The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-01-22
The Death of F. S. Everist.
PORT DEPOSIT, Nd, Jan. 18th, '97.

IOhl DEfOslly MD, jill lotlj ~.
Mr.. E. E. EWING,
EDITOR MIDLAND JOURNAL.
Dear Sir:-To-day at West Nottingham under
the snow is laid to rest mutual friend and old
schoolmate, Frank S. Everist Before night there
will be nothing to show of a new made grave; by
its emblem of purity it will be fit covering for
what all men who knew our friend Everist to be,
one of Gods noblemen. Such shocks as this
causes to stop and think of the days long since
past You and l knew him in our boyhood
days. In the days of Weatherby and Robinson
who taught the day school at Rowlandville where
all first wrestled with the Comey spelling
book; The old school house, like many of our
schoolmates, is no more; where are the Roman
boys, the Cooleys, the Hanshaws, the Ewings, the
Ways the Vests and many more, and last our
genial, open hearted friend Frank Everist, gone
into the great beyond. We who knew him best
always honored and respected him in life and
mourn for him in death. We knew no faults; It's
said he was too generous. If so that coupled with
his strongest trait of character, charity towards
all, should be enough to land him safe in the
great beyond, have been thrown much in con,
tact with our old schoOlmate Everist since 1866
and have always found him the same old Frank
of our schoolboy days-genial, open hearted, with
charity for all, malice towards none, knowing no
difference between the rich and poor, treating all
alike, ready to help the distressed or encour-
age the weak.
Since he first became School Commissioner his
whole mind and energy seemed to be warped in
the duty of forcing the school system of Cecil
county up to a standard that should be second to
no county in the State, and he had the great sat
istaction of seeing the goal reached before his
death. have had many talks with him in regard
to the present school system and the past and how
hard it was for the poor when we were boys to get
an education on account of scarcity of school
houses and having to pay so much per day for
schooling. His great aim to do all in his
power to rectify that. One of his first duties Oh
becoming a School Commissioner was to erect
more and better school houses. l had the honor
of erecting the first two school houses under his
administration. The first one at RoWlandyille
where he spent his boyhood days with us. The
second at Mexico now known lakewood. He
also had a great desire to have the cOlored people
educated and have school houses and teachers of
their own race. was again called on and soon
made bargain to erect the first cOlored school
house in Cecil county. II is known as Thad.
Stevens Hall, situated about one mile from Con-
owingo. These three school houses are the
nucleus from which have sprung many fine school
houses throughout Cecil county as monuments to
the untiring zeal in the Interest of education by
our old schoolmate Frank S. Everist l have no
doubt but that hundreds of teachers, some of
whom are now married, remembering the past
blindness and encouragement to them of the ever
kind and aiiabie Franz S, EveTlst who never tired
or wavered in their interest or interest in the
schools of Cecil county, will erect suitable mon
ument over his remains to show to future genera
tons that under lies one of Gods noblemen, a
man that thought but little of self. One can
almost say he gave his life in interest of schools of
Cecil county for on the day before his death he
should have been in ped bpt school duties called
him to Elkton; he never shirked duty, but went
to train after getting on train had slight attack
OF vertigo and heart trouble was assisted to Elkton
by Mr., Ed. Rowland Of this place. After being in
Elkton few hours he had similar attack and
was assisted home by Mr.. Reckefus, Judge of
Orphans Court Next morning he went out to
direct sonp men he had employed to clean out
spring and thaw frozen pipes. While standing al
spring had another attaek of vertigo and heart
trouble which caused him to fall forward, in doing
SO lie stynck torciby against the spring wall. He
was Immediately carried into the house the doe
tors summoned, who after careful examination
pronounced him dead from heart trouble before
his head struck the stone.
In politics. as you know, our friend Frank was
always democrat and politician ofconsiderable
note, and an honest one; never STOPPING to the
low dirty order OF some politicians. He had an
opinion of his own and wished all Others to have
same privilege; never protesting friendship to a
man then cowardly stabing him IN the back. l
know you will join me IN saying we haye lost
good, true friend Cecil county has lost one Of her
best and most useful citizens Peace 10 his soul.
Respectfully,
J. DIXON WEST.