The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-02-21

; proper place TO complete the Skttcn OF
Mr.. Duke IS life. and at the risk of break
| ing the thread Of our narrative. we will
do 50, Offering this apology for the digres-
sion, that the vicisstudes through which
| ne passed throws much light on the state
Of the Episcopal church. at that time.
After being rector of North Elk Parish
for three years, Mr.. Duke, i'll 100, re-
| signed and went 10 Anne Arundel coUn-
| ty. but returned to Elkton the next year.
and soon afterwards removed to Kent
county, where he taught 4 parochial
school bat again returned to Ell>ton, iii
| 1893. and opened a school IN Bow street,
and during the next three years OCCASION
ally preached at North East. i'll his school
room at Elkton, and in the Episcopal
| Church near the village of New London
| in Pennsylvania. and al the alms-houSe,
baptizing and burying many. 1t was
during this interval that he wrote to
Bishop Claggctt. May Bird. 1891, that he
preached sometimes by special appoint
mcnt at home. but never dreamed of do
ing any thing more" for said he, Il
have made my last effort with these peo-
| pie. III 1903 Mr.. Duke was appointed
| professor OF languages i'll st. John 5 Col
| lege. Annapolis, and had charge Of st.
AIMS Church. in that city, until 1906.
when, the college having been deprived
of it's funds, lie returned to Elllton, and
the next year took charge of the acade-
my there. In 1,9S Mr.. Duke purchased
| the Bell Hill farm, which he owned for a
number wears. The acquisition of this
property no doubt caused him to desire
| to he near to it. hence his oft-rereated
| and fr,litlesS efforts to effect 4 porma-
nent location in Elkton. This time he
| remained there until 1912. wien he took
charge OF Charlotte Hall. III st. Mary
county, and became principal of the school
continued to ofticiatc as aforctimc until
the Spring of 1918. when he was ap-
pointed principal of the Elliton Acade-
my. Al this period of his life. Mr.. Duke
seems to have modified his opinion of the
Methodists, for he occupied the pulpit of
the old church on High. street regularly
for some years after his return to Elk
ton. and was on the best Of terms with
the members of that once despised and
prosecuted denomination. He died at
| Elkton i'll 1910. aged s. years.
We have already traced the progress of
| Mcthcdism during This time in Elk Neck
and N"rth East. and shown its success
| ful introduction III those places. which
| fully accounts for the want of success
experienced by Mr. Duke
The first society of Methodists in the
vicinity of Eliton seems t, have met at
the house OF Richard Updcgrove, which
was Il short distance east of the town
and near the State line, in 1899. The
| names of the members. as obtained by
| the Rev. Or. phnhuS from memoranda
left by the Rev. William p. Chandler.
who was in charge Of Cecil circuit that
wear. and entered among the records OF
the Elkton church by the former. were
John Pennington. Elizabeth Pennington.
John Crouch. Cornelia Crouch, Richard
updcgrove, Hannah Uplegrove, Thomas
Phillips and Sarah Land. The names Of
the probationcrS were Sarah Ipdcgrove.
John Hitchcock. and Rachel Coudon.
This society probably removed to Elkton
in 1901. for in that year it is called iii the
records of the quarterly conference the
society at Elkton, Nd.
On the Goth of July, 1873, Levi Tyson,
Richard Updegrove, Benjamin Pcarce,
Robert Taylor. and William kilgore,
trustees of the Elkton VI. +. Church,
purchased half an acre of ground en-
High street. which is described as being
lot No. 81. from Thomas Howard, for the
sum of 500. for the use Of the Method-
list Episcopal Church i'll Elkton.
Bishop Asbury states in his journal
that he preached in Elk Chapel. in 1915,
and remarks that :" this place, Elkton.
has been founded about fifty years, and
adds. it may be visited by the Lord in
the fourth OF fifth generation:' from
which ii is plain that his opinion coinci-
dcd with that expressed by Mr.. Duke
some years before, and that the resi-
dents OF the town We're no more inclined
to profit by the preaching of the Meth
odi>ts then. than they were to profit
from that Of Nj. Duke.
From these facts. it seems plain that
the chapel mentioned by Bishop Asbury,
which is the old brick church on High
street, now occupied by the Free Meth
olists, was erected about the year 1914.
This chapel was subsequently enlarged
i'll 1912 by an addition to the north end
of it. and in 1897 George Jones' John II.
Ford, Jesse lpdegroye, Henry lamar.
Robert Johnston. Levi Tyson, and sam
upl Wilson, who. at that time We're trrs-
tees of the church, purchased from Levi
Tyson the lot adjoining the church lot
on the east. probably for an addition to
the grave yard. In 1920 Martha Rudolph
presented this congregation with house
and lot on North street, a short distance
above The railroad for the use of the
minister in charge of Cecil circuit and
his successors. reScrving certain rights
and privileges in the house and garden
for the use and convenience of Mrs. Eliza
beth Sullivan. widow. and Miss Mary
sullivan, Spintress, who were then ten
ants in possession. the trustees agreeing
to keep the premises in good order and
neat and comciy repair" This parSon-
age seems not to have been a convenient
residence for the minister in charge OF
the circuit. and in 1924 Martha Rudolph,
who was then the wife of the Rev. Viii,
liam Torbcrt, then stationed at Cam.
bridge. rcconvcyed the property to the
trustees. and so changed tie covenants
in the original deed as to allow them to
rent the property, and apply the pro
cecdS for the purpose of paying the rent
of house for the minister of Cecil cir
cult in the town of Eiktoa OF elsewhere.
The congregation continued to enjoy the
, Use OF this property until 1888. when
they sold ii to Stephen Johnson, the heir
at law of William Torhcrt and wife. VIII,
were then deceased. joining with them il