Milford chronicle., 1927-01-14
By DR.. Joseph A. COnUOeN of Vineland NerO
Jersey. Based Upon An Address Before The
VineIand Historical Society.

bIoduhllu, ana no better oysters
grow and anybody can come and
help themselves and 1 can testify
from personal experience that il is
both work and play to rake IN suc-
culent bivalves from the rivers hot
tom.
We have gone about three miles
and here is "Wiltbank's Landing"
where one of Delaware's bonored
families have lived for two hundred
and fifty years. Near by is the Rob-
inson homestead, a brother of the
local resident, John Bell Robinson,
being the author of Pictures of Sla-
very and Anti-Slavery," a book
which strongly favored holding the
negro race in bondage.
Blow the big fog horn for we are
nearing the "Drawbridge." Here sew
eral vessels are loading and unload
ing wood, grain and merchandise.
Hon. Samuel Paynter did business
here and amassed a fortune. He was
elected Governor of the State and his
home was one of the finest in lower
Delaware, the glass in the windows
being imported from France.
Three miles more and here is
HeavelO's Landing the shipping place
of Benjamin NAPLES, who was a sue
cessful business man, three miles
west, his mill, store, residence, barns
and outbuildings, more resembling 4
village than a single business enter
prise.
A corner of my fathers farm fur
nished a boat landing at this point
and many a happy hour have 1 and
my brothers spent boating, fishing,
hunting and shooting at the mark
around this spot.
Two miles from Milton lived the
Welch family where ten children
! came to bless the home.
We come within sight of Milton
and will call it Saturday morning.
Six or eight vessels are in course of
construction and the noise of saw
and hammer, adze and axe comes
from every direction. For half
century ship building has been Mil
tons chief industry.
A vessel is to be launched this
morning and it is high water at
11:15 exactly. Before the time ar
rives hundreds of people line the
wharves and many are on board. A
favorite daughter of the captain or
owner is to cristen her; flags are
flying and it is a gala day in Town.
Men are now wedging her up and
removing the blocks and she is rest
ing upon the ways. At 11:15, four
men, with two crosscut saws, sharp
ened for the occasion, begin to saw
her off, guided by watcher be-
cause both ways must be severed in
unison. Three more inches;" two
more inches," careful" zone more
inch;" "let her gO!" and with great
rapidity the timbers are sawed
asunder. She moves, slowly, then
faster and faster, and, amidst hur-
rahs and music, a new vessel IS
floating the waters of the Broad
kiln. From Milton the new craft
was taken to Philadelphia and rugged
out and fitted for the sea.
Milton, like all towns sixty years
ago, was alive with business on Sat
tlfdayS. The SsrCots are lined Win
wagons or carts in the morning,
loaded with pine wood or grain. The
teams are mostly oxen, of all sizes
and colOrs, bald headed and horned.
These oxen, always in pairs, knew
the meaning of five words-"geup,
"gee," "haw," "woa" and back.
They were given poetic names such
as Buck and Berry" Crock and
Rye" Spark and Spendall," Rave
and Rial" and other easy comblna-
tiOns.
On Saturday afternoon the farmers
came to town in the family carriage
drawn by a steed credit to the own
ers. Perhaps nothing illustrated the
pride and thrift of farming commun-
tiles more than the travelling outfits
Of sixty years ago.
, The industries of Milton uurlng
my early boyhood days, outside OF
ship building, were a tan yard, a
grist mill, a brick yard and bark
/ and saw mill, the latter owned by
Governor James Ponder, having the
only steam engine in the town. The
mill race was a favorite spot and
most of the boys of the town for a
| full century learned to swim IN It's
: flowing water.
, Ship building towns are also sea-
faring towns. On Milton streets, at
. almost any time, were men just
= home from a trip to the southerp
. ports, to South America, to LiVerpool
Y OF London. They tell stories OF tor-
eign lands, of clear skies and o1
r storm. Many a Milton home has been
C stricken with grief by messages tell
= ing of husbands or brothers VINO
/ through shipwreck have gone doWI
- to a watery grave. And what is sad
= der still was to wait for sad news
that never came.
D Sunday in Milton is a day OF RESI-
s and worship. Only the Growing o.
roosters, the rumbling of the waste
S gates and the ringing of church DellS
= are heard. The churches are wei
y filled with devout listeners. The ser
e mon is able and sometimes eloquent
e The singing is excellent and insplr'
y ing and the services, in every va!
It show refinement, reverence and cul
y ture. I have been told that nal
century before my day, Milton pas
= tor read the scripture to his congfe
f cation from a Greek or Latln IesIa
It ment easily translating 1t into ENG
:, lish. The Sunday schools sixty years
n ago were well attended and no more
l. earnest and faithful teachers eVel
Il lived than were they.
# 1t might have been asked: "Wh'
It are the people of Milton and viclnlt!
y and from what special ancestry have
= they sprung?" Almost without ex
e ception every family is of pure Eng
= lish Anglo-Saxon stock. Perhaps TN
d people of no other community IN th'