The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-02-25
An Interesting Fact

| GarfeCC county, as is well knOWH 10
readers of The Republican, is not one
of the counties of Maryland formed at
time "when the memory of man
runneth not to the contrary" but is
the youngest county of the State,
erected in 1872-just sixty years ago.
There are men and women living in
the county at the present day who can
we'll remember the events following.
1t may be well, however, for the
younger generation to have called to
their attention that
The first session of the Circuit Court
held in Garrett county convened May
10, 1878, at which Judges William
Motter and George A. Pearre presid-
ed. The session was held in either
the old school house on the site now
occupied by the Oakland grammar
school building or in the dining room
of the original Glades Hotel, of which
John Daley was the proprietor.
The first jury trial was the suit of
William Lipscomb against Samuel
Rodeheaver. The court remained in
session three days and thirty three
witnesses were examined before the
grand jury.
No doubt some are still living to
whom marriage licenses were issued
in the year 1878. Among them were
Charles H. Liston and Lucretia A.
Lowdermilk; George Spoerlein and
Abigail Beeghley; D. A. Friend and
Phoebe M. Rush; Albion Coles and
Antoinette Barnes; Simon Matthews
and Elizabetb<A. Totten; j. F. Ire
hern and Cyrena Edwards; James W..
White and, Flora McCrum; John W..
Harvey and Sarah E. Davis; w. H.
Frazee and Felicia Frantz; Henry
Jordan and Justina Cope; j. W. Kis-
ner and Mary M. Wable.
The first mortgage was recorded
February IL, 1878, from Harmon W..
Hesen and Helen Hesen to Humbird
and Long for $3.50, and the first deed
was recorded on March from Eze-
kiel Totten to Adelia M. Merrill for
lot in Oakland; consideration 1925.
The second deed was recorded the
same day and was from H. G. Davis
to James Casey for lot in Deer
Park.
The first session of the Orphans
Court was held on February II, 1873,
with Judges D. Harrison Friend, Will
liam Harvey and Joseph Dewitt on
the bench.
The first nominating convention for
political offices was held at the old
Glades Hotel in Oakland on Deem
Der IA, 1872. This convention was
made up men of all political parties
with William A. Brydon, of Blooming
ton, chairman, and Ralph Thayer and
Gilmor S. Hamill, secretaries.
According to a writer of that day
the convention was not without its
directors who were probably sore"
because some of the men of their
choice were not nominated. The del
egates to the convention from the
Grantsville community withdrew from
the hall and declined to take part in
further proceedings. Notwithstand-
ing, the convention presented the fol-
lowing county ticket:
Clerk of the Circuit Court, R. T.
Browning, Democrat; Register of
Wills, Ralph Thayer, Republican; for
Sheriff, Solomon Turner, Democrat;
States Attorney, Gilmor S. Hamill,
Democrat; Judges Of the Orphans
Court, Joseph B. Davis, Republican;
J. McC. Mason, Democrat; D. Harri-
son Friend, Republican; County Com
missioners, D. E. Offutt, Democrat;
Jacob Boyer, Republican; W. H. Bar
nard, Democrat.
Political brethren do not now dwell
together in such harmony.
In the Congressional election of
1876, Louis E. McComas, the Republi-
can candidate, received a majority of
20 over his Democratic opponent, Will
liam Walsh.
All RadiO broadcast tn he Heard