The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-06-26
"REMINISCENCES OF ELKTON.
Letter from Gentleman who Re ieti Here
Many Years Ago.

Letter from Gentleman who Re ided Here
Many Years Ago.
! The following letter from Judge Jet1er-
son Sample will he read with interest by
many of the old residents of Elkton, and
we hope may be followed by others from
! the pen of its distinguished author.
/ NINCENNEs, Ind, June 81, 1890.
/ CECIL WHIG:-I am an Elkton boy
was raised there, am the son of Captain
John Sample, Il carpenter. who served
several years iii the war of 1872, and was
at Baltimore during the troubles there.
| left Elkton in the fall of 1919. There
are some persons doubtless now living at
Elkton who remember me. | would like
to find some one who would correspond
with me, for | want to learn something
about the old place. My fathers family
occupied for some time 4 double frame
house of two stories, which used to stand
on the brow of the bank nearly opposite
the old Rudolph brick house, not far
from the court house. and not far from
the old Fountain Inn, in those days kept
by Joshua Richardson. 1t was the stage
house. It's interior was managed by Aunt
Miliy Bristoe, an old lnaid. | was ac-
quainted in those days with every lady in
Elllton. big and little. The prominent
men were James Sewall. Clerk of the
Court: Henry d. Miller, flmiliarly called
Harry Miller. Recorder: Alexander Scott:
Adam Whann. who kept store in room
at the west end of the old Rudolph house.
The IIollingsworths, Dr. Groome Jack
Partl idgc, old bachelor lawyer: William
Alexander, lawyer; Jerry Cosden. do:
Tobias Rudolph, do; Mr.. Glenn, do; Viii
liam Welsh. merchant: .Iolm Gottier, do:
Lewis Miller. Thomas Howard, who used
to carry the colors on muster day as en-
sign of my fathers company. can see
that flag in my mind now. 1t was OF pur-
pie silk, with Il large eagle on it, tearing
the eyes out of a lion. think that Jake
Nandegrift was then Lieutenant. Henry
Stump. 4 lawyer Tobias Rudolph: his
office was across the street from the court
house. George +. Mitchell, doctor, after
wards went into the army as Major of
Towson $ artillery: WAS Il large, fine look
ing man: became Colonel: and after his
return married Miss Hooper, OF Newark,
Del, an heircss. Zebulon Beaston. hat
ter: afterwards kept tavern south of the
court house. George Ricketts,, saddler,
right south of the court house. Philip
Harding, Kentuckian, who married
Miss Milly Giles, an authoress and fine
woman. Gilbert Smith: | remember Il
street fight opposite the court house be-
tween Harding and Gilbert Smith about
Miss May Giles, sister of ilarding's wife.
George Peacock, who kept the Franklin
House, southwest of the court house:
old Lewis Miller, father of Henry; John
Kean, formerly, | think, Il halter: Dr.
King and his hrother-in-law, Sam Bris-
coe: James Purncll, who kept tavern ut
west end Of town: Peter Miles: William
II. Ward, 4 lawyer, who had pretty
wife; old venerable William Duke. Epis-
copai Clergyman, tall and palsicd. and
Miss IIetty, his daughter: DR.. II. W.
Armstrong, who lived adjoining Mr..
Duke: his three maiden sisters-Lytia.
Rachel, and Ellen: Miss Maria Dawson,
relative of Sewals: the Gilpin family;
the eldest boy, | think, DO, Henry, and
one whose name have forgotten: Miss
Mary, who was pretty, was wooed. but
not won, by Zeb Rudolph. | remember
to have heard the young ladies, Misses
Armstrong; and lIetty Duke, who We're
associates of my sister Katharine (now
dea,D. who We're often at our house,
laughing about it. Zeb popped the ques-
ton, they said. and Miss Mary refused,
and Zeb left of. Those girls said they
thought it a poor tree which fell at one
chop. Zeb afterwards married u Miss
/ Warrenton, | think i steamboat captains
daughter. Miss Mary, | think, never
married; perhaps she lives yet; she was
Il very amiable woman. | heard of
Irritation between Zeb's wife and Ger
tain doctor-or rather it was an advance
ment upon herpart. lIeproved second
Joseph. | ought to mention Alexander
SCOTS amiable daughters, whom knew
then: Mary Ann, who afterwards mar
ricd Joshua Richardson; the widow Gil
pin, who had fire mark on her face,
married Frisby Henderson, of French
town. also knew his son. Andrew +.
Henderson. That low bank south of
Elkton was, i'll my day, then marsh, and
with every high tide was overlooked.
Mr.. James Sewall. who owned it, re-
claimed it by ditching and banking it.
| remember well when it was done, soon
after the war, in lSl5l6. helped to
build the bridge across this creek, then
by Cosdeu's.
| remember very distinctly Il scene
which occurred at the Landing at the
close of the war. There was 4 mud or
earth battery built just below the old
stone house which stood on the lower
wharf. The news of peace came to Elk
ton, | think, in February of 1916. 1t
was very cold weather, the ground frozen
very hard. Court was in session, and in
honor of the peace it adjourned and
everybody repaired to the battery to fire
a salute. The battery had about six
cannon. Ezekiel f. Chambers, Il lawyer
from one of the lower counties. was
among the number. lie had charge of
the gun at the north end Of the battery
y barrel was placed on tho ice about Il
half mile below to fire at. | stood on the
parapet close to Chambers. When the
match was applied the gun burst. The
breech struck Chambers and he fell flat
thought he was killed. but he was not.
No one was much hurt, but many were
badly scared,
am tired Of writing for this time
My object in this is to find, if possible, a
correspondent in Elkton who knows me,
that might have some knowledge of the
old place. ought to say Il word about
the old academy, as we called it them
1t was there ! got all Of my schooling.
Not muph but am thankful for what |
got. Schooling at that time was scarce
'tiit WY P''i III 'l''iity. hNiS as
one Thompson Randolph, who taught
there in my time. He published a work
on arithmetic called Pandolph's AS
Sistant.' got most Of my schooling
from him. lie would occasionally take a
spree. And there was one Eli Bennett,
who taught, and a Mr. Mckinze, from
the West Indies.
helped to build the new bank build
ing. just east of Wards residence after
ward owned aud occupied by John c.
Groome. | also helped ia build the new
tavern house for Henderson. at French
town. One Purnell kept tavern east of
the new bank, who had pretty step
daughter, Mary \. CANADIAN. She was
very pretty but young, about II or II.
| used to love her very much. was
about Il: She is now a widow of Enoch
Cloud, who used to live in Elkton. She
lives now ut Columbus, Ohio She came
to see me at Muncie, Indiana, when |
lived there, a few years ago. She is
big fat old woman now. Not the sweet
lass she was when we used in our Young
lovS tn stroll alnno tho r,on b,uk ,t