(Chapter flow:)
ITS ORIGIN AND TOWN LIMITS
TOWN LIMITS
GROWTH, CHANGE OF NAME, ETC.
MERCANTILE ASPECT
MANUFACTURING
TRADES ETC.
SHIPPING INTERESTS
EASTERN SHORE STEAMBOAT CO.
SHIP BUILDING ETC.
HOTELS, LIVERY STABLES, ETC.
PHYSICIANS
LAWYERS
POST OFFICE
PRINTING OFFICES
SOCIAL ASPECT, ETC.
MORAL ASPECT
TEMPERANCE CAUSE
SCHOOLS
CHURCHES
Note: In duplicating this material for publishing on The Pocomoke Public Eye we have made minor adjustments to correct some of the spelling, punctuation, etc. We believe the errors were not in Rev. Murray's original writing but occurred in the process of formatting the material to a digital format for viewing online.
(Old Winter Quarter is referenced and highlighted about three quarters way into this section.)
TRADES, ETC.
The house and ship-carpentering has been represented
by the following named persons : House carpenters were
William Beauchamp, William Wheeler, Capt. Benjamin
Hall, Henry Beauchamp, Wrixham Burnett, William
McMaster, James Benson, Henry Coston, Jesse L. Long,
William H. C. Long, Littleton Duer, Edgar Duer, Francis
Duer, Ralph Ross, John Richards, Jun., Thomas Davis,
John Merrill, John Bevans, James Broughton, Edward
Davis, Edward Merrill. Edward Ross. Ship carpenters
were Jesse Henderson, Jacob Riggin, John Carsley, Peter
Carsley, Frank Whittington, E. James Tull, Henry Tapt-
man, Wm. Smith, Samuel Richardson, Silvanus Maddux,
James McDaniel, Edward Mills, Thomas Thorington,
William H. McDaniel, Jesse Taptman, William Lankford,
Alfred Lankford, Christopher Schillinger, William Bonne-
well, Alfred Herbert, Alfred Mills, Thomas Jones, John
J. Dickinson, Charles Williams, John E. Tull, Joseph L.
Hitch, Hargis Hayman, Curtis Tull, James Ford, Thomas
Sears, Wm. R. Jones, James Bonnewell, Edward Townsend,
Tobe Bonnewell, John Crammer, Albert Henderson, Silas
Ellis, William H. Matthews, Harry Whittington, William
Cathel, Noah Dutton, Levin Dutton, John J. Deputy,
Samuel Gibbons, John O. Fitzgerald, Capt. John Fitz-
gerald, Jesse Crockett, Charles Crockett, John Foster, Jr.,
John Foster, Sr., Julius Henderson, Caleb Dickinson,
Walter Hughes and Frank Jones.
In connection with ship-carpentering we have the follow-
ing caulkers: James H. Gardner, Isaac Fisher, Henry
Henson, Grant Long, William Sturgis and John Somerneld.
The blacksmith business has been represented by the
following named persons: Joshua Sturgis, Ephraim Town-
send, Matthias N. Lindsey, George W. Landing, Major
T. and Jerome B. Hall, George Hall, William and John
Paradee, Lycurgus Stevenson, Wilmer Mills, RufUs Ste-
venson, John Foley, the Messrs. Hayman, Isaac Dennis,
John G. Angelo, Alexander Harris and William Banks.
As the idea of improvement is one object in this
history, I desire to call attention to one name, and that is
George W. Landing.
He was raised but a few miles from this place on a
farm. At a suitable age he was apprenticed to a man in
Berlin, Worcester County, to learn the blacksmith business.
After serving his apprenticeship he came to New Town
and established himself in business. It was not long
before he invented a new plow, this plow was an iron
mouldboard and point all made in one piece, when the
point wore out he would weld to it another; previous to
this the plows had wooden mould boards with an iron
point fastened to them. In the invention of this plow,
Mr. Landing attained great celebrity as a blacksmith. He
worked hard and had a constitution to stand it; made
money and took care of it. He, however, became an
aspirant for political fame, retired from the blacksmith
shop, and was so successful in his aspirations, that he
could be elected to the legislature over almost any candi-
date that might oppose him. In his political career he
went by the name of the Old Blacksmith. He has,
however, retired in a great measure from politics and
business life, having possessed himself of considerable
property, and is nearing the sixty-fifth year of his age.
The coopering business, in the earlier history of New
Town, was carried on very extensively, it was, however,
confined exclusively to making tubs and buckets; there
were six pieces, flitting in each other, from the cooler to
the wash tub, which was called a nest of ware. Men
became so expert in its manufacture, that they have made
as high as eight nests a day. The nest of ware, when
bound with iron hoops, would sell for one dollar and
twenty-five cents; when bound with wooden hoops, for
fifty cents. The manufacture of this ware, as late as 1845
became so extensive, that the ware received the appella-
tion of New Town currency.
Since 1845, the business has dwindled so, that today, it
is becoming obsolete, there being only two or three per-
sons in the place who make a few buckets and do some
repairing.
About 1 Si 5, (?) Rev. James Tilghman and General Ebenezer
Hearn commenced the tanning business, in New Town.
After Mr. Tilghman died, which event occurred in 1816,
General Hearn carried the business on in his own name,
until Gibson Cannon, a relative of his, who had served an
apprenticeship with him, became of age, when he took
him in as a partner. Mr. Cannon did not, however, con-
tinue in the business but a few years before he withdrew
on account of feeble health. When another apprentice of
General Hearn's, John S. Mills became of age, he then
was taken as a partner by General Hearn. This firm
continued until Mr. Mills died, which event took place
about the year 1844. General Hearn still continued the
business, but now, in his own name again, until 1851 or 2,
when he sold out to John W. Quinn. Mr. Quinn con-
ducted the business until 1854 or 55, when he closed out.
In 1861, Levin Atkinson and George Hargis estab-
lished themselves in the business, which firm continued but
a few years, when Mr. Hargis sold out to Mr. Atkinson-
Mr. Atkinson conducted the business until a short time
before he died, which event transpired in October, 1877.
Since that time the tanning and currying trade, as a sepa-
rate branch of manufacturing has ceased to be carried on
in Pocomoke City. All who have carried on the tanning
and currying business in New Town, without an excep-
tion, have passed away.
A tribute to the practical mechanics, engaged in the
tanning and currying trade, in New Town, is in place just
here. General Ebenezer Hearn was born in Sussex
County, Delaware, March the 7th, 1792. Mr. Hearn
served an apprenticeship in Delaware. After he was of
age, he went to Modest Town, Accomac County, Va., and
worked journey work for Mr. Lippincott of that place. He
did not however, continue long in Modest Town before
he came to New Town and engaged, as above stated, in
the business with Rev. James Tilghman. Some years
after this he married the oldest daughter of Dr. Steven-
son. He soon began to be prosperous in his business-
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. Probably, about this time, he was chosen
captain of militia. He now was called Captain Hearn;
subsequently he was placed upon the Governor's Staff, as
one of his aids, with the title of Colonel, he now was
called by that title, and later again he received the title of
General, since which time, he was called General Hearn to
the day of his death.
General Hearn was a man of pleasure, he was fond of
fox hunting and a game of chess; he also became a great
politician, of the Whig party, and has been elected to
the legislature of Maryland oftener, probably, than any
other man in Worcester County, in his day. He was kind
and genial, calm and even in his disposition, and never in
a hurry, and was very popular. He was independent in
his circumstances, and when he died he left a handsome
estate to his children. He died January 13th, 1854, in
the 62nd year of his age, honored and respected by all
who knew him, and was buried in the family burying
ground, in Winter Quarter.
Gibson Cannon was born in Sussex County, in the State
of Delaware. During his partnership with General
Hearn, he married Miss Elizabeth Sturgis, in 1832. His
health, as before stated, was so feeble as to compel a
change; consequently he went to merchandising at Cot-
tingham's Ferry; here he continued for three or four
years, when in 1839, July the 3rd, he died, being, at the
time of his death, in the 34th year of his age. He was
buried in the Protestant Episcopal Church burying
ground, of Pocomoke City. Mr. Cannon left a widow
and two children, who are still living; his widow and
daughter are living in this place; his son, Clayton,
is living in the City of Baltimore.
As Mr. Cannon is a native of this place, it gives me
pleasure to state that he is an enterprising business man
of the monumental city. At the age of fifteen years he
entered the store of Colonel William H. Merrill as clerk
and continued one year, then he went to Baltimore and
engaged with Gibson & Co., auctioneers, at the age of six-
teen, here he continued one year. At the age of seven-
teen, he entered the wholesale dry goods house of Lewis,
Drost & Co. How long he continued in this situation I
cannot say, but from there he entered a savings bank,
then in the course of time, he procured a situation in one
of the National Banks of the City, then again, he accepted
a situation as cashier, in a bank in Annapolis. From
there he returned to Baltimore and entered the Trader's
National Bank as cashier, which situation he still holds.
Clayton Cannon had to make his own mark. I need not
tell the reader how well he has done it. He now ranks
well with the banking businessmen of Baltimore, with an
unspotted character, at the age of forty- six years.
After Gibson Cannon retired from the tanning and
currying business, General Hearn took John S. Mills, who
had just finished his apprenticeship, as a partner in the
business. Mr. Mills continued in this firm until he died.
He died quite a young man, and left a widow, and one child by his first wife: that child is the Rev. Joseph L.
Mills, D. D., of the Methodist Protestant Church. CONTINUES NEXT SATURDAY HERE AT THE POCOMOKE PUBLIC EYE.
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