The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-07-14
Our Olio.
An Old Maryland Homestead.
Mary ". Inlay in the Continent for July.

An Old Maryland Homestead.
Mary ". Inlay in the Continent for July.
Too modern and heterogeneous people
to have history, there are no misty le-
gends of ages agone- as mark almost
every milestone along the beaten ways of
the Old World-to give interest to our vast
new hemisphere. Ivied abbies, where mar
velous chronicles of past centuries have
been preserved, are not found on virgin soil
in the freshness of its unpruned vigor !;
they belong to dead past. The American
historiographer and poet are without tradi-
tions of robber Barons and Knights of the
Round Table; yet there is matter of his
toric interest for novelist and biographer in
the annals of many old Maryland families.
There is scarcely name or landmark of
local interest in New England which has
not been Illuminated by pen and pencil
and gone the magazine rounds, while
Maryland has been too modest to give pub
licity to the romantic features of her local
history She has few hooks within her
boundaries where you may not find peculiar
characters that might have served Dickens
for a study, or some old church or home
stead of more than passing interest. Scharf
is gathering material for future historians,
and Didier's pen has sketched few features
of social life in Baltimore, but much of
historical value is passing into oblivion.
Among families of notability in Maryland
that of Patterson has become world-re-
nowned from the wit, beauty and daring
ambition of Madame Jerome Bonaparte
nee Betsy Patterson Of Baltimore Town. ,
Her life and her letters have become public;
still there remains something Of interest to
narrate in the personal history of so cele-
brated parsonage.
"Springfeld Manor" at one time the
summer residence of William Patterson, a
wealthy merchant and owner of large real
estate in Baltimore, is situated near to
Sykesville, station on the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, twenty-five miles from Bal
timore, and it was for over fifty years the
home of George Patterson, brother of
Madame Bonaparte- Patterson. About one
mile from the village of Sykesville stands
the ''Springfeld'' Presbyterian Church and
parsonage, and through skeleton branches
of trees at the back Of the church the win
try CLEAN of white marble above the frozen
snow marks where lie George Patterson
and his descendants A beautiful prospect
extends on every side Of this monumental
reminder Of the perishable nature of all
things terrestrial. Within the inclosed
graye-lot there are several costly monu-
ments and a new y-made grave where,
January 18th, 1888, was buried Prudence
Ann, widow of George Patterson.
George Patterson was born August 26th.
1896, and died November Goth, 1869.
There are memorial tablets to son and
daughter who died in infancy, and chaste
Italian sarcophagus is erected to Florence,
daughter of George Patterson, and wife of
James Carroll, of Baltimore" She was
born June 18th, 1917, and buried October
18th, 1878, resting on her breast the body
of her infant son.
These five graves comprise an entire
family, and as far as the eye can reach
eastward from their last resting place, over
fertile grain growing fields and wooded
hills, lies the fair earthly inheritance from
which they were taken.
To the left of the large stone church
stands tasteful new Academy, Eastlake
in style, which was recently built and do
mated to Springfield Church by the late
widow of George Patterson, a lady Of ex-
tended benevolence. On commanding
eminence about two miles distant from the
church, can be seen the broad facade OF
"Springfeld'' mansion, Il roomy country
home, having a frontage Of one hundred
and seventy-fve feet, adorned by two-story
pillared porches This fine old homestead
is fanked by an extensive park, and has a
velvety lawn sloping down the hill to the
front entrance.
The estate consisted Of two thousand
acres of highly productive land, with mill
and all the improvements Of well-ap-
pointed model farm. Under the skillful
management of George Patterson it be-
came agriculturally noted for high farming
and improved stock The first thorough
bred North Devons were imported into the
United States in 1917, when Mr. Coke, af-
terwards Earl of Leicester, presented to
Mr.. Robert Patterson (brother of George,
several Devon heifers and bull. The
beautiful herds from that stock, to be seen
grazing in luxuriant clover fields at Spring
field, their fat sides glistening in the sun
shine like polished mahogany, were no less
valuable than picturesque.
George Patterson was man Of marked
character-more English than American in
type He had a short, heavy figure, a face
stern yet handsome, and lighted by keen
blue eyes under bushy brows. He showed
strong intellect, much general knowledge
and dogmatic views, but none of the saroir
fare which distinguished his brothers.
When a young man, Mr.. Patterson avoided
ladies' society and fashionable assemblies.
OF strict probity, he was yet brusque in
speech, dictatorial in manner, and cared
not whit for the pomps of rank in which
his sister delighted. As practical farmer
he paid little attention to the esthetical,
but was critical admirer of feminine graces.
He deemed beauty woman's best bower,
and offered himself and fortune to the
beautiful Ann Elizabeth Warfeld, daug ghteI
of George Frazier Warfeld, of "Groveland,
an estate near to Springfield. When re
fused by Miss Warfeld, he, after brief
wooing, married her cousin, Prudence Ann
Brown, The marriage of this crusty bach
elor of forty to a lady of kindly, socia
nature, softened the asperity of his manner
and gave to Springfield hospitalities ;
charm which they lacked under the rule o.
its autocratic master. With garret stocked
with some of the choicest wines in the conn
try, and table supplied with the fines
beef, mutton and capon fowls-product'
of the dining and wining at Spring,
field was gastronomic treat seldom de
clined by those invited, although the hos
was never popular as country magnate.
1t was when rusticating at Springfield
her fathers country place at that time
that Betsy Patterson conceived the bolt
DESIGN to fascinate and marry the French