The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-01-06
Annapolis Rock, Etc.
Written for the Democratic Advocate,
nv n e. SIMPLIFY


There are many rocks one encounters along
liEe's rocky road. There's the Rock of Glib
raltar, "Roek-a-by baby" Brock Me to
Sleep, Mother" and others. Best of all,
there is the Brock of Ages to look TO, and
to cheer the lonely, dropping spirit. 1t is of
none of these l purpose to write just now, but
to give a brief description of ''the Annapolis
Rock"
Two miles south of Florence, Md, and four
from Lisbon, near the road leading to Lay
louisville and Rockville, on bluff overlooking
the upper Patuxent river, on the Howard
county side, towers aloft in its pride gigantic
boulder of pure flint containing hundreds OF
tons, surrounded by lesser pebbles of from ten
to fifty tons. 1t is said that from the tep OF
this huge stone the dome of the State House
at Annapolis, forty miles away, can be seen
on q clear day when the foliage is off the trees.
This is a fine section for farming purposes.
Well titled fields and neat farmhouses are on
every side. Not far away is Oakdale, where
Gov. Edwin Warfeld was born and raised,
and he today owns the ancestral acres. The
land on which the Rock is situated belongs to
the heirs of the late Mrs. Kitty S. Hilton, who
died November H. 1905. Great Meadows,
q large estate of five hundred acres, lying on
both sides of the Patuxent, which is the d.
viding line of Howard and Montgomery conn
u6S, WAS ueT uOIH6 IOE lMGiill -uNG years.
The portion of one hundred and nifty acres
On which the Rock stands was in litigation for
a number of years, but was finally amicably
settled in September last.
Annapolis Rock" is call on the field
books of old surveyors-now passed away
John Cord, Major Charles Hood and Reuben
Warfeld. A few rods away stands the ruins
of an old grist and saw mill, which as far
back as 1850 did custom work for the farmers
around. The writer remembers when the mill
was operated by the late Basil Duyall. Now
the Shiny newt glides over the fallen stones,
the whippoorwill calls from the underbrush,
while the solemn ''too hoo of the midnight
owl reverberates among the hills. When the
afternoons are ablaze with sunlight aud the
river glstens like sheet of steel; when the
midges dance above the sedge; when the
river wash rocks the swale grass to and fro,
the huge rock towering high above, this spot
makes up a scene to cause one take of his hat
In alteration of Nature and Natures God
just over the river, not far away,
the rock formation is gneiss or chrome. For
several years the late c. L. Oudesluys, Philip
Tyson and George Ellicott worked the chrome
mines, shipping many tons TO Baltimore.
The work was only abandoned on account Of
the long haul to Woodbine, the shipping point.
The late E. 7. Hilton shipped number Of
tons Of flint to the chinawsre factories Of
Trenton, N. j. The same difficulty confronted
him. The intention was to rebuild the mill
and grind the flint on the spot, hut Death
cast his dark shadow over The project.
Whether or not the heirs viii rebuild Is
matter not decided With an electric road
built through this section capitalists would
take hold of the matter and reap rich reward
from what is now waste.
Ex-State's Attorney Joseph d. Mcguire,
curio collector of Indian relics. once visited
this spot, taking away with him many objects
shaped by race, in the long ago. that has
passed and gone forever. Here they held
their pow. vows, shaped their arrow heads asd
danced their war dances. All, many day
has wandered away DER the waves Of the
western sea since the then and now.
Annapolis Rock is an object Of much
local interest and can he seen for a long dis
lance. II is the haven of refuge sought by
Reynard when pursued by the hounds. The
goal attained, be is safe.
In concluding this Rock sublee, | can bat
breathe the soul-inspiring supphcaton
Rock of Ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee