Milford chronicle., 1901-08-09
My RecOlIectiOns of Olden Times
in MurderkiII Neck.


ather moved into the Neck as before
said, in 1909; he was appointed class
leader and elected trustee at Barratt's
Chapel in 1910, which positions he held
for more than a half century. He be-
came a subscriber to the christian
Advocate" from the first number, which
was issued in 1927. He took the paper
until he died in 1856, and 1 being named
for him have continued the paper in
the same name; so it has come in one
name for "A years without break.
NV father was very industrious /
man, as a boy used TO think he was
entirely too much so. He was fully up |
with the times in almost everything
that pertained to farming and fruit /
About 1885 or 1886 he built
a lime kiln and was among the first in
the Neck to use lime for the improve
ment Of the land. He kept a nursery
in which he raised apples, peaches,
pears, plums, ETC., for sale. He also
burned bricks for sale. / think he was
the first to introduce budded peach
trees in Kent county. l remember old
Eliphalet Clark who came from Mary
land in 1895 or 1897, and father en-
ployed him in the fall to bud quite a
nursery Of young peach trees on shares
Father considered it an experiment
and did not wish to assume the eX
pense, so he contracted with Mr.. Clark
to do the budding. Mr. Clark was
great talker; his bOundless store Of in
formation was wonderful to me as
boy. He was the first man / ever saw
bud a peach tree, / remember the ven
tuie was not very successful as but few
of the buds lived. He also budded a
number of young trees for Jehu Reed,
who was beginning to set out large
peach orchards Mr.. Reed might truly
be called the pioneer in peach growing
on large scale III Delaware Henry
Todd, of Dover, followed close after
him. The Reed family, beginning away
back With James Reed, ST.. who lived
on the Roland farm near Bowers Beach.
/ remember him as being overseeT of
/ the road. | used to see him with his
men giving directions as to what should
be done. His oldest son Thomas after
ward bought the farm, lived and died
there at Il good old age He was man
of decided convictions, and a somewhat
peculiar personality. Although he
lived six miles from Frederick, he would
often walk that distance there and
back, when perhaps ne had three OF
four nice fat horses doing nothing
Though living where mosquitoes were
abundant, in their season, he never
tried to kill them, but would gently
brush them away with his little brush
He was a good neighbOr, kind to the
poor and provided bountifully for hi
family. He married late in life, anC
t died leaving no children. Jehu Reed
: brother of Thomas and son of James
} Sr., was one of the most enterprisinl
: and energetic Of men. He allowed
= nothing new to escape his observation
+. A love for reading, with his natural dis
position to investigate, kept him in tn
foreground as an advocate of new idea
4 in farming, and new methods of ad
: vancing the public veal AS said be
= fore, he was the pioneer in setting on
/ large peach orchards. NOtwithstanC
e ing there was no railroad to transpol
2 the fruit, all communication with tn
/ Philadelphia markets was by sailin
boats, and of necessity tedious and I'll
certain; yet in the face of such dif1icd
f ties he set out large orchards of the beI
varieties of fruits then in existence an
: made money rapidly, and by the tim
S the railroad came down through DELI
ware in 1856 he was ready to take az
/, vantage of the quicker and more ce
# tain transportation. Many person
d noting the evidence of his success 70
S lowed his example, until the State bt
came known everywhere as the gree
d peach-grOwing State; and Murderki
d Neck can we'll claim the palm throug
r. Mr.. Reed as the forerunner of tn
great industry that was once such
is source of wealth to our little State.
l. was engaged in the MOrus Multieaul
enterprise which was somewhat ak
d to the South Sea Islands humbug; V
is it was said at the time that Mr.. Re,
IS by his enterprise being early in the bu
mess made money. His farm was W.
is supplied with all the modern improy
ments in farm machinery. But t
IS crOwning act of his life was the enf0rC
1t ment of that old common law prin
pal that every man is bound to ia
N care of his own stock. His theory tn
d. there was no Commons" upon viii
r people had any right to allow their G.
i tie to roam, has long since been acct
ted as correct. While l remember t
v very hard things that were said abe
is Mr.. Reed for enforcing this wise, j.
and equitable provision of the la
d. every one must see now the wisdom
" his advanced ideas and acknOwled
that he was right He lived to be
IL old man and died near where his fail
5. and brother had lived so long-Bow
a Beach. His son Jehu NJ. Reed II,
owns the original tract, and has bong
&c other lands adjoining until he has I
ly largest farm in Murderkill Neck.
1t. has greatly enlarged the dwelling, a
at has a large barn and cOmmOdiOus o.
a buildings. The whole farm is unde
fine state of cultivation. Indeed it i
&c great pleasure to ride over the re
Ill which runs through this beautiful ia
or and note the skill and neatness a
thorough culture i'll all department
while general farming is carried on {
. tensively. Fruits of all kinds
all grown by the best methods known
II, the horticulturist. The cultivation
lst the aesthetic crops out in the surroul
on ings The artistic skill displayed
IS the training of vines, plants and flC
te ers, all indicate the study of the bei
re tiful. Such an example of good far
N ing is an object lesson; and like
lrt light along the shore to guide the m
lie iner Alright, so is a good farmer.
i'll holds up to view in the neighborhC
a light to the careless, indolent q
asst slipshOd farmer.
to n,o Of tho old roeido,4. ~ A. NJ