The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-07-10
A Bit of Ridge History.
ARGUS.

| DEAR READER:-Have you ever explored tina
| region of country known as the " Barren Ridge?
if not, you should drop your worldly affairs for
few hours and take your wife and children AM
grand chdren with you (if you have any, as W
did by way of au outing, on the glorious Fourth
| After leaving the Sun amid the racket and nos
| of fire crackers, with which our indulgent tow
, authorities kindly permitted Young America Il
display their patriotism we headed for the bar
rens. After passing over Gibsons Hill, or he'll u
our citizens from Erin's Isle pronounce the word
we were in sight of the q Red Pump" This is
place of some little notolety and has been q kline
of landmark for Il generation or two back. As thu
barren ridge people are not disposed to do an!
| more work than is absolutely necessary, forme
proprietor dug well at the foot OF the hill below
his residence a hundred yards or more to say,
the labor of digging, and put in an od-fashioneC
log pump, which he had painted Il brick color
The red pump people have for long time pas
been engaged in the poultry business. Nearby
was at one time the residence of jesse Williams
chicken fancier from near Philadelphia, who in
troduced some improved breeds of chickens into
the neighborhood along the ridge. Mr.. William:
had been an old Philadelphia politician and
could give the pedigree of its prominent citizens
Being himself at one time in Gfuent circum
stances he entertained many noted politicians
and statesmen at his farm i'll Montgomery Co.
among whom was Henry Clay.
Leaving the Pump to our right we passed the
fine farms of George and Edwin II. Reynolds
which border the Ridge on the Maryland side
further on we passed the residences formerly
owned by James johnson and George Bell who
were at one time men of prominence, of the old
fashioned Southern type, the former having had a
brother who was Governor of Alabama. Jimmy
as he was called, was conspicuous figure at elee-
tons and other public gatherings, in his swallow
tailed blue coat with brass buttons. and bell
crowned hat, worn long after that style of head
gear had gone out of fashion.
The next point of some note before reaching
our destination was the 'Red Turkey or the
Turkey" as it is called for short, was once quite
a lively place, where four roads meet and kind
of store was opened by one Levi Tyson, whose
principal stock in trade was whiskey of rather
poor quality. Mr.. Tyson did not continue the
business long as the public sentiment of the
neighborhood was against the traffic, and he was
in fair way to have his customers sent to dwell
with the "silent majority" The singular name
of the place originated by Mr.. Tyson keeping a
ldfSe uOCk vi turkeys vi y lcu UoLutj WHlOu slSs
gested to IL neighbor the name OF the "Red
Turkey" The property is now owned by Mr..
Samuel Reynolds, a go-ahead farmer through
whose labor and skill the land has been made
quite productive.
Mount Pleasant, a few hundred yards north of
the Turkey and the moth side of the State line,
being the most attractive place on the ridge, we
left the public road and after going through three
or four sets of bars, and winding in and out among
pitch pines and greenbrier bushes, were on an
emnence about two hundred and fifty feet above
the Octoraro creek, which glides by with about
murmer enough to lull one into dreamy repose,
while the whisting of bob white" and the tap
ping of woodpecker on a dead pine far below
seemed the only noise to break in upon the tran
guilty of the place, when und sturbed by that of
pleasure seekers. The scenery along the Octoraro
creek from this point to Rowlandville abounds
with highly romantic and picturesque views,
equaling that of the far-famed Wissahicken. A
fine view is had from this point across rich val.
ley for miles away, among the green fields and
sylvan groves of Lancaster and Chester counties
in the Keystone State, while portions of five coun-
ties are visible. Mount Pleasant is worth visiting
by those who admire the rugged scenery formed
by nature. Il.