Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1908-05-29
Places and People Of Milford Neck From
lS4O to 1908.

Adjoining the farm of John w. Short
and located west OF it is the farm of George
/ 7. Hill, now of Milford. It's fine farm
in high state of cultivation, and has for
many years been considered one among
the best in this vicinity. 1t was formerly
the property Of James Postles and en-
braced the land lying on the south side
of the road, now owned by Charles Postles.
The entire tract before being divided con-
tanned more than two hundred acres.
Prior to the middle OF the last century it
was considered one OF the best managed
farms in this section. From the earliest
recollection of the writer until 1856 il was
occupied by Mr.. Postles himself, who was
a farmer in the strictest sense of the term.
He was one Of the pioneers in the reno
walton of wornout land in this part Of
Kent county. In the early forties, the
farming business was at low ebb. About
this time the business Of the country was
standstill and none more so than farm
ing Commercial manures were unknown
except lime and even that was a doubtful
experiment. Mr.. Postles early inbibed
the spirit of improvement and was the
first farmer ia this section to introduce
the growing of clover, by which means he
made it possible to introduce improved |
methods of threshing the grain. He was
the first man in this vicinity to purchase
and introduce horsepower and thresh-
ing machine. Previous to this time it
had been the custom of farmers to tread
out the grain with cattle OF horses, or to
use a pair of horses hitched to a machine,
with the not very enphoneous name Of
tumbling tom. 1t was simply a log Of
wood about seven feet long and ten inches
in diameter with rows Of strong pegs in
serted three inches apart around the en-
tire circumference, and cut to a length of
about eight inches. Who was the in
yentor of this machine is not known, but
it was thought to be very great improve
ment over threshing by hand, with the
old time implement called the fail The
machine Of eight horse power had a cap
acitv to thresh about three hundred BUSH
els per day, but it was very seldom that
quantity was found on one farm. Many
Of the farms that now yield thousand
bushels year did not yield one hundred
at that time. With the aid of clover,
lime and Peruvian guano Mr.. Postles'
farm soon became one Of the most pro-
iuctive in this part OF the county,
About the year 1855 Mr.. Postles built
a large dwelling house, barn and other
necessary buildings on an adjoining tract
fronting the State road. This land was
mostly in timber or worn out land that z
had not been in cultivation for a number
Of years and had grown up in pine and d
cedar. BY virtue Of much hard labor
and with an outlay of considerable money
be succeeded i'll a lew years in making it,
not only one of the most handsome but
2ne of the best paying farms in this Sec
ion This farm is now the property of
DR.. James G. Stanton and is regarded as
me of the most beautiful places on the C
Dad leading from Milford to Dover.
shortly after the Civil War he bought I
mother farm. It is situated on the 5
durderkill River and is known as the +
Lowber Farm" After the purchase Of +
his farm he erected new buildings and L
improved it so that it produced a large
evenue. 1t now belongs to the heirs of +
be late John W. Kirby. c
James Postles was man whose dispo.
ition was stern and infexible. When r
lis course was fully determined and his
purpose fully decided upon, they were
as invincible as the laws of the
Iedes and Persians, but when his SYM 3
athies we're enlisted in behalf of the U
eedy and deserving he was a true friend, D
Ie was a strictly conscientious man, and
lis religious principals consisted largely Il
D conforming to that test Of scripture in II
he Gospel of St. James THAT We visit c,
be widow and the fatherless in their af- ca
lotion and keep your self unspotted from
be world" s.
His wife, familiarity known as "Aunt 90
etsy" was a kind hearted lady and al
lore like a mother than aunt to most Ri
ersons.> B, No writer of modern times has A.
as few words more fittingly described
le character of Aunt Betsy Postes than "
fired Tennyson when he wrote;
.Kind words are more than coronets. -
And simple faith than Norman blood"
Though without children of their own,
le and her husband raised family of
,urteen, one of which was but nine DAYS
d when she was placed under their care
I'd protection. This was Sarah Eliza -.
eth Postles a niece of Mr.. Postles and
hen grown became the wife of the late La
ines H. Bell. OF the fourteen children BBSS
AIRED by them the only one born under pit
eir parental roof was Col. Theodore D.
ownsend, granddaughter of Mrs. Pos
IS. who spent the greater portion of his Gh