The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1913-07-05
BIG TIME AT PORT DEPOSIT

The Patriotic Association of Port De-
pOsit will by the authority OF the presi-
dent and commissioners of the town,
have full charge of the centenary cele-
braton on JULY 1, ) and 8.
The principal events will be held OF
July at a. m. The parade will start
from the square, led by Chief Marshal
Oliver P, Hagerty. 1t will consist of the
two fire companies of the town. many
historical floats and hundreds OF mar
chers Three bands will furnish music.
At l 80 p. nj. ath .etic spor,s will be held
on the Port Deposit baseball grounds,
under the direction of the mayor, DR.. G.
Hampton Richards At the same place
at s p. m, under the direction of d. r.
Armstrong, the towns history Will be
read by Frank T. Benson, former resi-
dent and the patriotic address will be
given by Prof William James Keeps, of
Baltimore. The day will close with fire.
works from float anchored in mid
stream of the Susquehanna river Satur-
day will be given entirely to the home
coming feature, and Sunday will be give
up to appropriate open-air and indoor
religious celebrations. The decorations
will be on the most elaborate scale and
will be feature of the event. The well
come march in front of Pennsy Sta
tion promises to eclipse anything yet
attempted in a small town. William
McClenahan is chairman of the decora-
ton committee. The music will be di
rected by Prof. John NJ. Creswell. I'm
der the supervision of Walter Touch
stone, whose forefather settled in this
place in 1880, free historical exhibi-
ton will be given
This celebration is not really for the
birth of the town, but the official nam
ing of the place. AS a matter of fact,
in 1920 there was a settlement at this
point known as the Upper Ferry. Sue
cessively different names were given
Smiths Ferry, in honor of Capt, John
Smith, who paid the place a visit on his
cruise into the upper Chesapeake. Then
Crespo's Ferry. Thomas Crespo was the
real founder of the town and he it was
who erected the large stone gristmill
at the north end of the town This mill
is still in perfectly good order and the
old waterwheel is still doing business.
The next name given was Rock Run,
then Bells Ferry.
CRBSWELL FERRY.
These sufficed until the Revolutionary
period, WHen Ill HOHOl vi Jouu NltoNtll,.
a large property owner OF that time and
father of the late j. A. j. Creswell, who
was Postmaster General in Grants cabi-
net the burg was called Creswell Fer
ry. This name was held until late in
1872, when two surveys were made and
streets plotted by two engineers, who
gave the little place a different name
Then the Legislature of Maryland took
part and on October u, 1872, passed an
act ito prevent confusion" officially
designating the town as Port Deposit
1t was by no means misnomer. In
1898 the first boatload of farm produce
was brought from above Harrisburg to
Port Deposit and thence to Baltimore.
The venture was SO successful that the
next season more than 100 "arks" were
hoated down the Susquehanna Annually
the number of boats multiplied until 1t
made Port Depost-in fact as we'll as
name-a port of deposit.
Then came the opening of the white
pine lumber fields of Pennsylvania and
long before the Civil War this little
place along the river became the great
est lumber market in the United States.
Then it was that Cecil county's greatest
citizen. who just a little while before
had come to Port Deposit as a hostler,
broke into the lumber game and wher-
ever timber was spoken OF the name Of
Jacob Tome was associated This was