The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1903-07-18
"REMINISCENCES.
PAINTING THE TOWN RED.
Another Chapter From The Elusive Tlemory Of An
Old Resident OF Elkton

III MS lhHN 'lupl'l vi iNtlhlpiIhS lf'''l-
loctions, the writer indulged a little dis
sertation upon the hcklcness of memory
He didn't intend it nS in any sense an
implied apology for the unreliabiity of
his own "reminiscences upon which he
sets no fictitious value. and would have
no one appraSc above their actual merit
If they afford any one of their readers
few moments qualification they will
have fulfilled their mission. since pos
Sibly their writing affords their author
more pleasure than their reading affords
others.
However that may. he doesn't propose
to convert whatever r"tentivpueSS of me-
mOry he may possess into IL ghost raiser.
or train his memory like II tomb scarcher.
through the shadowy past. lifting each
shroud that time has cast Ger buried
hopes. but simply to use il in recalling
the scenes of boyhood. which the cares
and responsibilities of manhood are so
well calculated to efface.
Heaven lies about us in our infancy.
sings the poet. and the world lies (0
about us when we grow to manhood says
the cynic.
1t is an old maxim. that none grow 50
old as not to remember where they hide
their gold. which means that. none Of us
forget what concerns us most, or what
we most wish to remember.
The recollectionS of most of us how
ever are commonplace enough. and per-
tain to the homely every day life. in
which most of us only share. Few in
deed have been participants in great
events. and necessarily we must be con-
tent to chronicle the little
events that make up the lives Of most
of us.
Sixty years have wrought many
changes in the general physical life of
Elkton, and yet possibly no part Of the
town would be 50 readily recognized by
former resident. as the immediate cen
ire of it. in which is located the old
Rudulph Homestead of which we have
so cursorily spoken.
That part Of the town has two land
marks, that are aS distinctive today as
tLey We're n century ago. the Ru,lulph
house and the block Immediately oppo-
site. 1t must not be forgotten. that when
the Head of Elk was originally laid out,
it was not supposed that any buildings
would be erected on what is now known
us the South side of Main Street. The
subsequent growth of the village how
ever, possibly exceeded the expectations
of its original founders. and what was
intended aS II wide levec or highway
overlooking the river. in the demand for
buildings III the business portion of the
village led to the use of the hillside. for
building purposes. and the consequent
closely built portion of the town aS we
row know it.
From the brick building now owned
and occupied by Mr.. J. Frank Frazer.
to the brick store house and dwelling
now owned and occupied by Mrs Lucy
ii. Litzenbcrg. has always been an i'm
pOrtant section of the business palr of
Elkton.
In the early history of any town. or
during its village days. the poSt-oilic"
naturally becomes the centre of life AMI
activity. For many years previous to
1919. during the incumbrucy of Col.
Adam Whann, the Elkton poSt-oltice had
been located on Main Street. in the
frame building now occupied by Walter
Mercy. 1t was upon the porch of that
building. that the fatal encounter be-
tween the Editor of the 'Whig and the
Editor of the Cecil Democrat" occurred
office. George II. Joyce. who was the
Record Clerk in the office of the Clerk of
tie Circuit Court lived. James Sewall
was Clerk Of the Court. and Harry ID.
Miller. Register of Wills The adjoining
building was at one time the seat of an
E.kton industry long since abandoned
the manufacture of fur hats by hand
Browns hat factory was located there
His dye watts and furnaces We're located
in the cellar. and the deep tables on
which the fur was whipped into the felt
bodies of the hats by striking II heavy
cat gut cord set in Il hanging frame with
Il short wooden handle. We're located on
the street floor of the building. Capt
John Il. Jones, father of the late Nal.
vern Jones. learned his trade with Mr..
Brown and james ii. Morgan for 50
many years Il railroad employe at the
Elkton Station. was also n halter. and
learned his trade ut the Brown battery,
and also with John Calvert. who used
the brick building in the rear Of Mrs. a.
&. Tuite's residence. on West Main
Street. as the dye house in his business
of manufacturing fur hats.
Mr.. Brown did II considerable business
here, being followed by Alfred c. Cole in
the same building. who did there an ex-
tensive tailoring trade when ready made
clothing was thing unknown to the
public.
One of the pioneers in the ready made
clothing business. Mr.. Mcneil. an uncle
of Perry Thomas. who lived on Mr.. Nc
Nell's farm. in Elk Neck. and who con-
Quoted one Of the first ready made cloth
ing houses under Sanderson's Hotel on
Chestnut Street Philadelphia. was a
property owner in this county. He anti
dated Shepherd in that trade in Phla-
delpha. made fortune. and when the
late Rev. Henry +. Hurn. who married
Maria A. G. Torbert, Of this town, iu