Sunday, February 22, 2015

TIME MACHINE ... 1910, 1888, 1880, 1959, 1952

"Friendliest Town On The Eastern Shore."  Our tradition runs deep.  Excerpt from a letter to the editor from a visitor to Newtown, (former name of Pocomoke City) published in the Baltimore Sun, April 28,1847.

This place (Newtown) is a pretty snug little village, containing about 500 clever and hospitable inhabitants; it has good wide streets, quite clear of that "eye sore," known mostly over the Peninsula by the name of "deep sand"; the houses, though built of frame, are generally built substantially and with some discretion and taste; there are two neat, new, and quite handsome frame churches in it; as for the merchants of the place, suffice it to state that they are very clever and hospitable.  F. Mezick, Esq., the landlord with whom I stopped, and his very obliging and jolly assistant, are richly deserving of a passing notice, for the good treatment and the extension of the many civilities to "the stranger."


(Reader-friendly viewing of news archive/historical archive material)

March, 1910
The Crisfield Times

 LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE 

The president of the organization tells of its nature and purpose.

Six Committees and the duties they perform. 

In order that the people of Crisfield  and vicinity may understand the nature and purpose of the Law and Order League of Crisfield, which was recently formed, I would say that it is composed of about one hundred tax payers of this city, organized in a body to assist the public authorities in breaking up all forms of lawlessness in Crisfield.

It has six Committees, each of which has its separate duties, and each of which employs their private detectives.

The first committee looks out for all violations of the Sunday law. The second committee takes care of those who keep gambling houses and other disreputable resorts. The third committee has for its object the arrest and prosecution of all persons who use profane or obscene language on the highways. The fourth committee will prevent the blocking or obstructing of the streets and sidewalks by idlers and loafers. The fifth committee will endeavor to secure the conviction of any person who sells cigarettes to minors. The sixth committee has of its duty the prevention of the illegal sale of all kinds of narcotics and intoxicating liquors.

Respectfully submitted by the President of the Law and Order League.


March, 1888 (Time Machine archive)
The New York Times

MARRIED IN SPITE OF HIM

BLOODSHED OVER AN ATTEMPTED ELOPEMENT

 BALTIMORE, March 26-  A special to-night from Onancock, Va., says an elopement in Accomac County Va., has nearly led to a double tragedy.  Three years ago a daughter of Henry Williams, a farmer, ran away and married William Allen of Sykes Island.  The father has never liked his son-in-law, and the latter on several occasions threatened the life of the old man.  Several days ago Williams only remaining daughter left home, ostensibly to visit her sister on Sykes Island, but in reality to prepare there for an elopement with her lover.  Her father, suspecting her intentions, started in pursuit with his shotgun loaded to kill, as he declared, any person who should prevent him from bringing his daughter home, as he was determined she should not marry any man.  The angry old man crossed to the island, and as he neared Allen's house his son-in-law stepped out to meet him, gun in hand.  The son-in-law fired first, and then several shots were exchanged at short range.  Williams was badly wounded, but Allen escaped unhurt.  While the battle raged the lovers escaped, and were wedded yesterday.  Mr. Marshall, who tried to stop the fight, was wounded by a stray shot. 


April, 1880 
(Maryland State Archives)



Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1880

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the town of Lindseyville, in the eighth election district of Worcester county, be and the same is hereby changed, and shall hereafter be known and called by the name of Klej Grange.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That this act shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved April 10, 1880.

Footnote: According to Wikipedia, "The acronym 'Klej' was coined by Joseph William Drexel from the initials of the names of his four daughters (Katherine, Lucy, Elizabeth, and Josephine), and was combined with 'Grange,' perhaps a reference to the National Grange."

In its earliest history the Klej Grange area was known as Trap or Traptown and later as Lindseyville.  Wikipedia states that the Klej Grange area was acquired by New York banker Joesph Drexel in 1878 "to create a planned community where low cost farmland would be offered to benefit the poor."  In 1888 it was sold to William G. Strickland for $20,000.


May, 1959
The Cumberland News (Cumberland, Md.)

(Excerpt)

Godfrey Child Appointed First Circuit Court Judge

ANNAPOLIS (AP)-  Godfrey Child of Pocomoke City, 65-year-old prominent attorney and long-time Worcester County Democrat, has been appointed a judge of the First Judicial Circuit.

The appointment, announced Monday by Gov. Tawes, is effective July 1 under an act of the 1959 General Assembly adding a fourth judge to the circuit embrasing Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Dorchester on the lower Eastern Shore.

Child was states attorney for Worcester County in 1926-1934. He served with the Army in France as an infantry lieutenant, during World War I, organized the Pocomoke City National Guard company and served with it from 1923 until 1933.


1952..  An idea whose time apparently had not come.




Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about?  It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish.  Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!  



PPE remembers JMMB.

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