Milford chronicle., 1907-07-26
Places anG People Of Milford Neck From
1870 TO 1907.

Forties, was the property Of Lewis Pass
more, Of Philadelphia, and contained
between three and four hundred acres.
1t was fully timbered and Mr. Pass
more had it worked into ship timber,
bark, slaves and cOrdwOOd. Mr.. Pass
more was a very large man, his weight
being more than $50 pounds. The writer
remembers on one occasion, when he
came to our home on business he seated
himself on two chairs, being AFRAID 10
risk an ordinary one. Sometime after
wards he sold the farm TO Job Ridgway,
an old Quaker gentleman, who came
with his family from Philadelphia TO
the farm, Himself and three sons,
Jacob, Charles and Willet, two OF whom
were nearly grown, cultivated the farm.
Mr.. Ridgway was unsuccessful as a
farmer. became involved financially
and a few years afteTward was sold out
by the sheriff and returned to Philadel
phia, "a wiser and sadder man." One
of Mr.. Ridgway's sons, Jacob, became
a prominent man in the Keystone State
and prospered. He became member
Of the Pennsylvania Legislature; be-
came wealthy, and founded what was
once Ridgway Park. At the sheriff sale
the farm was purchased by Samuel
Warren, maternal grandfather Of the
present owner, John w. Hall. OF late
years it has been very much improved.
The next property adjoining belongs
to the heirs Ofthe late Daniel A. ThOmI-
son, and at my earliest recollection was
the property Of his grandmother, Mrs.
Mstgaret (kelley) Thompson. 1t was
known as the Kelley tract. The first
family living there within the recollec'
ton of the writer was that Of William
Redden who went West.
About the year 1912 there was regu'
lar exodus of the people of this vicinity
for the West. The State of Michigan
had but recently become State. Many
men ambitious for wider field OF OPP
portunities than was afforded here sold
out their belongings except those which
could be packed in wagons and began
to Journey toward the setting sun. The
families Of Thomas Powell, Nathaniel
Bowman, Peter Ellis, Nehemiah Mack
lin, George Abbott, William Redden,
Robert Mitten, Morgan Williams and
later John Williams, James Master,
BENJAMIN Parsons, Elias Parsons and
Mrs. Mary Thompson left for the land
of promise. Those who went to Michi-
gan settled in Cass and Berrian cOun-
ties in the southwestern part Of the
State and is still known as the Delaware
settlement. Very many of the descen-
dants of those early settlers are citizens
Of that locality and have helped to de-
velop aud make Michigan one of the
leading States Of the nation.
The year 1912 was a year of incidents.
A great cOmmOtiOn was started in Mil
ford Neck by the preaching of false
prophets called Second Adventist or
MiIlerites. a crank by the name OF
Miller being of a mathematical turn Of
mind had figured that on the oath day
Of June 1912 the world would be de
stroyed. For time great excitement
prevailed among the weak minded and
credulous. But the cOmmotiOn sOOR SUBJ
sided and people again became rational.
The farm on the opposite side OF the
road belonged 10 WinlOck Hall, a large
land holder and wealthy man, who be-
aueathed it to his grandson, WinlOck
Ii. Tomlinson, then in his boyhood.
After Mr.. TomlinsOn became at age he
erected new buildings and cleared more
Of the land and otherwise improved it,
making a very desirable property. 1t
now the property Of Robert J. Mere
dith. Winlock H. TOmlinsOn was a
man Of sterling qualities kind, accom-
modating and generous to fault. He
died in 1864 in the prime Of his man
hood, scarcely So years Of age
20 why has worth so short date
While Williams ripen gray with time"
The next farm was the home of VIII
liam D. Masten, who reared family Of
six children-four sons and two daugh-
ters, none Of whom live in this cOmmu-
nifty. His wife was a kind mOtherly
old lady, as nearly faultless as human
ity is capable of being. The children
when grown up went to different local
tiles. Two settled in Wilmington, two
went West and two others are now liv'
ing neer Bridgeville, Delaware.
ISAAC r. JESTER.
UAUpTVCTOV