Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1949-09-01

Ernie 1annen, Oh VIVA ATIah6c
and broadcast programs from the
Agricultural Center while the
County Fair was in progress-also
enjoyed being interviewed by
Brooke Johns one day. AS usual
/ furnished the nostalgia note by
quoting from newspapers almost a
hundred years old, carrying news
of previous fairs. On the first day
we had on the program my life
long friend, John E. Muncaster, ST.,
who was secretary of the Rockville
Fair from 1888 to 1925.
"Mrs. Haines, did you attend
the first Montgomery County
Fair?" asked Mr.. Tannan. "Good
Lord, Ernie, how old do you think
am-the first fair on the old
grounds was held in 1856-and
the Fair Association was then ten
years DID," laughingly replied.
But / did confess to having in my
possession a picture taken at the
age of two-sitting on my fathers
knee frowning into the camera. |
was mad-they had promised to
show me a "birdie" which had not
materialized. That was over fifty
years ago. There are later pic
lures taken in the early 190O's-
and one of brother Charles White,
who died last year, in his little
blue suit with the Elton jacket
sporting broad white sailor collar
with hamburg trimming on it!
TRY dressing a boy in one today.)
There are mementoes of other fairs
"a little red mug with "Merhle
Haines" on it and a red glass with
"Mollie" which brings back menu
cries of mother.
But back to the fair-Mr. Mum
caster brought an American Jour-
nal, printed in Rockville, October
8, 1856, giving the premium list
for the first fair on the new"
grounds, now the property of the
county, the site of the Rockville
Schools, and l had a Sentinel OF
Friday, September II, 1857, giving
the committees of the various de-
partments for the second year. The
papers attracted a great deal OF
interest from bystanders.
We were all struck by the SINH
larity of the names of those who
formed committees and offered ex-
hibits in 1856 and the names Of
those who today are working for a
revival of the old fair. To mention
iuest a few: in 1856 Edwin Ma
gruder Muncaster received q
premium for the best cured ham
Just a few; in 1856 Edwin Ma
Muncaster ST. was on the radio
program-a great grandson John
E. Muncaster jr., was superir-
tendent of the sheep department,
and a great--great-grandson, Will
liam Edwin Muncaster, was one OF
the junior exhibitors.
The William Harrison McCeney,
ir. who was so pleased with the fair
this year that he is donating the
timber from 80 acres to put up
more buildings before next year, is
the grandson of Henry Cole Nc
Ceney, of White Oak, who helped
establish the old fair grounds
nearly 100 years ago. Today's Nc
Ceney is not only a farmer, but .
contractor as we'll, and has already
helped build the roads in the Center.
Then as now, there were also
Baileys, Carriers, Stonestreets,
Spates, Davis, Worthingtons,
Whites, Bradleys, Dickersons,
Meirs, Braddocks, Bowies, Waters,
Peters, Higgins, Saunders, Du-
Fief and many, many more who
either carry on these old names or
are descendants from them.
There were few exhibits last
week that had been shown at pre-
vious fairs. Mrs. w. w. Griffith
of Laytonsville showed a "Crazy
Quilt" made by her mother, Mrs.
Robert P. Magruder in 1884. Mrs.
Magruder exhibited it at the Rock
vile Fair over so years ago and
won a first prize-her daughter
did as we'll last week. Jessie Ma
gruder Griffith, as a child, won
many awards at the old fair
sometimes as many as twenty in a
year.
A "Saw-Tooth" pattern quilt
bought at an auction some years
ago by Mrs. Edwin D. Fry, esti-
mated to be around 100 years old,
got a blue ribbon in its class. 1t is
said to have won a great many
prizes since it was pieced by Sarah
Jane Angleberger of Frederick
County.
Instead of the horse-pulling con-
test, popular today, in the 1S50's
blowing contests were staged right
on the grounds. In 1856 for the best
blowing Jeffrey" belonging TO
julius West; second prize to
Thomas" belonging to William
Veirs Bouic. For the best ox-yoke
]. T. Higgins and brother got the
first prize of $500
An amusing notation on the old
1856 premium list runs: "As a
novelty two washing machines were
exhibited and the committee hav-
ing no way to ascertain their rela-