Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-07-08
JOHN sTuMP's GOLD.
The Tenant Of An Old Maryland Mansion
Suddenly Becomes Rich.

Inc Tenant OF An Ola maryland MANSION
Suddenly Becomes Rich.
When old John Stump died IN the
early part Of the present century at his
home at Stafford, ten miles north of
this place, writes Havre de Grace
(Md.) correspondent, his heirs were
surprised that they did not find piles of
glittering gold slowed away in the little
iron safe in which it was thought that
he had been heaping thousands for
years. Instead they found bundles of
mortgages, deeds, promissory notes
and other papers which certified his
fortune to be 100000. Satisfied with
this snug Inheritance, they soon forgot
their disappointment in not discovering
the bags of gold. When, twenty-five
years ago, the house came into the pos
session of Mr.. Stump's granddaughter,
Mrs. Smithson, of Cecil County, the
story Of the buried treasure existed in
the neighborhood merely.as tradition.
A few years ago Mrs. Smithson hand
ed the old homestead over to the care
of a tenant named Wilson. He was
told by his neighbors of the tradition
about the buried gold. He was too
practical to give credence to the stories,
but they had different effect upon Mr..
Wilson's brother Alexander, who spent
his time perusing the old books and pa
pers which he found stored away in the
garrett Two or three weeks ago, while
Mr.. Wilson was looking through a
ponderous old book he found slip of
paper which indicated the location of
hidden treasure.
Two days later big hole was seen by
a neighbor in the garden of the old
Stump farm. At the bottom of the ex-
cavation was cavity from which box
about eighteen inches square was re-
moved. There were no bits of wood in
the hole, and from this fact it is believed
that the box must have been metallic
one. Farmer Wilson'S wife, to whom
the discovery of the gold had been re-
lated, had become so overburdened with
the secret that she had to get another
woman to help her keep it. And the
lucky discovery which the Wilson FAM
lily intended should be kept secret has
now become public property. They
feared that the heirs of Mr.. Stump
would claim the money and that they
might be deprived of their suddenly &C.
quired wealth. Mrs. Wilson said that
the amount dug up was $150,000 in
gold, but it is generally believed by
those who have made estimates of the
contents of the box that about $50, 900
was found, and certainly not more than
$4,000. At any rate the Wilson family
is comfortably fixed and the object Of
their neighbors' envy.
The slip of paper is also said to ex-
plain why Mr.. Stump buried his money.
In 1912 British fleet entered the Chesa-
peake Bay, and after burning the Capt.
tol buildings at Washington sailed fo1
Baltimore. While General Ross pre-
pared to attack that city he sent detach-
ments northward along the western
shore of the Chesapeake to burn the
town and private residences. A portion
of this town was reduced to ashes anG
several dwellings on the outskirts were
sacked and burned. Among these was
the house of Admiral Rodgers, of the
United States Navy. His silver was
taken, but before the war was over the
Admiral captured British ship, or
which he found his stolen silver. Gov
ernor Trazen led the militia against thu
invaders Old John Stump, who wa!
then much enfeebled by age, learned
that stories of his famous wealth ha(
reached the ears of the British at thi
place, and that they contemplated al
attack upon his house to rob him of hi
gold. To save his money he burned it
The intended attack was never made
and it is supposed that Mr.. Stump wa
satisfied to have his treasure remain
where he had concealed it, and that h,
died before he concluded to resurrect it
1t is also thought that he feared sud
den death, and to leave some knowledge
behind him of the buried money h,
placed the slip of paper in the book.
MIR. Stump made his money from tn
flour-mills which he built along Dee
creek, narrow but swift stream whicl
emptied into the Susquehanna. Tn
farmers of HEREFORD and Cecil Counties
this State, and of the southern countie
Of Pennsylvania brought their grain +
the Stump mills to be ground. He wa
also STAKEHOLDER and farmer on a
extensive scale. During the war of tn
revolution and of 1912 his flour sold a
high as one hundred dollars BARRE
He was the wealthiest man of the sec
ton, and he dispensed hospitality wit
an open hand. His home was the reso1
Of the old revolutionary heroes, VIII
gathered around his sumptuous boar
and related their experiences, and toll
how, half-equiped and poorly clad, the
had cleared out the red-coats in man
engagements.
Some of Mr.. Stump descendants hav
occupied the most prominent position
in the State. His grandson, Henry "
Archer, of Bel Air, is one of its bes
known lawyers, and could have bee
elected Governor had he wished to r,
linquish his lucrative law practice. Al
other grandson is Stevenson Archer, e,
member of Congress and now Stat
Treasurer. Another descendant is I'll
late A. H. Stump, president of a Bait
more bank, while two others have S,
on the judicial benches of the Stat,
Miss Stump, formerly HEREFORD Count
belle, is the wife of Admiral LIE Rov,
New York, and another member of Il
family is the wife of Mr.. Murray, of Il
same city.
Mr., Stump's surviving heirs will NAL
/ no effort to recover the money whie
Alexander Wilson luckily found