later on November 27th, 1861, Cole would be appointed captain of Company A of the 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion, Potomac Home Brigade. In short time, this outfit, made up primarily of Frederick men, would take the name of its charismatic recruiter, becoming “Cole’s Rangers” and/or "Cole's Cavalry.” Henry A. Cole made a true name for himself on March 7th, 1862 as his men led the advance of Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks division into Virginia. Cole would have his horse killed under him at the battle of Bunker Hill (north of Winchester). Luckily, our subject would not be injured in the incident. He was able to quickly liberate one of the many horses the Rebels had captured/stolen for his own use, allowing him to lead a defeat of the Confederate units under renowned cavalry Gen. Turner Ashby (1828-1862.) Cole and his men would take many prisoners in the days to follow. Capt. Cole and his men would participate in the Battle of Kernstown on March 22nd, 1862 and the following day's Battle of Winchester in which Gen. James Shields faced off against soldiers under Gen. T. J. "Stonewall" Jackson and his stalwart brigade. In the months to follow that spring, the Frederick men in Company A would see action at Edinburg and Charles Town, both in Virginia. On August 1st, 1862, Companies A, B, C, and D were consolidated within the 1st Maryland. The whole regiment now took Cole’s moniker. Henry Cole would be officially promoted to the rank of major a few months later in October. In late summer, Cole's Cavalry would participate in the Second Battle of Bull Run/Manassas, operating against the left flank of the Confederates. After Gen. Robert E. Lee’s victory in this major engagement, the Confederates headed north into Maryland. They crossed the Potomac River at Conradt’s Ferry and soon would be traversing Carrollton Manor. Frederick would be the first substantial, northern town to which the fabled general would bring his Army of Northern Virginia. This was early September of 1862. Meanwhile, Cole’s Rangers attacked Southern cavalry units near Leesburg. They did encounter a surprise attack in the Battle of Mile Hill on September 2nd of 1862 in which Cole lost roughly 60 men. Two days later, Cole's Cavalry was active at skirmishes at Edwards Ferry and Monocacy Creek along the Potomac. They provided reconnaissance of troop movements in the Lovettsville area as the Rebel forces converged on Frederick. From here, Cole was ordered to participate at the Battle of Harpers Ferry (Sept. 12-15) of the Maryland Campaign. A cavalry breakthrough of enemy lines was necessary at the final stages of the battle. Cole’s Cavalry were tasked to deliver an important dispatch from the beleaguered garrison of Col. Dixon Miles to Gen. George B. McClellan, in charge of the Union’s Army of the Potomac. Major Cole , with three men on foot, succeeded in eluding the Confederate forces, and reached McClellan's headquarters east of Burkittsville. Once there, he reported the condition of affairs at Harpers Ferry, and was assured by the general "that he felt confident that by that time Gen. Miles had been relieved" by Gen. Franklin. Unfortunately, this would not happen resulting in a major surrender by Miles. Over 12,000 men laid down their arms in what became the largest surrender of US forces until the Second World War. The captured men were paroled and were soon on their way to Camp Parole near Annapolis, where they would wait out their exchanges. Cole's Cavalry had lost about a dozen men around the Harpers Ferry area through the whole episode and days leading up to it. Regardless, Henry Cole would receive personal thanks for the mission. The battles of South Mountain and Antietam would occur at this same time. Afterwards, Henry Cole would remain in Northern Virginia to square-off against one of his key rivals—Confederate Col. John S. Mosby (1833-1916). Mosby’s operations in Northern Virginia, and regular attacks across the Potomac on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and Baltimore & Ohio River, are legendary. During the Gettysburg campaign of June/July, 1863, Maj. Cole was connected with the division of Gen. French. Cole's Cavalry would be sent to Frederick where Cole, himself, would serve as provost marshal. After the Battle of Gettysburg, Cole's command was sent to Harpers Ferry to destroy the bridge to prevent Rebels from crossing at that point. This was a mission that was successfully accomplished with small loss to Cole's unit. With well over a year of solid experience and services under its belts, the decimated ranks of Cole’s Cavalry needed to be refilled due to losses due to capture and casualty. Soon replenished to full strength, the battalion drew the assignment to range up and down the Shenandoah Valley, keeping a watchful eye on the movements of Gen. Lee. For a short time, the battalion was broken up, however in the fall of 1863 the command was reunited and assigned to pursue Lee and his Army. During the autumn and winter, Cole’s Cavalry fought the Confederates at Leesburg, Upperville, Charlestown, Woodstock, Front Royal, Edinburg, New Market, Harrisonville, and Romney. The old battalion was placed in a “Brigade” with the First New York Cavalry within the 34th Massachusetts Infantry. The New York cavalrymen and Cole’s cavalrymen became devoted friends. Each command had the highest opinion of the brave qualities of the other. Rations and powder were practically shared. Going to the following winter of 1863 – 1864, the New Yorkers and the Marylanders engaged in horse racing and other sports at Brigade headquarters at nearby Charlestown, which seems all but fitting. Maj. Cole would go on to participate at the Battle of Loudoun Heights (VA) and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel for his dramatic victory at the engagement on January 10th, 1864. This would often be referred to as “the battle in the snow.” Mosby’s Rangers would attack Maj. Cole’s command in the middle of the night. Cole’s men fought them off in the snow wearing only their night clothes (ie: pajama equivalent). After a desperate hand-to-hand combat, the Confederates were repulsed. This event would be commemorated each year on January 10th by Cole and his men, setting the date for the annual reunion banquets like the one mentioned at the outset of this particular "Story in Stone" on January 10th, 1910. (NOTE: For a detailed description of this event, see Travis' "A River Divided" blog article.) Celebrated in Frederick The heroics at Loudoun Heights by Cole's Cavalry won its commander much attention, not to mention personal thanks from Gen. H. W. Halleck, commander-in-chief of the United States armies. The bravery of Cole's Cavalry had been published in newspapers across the country. In February, 1864, three fourths of the command reenlisted for the duration of the war. They were granted a furlough for the period of 30 days. The cavalrymen were given a warm reception by the people Frederick. Citizens flocked to the outskirts of town in order to greet them, all the while bells of the fire engine companies and the churches were ringing. The soldiers marched through the streets of Frederick amidst waving flags welcoming Cole’s cavalrymen back, and were eventually escorted into City Hall on North Market Street to the strains of the song "Home Again." A patriotic address was then made by Judge Madison Nelson, associate judge of the Maryland court of appeals. The ceremony was followed by a banquet, after which the members of the battalion hurried to their homes. At this same time, Maryland Governor Augustus W. Bradford had taken great interest in Cole’s Cavalry, and suggested the major enlarge his battalion to full regiment. This unit had proven so useful to Federal commanders during the campaigns of 1862 and 1863 that the organization was further expanded in February 1864. Eight additional companies were created, raising the battalion to a full regimental strength. The governor had no difficulty in getting the necessary authorization from President Lincoln’s War Department. Maj. Cole was commissioned lieutenant colonel in March, and then fully promoted to colonel the following month on April 20th, 1864. The veterans of the first Battalion, who were fully equipped, were ordered to report to Gen. Franz Sigel as part of Gen. Phil Sheridan's campaign in the Shenandoah Valley. On May 15th, 1864, Cole’s Cavalry took part in the disastrous fight at New Market, Virginia. Losses were heavy for the Union side as Gen. Sigel was defeated, and many soldiers were captured by the brigade of brave young cadets from the Virginia Military Institute located in Lexington, Virginia. Gen. Sigel’s movements have been subject to criticism. Unfortunately, he failed to thwart a secret mission headed by Rebel Gen. Jubal A. Early a month later, allowing Early's force to arrive in Martinsburg by train from Lynchburg, VA while the Union had the capital of Richmond under siege, as well as Petersburg. This "Hail Mary" plan of Robert E. Lee's involved a sneak attack on Washington, DC from the northwest, or so it would play out that way in early July, 1864. With Cole's Cavalry out in the Shenandoah Valley, a clear path to Frederick without opposition had been laid out to Gen. Early. He would levy ransoms on Hagerstown, Middletown and finally Frederick. You likely have heard the story of Frederick's city officials and local banks cobbling together $200,000 at that time in effort to "save the town" from the supposed torch of Early and his men. The Battle of Monocacy would immediately follow on July 9th as heavily outnumbered Union forces under Gen. Lew Wallace met Gen. Early along the banks of the Monocacy River south of town at the site of the Frederick railroad junction. If not for this little engagement, and the delay it caused allowing the city of Washington to be re-fortified, our nation's capital might have been captured by Early's force. Later in 1864, Cole’s cavalrymen took part in the engagements at Keedysville, Charlestown, Halltown, Summit Point, Berryville, and Winchester. The area was soundly kept in check by the forces under Gen. Phil Sheridan. The regiment of Col. Cole was afterwards ordered into the newly-formed/named) state of West Virginia to guard lines of communication until the war's end in the spring of 1865 when Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant on April 9th. Col. Henry A. Cole would be relieved of command a few weeks later in Martinsburg on May 3rd. Cole's Cavalry was officially mustered out of the service at Harpers Ferry on June 28th, 1865. Over the course of the war, at least 1,616 officers and men served under the Frederick native. During the period of nearly four years from August 1861 to June 28th, 1865, the regiment had fought in nearly 200 engagements and captured more than 1000 prisoners. Some of Col. Cole's men had covered 7000 miles criss-crossing the Potomac region. After the war, Henry A. Cole applied for a position in the U.S. Cavalry and was informed by the U.S. Secretary of War (Edwin Stanton) that he had been appointed Captain of the 7th U.S. Cavalry by the President of the United States (Andrew Johnson), and was sworn-in on October 11th, 1866. He was examined and was found physically competent, but shortly after that, he failed the examination by the Cavalry Board and his appointment was canceled. Two advertisements appear in Frederick Examiner newspapers in 1865 regarding his personal home, and a business venture into the "coal" business. Henry A. Cole would soon move to Baltimore, and start a home contracting business. building a number of houses on Madison Avenue in the west part of the city. He is listed as an architect in business directories of the period, as well as the 1870 US Census. In the US Census of that year, it appears that Col. Cole’s parents moved with him to Baltimore as well, along with his younger siblings. He would soon met Mary E. Smith (1840-1927) of Baltimore, and the couple were married in 1870. Cole would build a number of houses on Madison Avenue in west Baltimore. He soon met Mary E. Smith (1840-1927) here in the city and the couple wed on 1870. Henry's profession would change in 1880 when our subject accepted an appointment to the United States Internal Revenue Service, which position he held at the time of his death. One source says he was a US Internal Revenue Storekeeper (1881-1890), and a US Internal Revenue Gauger (1890-1909). The 1890 veterans schedule shows Col. Cole living at 1420 Argyle Avenue in Baltimore. He would appear in the 1900 census living here as well, with Argyle Ave. located in the Upton neighborhood of the city (slightly northwest of center city). Henry was found to be living as a boarder to the George J. Waltz family. Mr. Waltz was a druggist. The last home of Col. Cole was the building to the right (yellow) at 1831 W. Mosher St and Monroe St. It was likely the site of Mr. Waltz drugstore back in the first decade of the 1900s. The Waltz' can be found living here in the 1910 US Census, having moved from Argyle Ave. Today it is Jemella's Cut Rate Liquors. Often called “modest and kindly,” Col. Henry A. Cole's benevolence was put on display by our local newspaper back in 1891. The same article appeared in the Baltimore Sun the following day. Cole was a prominent member of the (G.A.R) Grand Army of the Republic, the largest of all Union veterans' organizations. This may have been the genesis of the G.A.R. plot in Mount Olivet that currently exists at the south end corner of Area C (Lots 1 & 2) today. Here, you will find a collection of Union soldiers buried by themselves in adjoining gravesites. A few members of Cole's Cavalry are here as well, John A. Hudson and Charles J. Reynolds. Col. Henry A. Cole would join his former soldiers and family members in 1909. He would pass days before Memorial Day on May 25th 1909 at his home on West Mosher Street in Baltimore. He had been ill for a time, and his obituary states Bright's Disease as the cause for his death at age 70. Col. Cole's body would return to his hometown of Frederick for burial in the family lot in Area R/Lot 98. Here, he would join his parents (George and Anna) and siblings David, George, William, Maria and Sue Boyer. The pall bearers for the burial were all former members of “Cole’s Cavalry” from the Frederick area. The Frederick G.A.R. Reynolds Post #2, performed the ritual services at the grave and many Civil War veterans groups were part of the ceremonies, Then a final salute was fired over the grave, and “Taps” were sounded. A fitting, large, granite monument adorns the site. It is topped with a sphere and a decorative staircase leads up to the monument placed on a small bluff. This seems like it could be on a battlefield and its placement reminded me of the colonel's heroism in battle at Loudoun Heights back in January, 1864. I found it interesting that there is no mention whatsoever of Col. Cole's wife, Mary, in his obituary. I actually had trouble finding any reference to her in newspapers and census records, and their supposed wedding in 1870. I also surmise they had no children. Mary died on November 7th, 1927, and is buried next to the colonel in Area R. Veterans' Day 2023 marks the debut of our American Civil War "Union soldier collection" on MountOlivetVets.com. Many thanks to Marilyn Veek and several other volunteers over the last several years who have helped us research these soldiers, and now you can explore these memorial pages of Mount Olivet's Union soldiers. We hope to have Confederate soldiers up by next Veteran's Day, if not sooner. The button below will take you directly to the Civil War portal on the site.
A special little monument depicting a child praying recently introduced me to an equally interesting man named William L. W. Seabrook. The Seabrooks are buried not far from the entrance of the cemetery in Area A, within plain sight of the Francis Scott Key Monument in one direction, and the aptly named Key Memorial Chapel in another. Here also, the visitor will find Mrs. Harriet Philipina (Thomas) Seabrook buried along with five additional young children who died rather young between the years of 1863 through 1872. The fore-mentioned child figure monument marks the grave of an infant simply known in our records as L.S. I’ve deduced this to denote the name of Luther Stanley. Four siblings of L. S. can be found in separate graves—all sharing a central miniature obelisk. Interestingly, the least appealing grave monument in this plot belongs to the family patriarch and original purchaser (of the cemetery ground). His name was William L. W. Seabrook and his life story and accomplishments are very impressive. Seabrook's obituary in the Frederick News, American Sentinel, Baltimore Sun and Gettysburg Times and several other regional papers in September 1916 reads as a well-crafted biography. I will include that here later, thinking perhaps that this man, himself, could have been responsible for writing it as he made his mark as a long-time newspaper editor.
The Gettysburg Railroad line which Mr. Seabrook was building was also known as “Tapeworm Railroad.” It had been planned by Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, who began his law career in Gettysburg. The transportation line was given this odd nickname by opponents who ridiculed its planned lengthy serpentine layout (of switchbacks) connecting several forges and furnaces. One of these was owned by Mr. Stevens himself and called Maria Furnace. Its ancient remains can still be found around the Green Ridge of South Mountain. This very early railroad, not to mention its connections to Thaddeus Stevens, intrigued me. In 1836, a man named Herman Haupt had surveyed the "road from Gettysburg across South Mountain to the Potomac" and in 1838, the rail "bed" was "graded for a number of miles, but never got further than Monterey.” No train ever traveled on "the Tapeworm," and no rails were ever laid but the route was surveyed and graded in Adams County. The right-of-way was later used by the Susquehanna, Gettysburg and Potomac Railway and its successor, the Baltimore and Harrisburg Railway to build a line from Gettysburg west to Highfield, Maryland. Some may recognize a highly visible part of this line on the northwest portion of the Gettysburg Battlefield property at McPherson Ridge with its memorable railway cut through surrounding reddish-brown sandstone. Heavy fighting during the battle took place here, and also around the Seminary Ridge railway cut, on July 1st, 1863. As for Thaddeus Stevens (1792 – 1868), he was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, being one of the leaders of the Radical Republican faction of the Republican Party during the 1860s. As chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee during the American Civil War, he played a leading role, focusing his attention on defeating the Confederacy, financing the war with new taxes and borrowing, crushing the power of slave owners, ending slavery, and securing equal rights for the freedmen. He was a fierce opponent of slavery and discrimination against black Americans, and sought to secure their rights during Reconstruction, leading the opposition to U.S. President Andrew Johnson. I found this fascinating as our subject, and his father, were acquainted with this man, especially considering their respective ties to Gettysburg and the Republican Party as you will soon learn. William L. W. Seabrook would also have a strong connection to another Republican politician with indelible ties to Stevens, the abolition of slavery, and Gettysburg—Abraham Lincoln. Let’s get back to Fairfield and the childhood days of our subject. Nearly six years after the death of his father, William L. W. Seabrook’s mother, Harriet P. (Beckenbaugh) Seabrook, made the decision to move back to her former home in Frederick County’s Creagerstown. The boy, now 10, would attend school here and work on the family farm. He would also learn to perform clerk duties in the store of his uncle, Michael Beckenbaugh. The family attended the Lutheran Church there. Around 1850, William L. W. Seabrook moved to Gettysburg and learned the printing trade under a gentleman named Robert Goodloe Harper, Jr. Harper published the Adams Sentinel. Two years later, at age 19, Seabrook continued his foray into publishing by purchasing an interest in a newspaper in our neck of the woods entitled the Frederick Herald. He would become its editor in chief in 1852. In 1855, William L. W. Seabrook married a local Frederick girl named Harriet Philippina Thomas. She was the daughter of Robert Levin Thomas (1786-1842) and Elizabeth (Dill) Thomas (1800-1866). Her name likely was given as a result of being born on the Mount Philip plantation located west of Frederick City and accessed by the road that today still carries its name. The original builder of this estate at the foot of Catoctin Mountain was a relative, Dr. Philip Thomas, one of Frederick’s earliest (and legitimate) physicians. Dr. Thomas was also highly active in the war for independence. The children of this union mentioned at the outset of this article, buried as youngsters in the family plot here in Mount Olivet, include: Stanley (d. 1861) at 5 months old; Stanley Charles (d. 1863); Frankie (d. 1864 at 3 months old); L. S. (d. 1867); and Claude (d. 1872 at 5 months old). Two sons, born earlier than the others, reached adulthood and had full lives. William Levin Seabrook (1856-1931) became a noted Lutheran minister and later state’s attorney for Carroll County. Clarence Seabrook (1859-1924) moved to Syracuse, New York and followed in his father’s footsteps by having a career in the newspaper business. In March of 1856, Frederick diarist Jacob Engelbrecht notes that William L. W. Seabrook was elected teacher of the Primary School No. 72 located on the east side of North Market Street. I assume he performed this job in tandem with that of the newspaper which naturally would pull Mr. Seabrook into the wonderful world of politics. In 1857, William L. W. Seabrook left the teaching and newspaper professions as he would be elected commissioner of the Maryland State Land Office, and was subsequently re-elected six years later in 1863. This also precipitated an eventual move to Annapolis. This was his lot during the period of the American Civil War, in which Seabrook staunchly supported the Union through his Republican leanings. I guess you could say that William L. W. Seabrook had more than “leanings,” as he campaigned on behalf of President Abraham Lincoln throughout the entire state. I found that he wrote a book on his experiences in state government service during the Civil War. Most interesting was his relationship with Gov. Thomas Holiday Hicks who made the decision to move Maryland's General Assembly sessions to Frederick in the summer of 1861. Seabrook used this opportunity to praise his political party for keeping Maryland, a staunch Democratic state, in the Union and not seceding to the south. One of William L. W. Seabrook's chief claims to fame is that he had a warm friendship with Abraham Lincoln. He would serve as an advisor over the pulse of Maryland during the Civil War, culminating in playing an important role as a delegate to the national convention which re-nominated President Lincoln in the election of 1864. Seabrook was the Maryland member of the notification committee, and would live to be the last surviving member of the 14-person Maryland delegation to that 1864 presidential convention, and has been said to have possibly outlived all the men that took part in the entire convention. I found a detailed review of Seabrook's experiences of that time, written in his own hand. (NOTE: I will include at the end of this story). Seabrook voted against Lincoln’s running mate Andrew Johnson, a Democrat, for Vice President in 1864, and this explains why Seabrook’s position as Land Office commissioner would be terminated in 1868 by the action of the Democratic convention of 1867. You may recall that Andrew Johnson ascended to the presidency following the April, 1865 assassination of President Lincoln, and would hold the office until 1869. In that same year, however, Seabrook became part owner and editor of the American Sentinel newspaper of Westminster. He would work here for seven years before reselling his interest in the paper to the former owner in 1874. William L. W. and Harriet had resided in Westminster at the Montour boarding house during this time, but I also found them associated with a house in Creagerstown. This could have been his mother's house, but kept in W. L. W. Seabrook's name. William would switch professional gears completely becoming superintendent of public stores and bonded warehouses for the United States Customs Service in Baltimore. He would soon move on to a job with the Port of Baltimore in the role of "United States weigher, measurer and gauger." In 1886, our subject returned to the newspaper business and Westminster to serve a second tenure as editor of the American Sentinel. He finally settled into this career, and life in Carroll County. He was active in civic life, and especially the Masons, where he would serve in several leadership positions. In 1900, Seabrook ran unsuccessfully for Congress’ second district here in Maryland, but lost in the primary. He would continue to work as editor at the American Sentinel and was highly respected for his standing as one of the country’s oldest newspaper men, in age and experience. William L. W. Seabrook lost his beloved wife, “Pina,” in 1907. She would be buried in Frederick in the family plot where the couple’s children had been buried nearly 40 years earlier. Just days later, Seabrook would learn of a second death, that of his brother. It was around this time that William would be joined in Westminster by his son, William L. Seabrook, the Lutheran minister. Rev. Seabrook helped his father with his household, and the newspaper. A few years later, William L. W. would call it quits. Nearly 60 years after first entering the newspaper business, Mr. Seabrook would retire in November of 1909 after 41 years with the American Sentinel. Surrounded by family, William L. W. Seabrook would live out his final years in Westminster. His death would come on September 11th, 1916. His obituary would appear in newspapers near and far, as he was a well-known, and respected, figure in his field. The Frederick News would be among this group, and I’m sure the Delaplaine brothers were acquainted with their fellow industry-man. Their paper would run a detailed article in their September 14th addition chronicling the scene in Westminster and Mount Olivet on the occasion of Mr. Seabrook’s funeral services, handled by the Masonic Fraternal Order. Though not buried here, I became interested in two grandchildren mentioned in Mr. Seabrook’s obituary. Both would have their names in the Frederick newspaper in the months immediately following their paternal grandfather’s death. First would be William B. Seabrook, as he would successfully escape death twice during the time of his grandfather's passing. Raised for a time by William L. W. and Harriet Seabrook in Westminster, William would participate in World War I. While on the French warfront, his first encounter involved being wounded by deadly gas. Removed from the front, he almost got killed on his way back home to America. I want to say more about this man in a minute, but let me complete my earlier thought by relaying that William L. W.’s granddaughter made the Delaplaine’s newspaper pages with an announcement of her engagement in November of 1916. Her name was Frances Seabrook and she wed Ralph Whitman, a civil engineer in the US Navy. He would eventually achieve the rank of Rear Admiral and had a storied career and much notoriety in military duty, and the pair are buried at Arlington Cemetery. Speaking of careers and notoriety however, let's get back to Frances’ brother William. His career would be an evocative one as I found myself going down the proverbial rabbit hole after seeing countless references to him after a simple Google search. To my surprise, I found that he is more famous, or shall I say infamous, than his namesake grandfather. He’s been labeled as having been terrible, a drunkard, abominable, tormented, perverted, crazy and an all-out whacko. Oh, how I wish he was buried here in Mount Olivet! In her article for Atavest Magazine, author Emily Matchar describes the grandson of William L. W. Seabrook as "the writer who introduced zombies to America." The following link to her online article is a great resource, as it paints a picture of Harriet P. (Thomas) Seabrook. It reveals that William B. "Willy" Seabrook held his grandmother “Piny” in high regard, although his assessment of his father and grandfather was not kind. Here is a link to that article: https://magazine.atavist.com/the-zombie-king/ William Buehler Seabrook was born in Westminster in 1884. Apparently his father (William L. Seabrook) and mother left him in the care of his grandparents when he was eight years old. He had great resentment for this action (and his parents in general) based on the gentleman's later writings. He wasn't overly crazy about William L. W. Seabrook either. The only family member for whom William B. Seabrook had any affection was his grandmother, who he called "Piny," (pronounced "pee-nee") a nickname stemming from her middle name of Philippina. Our cemetery records back up this claim, however ours incorrectly reads as "Ponie." William B. Seabrook described his grandmother as being a soul barely of this world. He wrote in his memoirs: "She was born on a Maryland plantation in the caul (the amniotic sac unbroken around her, which was said to impart on a child a supernatural aura), and nursed by an Obeah slave girl. Piny possessed “visions and powers” since childhood but was married off as a teen to Seabrook’s “white-bearded” grandfather, who brought her to Westminster and forced her to live an unhappy life among the tedious bourgeoisie. To feed her opium addiction, she hid a bottle of laudanum in the crook of a backyard tree." Seabrook believed that his grandmother saw something in him (self described as "her odd, morose grandson"). They were kindred spirits, and he went on to say, “Another little soul which, like herself, found normal, ordinary life unbearable.” It was through his beloved Piny that he had his first experience with the “unexplained,” and supernatural. This would serve as a subject that would occupy his mind for the rest of his life. Ms. Matchar illustrates in her article that, "He and Piny would often walk together in Shreiver’s Woods, just outside Westminster. Seabrook knew the woods well; he would often go there to gather chinquapin nuts or fish for minnows in the stream. But one day, Seabrook wrote, while he was strolling with Piny, the woods became strange. They arrived at a clearing he didn’t recognize. Suddenly, the trees surrounding him were not trees but the legs of 'beautiful bright-plumaged roosters, which were as tall as houses.' Taking him by the hand, Piny led him beneath the legs of the roosters as the enormous birds shuffled and crowed." I assume that "Willy" Seabrook was here in Mount Olivet's Area A/Lot 95 for the funeral of his grandmother in 1907. Perhaps she brought him here on occasion to visit the graves of the children "Piny" lost decades earlier? Maybe he visited his grandfather's grave after returning from the war? Regardless, this is some strange stuff indeed, but get ready for tales of cannibalism, witchcraft and human bondage. William B. Seabrook began a respectable career as a reporter and City Editor of the Augusta Chronicle in Georgia, worked at the New York Times, and later became a partner in an advertising agency in Atlanta. He is well-known for his later writing on, and engaging in, cannibalism. Seabrook's 1929 book The Magic Island, which documents his experiences with Haitian Vodoo in Haiti, is considered the first popular English-language work to describe the concept of zombies. That’s right, the grandson of William L. W. Seabrook and wife Harriet Philippina (Thomas) Seabrook is responsible for what we know as zombies. Cue Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and fire up a Netflix binge-watch of the Walking Dead. William B. Seabrook would die of suicide by drug overdose in 1945. There is plenty written about this man to be found on the internet, and many of his books, and a few biographies are available in print. Be sure to check eBay because they have a great selection to choose from. If anything else, I guess the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover," surely fits the gravestone and life story of William B.'s grandfather, William Luther Wesley Seabrook.
This week's "story" will be about our latest class of inductees into our Mount Olivet Monument Hall of Fame. Plenty more on that in a moment, as I would be remiss not to remind our readers that this blog is uniquely inspired and influenced by gravestones week in, and week out. That reminds me of something I must make sure you know: Mount Olivet Cemetery sells and designs grave monuments! It's true, and not just a shallow marketing pitch. Now this may be something that many Fredericktonians and Frederick Countians (and beyond) are well aware of, yet there are some folks that likely have no idea. It's understandable as a rival monument dealer is strategically located directly across from our cemetery front gate-a brilliant marketing move which continues to illustrate the real estate mantra of "location, location, location." Custom grave marker sales is something Mount Olivet has been doing for about 20 years now. Our staff has designed, and placed, hundreds of memorials over this period. You certainly have your choice to choose from and shop around, and we get the same "rocks" from the same US quarries as our competitors. We also have had special orders involving the utilization of exotic stone from overseas locations. A key selling point lies in "the one-stop shop approach." Since we work with the customer on purchasing their burial plot, and related grave opening-closing services, why have them deal with an outside firm for the memorial/grave monument that will be placed here? Mount Olivet staff will also be the ones excavating and providing the appropriate cement foundation (for a stone marker), while having the ultimate responsibility in providing overall care and maintenance for the customer's burial lot, and surrounding cemetery, into perpetuity. As is the case with the thousands of grave monuments on our hallowed grounds, the Mount Olivet Cemetery corporation will always be here as it has been since 1854. We don't plan on going anywhere in the future. More than that, money spent on a stone at Mount Olivet doesn't go to a business owner or shareholder, but is solely used in operating and enhancing the cemetery. Doesn't it make sense to obtain a gravestone from us as well? It's interesting to see the variety of choices to memorialize loved ones. You just need to drive or walk through the cemetery to see our vast showroom of models. And that is exactly what some people do. Customers in the form of Mount Olivet lot-holders often take pictures of gravestone shapes, styles and sizes that interest them. They present these images when meeting with our sales team of Meghan Murphy and Rick Reeder. Many times, they will accompany the customer on sightseeing sojourns where the customer can point out aspects of existing stones that they like. Meghan and Rick can easily incorporate these ideas and examples into a design for a custom stone. They also have at their disposal thousands of designs and styles that are available from our vendors and can share these during meetings and appointments. When it comes to choosing and designing a grave monument, remember the old adage, if you can dream it, you can do it. If anything else, shop your preferred stone design idea to different vendors for estimates, but please give us a chance to show you what we can do for you. Now, since we are on the subject of monuments, I promise that you won't find a larger and eclectic collection in central and western Maryland than Mount Olivet Cemetery. The only one that comes close is our sister-"garden cemetery" of Rose Hill Cemetery in Hagerstown. We boast an evocative "museum of marbles" and "gallery of granites." Back in 2017, we launched the Preservation and Enhancement Fund of Mount Olivet Cemetery, a 501 © (3) nonprofit entity with a goal of showcasing and securing our amazing cultural landscape. As many know, we possess a unique blend of nature, art, and architecture symbolically memorializing the human condition. With the assistance of cemetery staff and our Friends of Mount Olivet (FOMO) membership group (begun in Spring, 2020), the non-profit's mission is to preserve the cemetery's historic records, on-premises house and chapel structures and, most noticeably, thousands of vintage gravestones and monuments. Our hope is to educate visitors and Frederick residents alike by sharing the fascinating background of Mount Olivet and those who reside in it, numbering nearly 41,000. The “Friends” group is active in related activities designed to generate enthusiasm in not only history research and gravestone preservation, but continued fundraising while spreading community awareness of this special place. We attempt to accomplish this through engaging and entertaining educational lecture programs, walking tours, special events and anniversary commemorations. Two summers back, our Friends group established the Mount Olivet Monument Hall of Fame. We inducted seven monuments, including our most famous in Francis Scott Key, as part of the inaugural class. In talking with colleagues and other members of our Friends group, we found it best to frame this new “Hall of Fame” on the look and design of the monuments, themselves, and not on the person(s) buried beneath. So, it is the above-ground masterpiece of art and craftmanship that provides the criteria for consideration, nomination and election to our “Mount Olivet Monument Hall of Fame.” Unlike other "Halls of Fame" (ie: sports, music, etc.), we didn't have to build a gallery on our grounds, as we already have one! The memorials are already in place, some for well over a century and a half already. All inductees appear in the form of a virtual gallery on the MountOlivetHistory.com site. In 2022 and again this past summer, we put the task of Hall of Fame voting to our Friends of Mount Olivet. A nominating committee within the Friends group was formed in early summer and headed up by Mike and Sheila Schaden. Nominees (put forth by Friends members) were submitted throughout the summer and a narrowed down list of 20 was officially introduced at this year's annual picnic in late August. The voting commenced with both in-person, online and mail-in ballot from our FOMO membership. The votes have been tabulated and certified as we proudly share our class of 2023 inductees for the Mount Olivet Monument Hall of Fame. Seabrook "Praying Child" Monument Location: Area A/Lot 95 Date of Placement: after 1902 Decedents: L. S. Seabrook This appears to be a small monument of a naked child praying. In doing a little online research, I found this same design displayed in several other cemeteries such as Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, New York's Albany Rural Cemetery in Albany and Schenectady's Vale Cemetery, Green-Wood Cemetery in New York City Brooklyn's vast Green-Wood, and Union Grove in Canal Winchester, Ohio, Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Forest Hill in Boston, Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit, and Mount Auburn (the original "garden" cemetery). Examples also appear in Ireland and England. Some of these figures were marble, one was white zinc. Author Paula Lemire of a blog entitled "Beyond the Graves" wrote of this design in an April, 2016 blog: "The little figure was originally the work of Florentine sculptor Luigi Pampaloni (1791-1847). Created around 1826, the figure was originally one of a plaster pair; a sleeping girl and a kneeling boy beside her. On a visit to Pampaloni's studio, Countess Anna Potocka commissioned a marble copy of the boy for the grave of her young daughter Julia in Krakow. The statue, which shows a child kneeling with one knee raised and one foot tucked behind, clasped hands, an upturned face, and long curls, became quite popular and copies some appeared in gardens and cemeteries. Appealing to popular sentimental taste, plaster, alabaster, and porcelain examples could be found in parlors and drawing rooms. Some examples include wings. In some versions, the child kneels on a cushion, where others omit the cushion." This was a popular design of the era and well known to lovers of art and sculpture. Ms. Lemire, in her blog, included a few vintage newspaper advertisements in the 1870 Albany Commercial & Business Directory for monument dealers. These competing stone-carvers distinctly show "the praying child" as a familiar option for funerary art. This monument in Mount Olivet is not used as a larger monument topper, as can be found in many of the places mentioned above. Here it marks the grave of L. S. Seabrook, an infant who died in 1867. Not much more is known of this child belonging to William L. W. Seabrook and wife Harriet P. Seabrook. I venture to say that the baby's name could have been Luther, as that is one of his father's middle names (Luther Wesley). A few feet away in this lot, four other Seabrook children are buried under a miniature obelisk with respective names on each of four panels. Two have the name of Stanley, so perhaps that name (Stanley) could have been the "S" in L. S. Seabrook? Bopst Family Monument Location: Area L/ Lot 192 Date of Placement: after 1901 Decedents: Bion Eugene Bopst, Mary E. (Bruchey) Bopst, Grace E. (Orem) Bopst, Annie Betson The Bopst monument is among the most beautiful in the cemetery. In my first year on the job here, I took several pictures for use in marketing materials for Mount Olivet such as brochures, our website and Facebook. Ironically, I also used a beautiful fall time photograph I had taken for a title page within a PowerPoint presentation I often give on the preservation mission we have here at the cemetery. How's that for some foreshadowing? I'm so pleased to have it recognized in our Monument Hall of Fame. This monument in Area L, not far from the rear of the Key Memorial Chapel, is a pleasant sight for sore eyes and restoration success story. For quite some time, earlier this year and the fall of 2022 that preceded it, the Mourning Woman statue that adorns the top of the Bion E. Bopst family plot marker was "out for repairs." This certainly topped its previous "headless" condition throughout the previous three years—the result of damage from a falling tree during a violent thunderstorm that hit the cemetery in April, 2019. The "Mourning Woman" is derived from Classicism and its association is with ancient Greece and Rome. When it comes to Victorian era cemeteries, these sentinels have been on duty for well over a century and a half. They patiently watch over and grieve for the departed. Each represents an eternal mourner, often with a veil covering her head and swathed in flowing robes as she keeps vigil. Our Mourning Woman here in Mount Olivet even holds a wreath in her arm to symbolize a "victory over death and, moreso, remembrance." A like statue can be found in our inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 2021 and located in Area R where it memorializes the John H. Williams family. Mr. Williams was a prominent banker who gave Frederick "Charity" the dog, an iron statue in front of his former home on South Market Street. The Bopst "Mourning Woman" in Area L/Lot 192 was placed over a lot purchased by Mr. Bion Eugene Bopst in 1901 as a place to re-inter his first wife, Mary E. (Bruchey) Bopst. Mary had died five years earlier in November of 1896, at the tender age of 37. She was originally buried in Utica Cemetery in the quaint hamlet north of Frederick City and along Old Frederick Road that boasts one of the county’s oft-photographed covered bridges. Today, the adjoining church is known as St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran. I don’t know what prompted this move to Mount Olivet, but I deducted that her burial at Utica could have been precipitated by the presence of relatives tied to her mother's (Margaret Jackson Bruchey) Jackson family that had ties to the Woodsboro area. Regardless, Mary Elizabeth (Bruchey) Bopst was re-buried here in Mount Olivet on November 14th, 1901. I could not find any further information on the exact date of the memorial placement of our “Mourning Woman” on Area L, but I would surmise that it went in at the time of Mary’s re-interment, which would have generated a central “family” monument with her last name to give proper context to her individual, raised foot stone. Read more about this monument and its restoration with the original "Stories in Stone" article from March, 2023. "Our Darling Adelaide" Memorial Location: Area H/Lot 361 Date of Placement: after July 1890 Decedents: Adelaide Derr At 10 months and 18 days of age, it should come as no surprise that Adelaide Derr's parents chose to adorn her grave with a statue of a child. The figure is holding a cross with a flower atop, almost like a parent would cradle a baby. I couldn't find an exact duplicate of this design, but did locate simarly-themed grave markers including one in Memphis, Tennessee's Elmwood Cemetery. Adelaide was born on August 18th, 1888. She was the daughter of Millard (later Milton) Taylor Derr and wife Mary C. Smith. She did not have a long life at all, but it was one that hopefully brought joy to her parents throughout the duration. Not all children received obits, however "darling" Adelaide did. The obituary for our decedent claims that she died at exactly 1:50am on June 30th, 1890. Adelaide's father worked as a butcher (as did his father before him). The family lived at 308 West Patrick Street (west of Bentz Street). A Sanborn Insurance map from 1887 shows a sausage making facility in their backyard, as well as a slaughter house next door and behind (Millard's father) Daniel Derr's house. Note that today's Degrange Street was originally known as Derrs Street or LeGrange Street. The Derr sausage factory backs up to the Frederick County Jail, which once fronted on West South Street. Today, the old jail is home to the Frederick Rescue Mission. That neighborhood has a tradition of being lively! The Derrs had had one other child, Millard Arthur Derr (1882-1956). He was a veteran of World War I and spent 30 years in Detroit after the war working as a civil engineer. Millard Arthur died in Detroit but was buried in Salisbury, Maryland's Parsons Cemetery with his wife Nancy (Hooper) and her family, not in Mount Olivet with his sister and parents. Mother (Catherine Michael) Monument Location: Area H/Lot 397 Date of Placement: after 1858 Decedents: Catharine (Bernhart) Michael This monument has been featured in FaceBook posts on Mother's Day for good reason as it is a memorial ode to a maternal figure. The sentiment near the base of this stone reads "Rest Sweet Mother Rest." Above this, a bible passage (Philippians 1:21) is featured in which the apostle Paul said: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Another verse appears beneath but is hard to make out. The decedent here is a woman named Catharine Michael (born Catharine Bernhart on January 4th, 1804). Catharine was married three times. Her first husband was John Coe. The couple was married in 1820 and apparently lived in the Mechanicstown area. Coe died in 1833 and is buried at Israel's Creek Meeting House Cemetery in Walkersville. She next married John Baker in 1835 and had daughters Caroline (Baker) Mory (who is also buried in H/397), and Sarah. They lived in the Middletown District. After John Baker died in 1837, Catharine, serving as executor, sold his 78.5 acre farm and his 42 acre farm. She bought a half-lot in Middletown located just east of the Lutheran Church on Main Street. She later bought a half-lot at what is now 108 W. Main St. In 1850, Catharine married Isaac Michael, a farmer in the Middletown Valley who is shown on the 1858 Bond Atlas map living on Burkittsville Road. Catharine died at age 54 on February 28th, 1858. It is highly likely that Catharine's daughter, Caroline (Baker) Mory (1836-1896), is the one responsible for the sentiment on the stone's face. A draped urn completes this monument as the vessel itself is a representation of those used to carry the remains of the dead, while the fabric symbolizes the veil that separates the living and the dead, and the thin line that separates them. Kintz Tree-Cross Monument Location: Area H/Lot 156 Date of Placement: after 1922 Decedents: Dorothy A. Kintz Dorothy Arbelinan Kintz did not have the opportunity to celebrate her "Sweet 16" birthday, as she would pass five months prior at Frederick's City Hospital from peritonitis. The daughter of Jacob Kintz and Johanna Christiana Heinrich was born August 8th, 1906. Dorothy's father was a metal worker, and her mother a German immigrant who kept house. The family lived at 228 East 7th Street. Dorothy traveled to Germany when she was five years old to spend two months with relatives. She was an employee of the Union Knitting Mills at the time of her death. Cross memorials appear regularly in cemetery art and ornamentation. They generally denote Christians, and more specifically Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. This monument is truly different as it is crafted in marble as if it were made out of tree limbs. On top of this, faux ivy covers this cross. Stone-tree memorials like this usually symbolize eternal life or fertility. This seems to be a fitting memorial for this young lady on the cusp of womanhood. Kehne Children Monuments Location: Area L/Lot 36 Date of Placement: after 1902 Decedents: Helen E. Kehne, Blanche M. Kehne, John Edgar Kehne, Pearl C. Kehne There are many cemetery symbols of iconography that seem to be ubiquitous—the lamb is certainly one of them. When traversing a graveyard, if you see a tiny lambs on a stone, you most likely have the grave of a child. These lambs come in many sizes and positions—usually you will find these straddling small tombstones or foot stones. The lamb is the symbol of the Lord, the Good Shepherd. The animal also represents innocence, likely the reason for this motif commonly adorning the tombstones of infants and young children. Most often the lamb is lying down, often asleep and sometimes with a cross incorporated into the design. In a few places within Mount Olivet, one can find clusters of graves topped by lamb monuments. Area L is one of these, and boasts four such monuments (topped by this animal) in the family plot of William Richard Kehne (1879-1945). Kehne worked as an engineer with the Ox-Fibre Brush Company located on East Church Street extended. He married Blanche Virginia Cutsail and the family welcomed their first child in 1907. He was named William Cutsail Kehne in honor of both parents. The family lived nearby William's worksite, residing on Wisner Street in the 1910 Census, and at 501 East Church by the 1920 Census. During the teens decade in between, the Kehnes would gain three more family members, but lose four. These children constitute the row of lamb-topped gravestones that have been chosen for Hall of Fame induction. The four are shown below. Please note that Helen Kehne passed first, and a different marble mason/company appears to have been employed by the family as the sheep, shape of dye, design and vital information is completely different than the other three. It goes without saying that the loss of a child is excruciatingly difficult for any parent to deal with. This couple dealt with the loss of four children over a seven-year span. One is too many for most to deal with, but this was a time a century ago when children mortality was high and medicine was not what it is today. As you just read, the Kehne children died of such maladies as pneumonia, infant cholera and meningitis. These can be handled more routinely by the physicians of today, and the highly improved treatments and recovery regiments currently available. I'm sure the Kehnes cherished their three remaining children (William, Arthur and Thelma) who would grow into adulthood. It's a sad thing to see those small groupings of baby sheep at a cemetery. This is just one more example. God bless, and hold, parents such as William R. and Blanche Kehne. Those who endure (and survive) the loss of a child are certainly the strongest among us. Stull Family Monument Location: Area T/Lot 66 Date of Placement: around 1920 Decedents: Singleton Stull and wife Emma J. (Conrad) Stull The monument on Area T/Lot #66 belongs to a couple by the names of Singleton (1851-1930) and Emma (Conrad) Stull (1851-1920). I wrote an article about them back in April of 2023. Their monument could be the work of local stonemason Howard G. Taylor (1875-1961), buried a few short yards to the north. This large and hearty stone features an ancient building, seemingly a temple, in a state of free-falling collapse. Carved by hand, the structure is crafted to appear as if enshrined within the shell of the larger boulder. On exterior of the outer shell, we find second artistic element, and another can be found as well on the temple. One is a strand, or vine, of flowers in full bloom, and the other is a lone feather. Since we can easily judge the architecture depicted on the Stull monument as ancient, I thought the answer would either lie in Greek or Roman history, the Bible, or both. I had someone mention to me that it may signify Pompeii, a victim of Mount Vesuvius. I didn’t see the symbolism in a destructive volcano wiping out civilization being something you’d want to put on your grave marker, unless of course you were a victim of said Vesuvius—and those poor souls didn’t have much of a say in their burial as it happened without warning. Another individual offered the story of Joshua and the Wall of Jericho. In the case of Jericho, the bible lesson here reminds us that walls can be a source of imprisonment and division, but God fulfills what He promises. Is this a “shout out” to the promise of heaven to the faithful? I re-read some interpretations of this Bible story and learned that some scientists have theorized that the walls of Jericho were destroyed by an earthquake and not seven priests blowing trumpets. Regardless, the depiction on the Stull stone looks more like the famed Paestum Temple in Salerno (Italy) than an ancient city wall in Palestine's West Bank. READ MORE "STORY IN STONE" Thomas Floral Monuments Location: Area F/Lot 24 & 26 Date of Placement: after 1902 Decedents: William Hamilton Thomas, Susannah Thomas, Martha Ritchie (Hanna) Knight The floral carvings on these monuments are amazing, exhibiting expert craftsman skills by the talented stonemason who performed this work. These lasting memorials were likely quite expensive, but based on other stones in this lot and those adjacent, money was no object. Within feet is an earlier inductee of the MOC Hall of Fame with the Celtic Cross marker of John Knight McDannold made by Tiffany's of New York around 1899, the year of the decedent's passing. Susanna Hanna (Knight) Thomas was raised in Indiana but later in life moved here. A few of my earlier "Stories in Stone" blogs focus on her grandnephew, John Knight McDannold, and also her brother, John Knight. This latter gentleman has a large, impressive monument a few feet away in an adjoining lot, and was very wealthy at the time of his death in 1864. As a matter of fact, Mr, Knight died in Biarritz France, and his body was brought overseas for burial in Mount Olivet --something rarely done at the time for monetary and public health reasons. Susannah's husband, William Hamilton Thomas (1835-1917), had roots in Frederick, as did his wife, and had done very well for himself going into his father Edward C. Thomas’s oyster and fruit packing business. This was started several decades before in Baltimore. The couple had three daughters: Florence, Fannie and Marcia Virginia. Marcia Virginia Thomas was featured in a past "Story in Stone" feature as she died due to a terrible drowning accident while the family was vacationing at Rangeley Lake, Maine in 1892. Recently, the Friends of Mount Olivet monument restoration and repair team "up-righted" Susannah's mother's monument as it had been face down from a fall several years ago. This was Martha Ritchie (Hanna) Knight (1811-1887). Mrs. Hannah's gravestone was the model for the same floral design and craftsmanship that would be employed for both Susannah and William's stones. Martha Ritchie (Knight) Hanna was the daughter of James Knight and Mary McCleery who married in Frederick in 1804, but moved to Indiana shortly thereafter. Sources vary as to where Martha was born, some say Maryland and others Indiana. She married a John N. Hanna and lived in Brookeville, Indiana with had daughters Elizabeth and Susannah. By 1840, Mr. Hanna ( some sources refer to him as Gen. Hannah) had apparently died, leaving as Martha with her two daughters to raise. In 1841, Andrew McCleery" in consideration of the natural love and affection which he hath and beareth to Martha, as also for the better maintenance, support, livelihood and preferment of her" sold her part of the "Old Shop Lot" on the north side of the eastern end of the market house ground. Martha sold this lot in 1852 to the Mayor and Common Council of Frederick. She apparently rented housing after that. Daughter Susannah married William Hamilton Thomas in Frederick in 1859. Susannah bought 19 South Stricker Street in Baltimore in 1871. By 1880 Martha was living there with William and Susannah Thomas. William Thomas died in 1917, and his wife died three years later. Another signature element included on these three monuments is a draped cloth atop the stone. This represents a veil, or curtain, that separates the living from the dead. The old expression "It's curtains for you" was derived from the world of dramatic stage production, when the final 'curtain' was drawn across the stage at the conclusion of a performance. I'd say it's time for me to draw the curtains on this article. So there you have it, the Class of 2023 for the Mount Olivet Monument Hall of Fame. To see earlier inductees, click the Monument Hall of Fame link under the MORE header tab (upper right on the MountOlivetHistory.com homepage.
Every stone, already here and yet to come, has a chance to make our little Hall of Fame. But more importantly, let us help you make your gravestone or marker the way you want it. Express yourself and your personality if you please—it's an eternal monument that represents a life well-lived, and will make sure you aren't forgotten like the people we talked about in this week's blog. This time September, back in the year 1862, must have been an interesting and contemplative one for Frederick resident Edward Buckey, then the current president of the Frederick County Agricultural Society. Two years prior, he was busy planning for a one week county fair in October. In 1861, the fears and anxieties associated with a Civil War put the "Kabosh" on a successful run of annual exhibitions because the fair's local home would be needed for the war effort. The particular week, and those to follow September 17th, 1862 saw hundreds of newcomers coming to Frederick. These were not the annual fairgoers, but rather wounded soldiers. You see, September 17th, 1862 marked a significant date that would go down in history. It remains that of the deadliest single-day battle in American history with 3,675 killed and total casualties numbering 22,717. We know it as Antietam. Sharpsburg, Maryland, the scene of battle, was only 30 miles away, and Frederick's residents would see casualties brought to town to local hospitals. This had actually begun happening a few days earlier as the Union and Confederate armies had squared off in pitched battles on September 14th at three mountain gaps atop South Mountain, dividing line between Frederick and Washington counties. Fittingly, this conflict, the first battle on northern, or Union, territory, became known as the Battle of South Mountain. The Confederates had come to Frederick after crossing the Potomac River in that first week of September, and stayed here for about five days before departing on September 10th. With an invading army in town, the last thing on the mind of residents was the annual county fair and the livestock competitions, food and amusements that comprised an agricultural fair at the time. Now this was certainly not “Fair Week,” as our annual agricultural exhibition was generally held in October, corresponding with traditional Oktoberfest time, as a celebration of the end of growing and harvest season. The frivolity of the agricultural exhibitions here had actually been slightly challenged back in 1859, as the community was still abuzz with talk and sentiment regarding John Brown’s recent raid on Harper’s Ferry. It was also that fall, Frederick County received the distinct honor of hosting the 20th Annual Exhibition of the Maryland State Agricultural Society from October 25-27, 1859. For those not familiar with the ill-fated insurrection attempt by John Brown, he and his band of followers orchestrated a deadly raid on the Union military arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Brown had been staging for this event at the Kennedy farm, just over the Washington County line in Pleasant Valley. When he put his plan into effect on the night of October 16th, word reached Frederick by rail the next morning and the nation was alerted of the events from here. Members of Frederick’s fire companies/militia units who regularly performed drills and displays at the annual fair, now had to put their military training to practical use as they were hurried to Harpers Ferry by train, among the first responders on the scene. They would assist Col. Robert E. Lee, Capt. JEB Stuart and the U.S. Marines in the successful capture of Brown and his surviving men. Amidst the local and national excitement this event would have on the local citizenry, the Maryland State Fair commenced at the Frederick Barracks Grounds on October 25th and dictated an excellent exhibition with banner attendance. Hotels were filled, and county residents extended their hospitality, and their business goods and inventories, to throngs of tourists. Of particular interest during this event were the simultaneous benefit events being held by the Ladies auxiliaries attached to fire companies of Frederick. A newspaper account from October 26th reported that the United’s had “on exhibition the hat and a pistol belonging to “old” Brown, a Sharp’s Rifle and a Litchfield Spear, captured by the Guards at Harper’s Ferry.” Meanwhile the Junior Defenders performed military drills for audiences with the accompaniment of The American Band. I haven't seen proof of this anywhere, but I'm sure one of the most popular citizens to attend the fair that year was George Brengle Shope. The Frederick resident was working a carpentry job in Harpers Ferry at the time of Brown's raid, and unfortunately found himself among those held hostage in the engine house. He lived to tell his tale, and would testify in Brown's trial. (NOTE: George Brengle Shope is buried in Mount Olivet's Area H and you can read more about him in an earlier Story in Stone titled "John Brown's Hostage.") The Seventh Exhibition of the Frederick County Agricultural Society was held in October 1860. Unfortunately, the return of the Frederick County fair was clearly overshadowed by the rhetoric and anticipation tied to the hotly contested U.S. Presidential election between Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, John Breckinridge and John C. Bell. Southern Democrat, and former vice-president John C. Breckinridge ran on the slavery platform and was Maryland's winner with 45.93% of the vote (42,482), edging out Constitutional Union candidate John Bell who garnered 45.14% of the vote (41,760 votes). As for the other candidates with much greater name recognition today than the previous candidates, Stephen Douglas received 5,966 votes (6.45%) from Marylanders, and in distant fourth place, Abraham Lincoln had 2,294 votes (2.48%). I read somewhere that Lincoln only received 17 votes in Frederick County. When reviewing results like these, it's not hard to understand the effect of politics and the volatile mood of the country at that time. The city militia units performed drills during the fair, and were joined by county companies such as the Linganore Mounted Guard, Liberty Riflemen, Carrollton Manor Mounted Guard and three others from beyond the county. Soon, these men would be split apart by politics, having to choose respective sides. The military pomp and circumstance displayed at the recent fairs would certainly be an omen of things to come. However, the pageantry would be missing as the goal would be kill, or be killed. Within weeks of the 1860 Frederick agricultural fair, residents would see Abraham Lincoln elected as their new president. (Interestingly, they would eventually see their man John C. Breckinridge four years later, leading Rebel troops here under Jubal Early during the Battle of Monocacy in July, 1864). Southern states would immediately start seceding from the Union in the months to follow. The official first shots of war occurred on April 12th, 1861 in Charleston, South Carolina as Fort Sumter was fired upon. Virginia would join the Confederacy less than a week later and on April 19th, an angry mob in Baltimore attacked federal troops from Massachusetts who were trying to make their way through town. The city would be placed under martial law by the federal government. Frederick would soon become the state capital during the spring and summer 1861. In August, the Potomac Home Brigade was formed as local Union men enlisted for military duty. Others fled south to join the confederacy, such as former Junior Defender Bradley Tyler Johnson, who would take an active part in forming the 1st Maryland Infantry, CSA. The Frederick County Agricultural Exhibition’s home of the Barracks Grounds was permanently commandeered for its intended purposes and would be converted into a Union Military Hospital. Enter the fore-mentioned Edward Buckey as president of the society, ascending to the position in that year of 1861. His role would be eased as there would not be another Frederick Agricultural fair until October of 1868. However, concerns of local farmers would be heightened during the multiple-year “War Between the States.” The Barracks Grounds on South Market Street had served home to the county fair through the 1850s but was taken over by the Union Army during the American Civil War. Barracks were constructed to create Union Hospital #1 and would provide care for sick and wounded soldiers of both armies throughout the conflict. Edward Buckey I randomly chose Edward Buckey and the Frederick Fair here as an interesting lens to view world events at that time. This annual rite of fall, the Great Frederick Fair, is a traditional staple of Frederick County. The more things change as Frederick continues to grow, we can count on our history and events such as the fair and Civil War sites to ground us. In the Frederick Fair's realm, it's something that can serve as a time capsule of not only "great" memories for us all boasting the sights, sounds, smells, and thrills of the fair, but also the essence of comaraderie and community. Sadly, that wouldn't be afforded at three distinct times over the past 160 years. One was the period of the Civil War, with a second being the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic. Of course, more recently, the third cancellation of the Great Frederick Fair occurred in September, 2020 thanks to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Let's take a look at Edward Buckey, shall we? Born March 7th, 1797 in Libertytown, Edward Buckey was the son of Peter Buckey (1775-1848) and Mary Salmon (1778-1864). His paternal grandfather, Matthias Buckey (1727-1794) immigrated to America around 1750 from Minfield, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany. Matthias first settled around New Windsor, and eventually bought properties in, and around, Frederick. I was pleased to learn that one of these was land near Little Tuscarora Creek, destined to become the Cloverhill II development off Opossumtown Pike (just north of Frederick Community College). Edward Buckey's father (Peter) was one of eight siblings born to Matthias and wife Mary (Hoffman). Two of these were John and George Buckey who would be responsible for helping to create the crossroads town south of Frederick that bears the family name-Buckeystown. John was a tavern-keeper and blacksmith and George was a tanner. Edward was the oldest of five children, and only son of Peter and Mary. His father bought 13 town lots in Libertytown on South Street and a 30-acre tract in 1812. He also operated a tannery here that would become known as the Angel Tannery and boasted 36 vats according to a newspaper ad in the Frederick Town Herald in 1823. It is assumed that Edward Buckey grew up on the family farm and was apparently educated in local schools. I will say here that in writing an earlier Story in Stone on Elihu Rockwell (namesake of Rockwell Terrace), I learned that Libertytown had an Academy on the east end of town in which Mr. Rockwell was once headmaster. Information about Edward's early life is scarce, but an obituary from the Baltimore Sun states that Edward Buckey was a captain during the War of 1812. This has not been confirmed as yet, and we don't not have him labeled in our cemetery records as such. A cousin, Daniel Buckey, however is part of our Mount Olivet collective of War of 1812 veterans numbering 110. Edward Buckey was an ardent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His father was a trustee of the church in Libertytown and had a hand in purchasing land used for the congregation's structure. Edward would move to the Frederick area around the time of his 21st birthday when Peter Buckey bought a 197-acre farm in 1818, said to have been located west of Frederick on "the Old Middletown Road." After tracing the deeds forward, my land research "secret weapon" Marilyn Veek found that this farm (one day owned by Edward Buckey) was located on the south side of Butterfly Lane between Mount Philip Road and Butterfly Ridge Elementary School. Most of this farm property is now the "Emerald Farms" development, while part of it is under I-70, and another part of it is south of I-70 (currently undeveloped and landlocked). I'm jumping ahead in the story but to explain the farmstead a little more in detail I direct your attention to the following newspaper ad from 1866. This was the sale of the property which was known as "Bloomfield Farm." The article describes it as being located "three miles from Frederick". When Edward later sold all the farm animals, crops, household goods, etc. the farm is identified as being two and-a-half miles southwest of Frederick. We are pretty sure that Butterfly Lane is today is what was referred to here as "Old Middletown Road" as opposed to the National Pike/Patrick Street. I found that Edward always listed his occupation as that of farmer in census records. He never married and lived on the family homestead and continued farming. He was appointed an officer for the newly formed "Farmers' Club" organized on November 22nd, 1849. We first see Edward appearing in the 1850 US census living with his mother. This was two years after the death of his father. Meanwhile Edward kept busy with work as one of the trustees of the Methodist Church. He also served a term in the Maryland House of Delegates. On January 12th, 1853, "in obedience to the call of many farmers, there was organized 'The Agricultural Club of Frederick County,' which was to hold annual exhibitions, and monthly meetings for instruction, discussion, etc." It adopted the constitution and bylaws of its predecessor, "the Farmers' Club." Not much more would change over the next decade (of the 1850s) as Edward and his mom would still be co-habitating on the family farm a decade later. I found that Edward Buckey did participate in the Mass Union Convention that occurred in Frederick City in March of 1861. This took place at the Frederick County Court House (today's City Hall) just two weeks after President Lincoln's inauguration. Although a slave-holder, Edward's name appears on the famous handbill that listed Frederick citizens supporting the Union and the president. Could he have cast one of those 17 votes for "Honest Abe?" As I said earlier, the Agricultural Exhibition was canceled in 1861 because of the Civil War and primarily because it had lost its location at the Barracks Grounds south of town. Instead of seeking an alternative space, it was best best thought to concentrate on safety. That summer, Frederick would see senators and delegates from around the state come here to participate in sessions of the General Assembly, having been moved from Annapolis. Things were a bit "too hot and agitated" in Annapolis with its southern leanings, so the governor proposed Frederick as a conservative temporary home that summer and early fall. The following years saw the Maryland Antietam campaign (battles of South Mountain and Antietam) occur in 1862 as already chronicled, and the summer of 1863 brought another major battle just up the road at Gettysburg. Soldiers were plentiful in Frederick before and afterward, but thankfully for Edward these were Union boys. As if the Civil War wasn't stressful and upsetting enough, Edward had an ailing mother to care for. She would pass in March of 1864, and he and his siblings had her body buried in Mount Olivet within the family plot in Area F (#33) where his father was laid to rest in June, 1848. Four months after his mother died, Edward's farm would be along the route that Confederate Gen. Jubal Early would bring his invading army into Frederick in early July, 1864. The ensuing Battle of Frederick occurred nearby at the vicinity of Linden Hills, and the Battle of Monocacy down at the railroad junction the following day. Throughout this episode, Frederick would be ransomed for $200,000. Thankfully, local banks paid up and the town was spared. Obviously, there would be no fair in the fall 1864, and even though the war ended in April, 1865, the hospital center would still be in use. I'm curious as to the lack of a fair held in the fall of 1866, but some activity took place the following year that would redefine the annual exhibition that had been sidelined since 1861. New Home In Spring of 1867, the Frederick County Agricultural Society was re-formed with the selling of 139 life membership tickets. After tasking a special committee with finding a new permanent home for the Agricultural Exhibition, the Society purchased 21 acres of land from its own Treasurer, Gen. Edward Shriver, former leader of the Frederick militia that quelled the John Brown raid. A neighbor, and later Society president, William H. Falconer would also sell land for the “new cause.” I also found that Mr. Falconer was also a member of the Mount Olivet Cemetery Board. Bought for $4,500, these properties were located about a half mile east of Frederick on the north side of the Baltimore Turnpike. Almost immediately, substantial buildings were erected and a race course track was laid out. The Frederick Agricultural Grounds now came into being. Edward was able to complete his term as president with this great accomplishment under his belt. He would turn the reins over to C. Keefer Thomas as Board president. The Ninth Annual Fair of the Frederick County Agricultural Society was held October 12-15th, 1868. Interestingly there was a definitive Civil War theme. The return of livestock was accentuated with a tremendous entry of cattle, sheep and poultry specimens. Fittingly, the guests of honor were national Civil War heroes in the form of President Ulysses S. Grant and Gen. William T. Sherman, among other members of the President’s Cabinet. The president’s visit on the 14th drew a larger than normal audience as was expected, but this added to the greatest attended fair that the county had ever seen. “I have great pleasure in visiting for the first time the city of Frederick of which I have heard so much during the period of the late rebellion, and which, too, stood up manfully for the maintenance of the whole Union. I expected to visit this city some years ago but found myself unable to do so but now have found so many friends, and have been gratified with what I have seen of your Fair and enjoyed of your hospitality, I hope at some future time to visit you again.” Ulysses S. Grant October 14th, 1868 President Grant and his party dined at the Fairgrounds and watched the newest feature to the Frederick event…harness racing, a horse competition in which the animals race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace) while pulling a two-wheeled cart called a sulky. Among the many trials of speed held during this fair, was a $500 premium that went to the horse “Patchen” from Philadelphia who made the mile in 2 minutes and 45 seconds. Owen Bowie, the Governor of Maryland was also on hand for the 1868 event. An avid horseman and breeder of thoroughbreds, Bowie would be responsible for bringing Pimlico Race Track to the state thanks in part to a successful gambling wager made by himself and associates. President Grant would keep his promise, and returned to Frederick and the next fair in October of 1869. In addition to members of his cabinet, a host of former governors and the mayor of Washington D.C., the president was accompanied by the United States Marine Band. From Frederick’s B&O Station on Market Street, the band headed a procession of carriages that carried the distinguished visitors to the fairgrounds. President Grant would visit the fair for two days . In the years to come, Edward Buckey continued working with the Frederick Agricultural Society and put his efforts toward serving his beloved Methodist Episcopal Church. After settling his deceased mother's estate, the farmstead was sold, and Edward moved in with his widowed sister, Mary (Buckey) Getzendanner and his three nieces in a townhouse located on Frederick's East Church Street. Edward Buckey would experience plenty more fairs during the following decade of the 1870s. I'm sure the ten-year anniversaries of the Civil War battles were remembered vividly by the citizenry. Meanwhile the fair grew stronger and larger. Edward Buckey wouldn't live to see the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam in 1882. He had passed nearly a year earlier on October 7th, 1881 at the age of 84. His obituary also provided a first initial of "J," which I hadn't seen before. My money is on "John" or "Jacob." The house where Edward Buckey was living at the time of his death was at what is now 202 East Church St. It belonged to his niece Mary Getzendanner, who bought it in 1865. Interestingly, I lived there in a first floor apartment from 1995-1998. Perhaps we slept in the same bedroom?
It's a beautiful monument. In need of a good cleaning, yes, and that will come soon. From here on out, when I see this particular gravestone in Mount Olivet, it will surely conjure up thoughts thoughts of four things for me: the Great Frederick Fair, the American Civil War, the Buckey family and my old apartment on Church Street. Every monument in a cemetery has the power to do so, as long as you have the time to research the life of the decedent further. Sadly, it's just one of those dates that conjures up sadness. The lasting images of that day. The anxiety and confusion. The tragedy and tremendous human loss. The anger and unanswered questions of why? Twenty-two years have passed, but the memory of September 11th, 2001 is still vivid for the vast majority of us, many able to recall exactly what we were doing when news reports told us that planes flying into the Twin Towers/World Trade Center buildings in New York City at the start of the workday of September 11th, 2001. It's not hard to think of one particular gravesite here at Mount Olivet every time September 11th comes around each year. I drive by this large black, granite stone each day on my way to work, as its located at the entry point of our administrative offices within the mausoleum complex (at the south end of the cemetery). This is the final resting place of Alan Patrick Linton, Jr. who perished in New York that fateful day, as he was simply just doing his job as an investment analyst. As my workplace is a known cemetery, his soon became one. Thousands were lost in the Twin Towers, as both buildings eventually collapsed killing employees and first-responders in the buildings. Alan was 26 at the time, and working for an investment firm on the 104th floor of the South Tower. This morning on my way into the cemetery, I was thinking of the Frederick High graduate who I penned one of these "Stories in Stone" for back in 2021. I then spotted one of the members of our Friends of Mount Olivet monument repair crew and stopped to say hi. He explained that he had chosen to fix the small grave of an infant this morning, whose stone actually displays a death date of September 11th, 1868. With no other information in our files, it is safe to assume that this child was a stillborn, or died shortly after birth, making this same 11th day of the 9th month, a sad and fateful day for a local family back 155 years ago. Our FOMO member Roy told me that he had first noticed this particular stone a few weeks back, and it just seemed fitting to give special repair attention on this particular day. The work of finding/cleaning and leveling the base was performed. Then the dye of the stone belonging to John M. Hagan was resurrected. All this happened between 9-10 AM, the critical time window 22 years earlier in which the South Twin Tower was hit and collapsed (9:03 and 9:59 AM respectively). As Alan Linton gave me plenty to write about despite his shortened life of 26 years, my new subject John M. Hagan obviously did not have a chance to experience anything. The son of Francis "Frank" T. Hagan and Susan Amanda (Eakle) Hagan likely died at his parent's farm, at the time located west of Frederick along the Old National Pike, today's US Route 40 Alternate. They lived in the vicinity of Fairview on the eastern slope of Catoctin Mountain. If the last name of Hagan conjures up some sort of familiarity with the Braddock Heights area, it is quite appropriate. You see our John M. Hagan, who lost his life on September 11th, was the grandson of his namesake John Hagan, one-time tavern owner. That's right, we are talking about Hagan's Tavern, former restaurant which was last known as the Silver Maple Inn which closed its doors in 2009. An interpretive wayside sits outside the old tavern in the parking lot. The HMDB (Historic Marker Database) assisted me with the information found on its face, part of a series of markers placed along the Historic National Road from Baltimore to Grantsville and beyond in western Maryland. The text on this marker reads as follows: "The National Road has borne witness to many notorious comings and goings. The quiet atmosphere you’ll find at Hagan’s Tavern today is quite different from the raucous bawdiness of yesteryear. This tavern was a “place where the old bloats of the neighborhood would gather on Saturday and public days to run horses, fight chickens, drink bad whiskey, and black each others eyes.” It was also a political stomping ground where “cooping” commonly occurred, a practice “where politicians would lure all the poor white voters they could muster to the inn. There the election hopefuls would feed the voters the best food that they could, see that new poker playing cards were at hand, and make sure the whiskey glasses never went dry.” The voters were then taken quickly to cast their ballots. Long before the National Road, General Braddock marched through here, observing that western Maryland was “almost uninhabited, but by a parcel of banditti who call themselves Indian traders.” The roughhewn log ancestors of taverns like Hagan’s were both Indian trading posts and primitive lodgings. One traveler complained that “I spent the night in a bed with four other godforsaken souls; never knowing whether I would get my pocket picked or be carried off by vermin.” "The house may have been built as early as 1790 and is thought to have been a tavern operated by James Nixdorf. Architectural features of the tavern suggest conflicts with documentary evidence and oral tradition regarding dates, leaving open the possibility of construction between 1820-1830. By the 1830's, it was owned by John Hagan. His father Peter Hagan was described in Searight's The Old Pike: A History of the National Road (1894) as having a log tavern on the south side of the pike near the stone Wilding's location which was famed among wagoners on the road. A later owner of Hagan's Tavern, believed that the stone house may have operated concurrently with the log structure, eventually superseding it altogether. Research by Ann Lebherz in the Frederick County Historical Society revealed that the tavern was still a well-known drinking place during the Civil War and was "patronized" by both Confederate and Union troops in their passages through Frederick County." I, myself, found an article that stated that Frank T. Hagan was a Confederate scout during the American Civil War. With the advent of the automobile, the tavern continued to operate and had a notorious reputation during the early 20th century for its rough clientele. Memories of its use during the 1920's and early 1930's suggest it was known as a speakeasy as well as a legitimate restaurant. Later, it was used as an antique store. The Hagan family appear on the atlases of the mid to late 1800s as owners during this time. Frank T. must have had a hand in the business, but he is listed as a farm laborer in the 1860 census. John Hagan died in 1883 and his property was distributed among sons John C. Hagan, Frank, Eugene, and William. Eugene acquired the Old Hagan's Tavern, his childhood home, along with the others. I'm assuming, Eugene operated this for a time, or sold it. This same sibling of Frank, and uncle to the deceased infant John M., is buried a few yards directly behind our subject in Mount Olivet's Area H/Lot 242. Our records show that he was born May 3rd, 1843 and passed on December 31st, 1916. To the left of John M.'s humble grave are three other Hagan siblings who died as infants. Of course this was commonplace at a time when medicine was nowhere as advanced as later centuries. Infant and child mortality rates were high. Here, we find Laura Virginia Hagan (b. October 9th, 1867 and d. February, 18th 1868). I found it interesting that this child's death was roughly 9 months before the birth/death of John M. Hagan. Maria Hagan was born October, 4th, 1873 and lived only 3 months and 29 days (as recorded on her gravestone). Her death date is recorded as February 3rd, 1874. Interestingly, the last sibling buried here, Georgia Hagan, died nine months and 20 days later on September 23rd, 1874 (likely stillborn as no birthdate is listed for her in our records). As I looked for the children's parents, Frank and Susan Hagan, in our records, I could not find them here at all. I did find Frank's older brother John C. Hagan (1837-1907) buried nearby in Area H's Lot 301. I soon found Frank and Susan were living in Washington County by the late 1870s. They appear to have returned to live near Susan's parent's farm at Eakle's Mills, southeast of Keedysville. Here, Frank worked as a blacksmith. Two Hagan children lived until adulthood. These were Washington Caspar Hagan (1870-1897), and Mollie M. Hagan (1880-1953). Susan Hagan died on July 24th, 1899 and was buried in Keedysville's Fairview Cemetery. This is where her son Washington had been laid to rest two years earlier, having died at age 26. Frank and daughter Mollie cohabited for the next 14 years following his wife;'s death. Census records show him working his own blacksmith shop on the west side of South Mountain on Gapland Road. He died on November 20th, 1913 and would be buried next to his wife and son in Keedysville. Its sad to find children separated from their parents in cemeteries. But here's the thing about cemeteries, graveyard keepers make surviving parents the promise to look after their loved ones into perpetuity. The same holds true for a promise to the children of a deceased parent (s) in caring for the parent's resting place, and so on and so forth. For John M. Hagan, and his siblings reposing to his left, let the record show that we gave him special care on September 11th, 2023—155 years after his death.
So, we had a little “fun run” in Mount Olivet back on Thursday evening, August 24th. This event was put on with the help of two, local partners, and supported our ongoing preservation efforts by the Friends of Mount Olivet membership group. One of these partners was Charm City Run, a running & walking specialty company with one of its eight retail locations here in Frederick. In addition to helping guide us in this particular endeavor, Charm City sells shoes with personalized fittings and various other necessities for runners from apparel to athletic gear. The group handled the technical logistics of the course through our “garden cemetery,” along with aspects of marketing and execution of the run. Capped at 75 runners and called “The Distillery Dash,” $750 was raised through entry fees, and Charm City Run matched the amount thus creating a total donation to our FOMO group of $1,500. This money will go to the continued repair and restoration of old and ailing monuments in our historic section as I’ve discussed before within this blog. Yours truly shook off the rust, and participated in the 2-mile run around the cemetery. It wasn’t my first rodeo, and I finished with no incident. I quite enjoyed the opportunity to participate with others in this “fun run” format. I, however, did not enjoy being taunted by my 17-year-old son who made the point several times over that he finished minutes ahead of me. Since it was not an official timed event, I reminded him that the only way he could have beaten me is if he actually had considerably more fun than me, since it was marketed as a “fun run.” That brings me to our second partner, and an explanation for the name “Distillery Dash.” This was McClintock Distilling, a relatively new craft distillery of over six years in town located between West Patrick Street and Carroll Creek. It can be accessed from Carroll Street in the historic confines of the old Ideal Buick Garage location of the early 20th century. The firm distills vodka, gin and whiskeys from 100% organic grains and features tours and tastings at their location showing mastery of adaptive re-use architectural practices. I soon learned for myself that McClintock’s “tasting room,” along with others of its ilk in downtown Frederick, is a popular spot for the running set including recreational joggers, competitive sprinters and awe-inspiring marathoners. Of greater interest, I soon realized that Mount Olivet is also a favorite recreational destination for the local running community to traverse with its peaceful and contemplative surroundings bisected by eight miles of roadway. So that covers the purpose, and name, for “the Distillery Dash,” but where does the name McClintock come from? You will soon learn that it is a moniker as inventive as its namesake— the glue, or elixir, that holds all of this together. McClintock Young was a former resident of Frederick, and long-time resident of Mount Olivet, buried in 1913. He is a very interesting figure to study in context to the annals of Frederick history. Mr. Young holds the distinction of being a successful businessman, but is commonly heralded as Frederick’s greatest inventor. At the time of his death in 1913, he had filed over 100 patents for his creations. He would be responsible, in part, for giving work to hundreds of local residents thanks to his inventive genius. McClintock Young, Jr. was born June 25th, 1836 in Washington, D.C. Here is where he lived his early years, and began his scholastic career. Our subject’s father, McClintock Young, Sr. (1801-1863), was a politician and received an appointment to the position of Chief Clerk of the United States Treasury. He would be called upon to be Acting Director of the Treasury several times during the Andrew Jackson administration. Ironically, the senior Mr. Young briefly worked under short-lived Secretary of the Treasury, Roger Brooke Taney, whose wife and three daughters are buried in Mount Olivet’s gated Potts lot. McClintock’s mother, Susan Bird Newman (1805-1836), was the daughter of Col. Francis Newman of England, and she hailed from Upper Marlboro in Charles County, Maryland. Her father had given up a baronetcy back home in favor of American citizenship (c. 1800). Mr. Newman served as a colonel in the War of 1812 and afterwards became a revenue collector for Washington D.C. The progenitor of the Young family was McClintock’s paternal grandfather, Hugh Young, a Scotch-Irishman and resident of Londonderry, Ireland. He was implicated in the rebellion of 1798, and to escape persecution, fled to the United States in that year, and settled in Baltimore, where he would spend the remainder of his life. He was a great admirer of Andrew Jackson, and is said to have entertained the rough and tumble president in his home in “Charm City.” Interestingly, Hugh’s son, McClintock Young (Sr.), would be appointed chief clerk of the United States Treasury by Andrew Jackson, a position Young, Sr. would retain for a number of years as mentioned earlier. McClintock, Sr. and wife Susan had two boys, McClintock, Jr. (b. 1836) and Alexander (b. 1830-1862). Taney may have influenced the elder McClintock Young to send his sons to Frederick to attend the Frederick Academy (also called Boy’s High School), once located on Council Street. Both boys can be found living here in town within a boarding house run by a lady named Teresa Jamison in the year 1850. This is thought to have been on East Second Street. McClintock Young, Jr. was a tinkerer from a “young” age. In 1849, at 12 years-old, he constructed a fire engine that could throw a stream of water more than 40 feet in the air. He did this without the aid of technical or mechanical training. McClintock, Jr. went on to attend St. John’s College in Annapolis, and receive teaching from Benjamin Hallowell (1799-1870) who had opened a boarding school in Alexandria, VA. Mr. Hallowell had quite a reputation, and one of his former students was Robert E. Lee. Mr. Hallowell went on to be the first president of the Maryland Agricultural College, later to change its name to the University of Maryland. McClintock Young, Jr. opened a foundry in Frederick on the east end of Patrick Street adjacent the bridge that crosses Carroll Creek. He engaged in the agricultural implement and machinery business from 1856-1870 with a business name of the Vulcan Iron Works, originally started with partner Ezra Doub. In the early 1860s, Young was running the Vulcan Works by himself and produced items such as stoves and related items. The partnership dissolved by century's end, as Mr. Young began getting noticed for his success in gaining patents for new inventions. Along the way, McClintock Young married Louisa Mary Mobberly of New Market in 1862 and started a family. She was a relative of Frederick Revolutionary War hero, et al. Thomas Johnson, Jr. Young continued to make the world better through mechanized means, earning patents for steam engines, saw mills, and sewing machines. He also designed such useful things as a box-making machine and an ink eraser. His big invention came with a “self-rake” mechanism that he sold to the McCormick Harvester Company. This would remain a pivotal part of the firm’s famed reaper machines for more than half of a century. It's not quite known how McClintock spent the American Civil War in Frederick, a definitive crossroads of war. He registered for service as was mandatory, however did not serve. Meanwhile, his brother died as a result of the conflict. Alexander served with the Confederacy and was killed above Richmond (VA) at the Battle of Hanover Courthouse on May 27th, 1862. McClintock’s father would die less than a year later in early May, 1863. He is buried in a crypt in Washington, D.C.’s impressive Congressional Cemetery. McClintock Young's wife, Louise, bought the property that is today labeled as 124 North Court Street in 1865. The family would live here, and a lasting reminder can be found directly across the street in the form of a coal chute cover with McClintock’s name as a maker’s mark. Sadly, the Young’s first two children died in infancy: Louisa Newman (1870) and McClintock Young (1868) McClintock Young would earn a great payday in 1870 from the Diamond Match Company, who purchased his patent for an automated match-making machine. This mechanism cut splints from a block of wood, spaced for dipping without shifting the block or cutters, and stuck them into the holes of a perforated plate, in which condition they were dipped in the composition, and, when sufficiently dry, pushed out by small punches, corresponding to the holes in the plates. Young also invented machines to manufacture hinges, and, (previous to 1870) obtained several patents including such things as knife sharpeners and others covering the principles of the modern bicycle with pedals powering rear wheels instead of the existing early technology of the late 1800s featuring “front-wheel drive.” Meanwhile, a unique relationship grew between McClintock Young and executives of the Diamond Company. One such was John K. Robinson, the primary founder of the Palmetto Brush Company here in Frederick in 1886. Young had come up with a machine that could turn palm trees into scrub brushes, and would design several more variations on his original. Formerly, this trade had to be performed by hand. McClintock’s invention spaced, bored, inclined and tufted the holes automatically, allowing each tuft (of brush bristle) to be secured by a wire staple. Two machines of this type, run by one operator, could create 70,000 tufts in 10 hours. McClintock Young’s original foundry location on South Street soon became the home of the Ox Fibre Brush Company, with McClintock being named company vice president. Due to the business’ great success with customers here and abroad, a new plant would be built on East Church Street extended. Young’s “brush with success” led to him being well respected here, and elsewhere, throughout his life. He traveled abroad to Canada and England to patent his inventions interantionally. McClintock Young labored, so others would not have to in the manufacture of products that would further assist the laborer. At a time when there were few sports and entertainment stars, an inventor of his reputation carried a level of celebrity and was revered by colleagues and neighbors alike. Aside from that, Young was highly involved in the civic and fraternal clubs of town. He was an active Mason, and member of All Saints’ Protestant Episcopal Church. Most importantly, he was said to have been a stellar parent, raising three daughters into adulthood, especially challenging after his wife died in 1886. These included: Helen Young (married Baker Johnson), Elizabeth Bird Young (married Dr. Arthur Williams), and Eloise Newman English (married Arthur English). One thing that brought great happiness to Frederick’s grand inventor was the time he spent at his mountain cabin. This retreat was procured before the conception of the resort colony at Braddock Heights thanks to another brilliant innovation started in Frederick by George William Smith with his interurban trolley system (the Frederick & Middletown Railway) in 1896. Of course, that particular area was made famous and took its name from Braddock Spring, once used supposedly by British Gen. Edward Braddock in 1755. Keeping a spring-like theme, McClintock’s cabin was located in the Bootjack Springs area northwest of Frederick City, mountain land wedged between Yellow Springs and Indian Springs, both having roads named for them. I, myself, grew up just below said cabin in the Bootjack Springs Estates. My father even hung an antique bootjack in our house’s central hallway. The bootjack was more commonly used in earlier times by gentlemen to assist in the removal of boots. I don’t know how the Bootjack Springs area got its name for sure, but I was once told that the land parcel (that contained the principal spring of this vicinity), was shaped much like a bootjack. I recently learned that one of McClintock Distilling's signature concoctions is "Bootjack Rye Whiskey." It’s hard to keep a good man down, but the brilliant light within McClintock Young, Jr. finally faded on August 1st, 1913. Supposedly, a three-year illness was to blame for his demise at the age of 77, his troubles were initiated, in part, years earlier by a severe fall from a horse in November,1913. McClintock would be buried in Mount Olivet next to his wife Louisa in Area H/Lot 483. McClintock Young’s funeral was well attended by a great number of family, friends and admirers. The Ox-Fibre Company would long "outlive" Mr. Young into the mid-1900s. In 1912, just before McClintock's death, the company apparently foiled a plot to place a spy among its workers and steal plans for McClintock Young's patented machines. This location would later serve home to Goodwill Industries, and now is the site of luxury apartments. I recently learned through the writings of a man married to a descendant of McClintock Young. This man is named Robert K. Guthrie. During the time of the inventor’s infirm state, the Ox-Fibre Brush Company re-incorporated the business to Delaware. To this day, his family believes that the company and his related amazing inventions were stolen from him. McClintock’s daughters sold his house on North Court Street in 1914. However, Eloise would receive the mountain cabin as a gift from her father. It would be the setting for a major event in the life of Eloise and her children three years after McClintock’s passing. I wrote about this in “Stories in Stone,” under the title "Auld Lang Syne and the Inventor's Daughter" for one of my first blog pieces in which I had wanted to chronicle the life of this special man. It’s now taken me six and a half years to finally follow through. However, I only have one thing to say—researching and presenting history is not a race, but more like a "fun-run." As long as you make it to the finish line, and have enjoy the pursuit and learning along the way, that’s all that matters. I do, however, now suddenly feel the need for a nice drink for my labors as we enter Labor Day weekend of 2023. Perhaps I can find something with Bootjack Rye Whiskey so I can salute the old inventor, himself. The family lot in Mount Olivet's Area H is not far from Confederate Row on the cemetery's west side. It holds the remains of McClintock, wife Louisa who predeceased him, along with his two infant children (McClintock and Louisa) that passed in the late 1850s. Daughters Helen and Eloise are also buried here, along with three of Eloise' children, and another from Helen. By design, the finish of the recent fun run was placed just past McClintock's gravesite. Participants paid their respects, to a man who certainly used his time here in Frederick, and on Earth, to its fullest. Thank you McClintock Young, and thanks Charm City and McClintock for your kind support of our ongoing historic preservation of Mount Olivet Cemetery. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Coach Kristen Watkins of Charm City Run for her work in pulling us all together. This was certainly a reverent and inventive endeavor that benefits our cemetery in many ways.
One thing you will surely find in a cemetery are dates. Now I'm talking day of the month and year here, certainly not a social or romantic appointment (date). Birth and death dates are evident by the tens of thousands on the faces of marble and granite gravestones, or etched upon bronze plaques. Our cemetery records are filled with the same, and also include burial dates of those interred here as well. We can't promise that all are correct, but it's certainly our hope. Where a cemetery can generally guarantee a burial date's accuracy, and obituaries can be researched for proper death dates, birth dates of early decedents can sometimes be problematic. In many cases, these were provided by family members and associates, leaving room for error when no birth certificate or church record/family Bible entry was ever made. The date of August 9th is an important one this year for Mount Olivet Cemetery. It marks something a little bit different for us, in addition to supposedly being a famous decedent's birthday. In this particular case, this day marks the official unveiling and dedication date of a magnificent monument at Mount Olivet. The year was 1898, and this was no ordinary tombstone—no sir! This is the most famous gravemarker and site in a cemetery containing over 41,000 souls, so to speak. I'm talking about Francis Scott Key-- author of "The Star-Spangled Banner." For this article, we are more interested in the monument itself, and the day of its official unveiling moreso than Francis Scott Key the man, lawyer, songwriter, and patriot. It is an inaugural member of our Mount Olivet "Monument Hall of Fame," and got there easily through its merit as a true work of art. Interestingly, the monument's namesake, Mr. Key, had been dead for 55 years already before its placement. "Better late than never" I guess, as they say. I'm not overly interested in re-hashing the history of Francis Scott Key (1779-1843), or how he came to write his song in Baltimore Harbor during a 27-hour bombardment of Fort McHenry in September, 1814, here in this particular article. You can find that saga on another page of this very website. Interestingly, this story has been told at the Key monument site in Mount Olivet hundreds, perhaps thousands of times since the mid-19th century. Eager ears have included school children, tour groups and senior center outing participants. I know this from first-hand experience, because I am among the latest to do so over the last two decades. I've also had the good fortune to share FSK's story at special commemorations at the monument site including such events as the annual Memorial Day ceremony put on by the American Legion, and our local Francis Scott Key Post #11. In the last 40 years, we've had some great events here. In 1987, the monument was refurbished, its bronze figures having been tarnished over its first 89 years. Worse than the outer appearance of these sculptures, was the internal rust and corrosion that was happening, as the infrastructure was fast deteriorating. The multiple sculptures were sent to the studio of Eleftherios Karkadoulias in Cincinnati, Ohio. One of the top bronze sculptors and restoration artists in the country, Mr. Karkadoulis did an amazing job and the statuary figures were put back in place "as good as new." A fine event was held by the Francis Scott Key Memorial Foundation to welcome them home after an 8-month sojourn to the midwest. In 1998, Frederick County celebrated its 250th anniversary. One of the signature events of that year took place here in Mount Olivet as citizens commemorated the 100th anniversary of the original unveiling of the monument on August 9th, 1898. It was a fine event, full of pomp and circumstance. In more recent history, two events were held in 2013 and 2014 to celebrate the bicentennial of the Battle of Baltimore and the writing of "the Star-Spangled Banner" as a major part of Maryland commemorative activities associated with the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. We marketed these as "Anthem & Author Reunited" and "Home of the Brave." I worked for the Tourism Council of Frederick County at the time and we worked in advance to make sure that visitors would have products here in Frederick to assist in interpreting Francis Scott Key's connection and ties to town. This came in the form of interpretive displays, with Mount Olivet Cemetery being our prime location to tell his story. We also concocted a great scheme in taking the unique opportunity to bring Key's original song manuscript to his former hometown. Knowing that the latter task would be nearly impossible in the actual anniversary year of 2014, our local planning committee set its aims on obtaining the document for Flag Day, 2013. In case you didn't know, Key's "Star-Spangled Banner" manuscript resides at the Maryland Historical Society. We knew it would be displayed at Fort McHenry during the anniversary. Permissions and grant funding (for transport and security) were obtained and the 2013 "Anthem & Author Reunited" event became a reality for a special three-day commemoration in mid-June a decade ago. The priceless document was brought to Frederick, where it first went on public display at Frederick City Hall on Friday the 12th. Here, thousands of visitors had the opportunity to view the document under glass as it "laid in state" within the first floor hearing room under the watchful eye of a ceremonial guard provided by both Frederick City Police, The Frederick County Sheriff's Office and Maryland State Police. The latter held the role of escorting Key's manuscript to Frederick from "Charm City." Various activities throughout the three-day event ushered in a new collection of interpretive panels placed around Frederick City to help explain Francis Scott Key's importance here as the third point of a "Key Heritage Triangle," if you will. Baltimore is the home of Fort McHenry and the manuscript, and Washington, DC served as residence and primary employment site to Key in adult life and the Smithsonian Museum of American History is the site where you can find the original flag that flew over Fort McHenry on that fateful day of September 14th, 1814. But little old Frederick and Mount Olivet hold the literal, and figurative, "key" to the story, as the first, and eternal, home of the author. This is also where he started his highly successful law career. Interpretive exhibits, skillfully produced with the help of David Guiney (Interpretive Direction), Ruth Bielobocky (Iondesign) and artist Richard Schlecht were unveiled all over town at places such as Courthouse Square, the Hessian Barracks (Maryland School for the Deaf), Harry Grove Stadium, and the Frederick Visitor Center where the exhibit enshrines one of the legendary British bombs that "bursted in air." These would be unveiled in separate ceremonies on that opening day of the 2013 celebration, and on Saturday the 13th. The grand finale occurred at Mount Olivet Cemetery on Flag Day itself as the manuscript was mightily escorted through the streets of Frederick by the US Army's ceremonial Old Guard Unit, aka the 3rd U.S. Infantry. You may know them from their work with memorial affairs missions, most notably funerals and ceremonies held at Arlington Cemetery. On this day in June, 2013, the contingent made quite a scene as they marched from Frederick City Hall through a number of city streets before turning down South Market and into the cemetery's front gate. The soldiers stood at attention in front of the Key Monument as the original manuscript came as close as possible to its original author. An estimated 1000 spectators were on hand. If you believe in spirits and the afterlife, I would guarantee that Francis Scott Key was smiling down with greatest admiration on the scene that day. But there were others as well. A few more "banner" days that brought smiles to more than just Francis Scott Key were September 13th and 14th, 2014. This was the anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore and the event titled "Home of the Brave." We not only celebrated Key on that day, but also those who he said to have been the true inspiration for his writing of the song originally entitled "The Defense of Fort McHenry." While visiting Frederick on August 6th, 1834, Francis Scott Key made a speech at Courthouse Square during a large ceremonial banquet. Many veterans of the War of 1812 were in the audience and this would be one of a few rare occasions in which Key discussed his remembrances associated with writing "The Star-Spangled Banner." Key would give credit to these former soldiers: "The song, I know, came from the heart, and if it has made its way to the hearts of men, whose devotion to their country and the great cause of freedom I know so well, I could not pretend to be insensible to such a compliment. With it came an inspiration not to be resisted; and even though it had been a hanging matter to make a song, I must have written it. Let the praise, then, if any be due, be given not to me, who only did what I could not help doing; not to the writer, but to the inspirers of the song!” …I again thank you for the honor you have done me; but I can only take the share of it. I was but the instrument in executing what you have been so pleased to praise; it was dictated and inspired by the gallantry and patriotism of the sons of Maryland. The honor is due, not to me who made the song, but to the heroism of those who made me make it…" We have 109 of those War of 1812 veterans buried here in Mount Olivet, the second highest concentration of 1812 soldiers in all of Maryland, second only to Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore. We used the occasion to properly mark these men with special plaques found throughout our grounds and made possible thanks to funding from the Maryland State War of 1812 Commission and the Francis Scott Key Memorial Foundation. The cemetery hosted a two-part commemoration at the Key monument including a Saturday night luminary event recognizing those very 1812 vets called out by Francis Scott Key at that 1834 event at the courthouse. Boy Scouts with Tiki torches were positioned at the 109 graves of 1812 veterans in Mount Olivet, and a procession led by horse and carriage winded its way through the cemetery making 15 stops to here from re-enactors portraying former Frederick residents at their respective gravesites. This was followed by a solemn roll call of their names, capped with a fine fireworks display at Grove Stadium behind the silhouette of Francis Scott Key atop the monument. The next morning at sunrise, a choir sang all four stanzas of the national anthem, and a crowd of 300 were entertained by re-enactors depicting Francis Scott Key, Abraham Lincoln and James Monroe. Looking back, these events were quite memorable and I consider myself so very lucky to have participated in the planning and execution of a few of them. the lasting legacy of course is the interpretive exhibits left behind in the form of NPS-standard tabletop information displays. Mount Olivet was the recipient of a few of these as well, and they continue to assist tourists that come each and everyday to learn more about the man responsible for writing our national anthem, and taking their selfie with Frederick's most famous monument. Speaking of which, none of the events just recounted compare to the grand excitement generated back in 1898 when the monument was first revealed to an audience of thousands. I want to tell you about the genesis of the monument itself, and how it came to be. A good starting place is the 1860s and the American Civil War. Fifty years after its initial writing, there was not an opportunity to celebrate "The Star-Spangled Banner" with a fancy commemoration. You may recall that Baltimore was under martial law. Meanwhile, here in Frederick, on September 14th of 1864, the feeling was more one of relief than nostalgic patriotism as we had just witnessed a small skirmish west of town on July 8th, and a day later, a full-pitched battle down at Monocacy Junction, south of town. In fact, we were lucky that the banks paid a ransom levied by Confederate Gen. Jubal Early, keeping our town intact and not in ruin by the torch. Just ask nearby Chambersburg, Pennsylvania how they were feeling after their town was burned to the ground in the early morning hours of July 30th. The song and its author were re-remembered however through the war. Union military bands and musicians, in search of patriotic music, curiously blew the dust off the sheet music of the old song, and it became an instant favorite of both the players as well as the rank and file themselves. By war's end, the song had regained the interest, and adoration (at least in the north), as it had first enjoyed in 1814. People of Frederick began recalling the Key family and in particular, Francis' time spent here as a youth, and again as a fledgling lawyer. This led citizens to ask if Key was still alive, or not? When realizing he had died in 1843, folks began to search for his gravesite, ultimately disappointed to learn that he was reposing in Baltimore and not Frederick. Many questioned why he was not buried in our beautiful new garden cemetery of Mount Olivet? The answer was simple —at the time of Key's death, there was no Mount Olivet. This land, south of downtown Frederick City, was nothing more than rolling farmland along the Georgetown Pike and the "Newly Designed Road" which crossed Carrollton Manor leading to the Potomac and Virginia beyond. The cemetery wouldn't be opened until May, 1854, more than a decade after Key's death in January, 1843 at the age of 64. Key had died of a lung infection (pleurisy) while visiting his oldest daughter, Elizabeth Howard, a resident of Mount Vernon Place, adjacent Baltimore's Washington Monument. He was not buried back at his current home of Georgetown/Washington, DC, but rather in nearby Old St. Paul's Cemetery, a stone's throw from Camden Yards and the University of Maryland's School of Medicine campus. Francis Scott Key's mortal remains were placed in the Howard family crypt, where his wife Mary would join him upon her death in 1859. The rekindled interest in "the Star-Spangled Banner," and songwriter prompted some of Frederick's leading citizens, led by Mr. George M. Potts, to lobby Mrs. Elizabeth (Key) Howard and her sister, Alice (Key) Pendleton for reburying the Keys in Mount Olivet. From what I have read, it seems to have taken a while for the ladies to warm to the idea. One event that could have swayed hesitancy occurred in spring of 1866 with the death of Francis Scott Key, Jr. Perhaps there was limited room in the Howard family vault to accommodate this family member? Or maybe free grave lots were offered to get the Keys back to Frederick? Regardless, the selling point of having FSK return to his native home of Frederick was paramount—he needed to be "poetically" laid to rest as he had supposedly requested to be buried "beneath the shadows of the everlasting hills" of Catoctin Mountain. This was a great tribute to Frederick and the town he knew well in his youth, site of the first courthouse of his law career, and not far from his family estate of Terra Rubra, near present day Keymar (Carroll County). Besides, Key's parents and sister had already been reinterred here in 1855 from former resting places in Frederick's All Saints Protestant Episcopal Burying Ground, once located along Carroll Creek in the heart of Frederick City. Permission was ultimately given by the Key sisters to re-inter the bodies of Francis Scott, Mary Tayloe (Lloyd) Key and Francis Scott Key, Jr. They would be brought to Frederick by train on October 1st, 1866 and buried in Mount Olivet's Area H/Lot 436 without any fanfare, whatsoever. Residents and tourists alike would afterward make pilgrimages to see the final resting place of the man who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner." However, many visitors were underwhelmed by such a modest gravesite for such a patriotic citizen. He was the face and "pop star" of the Second War of Independence for goodness sake. This was also a time of Victorian extravagance where grand monuments were being erected for Civil War soldiers and officers alike, even those who lost in war on behalf of the Southern Cause. Why then, did Key not have something more substantial and fitting to reflect his deeds? Descriptions and a few surviving photos show Key's original gravesite embellished with landscaping, flower pots, and eventually a flagpole. However, it wasn't enough for a citizen who was an automatic entry into the history book of our nation. The seed was now planted for something bigger and better for Francis Scott Key. However, it would take over three decades to be finally realized. The seriousness of the matter definitely ramped up in the late 1880s as the founding of the Francis Scott Key Monument Association would soon follow. Various fundraising efforts were undertaken, aided by private donations, government appropriations and even schoolchildren being asked to save and send pennies for the patriotic project to give "The Star-Spangled Banner's" writer a monument equal to his deed and legacy. In 1896, the Key Monument Association, under the leadership of William C. Birely requested bids for the Frederick project. A man named Folger McKinsey, then editor of the Frederick News newspaper, headed up the monument's design committee, and would correspond with interested firms. It was McKinsey who truly championed the movement upon his arrival in town in 1888. He would use his media platform to truly resuscitate a movement that had started a few decades earlier but sputtered out after raising little money. The Association was ultimately impressed with a design submitted by the New York City studio of Alexander Doyle. It featured Key and allegorical figures. Mr. Doyle was born in Steubenville, Ohio, and spent his youth in Louisville (Kentucky) and St. Louis (Missouri) before going to Italy to study sculpture in Bergamo, Rome, and Florence, studying with noted experts Giovanni Duprè, Carlo Nicoli and Fernando Pelliccia. While there, he became a member of the Royal Raphael Academy. After returning to the United States, he settled in New York City and became one of the most prominent sculptors of the era. There are three statues by Doyle in National Statuary Hall in Washington, DC: Thomas Hart Benton, Francis Preston Blair, Jr., and John E. Kenna. Alexander Doyle became a sculptor of marble and bronze monuments of historical figures including Civil War heroes and other prominent persons. His work can be found throughout the United States including in Washington, DC, Missouri, Alabama, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, and Mississippi. In the case of Frederick's Francis Scott Key monument project, Doyle would receive the request for proposal at a time in which he was busily finishing his project involving the three figures for Statuary Hall. He had recently made the acquaintance of a 24-year-old immigrant from Italy named Pompeo Coppini. The two men had a chance, but positive, first meeting aided greatly by Doyle's ability to speak Italian since Coppini could not read or write English. Unfortunately, Mr. Doyle had no work for the young Italian who had freshly arrived in New York in early 1896. However, he told Coppini that he foresaw opportunities in the near future after finishing his present project for the US Capital. Soon thereafter, Coppini learned of another project needing assistance due to a strict deadline. With Doyle's reference and introduction, Pompeo Coppini would be hired to help a fellow New York sculptor named Roland Hinton Perry on a project for the opening of the new Library of Congress in Washington, DC. This was the Fountain of Neptune which survives today. Coppini assisted Perry to its completion in November, 1897. Immediately after finishing the Neptune Fountain, Coppini returned to see Alexander Doyle. The young immigrant's timing could not have been better as this was when Doyle received a call for proposal from the Francis Scott Key Monument Association. The project offered $10,000, but needed to be completed in time for Flag Day, 1898. In 1987, Judge Edward S. Delaplaine wrote a brief history of the monument entitled Doyle and Coppini: Sculptors of the Francis Scott Key Monument. Here is the story of that fateful moment for the young Italian sculptor as he received his first major work in America, setting in motion an amazing career in the public arts. "Doyle picked up the letter and explained to the young Italian the anthem entitled : "The Star-Spangled Banner," and how it came to be written. It seemed an excellent subject for sculpture; but to enter the competition it was necessary to submit a model in accordance with specifications prepared in Frederick by the Key Monument Association. Coppini, unfamiliar with the English language, was not capable of entering the competition, while Doyle, having completed a heavy load of work, was looking forward as usual to a long summer vacation with his family at Squirrel Island, Maine. However, the prospect for a sculptor appeared fascinating. Coppini had won the confidence of Doyle and an agreement was reached that Doyle would enter the competition while Coppini would be allowed to use his studio to make the pen and ink sketch for it and also do the sculpture in the event that they should win the award. The model was entered in the competition and it won the award on February 16, 1897. It was agreed that below the statue of Key would be three figures symbolizing American Patriotism. In the center would be Columbia, the lovely symbol of all that is greatest and best in the United States of America. To serve as a model with "a beautiful, queenly head" to pose for the figure of Columbia, Coppini selected Elizabeth di Barbieri, a native of New Haven, Connecticut. She agreed to pose for him and not long after she began, Coppini fell in love with her, and in the winter of 1897, the model promised to marry the sculptor. They were wed in New Haven on February 27, 1898. Down through the years there has come the story that the original idea of the group of three figures at the base of the monument was to have Columbia with her flag resting upon her shoulder; to have the youth to the right extending his hand in a vow of fidelity; and to have the little child to the left -- failing to grasp the significance of the lesson of Patriotism because of his tender years --extending his hand in imitation of his older companion. According to this tradition, Coppini during the sculpturing made substantial changes in the positions of the figures. He brought Columbia's flag forward instead of having it resting upon her shoulder. The youth to the right placed his hands on a sword to symbolize Defense. The little child to the left held a lyre to symbolize Music and Song. Ordinarily Coppini was a fast worker. But Doyle had met with a number of delays, one of which was due to the illness and death of his father, with the result that the Committee on Design of the Key Monument association became worried the the sculpturing might not be completed in time for the dedication of ther monument early in August. The committee urgently requested Doyle to have the work completed by June 14, 1898. The committee had requested that the text of the four verses of "The Star-Spangled Banner" be added to the back of the monument. Doyle asked Coppini to do this modeling even though he was not familiar with the English language. This was the young Italian's comment on the addition to the monument: 'All the lettering of the Star-Spangled Banner tablet in the back of the memorial were modeled by me in clay and copied from a print of the National Anthem, letter by letter, before I was able to read a word of it, but knowing its meaning as Sculptor Alexander Doyle translated them for me, as he could speak and write Italian as well as I, having spent part of his youth and schooling in Carrara, where his father owned some marble quarries.' (NOTE: For more information on Pompeo Coppini and the reburial of the Keys and son Francis Scott Key, Jr., I suggest reading back editions of Stories in Stone published previously. Click highlighted links.) The date of grand ceremony had to be moved back to August, but a cornerstone laying ceremony would still take place on June 14th, 1898. Weeks earlier on May 18th, the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Key had been moved to a vault, placed below the site of the proposed monument. The laying of the project's cornerstone would prove quite impressive and drew thousands of spectators according to the newspaper reports. The fraternal order of Freemasons took charge of this sacred ceremony on behalf of the Key Monument Association. On June 14th, Frederick would find itself decked out with flags flying, and businesses adorned with colorful, patriotic bunting. A parade led many dignitaries and onlookers through the streets of Frederick en-route to Mount Olivet and the site of the third, and hopefully final, gravesite for Francis Scott Key. A large platform was erected for spectators to the north of the site under a copse of trees. A choir was also on hand as Baltimore lawyer, and Past Grand Master of the Masons, John M. Carter gave the main address of the day's Flag Day program, as important items within the ceremonial cornerstone were put in place in accordance to Masonic ritual. Unfortunately, there was one low point to report as the spectator stage collapsed shortly into Mr. Carter's remarks. One woman was injured more than others, but thankfully the stage was only 3 feet of the ground. It must have been quite a scene regardless. If anything else, this proved a nice dress rehearsal for the main event scheduled less than two months later on August 9th, 1898. You could say the stage was set! (Sorry) The large parts of granite to comprise the monument's base and pedestal, as well as the delicate sculptures of bronze, arrived in Frederick from New York by train. They were brought to the cemetery by horse and wagon, and surely generated conversation and excitement. Newspapers throughout the country talked in great anticipation about the upcoming unveiling to be held in the small western Maryland town for one of the country's top patriots. This was also the home of Civil War, flag-toting heroine Barbara Fritchie and recent Spanish-American War hero Commodore Winfield Scott Schley, whose heroics in July, 1898 while in command of Admiral Dewey's flagship, the Brooklyn of the North Atlantic Fleet, helped destroy the Spanish naval fleet ensuring victory to Teddy Roosevelt and his legendary Roughriders in Santiago, Cuba. Key's birthday was rightfully considered for the new date of dedication. However, not having the internet and instant information at one's fingertips caused a bit of a problem. Mount Olivet's vital records for the Keys followed in accordance with the information provided on the decedents' gravestones. likely erected in 1866/1867 following their re-interment here. This is a point of contention as Key's tombstone advertised August 9th, 1780 as his birthdate. Unfortunately, this was an error to be realized later, as he had actually been born on August 1st, 1779. I was amazed to find this erroneous birthdate appearing in the Frederick News on the day of the big event. It was understood to be the day by many apparently. Remember, before criticizing, the people of this era did not have access to Ancestry.com. Regardless, the dedication ceremony took place on Tuesday, August 9th instead of Monday, August 1st, 1898. Once again the town was decked out in red, white and blue pageantry. A rainy morning gave way to ample sunshine after noon, just in time for a lengthy parade that launched from the North Market Street Fountain at 2pm. The central attraction of the parade was the 6th US Artillery Band, and the formation was led by Chief Marshall E. Y. Goldsborough. Other musical troupes included the Knight Band of Baltimore, and local favorites in the Harmony and Yellow Springs bands. Maryland's Fourth regiment, National Guard, had not been deployed in the war as yet, and received permission to attend the dedication as a group. in addition, Grand Army of the Republic members from around the area, along with a large contingent from Baltimore, came to town to participate. This was fitting since it was the Union Army that reintroduced Key, and his catchy song about the flag under attack by the British, to later generations than those who had experienced the war of 1812 in person. The fire companies of town, at one time doubling as our first militia units, were on the scene in their finest attire, with their polished equipment at hand. They certainly knew how to enhance a parade. The Continental American Guards were dressed in Continental Army dress harkening back to the American Revolution in which Key's father, John Ross Key, had participated, ultimately achieving the rank of captain. It was this same gentleman buried within Mount Olivet's Potts Lot in Area G, who introduced his young son to the immortal patriot of American patriots, George Washington. Other important guests on hand that day of August 9th, 1898, were speakers Emily Nelson Ritchie McLean, destined to become the President General of the United States Daughters of the American Revolution seven years later, and beloved local minister Rev. Osborne Ingle from All Saints Protestant Episcopal Church who would deliver the ceremony's invocation. In fact, it was Rev. Ingle who presided over the reburial of the Keys in Mount Olivet 32 years earlier in 1866. The main orator of the momentous occasion was Henry Watterson, the son of a U.S. Congressman from Tennessee, who had became a prominent journalist in Louisville, Kentucky. He would also become a noted author and partial term U.S. Congressman, and part-owner and editor of the Louisville Courier-Journal. Watterson would later win the the Pulitzer Prize for editorials written regarding America's entry into World war I. Key Monument Association President William C. Birely, and Secretary and Monument Design Chair Folger McKinsey, who would eventually leave the employ of the Frederick News for greater fame with the Baltimore Sun newspaper, could not have been prouder of the finished work done by Mr. Doyle and Signore Coppini. The monument, and its symbolic figures, were hidden from view of the assembled audience by two large flags draped in front of the memorial. At the proper point in the ceremony, Miss Julia McHenry Howard, Key's great-granddaughter, was given the signal to pull a cord which caused the large flags to "fall apart" and expose the grand achievement. At that magic moment, as the audience of thousands exclaimed their satisfaction, huzzahs and emotions, the band struck up "The Star-Spangled Banner," and Folger McKinsey's daughter Lois hoisted an American flag up a flagpole positioned behind, and slightly to the right, of the monument. Thankfully, we have a handful of photographs which captured the event and some of the participants on that special day of August 9th, 1898—even though it was the wrong day. So if you had just one wish to time travel and you wanted to experience this event first-hand, you better have your dates right if you were told it took place on the occasion of what would have been the decedent's 119th birthday. Don't go trusting his old tombstone. We chose the date of August 9th, 2023 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the monument's original dedication day. Thanks to Teresa Oyler, Joanne Baum and our partners with the Maryland State Society United States Daughters of 1812 for putting together a nice program. The audience could be described as being as modest as Key's original gravesite. I took great pleasure in telling those in attendance the same story I have just told you. Here are a few random photographs taken by Mr. Oscar Gregory. I was particularly glad to see longtime friends and acquaintances in the audience, but one surely stood out. This was my old boss, John Fieseler, recently retired executive director of the Tourism Council of Frederick County/Visit Frederick after a magnificent 23-year run. John has done so much for our county in terms of tourism development, and so much in bettering me as a historian and heritage tourism professional along the way while I was in his employ and out. I am a devout disciple of his for sure, and always will be. John played a hand in all the "recent" Key commemorations and ceremonies over the past four decades I talked about earlier in this article. He's always been the biggest fan of Francis Scott Key, and has joyfully promoted the lawyer/songwriter/patriot as one of the county's leading ambassadors, and equally his monument as one of our most prized tourist attractions. When designing the new Frederick Visitor Center (which opened in 2011), John made sure that a likeness of Francis Scott Key was placed by the front entrance to welcome tourists to not only the award winning center, but to our incredible city and county—two places equally loved by Key, himself. On this night of August 9th, 2023, John was not just here as a spectator and FSK fan, he was also representing the Community Foundation of Frederick County as a trustee of the Francis Scott Key Memorial Fund. This was started a few years back with the dissolution of the Francis Scott Key Memorial Foundation formed in 1964, whose mission focused on the perpetual care and upkeep of the monument at Mount Olivet Cemetery and educating the community about Francis Scott Key's significance, including his writing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Last year, monies from this fund allowed us to bring in one of the country's top cemetery restoration experts in Jonathan Appell (Atlas Preservation of Southington, Connecticut) to re-point the monument, repair the base at ground level and re-bronze the statues crafted by Pompeo Coppini in Alexander Doyle's New York City Studio over 125 years ago. In recent weeks, another disbursement from the fund allowed us to put a brick walkway around the monument, an idea and design that was originally proposed back in 2012 by David Guiney of Interpretive Direction. This walkway invites and allows visitors to inspect the monument up close and personal, especially the statuary figures, and the complete "Star-Spangled Banner" manuscript crafted by Coppini on the monument's backside. In coming years, we will be working with multiple local and state partners in an effort to enhance the monument site and build a more thorough "Star-Spangled Plaza" here which will highlight the lasting value and importance of four aspects to our country—the anthem, the flag, the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Back to John Fieseler, he may hold the actual "key" to Francis Scott Key's true birthdate, as he is a resident of Keymar, living in a beautifully restored historic farmhouse within a mile of Key's birthplace of Terra Rubra on Little Pipe Creek. It has been rumored for years that the author of our national anthem could have been actually conceived in John's historic barn. Talk about "the rocket's red glare" and "bombs bursting in air," now that's a hot take! But, sadly a story for another day, not necessarily a "banner one," and of course will require additional scholarly study and research with calculations incorporating a strict, 9-month pregnancy model perhaps culminating on the 9th of August, 1779? As always, thanks for tolerating me and my ramblings. And thank those who helped give Francis Scott Key that final resting place here in Mount Olivet "neath the everlasting hills," and the opportunity for visitors to to see him pointing to the flag his song immortalized both by the "dawn's early light," and "the twilight's last gleaming." Second session starting soon on August 22nd!!!!!!!!!!
History Shark Productions presents: Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101" Are you interested in learning more about Francis Scott Key and other residents and events important to Frederick history? Want to learn more from this award-winning author and documentarian? Check out his latest, in-person, course offering: Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101," with a 4-part/week course on Tuesday evenings in late August/early September, 2023 (Aug. 22, 29 & Sept 5, 12). These will take place from 6-8:30pm at Mount Olivet Cemetery's historic Key Chapel. Cost is $79 (includes all 4 classes). For more info and course registration, click the button below! (More courses to come) As many readers know, my true family roots are in northern Delaware, the former home to my parents, grand-grandparents, and in some cases, great-grandparents. I went to kindergarten in Wilmington and recall visiting the Hagley Museum along the Brandywine River as a youngster before moving here to western Maryland after my father gained a new job at Fort Detrick. Hagley is the former industrial site of the original black powder works of the DuPont Company founded in in 1802. Today, the museum and grounds boast hundreds of stone ruins of the black powder industry, dozens of restored buildings associated with the business, and the first du Pont family home built in America. Hagley's extensive library houses a major research collection of manuscripts, archives, photographs, pamphlets, and books documenting the history of American business and technology. Now the Hagley Museum and Library wouldn't generally be my first choice for trying to educate myself on the history of brewing beer, but a recent exhibit was just the "mental elixir" I desired. The historic method of brewing of the 19th century is depicted wonderfully through an engraving entitled "View of the inside of a Brewhouse" from The Domestic Encyclopedia by A.F.M. Willich (1821). The accompanying text (for the engraving) explains how the equipment turns ingredients into beer: "The cold liquor [water] pump A, raises the water from the river or well B, which, as well as the wort pump M, is driven by a horse with proper machinery, which likewise grinds the malt used in the brew-house. The grinding house is situated between the pumps, as may be seen by the mill spout P, which conducts the malt from the mill into the mash tun H. The liquor from the river B, is pumped into the cistern or reservoir, where it is ready at all times during the hurry of brewing; and from the cistern it passes through the large pipe D, into the liquor copper, E, where it may be stopped by a cock at the extremity of the pipe. The liquor when warmed for mashing is let into the mash-tun, H, by opening the cock, F, in the bottom of the copper, and runs down the trunk Z, which carries into the raising spout, G, in the mash-tun, H, this spout by a notch in the moveable or false bottom of the mash-tun, conducts the liquor between the moveable and real bottoms, which, by ascending, assists the mashing very much. The extract or wort is let go, by turning the cock, K, into the underback, L, and is from thence carried by the horse pump, M, into a level with the wort copper, O, and runs from the pump through the pipe, N, into the wort copper. When cold liquor is required for mashing, as is the case in small beer brewing, it is obtained from the cistern, C, by the pipe, Q, which communicates with it. Thus these three very laborious parts of the business, viz. pumping the liquor from the river or well; mashing, and pumping up the worts into the copper, may easily be performed by two men; and they are able to mash a very considerable quantity of malt, and attend to the steaming of the casks, liquoring the backs, &c. between the mashes. When all the worts are in the great copper, O, and are boiled sufficiently, they are run off into the first back, T, by turning the cock, R, from the spout, W, conducting the worts from the drainer, S, which detains the hops. This back communicates with the two large backs, Y, which are sufficient to contain all the worts, and they may be laid at a greater or less depth, by using one or both these backs, stopping either of the pipes, X, by putting in one of the plugs, U. The situation of these two backs is higher than the fermenting tuns, and by pipes the worts are conveyed into them below; and if there is conveniency, the tuns, when cleansing, ought to be high enough to fill the casks in the cellar by means of a leathern pipe. There you have it, brewing beer on an industrial level doesn't seem that hard now, does it? Well, I will say that after reading that passage, I am now doubly appreciative for the opportunity to enjoy the final product, and will leave it at that. I've visited a few modern-day breweries (Coors and Yuengling), and encourage readers interested in the process to visit some of our local breweries or chat with the many hobbyists we have in our midst as I'm lucky to have a neighbor who calls on me to be a taste-tester from time to time. As we learned last week, Frederick, Maryland has served home to local beer brewing operations since the 1700s. Makers in Frederick took advantage of a great water source in Carroll Creek, and the agricultural ingredients needed from the surrounding countryside. Brew House Alley was a name given to a narrow lane that connected West Patrick and West All Saints' streets. It slowly morphed into Brewer's Alley by mid-century. The thoroughfare would eventually be widened for two-way automobile traffic in the 20th century and eventually renamed Court Street. I briefly mentioned in part 1 of this story that the stretch of today's Court Street going from West Patrick to West Church was once the site of boisterous oyster saloons and book-ended by fancy hotel bars on each corner. These were on the east side of the street, across from a notable neighbor in the second iteration of All Saints' Episcopal Church in the middle of the block. For more about these proud "servers of beer" in Frederick's past, I invite you to read the "Story in Stone" from May, 2020 entitled "Frederick's Oystermen" (Pts. 1-3). Let's get back to brewing up more history on the beer industry in Frederick in olden days, and some of its prominent makers. We ended part 1 discussing a gentleman named Capt. William Small who operated in a space we referred to as Frederick Lot#20. This is basically the northwest corner of Court and West All Saints streets, where Asbury United Methodist Church currently stands at 101 West All Saints Street. Mr. Small had competition, and it was literally within arms reach from his location on Carroll Creek. John G. Lipps John George Lipps was born on November 23rd, 1803 in Wurttemberg, Germany. He immigrated to America in the 1830s and reached Frederick by at least 1838, the year he married. Mr. Lipps is said to have begun his brewery around 1840 and was appointed a justice of the peace in 1846. John G. Lipps opened his brewery on West Patrick Street, utilizing the former operation of George Gelwick. This was next to a popular hotel/saloon called the Black Horse Tavern, run by Jacob Schmidt at one time. Apparently, Lipps' Brewery would be facilitated by the purchase of the Steiner family's property named Long Acre. John G. Lipps married Catherine Ritchie (who was related to the Ritchie family of Maryland that would produce a future governor, which, in turn, would lead to the naming of a highway). The couple would have seven children. The Lipps brewery was successful with peak production around 700 barrels. As mentioned earlier, the firm's main competitor was only about 100 yards away down Carroll Creek in the form of a brewery owned by Jacob Markell on the corner of Brewer's Alley and the All Saints' streets . We have a rare photograph that includes an image of the Lipps' Brewery in 1868. This was taken by early Frederick photographer Jacob Byerly at the time of the Great Flood of '68. The photo is a view looking westward on West Patrick Street around the area of the famous bend. The brewery, and several homes in this vicinity were heavily damaged by the freshet which caused Carroll Creek to swell far beyond its boundaries. Jacob Byerly's photo of the Great Flood of '68 looking west on West Patrick St. Note the "J. Lipps Brewery" sign on the third building from the left. The second building from left is the famed "Black Horse Tavern." Note the sign complete with black horse. These properties today comprise part of the footprint of the City of Frederick annex and Patrick Street parking deck to the immediate west of the Frederick County Court House. As we have seen the unique connection between brewery and saloon and tavern, with the latter being the point of chief public connection to the product, Mr. Lipps purchased another tavern called the Globe Hotel. This was located on East Patrick Street and had a unique historic significance to town. When he came of age, John G. Lipps' son, John A. C. Lipps (1842-1923) assisted his father in the family business. Brothers George C. Lipps and Ritschy Lipps would follow when they each came of age in the 1870s. Eventually the firm would move away from brewing around 1881 and the death of John George Lipps. The J. Lipps Sons company now focused their energies on becoming a distributor of other beers from Baltimore and Philadelphia. The brewery property sat unused for years until being sold out of the family in 1904. Jacob Markell Jacob Markell (1786-1867) was a noted Frederick businessman who purchased the brewery and land here on Lot#20 in 1852 from Capt. William Small’s estate. Few details are known about Mr. Markell heading up the brewery operation, as he would have better success with his dry goods mercantile business on West Patrick Street. One day I will tell you about his son Fred and daughter-in-law Catherine Susannah (Thomas) Markell, and their interesting connections to the American Civil War. Speaking of wars, Jacob Markell was a veteran of the War of 1812, and was regarded as one of Frederick's most-respected citizens. He experienced considerable success in the realm of land investment with his “Markell’s Addition,” platted in 1856, and representing the largest extension of residential development along South Market Street during the 19th century. This came from a two-and-a-half acre farm located across South Market Street from the Frederick Hessian Barracks property destined to become the MD School for the Deaf. In regard to real estate in the immediate vicinity of Markell's brewery, the extensive leather tannery of Gideon Bantz (1792-1854) stood across the creek to the north. Mr. Bantz's father had built the built a stone warehouse here around 1797, and it would eventually become part of a tanning operation t hat helped produce over 100.000 sides of leather in 1853 with five other firms of the same ilk in town. Gideon Bantz also purchased the old Brother's Tavern on the corner of West Patrick and Brewer's Alley. It would serve home to Mr. Bantz but after his death in 1854 would eventually be used for a place of traveler lodging again. It would be expanded into a luxury accommodation known now as the Central Hotel. I discovered an advertisement of it being for sale in 1857. In the same edition, I saw another advertisement for an auction of personal estate items being held at the brewery site. Jacob Markell was appointed commissioner of the Frederick Female Seminary in 1856. Perhaps this pursuit pulled him away from giving the brewery his undivided attention? He would lease (and later sold) the brewery property for $2,750 to Peter Baer, a German who came to Frederick to hone his craft utilizing the magical waters of Carroll Creek. Peter Baer Peter Baer was born in Weinheim Germany, on Christmas day 1822 on his family's farm. His parents were vintners and he graduated from Weinheim City College in 1844. Bear decided to try his fortunes in America. The young man would eventually settle in Pennsylvania, living with an uncle. He honed his family skills in brewing by working at the Washabaugh Brewery in Chambersburg, PA, learning everything he needed to know to start his own brewery operation. By 1857, Peter Baer partnered with a gentleman named Peter Middlekauf in Hagerstown. He would save up enough money in that first year to purchase the Markell Brewery in Frederick. Recognizing the outdated condition of the plant, Mr. Baer updated his operation with “first class machinery.” He would run his brewery here for the next 15 years and expanded along the way, hiring two full-time employees, building a new beer cellar (1865) and pumping out more than 800 barrels per year. He quickly eclipsed the neighboring Lipps Brewery in production and did this with fewer employees. The expansion was a great achievement, especially following the hardships of the Civil War on the community. However, the new beer cellar project came with a tragic episode that was recorded by Jacob Engelbrecht in his diary with an entry made October 23rd, 1865. "Dreadful accident-This afternoon about 4 o'clock an accident occurred by which two men were killed, viz Theodore Kreh & Sebastian Exner, They with 3 others were digging & walling up a beer-cellar for Mr. Peter Baer (Brewer's Alley). As they were at work it caved in & two were instantly killed & the other three were also injured." Peter Baer would follow Mr. Markell’s lead and invested in real estate. He would purchase homes and lease them to German immigrants in Frederick. Mr. Baer would eventually turn his full focus toward this endeavor, and give more time to his French wife Salome and their four children. In an 1874 Frederick City Directory, Mr. Baer is listed as a "capitalist." Meanwhile, a German-born Baltimorean named Louis Heise is labeled a brewer, as he had taken over Mr. Baer's establishment on Brewer's Alley through lease agreement. Well, as you can see, Mr. Heise could not sustain the business, defaulting on his mortgage to Peter Baer. I wonder if this was an effect of the economic recession that occurred in the country at the time, triggered by the Panic of 1873 and lasting until 1878/79. I found Louis Heise back in Baltimore in an 1878 Baltimore City Directory, His occupation, as printed therein, simply read: "Beer." Peter Baer sold the brewery property on Lot #20 to Paul Hauser in 1879 for $6,000. Nine years later in 1888, at the time of his death, Mr. Baer was described as “one of the best known and wealthiest German residents of the city” and worth about $30,000. Paul Hauser Paul Hauser came by way of success in Wisconsin, and was arguably the most successful brewer in the history of olde Brewer's Alley of the 18th and 19th centuries. I immediately wanted to learn more about him and a Google search led me to a website entitled Wisconsin Breweries and Brewpubs. Within this site, author Doug Hoverson recounts the history of beer and brewers in an annotated online companion to his printed volume The Drink that Made Wisconsin Famous: Beer and Brewing in the Badger State. Mr. Hoverson includes a page of his research on our transplant Paul Hauser. Apparently Hauser was living in a place called Taycheedah as early as 1855, which is east of Fond du Lac on the southern shore of Lake Winnebago and about 60 miles southeast of Green Bay. He, too, was a native of Europe--Switzerland to be exact. Mr. Hauser's wife, Johanna, was Prussian.The couple had their first son, Louis, in Wisconsin around 1856, the same year Mr. Hoverson believes that Hauser came to the Fond du Lac vicinity. He is said to have operated a brewery here from 1858 to the latter part of the 1860s. He eventually took on a business partner and would also operate a lager beer saloon, having built another brewery that continued operation into the 1870s. The Hauser Brewery would experience a devastating fire in 1872. Financial problems in rebuilding would follow, coupled with the recession of the decade (as was the case of brewer Louis Heise here in Frederick at the same time). Mr. Hauser would be forced to turn the operation over to a former sales agent "as a cover" in an effort to disguise mounting debts. He would sell his brewery the following year in 1878. The Hauser family then moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where Mrs. Hauser would die in 1883, perhaps prompting a change of scenery for her widowed husband. These vintage photos appear on the Fond du Lac Historical Society's Facebook page. These are the ruins of the storage caves in Taycheedah, WI once used by Paul Hauser's brewery operation. These put in to perspective the size and scope of what Peter Baer had built here in Frederick when disaster struck upon the collapse that killed two workers. One way or another, Paul Hauser came to Frederick, Maryland after purchasing Mr. Baer's former brewery on Brewer's Alley. Hauser was able to make a fresh start here and was responsible for substantial expansion of operations. In 1883, Hauser built a bottling house opposite the brewery. The next year he purchased additional property about two blocks south of the brewery towards Mount Olivet which contained the “old Mullinix pond” for $725. This was located near the intersection of today's Broadway Street and Lee Alley. He wanted this for the purpose of providing enough ice (during the winter) to supply the brewery during the summer. Hauser employed a crew of men to drain, and expand, the pond and construct a “fine ice house” on its banks. With another ice house at the brewery and other ice dealers in the blocks between there and Hauser’s own pond, it is easy to see why part of a Frederick thoroughfare originally known as Mantz Street, (then changed to Brewers Alley), was finally renamed Ice Street around this time. 1887 Sanborn Insurance Map also shows Hauser's Pond, built by (and named) for Paul Hauser. It was once located roughly 100 yards from Broadway Street's intersection with W South St. Today it serves as a drainage overflow pond as can be seen in the photograph below. (Looking south on Broadway St with former site of Hauser's Pond and Ice House to the right, and Mount Olivet Cemetery's side gate at the end of Broadway to the left.) In her book Beer in Maryland: A History of Breweries Since Colonial Times, author Maureen O'Prey writes: "The plant was constructed in extremely close quarters and expansion was not a viable option for Hauser or any of the brewers occupying that location. Hauser initially brewed ale and small beer and eventually added lager beer to appeal to a wider audience influenced by the nearby breweries in Baltimore and Cumberland. At his peak, Hauser produced just under 500 barrels per annum, enough to survive but not enough to thrive; the brew was supplying his saloon but not much beyond that. He was paying out $1,000 in wages per year for four employees to work twelve-hour days in 1880. This was indicative of two things. First, there was no union forming in Frederick at the time; and second, considering the value of his brewery matched the investment, he was losing money or breaking even annually. He gave up the plant when his health deteriorated." 1887 Sanborn Insurance Map with detail showing the scope of Hauser's Brewery on the west side of Brewer's Alley with All Saints' Street to the left. (Note: The Order of Nazarites building was also known as the home to the Black Knight's of Pythia (aka Pythian Castle) and still stands today as a private residence fronting All Saints St.) In 1885, Hauser continued improvements to his brewery and saloon with the goal of providing 75 barrels of lager to his own customers and to country saloon keepers. It was reported that the “picturesque old house in which Mr. Hauser does business [was] rapidly being modernized by the carpenters and painters.” Additionally, it was also reported that Hauser was constructing a “Bier Halle” with a “bier garten” adjoining “so that customers may sip their lager in the summer evenings under the influence of the murmuring waters of Carroll Run or the enlivening strains of a band, as may suit their fancy.” Despite the tranquil words describing the beer garden, it’s hard to imagine this as a peaceful setting, given that it was adjacent to a large tannery and the heavy industrial setting of the creek. It wasn't all romance and big bands along Carroll Creek at the Hauser Brewery as the article below attests to feats of strength, or stupidity, sometimes accompany beer drinking. We've established that Paul Hauser offered variety and his brew could be guaranteed ice cold, as he had the (Ice) house, pond and street to prove it. It appears that he made the decision to sub-let his saloon and beer garden to a new owner. This could have been due to health reasons, and/or a desire to go back north to aid his son in the operation of a successful malt brewing works in St. Paul. As a final touch here in Frederick, it seems that all he needed to compete with leading breweries of the period like Anheuser-Busch (founded 1852 in St. Louis) were those darn Clydesdales, right? Mr. Hauser came back to Frederick and may have just given up the brewing aspect of his business. He would reconfigure his ice house, next to Hauser's Pond, to include a bottling works. It also appears that he had the semblance of a saloon at this location but I'm not quite sure the chronology of this work. He bought the Black Horse Tavern on West Patrick Street in 1890 and renamed it "The Eagle." At this time, he rented out his "commodious" house on West Patrick Street and soon after took up partial residence in Baltimore. He remarried and had definitive business ties to an enterprise called the Globe Brewery in Charm City. Hauser continued to maintain dual residences, and frequently traveled to Frederick to visit friends and keep an eye on his holdings from gleanings I saw with newspaper mentions. Although not thought to be brewed here, he would have a hand in supplying (and bottling) his beer choices here. An unfortunate event happened to Mr. Hauser in early April, 1898 that would make front page news both here and in Baltimore. This seems to be the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back," putting Paul Hauser out of the beer production game, and Frederick as well. In the 1900 US census, Paul Hauser is listed as a saloon operator. He would live out his life in Baltimore, dying in 1915. It was certainly a career in beer to drink a toast to. Christian Eckstein Christian H. Eckstein was included in an article I wrote last year, but I'd like to share a portion with you here. He purchased the star of our story, the Lot #20 Brewer's Alley brewery property, at tax sale in 1889. Another native German, Christian was born on October 22nd, 1822 in Dernichein in Hesse-Kassel, Germany. He emigrated to America with his wife and first came to Baltimore, where he worked as a milkman. He came to Frederick in 1854 and began operating taverns here. I learned that he may have started at the noted Dill House that once sat at the corner of West Church and Court Street. I did an earlier story on the origins of this location, now represented by a stellar, macadam parking lot serving the Paul Mitchell Temple and M&T Bank. Eckstein had opened his own bar by 1862, which would take his name. This was located on the northwest corner of North Market and third streets. This location at 301 North Market Street, also doubled as his home residence as far as I could tell. 301 N Market Street was once the site of Eckstein's Saloon, and is today known as the Up on Market restaurant. It would remain in the family until 1893. Diarist Jacob Engelbrecht notes the following event in his diary on July 14th, 1862: “Lager beer saloon—Mr. Christian Eckstein, who keeps a lager beer saloon at the corner of Market and 3rd Street, was called on by the Provost Marshal & his posse with a wagon, & took 21 kegs of lager beer other article in his line. Government reason, selling liquor to the soldiers. This happened on Saturday evening last 12th instant.” The war came and went, and I’m sure Mr. Eckstein sold plenty more alcohol to the various soldiers of both armies who visited our city along the way. Weeks after the surrender at Appomattox in April, 1865, Christian Eckstein embarked on a sojourn back to his native homeland (Germany) accompanied by a friend and fellow resident named Jacob Schmidt, who kept the Black Horse Tavern mentioned earlier in conjunction with a variety of brewers and located on the famed bend in the second block of West Patrick Street. They left town by train on May 15th and returned on August 30th after a pleasant trip. In addition to slinging beer, Mr. Eckstein was an avid marksman. Jacob Engelbrecht makes mention Herr Eckstein again in reference to an interesting purchase of land on Fredericks’ northwest side: “Deutsche Scheutzen park—This park adjoining our city was sold at public sale on Saturday last March 12, 1870 to Christian Eckstein for fifteen-thousand one hundred dollars ($15,100). It contains 28 and ½ acres of sand and was formerly part of the farm of Mr. Stephen Ramsburg but lately to Doctor William Tyler from whom the “Scheutzen Gesellschaft” purchased it.” For quite sometime, I have had a particular interest in this curious organization of German origin. I first stumbled upon the Deutsche Sheutzen Gesellschaft in the context of local, German Civil War soldier Joseph Groff. His name would be applied to Groff Park which was synonymous with Frederick Scheutzen Park. You know this locale better today as the campus of Hood College, northwest of Frederick’s downtown center. The meeting lodge of this group still survives today as Brodbeck Hall, keeping its German name after all these years. Christian H. Eckstein sold the brewery on Brewer's Alley less than two years after buying it in 1889. The purchaser was a man named John Kuhn whose investment cost him around $10,000. No deed exists for the transaction as it is assumed that Mr. Eckstein would hold a mortgage over the property which included all barroom fixtures, a horse, two beer wagons, 2 sets of harnesses and all the ice on the premises, including that in Mr. Hauser's ice house down on Broadway Street. John G. Kuhn The old brewery address was 58 Brewer's Alley. Today one can find a small bronze plaque (in the plaza area by the creek) that pays homage to the processes, equipment and workers that comprised Frederick's beer-making industry here. The plaque includes a quote from a gentleman known more for his knowledge, research and writings on Frederick's pre-history than the town's relationship with the brewing and spirits industry. His name was Edward Ralston Goldsborough, and I wrote a "Story in Stone" about his life story back in April of 2020. While Ralston preferred finding Native-American spearpoints and pottery shards at various locations throughout the county in the late 1800s and early 1900s, he was mesmerized by an event that had beer actually rolling down Brewer's Alley. He would spend a great deal of his life living within a block of this location and in 1944 recalled, "I remember that John Kuhn sold beer by the glass and by the bottle...One night a fire broke out and kegs of beer were rolled into the alley." John Georg Kuhn was born in Munich, Germany on November 25th, 1855. He came to America with great aspirations in 1889. Soon, he would be in Frederick, Maryland and formed what would become known as the Gambrinus Brewery, and this entity had its grand opening in 1891. His first big break came with securing the right to serve his beer at the Great Frederick Fair in 1892. It would not take long for Mr. Kuhn to get his first taste of adversity, due to an unfortunate disaster that could have been avoided had someone kept a closer watch over their children. A nearby fire started in ice houses due to kids being careless. I was puzzled just thinking about a house full of ice burning, until I found out that it was often common to pack ice in sawdust. Now there's an accelerant! I would soon learn that this incident was also a threat to my workplace of Mount Olivet as well. Combined with the fire that beset Paul Hauser's ice house five years later in 1898, it's no wonder "Fire & Ice" events seem so at home here in Downtown Frederick. John Kuhn went on to invest heavily in his new brewery property including putting in motion plans for additions of new cold storage, ice plant, engine, and updated bar room run by a Mr. Atkinson. 1892 Sanborn Insurance Map showing John Kuhn's Brewery on Brewer's Alley. Note three nearby points of interest: the bowling alley was built by Paul Hauser as part of the brewing complex and is located between the brewery proper on the west side and the Nazarite Building (Order of Nazerites). This building would later become the Black Knights of Pythia organization, and also utilized as the 15-bed Black Emergency Hospital of Dr. Ulysses G. Bourne and Dr. Charles Brooks from 1919-1928. Lastly, note the old Washington's Headquarters building, where George Washington is said to have stayed the night before meeting Gen. Edward Braddock in April, 1755. While combing through old newspapers, this article caught my attention in reference to our subject. Hindsight being 20/20, it is too bad Mr. Kuhn did not have this man in his corner as fate would eventually deal a harsh blow, Things went nicely for the remainder of 1894, 1895 and into 1896. Unfortunately, John Kuhn would lose it all in a devastating fire in May of that fateful year. As for Mr. Kuhn, he enjoyed the greatest popular success at the location, but his run was cut far too short as he would experience the greatest disaster. He would never recover financially to reopen the brewery here. It appears Kuhn held out hope, but it would not happen. To care for his family, he immediately started serving as the local representative for the fore-mentioned Globe Brewing Company out of Baltimore. I strongly sense an existing relationship between Kuhn and his predecessor Paul Hauser. In 1897, Kuhn sold the brewery property to Thomas Harwood. This unfortunate fire would mark Kuhn's endeavor as the "last call" when it came to brewing on Brewers Alley. John Kuhn would eventually continue to sell alcohol and host bowling up on N. Market Street before moving to Baltimore. Meanwhile, few attempts by other interested parties to start another brewery in town occurred in 1911 and again in 1914, but each came up short. One group was from Baltimore, and the other from Chicago. The desired location, however, was not at the creek and Brewer's Alley, but rather the abandoned factory of Calvin Page on the southwest corner of South and Broadway streets. The brewery ruins on Brewer's Alley stood for some time before several dwellings were constructed in its place. The area now constitutes part of the Carroll Creek Linear Park. According to census records of 1910 and 1920, John Kuhn was living in Baltimore and remained employed in brewing. He even got busted for serving alcohol without a license in Baltimore in 1913. John G. Kuhn died in Baltimore on March 10th, 1927. He is buried in Baltimore's Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery located off Belair Road. As time passed, the names of the many brewers of Frederick have faded from collective memory. How can they help from not being forgotten? We don't have remaining structures from their former workplaces, examples of their beer products, and local memorials to their lives (in the case of Capt. Small, Diehl, Hauser and Kuhn) in places like Mount Olivet. The name of Brewer's Alley would disappear as well. The north-south city thoroughfare would take the new name of Court Street. In the early 1920s, the humble alley needed a makeover in both look and moniker because something big was happening in the block to the north. This was the construction of a new luxury hotel, the likes of which had never occurred here before. The Francis Scott Key Hotel opened in January, 1923 and was a definitive "game changer." Business and pleasure travelers would see Frederick as a prime destination. Even the original Frederick Board of Real Estate (destined to become the Frederick County Association of Realtors) was formed in response to this impact on town. One of the organization's first major projects involved lobbying town officials to widen Court Street in an effort to proactively facilitate traffic and travelers coming to the hotel. We have alluded to it a few times already, but an equally important structure was also being built at this time on this same thoroughfare that traveled to the immediate east of the FSK Hotel. It was a block away and would be constructed on the old brewery location. Asbury United Methodist Church is a church rich in history and steeped in significance as one of the oldest African-American churches in Frederick. the congregation's roots date back to 1818 when William Hammond, a free black man, purchased a lot on East All Saints Street for $60. The church, which was known as the “Old Hill Church,” was constructed by a white congregation who permitted free blacks to worship there. In 1864, blacks came into full possession of the church, and by 1870 it was incorporated and renamed Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1912, pastor Rev. L. J. Valentine convinced the congregation to purchase the old brewery property for the new church when the lot on the corner of Brewer’s Alley and W. All Saints Street became available. By 1921, the present church structure was completed. In 1939, the church dropped Episcopal from its name and became Asbury Methodist Church. Eventually, the church would officially become known as Asbury United Methodist Church. The Brewer’s Alley restaurant location at 124 North Market Street began serving customers in July, 1996. Best of all, beer was brewed on the premises. However, there exists a much bigger story of Frederick's past in relation to this very location. The first residents of Frederick held a lottery to raise money to build a market house on this location in 1765, which was completed in 1769. It would eventually become our first town hall when Frederick was incorporated in 1817. The structure served its dual purpose for over a century. The Market House spanned the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, including the ransoming of the city by Confederate General Jubal Early. In 1873, the bustling town of Frederick replaced the Market House with the “new” multi-functional offices, and provided space in the rear for the Frederick Farmer’s Market. Later, the rear of the building was replaced by the present parking deck, the first of it’s kind in town. As the seat of city government up through the mid-1980s, the building was witness to Frederick’s political history, and as an opera house and theater it has been witness to much of Frederick’s social and entertainment history. The building has hosted such diverse events as a lecture given by Frederick Douglass, and concerts conducted by John Philip Sousa. Other events of note included a memorial service for slain President William McKinley (1901) and a speech on trade and commerce by President William Taft (1911), the Frederick debut of D.W. Griffith’s film “The Birth of a Nation” (1915) and the Manhattan Opera Company’s production of “Madame Butterfly” (1926). Thank you to Phil Bowers and those responsible for choosing such a "stout" name for the establishment. Along with brewing their own beer for the past 27 years, we are lucky to have the tradition of beer-making here in Frederick live on as these days we have numerous firms doing so. ******************************************************************************************************************
History Shark Productions presents: Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101" Are you interested in Frederick history? Want to learn more from this award-winning author and documentarian? Check out his latest, in-person, course offering: Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101," with a 4-part/week course on Tuesday evenings in late August/early September, 2023 (Aug. 22, 29 & Sept 5, 12). These will take place from 6-8:30pm at Mount Olivet Cemetery's Key Chapel. Cost is $79 (includes 4 classes). In addition to the lecture class above, two unique "Frederick History 101 Walking Tour-Classes" in Mount Olivet Cemetery will be led by Chris in August focusing on interesting local, historical figures of the 1900s. These are available for different dates ( Aug. 8th and Aug 23rd) Cost $20. For more info and course registration, click the button below! (More courses to come) So, spirits should be plentiful here at the cemetery, when talking of the supernatural, of course. However, I’d like to use as a theme, spirits of another kind, while paying homage to a few of those buried here who created, or served up, alcohol during Frederick’s “spirited” past! This time around I will focus on beer for this two-part extravaganza. Some years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the birthplace of one of our Frederick history heroes, whose final resting place is in Mount Olivet. This was none other than Thomas Johnson, Jr. --lawyer, business entrepreneur, member of Continental Congress, military leader during the American Revolution, early U.S. Supreme Court justice, surveyor of Washington, D.C., and Maryland's first-elected governor. Johnson, and his brother James (builder of Springfield Manor near Lewistown) are buried in Area MM, and their colorful lives exemplified "the Spirit of 76!" Both gentlemen, along with another brother, Baker (buried in Area E) are natives of Calvert County. They were born and raised along St. Leonard's Creek, where it flows into the lower Patuxent River. Their ancestral home was called the Brewhouse. Over the past several years, the craft brewery and distillery industry has proliferated in Frederick, often causing historic buildings to be re-purposed with modern equipment and tasting rooms. Examples include today's McClintock Distilling, Steinhardt Brewing, and Brewer's Alley Restaurant. Let's go back in time, to see who was doing the “brewing,” and where did this activity this occur? We can use the cemetery as a "museum of past beer makers." We can return to Frederick’s humble beginnings in the mid-1700s, over 275 years ago. Within a few years of the town’s founding in 1745, three innkeepers were granted licenses to operate ordinaries in Frederick Town. These included Kennedy Farrell, John Cramphlin, and Jacob Beney. At Kennedy Farrell's, one could enjoy a "hot dyet for a gentleman with a pint of small beer" for the price of one shilling, three pence or a "cold dyet" for eight pence. The prices were set by the courts. In putting together this story, I looked at a "like town" (to Frederick) that shares many similarities going back to our humble beginnings in the mid-1700s. I've always thought that Lancaster, Pennsylvania (founded in 1729) is a shining example to compare with Frederick. We had early German families, and particularly farmers and skilled craftsman, from Lancaster who re-located to Frederick. Trade and communication between both towns was particularly strong early on. I soon found A History of Brewing in Lancaster County, Legal and Otherwise by Charles O. Lynch and John Ward Willson Loose. The authors mention that malt liquor beverages were noted first on the scene in the Pennsylvania town, with malt kilns making their appearance in 1745, the year of Frederick Town's founding. Authors Lynch and Loose also report in their study: Although breweries existed from the earliest days of Lancaster, any attempt to draw a clear line of demarcation between innkeepers who were brewers in the back rooms, and brewers who had saloons in the front rooms would be impossible. Late in the eighteenth century certain innkeepers emerged as brewing specialists who eventually conducted breweries primarily. Lancaster's early brewers made their murky, unstable, unpredictable beer and ale in a few tubs, barrels and pails situated in the rear of their inns. Brewing was simply another chore in the operation of inns and taverns, and we are led to believe few innkeepers regarded brewing as much more than a troublesome task which ought not require any more of the busy hosts' time than absolutely necessary. After all, there were other beverages available for quenching thirsts, making toasts, and providing an evening of congenial talk. Brewing had an early presence in Frederick Town, with the Charlton family apparently making beer as early as the mid-1700s. You may recall hearing about an early inn here called Mrs. Charlton’s Tavern. Eleanor (Harrison) Charlton (1723-1793) ran the inn with, and after the death of, her husband Arthur Charlton (1721-1771). Some reports say that the Charlton's son, John Usher Charlton, actually did the brewing, but I failed to find additional proof for this article. Eleanor Charlton was Francis Scott Key's maternal grandmother, and the Charlton family’s tavern was once located at the southwest corner of the town’s Square Corner at Market and Patrick streets—today’s site of Colonial Jewelers. Another oft mentioned tavern of note in Frederick's "olden days" was that of Henry Brother which was once located on the southwest corner of West Patrick and today's Court Street. Today, this is basically the plaza area in front of the Frederick County Courthouse. An old photograph shows a vintage metal, tourist road sign that once marked the site of the tavern and reads that: "George Washington stopped here Thursday, June 30, 1791 in a building on this site known as Col. Henry Brothers Tavern." At the time the above photograph was taken in 1937, the old tavern site was host to an Amoco gas station. I am indebted to a website charleybrother.com which provided plenty of background on this family and their former "residence" on the corner of what was destined to become the original Brewer's Alley of Frederick. It was here across from Brother's Tavern that the funeral procession for George Washington formed on February 22nd, 1800. This was the first observance of the former president's birthday since his death on December 14th, 1799. Thomas Johnson, Jr. would deliver the eulogy for his old friend and compatriot on this day which saw nearly 8,000 residents participate in a procession through the streets of Frederick and culminate with a solemn church service at the Presbyterian Church at the intersection of North Bentz and West Fourth street. The charleybrother.com website's author, Christine Friesel, included a transcript of a memoir written by Henry Brother's son, Valentine (1793-1820) which had been donated to the Frederick Historical Society in 1971 by a gentleman from Vermont. The information therein relayed that Col. Henry Brother was born January 11th, 1745 in "the Black Forest area" of Germany and came to America as an indentured redemptioner. I would later learn the exact location to be Herzogtum, Zweibrucken, part of the Rhineland-Palatinate for those Deutch geography fans. Brother served (for his passage) with Nicholas Boogher (Bucher). Before his servitude had expired, Mr. Boogher died and Henry continued his term under his former master's widow (Eleanor) and her six small children. Interestingly when Henry's indentured servitude was over, he would marry Mrs. Boogher. Henry Brother would come to be known as a a dry goods store and tavern keeper in his adult life. I'm not sure if these were the inventions of Mr. Boogher, or Mr. Brother, but the tavern establishment was known to travelers as the Sign of the Spread Eagle. An earlier inn was operated on the location here by Michael Jesserong who had purchased the property in 1762 from town founder Daniel Dulany. The couple of Henry and Eleanor Brother would have four children of their own, with two dying in infancy. Two sons would grow into adulthood and assisted with the family tavern business. This included Henry, Jr., who would go on to become a hatter in Frederick, and Valentine (b. 1773) destined to take over the tavern upon his father's death. At age 11, Valentine Brother had been put in charge of the tavern accounts, converting these to English from German style, the native language of his parents. He would also accompany his father (also known as Major or Colonel Henry Brothers) on business trips to southwestern Virginia. The establishment would blossom with growing popularity associated with stagecoach travel. Alcohol would certainly play a major part in the hospitality trade and it's certainly no secret that Henry Brother's Tavern served alcohol, and specifically beer. But did the family make their own? Perhaps the following article sheds light on the subject because I spy some pivotal ingredients for brewing beer. From 1778 to 1787, Henry Brother bought various lots in Frederick town including "a new brick house" on the east side of North Market Street between 3rd and 4th streets. He also owned several lots near the corner of Market and Sixth streets. Major Henry Brother died on July 7th, 1791, which is exactly a week after George Washington visited his establishment. Brother's body was laid to rest, not far from the tavern he operated, in the original German Reformed burying ground behind Trinity Chapel. His body would later be reinterred in the congregation's second burying ground at North Bentz and West Second streets around 1803. This is today's Memorial Park, and his remains are still there as an article from November, 1923 mentions his stone belonging to Henrich Bruder complete with German epitaph being buried in the grave as was the fate of nearly 300 other stones when the burying ground was condemned at that time. The table was now set for son Valentine to take over operation of the tavern in 1793 upon his 20th birthday in accordance with his father's last will. In 1793, however, Valentine opened up a grocery and hardware store on East Church Street, having received the blessing of his mother for not taking over the tavern on West Patrick Street at this time. Meanwhile, (brother) Henry Brother would marry a young woman named Elizabeth Pringle (later changed to Brengle) this same year. In theory, Elizabeth could be considered "the girl next door" because her father, Christian Pringle/Brengle, owned Frederick Town Lot #20 directly behind Brother's Tavern and across the town creek. Christian Brengle (b.1738-?) plays into our drawn-out brewing story because he had bought this important parcel located on the northwest corner of West All Saints' and modern day Court streets from Sebastian Derr (of Dearbought fame) in 1774. Derr had bought Lot #20 and the back half of Lot #29 across the creek (and behind Brothers Tavern) from the above mentioned Michael Jesserong in 1767. Christian Brengle would manage Brother's Tavern for a while after Henry and Valentine's stepbrother Frederick Boogher in 1796, and a Capt. James Neal in 1797, are recorded as keeping the “Sign of the Spread Eagle.” He began his shift in 1797 on the family's behalf. Henry Brother would "hang up his hat" and take a turn at running the inn at the close of the century. In a few minutes, I will tell you about a move made by Mr. Brengle that likely provided the establishment with freshly brewed beer on his lot behind the tavern and across Carroll Creek. Meanwhile, Valentine Brother continued the operation of his grocery and hardware business through the 1790s, but became interested in political life. He served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1795 and 1796 alongside notable citizens buried here in Mount Olivet: George Baer, William Beatty, David Shriver, and Allen Quynn, Jr. He also served in local militia which doubled as a fire department, and became county sheriff. Valentine Brother would own/operate a tavern on Market Street called the Sign of the Fountain Inn. I can't figure out how he could do all he did because he was commissioned on April 17th, 1799 as a Captain in the 9th Regiment for New York by President John Adams and John W. Henry, the War Secretary at Philadelphia. His military appointment had led him to Bath, New York. He came back to Frederick briefly, at which time the family tavern was being run by Basil Williamson. Valentine Brother was honorably discharged on June 15, 1800, just months after participating in Washington's funeral procession which he, himself helped organize and lead. IN 1801, after the birth of his son Henry on George Washington’s birthday (February 22nd), Valentine Brother removed his family and relatives in a caravan to Ontario County, New York and eventually established a farm near Geneva, NY. He represented his county in the New York State Assembly and would die in 1820. He is buried in Old No. 9 Cemetery in Seneca, New York. Now that we have espoused plenty of "Brotherly Love," let's talk beer! An account from the website oldbreweries.com says there was a gentleman named Balser (Baltzer) Heck brewing here in Frederick locally from 1760-1790. This was said to have been a higher end, delicacy beer. Dare I say this could have been Frederick’s first “craft beer.” Even Charles Carroll of Carrollton makes mention of dealing with Mr. Heck, who supplemented his business by selling horses. Balser Heck bought town lot #20, where Asbury Church is now located (on the northwest corner of West All Saints and Court streets), from Christian Brengle in 1777. Heck’s widow would eventually sell it back to Brengle some eighteen years later in 1795 as his last will and testament had directed her to do. This was Mr. Heck’s business site, likely the first of an interesting line of breweries that would operate on this lot on the southside of Carroll Creek, along what was once a narrow alley connecting W. All Saints Street with West Patrick Street. Court Street is a name that would come much later, because the stretch between All Saints and West Patrick became known as Brewer’s Alley. Heck had also bought part of lot #38 from the heirs of his father-in-law (John Linganfelter) in 1787. Balser Heck's son, Charles, sold it to John Hoffman in 1804 who sold it to Job Hunt in 1814. This lot is on the south side of the first block of East Patrick (now 16-20 E. Patrick) where JoJo's Restaurant and Tap House is today. Talk about your extremes for the future—one of Heck's former properties is today the site of a church, and the other is popular bar/restaurant. Frederick City planner Lisa Mroszcyk Murphy wrote in her Preservation Matters article of 2018 that there was yet another historical account noting two brewers in Frederick in 1797, but she didn’t share their names. I assumed that Christian Brengle kept the brewery operation going after making the purchase from Balser Heck's widow. I soon found an advertisement in an old newspaper in which Mrs. Catharine Kimboll (1745-1831) mentions lots for sale on the northside (of the second block) of West All Saints Street, above "Deal’s Brewery." (As a side note, Catharine (Grosh) Kimboll was another notable early businesswoman of Frederick Town like Eleanor Charlton. She ran a tavern on West Patrick Street from 1797-1828 that hosted many early statesmen and would eventually become the City Hotel, Frederick's prime lodging spot throughout the century, eventually yielding to the Francis Scott Key Hotel that would be built on its original footprint). I soon determined the exact identity of this Mr. Deal thanks to land research conducted with my trusted assistant, Marilyn Veek. We found that Mr. Brengle sold the property in 1795 immediately after gaining possession of it again from Balser Heck's widow. It was transferred to Frederick Diehl of Adams County, Pennsylvania. After painful study of land deeds and census records, we deducted that Frederick Diehl was the financier here, and possibly the brains as well, but not the on-site brewer. It appears that he had set up his son, Abraham Diehl, to oversee the brewing operation here on Carroll Creek in the same location that Balser Heck had previously utilized. I found Abraham living in Frederick in the 1800 US Census, however I couldn't land any articles or advertisements in local newspapers readily available to me. Perhaps the target audience for his product was the local tavern community, or perhaps his father's base in Pennsylvania? In late June, 1807, there appeared to be a flurry of activity at the county courthouse in respect to property holdings between father and son. One of the most interesting deeds had listed the equipment utilized for the brewing operation itself including two copper stills and a copper heater. Frederick Diehl appears to have come to Frederick to operate the brewery himself at this time. A wool mill also came about across the creek to the north of the brewery here. Regardless, the Diehl's ownership of the brewery would cease in 1809 when the operation was purchased by a Christopher Haller. In Lisa’s Preservation Matters article on early brewers, she included info from the 1810 census noting four breweries in Frederick producing 730 barrels of beer valued at $4,380. One of these likely belonged to a man named George Carl Gelwick (1741-1817), a native of Hanover, PA. Gelwick could earlier be found operating a brewery in Hagerstown in 1798. I have reason to believe that at least two breweries were operating on Carroll Creek in the general vicinity of todays Frederick County Court House. As for Gelwick in Frederick, I found his approximate location to be on West Patrick Street near the bend, with his property backing up to Carroll Creek. His obituary reports that he was a brewer and an innkeeper. I did learn that Gelwick is buried in Hagerstown's Rose Hill Cemetery, but could not find Balser Heck's final remains whereabouts, but I assume they were placed in one of Frederick's original downtown graveyards. Now an early Frederick brewer that I know is in Mount Olivet is one Andrew Thomson (c.1771-1822). However, he is buried in an unmarked grave in Mount Olivet's Area NN/Lot 134. He was originally laid to rest in the town’s Presbyterian burying ground, once located on the southwest corner of North Bentz and Dill Avenue where Washington's funeral was commemorated in February of 1800. I don't know where Mr. Thomson conducted his "mixology," but I strongly believe that he took over Mr. Gelwick's brewery upon the gentleman's death in 1817. Meanwhile, on lot #20 along Brewer's Alley, Mr. Haller had sold the former brewery of Mssrs. Diehl and Heck to John Baker. Frederick's tavern scene was on the rise thanks to the National Pike coming through down via Patrick Street. By 1825, Frederick had 19 "public houses," most located on Patrick and Market streets. Other local taverns than the Sign of the Spread Eagle and Fountain Inn that were formerly kept by the Brother family included names such as Sign of the Sorrel Horse, Sign of the Seven Stars, Sign of the Eagle and Review, Washington Inn, Globe Inn, Sign of the Sheaf of Wheat and Plow, Sign of the Ship, Black Horse Tavern and many more. The demand for this beer would grow locally, but as the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad would reach Frederick in 1831, beer could now be transported more efficiently from Baltimore as opposed to long stagecoach rides to "Charm City" taking up to 18 to 24 hours. As we have established, during much of the 19th century, the east side of today's North Court Street between Patrick and Church streets boasted saloons and hotel “bars” on each corner. A block south, the west side of South Court Street became formerly known as Brewer's Alley, and was home to a substantial brewery that extended between All Saints Street and the creek. The Diehl's carding factory would be re-purposed by a man named Gideon Bantz who built a mill and leather tanning operation on the north side of the creek. By chance or design, Brewer’s Alley actually extended beyond West South Street, with this stretch playing home to the town’s eventual ice plant. Later, this particular thoroughfare would take the equally fitting name of Ice Street. Regardless, ice would play an important role for the brewer’s and their products. There are no physical signs of the breweries here today, but the name of course is kept alive thanks to Phil Bowers naming his "brew-pub" on North Market Street, Brewer’s Alley. This month (July, 2023), the popular restaurant is celebrating its 26th anniversary. Frederick's tradition of local brewing and saloon style hospitality is on display each and everyday here, and at their Monocacy Brewing location and tasting room located at 1781 North Market Street. By the way, the new Brewer’s Alley Restaurant location was once Frederick City Hall, and played home to the legendary City Opera House. The previous building at the Brewer’s Alley restaurant site was known as the Market House and was built in the 1760s and replaced in the 1873 with the current structure. Captain William Small Before my recent discovery of the mysterious "Mr. Deal," a gentleman named William Small was another early known brewer to take up operations on Brewer's Alley after buying a number of lots in the year 1830. A shoemaker from the York, PA area, he was German and his name was originally spelled “Schmahl.” At a time when we did not have a fancy and attractive flood control project, properties adjacent the creek had their definite upsides and downsides. Adequate, and convenient, water source for drinking, industry, clothes-washing etc. was great, but the constant threat of flooding and swamp-like conditions in a low-lying floodplain was not ideal and brought several other problems. This early brewery was located on the south side of the creek, where we've established that Asbury United Methodist Church sits today. Capt. Small gave me the opportunity to "check my work" as Marilyn and I found deed documents that traced back previous owners of the original brewery property on Carroll Creek. Small obtained the brewery from John Kunkel, who bought the operation at a sheriff's sale. The former owner, John Baker seems to have defaulted on his mortgage to Christopher Haller from whom he had bought the brewery in 1814. Haller purchased the location from Frederick Diehl who apparently came back into the operation for a few years when son Abraham sold the property and all brewing utensils to his father in the year 1807. Few other details are known about the brewery under Small, which operated under him up through 1852 supposedly. However, Frederick diarist Jacob Engelbrecht wrote in his diary On July 27th, 1837 that "Messers. Captain William Small, George Rohr & Michael Schuh left here a few days since for St. Louis. Missouri to carry on brewing." We do know some things about his personal life and civic involvement. William Small married Maria Turbott in September, 1826 (daughter of Capt. Nicholas Turbott). She would die in 1836, and is buried here in Mount Olivet. Capt. Small would remarry Elizabeth Hewitt of Baltimore two years later. As for William, he served as a city councilman in the 1830s and also commanded a militia company called the “Independent Blues.” I found a reference in the 1842 minutes of the House of Delegates to furnish Captain William Small with 50 muskets of the 1841 Harpers Ferry make. Capt. Small died in 1845, but it is said that his family continued to hold the brewery up through 1852. Jacob Markell would succeed Captain Small at this location, and a few more would follow growing the operation to its greatest success at this very location. Meanwhile, another brewer had located himself nearby to the immediate west and on the north side of the creek as I had alluded with the Gelwick and Thomson brewing operations. A force to be reckoned with would be another German named John George Lipps. More on him and the others next week in Part 2 of this intoxicating "Story in Stone." I immediately thought that this grave in Mount Olivet's Area NN, a short distance from the grave of Maria Small, was that of Capt. William Small. NOPE! The dates don't match up as Capt. Small did not die in 1840. Instead, he died in July 1845. The search for the grave sites of some of our early brewers continues! History Shark Productions presents:
Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101" Are you interested in Frederick history? Want to learn more from this award-winning author and documentarian? Check out his latest, in-person, course offering: Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101," with a 4-part/week course on Tuesday evenings in late August/early September, 2023 (Aug. 22, 29 & Sept 5, 12). These will take place from 6-8:30pm at Mount Olivet Cemetery's Key Chapel. Cost is $79 (includes 4 classes). In addition to the lecture class above, three unique "Frederick History 101 Walking Tour-Classes" in Mount Olivet Cemetery will be led by Chris this summer. These are available for different dates (July 25th, Aug. 8th and Aug 23rd) Cost $20. For more info and course registration, click the button below! (More courses to come) With the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg upon us, I thought it would be fitting to highlight a participant of that legendary conflict for this week’s story subject. His name is Col. Edward H. Welsh, and his gravestone in Frederick’s historic Mount Olivet spells out the fact that he was brevetted for gallantry shown in battle at Gettysburg in early July, 1863. And in case you are not familiar with the word “brevet,“ here is the definition: In many of the world's military establishments, a brevet was a warrant giving a commissioned officer a higher rank title as a reward for gallantry or meritorious conduct but may not confer the authority, precedence, or pay of real rank. An officer so promoted was referred to as being brevetted. Those of you who read last week’s “Story in Stone” know that the Union Army of the Potomac spent a few days in Frederick in late June, 1863. With Gen. Joseph J. Hooker in command, the Army was in pursuit of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee who had crossed the Potomac into Maryland a few weeks earlier with Rebel forces. Lee’s objectives were unknown to the Union forces and the leadership in Washington as this marked his furthest foray into northern territory. Cities such as Washington, Baltimore, Harrisburg and Philadelphia found themselves on high alert. Meanwhile back in Frederick, a messenger had been sent to town with an order from President Lincoln to relieve Gen. Hooker of his duties, and put Gen. George G. Meade in his place atop the Army of the Potomac. Meade and his men of the 5th Corps were encamped at Arcadia, a fine manor house on the Buckeystown Pike, located just north of the small hamlet of Lime Kiln. The actual change of command would occur at Gen. Hooker’s temporary quarters in the early morning hours of June 28th, at Prospect Hall a few miles to the northwest. With little time to plan strategy, Gen. Meade gathered his army which had been encamped in and around Frederick City, and marched them northwards toward the Mason-Dixon Line and Pennsylvania where intelligence reported Gen. Lee and his men to be. Every major roadway leading north from Frederick was utilized by the expansive Union force. Meade would make his next headquarters at Middleburg (Carroll County) on the 29th, and then northeast of Taneytown on the Shunk Farm where he directed the early concentration of his forces between June 30th and July 1st. Ironically, Meade had come from the south northward to meet his rival (coming from the north). His initial plan was one of a defensive nature requiring the spreading out of his troops across a series of entrenchments in northwestern Carroll County utilizing Pipe Creek as a line of demarcation. This has an interesting connection to Mount Olivet, and our most famous resident in Francis Scott Key who grew up along Pipe Creek near Keymar (MD). Key’s birthplace was the family plantation of Terra Rubra. What if the battle had been fought here and not Gettysburg? Could it have spilled over into northeastern Frederick County such as Thurmont (known then as Mechanicstown) or Graceham or Emmitsburg? What if? Instead, the greatest battle of the American Civil War would be fought July 1st–3rd, 1863, in and around the small town of Gettysburg just over the Pennsylvania border. In the conflict, Gen. Meade's Army defeated attacks by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, halting Lee's invasion of the North. The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point due to the Union's decisive victory and concurrence with its victorious Siege of Vicksburg. There are soldiers here in Mount Olivet that found themselves in Gettysburg on the field of battle in early July, 1863. One of them was a gentleman named Edward H. Welsh. His gravesite is marked by a substantial chunk of granite located adjacent the Key Memorial Chapel in Area H/Lot 5. The gravestone employs a mixed exterior of both polished surface along with rough-hewn sides and base. The lower face of his gravestone has raised, polished lettering and a simple cross. The cross, however, has nothing to do with traditional religion per se, but has a special military meaning as I would soon find out. The simple cross on Col. Welsh’s gravestone can be found throughout Gettysburg National Battlefield Park and signifies the Union Army of the Potomac’s 6th Corps. The 6th Corps had 37 infantry regiments and 8 artillery batteries at the Battle of Gettysburg, organized into 3 divisions of two or three brigades each and an artillery brigade. The military cross that appears on Col. Welsh’s gravestone in Mount Olivet, also appears on a very special monument on the battlefield on Culp’s Hill. As an aside, please check out a website called CivilWarCycling.com in which author Sue Thibodeaux has written an article (geared towards bicycle-bearing tourists) about the monument shapes and symbols at Gettysburg. It is a key to unlocking the symbols on regimental monuments that honor the Army of the Potomac. Sue has written books about other Civil War battlefield sites as well. The 65th New York Monument on Slocum Avenue honors Maj. Gen. John Sedwick’s 6th Corps. (Gen. Henry Slocum, of whom the avenue is named, was in command of the army’s right wing, which included Sedwick’s Corps.) The geographical location of the battlefield here is Culp’s Hill, as mentioned earlier. Particularly interesting for us locally, the action that involved the 6th Corps here occurred on the Union Army’s right on Day 2 and Day 3 of the battle (July 2nd and 3rd), and featured Marylanders of the Union Army pitted against Marylanders of the Confederate Army. On the second day of battle, most of both armies had assembled. The Union line was laid out in a defensive formation resembling a fishhook. In the late afternoon of July 2nd, Lee launched a heavy assault on the Union left flank, and fierce fighting raged at Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Devil's Den, and the Peach Orchard. On the Union right, Confederate demonstrations escalated into full-scale assaults on Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill. All across the battlefield, despite significant losses, the Union defenders held their lines. In addition to Edward H. Welsh, two prominent Frederick men were on opposing sides at Culp’s Hill—Bradley Tyler Johnson and Joseph Groff. Brigadier Gen. Bradley Tyler Johnson was a former attorney from Frederick who left town after gathering men to fight for the Confederacy. He would be among the most prominent Marylanders who fought for the South, and led the 1st Maryland Regiment, C.S.A. (Confederate States of America). He is descended from the Tyler and Johnson families of town with roots going back to Baker Johnson, brother of Gov. Thomas Johnson. Bradley Tyler Johnson was born in 1829, the son of Charles Worthington Johnson and Eleanor Murdock Tyler and graduated from Princeton in 1849. He read law with William Ross of Frederick, and finished his legal degree at Harvard. He was admitted to the bar in 1851. Johnson is not buried here, but rather in Loudon Park Cemetery in Baltimore. About 100 yards directly behind (and west) of Edward H. Welsh’s grave is that of Capt. Joseph Groff of the Union’s Potomac Home Brigade. This outfit was made up of local men from our area. I wrote a “Story in Stone” on Captain Groff and you can read more on him at your leisure. On the third day of battle, fighting resumed on Culp's Hill, and cavalry battles raged to the east and south, but the main event was a dramatic infantry assault by around 12,000 Confederates against the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge, known as Pickett's Charge. The charge was repelled by Union rifle and artillery fire, at great loss to the Confederate army. Lee led his army on a torturous retreat back to Virginia. Between 46,000 and 51,000 soldiers from both armies were casualties in the three-day battle, the most costly in US history. Both Capt. Groff and Lt. Welsh would be wounded at Culp’s Hill, not far from Spangler’s Spring. The landmark is down below the hill from the 65th New York Infantry Monument marking the ground Welsh, and his fellow soldiers, stood upon 160 years ago. One side panel of the monument reads: “Arrived on the field at 2 P.M. on July 2. At daylight of the 3rd, moved from the base of Little Round Top to Culp’s Hill. Held this position til 3 P.M. then moved to the left center.” The 65th’s brigade commander, Col. Alexander Shaler, was relatively new in his position. His recent promotion came following heroics at the Battle of Salem Heights (VA) in which he, himself, displayed gallantry under fire leading him to earn the Medal of Honor, the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration. Lt. Colonel Joseph E. Hamblin was promoted to colonel as a result, and took direct command of the regiment. At Gettysburg, he had brought 319 men to the field, including Lt. Welsh. Hamblin lost 4 men killed and 5 wounded during the three-day engagement between July 1st-3rd, 1863. One of those wounded was our subject Edward H. Welsh. Edward Horace Welsh was born on June 2nd, 1840 in North Bloomfield, Trumbull County, Ohio. His parents were Samuel H. Welsh (1811-1900) and Matilda (Flower) Welsh (1815-1846). A biography of Col. Welsh can be found in the History of Allegany County, Maryland by James Thomas and Thomas J. C. Williams (published 1923). It reads: “He was reared and educated in his native state. When still a lad, moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and later became a member of the Cleveland Grays, a company organized in that city. When war broke out between the States, he enlisted as a member of the Seventh New York Militia, and served with it until it was mustered out ninety days later, and he then enlisted, with the First Regiment of United States Chasseurs, also called the Sixty-fifth New York Volunteer Infantry, and July 11, 1861, was appointed quartermaster-sergeant of this regiment because of his patriotism and valor. At the time of this later enlistment he was only twenty years of age, and yet in spite of his youth served with distinction throughout the entire campaign. At the battle of Fair Oaks, or Seven Pines, as it is sometimes called, he was wounded in the breast, leg and ankle, and, as a reward for meritorious service, was made a second lieutenant. On October 28, 1863, Mr. Welsh was appointed first lieutenant of the Sixth Artillery, New York State Volunteers, and served with distinction during the three days battle of Gettysburg, and was very active in the placing of artillery at strategic points, and for this splendid service was brevetted colonel. A monument in honor of the service performed by his regiment now stands near the entrance to the Gettysburg National Cemetery. Subsequently he was assigned to the personal staff of General Hunt, of the Artillery of the Army of the Potomac, where he served with distinction until the close of the war. In spite of his severe wounds he never drew a pension, nor did he ever apply for one, "it being his pleasure that he served his country and was wounded in its service because of his patriotic love for it, and not for any material reward.” The History of Allegany County biography continues: “After his honorable discharge, Mr. Welsh went to Frederick City, Maryland. On November 8th, 1869, Mr. Welsh married Ellen Sophie (Wisong) (1838-1923) of Frederick City. She grew up in a house found on East Patrick Street.” Welsh supposedly came to Frederick and sold lightning rods. After marrying, the couple lived together with Ellen’s widowed father, Isaac Wisong, and sister Jennie. Also living here were Ellen’s 16-year-old niece Margaret Irene Cromwell and nephew 18-year-old Charles Cromwell. The men (Edward and Charles) are listed as working as store clerks, and I would bet they worked at the Excelsior Stove House of N. J. Wilson located on E. Patrick Street. which featured a lightning rod department; or in either of grocery stores, as two were located near their home in the 100 block of East Patrick Street. (The Wisongs lived at 117 E. Patrick according to records). These groceries were Holbrunner’s Grocery and Plummer’s Grocery at the time (1870). Welsh worked as a hotel clerk in Cumberland as early as 1873. Another excerpt from the biography found in the History of Allegany County by Williams and Thomas tells of Welsh's move from Frederick to western Maryland but mentions the job he would "leave the hotel" for: “In 1873, he came to Cumberland, and established himself in the wholesale and retail green grocery business on Baltimore Street, and later became associated with the Kenneweg Company, wholesale grocers, was its president for a number of years until his death January 21st, 1914. He was a director of the First National Bank, and the Cumberland Dry Goods & Notion Company, both of Cumberland, and never lost his deep interest in the welfare of the city, and the development of its enterprises. Mr. Welsh took an active part in the operation of the Allegany Building, Loan & Savings Company, and demonstrated his faith in the city and county by investing in their different enterprises. A strong Republican, he was honored by being the successful candidate of his party for the office of city councilman, and was returned to that office after serving one term.” Let’s break this published bio down a bit, shall we? In the 1890 Cumberland Directory, the Welshs lived on Baltimore Street, next door to their grocery business. Ads from 1889 say that the E. H. Welsh Grocery was located at 150 Baltimore Street. Perhaps a renumbering occurred, or a move to a different building occurred. Regardless, they would re-locate from this home at some point before the 1900 census was taken, as they can be found living in a house they owned on Decatur Street. Edward was active in the National Civil War Veterans fraternal organization known as the Grand Army of the Republic, or G.A.R. for short. In 1903, Edward H. Welsh was appointed as an Aide-de-Camp of the National Commander in Chief of the G.A.R., and in 1905 he could be found serving as Commander of the Tyler Post #5 in Cumberland. Welsh represented the Department of Maryland at the National Encampment of the G.A.R. in Denver, Colorado in September, 1905. He also represented the Cumberland G.A.R. Post at the annual Department Encampment in Baltimore in April, 1906. In business, our subject was re-elected as a director of the Inter-State Trust Company in 1907, and again in 1909. In 1907, Edward and a business associate bought the large Kenneweg Company Wholesale Grocery store, a chain store affiliate of the Pittsburgh firm of the same name. Mr. Christian Kenneweg had come to town in the late 1880s, and Col. Welsh seems to have kept his composure and competed for years without issue. Mr. Kenneweg likely saw something in Welsh to eventually sell the location/franchise to him.
Col. Welsh was now 70 years of age by early July, 1910 and the 47th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. He continued his activities in business, civic and personal life. I searched the local papers for any mention of Col. Welsh’s participation in the activities marking the 50th anniversary of the most famous battle fought on American soil. This was a big deal as thousands of soldiers gathered in the central Pennsylvania town to participate in commemorative events marketed as "The Great Peace Reunion." It would be held in sweltering heat, and was attended by President Woodrow Wilson, former officers of the battle and other dignitaries. I would have to assume that Col. Welsh was there in Gettysburg with old friends and foes from 1863 for that amazing commemoration. Here was a man very proud of his military service, exemplified by participation at the highest leadership levels in the G.A.R. activities, and having a gravestone that makes special note of his participation in the Battle of Gettysburg. I’d bet money that Edward H. Welsh was there in Gettysburg from July 1st-4th, 1913. I thought I had something when a Frederick newspaper online search provided me with a Welsh result pertaining to the Gettysburg commemoration of 1913. However, I soon deducted that this gentleman was not our Edward H. Welsh. The article centered on another former resident named John L. Obenderfer who once reported to a “Capt. Welsh” in the Confederate ranks. It is a comically written story so I decided to share with you nonetheless. Getting back to our Col. Welsh of Frederick and Cumberland, I am happy to think that he had this amazing experience in Gettysburg of attending the 50th anniversary commemoration. This is even more poignant because five months later, Edward H. Welsh would be gone. He died on January 21st, 1914 in Cumberland. The History of Allegany County states: “For about a year prior to his demise Mr. Welsh was in poor health, but his death came as a shock to his many friends in the city and county. His funeral was largely attended by the leading citizens of this region, who flocked to honor one who in life had rendered so public-spirited a service, and set so high an example of honorable living. Interestingly, interment was not made here in Mount Olivet. Instead, Col. Welsh was interred in Cumberland’s Rose Hill Cemetery.” Ellen S. Welsh continued living in the couple’s home in Cumberland. She also would receive her late husband's pension. Her live-in companion remained niece Margaret Irene Cromwell. She died in 1923 at the age of 85 in Cumberland, however her body was brought to her native home for burial. She would be laid to rest in her family plot in Area H/Lot 5 just outside Key Memorial Chapel, newly constructed less than a decade before. Mrs. Welsh left quite an estate behind, a testimonial to her late husband’s business acumen. It was worth an estimated $200,000 according to her will. Without any direct heirs, the majority of the estate would go to niece Margaret Irene Cromwell. Mrs. Welsh’s last wishes directed that the body of her late husband Edward be exhumed and re-interred next to her in Mount Olivet at the time of her death. This would be completed six months after Ellen’s funeral . Edward’s body arrived at the cemetery on November 23rd, 1923. An additional bequest included $200 to be paid to Mount Olivet for the upkeep of the family plot. Margaret Cromwell had started her life in Frederick, but would stay in Cumberland living in the home on Decatur Street until her death in 1933. Margaret's executors would sell the former Welsh family home to Allegany Hospital of the Sisters of Charity in 1935. Ms. Cromwell's body would be brought back to Frederick like the Welshs. She would be buried next to Col. Welsh and Ellen, her adopted parents for the bulk of her life one could say. A final person of note in this plot was Margaret’s mother of the same name. She was Ellen Welsh’s sister who died at age 29 in October 1855. This was less than two weeks before daughter Margaret’s second birthday. So on this 160th observance of the Battle of Gettysburg, let us not forget that "freedom is not free." The idiom expresses gratitude for the service of members of the military, implicitly stating that the freedoms enjoyed by many citizens in many democracies are possible only through the risks taken and sacrifices made by those in the military, drafted or not. The saying pertains to Col. Welsh and thousands of others in Mount Olivet who participated in conflicts that allow us to attend baseball games, eat hotdogs and drink beer at family picnics, go to the beach, and watch fireworks this holiday weekend if we so please. So be sure to give the colonel's "illustrative" gravestone a nod of respect if you happen to be in the cemetery anytime soon. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Karl "Woody" Woodcock and Gary L. Dyson for the advance research work both gentleman have done on our Civil War soldiers at Mount Olivet. Some of that research was utilized in pulling together this story. History Shark Productions presents:
Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101" Are you interested in Frederick history? Want to learn more from this award-winning author and documentarian? Check out his latest, in-person, course offering: Chris Haugh's "Frederick History 101," with a 4-part/week course on Tuesday evenings in late August/early September, 2023 (Aug. 22, 29 & Sept 5, 12). These will take place from 6-8:30pm at Mount Olivet Cemetery's Key Chapel. Cost is $79 (includes 4 classes). In addition to the lecture class above, four unique "Frederick History 101 Walking Tour-Classes" in Mount Olivet Cemetery will be led by Chris this summer. These are available for different dates (July 11, July 25th, Aug. 8th and Aug 23rd) Cost $20. For more info and course registration, click the button below! (More courses to come) |
STORIES
|
Archives
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016