The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-04

dawn Of the Twentieth Ceu-ury Thomas
Cooksey Ward. VINO lives near Charlotte
Han, IN 81. Mary's county. and is well
known in Baltimore. looks backward
through the century just Closed into seven
years Of the hundred years that had the
prefix Of H. He IS well known through
ont s. Mary's and Charles counties. and
until enfoeb!ed By tAe~g grip last winter
could be seen frequently "a various gath
erings AID at the villages in his neigh
borhCod Mr Ward is NOW housed for
the winter His last appearance IN public
was on election day when he drove sew
erd miles 10 Mechanicsville. ST Mary's
county. IN order 10 vote for Bryan and
Stevenson
1ir Ward lives with son and two
daughters on his farm il St Mary's com
y. SIX miles east OF Hughesvilte. Charles
county. BIS postoiee address is Charlotte
Hall The plain. old-fashioned farmhouse
stands on top Of hill that has a re her
bleak aspect at this season He was seat
ed Iii & comfortable rocking chair before q
cheerful open wood fire. He seemed
Pleased to see the visitor and manifested
considerable interest in what was said.
although he Is quite deaf. He attributes
his great age to the strength given by sim
PIE habits and an outdoor life
Yes. it IS all very wonderful" ne said,
when speaking Of his age 1T is indeed
wonderful that man should live in three
centuries. l was born IN November %,
I793. on my fathers farm. near New
port, in Charles counts Ny father was
Joseph Ward and my mother before her
marriage was Mary CnOksey- Both lived
10 q good old age. l think my mother
was nearly ninety years old when sac
died
1T Iove the coanjTy. and I have always
liyCd here. except for feE years spent
in Baltimore during middle age. I was
reared like most country boys going 10
school in The winter and working on the
farm il the summer When I reached
manhood I began farming for myself and
have been fairly successful. I bought
this farm of about gee acres ard managed
it myself until nine years ago lost
$4,000 security money shortly after the
civil war but il did not bankrupt ne. so
you see I haze done fairly we'll.
What go l think Of the century that
has just closed. =" he was asked well.
IL was a wonderful century. but don't
think she human race is any better of
4sw han II p-as 100 years ago. with all
The marvellous inventions People are
not honest any more; there IS 100 much
greed for wealth. ! haven't confidence in
anyone Low. when was a young man
it was different Men and women got
some enjoyment oul Of life.
The old plantation homes were very
al tractive Social pleasures were numeg-
Gus and there was not this false idea Of
rauE and position have seen the
wee EhiesI and most Fashionable werner
dance with men whose clothing was rag
81. -
those old gatherings were delightful and
well showed the peiEhborly spirit OF
those days. A mans HeighbOrs would
gather IN fc=Ce at MS house 10 help him
husk corn for Instance while the women
worked On qailts and sewing. Then al
night all would enjoy q dance. IF a poor
man lost lis horse his neighbors would
help him buy another. You don't see that
spirit today
The great strides of the century have
not been as closely followed by me as
they might continued Mr. Ward, as !
have lived nearly al my life quietly down
here IN the country l have seen the
grain cradle replaced by the first reaper
and II giEe way TO the complete harvest
ing machine Of today. I have seen thu
birth Of the sewing machine, the steam
boat. and the locomotive These things
have been wonderful help but away
I. back in the first part Of the century We
we're happy without them.
w hen a young man / would 20 10 Bal
tinore four or E-e times q year Such
q journey was great event in those
days even when undertaken by AZ in
diTidUel- but when by]a family il was
something Of absorbing interest to be
talked about for weeks. Chickens had
10 be cooked bread baked and cIothing
uade-for our women folks made all our
clothes then. there was no such thing as
going into store and buying what you
needed When the day came to set of on
the journey all was excitement. When /
would go to Baltimore alone I usually
went on horseback and could make the
journey in q day. Otherwise We would 90
10 Washington and take q stage coach
for Baltimore.
'OnCe Of The finest stage lines il The
country -au between Washington and
NeE YORK carly in the century 7 have
/ frequently ridden between Baltimore and
Washington with men whose names are
prominent in history
Sir Ward visited baltimore for the last
time three years ago. he was evidently
not favora5!y Impressed. There vas too
much noise hustle and hurry The troll
ley cars. the recently erected high build
incs. The growth Of the city and the
Iuu5er OF commission houses handling
The products OF the farm seem to have
attracted MS attention more than any
thing else
When / began farming" ne said. we
( never heard 81 commission merchants.
/ We sold cur crops TO merchants down
here jE the country Pike & Neal and
Old Mr. Esedham were the first to 90
into The commission business. scventy-fiye
or eighty years age Ny recollection Of
Baltimore al th@s tine is that there were
feg houses vest Cf Eulaw street ana
forest covered the ueighbOrhOod Of Wash
+! iugron's Monument
A- Ward vas more aroused when poll
tics was mentioned than at any other
! time
are you c Democrat or 4 Republican, 90
he was asked Don't say Republican 20
Ine, sir" he responded vigorously. 4 am
q Democrat from the ground up, I always
| have been and always viii be" While
/ being an active party worker and local
leader nearly all his life Mr. Ward has
only held one political Office that Of State
| tobacco inspector He vas first appointed
by Governor Grascn "a 1898 next By CO.
Francis Thomas in 1871. and again by Gov
eruor Lowe IN 1864
Mr. Ward was married July % 1926 to
Miss 2ebecca Langley. who died number
Of years ago Their children are John f.
Ward Misses Emma and Cecilia Ward
with whom the old gentleman makes his
home ana Joseph T Ward. Mrs Rose
Stewart. and Mrs Maria Johnson. all Of
Charles county. Nj Ward is q member
OF St &ary's Catholic Church Of Brian
town, Eut has been unable for some time
10 attend services there. He is visited at
his home b Father Southgate. the pastor
NJ. Ward. IN conclusion Remarked that