When Pocomoke Was Young- A continuing weekly feature.

 

(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.

MERCANTILE ASPECT (CONTINUED.) 

In 1843, Captain Henry Long commenced merchan- 
dising, in New Town, and continued until 1855, in which 
year he died. His store was considered the poor man's 
store to deal at; he always kept a heavy stock of groceries, 
and sold his goods lower than others. 

It was said by some that there was no chance for other 
merchants in New Town, as long as Captain Long sold 
goods. His eventful life is worthy of notice in this history; 
in many respects he was a remarkable man; he com- 
menced life a poor boy, with but little education, engaged 
as cook on board of a schooner, and continued the life of 
a sailor until he was 63 years of age. He then engaged in 
the sale of goods until he died. He rose from the position 
of cook to be master and owner of his vessel. While 
engaged in the vessel trade he amassed considerable wealth. 

Captain Long, though comparatively uneducated, had 
studied human nature, and had as large a share of the 
knowledge of men as the most scientific. His was a 
decided character; integrity marked the whole course of 
his life. 

He was true to his engagements. No one ever feared 

that Captain Long would not meet his word. He was 

also kind and benevolent. Many a dollar he has given 

to the poor; he took a real pleasure in accommodating 

and helping those who were in need. 

Captain Harry Long, for so we used to call him, was a 
bachelor; and, as a matter of course, his associations were 
with the young folks. He was also quite eccentric; 
would make it a point to go to church at least twice a 
year, when the preacher would come on the circuit, and 
go again to hear his farewell discourse. 

On one occasion he went out to church; it so happened 
that the young preacher had the first appoint. Captain 
Long took his seat as usual near the door. After the 
sermon was over the young men gathered around him 
and asked him how he liked the discourse. Captain 
Long had a by-word, very pat, which he called "By 
Jing," and he was much in the habit of smacking his 
mouth and shrugging his shoulders in conversation. 
When he was asked, "How did you like the discourse?" 
he replied: " O! By Jing, boys," with a smack of the 
mouth and shrug of the shoulders, "that other preacher 
is a big preacher." 

"How do you know, Capt. Long, have you ever heard 
him?" "No, By Jing, I have never heard him, but I will 
tell you what I go by. They generally send them like 
shad — a big one and a little one together." 

Captain Long was full of fun for the young folks. 

Sometimes he tried his talent at poetry, for instance, the 

following as a sample : 

"As she slips she slides along, 
A trusty friend is hard to find." 

He was thoughtful and kind to the poor. He left in 
his will the sum of $2,500 to be appropriated towards 
educating the poor children in and around New Town. 
This sum was appropriated by the Commissioners or the 
School Board of the county, by and with the consent of 
the heirs of Captain Long, to the erection of the High 
School building in New Town. 

As this departure from the will was made, it was but 
just to the memory of Captain Long that the building 
should have been called the Henry Long High School. 

Captain Henry Long was brother to Captain John W. 
Long and David Long, and was the oldest of the three. 

When he died he was by his own request, buried in a 
pine coffin, by the side of his sister, Polly Henderson, in 
the Methodist Episcopal Church burying ground of New 
Town. 

The following inscription may be found upon the 
marble slab that covers his remains: 

" In memory of Henry Long, who was born the 27th 
of April, 1780, and died the 3rd day of January, 1855. 
Kind to the poor in his life, in death their wants were 
not forgotten." 

In 1855, John P. Hargis and William S. Dickinson 
commenced merchandising under the name of Hargis & 
Dickinson, at the corner of Market and Commerce Streets.

(Commerce Street was the former name of Clarke Avenue.)  
Previous to this, however, there was a firm by the name of 
Jones, Hearn & Co., which occupied the same stand, how 
long they did business I am not able to say. 

The store of Hargis & Dickinson was a first-class 
store, comprising dry goods and groceries, liquor excepted. 
This firm continued successfully until 1865, when by 
mutual consent, they dissolved partnership. 

John P. Hargis continued the business in his own 
name about six years and retired. 

William S. Dickinson again commenced mercantile 
life, forming a co-partnership with I. H. Merrill and F. H. 
Dryden, two enterprising young merchants, who were 
already selling goods under the firm of Merrill & Dryden. 
This connection with Merrill & Dryden took place in 
1867. This firm was known as Dickinson, Merrill & 
Dryden, Mr. Dickinson being already in possession of the 
store house, at the corner of Market and Commerce Streets. 
The firm, having an opportunity of renting the store- 
rooms adjoining, previously occupied by A. S. Stevens 
and James S. Primrose, connected the three together, 
having three entrances on Market street and one on Com- 
merce Street, and the buildings being so connected that 
customers could pass from one apartment of the store to 
the other without going out of doors. They arranged 
their stock in trade in three departments, occupying the 
central room for dry goods and notions, with groceries, 
hardware, & liquor excepted, on one side; and boots, 
shoes and gentlemen's furnishing goods on the other. This 
firm did a heavy business from 1867 to 1874, when by mutual 
agreement they dissolved partnership, each one taking a 
department and continuing the business in the separate 
branches so as not to conflict with each others interests. In 
this division, William S. Dickinson the dry goods and 
notion department, I. H. Merrill the boot, shoe and gen- 
tlemen's furnishing department, F. H. Dryden the gro- 
cery and hardware department. Here were three stores 
made out of one, each one doing a good business. 

In 1878, F. H. Dryden sold out his stock of goods to 
H. T. Stevenson and E. F. Gibbons, this firm continued 
business but a short time, when E. F. Gibbons sold out to 
H. T. Stevenson, and Mr. Stevenson then took as a part- 
ner Dr. Sidney W. Handy, the firm now doing business 
under the name of Stevenson & Co. In the fall of 1881 
they added to the hardware and grocery department that 
of dry goods, boots and shoes, and are doing a thriving 
business. 

Stevenson & Co., are the first in Pocomoke City to 
introduce into their business house an elevator. 

At the commencement of 1881, Mr. I. H. Merrill took 
into partnership, with himself, two sprightly young men of 
this place, James P. Plain and William F. King, and the 
business of the house is now transacted by this company. 
William S. Dickinson has associated with the dry goods 
business, that of furniture also, and as I have given a brief 
history of Mr. Dickinson as a merchant, I feel it a pleasure, 
to give a synopsis of his life, as I have known him from 
his infancy. He was born the fifteenth day of March, 
1833. Forty years ago, or more, he was a member of the 
Sabbath School, in this place, and I often call up in 
memory the Sabbath School Exhibitions of those days, 
and the speeches of those who were then children but now 
are the venerable fathers and mothers of the present day. 
Frequently in meeting Mr. Dickinson on the street and 
elsewhere, I think of him on the stage in delivering his 
speech, commencing with, "you will scarce expect one 
of my age, to speak in public on the stage, etc." 

He was always a good boy, thoughtful, studious and 
industrious. 

At the age of thirteen he entered the store of his 
cousin, Joseph Bratton, Esq., at Barren Creek Springs, 
then Somerset county, Md., as clerk. He remained in 
this situation about fifteen months, when he returned to 
New Town. 

After returning home he went to school about one 
year, when he entered the store of Captain Henry Long, 
in 1848, as clerk. He remained in this situation until the 
death of Captain Long, which event took place in 1855. 
It was found by the last will and testament of Captain 
Long that William S. Dickinson, in connection with his 
father, James T. Dickinson, were left executors of his 
estate. 

This was no small amount of confidence which Cap- 
tain Long reposed in Mr. Dickinson, as the estate was a 
heavy one. 

Integrity has marked his whole life, and if it were 
possible that one could be conscientious to a fault, I would 
say that of him. He is a ruling Elder in the Presbyterian 
Church in Pocomoke City. He has three children — two 
daughters and a son, who are an honor to his name, and 
adorn his home with bright sunshine, and are as precious 
gems around his table of plenty. 

CONTINUES NEXT SATURDAY HERE AT THE POCOMOKE PUBLIC EYE.