Milford chronicle., 1958-02-14

i the United States Regular Army.
In 1859 he was appointed minister
to Salvador, and in 1871 Consul
General to Havana Two years la
ter he became Consul General to
Paris. He met tragic death by
shipwreck in 1880 off the coast of
Florida. Even to the last he showed
his heroism, doing his utmost to
save fellow passengers. Thus Tor
bert died-as he had lived-in the
discharge of his duty"
81 didn't know that such a hero
had ever lived in Milford"
"A celebrity of longer ago was
the poet, John Lofiand, known as
the Milford Bard, who was a man
of considerable genius. The son
of Isaac and Cynthia Lofiand, he
was born in Milford, March 8,
1898. His real profession was that
| of literary agent for all and sun
dry. For a small fee he would pre-
pare Fourth of July oration for
politician, or love letter for a
languishing swain or other literary
works. Today he would be called
'ghost writer.
MANY of his poems and short
stories were published in the old
Delaware Gazette and in the Bal
timore newspapers. The finest col
lected edition of his works was
published in Baltimore. His career
was hampered by lack of disci-
pline which he did not acquire in
his earlier years. Early in life he
fell in love with a Miss Mitchell
whose father, angered at the bad
habits of intemperance, forbade
them to see each other. This pro-
hibition being ineffective, Miss
Mitchell was spirited off on one
days notice to Snow Hill, Mary
land, where her father had friends.
However, she was able to secretly
send Lofiand note, telling him her
destination, and sending him as
surances of her love. The follow
ing day he took the first stage for
Snow Hill. At first he was received
at the house where Miss Mitchell
was staying, but he made the mis-
take of calling there when he was
roaring drunk and so lost the en-
tree, and apparently exasperated
even Miss MITCHELL for she replied
briefly, but decisively, to the note
he sent her and so broke off the
engagement.
'He died in 1849 at the age of So
and was buried in st. Andrews
Churchyard, Wilmington.
Another illustrious son was
George P. Fisher who was born in
Milford in 1917. He attended the
Milford Academy, graduated from
Dickinson College in 1888, studied
law under John M. Clayton and was
admitted to the bar in 1841 When
Clayton became Secretary of State,
he gave Fisher place in the
state department where he served
with distinction. In 1868 President
Lincoln appointed him Associate
Judge of the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia. He served in
this position during the war and
presided in several famous trials,
one of which was the case Of the
conspirators against the life of
President Lincoln. He served in
other important posts, his last Off
cial position being First Auditor of
the Treasury. George B. Fisher
died in Was:o ington in February,
1899.
"The man whose name is prob
ably most familiar is George B.
Hynson, poet and author. who
wrote the words of the song Our
Delaware, which was adopted in
1925 as the state song. Mr.. Hyn-
son lived and worked in Milford
and is buried here in the Odd Fell
lows Cemetery. To him and his
collaboration, Mr.. Mears, we are
indebted for the book Historical
Etchings of Milford and Vicinity,
a treasured history of Milford from
it's earliest days to 1899 This book
is the chief source of the history
of Milford and has told many of us
most of what we know about early
Milford"
Il didn't know there were so
many important people in Milford,
Aunt Molly. What will we talk
about the next time I Gomez"
What would you like?"
Il think l would like for you to
tell me about some of the old
houses that are left in Milford"
THAT will be fine. Just come at
the same time next week and we
IN about AIAoo