Sunday, February 4, 2024

Time Machine: 100 years ago this week in Pocomoke's newspaper; 2009, 1874, 1937, 1909.

 

"Old Winter Quarter" is mentioned in the 1883 publication The History of Pocomoke City - Formerly New Town.  We published that section of the book Saturday.  It references that the purchaser was Ebenezer Hearn (born 1792) who was in the tanning and currying business in New Town.  The publication states:

In the course of time he purchased a tract of land called 
Cowley, but more familiarly known as Old Winter Quar- 
ter. This tract of land he purchased of Mr. John Stevens, 
a regular descendant of Col. William Stevens, of colonial 
fame. As Old Winter Quarter has been a place of 
renown, the reader may be anxious to know something 
more about it. It adjoins Pocomoke City; in fact, the 
dwelling and principal part of the farm is within the 
corporation of the town. When General Hearn pur- 
chased it, it was a perfect wilderness; was interspersed 
with branches, sand hills, mud and swamp, where the 
yew pawns and prickly pears grew, and where it is 
said, bears were numerous, and old Blue Beard lived. 
These were terrible scarecrows to the boys when they 
would go into Winter Quarter yew pawning. Many a farce 
has been played upon strangers in getting them to dig in 
the sand hills of Winter Quarter for Blue Beard's money 
which, it has been said, that he buried there. 

Here Mr. Hearn built his house, which yet remains a 

fine one.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

"In the course of time he purchased a tract of land called
Cowley, but more familiarly known as Old Winter Quar-
ter. This tract of land he purchased of Mr. John Stevens,
a regular descendant of Col. William Stevens, of colonial
fame....."

Colonel William Stevens is, of course, the one person responsible for the relocation of the Reverend Francis Makemie from Scotland to the New World in 1683. Makemie is generally acknowledged to be the father of Presbyterianism in the Americas.

What is not clear is whether Colonel Stevens had any descendants at all! There are some locals who claim the good Colonel as a direct ancestor, with some evidence to back their claims. There are other local "historians" who proport to have evidence that Colonel Stevens had no children. Having been tangentially involved with this story for over five decades I can state that the jury is still out.

Anonymous said...

Colonel William Stevens, UPDATE

The Maryland State Archives states that Colonel William Stevens died December 23, 1687 WITHOUT PROGENY.

I have no doubt this refers to the correct William Stevens, born 1630 in Buckinghamshire, England and resided at Rehoboth, Pocomoke Hundred, Somerset County.

Note that at that time Rehobeth was spelled Rehoboth with an O but is now Rehobeth with an E.




                                             

                                             
                                                     








March, 2009
        


Salisbury Daily Times



March, l874


The Bucks County Gazette (Bristol, Pa.)


July, 1937
Worcester Democrat



*April, 1909

Crisfield Times



(Excerpt from Feb. 2, 2024 Eastern Shore Post)


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"In the course of time he purchased a tract of land called
Cowley, but more familiarly known as Old Winter Quar-
ter. This tract of land he purchased of Mr. John Stevens,
a regular descendant of Col. William Stevens, of colonial
fame....."

Colonel William Stevens is, of course, the one person responsible for the relocation of the Reverend Francis Makemie from Scotland to the New World in 1683. Makemie is generally acknowledged to be the father of Presbyterianism in the Americas.

What is not clear is whether Colonel Stevens had any descendants at all! There are some locals who claim the good Colonel as a direct ancestor, with some evidence to back their claims. There are other local "historians" who proport to have evidence that Colonel Stevens had no children. Having been tangentially involved with this story for over five decades I can state that the jury is still out.