Milford chronicle., 1907-11-29
Places and People Of Milford Neck From
1870 10 1907

81 ADTu " AOUf
It The next farm to be described is ais
y the property of Col. Robert H Williams
y which adioins the one mentioned in ou
J last article. 1t was formerly owned bv tn,
late Ex-Governor Causey, and was one O
iour farms, constituting one unbroker
} block of about seventeen hundred acres
In the early tifties Mr. Causey sold this
entire body of land to Thomas Cats and
David c. Pennewill, successors to C. S.
Watson 4 Co., in the mercantile business.
They made considerable outlay in the
way OF Improvements. To use a very ex.
pressive if not classical phrase, thev had
bitten off more than they could chew, 3"
and in the monetary crisis following the
inauguration of President Buchanan, in
1851 went down under the weight of
financial embarrassment. Mr.. Causey
was compelled to foreclose the mortgage
and take the land. The partnership ex
isting between Cats and Pennewil was
dissolved. Mr.. Cats locating in Yonkere,
n. Y, a picturesque little city on the
eastern side of the Hudson River, where
he died sometime in the sixties Mr..
Pennewill embarked in the Commission
business to recouD his fortune.
On the opposite side of the public road
is small farm, the property of Charles
Watkins, which was formerly a part of
the Primrose tract. Since he has owned |
it he has made of il comfortable home,
where he enjoys life immensely, having
a sufficiency to satisfy his demands. He
is one of the most Independent men of
this section. His father the late Eli r.
Watkins of Milford was a resident of |
Milford Neck for a half century and here
brought up his family of nine children
four sons and five daughters, Mr.. Wat
kins was a man of unquestioned integrity
his character almost without a spot or
blemish. He died in the ninties about
eighty years of age.
The next farm on the north side of the
road was one time the property of Nath-
aniel Hickman. 1t has since been owned
by John Hickman, Andrew J. Maloney,
John Torbert and Robert ]. Beswick.
During Esquire Beswicks ownership
ne made vast Improvements, both in
and the fertility of the soil.
He said to the writer short time before
lis death, that his farm paid better in
ome than any land he owned considering
he amount invested. It originally con-
aimed but forty-four acres, but he added
o it by purchase, until it now contains
lore than a hundred acres, although
early one half is detached and is short
istance away. It is now the property
John B. Beswick, his nephew.
The next property is the farm of Mrs.
arab H. Lister of Philadelphia, and is
,nanted by Samuel c. Thomas, 1t is a
irge farm of perhaps three hundred acres
nd was formerly owned by the late ex- R
overnor John W.. Hall. Mr.. Hall in
er;ted about one half of this farm from
is father and added to it by purchase Il
le Fitz Gerald farm of about one humid E
d acres and lastly he bought the Tho
as Bowman tract of thirty-four acres q
hich he also added. Governor Hall
lproved this farm very much in his q
me- but his daughter, Mrs Lister, seems A
outvie her father in the matter Of i'm In
ovements. 1t is valuable farm, con-
niently located between two public
ads as well as a cross road forming the
sstern line. In the forties this farm fel
Is tenanted by George Bethards with =
nily of five children, all SONS, who grew
manhood in this vicinity. William
enry, the oldest, learned the carpenters !
de but finally abandoned it for the I
IN George S. also learned that trade, I
which he worked during his lifetime. !
married and settled in Lebanon,
ere he died from injuries received by !
fall from a building. John Wesley :
'e his life to his country in the great :
Ill War. James and Samuel are still !
ing in Frederick and William Henry :
New Haven, Connections.
ISAAC r. JESTER.