Milford chronicle., 1908-05-01
Places and People sF MIIierA Neck From
1870 TO 1908

1870 TO 1908
The next farm to be described is the
farm Of the late Silas 7. Jenkins. This
place, in the early forties, was the prop
erty of Captain William Thompson and
contained about three hundred acres. At
that period of time it was one of the
most productive farms in this section the
entire tract embraced the 70 acre farm of
Lavinus Austin and also the 40 acre tract
of DR.. J. NJ. Rhoads. Captain Thompson
was a man Of great business energy and a
very successful farmer. He had acquired
quite a snug estate as q sailor in previous
years, by carrying stone for the construc-
ton of the Delaware Breakwater. He
was popular man and a very influential
citizen, politician of the jackson school
Of Democracy and though often nomina-
ted for Office, never elected, on account
of his party being hopelessly in the min.
ority in this State. About the year 1851, !
Captain Thompson sold his farm to Sam.
uel Sooy OF New Jersey, and moved to
dairy farm near Wilmington, Delaware,
and died there about 1856 Mr.. Sooy |
was an elderly gentleman, with several
grown up sons. He occupied the farm
about four years during which time be
raised immense crops, especially of corn.
Some years he grew as much as two
thousand bushels. This was when the
farming industry was being revolution
zed by the use Of Peruvian guano. Mr..
SOOy made considerable improvement,
levided it into two farms finally he sold
t to Col. H. B. Fiddeman, a wealthy !
business man of Milford. Colonel Fiddle I
nan owned the property about tesn years
nd sold it to Silas Todd Jenkins, a PEN .
sylvanian, in 1865. About this time the =
lanting OF peach trees had become as O
raze on this peninsula and Mr.. Jenkins y
Ike many others caught the infection.
was desperate attack andslasted until y
e had nearly 100 acres in trees. When p
ley came into bearing he not only had q
ore than he could handle proftably, l
1T more than he could save in any con- q
tion. During the early seventies, ct
hen the peach culture was at a discount II
, failed to realize enough in many in az
ances, to pay the cost of transportation. ~
tier on he erected an evaporating plant or
d in financial point of view, was LEI
tie more successful. It
Silas Todd Jenkins was a man whose o Or
2 and character was strckingly peculiar. ev
} was not one of those individuals with is
lom stranger would be favorabIy i'm tTa
'ssed and yet his character was as grand 81,
/ sublime as the granite hills that sur.
Inded his former Pennsylvania home. [
acquaintance with Mr.. Jenkins of
lrly thirty years as a neighbOr led the {
ter to believe that he was a man with sec
guile. His religious views inclined RIM
he Society of Friends, but he usually crat
'nded the Baptist Church his wife I
lg member Of that society. He con- Ket
uted literally to the maintenance of fo on
church. He was one time elected to affa
Levy Court of Kent county and faith rem
y and honestly discharged his duties m 1.
lis constituents, but was unpopular ran rI1
/ many of his fellow members, because in h
is pronounced opposition to schemes sion
aft and speculation. gran
r. jenkins was man of progressive ia,
and great industry and gave much Flor
oyment to the working classes of whit
section. He was interested in the good MI
Problem and did every thing he Ben5
for the travelling public, in opening -
'uilding new roads. After encount- 2
decided opposition he succeeded in l.
e public road from the Old Ban
hurch to the Tub-Mill, which is now VAIL
ded to be a public benefaction. His
ase of the Tub-Mill, can scarcely be The .
led as financial success lit increas-
responsibilities and added but lit
his income. For general informa- at her
ilas 7. Jenkins was well booked I'D.
science and the arts, be was ey d9e
proficient, but in business matters Furnit
8 not what the worldly minded re- -'--'H'
ed as a success. He died in 1898
"A years of age, honored and re- four pi
d most by those who knew him Rein aIg9
His widow is still living and is mi
lctive for one of her age. An opr
ISAAC r. JESTER.
Cash sa