The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-05-02
ANOTHEk LAND MARK GONE.
Some Account of the Old House and its
Early Occupants.

DR.. d. +. Shipley, the only homeopathic
physician of Westminster, has torn down his
residence and Office, at the corner of Main and
Centre streets, and will erect in its place
another Office and dwelling The new build
ing will be a frame one, two stories and attic.
1t will stand back from Main street about 20
feet. The front will be 80 feet, and the depth
so feet. 1t viii have a tower and bay win
dows, and an ornamental roof The entrance
to the olhce will be from centre street. The
Main street front will be ornamented with
porch. DR.. Shipley has sent his family to the
country, and has removed his Office next door
to his former place.
The building just taken down was perhaps
the oldest in town. The following letter
from Mrs. Catherine J. Shelman, who
has lived longerin Westminster than any other
resident, gives some account of the old house
and its occupants, and will be read with
interest
The house formerly occupied by DIR. d.
+. ShipleY, corner of Main aud Centre streets,
which has been torn down to make room for
more modern dwelling, was one ofthe Oldest, if
indeed it was not the Oldest land mark in the
town. 1t was originally owned by Mr. and
Mrs Torbit, commonly called Talbot an old
English couple, who came to this country from
England when their daughters Miss Annie
and Miss Betsy were children. The latter
were women far past middle age, when l, who
am in my Slst year. first remember them, the
father and mother having died before | was
born. The house must have been standing
during or before the Revolutionary war. The
yard originally extended as far as the property
now occupied by Mr.. Daniel F. Shriner. at
that time known as ''the old salt works.
quaint, odd looking old building which disap-
peared many years ago, but which, in its
60 L.
ing. No one now living ever heard when il
was built, or by whom, nor how its name
originated. Their garden was noted for its
fine fruit, three immense box bushes, and
famous well of cold water, which was always
drawn up in an "old oaken bucket and
chain. The house was originally kept as
tavern by Mr.. and Mrs. Torbit, but after their
death was used as private residence by Miss
Annie and Miss Betsy. They supported
themselves by taking as boarders the children
who attended school in the town from other
parts Of the county, then portion of Freder-
lex county. Amongst the children who
boarded with them were Charles and Upton
Bruce, Upton and Norman Scott, Elizabeth
Scott, afterward Mrs. John Brooke Boyle;
Margaret Scott, who married Daniel Swope,
of Taneytown; Robert, Charles and Ann
Litter, Hon. j. Morrison Harris, of Balti-
more, and n number of others. The school
was kept in the old school house at the en-
trance to the Westminster Cemetery, which
vas few years ago changed into private
residence for the Sexton, the school master at
that time being Mr.. Thomas Gurley, a Scotch
man, who came here from Gettysburg, Pa.
Miss Annie and Miss Betsy were well known
TO all persons of any consequence in Frederick
and Baltimore countless and numbered
amongst their visitors such persons as DIR.
Dodds, of New Windsor: Francis Scott Key,
of ''Star Spangled Banner" fame; John Scott,
of Brucevile, and many others, who never
failed to pay their respects as they passed
through the town. They were the constant
attendants of all the sick children in the town,
and one of their peculiar remedies were knit
mttens which they carried with them to put
on the children's hands to keep them from
catching cold. They were rigid Presby-
terians, and dressed exactly alike, even to the
width of their apron strings. Amongst their
possessions, was a colored woman named
Harriette, whose duty every evening was to
bring home from pasture at Winchester place,
a beautiful little Buffalo COW, which all the
childred declared looked so much like its
mstresses, that they could recognize it. no
matter where it was seen. To the present
generation, a new and more modern dwelling
well be a welcome and needed improvement,
adding greatly to the attractive appearance of
our growing little city, but to those of us who
are left, of the past generations, so many of
whom have recently gone to their last long
sleep, many pleasant "reminiscences inger
around the old building, and its disappearance
will seem like the vanishing away of an old
friend, and the breaking of the last link in the
chain of memory