Evening star., 1915-12-05

The Pennsylvania authorities began
to encourage incoming Germans to set
tie on the wilderness lands Of the prov
ince with the idea Of forcing back the
Indians, reclaiming those lands and
serving as a buffer state or line of set
Elements between the savages and the
older settlements of the colony In the
unsettled condition Of the boundary be-
tween Pennsylvania and Maryland
many of the newcomers made their
homes on the south side of the line and
in Maryland through mistake. The
character Of the country in the Monoc-
acy valley and in the Shenandoah val
ley became known to the Pennsylvania
Germans through the tales of hunters.
trappers and explorers. and thousands
of the Germans in Pennsylvania were
coming to be out of patience with the
lack of protection which the Pennsyl-
vania authorities gave them against the
Indians. These were the causes which
started the southwark migration from
Pennsylvania.
Down the Monacacy valley led an an
cient Indian trail. The Indians had
worn this trail in their hunts and wars.
1t was the easiest and shortest way
between the Susquehanna and Potomac
rivers. Its northern terminus was on
the Susquehanna near the present site
of Wrightsville and it ran down
through what are now York and Adams
counties in Pennsylvania to the Monoc-
acy river in Maryland and thence to
the Potomac river. AS the adventurous
pilgrims set out from southern Penn
sylvania they followed this trail afoot
and with their pack animals. and in
the course of time rude wagons began
80
pilgrims followed this road to the Po-
tomac, crossed the river and moved
down the valley of Virginia and over
ginia. Many of them stopped by the
side OF the Monocacy road and estab-
1ished settlements in the Maryland
wilderness.
Maryland Of which there is record was
Monocacy. The first church of the
pennsylvania Germans in Maryland was
built there. 1t was a rude log struc-
ture and later the logs were boarded
over. That town disappeared after
many years and no vestige remained to
identify its site. but not long ago Ed
ward T. Schultz, who has written ex-
tensiveIy Of the early German settle
ments in Maryland. located the site of
the village of Monacacy little south
of Creagerstown. which is about eleven
miles north of Frederick.
Because Of the incoming tide Of Ger
mans, Patrick Dulany, a brother of
Daniel Dulany Of Annapolis, laid out on a
grant which he had obtained a new town
to which he gave the name of Frederick.
That was in 1745 and whether the town
was named in honor of Frederick CAL
vert. the last Lord Baltimore. Frederick
Prince of Wales. or Frederick the Great
Of Germany. Is a historical riddle There
is letter written by Daniel Dulany to
Gov Samuel Ogie in 1745 in which he
IN, x1,fn HA
much the country Is improved beyond the
mountains. especially by the Germans,
who are the best people that can be to
settle a wilderness: and the fertility Of
the soil makes them ample amends for
Their industry
The town Of Frederick grew fast, as
speed was measured in those slow and
steady-going times. and at the time Of
luton it was the third city in size in
MISUNDERSTANDING Baltimore and An
napolis. In Frederick the site Of the first
house. that built by John Thomas Schley.
is pointed out to tourists.
4 4
If you will walk south along the Fred
erick street which was part Of the
Monocacy trail you will come, at the
south edge Of the city. upon a beautiful
and old cemetery, and one Of the best
kept CcIHelcEleS III tHe W region.
Its name is Mount Olivet. 1t is on high
land. Standing there you look out over
the battlefield Of the Monocacy and you
can see the lines Of trees growing along
the banks of the river and by which you
can mark the course of the stream for
miles.
Close within the entrance to Mount Oil
vet is the fine monument to Francis Scott
Key, and at the base of this monument
are the graves Of Key and his wife. All
along the west wall Of the cemetery are
headstones at the graves Of soldiers who
fell on the Monocacy fields just outside
the cemetery and on the fields around
South Mountain and even as far to the
west as Antietam. On a great mound
near this long row Of headstones stands
a soldiers monument inscribed: This
stone marks the last resting place Of
Unknown Confederate Soldiers who gave
their lives in the battle of the Monocacy,
July 8, 1864. Honor the Brave"
The Barbara Fritchie episode or
legend is more than a Frederick ira
dition. 1t has become a national ira
dition No vestige of the Barbara
Fritchie house remains in Frederick.