Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1950-04-06
Montgomery
Sideiqhts
Bn Elsie White Haines

mourning Oh uTlNinR Cilc ocNeH iHlleS
from Muncaster's Mill to Rockville,
leaving the horse at Poss's Livery
Stable and taking a trolley into
Washington-just a nice days
outing.
On sunny days we would often
find the owner of the livery, Jacob
Poss, sitting on the steps, just as
he is pictured above, and his son,
Harry G., would peer out to say a
pleasant "good morning" to the
daughters of his friend, George E.
White, miller.
The livery stable; as We know it,
stood on the site now occupied by
the Safeway. The Poss's first
stable is said to have occupied a
part of the old Washington Hotel
site. Mrs. Ethel Poss Carr says
her fathers office was about where
the Sentinel Office is now located.
When this site was needed for the
Montgomery County Nation II
Bank, the Livery Stable office
moved across Commerce Lane.
Jacob Poss, at one time Mayor
of Rockville and four years men,
Der of the Town Council, was en-
gagged in the livery business from
1874 until his death, October ID,
1927, at the age of 80. He was a
self-made man, and by energy and
well-directed business methods, he
became well-to-do and influential.
Starting out upon his commercial
career, Mr.. Poss was handicapped
by the fact that he was almost a
stranger to the English language
and customs. He was born in
Prussia near the Castle Rhine,
August /, 1889, being a son of
Henry Jacob and Apolonia EN-
rich) Poss, who where farmers by
occupation. He attended the public
schools of his native land until he
was about twelve years old, when
with an Aunt he came to America.
For several years he lived in
Washington and assisted his uncle.
When he was % he opened hotel
at Brightwood and conducted it
during the years 1862, '63 and '64,
but the War between the States
proved disastrous to him. Time and
again his goods were confiscated
by the soldiers and he received no
pay. In 1864 he started farming
in the District. In 1851 he came
to Montgomery County and cult
vated a farm until 1874, when on
account of rheumatism he gave it
up. During this time he was very
successfully engaged in buying.
selling and shipping livestock, cat
tie, and horses. He continued to
deal id stock for six years after
IGoming to Rockville. In 1880, in
addition to operating the livery
stable he began to sell carriages,
Wagons, harness, etc. throughout
the county. At one time he had as
many as twenty fine horses in his
stable, and also boarded and cared
for other horses.
When Mr.. Poss left the farm in
1874 he brought with him George
Mead, then young man, and later
set him up in the express business.
"Tick" Mason, who from small
child was known as Mr.. Poss's
Shadow" and Ed Brown, were
other colored workers who helped
Mr.. Poss at his place of business.
Politically, Mr.. Poss was a
Democrat and in early life was a
member of the Lutheran Church.
He was baptized Catholic, Feb
ruary 1, 1916, by Father Rosen-
steel.
In February, 1862, Mr.. Poss
married Mary Ellen Dodson of
Washington who died February 81,
1887, at the age of forty. Of the
twelve children born to the couple,
only two survive-Clyde Poss, a
government worker who lives in
Alexandria, Va, and Mrs. Ethel
Carr of Rockville, employed in the
Courthouse. Mr.. and Mrs. Poss
built the large home, still standing,
or Washington Street between the
Hungerford Tavern, then the Eng
land home, and the Muncaster
house, now the home and business
place of Woodrow Adams.
Despite the fact that Mr.. and
Mrs. Poss raised a large family of
children, there are only nine grand
children and eighteen great-grand-
children to perpetuate the name.
In his later years, Mr.. Poss sold
his interest to Wallace E. Rick
etts who remained partners with
Harry Poss until Mr.. Ricketts, es-
tablished his own place Of business
where the Surplus Store on Mont.
gomery Avenue now stands. Many
grey-haired, local citizens who de.
plore the fast driving of their
grandchildren in this age of autos,
can remember the days when they
hired an outfit from Poss or Ric-
etts to take their best girls for a
ride. They often INDUCED in a
Il