Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-03-24
worcester County Before
l776" Title OF Prize
Winning Paper
MISS JULIA ROBERTSON'S
SUCCESSFUL COMPOSITION

The peninsula between the Chesa
Chesapeake and Delaware Bays j!
about the size of Palestine and to ths
sons and daughters of our Eastern
Shore,is another Gland of Promise,
a modern "Holy Land"-"The Lane
of Evergreens." Its first European
discoverer, the Italian voyager Yer
razzanowno, entered the Sinepuxent
Bay as early as 1924 (long before the
settlement Of jamestown, Plymouth
Rock or st. Mary's) and so admired
our Worcester coast that he called Il
Arcadia as he says Because Of the
beauty Of the trees" Thus only thir-
ty-two years after the discovery OF
America by Columbus, the charms Of
what is now our loved Country were
rccognized,-the first woodlands and
landscapes in the United States to. be
so celebrated.
Originally, the counties of Worces.
ter and Wicomico were included in the
one great county Of Somerset. This
great county was organized in 1866.
Col William Stevens was virtually
the father Of these three counties. He
owned and operated a large planta-
tion at Rehoboth.
In 1910 Colonel Stevens began the
operation of a ferry on the Pocomoke
river from the Somerset side to what
is now Pocomoke City. Thus, was es-
tablished small trading post which
was the centre of business for the
southern end Of the County. This
settlement was first called Meeting
House Landing, afterwards Ware
house Landing. The village was
known by this name until 1880, when
ie was changed to New Town, and in
later years to Pocomoke City.
There were sparse settlements in
the present bounds of Worcester coun-
ty as arly as 1878. The first immi-
grants came up from the Eastern
Shore counties Of Virginia. This was
to find freedom of worship, there be-
ing tolerations for all religions at
that time in the Maryland Colony,
and not in Virginia.
The Quakers, badly treated in Vir-
ginia, probably formed large part of
the settlers. Their great founder,
George Fox, preached at the home of
Col. Stevens during the year 1912.
Long before William Penn came to
America and immortalized himself by
his fairness to the Natives there had
been the most perfect harmony be-
tween the Whites and the Redmen in
this county.
Capt. John Smith, the Virginia hero
and explorer, the first white man to
enter our Pocomoke, away back in
1908, tells of the hospitable reception
by the Redmen. So, too, a party OF
nineteen men and women stranded oil
Assateague in 1850 had been rescued
by the Indian Werowance Kikotank
treated most kindly and forwarded on
their way. George Fox tells Of the
Indian chief attending service at the
home of Colonel Stevens and listening
attentively. The Chief invited then
to his camp up the river (probably
the neighborhood now called "Indiar
Town.") George Fox and several o1
his Pensioners accepted the invits.
tion. It was a lovely journey. They
crossed the Pocomoke on "Stevens
Ferry" From there they "followee
the trail" until they reached their des
tjnation. The country through which
they travelled was beautiful. Altho
there was little cleared land, the for
ests were clothed in their "dress O.
green," and everywhere along th'
trail were ever greens, which sine
that time, have helped make our coun
ty and Eastern Shore so famous.
Their pleasure and surprise wer
unbounded when, about halfway Of
their journey, they were met by tn
Chief, who accompanied them to hi
camp.
When they arrived at the camp the
found all the Indians in holiday at
tire. Their best and most gaily col
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