The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1909-01-23
Historical Sketch
Of Cecil
Farmers Club
(From the Midland Journal.)

(Ffom the Midland Journai)
On the first day OF the year 1879 a
number OF the representative farmers
OF the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth dis
tricts assembled at the home OF Jos.
eph w. Reynolds, which was formerly
known as "Kidd's Purchase" and later
as Cecil Manor" in the Seventh dis
triet OF Cecil county, Md, and organ
lied what has since been known as the
Cecil Farmers Club.
The following gentlemen whose
membership dates from that occasion.
we presume, were present:-Dr. r. T..
Bromwell. S. r. Carson, II. II. Duy-
ekinck. James NJ. Evans, John Z. Ew-
ing. George Gillespie. T. B. Gillespie,
w F. Gillespie, A. r. Magraw. w. w.
Moore, John w. Mount. Thomas II.
Patton, Joseph w. Reynolds, F. M.
Rawlings and |. F. Vanarsdale.
H. II. Duyckirck was elected Presi-
dent and T. B. Gillespie, Secretary.
and a constitution and BYLAWS were
adopted.
From the beginning tie Club has
maintained an active existence TIP to
the present While there have been
many changes in its personnel, we find
sixty-seven names on the roll which at
some time have been in membership,
including 5arrsters. theologians, bank
ers. millionaires. yet all interest
ed in the cultivation OF the soil
Among the economic questions and
achievements for which we claim credit
is the change from the District tax col
lection system to the County treasurer,
the inception OF the Cecil County Fair,
which was afterward allowed to die on
account of horse racing and other
gambling devices overshadowing the
worthy features of legitimate exhibits I.
the first rural free delivery system in
the county, the procuring OF a charter
and establishing the present Cecil
Farmers Telephone Company, the
procuring OF an act to bond the county
Tor road Improvement, and we believe
we were instrumental in creating SEN
timent which prompted our Governor
(of whom we are justly proud in re-
commencing the State Good Roads
Law, which proved so popular that
both branches of our Legislature We'd
with each other which should have the
credit OF its introduction.
or the charter members. there is
but one living in the county TODAY.
four have gone to other fields of labor.
ten sleep in Mother Earth. their de-
velopment Of which was their life
work: fourteen others have also paid
the debt Of Nature. swelling the list Of
four-and-twenty: twenty nine have
withdrawn for various causes. leaving
eighteen in active membership.
The Club from the BEGINNING kept a
full record ~ all PROCEEDINGS. hut ow-
ing to the minute book which was n
the office NJ the Secretary at that TIVE,
beinc carried awav bv the food OF 1884,.
which inundated norton Of Rowland
vile as well as other sections Of the
county. all records previous 10 that
date we're DESTROYED Since that time.
however we have preserved fnll rec.
,rds which NAV serve as nterSctin". II
not valuable assets for future genera
tinrs.
The rrcsrr' memh"rsh'o ~ III" Cl"h
iS as follower. K Rawlings. ~rcsi-
der,: Wavne REYNOLDS. "ice-nreSidcr':
A. r. BROWN corrcspnrd'n" secretary
~-ciI F Fwiru. -ecordnp secretary
mes ". MaxwcII. treasurer A ].
Miche-"r 7 p Wilson NJ { R~rder.
NJ T.. Thompson. Fiwnod Raidcrston
Fp Chevy Tosc~h c scarborough
A. n NcVc" Ha--" "av""n T.
Pose pics r>sn"', r Grove P"v
Sew" poit. p T Con,eror. \ "
Merlerhail