The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1948-07-15
HORSE AND
BUGGY DAYS
by
Ida 10 Martin

1.-The people OF washington Oouity
were quite different from what they
are at present" The quoted part OF
the above statement was originally
written half a century ago by his
torian Williams, describing what
was in his day, "old times" AS we
look back, we see little difference
between our grandfathers ways and
his grandfather's day, but they tell
us that things had changed greatly.
What if these old timers could come
back for a visit today!
Williams said in 1900, that the
people of several generations before
that 'had greater simplicity in their
manner of life-we think OF the
folks at the turn of the last century
as simple. He said further: They
made but little money, and spent
but little: a whole family could be
clothed for what it now costs to
clothe a single member of it." And
we could add today that this has
happened again since the time OF
the historian. 1t has become total
lv impossible to make any compar-
ison in money values between what
the early family took in and the
wages of today. The people then
were Independent and did not need
to depend upon a pay-check. Much
of what they did and made or learn
ed. was never thought of in terms
of dollars and cents; they lived for
life itself.
In those days there were many
who could not write. So there those
who specialized in doing such tasks
for others. William Mcintosh adj
vertised as a public schrivener, OPP
posite the German Calvinist Church
in Hagerstown," where he prepared
instruments and legal papers for
his customers as we'll as writing let
tiers for them.
In those days the German lang
uage was quite prevalent through
out this entire section. AS has been
pointed out before, other nationalltles
tended to move on west, while new
arrivals settled here from Lancas-
ter and from Germany. At one time
the entire populace around Beaver
Creek was German, with the eXcep-
ton of one family, an English fam
lily by the name of Ingram.
In spite of the fact that the early
school system was very inadequate,
there were many well educated and
refined people. There was not the
great volume of reading material
such as can be bought today, but
most homes had some literature,
usually of the best-all worth read
ing and the kind of writing that
stimulates thinking and self-educa-
ton. Occasionally one could find in
old newspapers request for the
return of loaned book.
Some of the society of the Coun-
ty could boast of refinement and
luxury, as has been noted IN past
columns about some of the old es-
tates and mansions. Grocery stores
advertised items such as imported
wines, chocolates, teas, olives, ca
pers and anchovies
Many of the families possessed
elaborate coaches upon which a
special tax had to be paid. There
was an official who inspected all the
coaches in Washington County and
fixed the rate of the taxes. Many
of the homes contained harpsichords,
pianos and 'house-organs." Viii
Iiams says that the people have al
ways been unsteady minded and
have always loved amusements, es-
pecially noisy" amusements. We
can add to Williams observation that
that is one characteristic we have not
lost. Shortly after the Declaration
of Independence was signed, the
Methodist Bishop, Asbury, visited
Hagerstown, or Elizabethtown, as II
was then called. He was greatly
disturbed with the way people en-
tered into the celebrations He re-
ported that ''the whole town seem
ed to be given entirely over to Satan
with the whole population beating
drums, firing guns, and dram
drinking"
Shooting was popular in those
DAYS: there were matches and hunts
usually sponsored by some enter
prising tavern keeper. The keeper
would advertise for contestants, eacf
of whom would pay small entrance
fee for the privilege of shooting Il
the contest. And then there woulc
be some worthwhile prize, often
deer. Or oftimes the prize ltseE
would be turned loose when all wa
ready, perhaps given good start OF
4lov, ho would hf