The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-11-26
THE CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
Report Of Meeting Held At Home OF Elwood Bal
derston, Near Colora.
TO MR.. JOHN p. WILSON.

- near ColOra, on Wednes-
day, Nov. II, with the following
members and visitors in attendance:
Pres. r. X. Rawlings, Cor. Sec. A.
r. Brown, Rec. Sec. Cecil E. Ewing,
Treas. j. 81. Maxwell, Wayne
Reynolds, r. T. Cameron, M. G.
Reeder, j. T. Grove, J. Harry
Maxwell, A. j. Kitchener, M. L.
Thompson, Jos. s. Scarborough,
Rev. Saml. Polk, A. Fl. Menden-
hall, Elwood Balderston. Visitors,
Geo. A. Blake, DIR. j. n. Jenness,
Frank e. Williams, Morris Jones,
John Balderston, W. T. Fryer, s.
T. Wiley, O.. Fl. Cameron, 81. G.
Gillespie.
Minutes of the previous meeting
were read and approved.
The president announced he had
requested Mr.. Polk to prepare a
memorial sketch of a former mem
, her, Mr.. John p. Wilson, whose
recent death had left a vacancy in
the club roll which was keenly felt
by all. Mr.. Polk responded with
the following, which was ordered
spread on the minutes and copy
sent to his family.
When our President asked me to prepare a
minute on the life so lately terminated in our
club, readily consented because of my earn
est appreciation of that life.
fear however, have little fitness for, the
service have been so kindly invited to per-
form beyond the fact that had share in Mr..
Wilson'S confidence, that Iloved him dearly,
and that during the short period of my ac-
quaintance with him had come to know him
we'll It has occurred to me more than once
since the duty was laid upon me, that some
one who had known him longer, and whose
record of memories reaches back to earlier
years of his life would have done ample justice
to this occasion.
In the case of one like Mr.. Wilson, whose
personality was SO unique. SO manifold, and SO
manifestly worked by genius, we naturally
suppose that those, who have been his COM
panions for life time, are in possession Of
"reminiscences that would have been an in
SEPARATION to us. must content myself by de-
scribing that which, saw and representing
Mr.. Wilson to you as he appeared to me.
What shall say is more of the nature of an
appreciation than sketch of his life. That
we saw much of each other, that we talked
over our plans together, had much in common
may qualify me in some measure for forming
q just estimate Of his position in the Farmers
Club and in the community.
How long Mr.. Wilson had been a member of
our club when first became acquainted with
it l do not know. Certain it is that his perfect
familiarity with its history, constitution, by
laws and methods of procedure made him a
marked member.
His enthusiasm in agricultural pursuits in a
day when there is tendency in certain
quarters to belittle farming as business was
beautiful to see. He was proud of his PRO
fession,n lost no opportunity to assert its
merits. and gloried in the fact that his PRO
fession'' was the most populous in the country,
as well as the most prolific and most profitable
in the things that make for the sustaining of
life, health and happiness. =
Mr.. Wilson was emphatically farmer. He
was born on the farm, had lived on the farm,
loved the farm and was bound to the farm by
a network of relationships He was loyal be-
yond all measure to the life of the country.
He constantly asserted that this was the ideal
life for people, both adult and youth.
In one of our meetings he said: people speak
of the toilers Of the soil as objects of pity.
Markham's Man with the Hoe embodies a
great deal of superficial opinion on the subject.
The man most to be pitied in the world is the
man without a. hoe or an equivalent for it.
He who has no honest and useful work tostax
his energies, cannot live wholesome and
normal life and must miss the best joys of
existence. Be he millionaire or tramp, noble
or 'hooligan' he is out of the line of real en-
joyment.'
Again speaking of the farmer as the builder
Of the home in discussing Prof. Bailey's book,
1.-THE Outlook to Nature "There are homes
maintained for sailors and soldiers and actors.
Where is the home designed for farmers !?
Each farmer builds his own, it is the first thing
he does The farm idea is the home idea. The
struggle may be hard, and the odds against
him, but day in and day out, snow or rain, he
stands at the plough and works out his own
salvation"
Mr.. Wilson in SO saying was giving us leaf
out of his own experience. We, who have ad-
mired his beautiful home, his perfectly ap-
pointed barn and other outbui1dings, and his
well kept lawn, knew that he was the designer
and architect-he. the landscape gardner, the
carpenter and workman. Two tenant houses
of no mean proportions were built entirely by
himself, no other carpenter lifting tool or hand
to help him after the frame was in place.
He was not only farmer but carpenter ma
chinist and chemist. And all the powers of
his fertile brain and cunning skin of his hands
he focused ON his farm. One day discovered
him in his'barn floor mixing chemicals. On in
quiry was told that certain ingredients in the
ordinary commercially prepared fertilizers
were not needed in his soil. He said he could
secure better yields by emitting some elements
and adding others in varying proportions at q
} great saving Of money.
We shall always remember Mr.. Wilson as q
man Of acute mind, retentive memory and
ready tongue. His education was not Of the
schools from books. Though he did not de-
spise these things. He was a diligent reader
OF books. But he hesitated not moment to
differ with any book or man or method that