The Republican., 1899-10-26
UPTON BRUCE, THE HERMIT.
A Brief Sketch of the Family of this Pc
culiar Man,

culiar Man,
To the Editor of The Republican,
The recent death of Upton Bruce. the her
init, was not an event of much public OF
even private moment, yet there were facts
and circumstances connected with his life
and death that were and are still of consid-
erable interest to many persons. For many
years he had led the life of a confirmed re
cluse OF hermit, entirely isolated from soci-
ETY. or any social relations, in a hut and
poverty, but not destituiton, as for a number
of years Garrett county appropriated $50 for
his support in trust of Mr. Charles Thomp-
son. He must have been about eighty years
old when he died. In early life he was mar
ried and had children, all of which seemed to
have disappeared. Evidently his forlorn
life was superinduced by demented state
of mind. How the mighty are fallen, was
one of the lamentations in the days of the
Biblical facts.
And who was this hermit? He was the
youngest child of Upton Bruce ST., who
came to old Allegany while its territory was
yet within the loins of its mother county
Washington, maybe Frederick. He settled
~ = - Fort Cumberland before the prefix
was dropped i'll 1857. Soon became one of the
leading men of the new county; was elected
often to important offices, among them State
Senator. No Office was considered beyond
his merits or capacity. He had much to do
in organizing the political and social affairs
of the county. He was one of the charter
parties of the old Cumberland Bank of Allie
gany, incorporated in 1911, with capital of
100000. Was its first president and served
for number of years. He left Cumberland
long years ago. but it does not now appear
just when, seated himself and family in
Ryan's Glade, south of the Backbone Noun
tain, not far from the present village of Cor
man. No doubt he failed in in his large bus
mess affairs, hence the removal. He became
a farmer, on rather grazer. Died and was
buried at the foot of the mountain. Even
the date of his death is i'll uncertainty
However it must have been about the year
1929. The solemn records iof the Court are
silent as to the time of his death and any
belongings he may have had. No last viii
and testament or administration appears
from the records of the Orphans Court of
this once very prominent and oppulent man.
HIS CHILDREN.
There were seven known to the writer five
sons and two daughters-Robert, Norman
Henry, sCharles X. and Upton, and two
daughters, one the wife of the eminent law
yer, William Price, and the other the wife of
Gen. Walter Gwinn. Robert was a promi-
nent man in his county all the adult years Of
his life. Filled a number of prominent Off
ces, always with efficiency. Was Colonel of
the 2nd Nd. Reg. during the whole of the
great war, and lastly Judge of the Orphans
Court for many yearS-died in 1890, ever four
score.
Norman Bruce was an active graZer in the
glades up to 1872, when he was elected Sheriff
which office he filled with efficiency and sat
isfaction to the people for three years. Was
a member Of the Legislature about the year
1888. He cared but little for office. 1t tsought
him rather than he it. After his sheriffalty
heentered largely into the mercantile bus
mess and other enterprises and continued in
that line up to his death in October, 1851
greatly lamented by all. While sheriff he
married Elizabeth Bruce, only daughter of
George Bruce, cousin Of the groom. She is
yet living as the widow Dickinson. The last
survivor of the "Trinity Lizzies" of olden
times in the mountains of now Garrett coun-
Elizabeth Bruce, Beall and Sides, cous-
ins, all named after their grandmother
IOulllHSOl. anu Hlucu dunllfeu ana SOugn
on account of personal attractions and social
relations, especially Lizzie Sides the youn-
gest of the three. She was modest, pretty,
pure and lady-like. Those impressions We're
made in school days in the deep, deep past.
Henry Bruce, while on the Glade farm was
appointed Clerk of Allegany County Court in
1854, by Governor Pratt, as successor to Aza
Beall, who had filed the Office % years.
Henry Bruce filed it until 1851, when he was
succeeded by Horace Resley at the first cleo
tion under the constitution of 1850. Several
years after having the Office he was admit
ted to the bar and practiced law up to the
time of his death, sometime after the close of
the war. His wife was one of the many
daughters of the late Thomas Thistle. There
were number of children by this marriage.
All have disappeared from about Cumber-
land.
Charles X. was the fourth son, a very ami
able. quiet man in every way. Was in the
mercantile business with his brother Nor
man, and upon his death the successor in
the business. He lost his wife and her death
brought great depression upon him; so much
so that he retired from business. Has been
dead many years. He left three sons. They
have all left Cumberland. J.B.
Cumberland, Nd, Oct. 20, 1899.