The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-03-10
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 10, 1911
WESTMINSTER SIXTY YEARS AGO
CONTINUED.


wife, Lydia. They were married in
London on March 9Th, 1929, and he
died here on September I'd, 1890, in
the SOth year of his age, his wife sur
yiving him. The Winchester Place, y
situated on the edge OF town, and
popular summer resort, was their
home.
Mr.. Winchester was loyal Eng
lishman, and our present Main street,
was at first called King street, as
token Of his love for his fatherland.
Westminster lies in the lap of a
rich agricultural region, but was
never distinguished as a manufacture
ing centre. The business OF tanning
was carried On here at that time, i'm
quite an extensive way. There were
four tanneries and all conducted in a
prosperous manner.
At the East end OF town On the
property now owned and occupied by
MIR. John ]. Reese, was the 'Yingling
Tannery." conducted by Jacob Ying-
ling, the father OF the JoshuaYingling
branch OF the family, and afterward by
his SON, William Yingling, and was
the last of the industries of this kind
TO vanish from. our town. Nearly OPP
posite to this was the Powder Tan
merry carried on by Andrew Powder,
on the premises just west OF the pres
emit residence of MIR. Upton l.. ReaTer.
Then came the Matthias Tannery,"
conducted by Jacob Matthias, the
grandfather of DIR. J. ). Matthias, oc-
cupying the entire space between the
residence of Miss May Gardner and
the alley at the Odd Fellows Hall.
At the extreme west end of the
town was the "Shriver Tannery," con-
Quoted BY Francis Shriver, on the
property now owned by Mr.. King,
known as the "Snowden property"
The men who controlled this line
of business here, were among our
most thrifty and substantial citizens,
supported their families, educated
their children and made money be-
side.
In the onward march of business,
with it, combinations OF capital, this
branch of industry was squeezed out
of our community, and out Of
every community in the country.
Beside this line of business, wagon
making. blacksmithing, shoemaking,
harness making, and host Of other
useful branches of business, have been
forced out of existence by the huge
Trusts and Monopolies, which have
for some time past, lourished in this
country.
Four denominations of christians
were represented in Westminster by
church buildings, sixty years ago The
Protestant Episcopal, The Roman
Catholic, and the two Methodists. The
church buildings were small and plain,
except the Protestant Episcopal. That
church edfice, stood then as it stands
today. mot large, to be sure, but gem
of church architecture.
The members of the Reformed and
the Lutheran churches had no church
buildings in the town at that time
Their people worshiped at the old
"Krider's Church." about mile north
of the town.
There stood in the Cemetery, an
old church, known as the Union
Church." built in the former century.
II had been used in its time by the
Protestant Denominations Of the town
and the immediate vicinity, for many
years, and until each denomination
had its own church. It was sur
mounted by unique belfry, ia which
was placed a large steel triangle. The
sexton would 60 into this belfry to
announce the hour for worship, and
strike the triangle with a large ham
mer, and its sound could be heard for
miles around.
The walls OF the church remained
good, but from age and non-use the
woodwork went into decay. In this
condition 1t was sold BY the Cemetery
Board to the firm of Smith-Yingling az
Co., and the bricks put into the brick
building now used BY them in cennec-
ton with their canning business.
A. has been stated before, there
were few houses in the town, except
those along the main thoroughfare.
A. exception to this, il the hand
some and commodious property, with
its ample grounds, built BY Col John
Is Longwell in 1S45, now owned and
occupied by Mr.. George w. Albaugh.
This was regarded then, and is re-
garded now, as one OF the most desir-
able private residences In or near
Westminster.
Green street east OF the railroad,
and all the adjoining territory, was
old fields and old orchards, owned by
John Fisher and laid OH and sold i'm
mediately after his death. This was
about 1868.
The stores of the town, sixty years
ago, were those of Jesse ReifsnideI
and Joshua Yingling at the West end
John 8. Murray, near the location 81
Cine railroad, Jacob Reese, I'm the build
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