The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1958-12-18

in bloodshed and carnage, the
birth pangs of new nation. Is
sues settled then in this country
plague the world elsewhere to-
day. People clamor for self-de-
termination in Hungary and other
satellite countries, in Korea, Indo-
China. Cyprus, Algeria.
Occasional horsemen came bring
ing weeks-old newspapers. The
pioneers avidly discussed each de-
velopment Probably some could
recite from memory Patrick
Henry's great speech.
In due course of time, the mill
was built; the ponderous over
shot water wheel to turn. Froman's
mill had a mechanical blower
wherewith to winnow the grain
before it was fed into the grind
stones, at the time a new-fangled
gadget. This was still the day of
the threShing floor and fail, I'M
changed since very ancient times.
During many centuries grain was
winnowed by throwing a little at
a time into the air on a day when
the wind was brisk. The wind
blew the chaff away-some of
il, anyway.
The ground grain passed over
two screens, one coarse, the other
finer. These we're shallow box
like frames screened on the bot
tom, geared to the moving ma
chiney so as to be kept in a vibrat-
ing motion and slightly inclined
to keep the ground particles NOV
ing toward the lower end. The
screened meal was then carried to
an upper floor and fed into a re-
volving barrel-shaped frame with
sides of boiling cloth, this also
turning on an inclined axis.
The miller's fee was a portion
Of the grain brought in, sometimes
as much as a fourth
Immediately upon the mills
completion patrons from far and
near arrived with their grist.
Little was thought in those days
of the time consumed and dis
lance travelled going to a mill
One instance is recorded of young
boy riding thirty miles each way
leading string of grain-laden
pack horses.
Those early mills, like the cross
roads store or the blacksmith
shop, were centers for neighborly
chit chat and exchange of ideas.
The trails were eagerly watched
for other riders who might bring
more news. Ominous events con-
tlnued to develop, each generating
excited comment and heated de-
bate.
There may have been varying
shades of opinion Some few may
have chung to their loyalty to
the CROWN and honestly doubted
the wisdom Of sundering all the
ties binding the colonies to the
Mother country. Four-score odd
years later many in the South
were to have similar misgivings
over the course their section was
being led into by eloquent and
influential firebrandS and hot
heads, course that was to bring
appalling bloodshed and destruc-
ton upon the still-young nation.
In the 1770s democracy was a
noble ideal but as yet not a fully
tested theory of government. But,
if there were differences of opin-
ion among the pioneers, on one
thing they were in agreement
they all hated taxes like poison.
Before the mill stones had been
turning a year those "shots heard
round THE world" were fired at
Lexington and Concord. Plain
country folks like the miller and
his patrons had shot it out with
British regulars! Excitement now
rose to fever heat.
One day in mid-July of 1776
rider came with big news! Eminent
and respected men had met,
gravely discussed, and adopted a
Declaration, one of the great docu-
ments of history.
Froman busted the flour off
his shirt and pants, cleaned and
oiled his flint-lock, and with
Aaron Parker, John and August
inc Friend and the formers son
Gabriel, proceeded to Ehawnee Old
Town to enroll in a 64-man COM
pany of Maryland militia. Some
where along the route, they were
joined by William Wilton Ashby
from the southern fringe of the
Glades area. At Little Meadows