The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-12-19
THE WESTERN MD. HISTORIAN
5V1o 20

Contributes Another of His interest
ing Articles to 1.-THE Republican,"
To the Editor of The Republican.
The subject of the old time fam
lilies of Garrett county is not yet
fully exhausted.
In the beginning of the present |
century, young man of fine APP
pearance came to Westernport, in
Allegany county, from Lancaster,
Pa. He was George Layman, an
old time halter by trade. Western
port was then an important point
in the old county - the head of
navigation on the north branch of
the Potomac, for small craft, known
as flat boats. The main commodi-
ties then for transporting from the
little port was gun stocks of wal
nut and curled maple to Harper's
Ferry for the manufacture of Uni
ted States muskets-no rifles then.
Layman soon set up batter shop
of the most primitive style. HIS
materials were the furs of beaver,
otter, 'coons and other inferior
animals, and in some instances wool
was used, and you may be sure it
made a very hard, heavy head gear.
The sign or advertisement in those
days Of halter was a great mum Der
of fur-bearing hides tackled upon
the sides of little plank or slab
shop. His hats were said to give
satisfaction while he carried on the
trade. But for many years there
has been no such thing as a country
halter or shop-"a lost art
Meantime he married a very re-
spectacle young lady of the neigh
borhood by the name of Bower.
They bore eight children, four sons
and as many daughters. The sons
were Daniel, John, George ". and
James. The daughters are all dead
except Catharine Smalley, now a
very aged lady living in District
/ No. 3.
Nancy, the youngest daughter.
was lady Of much attraction in
her early years-became the wife of
Elijah Brown fifty-eight years ago,
and died eight years since IN Ship
man, Illinois. Her grief stricken
husband survived Der TIL last Sep
TENDER, when he died in Missouri
and was buried by the side of the
grave he so often moistened with
his tears and bedecked with his
willing hands. This last death was
fifty noticed in your paper at the
time.
George Layman moved to the
Little Crossings district, now
Grantsville, in middle life or a
little after, became a Justice of the
Peace in the lower end of the dis
trict, and his son John j. p. in
now Grantsville-the father Dem
ocrat and the son an ardent Wing. !
This good and respectable old man,
for everyone SAID he was such, died |
at an advanced age about the year
1858, and his faithful wife followed !
him number of years later. He
was genial, social and open-hearted !
in his ways and nature.
Daniel, the eldest son, died in
Westernport about sixty years ago,
left widow and four children. The |
youngest son, George Louis, became
sheriff of Allegany county in 1869,
died in Cumberland about eight
years ago. He was a prominent
man in the two counties for MANY
years. He left large family, in
GLIDING a very worthy widow, all |
since gone to Iowa except the much |
esteemed wife of Mr.. Ralph Engle.
John Layman, the most promi-
nent member of the family, was
prosperous merchant in Grantsville,
intelligent, useful and greatly
respected, died in 1045 at the early
age oil thirty-nine, of cancer in the
groin. He was greatly missed on
account of general usefulness. He
left a widow but no Children.
james Layman went to Iowa before