The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-12-19


ure carriage ever introduced into Hartford
county was owned by John Stump, of Stat.
ford. AT that day carriage attracted as much
curious attention as balloon does now. The
Hon Herman Stump, of Bel Air, our present
able representative in the State Senate, is a
grandson of John Stump, of Stafford.
| We take great pleasure in saying that, UNI
der the active and skilful management of Mr..
b. M. Allen, Stafford, as business mart, now
bids fair to rejoice in its ancient fame. Mr..
Allen is known all over the county as man.
ufacturer of the best and purest bone dust,
one of the most reliable fertilizers of the
| period. lie grinds an immense amount of
of corn, for city markets; sells large ouanti-
| ties of coal, lumber, agricultural implement
DC, and buys wheat, corn hay, &c, in large
| quantities.
Messrs B. Gilpin & Joshua Smith also
| manufacture flint dust at Stafford Canal
boats load and unload at the doors of the
mills; several new buildings have recently
been erected, and other improvements made ;
so, it may be said that, under the efficient
management of Mr.. Allen, and with the aid of
the Messrs. Smith, Stafford has been rejuven-
ated
Passing from Stafford directly up the hill, to
the eastward, the next property is that of the
late Samuel g. Stump. This property though
quite rolling, is noted for its productiveness
1t fronts the grand Susquehanna as well as
Deer Greek, lying in the junction, though not
quite reaching the Creek.
The former owner, diving without issue, the
property was inherited by his widows
nephew, Mr.. Ellis T. Tucker, who is equally
efficient and successful as n practical farmer as
was the former proprietor.
Mr. Tucker has also erected q very comfort
able stone dwelling, on the site of the old one,
exactly on the brow of the steep hill which
overlooks the river and the lower end of Deer
Creek The view extends to Port Deposit and
Havre de Grace, and away beyond, down the
Bay, which, taken in connection with the
Creek and canal, forms one of the finest water
views of the many that are in the neighbor-
hood. Mr. Tucker is one of those farmers
who has discovered the correctness of Frank
Inns axiom: "He who by the pillow would
thrive himself must either hold or drive" and
applies it to daily practice, with the best re-
suits.
The farm which lies Immediately above, on
the river, and rather further from the Creek,
belongs to that well-known citizen, who is
every where known as one of our solid men,
both as regards mental capacity and pecunia-
ry success-IIenry S. Harlan. He lives re-
tired from the public gaze, but enjoys the adj
vantages of beautifully located home AS a
practical farmer, neither he nor his luXuriant
crops know such a word as fail" His build
ings are comfortable, but remain very much
in the same condition as they were left by his
immediate ancestors showing his regard for
the old style.
We feel greatly tempted to wander further
up the river where are to be found number
of beautiful properties, but our heading warns
us that we would be straying from the words
of our text" Returning from Mr.. Harlan's
toward the Creek, we come to the large-about
$50 acres or more-and excellent property of
the late Henry G. Stump, now belonging to
Albert S. and VIM. r. Holloway The larger
part of this property, that lying next to the
river formerly belonging to Hugh Smith, who
lived there to the good old age of about 80
years his death, which occurred about As
years ago, being finally fastened by an acct
dent his leg being broken by a fall. His
widow survived him several years, reaching
0G or 9S years. This aged couple were the
grand parents of Judge John II. Price, and
were the progenitors of large family. The
house, a small stone structure, still stands,
over near the river, but has remained unten-
anted for many years. Indeed, its location is
so unapproachabe, in consequence ofits great
distance from any public highway, that it is
likely to remain so. The probabilities are,
though weare not authorized to say so, or even
to think so, that one of the young men who
now own the land, will some day erect
dwelling on the southern part ofthc farm, near
the present barn, and near an excellent spring,
which is shaded by four sturdy white oaks,
planted by persons who lived there more than
a century ago, near by the ruins of an old
dwelling, fronting the present highway from
Darlington to Stafford. With a handsome
dwelling here, and an extensive lawn, reach
ing down the dcclivity and never-failing
a
might be made one of the most beautiful, as it
already is one of the most valuable properties
in the neighborhood
The former owner, II. c. Stump, having
and died a bachelor-always residing with his
mother on the old Homestead property adj
joining, never made nor felt the necessity for
making any improvements in the buildings
He farmed but little; chiefly occupying his at
tention in grazing cattle, for which stock he
had great fondness, and of the qualities of
which he was considered one Of the best judges
of the many who deal in cattle on Deer Creek
He annually fed forty or fifty select animals,
which always commanded the highest market
price.
The farm contiguous to this on the north
west was the old home of his parents, the late
William and Duckett Stump, where large
family of children and grandchildren were
reared.
The writer can scarcely trust himself to
speak impartally of this " old homestead;"
for it was here that his mother was born and
passed her girhood; and it was here under
the same protecting "roof-tree shade" that the
greater part of his own youth was passed.
The bright days of boyhood, as well as those
of shadow and cloud, which, as Tennyson so
beautifully expresses it, into each life must
fall" were spent here. In looking back we
can eXclaim with the poet
Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease.
Seats of my youth, when ev''ry sport could please
How often have oter'd DER thy green,
Where content and happiness t endeard I,G Gaeh
My steps have wandered many a mile and
through many clime-American-s since leav-
ing the cold home" of my youth.
We leave
Our home in youth-no matter to what end
Study--or strife-or pleasure, or what not:
And coming back in few short years, we find
All as we left it outside; the old elms
The house, the grass, gates, the atchets sef-same
But lift that latchet,-a is chang d as DOOM.
-Bditey's Fest"s.
Yes, how truly do we find change after
few years wandering Yet, naturally we
long to return to the scenes of our youth.
William Stump, the grandfather of the
writer, was a practical farmer, of great energy
and industry. He owned several fine proper
ties in this county, which are quite valuable
now, in comparison with their worth during
his life time. He was also the possessor of a
large body of land in the new State of Ohio
to which State he made two visits on h0rseback
which at the time was looked upon as great
journey; q considerable portion of it being
through wilderness of dense woodland
Unfortunately for the present generation of
his descendants this land in Ohio, which has
since proven to be exceedingly valuable from
its proximity to large towns, was totally neg
lected after his dccease, and permitted to be
sold for the taxes. His death occurred in 1885,
His widow survived him about thirty-fve