Milford chronicle., 1931-05-29
Grave Of First Owner
Of The Holland House

During the last of June, 1880, peO-
pie from many different states at
tended the Holland Sale causing the
house to become widely known. Peo-
pie bought furniture, silver, rugs,
etc, without knowing the little
story connected with them which
endeared each piece to it's former
owner. They admired and bought
them.
Let us hope when the house is
sold the person or persons buying
it will know it's history, so that they
may prize it more highly. Its his
tory started in 1853 when it was
built by an English architect for
Levin Cropper, who was the original
proprietor of South Milford. OF
CrOpper, little is known except that
his wealth, for wealthy he was con-
sidered, existed in land amounting
to 1870 acres. In fact so little was
known, no one knew where he was
buried until several years ago the
house where the Causey sisters live
was being built. The workmen
while digging for the cellar found
Ills SldNCs All LlloG was
one piece of a bone and few brass
tacks which had been used in the
coffin. The grave is now under the
front porch.
Levin Cropper left two sons, Mil
ton and Levin. To Milton he willed
his property. Two years later he
died leaving his wife and one son.
His wife married again. This
time her choice was Daniel Rogers,
who afterwards in 1897, at the death
of the twelfth governor of Della
ware, Governor Bedford, as Speaker
of the Senate became governor
serving two years.
Next the house was bought by
Louder Layton, of whom the Griers
are descendants, their mother being
Margaret, his granddaughter.
At the death of Mr.. Layton the
house was sold to Peter f. Causey.
1t was then that the house was re-
modelled and the trees planted. Be-
fore, it had been a treeless common.
Peter Causey in 1854 was elected
governor of Delaware as the candi-
date of the American Party"
During the political campaign
Squire Hendricks, then a boy
about twelve, saw him. Mr.. Causey
was wearing white plug hat. 1t
was this that caught the boys at
tention, for MillsborO white plugs
were rare. Squire Hnedricks in
quired who was the man with the
white hat on.
Mr.. Causey was always an active
business man. At one time he had
large interests in iron ore which
was mined from his own land in
Sussex county along the Nanticoke |
river. 1t was shipped in his own
vessels to Philadelphia. For almost
thirty years the Causeys owned the
until they sold it to Jos. |
E. Holland. 1t was then that the |
house in which Gov. Causey's grand
live was built.
Joseph Holland as you all know |
owned wholesale grocery and seed |
establishment in front of the freight |
station. His wife aided by him /
bought most of the antiques with /
which their home was furnished. OF
lis life there is nothing to be said
)ther than what you know. Last
year as you remember he left us, so
shortly afterwards to be followed by
lis son, John Prettyman Holland.
every one who knew the Hollands
liked them.
The other buildings must not be
orgotten. The spring-house which
lsed to stand where DR.. B. Short
ives was moved nearer the Holland
louse. You can easily see it now
where it stands as Spring House
My in name.
The first two little brick houses
hat you notice on the west side of
he dwelling were slave quarters.
The next building is woodshed. The
Ourth was an old store which is
mong the first if not the first store
uilt in Milford. 1t was built in
749. 1t seems queer now to have
store there, yet if you recall that
he public road used to run between
he west end Of the dwelling and the