BERLIN, MD - The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man accused of being the “kingpin” of a drug trafficking organization operating in Worcester and Wicomico Counties, MD and Sussex County, DE following a months-long investigation.
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Accused “Drug Kingpin” Arrested in Worcester County Cocaine Bust | Latest News | wboc.com
Thank you for this post. Is it taken from a book? Anyway, for more information on Francis Asbury and early Methodism. Please visit the website for the trilogy book series, The Asbury Triptych Series. Enjoy the numerous free articles, podcasts, videos, pictures, anecdotes, character profiles, and more.
(Note to reader: The post is from the 1883 History of Pocomoke publication.)
Anonymous said...There is some anecdotal evidence regarding the log building used as a Presbyterian church in Pocomoke City (Newtown, The Hill?). The legend is that the church was slated to be erected in Snow Hill so the locals hewed and trimmed the logs and actually started erecting the building. The local native Americans were not enthusiastic about this strange new building so one night they disassembled the structure and tossed the logs into the Pocomoke River.
The logs naturally floated downriver after a fashion. Since felled and trimmed logs were considered a valuable resource back then the settlers took off down the river in an attempt to recover their loss. The logs were intercepted near what is now Pocomoke City (some versions say it was near Rehobeth) and, since it was impractical to transport the logs back to Snow Hill, the church building was erected on the banks of the river where the logs were pulled ashore.
(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.
CHURCHES.
As the churches are a very important factor in the
history oi Pocomoke City, it will be necessary, in
order to give an intelligent showing of each church,
to take them up in the order of time in which they
were established, and bring their history down to the pre-
sent time. As the Methodist Episcopal Church is the
first one of which we have any record, we will begin with-
it first. But before we proceed with the history of this
church it will be necessary and proper to remark that it
has been said that there was a Presbyterian log church
built on the lot which was called, when I was a boy, the
Sacher lot. This was a nickname for Zachariah, as it
belonged to one Zachariah Lambertson. This lot has
been more recently known as the Adreon lot, which at
present belongs to William J. S. Clarke. Upon this lot
tradition says this house was built.
In the history of the Maryland Colony we have this
record, that a certain Col. William Stevens, with others,
got up a petition and sent it to the Presbytery of Laggan,
Ireland, in 1680, for a minister of the gospel to come to the
colony and preach the gospel and look after the scattered
adherents of the Presbyterian faith. This call was
promptly obeyed, and in 1682, they sent over the Rev.Fran-
cis Makemie, a man of learning, sagacity and courage, by
whom or under whose supervision, tradition says this
church was built. If this tradition can be relied on, there
is no doubt, but that it was the first Presbyterian Church
ever built in America.
But there is a history of the Presbyterian Church in
America extant, which would seem to refute the statement
of the Traditional Church.
I allude to the history of the Presbyterian Church in
America, by Irving Spence, a member of that church and
a learned Lawyer, who speaks definitely and clearly of the
Pitt's Creek and Rehoboth Churches being the first Presby-
terian Churches ever built in America. He never once inti-
mates that such a church ever existed as the Traditional
Church at New Town.
There is, however, some supposable ground for the
existence of this church. Mr. Makemie, in coming to the
Colony and up the Pocomoke River, prospecting, may
have at first view, concluded that this was the very place
to commence operations, and hence, the erection of the
log church; but subsequently, he may have discovered
that, Rehoboth and Pitt's Creek were prominent centers,
at which he could more effectually advance the interests
of his cause, and hence, the abandonment of the old log
church.
Now to proceed with the history of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church in New Town. The Church was built in
180S, on the site where the present one stands. But the
church, proper as an organized body, existed in New
Town, long years before the house was built. This fact,
I think can be established, beyond a doubt, by two consid-
erations. First, the preachers sent to the Continent by
Mr. Wesley, before the organization of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, in 1784, and those belonging to it
afterwards, operated in New York City, Philadelphia, the
states of New Jersey, Delaware, and some of them down
through the Eastern Shore Counties of Maryland and
Virginia, and so efficient was their preaching that, at an
early date the Peninsula was a garden spot of Methodism.
Indeed the gospel was like a sally of light coming down
the Peninsula, and its messengers were flaming heralds
entering every open door, and preaching unto the people,
Jesus and the resurrection, with all boldness.
In 1778, Francis Asbury, not being permitted to preach
the gospel in Maryland, retired to Delaware, where, at the
house of Judge White, he found a congenial retreat,
for about two years, in order to escape impressment,
by the British forces, to light against the colonies. In
1780. Freeborn Garrettson a native of Western Maryland,
was imprisoned in Cambridge jail, Dorchester County,
for preaching the gospel. I mention these incidents of
Asbury and Garrettson, with their dates to show that
Methodism was already a settled fact in Delaware, and
on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia. I
cannot wonder at the success of the gospel, when its
message was borne by such men as Bishops Thomas Coke,
D. D. Francis Asbury, Richard Whatcoat, and their
associates, such as Freeborn Garrettson, Benjamin Abbott,
Lorenzo Dow, and a host of others who were co-labor-
with them, who counted not their lives dear into them-
sevles so that they might bear the gospel message and
be instrumental in saving sinners.
The second, consideration is the establishment of the
circuit work, embracing preaching appointments at Little-
ton Long's house, where Major Merrill now lives; at
William Melvin's, father of Rev. Avra Melvin, where Col.
William J. Aydelotte now lives, and at Capt. Jair.es (?)
Furnis' house in New Town ; this house is at present,
owned by Mrs. Tipton.
At these places the gospel was preached, classes formed
and prayer-meetings established. So early and so
thoroughly was Methodism established in New Town,
that in 1800, Avra Melvin was licensed to preach the
gospel, being at the time about twenty years of age, and
when his father, who was an officer in the church,
died, he preached his funeral.
Not only New Town but, the entire surrouding
country was brought under the influence of Methodism
in the latter part of the last century, so that we m; (?)
safely conclude that the date of its introduction in New
Town reaches back to about 1790. Some account of the
pioneer Methodist preachers on the peninsula may be
interesting to the reader. But as there are biographies of
each one of them extant, it will only he necessary to make
some passing remarks with some incidents of their lives.
Thomas Coke, LL.D., was a native of England, a man
of letters. Was ordained the first bishop of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. He died at sea while on a missionary
tour to another land at the probable age of sixty years.
Bishop Asbury, in preaching his funeral by request of
Conference, makes the following remarks of him: "He
was of the third branch of Oxonian Methodists, a gentle-
man, a scholar, and a bishop to us, and as a minister of
Christ, in zeal, in labors and in services, the greatest man
of the last century."
Richard Whatcoat, bishop of the Methodist Episcopal
Church was a native of England. Until information of
his death Bishop Asbury makes the following note of him
in his journal: "That father in Israel and my faithful
friend for forty years, a man of solid parts: a self-denying-
man of God : who ever heard him speak an idle word
when was guile found in his mouth? He had been thirty-
eight years in the ministry: sixteen years in England,
Wales and Ireland, and twenty-two years in America;
twelve years as Presiding Elder, four of this time he was
stationed in the cities or traveling with me; and six years
in the superintendency. A man so uniformly good I have
not known in Europe or America. He died in Dover,
Del., on the 5th day of July, 1806."
Francis Asbury was also a native of England. He
came to this 'country by the direction of Mr. Wesley in
1771, being then about 25 years of age. He was elected
bishop at the conference of 1784, held in the city of
Baltimore, and was emphatically and truly, the pioneer
Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In labors more
abundant, traveling- on horseback and in carriage, averaging
a great deal of the time 5,000 miles a year, his route extend-
ing from Georgia to Massachusetts, and as far West as
Kentucky and Ohio. He pursued this route through
heat and cold, through rain and storm, in winter and
summer, over hills, barrens, swamps, and Savannahs,
fording rivers, creeks, etc., for thirty- two years in the
Episcopacy until he was literally worn out by his arduous
labors superintending the interests of the Church of
Christ. In 1816, while on his way to the General Confer-
ence, to be held in the City of Baltimore in the following
May, he halted at the house of George Arnold in Spott-
sylvania, Va., and there he died on the 21st day of March,
1816, in the 71st year of his age. He was afterward
carried to Baltimore and buried under the pulpit of the
Eutaw Methodist Episcopal Church of that city.
In speaking of Benjamin Abbott I will say he was a
native of New Jersey, and although he may never have
preached in New Town, yet he aided very materially in
bringing the gospel down through the peninsula. He
was a man of great pulpit power, and in many instances
sinners fell prostrate under the preaching of the word by
him, as dead men.
There is only one incident of his life which I wish to
mention and that is the circumstance of his conversion.
It was brought about by a dream. He was already under
deep conviction for sin. He had no rest day or night and
seemingly could find none. While in this condition he
dreamed that he was down a deep well; how he got there
he could not tell. In contemplating his condition, he saw
no way of his escape. He seemed hopelessly lost. In
casting his eyes upward he saw a star, about which there
was peculiar attraction. While looking at it he discovered
himself rising out of the well. It was such a strange
phenomenon he could not understand it; and in looking
down the well, that moment he fell to the bottom. How-
ever, in looking up again he saw the same star, and while
looking at it, he discovered that he was rising again this
time higher; but some how or other he took his eyes off
the star, and down he fell to the bottom again. In this
sad condition he concluded there must be some power in
that star to bring him out of the well, and if he could but
see that star once more, he never would take his eyes off
of it until he would be out of the well. Fortunately, again
he saw the same star. He fixed his eyes upon it, and he
felt that he was rising, but he would not take "his eyes off
of it until he found himself entirely out of the well. At
that moment he awoke out of sleep and concluded that
that dream was from God, and was intended to point him
to the Day Star from on high. He made the application
and found Jesus without further trouble. He was con-
verted immediately and awoke the family, and there was
a great shout that night.
The incredulous may say, oh, pshaw; that was only a
dream. It was a dream, that is true, but it was more than
a dream in the common acceptation of that term. It was
the instrumentality which the Holy One used to save his
soul. Lorenzo Dow preached in New Town in 1805,
to about 2000 people, assembled from all the country
around, and at night he preached at Rev. Jas. Tilghman's
house. After he had conducted the preliminary services
and had read out the text, Captain Harry Long came into
the congregation and after he had taken his seat, Lorenzo
said, "Captain my text is "Pray without ceasing and
in everything give thanks." The fact of his giving
Capt. Long his title, without having any previous
knowledge of him, produced a wonderful thinking in the
minds of the audience; for they had previously heard
that Lorenzo could foretell future events, and was a
discerner of spirits.
There are only two incidents in the life of Lorenzo that I
will here mention. The first is his courtship and
marriage. On a certain preaching tour, he made the
acquaintance of the lady whom he afterwards married.
The courtship is as follows: he said to her: "I think you
will suit me for a wife, and as I am going to such and such
places to preach, and shall be gone such a length of
time, you can think the matter over, and if you think you
would like me for a husband, when I return we will get
married. But, one thing must be clearly understood, and
that is, you must never get in my way in preaching the
gospel, for if you do I shall pray to the Lord to take
you out of the way and I believe he will do it, and upon
his return they got married.
The second incident is the tin horn story, which is as
follows: He was going to fill an appointment which he
had made, probably a year before. When he was nearing
the place where he had to preach, he over-took a colored
boy with a tin horn; he asked him his name, the boy said
his name was Gabriel. Lorenzo said to him: "I am going
to such a place to preach to-day, and if you will go there
and climb up into a tall pine tree, and remain there silent
until I call for Gabriel to blow the trumpet, then if you
will blow one of your loudest blasts, I will give you a
dollar." The bargain was made, and Lorenzo commenced
the services and took his text, which embraced the idea of
the Resurrection and the general Judgment.
As he proceeded, in unfolding the awful truths contained
in the text, in graphic style, holding his large audience,
which was assembled in the grove, spell-bound, and as all
eyes were upon him while contemplating the sublime
majesty of Christ's coming in the clouds of heaven with
ten thousands of His saints to judge the world. When he
had reach the climax, and had Gabriel standing one foot
upon the sea and the other on the dry land, with his long
silver trumpet, he called aloud for Gabriel to blow, at that
moment, Gabriel in the pine tree, blew the tin horn.
The scene as portrayed by eye witnesses was indescribe-
able, The people were in utter consternation, some falling
to the ground and crying for mercy, while others were
shouting salvation, in the immediate prospect of standing
before the Throne, and the horses were squealing and
prancing. Finally the congregation discovered the boy in
the pine tree and became composed. When Lorenzo then
said, if the blowing of a tin horn by a little black boy
in the top of a pine tree could produce such an effect, what
would they do when the great day comes? CONTINUES NEXT SATURDAY HERE AT THE POCOMOKE PUBLIC EYE.
While the new oversight system mandated by the Maryland Police Accountability Act is causing strife and contention in some parts of the state, law enforcement officers in Worcester County say they’re working well with the Police Accountability Board.
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How is Worcester County's police accountability board doing? | Local News | oceancitytoday.com
This Sunday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye:
2004 ..
Fire can't extinguish memories of
this iconic restaurant just
south of Pocomoke.
City of Pocomoke
EMERGENCY RESOLUTION NO. 595 - TAX RATES (POSTED MAY 30, 2024)
THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF POCOMOKE CITY WILL CONSIDER EMERGENCY RESOLUTION 595, 2025 TAX RATES, AT THE JUNE 3, 2024 MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AT 6:30 PM. THIS WILL INCLUDE THE INTRODUCTION AND PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE TAX RATES FOR 2025. THIS EMERGENCY RESOLUTION IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE CITY'S TAX RATE SCHEDULE TO WORCESTER COUNTY WITHIN THE COUNTY'S DEADLINE TO SUBMIT MUNICIPAL TAX RATES TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND FOR 2025.
City of Pocomoke
·
UPDATED NOTICE:
EMERGENCY RESOLUTION NO. 595 - TAX RATES (POSTED MAY 30, 2024)
THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF POCOMOKE CITY WILL CONSIDER EMERGENCY RESOLUTION 595, 2025 TAX RATES, AT THE JUNE 3, 2024 MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AT 6:30 PM. THIS WILL INCLUDE THE INTRODUCTION AND PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE TAX RATES FOR 2025. THIS EMERGENCY RESOLUTION IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE CITY'S TAX RATE SCHEDULE TO WORCESTER COUNTY WITHIN THE COUNTY'S DEADLINE TO SUBMIT MUNICIPAL TAX RATES TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND FOR 2025.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS NOTICE IS PUBLISHED AS A CORRECTION TO THE LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT PUBLISHED ON MAY 26, 2024 REGARDING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CITY TAX RATES.
“It goes back to prevention. The goal is to not have this infection in Maryland,”said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks, who said his agency is monitoring the situation closely. “In terms of the poultry industry, we’ve been lucky this year to not have any infections and viral spreads.”
(View the full article:)
Below are some thoughts from a former era
about this special day as published in
Pocomoke City's newspaper.
(Pocomoke Public Eye)
Other Memorial Day observances:
Wicomico County’s Memorial Day Ceremony will be held Monday, May 30.
The ceremony, to honor Wicomico County veterans who died in the line of duty, is set for 10 a.m., and it will take place at the Wicomico War Veterans' Memorial in front of the Wicomico Civic Center. All are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event, which is organized by members of the Wicomico County War Memorial Committee. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Wicomico Civic Center's Midway Room.
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