The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-02-10

| hIS haulC NaullOb ltGul
Every foot of the road from Darlington t
the mill was familiar; but now | notice man,
changes and improvements in the farms OF
either side Of the way. The mill does no
look as large as it did in my boys eyes; ant
the creek also looks shrunken in width
Changes have been made in the interior o
the mill and the stentorian voice of old Joshu,
is no longer heard giving his orders to Charley
and Silas; yet in my fancy see and hear him
and think Of the changes which fifty year!
have wrought.
/ return by the road which intersects the
Stafford road near where the old Boston Hi
school house stood. No vestgc of it remains
on the site of it stands the dwelling of the
Holloway family, where | called to see q
cousin-Stephen Norton, who is the only
member ofhis family now living in the county
Across the fields, to the rght, lived "Dickey'
Cole, u well. known character about Darling.
ton in his day. And farther on the left stands
the old Stump Mansion, where lived Henry
G. Stump, who was prominent citizen Of the
county in those days. | recall his spending q
night with me in the spring of 1912, which
was the last time l remember seeing him.
called to see my old friend Mrs. jackson
relct of the late Richard l. jackson, at her
pleasant home near Darlington; she is now
among the oldest inhabitants. have already
/ spoken Of My. Jackson rs the succcssor u
Brown & Haines, merchants. remember
when he built, and removed his store ana
dwelling place to where Mrs. Jackson now
resides when left the neighborhood he was
engaged in building the Deer Creek Iron
Works. Few men of his time contributed
more to the improvement and prosperity OF
the neighborhood than Richard |. Jackson.
THE FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE.
No place in the neighborhood was better
known to me than tho old Friends Meeting
House and its surroundings; the low stone
structure, with its quaint od-mshioned high
backed seats; the raised benches where sat the
elders; and where also sat the elder women,
among them Susanna Jewett, who, when
moved by the spirit, spoke in meeting-and
also Sarah Warner OF saintcd memory.
am free to confess that to a boy, sitting in
those high backed seats in silence, there came
feelings of anxiety as to the time meeting
would break up; and longing eyes were cast
in the direction of the elders seats, to see two
of them rise and shake hands, which was the
sign for breaking up of meeting.
The green sward in front of this old meet
ng-house; the grand old oaks surrounding it,
under the shade of which have played while
attending the school near by, have a charm
which few other spots have, and which time
SouhOl SudCC llOul lily luCuOEy, laVlUH IlVeQ
in sight ofthem the fret eight years of my life
recall the faces of those who were mem
bcrs of the meeting. Among them-John
Jewett, Samuel Hopkins, (hattcr) James Cole,
VIM Worthngton, Joshua Husband, Aquilla
Massey, Joseph Husband, Joshua Husband,
Jr, Joshua Hopkins, Joshua and Joseph
Iiarmer and their sisters, the Warner family,
and many others. Nearly all of them have
passed away. Many Of them sleep in the
silent graveyard adjoining, with iLs low and
modest head stones, among them my beloved
mother.
"Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire,
Hands that the rod OF Empire might have
swayed
Or walked to ecstacy the living Tyre"
| shall not attemp: history of this old
meeting house, as that has already been given
byyour local historian 1t is,however, very
old structure and antedates the Revolution
One of the families best known to me was
that of Ephraim Hopkins-"Unclc Ephraim"
we always called him-who lived across the
field from our house. Father did great deal
of work for him, and when a very small boy
was frequently at the house: The family
consisted of his wife. Aunt Molly" a son,
Hannah, the eldest daughter of VIM. Worth
ingon; daughter, Margaret, who married
Edward Chew; and n sister-in.law, "Arnt
Peggy Morgan" The old house, with green
lawn in front of it: the orchard Of choice fruit,
especially the red checked "Ashmore" apples,
l well remember. A new and more modern
built house has been erected in place of the
old one; CTcrything around is changed, and
not member of the original family is living
to-day.
NEIGHBoRHooD CHARACTERS.
Near "Uncle Ephraim's" gate lived Olivia
known as "Livy" McNu!, who kept cake
and beer shop; the house is still standing
her house was the resort of many "char-
acters" well known at that time, among
them Cousin" George Harris ant Tohn
Ford; the former was good natured
old fellow who was fond of apple ,oddy,
and was wont to declare that the most
beautiful sight he ever bcheld was six
teen half-pints of whiskey sitting on the table
at one time;" he lived among the Hopkins
and Worthington families, bis principal occu.
patton being that of an oak shinglc maker
cousin" George had Il weakness for seeing
his name in conspicuous places. The initials
"G. H." were cut on every smooth barkCd
beech tree from Uncle" Ephraim's 10
Gamers Rock" on the river.
John Ford was a simpe-hcarted fellow, |
whose funny sayings and songs were very at.
traclive to the small boy of that time. He
was one of the most expert watermen on the |
river; the toughest of water had no terrors
for him in the lightest boat.
Mrs McNut, although selling liquor with |
out license was tolerated. She was generally |
respected, but upon one occasion information |
was lodged against her at Bel Air and |
deputy arrived with process against her,
called at my fathers shop, informing him of
his business, and ntmated that should Mrs |
MoNut not be home it would be much more |
to his liking. A messenger was accordingly |
despatched to the old lady, who was CON
veniently absent when the officer appeared |
Richard, William, John and Samuel Cover
were her sons, all of whom are dead, except |
the latter, whom | met on my late visit. He |
is now quite an old man, but am pleased to |
hear has been prosperous one, which he |
richly deserves, as the family was one of
sterling integrity.
Aquilla Massey's was another wide-known |
family. "Uncle Aqulla" was kind old |
mother. Previous TO the marriage of his SON.
John W. Massey. his housekeeper was
"Cousin" Classy Willet, who was afterwards |
for James Cole.
The situation Of the Massey homestead was
one Of the finest in the neighborhood, being
located on rising knoll surrounded by grand |
old forest trees, about mile west of Darling
ton, on the Dublin road. The family are all [
dead except some of Johns children, and the I
property has passed into strange hands Two I
elegant residences have been built on por.
lion of 1t, and the property has been very
much improved
There lived in those days on the Dublin
road, above the Massey place, singular
named Jimmy McVey He was
little old Irishman and weaver by trade
BE owned small patch of uncultivated land,
On which were erected small dwelling,
weaver shop and corn crib. Here he lived
4 bachelor life for many years, weaving as
long as he was able. His principal diet CON
sisted of mush and milk. Jimmy was a we'll
known character in his day and frequent
visitor to all the families in the neighborhood.
The Ward family owned large tract of
rather poor land on the Dublin road. l re-
member Richard, the father, who died when
was young. John S. and Charles, his sons,
resided in the neghborhood when l left it.
John s. WAS married to a Wells and enhen