The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-03-13
FARMS OF CARROLL.
AVALON.
The Residence of Louis P. slingluff.


The Residence of Louis P. Slingluff.
The history of every homestead is iden-
tilted, to some extent, with the biography of
its proprietors 1t is interesting to know
who has exercised the right of proprietor
ship over it, and occupied it from genera
ton to generation, from the time of its
first settlement. The earliest history, how
ever, is not always accessible, without much
research.
The Slingluff family is of German origin,
and the possession of AVALON came through
the grandfather of the present proprietor,
Jesse Slingluff, who was born in Spring
field township, Philadelphia county, Pa,
January l, 1775. This was a year and
six months before the breaking out of the
Revolutionary war. When boy he re-
moved to the city of Baltimore, and sub
sequently carried on an extensive grocery
trade for many years in that city, under
the firm of Bohn & Slingluf. He married
Elizabeth Deardoff, of Adams county, Pa.
by whom he had ten children One of his
sons, Jesse, was President of the CONNER
cial and Farmers Bank of Baltimore, but
died about two years since.
Isaac, father of Louis Philip, the present
owner of Avalon, was born in Baltimore,
Aug. 5, 1907. At the time Baltimore was
threatened by the British, in the war of
1S12-14, jesse Slingluf removed his family
from the city and settled on what was
known as the Avalon farm in New Wind
sor district, then Frederick, now Carroll
county. Having secured the safety of his
family, he returned to give his services in
the defense of the city He became the
owner of large tract Of land in New
Windsor district, and the latter years Of
his life were spent upon his estate. He
died June 80, 1886. Both himself and
wife are buried in Greenmount Cemetery,
Baltimore. Upon the death of his father
Isaac came into possession of the Avalon
farm. He married Julianna, daughter of
Philip Englar, of New Windsor. The
issue of this union was four children, of
whom Louis Philip, the subject of this
sketch, was the eldest. He was born March
Is, 1881. Isaac Slingluff died April 80,
1852; his wife died Dec. IA, 1848.
Upon the death of his father, Louis
Philip Slingluff, the present proprietor of
Avalon, became the possessor of the Avalon
farm by inheritance and purchase from the
other heirs. He was educated at Calvert
College, now New Windsor College, under
President A. H. Baker. Though thorough
ly devoted to his occupation as farmer,
Mr.. Slingluff has always taken a lively
interest in the political questions of the
day, and in public affairs. He has been
actively identified with the Democratic
party since he arrived at manhood. In
1872 he was appointed by Gov. Whyte to
fill the unexpired term of Upton Roop as
Judge of the Orphans Court, and upon the
expiration of that term was elected for
another term of four years. For the last
eight or ten years he has been one of the
board of directors and board of trustees Of
New Windsor College. He was appointed
in January 1884, by the Circuit Court for
Carroll county member of the board of
School Commissioners, which position he
now fills, always evincing an active interest
in the cause of public education. Though
not member of any church, Judge Sling
huff is liberal contributor to the support of
all the churches in his neighborhood. He
married, Oct IS, 1855, Ellen, daughter of
George W. Slingluff, of Canal Dover, Ohio.
She died Sept. s, 1856. He then married,
his second wife, Margaret Alverda, daugh-
ter of Thomas and Catherine Stouffer Crom-
well, March 10, 1861. The latter was
born Aug "a, 1889, in Walkersville, Fred
erick county, Md. Her grandfather, Phil
emon Cromwell, was descendant of Oliver
Cromwell. Judge Slingluff and wife have
five children, viz Isaac Jackson, Thomas
Cromwell, Nellie, Catherine Cromwell, and
Robert Lee, all living.
AVALON is beautifully situated on the
Western Maryland Railroad, mile and a
quarter from the fourishing town of New
Windsor. The farm contains 1853 acres,
1913 of which are under cultivation, and is
divided into eleven fields 1t is composed
of several parcels of land, known as part of
a tract called Stevenson's Garden part of
a tract called Five Daughters, originally
Pork Hall; part of tract called Englands
Folly; and part Of tract called Owens
Frolc. 1t was owned, before it came into
the possession of the Slingluf family, by
Mr.. Edward Stevenson, the biographer of
Bishop Francis Asbury. Mr.. Stevenson
sold it to Mr.. Francis Hollingsworth. The
latter sold it to Mr. Jesse Slingluff, grand
father of the present proprietor, in 1912,
or 1873 The soil is a limestone mixed
with blue slate, with heavy clay subsoil
The mansion was built by Mr.. Holdings
worth, of brick burnt upon the farm. 1t
was not finished at the time of its purchase
by Mr.. jesse Slinglutf, and that gentleman
finished the building according to his own
taste 1t is forty feet square, three stories
high, with portico in front formerly sur
mounted by balustrade, and has twelve
rooms, finished in good style, with dark
Italian marble mantelpieces and hearths,
and iuted or reeded door frames and pillars,
and semi-spiral stairway with mahogany
handrail, all the carpenter work finished in
the best manner 1t is contemplated to
build handsome conservatory on the
southern side of the house, with door
communicating with it from the parlor,
which will constitute one of the improve
ments to be erected in the near future
The love Of flowers is an evidence of an
elevated and refined taste, and good con-
servatory adds greatly to the pleasures of
home.
The dwelling is surrounded by lawn
which extends to the railroad, which passes
directly in front of the house, between the