The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-30

n
stantly pastured by the immense herd OF
beautiful Devons, has grown richer and
richer. and grasses native and exotic strive
there for the mastery.
Mr.. Patterson's system of farming was
first corn, MANFRED on sod broken deeply,
and Welding an average of twelve barrels
to the acre This was followed by crop
of oats, and then two years of clover. Next
a crop of wheat, on which ammoniated
phosphate was used for the purpose of
ripening the crop. At the time the wheat
was sown the field wasset to grass for hay,
and for three years after the wheat crop
was taken off, the field was mown, and the
next year grazed. Manure was literally
applied during the last year, and the sod
again broken for corn, beginning the nine
years course.
Mr.. Patterson raised Berkshire hogs in
preference to Chester or other varieties,
Southdown and Shropshire sheep, and
game chickens instead of fancy fowls. His
stock of horses was unsurpassed, and many
Marylanders will long remember his stout,
well-proportioned, powerful and active
horses at the state fairs.
Under the judicious cultivation of Mr..
Patterson Springfield became the most eel
ebrated, and was truly what he designed it
should be, the model farm of Maryland.
The iron and copper mines upon this prop
erty, discovered in 1850, were proftably
worked until 1861, and more recently
leased to Graf, Bennett & Co., of Pitts
burg, and Read, Stickney 4 Co., of Balti-
more, who have begun operations with in
dications of valuable results. Springfield
Farm is distinctively noted for its fine
Devon cattle, Mr.. Patterson having made,
in 1917, the first importation of thorough
bred Devons into the United States, through
his brother Robert and as present from
Mr.. Coke, afterwards Earl of Leicester.
Geo. Patterson, the proprietor of Spring
field, married Prudence A. Brown, the
daughter of Thomas c. Brown, and sister
of Stephen T. c. Brown, who survives him
and lives in Baltimore Their only child,
Florence married James Carroll, of Charles.
She died in 1878, much lamented. After
Mrs. CAROLS death, Mrs. Patterson and
Mr.. Carroll decided to sell Springfield to
Frank Brown, which was done in 1880.
Mr.. Brown inherited the estate known as
"Brown's Inheritance" from his father,
Stephen T. c. Brown. The land had been
brought to the highest state of cultivation
by his father and his grandfather, Thomas
G. Brown, and is one of the best farms in
the state He combined the two farms,
and has since been actively engaged in cul-
tiyating and improving the whole estate,
giving to it his personal supervision. AS
consolidated, his farm now contains two
thousand five hundred acres, and is not
surpassed in point of cultivation and fer
tility by any in the state. Mr.. Brown has
not only maintained the reputation of his
herd of Devon cattle, but has even improv-
ed it.
1t will be seen that these two farms have
been blended together from their origin in
the close alliance of the families of their
respective owners. Frank Brown, proprie-
tor of the one farm by inheritance, and of
the other by purchase, is the only son and
heir of the late Stephen T. c. Brown and
Susan Bennett Brown. He was born
August s, 1916, on Brown Inheritance"
The ancestor of the family in this county
was Abel Brown, who emigrated from
Dumfries, Scotland, to the vicinity of An
napolis, Md, in 1870. He removed later
to this part of Carroll, then Baltimore
county, and purchased large tract Of land
adjoining Springfield. This he brought to
high state of cultivation. 1t came into
the possession of Elias Brown, ST., who
erected stone saw and flour mill, the
cornerstone of which bears date of 1898.
He was prominent citizen and actively
participated in civil affairs. He had four
sons-Thomas Cockey, Elias, Jr., William
and Stephen-all of whom served in the
war of 1872. Elias Brown, Jr., became
prominent in the state, was a member of
Congress and a Democratic Presidential
Elector several times. Thomas G. Brown
inherited the estate, a division of which
having been made, William Patterson, of
Baltimore, the distinguished merchant, one
of the organizers of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad, the father of Robert, George,
Joseph, Edward, Henry and Elizabeth
Patterson MADAM Bonaparte), purchased
portion, which contributed largely to
make up his Springfield estate. Thomas
G. Brown married Susan Snowden, de-
scendant of Baptiste Snowden, of ST. Mary's
county, who had removed to the vicinity on
farm which he called Branton on which
he built house of cut straw and hay, still
standing in a good state of preservation.
Col Francis Snowden, the son of Baptiste,
married Miss Miles, of ST. Mary's, and
these are tine maternal great grandparents
of the owner of Springfield. The children
of Thomas C. Brown were Lewis, Prudence
A., the widow of George Patterson, and
Stephen I. c., the father of Frank Brown,
the present proprietor of Springfield.
Stephen I. c. Brown was borp in 1920 on
the inheritance" and in 1912 married
Susan Bennett. He was a member of the |
State Legislature, one of the original sub
scribers to the Agricultural College, most
useful citizen, representative man and |
agriculturist of the county. He was an
official member of Springfield Presbyterian
Church, which was established and sup
ported by him and George Patterson, and
whose edifce and parsonage were erected
by their combined efforts. Mr.. Brown was
a man of strong convictions and decided
character, benevolent spirit, Christian con-
sistency and activity, and universally es-
teemed. He died in December, 1876.
Frank Brown is the only son of the last
mentioned gentleman. At the age of eigh-
teen his father gave him farm well stocked
and furnished, adjoining the homestead,
which he successfully managed for several
years. He entered the agricultural imple-
ment and seed house of r. Sinclair & Co.,
of Baltimore, where he received valuable
training of practical use in his after years.
He was later placed in charge of the Pat
terson estates in Baltimore, which he man.
aged to the satisfaction of the heirs. He
was subsequently appointed by Gov. Bowie
to responsible place in one of the state
tobacco warehouses, which position he held
for six years. In 1875 he was elected TO
the Maryland House of Delegates, and re-
elected in 1877 At the close of his second
term he withdrew from political affairs, the
care of Springfield and the Patterson in