The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-02-10
ReCOlIectiOns of Hartford County.
BY GEORGE w. HENsEL.
READ BEFORE THE HARTFORD HISTORICAL
SOCIETY, JANUARY 26TH, 1888.

her mother was Jay, and her grandmothe
Rigby, all OF whom were Friends and mem
bers of the Deer Creek Meeting at Darling
ton. My father was a native of Lancaster
Pa. During the war of 1912 he belonged L
a volunteer company, which marched TO Bal
gilmore, arriving soon after the battle of Nortl
Point. The company did duty in Baltimore
for some time. After the war father returned
to the city OF Baltimore and worked at hi
trade, that of n carpenter; while there he be
came acquainted with my mother, who wa
residing with brother After their marriage
they removed to Lancaster, Pa, where wal
born. Subsequently they moved to neal
Darlington, in my mothers old neighborhood
at which time was an infant in arms. Ny
| father being mechanic of great skill, as wei
as an architect, his services were much sough
for by his neighbors and others.
In 1887 ] left Hartford county TO engage il
business in my native county, where l have
resided ever since. From thus it will be seer
that am not "native to the manner born;'
but having grown to the age of fourteen II
"old Hartford ! feel as though IL was my
native county. Since the death OF my father
and mother, and the removal Of our family
from the county, | have grown almost 6
stranger to the scenes of my youth; but, as
have grown older, my attachment to those
scenes, and the remembrance Of my carly
friends and the companions of my youth
grow stronger with increasing years.
CHANGES IN FIFTY YEARS.
Having paid visit to my old neighborhood
during the past summer I was much impress.
ed with the changes and improvements of the
past fifty years, and at the solicitation of your
worthy president and my friend DR.. Forwood
| was induced to write this paper, giving a
few "reminiscences of my early recollection oil
Darlington, Dublin and the scenes of their
locality of half a century ago. Darlington
was then very small village; Edward Mark
land kept the only store, he having succeeded
the Hurford Brothers. Mr.. MARYLAND mar.
ried Miss Francis McJlton, who was the
daughter of William McJiton and sister OF
John j. McJilton, who was for many years
one Of the proprietors of the Baltimere Amer
ican After the death of Mr.. MARYLAND Mrs.
MARYLAND married Mr.. Sweet. and under.
stand she is now living in Bel Air. My
recollections of her are of very pleasant
character having attended her school when a
very small boy. MI Marklands store was
burned down about he year 1873; on the site
OF II Thomas stump bait a new store build
ing IN leS9, which was leased by him to
Jeremiah .. haines, SIater Brown ana Lewis
da!hes, VINO commenced business IA The
spring OF lSjO, unaer Tue nrm name oil brown
" llaines' Lewis halnrs conducting the BUSH
ness. remember seeing ME- flames make
ms Hrsl sac ~ oelh4 wooden splSot, TO
henry v Nel!. the lanHiord across the street.
DIT. flames was very popular merchant and
dld large business
Inc Messrs Halnes removed thelr store to
QuarryVlIie, Lancaster county, "a, 10 the fall
OF 1858, and were succeeded by Richard l.
jackson. fhlllp w. anG Is. silver, Jr., had
IN the meantime quilt large stone store and
dwelling house, where they did business for
many years. Samuel Harper was the village
blacksmith; Isaac Ely, the wagonmaker and
nndertaRer; james w: racket, the tal!or.and
VIM McJilton, John Peryail and John Fer
guson, the shoemakers Henry oNeil, ajolly
son OF Erin, kept the hotel His wife was an
excellent woman. they mad son John and
a daughter Mary; went 10 school with them
both. John died IN early manhood and Mary
married DR.. John Sappington, whose first wife
was a MISS Baglcy, and who was leading
physician at the time OF which write.
THE OLD SCHOOL TEACHERS
William Watson taught the first school |
ever attended, in q little house in the forks of
The road, below the Methodist church, where
for many years lived Abram Will
mer, well known and very respectable
colored man. Mr. Watson was an English
man, and one of that class of teachers who
taught the schools of the day. He WAS one
Of the best of his class, man of considerable
learning, and wrote n beautiful round hand
Although he used the rod and ferule, he was
A mild and pleasant old gentleman, and was
looked upon with much awe by us small bows
with whom "the wonder crew that one small
head should carry all heknew." Mrs. Watson
was Jay, and a sister to my grandmother
Norton. One of his daughters was the wife
Of John Ferguson and another of Samuel
Harper.
James T. Sullivan, a pupil of Mr.. Watson.
having the misfortune TO loose n leg in the
stone quarries at Port Deposit, NY father
made him wooden leg. A school room was
fitted up for him on the second story of VIM,
EIy's wagcn.maker shop, which was largely
attended. The school was afterwards success.
rully taught by William Peryail. and was nj.
ended, among others, by Philip and William
Warner, both of whom are living and rank
among the aged citizens of the neiphbor-
lood. Mr.. Sullivan afterwards Obtained a
situation in the store of n Mr.. Goldsborouph
If Hayre de Grace whom he finally succeed,
ID in business. He was n nroninent Odd
Fellow of that day. and was for many years
secretary of n lodge in Hayre de Grace
Chas, E. MARYLAND also taught school Mt n
a,er pcriod. Iremember attending his school
II the old Tran School House. new era in
,chool teaching was inaururated in the neigh.
rorbood of Darlington about The wear 1899 nv
Vim. Waring, nm Orthodox Friend from Cecil
,oun,y, who opened school in the then
,cwly erected Orthodox meetinp.housc He
new branches of study and new
Methods Of teaching,
The meeting. house proving an inconvenient
,lace, the old Boston Hip school house, ON
he Stafford road. was rc.fi,ted and re.cbrisi.
med under the higb.soundinp name of"Lawn
Villa Seminar" How Wildly Te.caIl IN
mind his old school housel An old rough
o. cbinked and daubed inside and on, win
ono seats and desks ranged oronnd tho
,ides occupied bv The larger bovs md girls
Who SAT on INV rough benches without hacks
The teacher occunied n sr,all raised nIatfornn
II the rear af The xoom. But if wasa GOOD
'chool Wr. Warinr was a nainstakings and
man having The bannv fscnltu
# infusir . into the minds of his minis he |
,wn enthusiasm for learning. which brnuoht
orth abundant fruit, awakening an interest
n the cause oil education which had never