The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-12-18
GARRETTS LOCAL HISTORY.
One Who Is Interested In Preserv-
ing 1t Appeals For
Action.
HISTORICAL SOGETIESIkOTHfR COUNTIES
And why Should Not Garrett. Tradition
and Facts Relative to the County and
Its Early Settlers Would Make a Most
Valuable Work. Many Gifted Men
Born Within Our Borders.


Born Within Our Borders.
The older counties of our State
have historical societies which have
carefully collected, recorded and in
some permanent form preserved local
traditions, "reminiscences and history
Twenty five volumes of such records
have been published. The newer
counties having no such organiza-
tions, much interesting and valuable
matter will soon be lost if some in
telligent, concerted effort is not made
to rescue this perishing historical ma
terial.
The founders of Garrett county are
rapidly disappearing Death is dim
nishing the ranks of the fathers.
Few are left to tell the tale. Spates,
Schley, Hamill, Hagan, Thayer, Slicer,
Getty and others have been called to
their reward. The few remaining
among US who actively engaged in
the division of Allegany county and
the formation of Garrett are aged
men.
Nearly one third of century has
elapsed, new generation has appear
ed upon the scene. The statement or
recollections of those stalwart sires of
those stirring scenes should be secur-
ed for the future historian. We
would suggest that those who feel in
terested in the history of our great
and growing county take action in
this direction by reducing to writing
their recollections, experiences, tradi-
tions and "reminiscences of the vari-
Gus localities, forwarding the same
data to our county papers. The edi-
itors will gladly aid in getting the
matter in shape for publication.
We have had the pleasure of an ex-
tensive and extended acquaintance,
visiting the homes of the great and
hospitable yeomanry of Garrett coun-
ty. We were greatly interested and
instructed by the local history of
every neigborhood as related by the
elders; it is certainly well worth pre-
serving.
The sons and daughters of Garrett
have wandered wide, settling in many
States, becoming prominent, prosper
Gus and useful citizens adjoining the
profession and attaining eminence in
all the walks and ways of life.
The obscure village we claim as our
birthplace has furnished Congress
men, clergymen, judges, merchants,
promoters and professors who have
been honored highly and won dis
tinction in the great and growing
States and cities of our country. Some
months ago at a reunion of the Mary
landers in Iowa, a Grantsville boy,
eX-Congressman and judge, in reply
ing to the toasS to his native State,
delivered one of the most eloquent
speeches we have ever read, certainly
the grandest eulogy of Maryland on
record. We have furnished Chicago
with tinanciers, st. Louis with mer-
chants and manufacturers, Nebraska
and Minnesota with teachers, profess
ors and school superintendent, Iowa
with diyines and statesmen, Ohio
with judges, and the soil is yet fer
tile. If these successful sons of Gar
rett county could be induced to give
their experience through the columns
of our papers, how instructing and
interesting they would be, stimulat
ing and educating our youth. A num-
Der of our oldest, strongest and most
productive families, who settled,
clea1 ed and opened our county haYe
disappeared entirely by death or re-
moyal. Bruce, Beall, Tomlinson,
Thistle, Cunningham, Fairall, Shultz,
McHenry, Lynn, Matthews, Sheets,
Arendt and others are heard and seen
no more. Gov. Frank Thomas, the
matchless orator, distinguished states
man and great lawyer was citizen of
Garrett county. Gov. Johnson's de-
cendents are among our most useful
and prominent citizens. Their splen-
did estate is among the finest in
Western Meryland.
Andrew Friend, the guide OF Wash
ington, the companion of Boone, who
fought with Braddock, a noted Indian
fighter and scout, whose defendants
numbering thousand, are easily the
most powerful family in the county,
was among the first white men to To-
cate in our county. A history of the
Friend family would be rich reading.
We earnestly urge the Judge to leave
us this valuable record.
A company of soldiers from the
Sang Run and Selbysport section of
Garrett county, served through the