The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-05-17
Virginia KING FRYE in washington Post.

Met at the White House-Tracing the Re
lationship.
Virginia King Frye in Washington Post.
Silver gray hair, but with plainly marked
streak of the original dark running direct.
through the center from forehead to neck
that is the family mark of the Hohenzollerns
according to Prince Henry Of Prussia. Ant
it was the means of bringing about an inter
esting interview with his highness and infor
nation that may interest some of the ole
families of Maryland and their descendants
A lady stopping in Washington during his
recent visit was among the fortunate ones
who met the royal guest at the White House
on the occasion of his first visit, and happened
to be presented at a moment when he wa!
unsurrounded and comparatively at leisure.
ssBut ah ~ said the prince, with his pleas
ant smile, CHANGING at her snowy pompadourec
hair as he shook her hand. "Do you know
you have the mark of the Hohenzollerns ~
Eyes, your highness," she replied. II
have been told SO, and / am quite proud OF it
1t is peculiarly which runs through nearly
every branch of our family. We turn gray
early; and that dark streak remains plainly
visible until the SHOWS of old age cover it Al
last. NY mother had it strongly marked
also her father and grandfather, for he it was
who claimed first cousinship to your roya
grandfather, the late Emperor William,
through his mother.
rs that so ?a exclaimed the prince, seem
ing quite interested. Yes, | remember to
have heard that we formerly had relatives
living in Upper Maryland, near the Pennsyl
vania line. A branch of the Shorbs, were
they not?"
Eyes, your royal highness, and the Sheer
myers, believe. 1t is family tradition with
US that Great grandfather Shorb had quite a
packet of letters he had received from his
royal cousin, the late Emperor William, Of
which he was very proud, and which are still
preserved somewhere among the family heir
LOOMS In those days Frederick County and
Lower Pennsylvania were settled almost en-
tirely by the Germans. The English language
was seldom heard among them, and many OF
The houses and barns which they built still re-
main to attest the solidity and the Faderland
styles of architecture to which they adhered.
well, this is quite interesting; and, indeed,
| am very glad to have met one of my Amerl-
can cousins with the Hohenzollern mark. If
you wish, | will send you copy of the royal
family tree and a picture of the Emperor and
and myself upon my return home. !"
OF ROYAL LINEAGE.
And this is why certain lady of royal lin
cage thanks her Hohenzollern mark for what
will always be pleasant remembrance. 1t,
therefore, you notice this peculiar dark center
stripe among your silver haired friends, or
possess it yourself, hunt up your family re-
cords and perhaps you may find that you, too,
have blood right to the mark of the Hohen-
zollern. For the descendants of the original
ancestors, Johann Tor jacob Shorb and his
wife, are quite numerous, the sturdy Germans
of that day being noted for the size and health
fulness of their families; while three or four
generations with their offspring and intermar-
riage would serve to multiply the sum total to
a product almost unbelievable in these days
Johann Tor Jacob) Shorb, so the family ira
line of the Hohenzollerns, and brought her to
America, settling in what was. then upper
MARYLAND He was a man of considerable
wealth and the owner of large fleet of trad
ing vessels, all the fittings of which were
marked with the royal coat-of-arms. A few
of these belongings are still preserved as heir
looms among the family, as well as number
of pieces of silver plate and china, bearing the
same markings.
A large tract ofland was purchased by this
Johann Tor Jacob) Shorb, and comfortable
home established, where for years he dwelt in
peace with his royal wife and brought up a
good-sized family of children.
Of the most of these little record can be
found, the aforesaid family tradition dealing
only with few of the children, the ones pro-
badly who took most interest in genealogy.
Two sons are mentioned, John and Jacob,
and two daughters, one of whom presumably
married Fink, and the other Sneeringer,
these two names being connected with the
royal branch in the story.
In the meantime, however, trouble came to
the owners of the Upper Maryland lands
through the indefinite wording of William
PENIS grant, given some years later. Much
confusion and some strife ensued, many being
obliged to pay PENIS agent a second time for
their homesteads. This new division caused
a shifting of the State line, and placed many
of these settlers in Pennsylvania, so that both
States may be said to have been the early
home of the Shorbs and others.
SETTLED IN MARYLAND.
Later John Shorb, the son of old Johann
Cor Jacob, married his cousin, Catharine
Fink, and moved over the line in Frederick
County, Md, where il is said their old home,
called Happy Retreat, for years bore the royal
coat-of-arms upon the door. This was the
great grandfather Shorb, to whom the lady
referred in her conversation with Prince Henry
as claiming cousinship with the late Emperor
William, and receiving letters from him. To
born numerous family, ten children, one son
and nine daughters reaching maturity.
The son, James Shorb, became a doctor and
married Margaret McMeal, the daughter of a
wealthy sea captain and French lady, form
erly Miss Cowans, who was once maid of
honor to the Empress Josephine, it is said.
DIR. Sherb and his wife moved to a beautiful
estate near diminishing, Md, which they
called Clairveaux. Here they lived for many
years, leaving in their turn six children to
perpetuate the family name.
DIR. Shorb was man of marked character
and noble bearing, and in his prime was called
the handsomest man in Frederick County,
his likeness to the pictures of the Emperor
William |, often remarked upon within the
family circle.
Ofhis six children, Maria Francis married
Frank Stone, of st. Mary County, Nd, and
left eight children; Adelad married Fran k
Herman, of Pittsburg, and left one Child;
left one child; Campbell married Miss Dallas
and moved 10 Los Angeles, where several
children survive them; Samuel McMeal died
without issue, and Du Barth married Miss
Wilson, of California where he, too, had re-
moved.
Of the nine sisters of DIR. james Shorb, ali
beautiful women and noted for their elegant
manners and courtly bearing, one married a
Baugher and left several children and grand
children, well-known residents of Baltimore
and Frederick county. One of these younger
members was in Europe some twelve years
ago, ard was most graciously received by the
present Emperor, William ii, who had then
succeeded his father. She mentioning, among
other things, the recent death of the husband
of one of the Misses Shorb, the Emperor took
up some beautiful flowers which were near,
and, handing them to her, said: Convey
these to our bereaved cousin with our sympa-
thy for her loss.'' The flowers were later
pressed, and are still treasured by her children.
THE OTHER DAUGHTERS.
Another daughter of the original nine mar
ried Matthias and left several children, among
them daughter who afterward married Mr..
Repplier, of Philadelphia, she being the
mother of Miss Agnes Repplier, the brilliant