The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-06-18
JOHN sTUMP's GOLD.
The Tenant Of An Old Maryland Mansion
Suddenly becomes Rich.

JOHN STUMP'S GOLD.
The Tenant Of An Old 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 Hayre de Grace T
(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 a tradition.
A few years ago Mrs. Smithson hand
ed the old homestead over to the care
of 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
garret. Two or three weeks ago, while
| Mr.. Wilson was looking through
| ponderous old book he found slip of
| paper which indicated the location of
hidden treasure.
| Two days later a big hole was seen by
neighbor in the garden of the old
Stump farm. At the bottom of the ex-
cavation was cavity from which a 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 a 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.. Slump
would claim the money and that they
might be deprived of their suddenly ac-
quired wealth. Mrs. Wilson said that
the amount dug up was $l50,00O 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.
toll buildings at Washington sailed for
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 and
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
, t; ken, but before the war was over the
/ Admiral captured British ship, OF
/ which he found his stolen silver. Gov
ernor Trazen led the militia against tn,
invaders. Old John Stump, who wa.
| blltI luuCl ClllCCDlCd Ny dSO, lONl'1C'
that stories of his famous wealth hat
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
1 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 ii
h 1t is also thought that he feared sud
: den death, and to leave some knowledg
o behind him of the buried money h
i placed the slip of paper in the book
Y Mr.. Stump made his money from tn
:, fiour-mills which he built along Dee
n creek, narrow but swift stream whic
9 emptied into the Susquehanna. Th
V farmers of Herford and Cecil Counties
i this State, and of the southern countie
g of Pennsylvania brought their grain t
b the Stump mills to be ground. He ws
) also STAKEHOLDER and farmer on a
IS extensive scale. During the war of til
revolution and of 1912 his flour sold {
n high as one hundred dollars barre
it He was the wealthiest man of the SCI
n ton, and he dispensed hospitality wit
d an open hand. His home was the reso
OF the old revolutionary heroes, WI
d gathered around his sumptuous boal
ind related their experiences, and to
o how, half-equiped and poorly clad, The
y had cleared out the red-coats in mar
IS engagements.
s Some of Mr.. Stump's descendantsha'
ID occupied the most prominent position
ID In the State. His grandson, Henry '
r. Archer, of Bel Air, is one of its bes
sr known lawyers, and could have be'
a elected Governor had he wished to I
IL lpquish his lucrative law practice. A
N other grandson is Stevenson Archer, e
member of Congress and now Sta
id Treasurer. Another descendant is t
OF INte A. H. Stump, president of Bal
b! more bank, while two others have s
in en the judicial benches of the Stat
ne hiise Stump, formerly Herford Coun
1T belle, is the wife of Admiral LIE Roy,
ne Flow York, and another member of t
lis ;amily is the wife of Mr.. Murray, of
I'D came city.
ne Mr.. Stump's surviving heirs will ma
m no effort to recover the money viii
SIX alexander Wilson luckily found
n 4. World.