Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1932-07-29

Rockville, the county seat of Mont
gomery County, Maryland, has enjoy
ed its own newspaper for three-quar-
tiers of century. Seventy-seven years
ago Matthew Fields, an enterprising
member of a prominent local family,
established the Montgomery County
Sentinel in frame dwelling formerly
occupied by the Sage family and
which stood upon the same spot where
the present newspaper Office and plant
is located. The publication from the
first was a decided success and its
coming was awaited with eagerness
each week by men and women all over
the county.
The proprietor was possessed of
sagacity and courage, two qualities
vitality necessary in the times just
preceding the Civil War. Indeed, nine
years after the founding of the paper
its owner bespoke himself so clearly
in favor of the Confederate cause
that Union military authorities clap
ped the intrepid publisher in prison
as the only means of stopping the
newspaper. The organ suspended pub
LEGATION for several months until Mr..
Fields was released through the In
PREVENTION of a member of the cab
met.
Following his release Mr.. Fields
conducted his newspaper until his
death in 1871, 16 years after the first
issue was published. The Journalistic
policies of the paper have been con-
tinued by his widow, the late Mrs. Re-
becca G. Fields and her sons Clay and
William Fields and daughter, Mar
garet Fields.
In the third issue of the paper dated
August %, 1855, the earliest issue on
file there are notes, letters and adver-
tisements of great interest. Politically
the county at that time was being
stirred by the activities of the Know
Nothing Party and meetings were be-
ing held at Poolesville and other
places in Montgomery according to
the Sentinel. Various means were be-
ing employed to combat what at that
time was regarded as being rank
political heresy and downright treason.
Storm clouds were beginning to arise
over the slavery question even though
Rockville, and for that matter most of
the county, was predominantly South
ern in sympathy and anti-Union in
practice. Lowell Garrison and other
radical northerners were looked upon
as dangerous creatures by citizens of
the county seat.
In the August issue Of the Mont
gomery County Sentinel, which incl
dentally wore a different makeup and
appearance from the Sentinel of later
years, there was widespread indigna-
ton at the efforts Of the Know Moth
ings to foment trouble in the old Med
ley District in what is now known as
the Poolesyille District. There is an
account of a public meeting held at
Poolesville at which birth was given
to the medley District Democratic
Association" 1t was the purpose of
this organization to "stem the tide of
Know Nothing bigotry; correct the
errors of the blind and deluded and
impress such maxims and principles
as will most likely secure the interests
and happiness of all"
Officers were elected at this meet
ing and a vigilance committee named
among which are names familiar to
every citizen of the upper county.
DR.. William Brewer was chosen pres
ident and the committee included
George W. Spates, Thomas Oxley,
Thomas Peter, Lloyd Jones, Benoni
Allnutt and Gassaway Sellman.