National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-08-07
A DAY WITH THE POTOMAC FARMERS
Meeting Of the woodlawn Farmers Club and
Excursion

a DAY WITH THE POTOAAC FAh NEhS
Meeting Of the woodlawn Farmers Club and
Excursion.
Among the very useful institutions of the
| agricultural class which have grown oat of
and at the same time given growth to the ns "
regime of free labor that had its beginnings in
| ante-war times and been consummated since,
| is the "WoodIawn Farmers Cluo." 1t took
its name from the Northern settlement known
by the designation of Woodla.wn, on the Po-
tomac's Virginia shore-a settlement CON-
menced nearly century ago on a portion of
General Washington's estate by colony
mainly composed OF New Jersey Quakers,
headed by Chalkley Gllingham and Jacob
Troth.
This association was formed soon after the
war Tin 1860 with Friend Gillingham as presi-
dent and the Hon. n. W Pierson as secretary.
who have been reelected annually ever since.
Growing out of the Woodlawn Clubs enter
prise there has more recently been formed
The Housekeepers' Association" composed
mostly OF the wives and daughters of the mem
bers OF the club, and devoted to the develop
ment Of renewed interest of the ''lost art" Of
housekeeping, as we may sadly but safely say
OF II in allusion to too much neglected house
holds elsewhere, in the days of street warn
spinning and pinbacks and bustles.
On Saturday the two associations named
united in an excursion to Quantico and pack,
that day being the anniversary of the Wood
lawn Farmers Club. A special invitation
having been extended to the Potomac Fruit
Growers Association to join in the excursion,
large proportion of its members and their
friends reinforced the party, accompanied by
the secretary of the last-named society, DR.. j.
E. Snodgrass.
The annual meeting of the Woodlawn Club
was held on the steamer Mary Washington,
which was most fittingly engaged for the pur-
pose, seeing that the excellent president of the
company, P, Hillman TIoth, is a son OF one of
the founders of the Woodlawu settlement, al
ready mentioned; that safe, commodious and
sober tOat being indeed such a favorite with
the class of people concerned in getting up the
excursion under notice, as to be sometimes
popularity designated as "the Fruit Growers
boat"
Some preliminary routine business having
been transacted, an election was had for Off
GERS of the WOodlawn Farmers Club. This
resulted in the unanimous reelection, on
motion of Valentine Baker, of the old officers,
VIZ: President, Chalkley Dillingham;; secre-
tary, N. W. Person; treasurer, Robert +.
Roberts.
Secretary Pierson read a resume of the
transactions of the club for the past year, with
fitting and pleasing alIusion to the previous
years of its useful life.
DR.. K. L. Davis delivered the annual report,
whose thoughts were expressed in choice Ian
guage and well delivered, securing a notice
able degree of attentive thought, considering
its length.
Mrs. Davis, wife of the gentleman inst
named, next read paper intended as an
acknowledgement to D. P. Smith, the poet
laureate of the club, for handsomely bound
and inscribed copies of q Centennial poem
recently produced by that gentleman, of
which he had, it seems, generously presented
copy to the wife of each of his associates
therein.
In the course of the paper read by Mrs.
Davis, in behalf of committee of ladies, she
took occasion to quote literally from the more
choice passages of Mr.. Smiths poem, whereby |
her otherwise well arranged discourse was en- |
bellished with good effect.
DR.. Snodgrass was called on for the rene
tition Of poem, which 1t seems he had read |
very acceptably at one of last year's excursions
of the Farmers and Fruit Growers Associa
ton, but which it was understood had been
enlarged since. The author, by |
request, handed copy of his very accept
able and certainly appropriate poem to the
secretary of the club. In doing so he made
the condition that it be not reported. But we
venture to run counter to this condition pre-
ceGent TO the extent Of giving stanza or two,
PIeiaclng with the title, which was s'The Tree |
the legend was that nf weeping willow tree
standing beside the York pike, about eighteen
miles north of Baltimore. The twig from
which the tree grew was stuck in the ground |
by an humble road-tender named Thomas /
Byran, with the remark that perhaps when it
grew to be tree, and long after he would be
gathered to his fathers, the dreary traveller
along the stony road (whose roughness he had
20 often renewed with the aid of his sledge) |
would be grateful to the unknown planter, ami
happier for what would cost him but little eff
Tort. What the thoughtful tree-planter then
and there said to himself is thus rendered in
thyme by DR.. Snodgrass:
The weary traveller here shall find
Shelter and shade by this roadside,
And have grateful thought in mind,
While resting here at Moons high tide.
Blessing the hand that planted thee,
Grown to sheltering willow tree!'
After tracing the legend to its close the poet
gives some hortatOry stanzas, from which we
quote two only:
Let all who list this simple Law
Go initiate the thoughtful man.
Who thus beside the public way
For strangers did such comfort plan.
Plant trees! and then when you must die
Some brother meath their shade shall le.'' |
"Plant trees! for fruit as well as shade;
Commit them to the waiting land,
And future brothers shall be made
The happier by your generous hand.
Anu Nneu you We passed away from earth |
They'll bless the hour that gave you birth"
The applause with which the poem was ac-
having subsidized, Professor Mason,
If Columbia College, native of the section
represented 10y the club, and jacob Troth, q |
on of one of the pioneer settlers referred to,
we're called for and delivered telling addresses.
They were followed by Mr.. Mason, a brother
If the professor, whose first name we did no.
ret, and DR.. Snodgrass, the frst-named in |
III nv and rD;uta5 M h IL = I
exposition of what the colony OF Woodlawn
nd the Club and Housekeepers' Association.
'ided by the ENTERPRISE ne tne Mary Washing
Or, v uIch was commended in glorious, but |
rot too eXtrGvagant terms, with 4 son of the |
,ood old ''or;ginal Jacob" president Troth) !
Is her courteous and energetic superintendent.
The last-named speaker put the meeting in a
pleasant humOr for the adjournment, which |
hen followed.
This excursion was not intended to have an
exhibition of fruits or other farm products as
me of its features. Nevertheless, not only |
ruits were exhibited by President Gillingham
Ind ore or two others in great variety and of
excellent quality, especially the pears, whose
usciousness he gave our representative q
nance to test, but flowers also from the we'll
Known grounds of Mr.. Pullman, the florist,
near Alexandra. Among these was magnif-
.ent bouquet, arranged by Mrs. Pullman, which |
vas handed to Dr.. Snodgrass after he left the
tand as an acknowledgment Of the tribute so
Justly paid by him to the enterprise along the
'otomac, wherein the family of the giver have
lad so creditable part, as q certain well-re-
n mbered floral pyramid, arranged BY his
asteful daughter and noticed in these columns
It the time, bear witness to all who were so
Ortunate as 10 see it.
BLUMENBERG BLOOMING.
IA ~ ha IL 1
Some time ago Rudolph Blumenberg, we'll