Milford chronicle., 1937-12-10
GEORGETOWN
John Ingram, First Man To Vote To
Ratify Constitution And Make
Delaware The First State;
K0ffw0 0f 2ncoax


In connection with the ratificatio
of the Constitution of the Unite
States, by Delaware, the first to rat
ify, on December z, 1887, observanc
of which took place on Tuesday II
Dover, 1t is of much interest to res
e idents of Sussex county and through
out the State to know that John In
gram, born at what is known to OLE
residents as Ingram's Mill, neal
Millsboro, eight miles south of here
was the first man in the United
States to affx his signature to g
document which made this country
a united, sovereign nation of thir.
teen states. Ingram, by his act as q
member of the Delaware Assembly
thereby became the first man in the
country to cast the first vote to
make Delaware the first State in the
Union.
Residents of Georgetown are
proud to know that some of his de-
scendants are living here; while in
Upper Dagsboro District they are
proud to know that Ingram at one
time lived at Phillips Hill, between
Millsboro and Gumboro.
Mrs. Martha j. Mumford, Mrs.
Frederick Blizzard and George w.
Willin, living on West Laurel street,
are descendants. Mrs. Mumford, for
merly of Philadelphia, and Mrs.
Blizzard are great-great-gr
daughters of Ingram, while their
brother, Mr.. Willin, is a great-great-
grandson.
Data compiled regarding the In
gram family shows that the first
generation came from England and
probably located in Philadelphia. la
ter finding their way. to Penn's
Three Lower Counties on the Del
aware"-New Castle, Kent and Sus-
sex, which now compose the State
of Delaware.
The first Ingram had grant of
land from England, containing
about 5000 acres, located in the
Millsboro section.
That they were thrifty people is
shown by the fact that they oper-
ated grist and saw mills, power te-
ing furnished by water alone in
lHOSe udyS. lHcy uioO SuitiNdtCu
many hundreds of acres of land,
raising large crops of corn, fax,
wheat and some tobacco.
John Ingram. according to the
history of the family handed down
fl iom generation to generation, was
popular and held in high esteem by
the Penns as being one of the big
men in what they termed their |
Three Lower Counties on the Del |
aware" now the Diamond State.
In the Office of Recorder OF Deeds |
James Lloyd here, can be found the |
record of a commission from Gov
ernor John Penn of Pennsylvania.
dated September 2, 1775, wherein !
John Ingram was named the first |
Justice of the Sussex County Court |
of Common Pleas, together with |
jeremiah Cannon, Joshua Hill. Isaac
Horsey, John Laws, Luke Shields |
and Daniel Dingee. These justices,
it is said, had about the same power
as the present-day judges.
Little is lsaaNa.z Of the life his
tory of John ingram other than that
he was an extensive farmer, mill
operator and influential throughout
the central section of lower Della
ware. Whether he ever held any
other office is not known.
Located between Georgetown and
Milton, there is an old mill stream,
known as Ingram's and to this day
is capable of furnishing water to
operate a mill. 1t is known that
many years ago there were a num-
ber of people in that section bear
ing that name. They were, no doubt,
descendants of John Ingram.
Water System To Be
Installed At Jail
The Levy Court Commissioners
have decided to install at the Sus-
sex county Jail an adequate water
supply, which not only will furnish
water for the institution but at the
same time protect it against fire
hazards. A complete system is to be
installed within the near future,
which has been needed, it is said,
since the new Jail was built a few
years ago.
A tank. holding 10000 gallons. is
to be erected and the building is to
have a complete water system in
stalled.
Palmer -Thackery, Inc, of Reho-
both Beach, have been awarded the
contract for S3,919.00.
Housing Situations
In Georgetown Acute
With a button factory i'm full
swing, employing a large number of {
men with a weekly payroll of sew {
eral hundred dollars, and the con- {
struction of a new hosiery factory {
on North Race street, which will I
give additional employment to a |
large number. officials here are
somewhat perplexed over the hOus-
ng situation. 1t is understood that q
'or a time a number of people will il
lave to be imported from Philadel- a
1hia in order to teach local labor d
low to operate the machines in the t
hosiery factory. Some of them, it is Ii
Understood, will likely remain. Il
There are less than ten vacant il
Houses here. Home officials place the e
ieure at five which are suitable for n
he average family. 1t is estimated e
hat within the next three months C
It least twenty-five more houses "
hould be constructed. and some Il
AVE estimated the number at fifty. p
The housing situation is said to be F
uch that it is likely within short d
ime there will be meeting of City e.
members of the Chamber of c
Commerce and business men to stu
Y the situation, make survey and j
scertain just what the needs will C