The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-04-17
MI is eIIaneOus
For The AgiS d Mtc7igeaceJ
A Ramble i'm Hartford.
NO. V III.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT BEL AIR;
With glance at the more PROMINENT Younq
Gentlemen and their characteristics, torty-
.t0ur-ye0rs ago.
On looking back l discover an omission
in my attempt to describe Bel Air as it
was in the past, and feel in duty bound to
supply it. AS this, however, will require
but paragraph or two, propose to fill
out my usual space with a glance at few
of the more prominent young men of the
village at the period of which l write with
such characteristics as were impressed upon
the mind Of wild and rather needless boy.
First as to the omission. Maj. William
Richardson was one of the most public
spirited and popular men in the place, and
owned and kept the hotel now occupied
by Mr.. Hanna. He not only kept one of
the best hotels in all the country-for
which his excellent lady was entitled to
at least half the credit-but he was q SUI
perior farmer, and in few years made the
old fields attached to his residence among
the most productive lands in the neighbor-
hood. distinctly remember that his chief
fertilizer was clover. He was very kind
hearted, benevolent man, always full of hui
NOR and apparently happy, and loved in
the summer time to sit in the shade of the
big hickory tree in his yard and contribute
to the pleasure and amusement of his guests.
He was fine judge and very fond ofhorses,
and did more for the improvement of stock
in his day than perhaps any other man in
the county.
The other houses | omitted to mention
were on the same street, between Major
Richardson's and the Baltimore road. The
first was occupied by Mrs. Sally Rockhold
and the other, now owned and occupied by
Miss Jesse Fraser, was built by William
Coale, and occupied by Luther Norris
Mrs. Rockhold was an elderly woman, tall
and straight, with an eye like an eagle, an
austere manner, and tirmncss and vim
unusual in women Of that day. Although
she had soft place in her heart, which
often led her to divide her living with her
less provident relatives, was always afraid
of her, as | could not help associating hel
in my mind with that other woman the
Bible talks about, and who dwclt at En-
dor. She kept kind of Il bakery and
private entertainment, where refreshments
both solid and liquid, could be had at any
hour of the day or night. Among her de.
horse, the former one of the oldest and
most petulant man in the county, and the
latter said to have been "a years old when
he died.
had but little acquaintance with Mr.
Luther Norris. He owned a farm in ono
of the Nccks, think, where most of his
time was spent, and removed his family to
Bel Air for the sake of the health of his
wife, who was very delicate lady, and
had the auJurntst lair l ever saw.
This finishes up all the residences in Bel
Air and their occupants at the period refer.
red to, according to my recollection, and |
now come to what will require an effort of
memory to record with accuracy-the oh.
servations and impressions of boy in his
teens of the characteristics of the more
prominent young men ofthe village between
40 and so years ago.
The first to whom my mind rcvcrts is
Elisha Guyton, who was an enigma to me
and perhaps puzzle to himself for the
reason that at one moment he seemed tC
be the happiest man alive, and the next
of all men the most miserable, Now as
volatile as a French dancing master, and
in little while as gloomy as an anchorite
He was fond OF dress, wore the tallcst hat
the sharpest swallow-tailed coats, with Il
bosom full ofrutfles of the largest class, and
his whole outfit of the most elegant and
fashionable style. He was one of Col
Dorsey's deputy clerks, and wrote beauti
tul hand. 1t was astonishing to see wha
fine and heavy lines he could draw in tn,
same word or even letter with the samt
quill pen. He always kept fine horse
knew how to manage him, and was fond o
dash and excitement. Withal he wa,
kind and accommodating, and would e
any length for friend He was fond o
reading, had good store of information
would be in love with half dozen ladies
at once, but was very chary of matrimonial
alliances. The last time saw him l me
with him in Pennsylvania Avenue, ii
Washington city, in the Spring of 1881
when he seemed to be confirmed bach
elor, and l never heard of him afterwards
Another young gentleman of Bel Air, a
that day, was Augustus A. Bond, one o
the best looking and most pleasant ono