Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1900-02-14
MEMORY OF ONE MAN
COVERS A PERIOD OF SEVENTY
-FOUR YEARS IN SNOW HILL.

-FOUR YEARS IN SNOW HILL.
Snow Hin. Md. Feb. ls.--In 1926
Hugh sfSteyenson FIRST made his home
In snow Hill, and since that time every
individual who then lived here, with q
single exception, has died or moved
away and every piece OF real estate
has changed ownership. Mr.. Steven
son has, therefore, seen new town
and new people grow up around him.
Yet he still possesses much ofhis youth
ful vigor He talks very interestingly
OF the changes that have taken place
in the town. and likes TO recall old
scenes and people. He lives now In
house which Is itself one OF the land
marks OF Snow Hin.
In l777 William Morris was register
OF wills Of Worcester county, aud had
Ids oiflee az his residence, near Five
Alile Branch" This house was destroy
"a by dire In 1878. but the. records were
saved, and Mr.. Morris built and moved
10 the house now occupied by Mr.. Stew
anson. Later, sometime about 1926, the
property passed into the hands OF
Judge William Wilmington, grand
father OF Governor John Walter Smith.
and was his home until his death. AT
that time il was known as the Whit
tngton Mansion. and was q centre
OF social life II was afterward owned
and occupied by Judge William Tingle
who. IN turH.lkept It's doors Hospitality
open II is today one Of the most at
tractive residences IN Snow Hill. and
never falls to elicit admiring com
ments from strangers. The house is
built Of brick, covered With white plas-
tey. and has the substantial appearance
Of the fine residences OF its day. It's
floors are so well laid that even now
the seams cannot be detected. 1t shares
donors only with the residence OF Cap
tain William Il. TimmOns on Market
street This Is one OF the valu-
able old homes OF Snow Hill. A part OF
It Is constructed o. logs. covered on
the outside with laths and plaster.
Across the front Is o wide. two-stofy
veranda, with colonial pillars
Mr.. Stevenson says: When l first
anne to Snow Hill the principal bust
ness men were Robert Handy located
GA the present site OF the building ci
Smith. Moore & Hargis; Captain Dur
field. where the Franklin House stood
few years ago. and Moses Smith. on
Green street Though Snow Hin was
then nothing but q village OF about
three hundred inhabitants, Il was the
centre OF a large shipping trade. and
X was a common occurrence for TWEEN
ty-tve or thirty vessels to be in dock
here. loading with corn for the city
markets. while wagons waited In line
extending beyond the causeway tC
what Is now the foot of Park row. dis.
lance of about three-quarters of mile
The judges Of the county court at thai
time were William b. Martin. Jane.
B. Robins and William Wilmington
with John c. Handy. clerk.
James Powell. then the sheriff, ha,
the distinction Of executing the frs
death sentence ever passed In Worces
ter county. In those days the ceremon,
was very simple. The condemned MAJ
was placed In a cart, which was driver
under the oyerhanging limb Of tree
and the team was driven away. leaving
the man hanging The executions wer
public and attracted large crowds from
All parts OF this and surrounding coun
ties.
Among the leading members OF tn
bar then were Ara Spence. Irwin
Spence, William Purnell and Ephrair
n. Wilson. whose son. Ephraim X
Wilson, was afterward one Of tn
judges Of this circuit and Unjsed State
senator, and whose grandson OF tn
same name is practicing here onw. Tn
Court House was then a large Englls
brick structure. built soon after IN