The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-01-28
A MARYLAND Giant.


On the Talbot county debt book for
quit claims, Michaelmas, 1855, made by
Colonel Edward TIlghman for Henry Holl-
day, Esq representing the interests of the
late Lord Proprietor, showing what was
due on quit claims at that date appears the
following entry Gabriel Seiles, Rich
Range 300 acres, -. cd DELPHI, 100
acres. p ud These farms were in what
Is now aud was possibly then called Oxford
Neck in & pretty and agricultural section.
OF course, no one living now ever saw this
Gabriel Seiles, and he left no descendants,
and Us far as is known, there is not one of
hi, Kindred alive today But his name is
well known in this generation, and even
better known than all his contemporaries
The stories told about him and the trad-
,ions attached to the place serve to i'm
mortalize the name Of Gabriel Seiles in
Talbot county
He was mighty man in height, and
was possessed of superhuman strength He
stood, it i, said, six feet eight inches high,
and of splendid physical and muscular de-
velopment Many stories are yet told of
his feats of strength, which throw San
dow ; performances in the shade The
best one Of the stories accredited him is
this
The fame of this powerful man had
gone out far and wide. 1t had even gotten
to New York city, where exaggerated
stories Of his feats and proves had been
told among men who considered them
selves something Of giants The most no
torious pugilis; in the country at that time
was biz fellow. BY the name Of Garth.
He was a man Of science in the pugilistic
art, and had bested many men, but, hav-
ing never suffered defeat himself Having
heard so much of Sailes' strength. he de
termined to find and whip him. He
promptly came down and drove out to see
Sales. who Was just about to kill big OK
for Christmas The New Yorker saluted
Sales. and said
Ny name is Garth I'm lighting
man from New York. | hear you are
fighter. I've come down TO whip you.
An right, said Sales Wait
minute till kill this beef
The animal. big OK, was brought up
before Sailes, who struck him powerful
blow between the eyes, knocking him
down After cutting the OK 5 jugular, he
turned to accommodate the New Yorker,
but he was seen going toward the gate at
breakneck speed, on his way to New York.
Il Is also told of him that when his slaves
would ask him for holiday he would
make them spend it sitting on the apex of
the barn roof, ike lot Of crows. The
most singular freak OF this peculiar man
was in connection with his death and
burial His coffin which was made of
tw6-inch white oak stuff was cut and sawed
in the midnight hours. on land called
the Devil Keep. The coffin was open
at both ends He directed and the writ
ing is yet extant) that jug of whiskey
should be placed in one end of the coffin
aud plug of tobacco in the other, 50 that
If the devil comes in at either end, he
viii stop to take chaw or drink, and
| will get out at the other.
Another of his fantastic notions was that
his grave should be dug north and south,
and holly tree be planted at each end,
This was done and the hollies are still liy-
ing, being large trees. In the early part
of this century the grave was opened
through the curiosity ef some skeptics, who
disregarded the story The thick oak
coffin was there Both ends of it were
open, and in one end was jug. \ record
of the fact and the finding were made at
the time. aud is now on the county records.