Milford chronicle., 1944-09-29
PLACES AND PEOPLE OF
MILFORD NECK FROM
1910 TO 1908

reader, who have requested this
article by the late Isaac R. Jester,
We reprint 1t as it appeared in this
paper some 80 years ago:
Adjoining the farm of John w.
Short and located west of 1t is the
farm of George T. Hill. now of Mil
ford. II is a fine farm in a high
state of cultivation, and has for
many years been considered one
among the best in this vicinity. 1t
was formerly the property of James
Postles and embraced the land ly-
ing on the south side of the road,
now owned by Charles Postles. The
entire tract before being divided
contained more than two hundred
acres. Prior to the middle of the
last century it was considered one
section. From the earliest recol-
lection of the writer until 1855 it
was occupied by Mr.. Postles him
self, who was a farmer in the
strictest sense of the term. He
was one of the pioneers in the reno
walton of wornout land in this part
of Kent county. In the early for
ties, the farming business was at
low ebb. About this time the bust
ness of the country was at a stand /
still and none more so than farm
ing. Commercial manures were un-
known except lime and even that
was a doubtful experiment. Mr..
Postles early inbibed the spirit of
and was the first far
mer in this section to introduce the
growing of clover. by which means
he made il possible to introduce
improved methods of threshing the
grain. He was the first man in this
to purchase and introduce
a horsepower and threshing ma
chine. Previous 10 this time it had
been the custom of farmers to tread
out the grain with cattle or horses.
or to use a pair of horses hitched to
a machine, with the not very en-
phoneous name of huntingdon.
II was simply a log of wood about
seven feet long and ten inches in
diameter with rows of strong pegs
Inserted three inches apart around
he entire circumference, and cut
% a length of about eight inches.
Who was the inventor of this ma
chine is not known, but it was :
bought to be a very great improve
nent over threshing by hand, with
he old time implement called the
lail. The machine of eight horse
,ower had a capacity to thresh
bout three hundred bushels per '
lay, but II was very seldom that
Iuantity was found on one farm.
dany of the farms that now yield
thousand bushels a year did not
'ield one hundred at that time.
With the all of clover, lime and
PERUVIAN guano, MIR. Postles' farm
Don became one of the most pro- '
uctive in this part of the county. c
About the year 1855. Mr.. Postles =,
uilt a large dwelling house, barn /
nd other necessary buildings on .
N adjoining tract fronting the
tate Road. This land was mostly
n timber or worn out land that had
OF been in cultivation for num- :
er of years and had grown up in
inc and cedar. By virtue of much
ard labor, and with an outlay of o
money, he succeeded 1,
! a few years in making it, not
My one of the most handsome but v
ne of the best paying farms in q
lis section. This farm is now the h
roperty of DR.. James G. Stanton
nd is regarded as one of the most .
eautiful places on the road lead u
lg from Milford to Dover. Shortly
fter the Civil War he bought an D
Their farm. 1t is situated on the :
urderkill River and is known as
lie "Lowber Farm" After the pur- %
lase of this farm he erected new
lildings and improved 1t so that
produced a large revenue. 1t
DIV belongs to the heirs of the late Il
,hn w. Kirby. q,
James POstles was a man whose
sposition was stern and inhex- II
lie. When his course was fully ie
,termined and his purpose fully al
,cided upon, they were well-nigh s,
invincible as the laws of the
edes and Persians, but when his 81
mpathies were enlisted in be-
If of the needy and deserving he y
as a true friend. He was strict
conscientious man, and his re-
,ious principals consisted large
in conforming to that test of
rupture in the Gospel OF st.
mes: THAT we visit the widow
ID the fatherless in their afflic-
IN and keep yourself unspotted
ON the world"
His wife, Familiarity known as -
.unt Betsy" was a kind hearted
dy and more like a mother than
ut to most persons. No writer 81
modern times has in as few
1rds more fittingly described the
aracter of Aunt Betsy Postles
an Alfred Tennyson when he g,
'ote:
lind srOrdS are more than oOrOHefS,
nd simple faith than Norman blood" -,
without children of !"
cir own, she and her hus- :
nd raised a family OF four -
IN, one of which was but q
ne days old when she was placed z
der their care and protection. y
lis was Sarah Elizabeth Postles. V
niece of Mr.. Postles and when z
own became the wife of the late q
mes H. Bell. OF the fourteen Y
ildren reared by them the only 3
e born under their parental roof i
IS Colonel Theodore Townsend, z
granddaughter of Mrs. Postles, q
10 spent the greater portion of z
minor years in their home. q
Aunt Betsy Postles was a diplo- q
It.. She had an influence over her q
sband that no one else ever pos Y
'sed. Figuratively speaking she z
lid wind him around her finger; u