Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-07-02
Eastern Shore Society's Trip
Revives Historic Memories
Also Suggests Improvements Which Might Be
Made In Maryland's Tidewater Territory
Changes And Developments Noted.

NHVSN'i toNu' near TIT sNus' lueHHHHi,
is really interesting because of the
quaint Colonial architecture OF its
dwellings and stores.
At North East are old iron mines
which supplied material for cannon
in the Revolutionary War; George
Washington was stakeholder in the
old furnaces.
Elkton has pursued the even tenor
of its way for century and half
without creating much history. Just
now it is a center of interest because
of the ease and haste with which
men and women may be welded
At Chesapeake City the visitors
crossed the Chesapeake and Delaware
Canal, which has been acquired by
the Federal Government and which
within a decade or more will be trans
formed into ship canal, giving Balti-
more a near route to Northern and
European ports.
In Old Kent
Historic ground was reached when
the boundary separating Cecil and
Kent counties was crossed. Kent is
the oldest county on the Eastern
Shore. Its contributions to the ma
tional galaxy include the Tilden
(originaly spelled Tylden), of New
York. and Gresham families of In
diana. Belonging to the latter were
Judge Walter Q. Gresham. Secretary
of State during President Cleveland'S
second term. Samuel j. Tilden, Gov
ernor of New York and Democratic
candidate for President in 1876, was
a descendent of the Tyldens of Kent.
The PearccS, father and son; the
Wickes and the Chambers families
have added lustre. to the county. The
late James Hodges, once Mayor of
Baltimore. and the late |. Freeman
Rasin, long the Democratic leader in
Baltimore were among the many ma
tives of Kent who have won fame and
fortune in the Maryland metropolis.
Kent produced United States Sen
ator, George Vickers. who joined with
Ross. of Kansas, and Fessender, of
Maine, in preventing the impcach-
mcnt of President Andrew Johnson.
ChestertOwn's Tea Party.
In pre-Revolutionary days Chester
I haI taa ttt. Of har a
city was a port of entry then and the
ship Geddes, with u cargo of tea for
the counties of the Eastern Shore, ar
rived in the port in 1874. The town
people held meeting similar to those
being held in Boston and Annapolis
and declared that they would not sub
nit to the Kings Government impoS-
ing a tax upon tea.
Then the citizens of Chestertown,
went out to the ship and upset her
precious freight into the beautiful
Chester river.
/ Washington College was established
in 1882 having been erected upon the
foundation of a successful educational
institution OF less pretension. but
whose history dated back to 1923.
General Washington, in camp at
Newbury in 1882, consented that the
institution should bear his name, and
he contributed literally of his own
means to the enterprise. The corner
stone of the college was laid in 1883
by Governor Paca, of Maryland.
In Queen Anne's.
Queen Anne'S has an interesting
history. The first county jail and
court house were erected at Queens
town. but the settlers seem to have
been imbued with the idea of making
Hibernia, small village near Cen
treville, the metropolis of the county.
However, in 1850, the county justices
decided to erect the new law and pun
italy buildings at Centrcville, al
though Hibernia was still to be con-
sidered the county seat. The original
courthouse in Ccntrevillc was erected
in 1890.
The route of the visitors did not lie
through the historical sections of old
Talbot, fraught with the most histor-
zeal interest. Those points are in Wye
river. Miles river, at Oxford, st.
Michaels and at other points near the
Chesapeake Bay. Easton was the
most ancient town visited. II has
been county seat for over 200 years.
The first courthouse of the county
was erected in I'LL. The present
structure is. of course, of much larger
construction. and yet it is very, very
old compared with the courthouses to
be found in many other Maryland
towns. Furthermore, the old market