The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-02-05
PORT DEPOSIT:
Forty Years Ago and Now.

| Forty Years Ago and Now.
LETTER NO. ..
MR.. EDIToR:-After having closed my
first letter, took seat on the porch of
the Old Stone Store House, now occupied
by Mr. Cook, a very affable gentleman,
who having met one of Ports fair daugh-
tiers during her visit to Western city,
loved, wooed and won her, and henceforth
adopted Port as his home. While looking
back over the route traversed in my first
letter, am reminded of several omissions.
One was the large frame dwelling, with
gable end to the street, nearly opposite
where Mr.. Joseph B. Pugh now lives, kept,
if l remember correctly, as a boarding
house by Mrs. Rachel Chamberlain, after
looked High street. Up there were the
residences of Captain David White, Saml
| Peace, Robert Christy, and others. In the
dwelling attached to the store on Taylor's
property, resided Benjamin Vandiver,
rough diamond. But he had the ring of
the true metal. He afterwards removed to
the Bank property, and resided there, until
that property was sold by John Glenn and
S. Teackle Wallis, Trustees, to Edwin
Wilmer, who fitted it up handsomely, and
resided there until his removal in 1857 to
Holly Hall, General Sewalrs place near
Elkton. Below the old Factory resided
"Mother Kidd" and beyond the Factory
were few small houses occupied by col
ored persons. These omissions you may
consider supplement to my first letter.
And now, having rested my locomotive
members, and eaten sandwich, feel in
good humor, and will ':move on" as the
policemen say, and jot down my recollec-
tions of the Creswell division of the town.
This embraces the entire river front most
of which has been sold in fee, or leased for
ninety nine years. renewable foreveD of
| the Creswel farm, which extends from
"the Hollow" to Rock Run, running back
and binding on the Port road to the Patton
farm. This large property has remained
in the family for three generations. 1t
was the residence of Colonel Creswell,
the grandfather of Ex-Postmaster General
| Creswell. The old stone mansion house
| (which among the superstitious had the
reputation Of being haunted), stands on
high bluff. overlooking the towns of Port
Deposit, Bells Ferry alias Lapidum,
| Frenchtown, Perryvlle, and Havre de
Grace, and as far out on the bay as vision
yia Of ha CnSrnohanna
and surrounding country is extensive and
beautiful. Washington Webb, now an
Inspector of Customs in the Baltimore
Custom House, was for many years tenant
on this farm. Halfway down the hillside
was the residence of Thomas L. Savin,
then a prominent citizen of Port. About
the year 1910, this property changed hands
and became the residence of Edwin Will
mer. He sold it to Joseph w. Abrahams,
who has resided there ever since. At the
foot of the hill stands the stone dwelling
that was the residence of John Creswell
Gather of the Ex-Postmaster General),
whose widow, now Mrs. Murphy, still
resides there. The house and grounds
have undergone some changes, but occupy
ing the commanding position that it does,
is susceptible of still further improvements
Mrs. Creswell, after years of widowhood,
married DR.. Thomas l.. Murphy, of Balti-
more. The Doctor was highly educated,
skillful in his profession, an eloquent and
vigorous public speaker, and possessed of
rare conversational powers, in which were
mingled wit, humor, sarcasm, imagery or
poetry as circumstances indicated. Oppo-
site, beside the Run was small frame
building, occupied by Sheldon Beach,
matchmaker. Across the Run were the
shop, dwelling and stables of Christy
Baker, the Jehu of the town. Christy
conveyed passengers to and from Perryville
during the close of navigation. But before
Christy's day, remember that " Sammy"
Hines, of the Barrens, was master of the
whip on that route. Next was the dwell
ing and shoe shop of Thomas ]. Quigly,
NOW Mrs. Jamar's), who went from Port
to the Philadelphia Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and became
a prominent member Of that Conference.
He was several times a delegate to the
General Conference of that church. Served
several terms in the office of Presiding
Elder and had conferred on him the title
of D. D. In later years. Emma Alice
Browne resided with her widowed mother,
in small house on this lot and from Port
sent forth her first poetical illusions. So
extraordinary were these productions of
an uneducated child, that she was visited
by Palmer C. Ricketts,, of The Cecil Wing,
Prentiss, of the Louisville Journal Judge
Lewis, of West Chester, and others, by
whose encouragement and friendship, she
became contributor to many leading
papers. Next above, was the property of
the Susquehanna Bridge and Banking
Company. That Banking Company had
failed, and the Susguehanna Bank occupied
the Banking House. Its affairs were mis-
managed in Baltimore. Its resident Off
GERS were, William Savn, Teller, and Jos.
w. Abrahams, Clerk. John Carson and
Chas. B. White occupied the Bank wharf,
, in the lumber business. White afterwards
removed to Baltimore, and engaged in the
stone bake house, which has had many
f changes and owners. At one time it was
the residence of Thomas l.. Poulson, of
the firm of (Alonzo) Snow & Poulsen.
Mr.. Poulson was licensed to preach at Port,
joined the Philadelphia Conference, was
afterwards transferred to the Wilmington
Conference, and thence to Baltimore, where
he is one of the most popular preachers
% and lecturers in that city. During the war,
- he was Chaplain in Col. James Wallace
: Regiment, and at the battle of Gettysburg
e was called the Fighting Preacher" A
few years ago, he was sent delegate to
- the Worlds Temperance Convention, held
in London. Mr.. Editor, Port is "mon,
strous" great place, if you did but know