Milford chronicle., 1931-06-12
Milford School News
Some Exciting Days
In MilfOrd's Past


During the late fifties and early
sixties, Doctor j. S. Prettyman
owned and published a weekly pa
per in Milford, with the title "The
Peninsula News and Advertiser" "
There were only two Or,three papers
in Delaware at that time, and few
people had access to the daily city
papers. The local papers were wide
ly read and the occurances of the
country and world were mainly con-
veyed through them. This gave
them an influence beyond present
local publications.
The community, at that time, was
pro slavery, every one of prominence
holding slaves, and Doctor Pretty
man assumed to publish an anti
slavery paper in opposition to the
strong sentiment of the community.
He met with difficulties, many petty
personal annoyances, he was called
"a Niger lover" his carriages were
destroyed, medical chests were
broken in pieces, the family cloth
ing thrown into the creek, and other
depridations, but he did not swerve,
trenchantly setting forth the wrongs
of slavery.
Many friends and connections of
the family were alienated, and did
every thing in their power to over
come and destroy the influence of
the paper Floggings in the streets
were common and many masters
were brutal. In an effort to over
come the wrong public attention
was directed to the cruelty, and
many were incensed by the public
rebuke. A meeting was called to
denounce the paper, cOudemnatOry
resolutions were passed, and finally
a mob formed, encouraged by pTOmi-
nent leaders, to overthrow "the in
cendiary sheet"
The paper was issued from the
upper story of the house in which
Mrs. Lena Jones now lives, Doctor
Marshall's old home, and the en-
trance to the office was through a
narrow stairway in the north end
of the building. With approaching
darkness the mob gathered at North
Front and Walnut streets, where
now stands the semaphore.
A few loyal, brave men, recognize !
ing the purpose of the mob, rushed |
to the defense of the paper, among /
them were James Fl. Bell and Char !
ley and Archie Little. The latter |
two had been i'll the Catholic riots |
in Philadelphia, and they knew what |
hand to hand contest signified. The !
narrow stairway was hastily barri- |
caded with bundles of imprinted pa
per and, behind the baTricade stood |
these resolute men with guns in
their hands, defying the mob. They
announced that the first man who
entered the hall would die, and no
body ventured. The threat was not
merely idle words, the mob knew
the character of the men it was
facing and it skunk cowardly away.
The paper continued publications,
grew in favor and influence, reward |.
came when Milford and Cedar Creek
hundreds cast majority vote for
Mr. Lincoln.
William Fowler, Copper Head
Democrat" in full sympathy with
the slave holders, who had taken an
active part i'll the meeting denOunc-
ing the paper, came secretly to Doc
tor Prettyman, in the evening, and
informed him of the leaders inten-
ton, their expectation of destroying
the plant. He was afterwards seen
in the mob, apparently aiding and
abetting the work.
James r. Lofland was then "in the
camp" warmed by the enc
mics fire; he afterwards served in
the Union Army and was sent to
Congress by a Republican vote.
The leaders and many influential
members of the Whig and Demo-
cratic parties were in sympathy
with the COnfederacy and, the pur-
pose i'll forming the First Delaware
Regiment was to make it part of
the Southern Army. The Union men 4
of the State, recognizing the purpose, {
rushed into the regiment, officered {
it, and held it true to the Union.
Mr.. Lincoln desired to set the Z
slaves free by the government reim |
bursting the owners and his purpose !
was to institute the measure in Del
aware, a small State with compare
lively few slaves. Mr.. Nathaniel !
Smithers represented the State, at 5
hat time in Congress, and by him |
he measure was presented to the 7
dominant party leaders and slave q
)wners. 1t was promptly rejected
and the overture resented. How
much wiser the plan than war, with
is destruction of property, its earn
lge and death.