The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-01-21
Origin OF County Names.

Capt. Charles A. Conner, in series OF
interesting articles in the Hare Republican,
gives the origin of the names of some of the
towns and villages in the county, as follows
REL AIR.
The name of this famous town, where
lawyers most do congregate," may he traced
etmologically. 1t probably simply means
Fair Air. from the French word "Belle"-
fair or beautiful Why it was so called is
very apparent; but by whom or when first
50 named do not know
LAPIDuM
Here again etymology helps us, and tells
us that Lapidum means the 'place of stones, y
from the Latin root MpfS, stone. It was so
named, believe, by Mr.. Heath, now of this
town, when in business there some years ago.
Previous to that 1t was known as Bells
Ferry, and back of that as "Smith's Ferry"
and "Creswelrs Ferry" though the latter
name, perhaps, more properly belongs to
Port Deposit. The local and very appro-
pirate name of l4apidum is "Rock Town"
ABERDEEN.
was first Sd called by Mr.. Winslow, who built
the first house, now occupied by Mr.. John
James, in the village. Mr.. Winslow was a
native of Aberdeen, Scotland
PORT DEPOSIT
The Susquehanna may be called the most
singular river of the world 1t is nearly
800 miles long, and drains an immense region
of land in three States, and yet is navigable,
for even small sailing vessels, to a distance of
only five miles from its mouth. As is well
known, it passes through the great lumber
section of Pennsylvania, and the immense
quantity of lumber now sawed in the great
mills at Willinmsport, and Mt other mills
along Clearfeld and Lycoming creeks, suf1-
GENTLY attests the importance of this indus
try. Before railroads and canals were con-
structed, very little lumber was sawed in the
region where it grew Instead, RATS were
made of the rough logs. and these were float.
ed down the Susquehanna until deposited at
the head of the tide, then called Creswells
Ferry. There these small RATS were made
into larger ones and flowed away. THIS
head OF tide water was also the Port of Deposit
for vast quantities of goods intended for dis
tribution through Pennsylvania, and hence
its name. During the war of 1879 fort was
erected at the Ferry, mot Port Deposit,) and
when Cockburn's forces, after burning
llayre de Grace in 1914, passed up the river to
the Stafford Touring mills, they studiousy
avoided the Cecil side, doubtless on account
of the aforesaid fort. So you will see "Port"
has some history. 1t is a thriving, busy town,
hardly deserving the description of it by a
quaint writer, who stigmatizes it as place
of lone long street, one big church, one rich
man, and altogether one-horse town"
THE DEER CREEK FARMERS CLUB.-The
Wilmington Nei0s has the following to say
about the abovc-named club:
The Deer Creek Hartford Coz Farmers
Club is about to establish a series of semi-an-
nual cooperative auction sales at which
farmers who want to buy and farmers who
want to sell stock or implements, &c, can
meet and make hargains-a sort of second
hand fair, twice Il year One would think
that if any men ought to be satisfied with
their lot, this same farmers' club ought to be {;
hut some of them are not. At the last meet
ing the dissatisfied ones got to complaining
about taxes. Too much money spent on the
roads, schools, courts, pOor.houses, and the
other improvements, conveniences, and indi-
cations Of civilization, whose presence makes
health and wealth, and "life worth living" and
comes to far more than Ii costs. And it was
suggested AZ an offset to the taxes which the
farmers have to pay (fOr their own benefiu,
that mortgages should he taxed. But though
a Judge, major, and several doctors and
learned men Were present, who talked upon
the topic, not one pointed out that If mort
cages were taxed the lenders of the money
would soon find a way to make the borrow
ers-the farners--pay the taxa simple re-
fusal to lend money unless upon that condi-
ton would be enough. The long heads pres
ent were satisfied with the taxes they shook
their heads and caid nothing.