Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-10-07
RAM BLES.

, INCIDENTS, .ETo.
There is perhaps no finer Agricultural r
gion In New Castle County, than is to |
found lying along the State road from Dc
Junction on the Delaware Ralroad to ii
Village of Red Lion about mile and qua
ter east of Bear Station, and three mil,
north of the Village OF st. Georges.
On the road from the Bear station to Re
Lion we pass the farmers old Red Lilo
Camp-meeling grounds, famous in the Al
nails of Mcthodism as being the place wber
some Of the largest and most successfl
meetings of that denomination have bee
held. 1t is on the grouud of the Messr.
Cooper, of New Castle, who own three {
the largest and most productive farms i
the County, which are now titled respective
ly by Joseph Brown, William II. Robert
and Newton Pyle.
Red Lion is little village of about do
zen dwelling houses, two stores, black
smith and whee-wright shop, school -hous
and large brick NJ. E. Church. A sig
board swings in front of small frame tenc
ment, announcing to the traveller that her
at least the thirst can be quenched, withou
any further indications of accommodation
for "man or beast" We look down th
road towards the old familiar Silver man
sion, but the old sign with the rampant Lioi
standing erect upon his hind legs has disap
peared, and is snugly stored away in th,
garret only to remind those who may see it
OF the past when heavy Concstoga wagons
and numbering stage Coaches lined the road
There are many very fine mansions in thi:
section of country, but none with more in.
viting exterior and more comfortable and
homcllke in the interior arrangements thar
the old Rcd Lion mansion which was toI
more than half a century the abode of VIM.
Silver, one of the most successful and enter
prising men of his day and generation. Now
living III the old homestead are two of his
sons Samuel and A. Ii. Silver, the latterth
youngest OF the family and the youngest
member OF the present Delaware Legisla-
ture. he refers with pride to his vote ia
that body against the present Unjust and op.
pressive State tux bill.
The accumulation of farms at Red Lion
by the father are now Inherited by the sons.
The old home by Samuel Silver an adioin.
ing farm by A. Ii. Silver, another by Henry
Silver, now u merchant IN Delaware CITY.
and one OF l50 acres at the junction OF the
Dtlaware aud Frenchtown Railroads, by
VIM. Silver, jr., of this city; the latter has
erected ON his place u fine barn and commo-
dious dwelling house at cost OF $1,000. A
fifth farm OF ! 10 acres adjoining the village,
Is held in common by Samuel and A. Ill,
In m fh,. p.,n
acres OF the choice land Of iSrw Castle Coun-
ty owned by the Silver family. Exclusive
Of this they own farm of $50 acres near
Mllington in Kent county The crops of
tnis section Of the country have rarely been
excited, though the drought has reduced
the corn crop little below two-thiids of the
usual yield
From the rail road is seen the first class
farm of Ii. II. McMullin, while along side is
the house of Dclaware's favorite son. the
Hon. JonN NJ. CLAYTON. Though deceased,
his memory is fresh in the heart Of every
Delawarcan who lived in the halcyon days
of Webster, Clay, Calhoun, and Clayton.
In little obscure village in southern
Sussex, called Dagsboro, on July oath, 1896
was born John M. Clayton, who for half a
century swayed they destiny of his native
State in spite Of all combination and in the
face of all opposition.
In former ramble through Sussex, we
behcld the house IN which he was born di-
lapidated. weatherbeaten and uninhabted,
covered with large circus-posters, every
thing on the occasion of our visit bctokening
poverty and decay in our present ramble
we paused to pay transient visit to the
home OF the deceased Statesman in his lat
ter years. What a contrast the former,
have already described, the latter the abode
OF wealth and refinement. At the age of 22
III the year 1878, after having graduated at
the law school of Litclfield, in Connecticut.
he commenced the practice of law in George
town, in his own native county. At the
early age of 33, he was elected United States
Senator from Delaware to which position he
was often elected, and held, except when
he resigned TO accept some appointment Of
honor and trust from the hands of the differ
ent administrations with which he was in
sympathy until the time of his death, which
occurred in Dover, November 9th, 1856, on
The occasion of visit to relative in that
town.
The large farm of 800 acres extending
from the main State road across the Railroad
TO the Glasgow road was bought by MIR.
Clayton in 1913 and by him called Buena
Vista, in honor of General Taylor's victory
over the Mexicans, and when the old hero
was clerie1 President of the United States.
Mr.. Clayton was honored with the appoint
ment OF Secretary OF State The foregoing
data was furnished to us by MIR. James q.
Douglass, Il nephew of the deceased states
man, and to whom the farm now belongs
The beautiful and spacious mansion is almost
hid away from the public gaze by being sur
rounded with labyrinth of choice shade
trees.
1t is built of brick, two stories high, In the
most substantial manner, the walls all being
is inches thick, and so particular was Mr..
Clayton In its construction that not a parti-
Gle of sap wood was allowed to be used.
Through the indulgence of Mr.. Douglass
we were shown the interior, and requested
to look through the library of his uncle
which We did to the best advantage for the
very lew moments we had to spare.
A glance showed to us the preference the
Statesman had for everything Of Delaware
origin, every book giving any history or
account of his native State was carefully
preserved, and the long rows of Biographies
showed the veneratlol he had for Washing
ton, Adams, Jefferson, and all the leading
men OF the naticn who lived prior to his day
and generation.
Mr.. Douglass related to us several in
stances of the devotion of his uncle To the
Interests Oh DcliWuFe. lie SAID IL was his
delight when III the Councils of the nation to
uphold everything of Delaware origin. The
Incident may perhaps moi be inap-
propriate to relate as ii discloses the history
)f iavoriic apple, which perhaps is un-
known to many Of the readers Of the TRI-
BUNE.
On one occasion being thrown in the com
,any of Senator Ma on Of Virginia, that
senator amongs' many other things which
le claimed as originating in Virg inia was
hat OF the Carthouse Apple. Mr.. Clayton
much to the chagrin and surprise of Senator |
Mason, convinced him that instead of the |
Jarth0use apple being native of Virginia |
l was a native Of Delaware, it being first |
liscovered,by Thomas Gilpi near Whining
on by tree which grew up near his Cart |
house and from which circumstance it was
named the Carthouse Apple.
Between the Mansion and Railroad is an |
orchard Of stvtral acres, one half OF which |
II least is planted with this variety of apple, |
he trees bending and breaking under their |
leavy load Of fiuit. In answer to our in |
lury we were informed that Mr. Clayton |
choose superabundapce of this variety be- |
;ause il was native OF Delaware.
MIR. Douglas related TO us an instance of |
he disposition of Mr.. Clayton to defend the |
and often undertook difficult and |
lnxp cutfo for t,aronna xh,x ,,,n,., 49,,