The Irish standard., 1894-03-24
A PATRIOT OF '76.
Interesting "reminiscences Of. Chas.
Carroll Of Car
roItOn.

Interesting "Reminiscences of. Chas
Carroll Of Car
routon.
THE LAST OF THE SIGNERS,
Zone Of the Few, Immortal Names
That We're Not Born
to Die"
The enthusiasm aroused by the Sons
and Daughters of Revolution for the
preservation of historic landmarks Of the
revolutionary period makes timely the
republication from the Baltimore Amer
iosn OF July 4, 1883, Of the following ar
ticle from the pen of that wsll-known
antiquary, Capt. w. n. Jenkins, Of that
city, giving his recollections Of che most
illustrious OF Maryland's patriots Of the
days of rs, Charles Carroll OF Carrollton
-''one of the few, the immortal. names
that were not bern to die. =
In these "reminiscences I shall only
dwell upon events that have seen, and
in which I have participated, many Of
them as clear and fresh in my memory as
if they occurred but year or so ago.
My first recollection of ever meeting MIR.
Carroll, or, as then known by his country
men, Carroll of Carrollton," vas at q
private dinner given him and many other
Revolutionary patriots of that day, living
in Baltimore county, at the county resi-
dence of William Patterson, Esq, known
then as "Cold Stream" q mile or 80 north
of the city limits. This memorial estate
was then. admitted to be the most extern
Give, beautiful and luxuriously equipped
home stead anywhere in Maryland, and
the owner was conceded to be the wealth
lest OF Baltimore merchants.
: The occasion Of the dinner was to COM
msmorate the fifty. fourth anniversary OF
our independence, and to bring together,
as far as could be, all Of the remnant Of
the Revolutionary heroes then living in
the county, Baltimore city included. MY
close proximity to Cold Stream made me
nearly an everyday visitor during my
childhood days, and this continued until
long after the demise, not only Of Mr..
Patterson, but Of nearly every one Of his
guests present on that clay, and in matter
OF fact, often afterwards until / grew to
manhood.
Great preparations had been made for
this event, and some fifty or more invita-
tions had been sent to those who had
participated, more or less, in the struggle
for our liberties, and, in addition, some
fifty gentlemen, who were recognized
friends of the host. It was Mr.. Patter-
sons pardonable pride that everything
set before his guests was produced upon
his own estates, of which he had several.
Everything that could be produced from
land or water, in the way of edibles, was
on the table. The wines and other "wet
goods" of every. brand came from his
we'll. filled cellars. The dinner was sue
cess, as may be imagined.
Mr.. Carroll came out in his own ve-
hicle, driven by his old trusty colored
coachmap, and on his entrance into the
spacious grove where the feast was spread
the whole assembly of patriots and others
received him with uncovered heads, while
Mr.. Patterson, with delegation of some
five or six crippled heroes, Of the Reyolu-
tion, received him at the gateway. /
stood quite near, in company with the
neighboring youngsters who were kindly
invited to be present to look on. and to
share in the good things 90 abundantly
supplied. heard all the speeches, toasts
and songs, and witnessed all the fun and
frolic Of the old patriots, but none seemed
to enjoy the fun m ore than MIR. Carroll.
It was we'll in the night when the gather.
ing dispersed. The old heroes seemed
10th to part, and many were the express
eions Of regret that some Of them, at least,
would s.meet no more" Indeed such
was the fact, for it is not il everso many,
or, indeed, any ever set down together to
such q feast since that day anywhere in
this county. city or state.
Some few years after an attempt was
made to bring them together again, but
the little band Of "seventy-Gx' boys had
dwindled down to few; too infrm to
attend an entertainment Of any kind. Il
was Mr.. Carroll's last entertainment.
The Same may b said Of Mr.. Patterson,
% well a. Of many Of the guests. for il
the next few years I witnessed the funer
ais of many. With that Of General Sam
uel Smith, in 1889, it may be said the
earth closes over the remnant OF all our
revolutionary fathers hsre. IN our city. .at
sleast ss3sass 5.s. III
On the memorable day, July 4, 1923
when Mr.. Carroll lai5 the corner STONE Of
the baltimore and Ohio railroad at
Mnsnnf Glare my f,ny1nrf fI,rlifv fsf naain6