The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-06-10
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF THE NJ. +. CHURCH AT NORTH
EAST.

| THE CiIrECH IECoRroRATED-THE SECOND
BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
In 1905 the Legislature of Mary land passed
an act for the incorporation of religious socie-
ties. OF the provisions of this act, the So
ciety at y orth East awaited itself, and in the
Spring of 1906 became a body corporate I'M
der the title of "The Board of Trustees of
the Ebenezer Chapel of the NJ +. Church
at North East" The trustees We're nine in
number, as follows: Daniel Sheredne, Jas.
| Thomas, John Ford, Stuart Redman, John
Shippers, John Miller, Charles r. Ford,
| John George, William Miller. OF these,
Messrs. John Foard and John George had
been members of the original Board in 1914.
The others We're new men. These corpora
tors were duly qualified before - Matiitt
and Samuel Aldridge, justices of the peace:
June 10, 1905.
DANIEL SHEREDINE.
| This gentleman was one of the early con-
! verts under Bishop Asbury's preaching.
He is frequently referred TO in the Bishops
| journal as My dear son in Jesus With
Captain Howell he divided the honor ard
| bleSSt.IneSS OF elttfi.lnlnS tHtNe Angels Oh
| the church when thev paid their annual
visits to the church IN North East He was
for long time employed in clerical duties
under Thomas Russell, Esq, at one titne
manager for the Principle iron Company,
! and subsequently proprietor of the Iron
| Works at North East After the death of
Mr.. Russell in 17SG, he assisted largely i'll
| the conduct of the business of his estate,
and in 1917 married his widow. He died
in great peace, Oct. II, 1928 aud was buried
| in the Nj. +. Church cemetery, hear the site
of the original church editict. The parish
records show that he had been chosen YES
rry,nan in 1877 and 1899, but declined in
1871. He was appointed a justice of the
peace in 1898. Bishop Asburv records:
Saturday, Aug /, 1901, lodged at Daniel
Sheredine'>, who had not lost sight of God
| for twenty nine years. and now he is united
to us. II is probable that one Of the fruits
of the great revival of 1900 was this acqui
sition to the ranks of Methodism. He was
! II hearty Methodist, of earnest and consist
ent pety. AS late as April l, 1911, less than
| two years before his death, the venerable.
| Asbury records i'll his journal Il visit be-
meath his hospital roof, and alludes to him
as ga disciple of forty years" On his
tombstone is the inscriptions He lived and
| died Christian
| JAMES THOMAS.
Mr. Thomas had formerly resided in Lam
caster county, Pa. In the Spring of 1904
he had bought a farm of 100 acres from
| David SweaSey, one of the original trustees
| of 1894, who was about removing to Ohio.
| The price recorded was Il 900. As before
stated, this is the property on which Mr..
| George w. Ford now resides. Mr.. Thomas
was a local preacher, and doubtless did
much to build up the church while he re-
manned in North East. Mr.. Ford remem-
beers attending meeting III his house and
| hearing him preach He subsequently re-
moved to Easton, Md, and engaged in mer-
| camille business. in .S17 lie sold his farm
to Mr.. William Taylor, of Philadelphia.
STUART REDMAS.
All we have been able to gather of this
gentleman indicates that, like the others,
he was p man of high character and of con-
| siderable property. He came from Duck
| Creek hundred, Kent county, Del. In May,
1901, purchased of Robert Cloud, the prop
erty called "Doe Hill and Brac Point
wherein Mr.. Thomas Warburton now re-
sides. In 1880 he sold this property to Mr..
Nathaniel Wiley, and probably moved away
about that time.
| JOHN SHIPPERS.
Mr.. Shippers, like Mr.. Sheredine, had pre-
! viously been connected with the parish
| church. He was chosen church warden i'll
lie house in the village. He married Mar
garet, daughter of Isaac Crouch and sister
of Nathan Crouch, who is referred to in
Rev. w. Sweasey's autobiography as his
"old friend, Il father in Israel, man of re-
I spectacle standing i'll the church and of
great moral WORTH Mr.. Shippers eldest
son johnson, still survives, in his nine
tieth year, enjoying remarkable mental and
physical health, and as often as the weather
! permits, is found in the Sanctuary to hear
| the preaching of the same precious gospel,
which he first listened to as a child, when
his 6evout mother led him by the hand to
the house of God, and which in early youth
he found, as he now finds in extreme age
"the power of God unto his salvation
| JOHN AND WILLIAM MILLER.
/ These gentlemen were brothers of the Rev.
| Thomas Miller, for many years an earnest,
acceptable and successful preacher of the
gospel, an honored member of the Philadel-
phia Annual Conference. Both of these
| gentlemen We're local preachers. They We're
men of large stature and strong mental
powers, and were among the earliest con-
verts to methodism i'll this neig hhorhood.
| The late Thomas and Joseph Miller We're
sons of Thomas, and the Rev. VIM. Thomas
Miller, well and favorably known
| throughout the county bears the name of
his grandfather and great uncle.
CHARLES TILDoN FORD
Mr.. Ford was the eldest son of CAPTAIN
John Ford, Il member OF the original board
/ and also one OF the cooperators of 1900. He
married the daughter of Mr.. John Maudlin
and was the father OF a large family. His
eldest son and namesake was an eminently
| pl0us and successful minister of the gospel,
an honored and beloved mem Der of the Phil
adelphia and New Jersey Annual Confer
enceS. His second son, John, for many
years an earnest and devoted local preach
er, still survives, and though in feeble
| health, is seldom absent from his place in
| the class room, and the Sabbath morning
| service. He is thus the representative of
| three generations of methodstS in this So
ciety and his children and grandchildren
| complete five generations in lineal success
sion, from Capt. John Ford one of the earl
lest converts, whom Bishop Asbury refers
under date, Dec. s, 1888, crossed Elk river
and came to Bro. Ford's and had preciou.
meeting at his house"
These men We're all natives of this county
except Messrs. Sheredine, Thomas and Red
man, who had moved into the neghborhood,
Mr.. Sheredne from Baltimore county, Mr.
Thomas from Lancaster county, Pa, and
Mr.. Redman from Kent county, Del 1t is
an interesting part disclosed by the county
records, that at that early day the historic
attitude OF lnethoiiSm towards the evil of
he done for the eXtirpation of the evil of
slavery" vera not without practical effort
upon the methodiStS of \ orth East
Bro. Fredus Aldridge executes a deed Of
manumissien Dec. 81, 1901, witnessed by
John Miller and John Cazier. While most
of the parties simply say "for good and
sufficient reasons" Robert Hart prepares
his deed Of Jan. II. 1903, with the signiti-
cant words, as the reason for his "believing
it to be inconsistent with pure christianity
and natural justice, tG keep fellow crea-
ture ia slavery who has not by his crimes
| forfeited his little to freedom
AN oRDINATIo&.
While MeSsrs. Smith and Ireland were
on the circuit service of great impressive
ness was held in the church at North East
Bishop Asbury's record is, Tuesday, Aug.
II, 1904, took breakfast at North East and
ordained James Cook, deacon. Mr. Smith
was returned to the circuit III 1905 with w.
| Farley as his assistant.
| IF any who read these sketches hear adj
ditional facts Of interest in reference, either
to the preachers or members of the church,
they will please communicate the same 10
| Rev. T. Snowden Thomas, North East, Md
| The Roads and Bridges,
| Great complaint of the condition Of the
roads and bridges throughout the county
comes from every quarter. 4 representa-
tive of THE WING, this week, called upon
the Clerk of the Board of Commissioners,
|