Saturday, April 13, 2024

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.

PRINTING OFFICES. 

In 1865, Albert J. Merrill established a printing press in 
New Town. He edited and published a weekly paper 
called the Record. This was the first paper ever pub- 
lished in New Town. It was creditable, neat and highly 
prized by the people. In 1865, William L. Clarke, a 
native of Worcester County, who had been living in 
Wellsvile, Ohio, for several years, and had published a 
paper there called the Wellsville Patriot, returned to this, 
his native county, and established a printing press in New 
Town, and edited and published a paper called the Gazette. 
This paper, also, was neatly gotten up, and was a credit 
to its editor, and highly prized by its patrons. 

These two editors sent out their weekly issues down to 
1872, when A. J. Merrill, Esq., bought out William L. 
Clarke, Esq., and consolidated the two papers into one, 
called the Record and Gazette, under the editorial man- 
agement and control of A. J. Merrill, Esq. 

In 1879, Dr. S. S. Quinn bought one half of the press, 
and its appurtenances, and had the editorial management 
of the paper under the firm of A. J. Merrill and S. S. 
Quinn, until 1882, when J. Shiles Crocket became one- 
third owner of the press and paper, and is now the editor 
and manager of the same, under the firm of Merrill, 
Quinn & Crocket. 
SOCIAL ASPECT, Etc. 

The social aspect of New Town, now Pocomoke City. 
The reader may be anxious to learn something of the 
habits and social bearing of the citizens during its early 
history. Well, to begin, the citizens, with very few excep- 
tions, would take their toddy; hence, the common practice 
which was followed by parents of mixing a glass of toddy 
before breakfast and handing it to each member of the 
family, from the oldest to the youngest. This practice was 
as common as the days rolled round, when I was a little 
boy. Again, when friends would visit each other the decan- 
ter of liquor, glasses, sugar and water would be set out, and 
an invitation given to come up and help themselves. Again, 
when citizens and men from the country would congregate, 
on Saturday, at the stores, (for the stores were the chief 
places of resort) a pint of liquor would be called for. The 
pint cup would be set out with tumblers and pitcher of 
water, and the invitation given to all present to come up, 
"come up gentlemen and help yourselves." Then toasts 
would be drank, something after the following order, with 
the glass in hand, addressing the company: "well gentle- 
men! here is luck and a plenty." Frequently they would 
get quite mellow over the pint cup before they left it; and 
likely enough a few brushes of the fist would follow. 

Another feature of social life was that of families visiting 
each other to eat the social meal. At such times they 
would remain after supper with the family until usual bed- 
time, passing the time in such conversation as would be 
agreeable to all. The family code at that day was: that 
children could be seen but must not be heard while the 
older persons were talking. 

A little incident occurred one night, on one of those 
occasions, in relation to myself, which will be somewhat 
amusing to the reader: Some neighbors had called in to 
take supper with my father and mother, and staid till after 
night. The little folks had received orders to sit and listen 
but must not talk, if they did, the one so offending must 
march off up stairs to bed. Somehow or other I broke 
the law, I was discovered talking to the boys, who with 
myself, with this single exception, were as mute as mice, 
the result was I had to go to bed. While lying in bed, 
reviewing my conduct during the day and night, I knew I 
had been a bad boy. Conscience was supreme and 
hurled its thunderbolts at me. I began to cast my thoughts 
around and contemplate the possibility of Satan's coming 
after me that night, and if so what should I do. Just at 
that moment, while under such terrible reflections, the 
house cat, which by means of the room door being left 
open, had crept into the room and jumped upon the bed, 
in doing which it jumped in my face. The reader may, if 
he can, imagine my feelings; to me they were beyond 
description. I grabbed the cat with both hands, and 
threw it in another part of the room. But, oh! the terror 
that seized me. I screamed at the top of my voice. As 
soon as I took hold of the cat I knew what it was, but the 
fact of its being the cat did not abate my screaming. 1 
thought the Devil was about to lay hold of me. My 
mother was swift to my rescue, and carried me down 
stairs, and I was once more happy in being seated in the 
corner with the children listening to the old folks at home. 
Again, the social life was exhibited in the various amuse- 
ments and pastimes of the day. For instance, the game 
of fives with the trapball was a favorite sport with both men 
and boys; the playing of cards was also frequently prac- 
ticed in families; shooting at the mark for turkeys, quarters 
of beef, etc. Wrestling was much in vogue in the early 
history of New Town. Men and boys both would engage 
in it. Boxing was also practiced. 

I have beheld such sports and have seen men kick each 
other like horses. Sometimes death would be the result 
of such exercises. There were men in New Town and 
the surrounding county who prided themselves upon their 
manhood. Sometimes they would exhibit their strength 
by lifting the fifty-six pound weights, which were used in 
the tobacco warehouse for weighing tobacco. The two 
heaviest lifts were as follows: one lifted eleven the other 
fourteen fifty-six pound weights, each man aggregating 
respectively 616 pounds and 784 pounds. Query: Are 
there two men in Pocomoke City at the present who can 
come up to this. Those shooting, wrestling' and boxing 
matches were attended with a spirit of rivalry which would 
sometimes culminate in a pitched battle. I have seen men 
strip themselves to the waist and commence their brutal- 
ity. Those fights would be equal in brutality, if not so 
scientific, to the prize fights of recent years. Again, social 
life would be seen in the cotton pickings, quiltings and 
dances. After the cotton picking or quilting had been 
attended to, the plays would commence. For instance, a 
family had a quilt to be quilted, they would invite the 
young ladies to come in the afternoon and the gentlemen 
would go after supper. By supper time the quilt would be 
finished. After supper the plays would commence by 
singing those songs that used to be sung on such occa- 
sions "in the days of yore." Of course they had kissing 
in the plays, for that was the most enjoyable part of them. 
On a certain occasion it was the fortune of a certain young 
man to call out a lady whom it would be his pleasure, as 
he thought, to kiss. The call was made, the young lady 
came out upon the floor, she was very tall and he was low 
of stature, she was aristocratic and was mortified at being 
called out by him; he attempted to kiss her, but she held 
her head well up and snuffed her nose at him, so that he 
could not succeed, but he was equal to the emergency. 
"Stop! stop!" said he, " let me draw my boots and climb. " 
The take-off was so good that it raised a great titter in 
the company and that young lady's pride got a fall that 
night. I have spoken of the songs in those plays, one of 
which I will mention as illustrative of the character of 
the rest. 

"Here we go to Baltimore, 
Two behind and two before; 
Round and round and round we go, 
Where oats, peas, beans 
And barley grows." 

From the best information that I can get this is an Irish 
song. The word Baltimore was originally spelled " Bailte 
Mor" and signified a proprietary of a barony or large 
town. On a certain occasion there was a social gathering 
at the house of an old gentleman. The young folks were 
formed in a ring, holding on to each other's hands, and 
singing the above song. As they were marching round 
and round, a certain young man was in reach of the old 
gentleman as he sat in the corner of the hearth-place, 
when he slapped him on the shoulder, exclaiming: ''Johnnie, 
honey, don't you love the gals!" The answer was prompt: 
"Oh, yes, Uncle Davie!" still singing as they swung 
around the circle. 
CONTINUES NEXT SATURDAY HERE AT THE POCOMOKE PUBLIC EYE. 

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