The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-07-03
Life and Times of Elijah stansbury.

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Elijah Stansbury, eX-Mayor Of Baltim ore
city, copy of neat volume containing q
sketch of his life and "reminiscences of the
stirring seen es and important events in the
early history of Baltimore, in which Col.
Stansbury bore prominent and honora Bile
part. The book is exceedingly interesting,
and calls up wildly scenes and incidents the
actors in which have nearly all passed away
but which have become part of the hi story
of our State. The contents of the volume
embrace a minute account of the Battle of
North Pont-in which Col. Stansbury took
gallant part-the three Floods of Jones'
Falls, independent of the first one, 1856; the
reception of La Fayette; the laying of the
first stone of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road by the venerable Charles Carroll of Car
rolton the falling metcors of 1888 the bank
riots of 1885 the Inauguration of the mag
netic telegraph the reception of Kossuth ;
together with interesting and useful statistics,
&c.
The work, which has been compiled by
Archibald Hawkins, is cmbellished with a
greatly to its value and interest Colonel
Stansbury, is now in his SD year, and as we
learn from the volume before us, was reared
in Hartford county,A "StansbuIy's Mills" on
B srs=~eei,asal where his nephew Mr.. James
Stansbury, now resides. The first chapter of
the book embraces all that is told of his life
here prior to his removal to the city. The fol-
4 lowing extract taken thcrefrom will be found
interesting;
Elijah Stansbury was born in Baltimore coun-
ty, Maryland, in the month of May, 1871, near
Zl5gSs s;.ge Hufidlng Baltimore and Hartford coun-
ties, the place being then known as "McGaw's
Mills" on the manor He was the sixth son of
Elijah Stansbury, ST., the scion of family wide
" and favorably known throughout Maryland
among her earliest settlers. While the subject
of these memoirs was tender infant, his father
purchased farm and mill seat in Hartford coun.
Nv, to which place he moved and where he lived
happily for many years with his amiable consort,
successfully rearing family of thirteen children
ten sons and three daughters, Elijah being the
sixth born. 1t was the earnest wish of his pa
rents to make him farmer, but from his boy
hood up, he ever eyinccd strong desire and
fondness for military life, and as illustrative
of the procliyity and spirit of the boy fore.shad-
owing those of the man, we here give as apropos
the following episode:
At the age of fifteen years, he organized COM
pany of boys, numbering forty-seven. Being
elected Captain, with Edward Rutledge as First
Lieutenant, he generously furnished them with
plumcs, wooden guns and swords at his own ex-
pense, and disciplined them to the best of his
= ability, meeting every Saturday, weather permit
ting, for drill exercise in military tactics. Soon
after the organization of our young heros com
1 pany, youth by the name of Joseph johnson,
sAalso raised similar company, some four miles
isEom Captain Stansburys ncighborhood, and
Tim, members elected young johnson, their Cap
4 tain Sometime after this, Captain Stansbury's
Company conceived that Captain Johnson's had
offered them a gross insult, which they took
tTUlnpt measures TO redress by demanding an
4 apology or some proper reparation. But no no.
/ tice ofthis appeal was taken by Captain Johnson,
whereupon Captain Stansbury's Company chal-
combat on n certain day indicated-the place of
meeting to be on q large level old-feld, known
by the name of "Macatee's Old Fields" where
all the public parades took place. This old field
was about halfway between the homes of the
two companies. The challenge was accepted
andaccordingly the necessary prelminaries were
arranged to settle the matter as follows:
First. The Captains of the two companies
!, were to have single combat without arms and
"a the result not satisfactory to both compa-
5ginies, then, Secondly. The two respective First
,l.ioutenants should, in evenhanded conflict, ell
n teavor to bring the difficulty 70 satisfactory
sshdjustment by their personal skill and courage.
.kff this taileGgSthen, Thirdly. The next officers
of equal grade should successfully pit them
selves against each other to fight for victory
But, ifthis material was exhausted in van Then,
LaStly The whole of each company, equally
numbered, should meet in general fight.
There was no battle however, for Captain
Johnson's Company proved non est ingc1,t1S, hay.
ing failed to appear upon the field. By way Of
pleasantly the poet might add to meet this Incl
dent,
lie from the fight who stays away,
May live to fight another day
In justice to the absent company, we would
say that it was more than probable that the pa
rents of the respective members of Captain John
sons Company, having heard of the contemplat-
ed meeting, took measures to prevent their sons
from going. Indeed, Captain Stansbury's Com
pany numbered only twenty seven on this occa-
sion, doubtless from the same cause. The pa
rents of some of the members of Captain STAINS
bury's Company secretly followed, in order to
see how they would aquit themselves in battle! .
This was not known to our young heroes till
they returned to their quarters. At all events,
Captain Stansbury's command gave at least this
manifestation of bravery and pluck, by march
ing to the battle field to confront the enemy
and fthe Zoe was not there it certainly was not
the fault of our young soldiers, who so faithful
ly followed their commander. This incident
tends to show that the candor and manliness of
Elijah Stansburys disposition were thus early
displayed among his young companions,
and the commanding influence of his character
was first discovered by his asccndency over them.
y Il = !: * !! II y x
At this period his father had two farms and n
mill seat on Deer Creek, in Hartford county,
Maryland. The mill seat consisted of large
stone mill for grinding flour and meal, q saw mill,
fulling mill and carding machine. This was
in 1908, when manufacturing was in its infancy
in that section of the country. The carding ma
chine was secured as preliminary step to going
into the manufacturing of domestic goods. But
that enterprise was never carried into effect
Attached TO this mill seat were one hundred and
twenty acres of land. All this last mentioned
farm and mill scat his doting parents offered to
give him, provided he would stay at home, MAX
ing him a deed for the same, and giving him full
possession upon his reaching his twenty first
year. But all this could not induce him to
change his mind. They made no further objec-
ton. Having brother living in Baltimore,
who was a bricklayer by trade, he at once APP
prenticed himself to him for four years, and faith
fully SerUed MS time ont. What noble and
manly example is this, for youth OF the present