The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-12-12
FARMS OF CARROLL.
The Residence of the late Augustus ShriVer
Written for the Democratic Advocate.


first born of men was "tiller Of the
ground" That was mans primal employ
ment. He was also an inventor and a me-
chanic. for he had to invent and to con-
struct the implements with which his til
lage was performed. They may have been
rude and simple, and probably were, but
they were sufficient for the needs Of his
day and generation; for we read, that Gin
process of time he brought of the fruit of
the ground an offering unto the Lord.
What that crop was,-brOught forth by
the hand of toll and the fructifying power
of the sun and the shOwers,-we are only
told, in general terms, that it was ''the
fruit of the ground" 1t would be very
interesting to us, of the present day, if
we knew what that crop was, and possessed
the details of its tillage, its yield, the i'm
pIements used in its culture, and the mode
by which it was garncred or secured, after
its maturity. These are things of which
there is no record extant, and they are ut
tcrly lost to history.
There is not only health, wealth, COM
fort and contcntment, but there Is dignity
in labor, of whatever kind. BY it we full
fill the laws of our being, as well as do
obedience to the divine command the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread"
But the labor of the husbandman is the
most dienifed of all the varied employ
ments of man. He is directly dependent
upon the bounty of heaven, which giveth
seed time and harvest, and the early and
the latter rain. He feedeth all, both man
and beast. To his hand all must look for
their daily bread, as he himself must look
to the bounty of heaven for the sunshine
and the shower, for the fertility of the soil
and the vivifying power that brings forth
''frst the blade and then the ear, and then
the full corn in the ear" The conscious
ness of these great truths lends to the
farmer a dignity and Importance which be-
long to none other, and places him at the
very foundation of all business prosperity
as we'll as of the whole social fabric. The
right of property, also, the possession of
the soil, gives him an appreciation Of his
position which is foreign to those who
possess it not. Hence the farmers, above
all men, are the conservators of the peace,
order, and we'll being of society at large,
the highest hope and chief dependence Of
the state.
This leads us to the consideration of
the importance of the homestead, the farm
and its appurtenances. The history Of
each farm or plantation is an integral por
ton of the history of the country at large.
And a descriptive sketch of some of the
most noted farms in Carroll it is the pur
pose of the writer to present to the readers
of the ADVOCATE in these papers.
The subject of our first sketch, which
will be followed up from time to time by
others, is that of the beautiful homestead
Of the late Augustus Shriver, formerly
President of the Western Maryland Rail
road, and also President of the First Ma
tional Bank of this city, and President, up
to the time of his death, July %, 1872, of
the Agricultural Society of Carroll county,
This farm is known by the appropriate title
of
CONTENT.
This property was inherited from his
father, Jacob Shriver, and originally con-
tanned 400 acres, but was divided into two
farms of 200 acres each, one of which be-
came the property of his brother David,
who built the dwelling, barn and other i'm
provements on his part of the estate after
the division. The mansion at Content was
built in 1900. 1t is of brick, two stories
high, and very substantially constructed F.;
L shape, and contains eleven rooms, with
wide hall running through it and broad
verandah in front. 1t is surrounded by an
ample lawn, laid out in walks and studded
with fine spreading ornamental trees, which
afford abundant shade and temper the heat
of summer Adjoining the lawn is a thriv-
ing orchard, in full bearing, which adds to
the picturesque view of the lawn itself, and
is seemingly an extension of it. An air of
comfort, dignity and quiet reposc pervades
the premises. Pipe Greek winds its devious
way, like a silver thread, through the YER
dant meadow few hundred yards distant
from the mansion, and, dotted over with
grazing kline, enhances the beauty of the
landscape. Avondale station on the Wes-
tern Maryland Railroad is adjacent, and
the cars pass in full view, dispelling at short
intervals the alleged dullness and monotony,
which, to some persons, is an objection to
life in the country. This property is only
two and half miles distant from West
minister Its mansion and clustering farm
houses, comprising large barn, sheds, hay
barracks, carriage and tool houses, present
quite the appearance of village. 1t is
occupied by Mrs. Caroline Shriver, widow
of the late proprietor, and is under the
management of Mr. Percy III. Shriver, one
of her sons, while another son, Mr.. VIM,
A. Shriver, occupies and cultivates the
other farm which formerly belonged to the
late David Shriver. The cereals and the
usual grasses, timothy and clover, are cul-
tivated on both farms, and both are engaged
in dairying, shipping daily to Baltimore,
per rail, from 20 to 30 gallons of milk each,
and at times giving their attention to the
production of butter
The example of these young men, who
have determined to ''stick to the farm"
cannot be too highly commended. Too
often the young men in the country have
an exalted opinion of, and yearning for,
city life. They quit the homestead, go to
the city, plunge into all the follies and frivol-
tiles which present their allurements to I'M
suspecting youth, frequent the theatre, the
opera, the ball, and the club, and in short
time their patrimony is squandered, and
they are driven, at last, like galley slaves,
by the stern necessities of poverty, to be-
come the servitors of others, in order that
they may exc out a miserable existence
Too often this is the unhappy experience
of the young man who quits the farm in
exchange for city life, while he who sticks to
the farm becomes rooted as it were to the
soil, improves his land and his stock, in
creases his revenues, and lives a life of con-
tentment, usefulness, and honor.
The grounds around the mansion are to
be enclosed with Usage Orange hedge, Mr..
J. A. Mitchell, of this city, agent for the
Maryland Hedge Fence Company of Fred
erick, having contracted to do the work.
The hedge will add new beauty to the lawn,
and to the trees and shrubbery which at
present adorn it. The time is not far dis
tant, we believe, when the live hedge is to
take the place of the post and rail, the