USA > Delaware > History of the state of Delaware, Volume II > Part 29
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Millsboro is a thriving little village lying partly in both Dagsboro and Indian River Hundreds. For a long time, the part in the former Hundred was known by the name of Wash- ington, while that in the latter was called " Rock Hole." In 1837 both sides received the name of Millsboro. Its site is a portion of the land which William Burton originally pur- chased of the Indians. At an early period in its history, it was the seat of extensive business operations. In 1825 a large
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foundry was erected there, which, in conjunction with a furnace that was already in operation, made it a place of great busi- ness importance. It was these plants that furnished the water. pipes for the "Croton Water Works" in New York City, and also supplied the railing that formerly stood around Inde. pendence Square, and the castings for the Eastern Penitentiary in Philadelphia.
In 1815 Colonel William D. Waples erected a large tannery in Millsboro and carried on a most successful business until 1845, when it passed into the hands of Daniel and David Bur- ton, who were succeeded in 1855, by Benjamin Burton, who operated it for ten years, and sold it to John Burton, who in 1865 abandoned the business. These industries having been, in the course of time, relinquished by sale and removals, were superseded by the establishment of factories, some of which are in present operation, among them being the Millsboro Box Factory, established by Perry, Houston & Company in 1882.
Frankford is a small village situated at the border of the Hundred on a portion of land known as "Dagworthy's Con- quest." The first indication of business in this place was the opening of a store in 1808 by Isaiah Long, who was later suc- ceeded by Manaen Gum, and who carried on the mercantile business in the same store for thirty-three years. In 1877 Charles H. Treat established the largest business at Frankford that the town had ever known. Commencing with the manu- facture of patent barrels, and succeeding therein, he decided to enlarge his business, and with James M. and Norman B. Huxford, under the name of Huxford & Company, erected cx- tensive works, supplied with proper and abundant machinery for making plaques and boxcs. This industry contributed much to the activity of the place and was continued until 1883, when the works were removed to Georgetown.
Dagsboro village is located on a portion of that tract of land which was known as " Dagworthy's Conquest," and takes its name from General John Dagworthy, who at an early date settled there. Among the first industries established in this
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PRINCE GEORGE'S P. E. CHURCH, NEAR DAGSBORO, A. D. 1730.
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village was a tannery built by James Clayton, father of John M. Clayton, some time previous to 1796, which was carried on for several years with great success. Dagsboro was the birth- place of the Hon. John M. Clayton, well known as a most eminent statesman and jurist. Just east of Dagsboro stands Prince George's Chapel, a Protestant Episcopal church, built early in the eighteenth century by the help of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and forming at that time part of the St. Martin's parish of Maryland. It is mentioned in letters as early as 1717, and presumably was built about that time. For many years it was a stronghold of the adherents of the Church of England, and through the bounty of General Dagworthy, who lived nearby, the original building was added to and became one of the most attractive and pretentious churches in southern Delaware. The grave- yard, for many years neglected and not enclosed, contains the mortal remains of many members of the old families of the neighborhood, among them being the body of the gallant Dagworthy himself, buried, at his own request, under the chancel of the church, and of his son-in-law, William Hill Wells, a man of fine abilities and culture, who twice served his adopted State in the Senate of the United States, and was in all regards a useful and honored citizen. Mr. Wells succeeded General Dagworthy as "mine-host " of the Dagworthy man- sion, where for many years he and his accomplished wife dispensed a most generous hospitality.
Substantial Methodist churches exist at Frankford, at Dags- boro and at Millsboro. There is a small Episcopal church at Millsboro called St. Mark's, and a Presbyterian church at Frankford. There are also smaller Methodist churches throughout the Hundred.
BROAD CREEK HUNDRED.
This Hundred lies in what may be called the southern- central portion of Sussex County, and derives its name from Broad creek, a branch of the Nanticoke river, which separates
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it from Little Creek Hundred. Its boundaries are formed by Nanticoke Hundred on the north, Little Creek Hundred on the south, Dagsboro and Gumboro Hundreds on the east, and on the west by the northwest fork of the Nanticoke river, which divides it from Seaford Hundred. The greater portion of the land in this Hundred is well adapted to agriculture, the best of which is found in the central and eastern sections, the western part being quite sandy. In recent years great atten- tion has been given in some sections of the Hundred to fruit- growing, and the cultivation of the smaller fruits is more extensively engaged in than in any other portion of the State.
This Hundred is supplied with excellent means of irriga- tion, of which the Nanticoke river and Broad creek, with their several branches, form the chief sources. The early records show that previous to 173S there were but few settlements made in the Hundred, and these were confined mostly to the southwestern section. Maryland and Virginia furnished the Hundred its early settlers, while at a later period large num- bers emigrated to this section from Pennsylvania. The earliest tract of land granted in the Hundred of which any record is made, was in 1680, to William Green, and was located west of the road from Laurel to Seaford, and running within a short distance of Bethel.
Among the early settlers who took up land in the Hundred were the families of Phillips, Mathews, Collins, Ellegoods and Bacons. In the early settlement of this territory of country the Nanticoke Indians were very numerous, and it became necessary for the General Assembly of Maryland in 1717 to authorize the laying-out of tracts as a reservation for the " Nanticokes." A site was selected of five hundred acres upon a portion of which the town of Laurel now stands. The Indians occupied this section many years (compensation har- ing been given Green, the original owner), and were later moved further west. In 1768 the land was authorized to be sold, and came into the possession of Dr. James Derrickson, and subsequently the original tract became the property of various owners.
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Concord is a small village which was laid out in 1796, on a tract of land called " Partnership." Some thirty years before the place was occupied, a company of New York and Phila- delphia merchants settled here and erected a furnace, naming it "The Pine Grove Furnace." For a long time, the iron business was conducted by this company at this point, which made the place the seat of a thriving industry. A prosperous business was carried on until the beginning of the Revolutionary War, when the blockading of the Chesapeake Bay suspended the work, and the business was abandoned. The town of Concord was located on the site of this little settle- ment in 1796, and grew rapidly to be a thriving village.
Among the prominent personages who lived in this village, were the " Ellegoods," from which family Dr. Robert G. Elle- good . was descended. He was born and for many years lived in Concord, and was a physician of high standing. Dr. Ellegood was quite active in political affairs, having been elected as a Representative to the General Assembly and hav- ing served as State Auditor of Accounts for three terms. Dr. Joshua A. Ellegood, for the past ten years the leading special- ist in Wilmington in eye and ear practice, is a son of Dr. Robert G. Ellegood. Born at Concord, Dr. Joshua A. Elle- good pursued his professional studies abroad and by reason of the mastery that he has attained in the special lines chosen by him, stands deservedly high in his profession and has richly merited the measure of success that has come to him. It was in this town that Judge John W. Houston, a distin- guished jurist of Delaware, was born.
Bethel is a flourishing little village in this Hundred, and until 1880, was known as Lewisville. At an early period it was noted as a great shipping point. The building of boats for many years formed the chief industry of the place. In 1869, a marine railway was established here which added largely to the business of the village. The excellent facilities for milling in the Hundred afforded by the many streams, were early utilized, and almost as soon as the settlements were
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made, numerous mills were erected. The oldest mills are located near the head of Broad creek, and were built about 1760, and known as " Bull's Mills."
The " Green " family settled in Broad Creek Hundred at an early date, and among them was Jesse Green, who descended from Thomas Green, and was a lineal descendant of George Calvert, the first Lord Baron of Baltimore. Jesse Green set- tled at Concord, and for a long time was engaged in the mer- cantile and shipping business. He was Adjutant-General of the State militia for several years, served as Brigadier-General of the State militia in the war of 1812, and for thirty-one years was a member of the Legislature, the longest period ever served by an individual. He died in 1834, and was buried at Concord.
A mile and a-half east of Laurel, in Broad Creek Hundred, stands an old and interesting church building known as Christ Church. It was one of the earliest of the Episcopal churches built on the peninsula prior to the Revolution, and the original structure, large and roomy, is still preserved and in good con- dition. It was erected about 1772. Regular services have not been held for many years, the new Episcopal Chapel in the town of Laurel being more convenient for the worshipers of that denomination. Within the shadow of the old church is the grave of Governor Nathaniel Mitchell.
The third Baptist church organized in Delaware was located in this Hundred and was called Broad Creek. It dates from 1781, and was the outgrowth of the missionary efforts of Revs. Baker and Hughes, who were instrumental in founding the Baptist Church at Gravelly Branch, in Nanticoke Hundred, about the same time. It remained in active operation for several years.
The first Methodist settlement in the Hundred was called Moore's Meeting House, on the public road from Laurel to Seaford. The first church was organized in 1809, and Elzy Moore was the leading spirit in its organization. In 1825 the name was changed to Wesley, and again in 1853, when a new
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and larger building was erected, the name was changed to Mt. Zion. In 1855 a Methodist Episcopal church was established at Lewisville, now known as Bethel. This continued for thirty years, when a handsome new building was erected. There is also a Methodist Protestant church in Bethel called St. John's. There are two other Methodist Protestant churches in the Hun- dred known as Trinity and Shiloh. A flourishing Methodist Episcopal church has existed at Concord since 1804.
LITTLE CREEK HUNDRED.
This Hundred is located in the southwestern corner of the State. Previous to the establishment of the State's boundary lines all the territory in the Hundred formed a part of Somer- set County, Maryland. Early settlements were made based on the belief that the land lying therein belonged to Mary- land, hence warrants and patents of large tracts of land were granted by the proprietors of that State. The surface of the country is generally level, while the soil is light and suscepti- ble of easy cultivation. Much of the land is well adapted to the growing of small fruits and the cultivation of the cereals.
Among the names in this Hundred which have existed for generations, many of whom can trace their lineage to the early settlers, are the families of Giles, Matthews, Horsey, Fooks, Cooper, Boyce, Bacon and Wootten. The ancestors of most of these families took up large tracts of land, and by thrift and industry were able to accumulate modest fortunes, and the descendants in many instances have added to the fortunes left to them, so that this Hundred is reckoned the wealthiest in the county.
Isaac Giles was an industrious farmer and recognized Demo- cratic leader in the last century. His son Thomas B. Giles, still living, served as State Auditor and is a leading man in western Sussex. Branch H. Giles, a son of Thomas B., and grandson of Isaac, was admitted to the bar in 1890 and served acceptably as Deputy Attorney General from 1892 to 1895. He is now living in the State of Colorado, where he is meeting
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with deserved success. Outerbridge Horsey, United States Senator from Delaware from 1809 to 1815 was born in this Hundred. Thomas Cooper, a leading lawyer, and a member of Congress for several years, and the first president of the Farmer's Bank at Georgetown, and his brother William B. Cooper, Governor of Delaware from 1841 to 1845 were both natives and life-long residents of this Hundred. Edward W. Wootten, who served as Associate Justice for Sussex County for over thirty years, was born and spent his youthful days in this Hundred. A prosperous merchant in Laurel for many years was Manaen Bull, who was a leading and enterprising citizen, and twice a candidate for Governor of the State, but he was not elected. Benjamin F. Fooks, and his nephew Daniel J. Fooks, the latter still living, are representatives of the old family of that name, long familiar in Little Creek Hundred. Both amassed handsome fortunes and by reason of their enterprise and public spirit have won the full respect and regard of the community in which their lives have been spent.
Grist and saw mills abounded in the Hundred in early days, it being claimed that as many as thirty, existed within eight miles of the town of Laurel. The water powers have decreased of late years and fewer mills now exist, although a sufficient number remain to accommodate the wants of the respective neighborhoods. Broad creek, which forms the northerly boundary of the Hundred, is navigable to Laurel. It has several tributaries, but they are small streams and valuable only for milling purposes and for drainage. The advent of the Delaware railroad in 1859, running through the center of the Hundred from north to south, proved advantageous as a new and swifter means of transportation for fruits and grain.
Laurel, in early days called Laureltown, is a flourishing town located in the northerly part of the Hundred on Broad creek, and is noted as one of the wealthiest places in the State. It lies on the main line of the Delaware railroad, and is thereby supplied with convenient facilities for shipment.
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It was incorporated as a town in 1883, and enjoys the ad- vantages of a municipal government. It is situated partly on a tract of land which originally was the reservation territory for the use of the Nanticoke Indians. This section was occu- pied by the Indians until 1768, when the land was sold, and purchased by Barkley Townsend, who was one of the first settlers of the town. Laurel has in recent years steadily in- creased in population and public enterprise.
Among the industries that have contributed to the pros- perity of the town is the large factory erected by Joshua H. Marvil in 1883, for the manufacture of peach and berry baskets and crates. This industry was begun by Mr. Marvil in 1871 on a small scale, and proved so successful that the building of a larger factory became necessary. The develop- ment of a large part of the town is attributed to the operation of this factory, and its products are shipped to all parts of the country.
Joshua H. Marvil was a man of great ingenuity, and de- veloped into an unusually sagacious business man. Born of parents whose earthly store was scant, and losing his father at an early age, he had no opportunity for attaining even the limited education afforded by the free schools of that time, but nothing daunted, he took up the battle of life, and by untir- ing industry and wise judgment established the most import- ant industrial plant in Sussex County, and through it gave occupation to many, benefited in a substantial way the town in which he lived, and accumulated a comfortable fortune. In 1894 he was nominated by the Republican party as its candidate for Governor, and was triumphantly elected, but in less than three months after assuming the duties of the gov- ernorship his death occurred.
The vicinity of Laurel has in late years become a great fruit-growing section, which has added largely to the business interests of the place, and many shipments of fruit are made from this point in the fruit season. This town was the home of William W. Dashiell, J. Turpin Moore, Benjamin F. Fooks
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and other wealthy and enterprising citizens. At a very early period this town was noted for the excellence of its private schools. For several years a flourishing academy was main- tained, pupils from neighboring villages and the surrounding country coming here to complete their education. The public schools are well conducted. When the system of free educa- tion was adopted in the State the private schools were gener- ally abandoned, and the buildings were converted to the use of free schools.
Delmar is a little village located on the line that divides Delaware from Maryland. It is the terminus of the Delaware railroad. When the track of the railroad was laid to this place the present site of the village was a wilderness. The place was laid out in 1859 by Wilder Hastings and Elijah Freeny, who were the original owners of the land on which the town now stands. It was in this village that Elihu E. Jackson, of Salisbury, Maryland, afterwards Governor of Maryland, conducted a mercantile business. The village has grown rapidly in later years, and its population comprises a class of thrifty and industrious citizens.
Portsville is a small hamlet about three miles from Laurel, in the northern part of the Hundred on Broad creek. It is quite an ancient-looking village, giving evidence of slow growth and containing but few residences. In earlier days small boats were built there. Whitesville is another antique- looking village located in the southeastern part of the Hun- dred near the Maryland line, and with the exception of a few dwellings and a store is devoid of any special interest.
The first Methodist church established in the Hundred was called Moore's Chapel, situated about five miles from Laurel in the western part of the Hundred. It was built in 1780. The first campmeeting in Sussex County it is claimed was held in the grove surrounding this church, and known as Mount Pleasant. A church is still continued on the same site. The second Methodist church was called Bethesda, and is located in the northeastern part of the Hundred. It was
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built in 1820. Hepburn Methodist Church was founded in 1842. The name was afterwards changed to Kings, and in the same year St. George's Church was founded. The Meth- odist denomination is strong in Laurel, where a large and commodious modern church building was erected about forty years ago. The first Methodist church was built there in 1802. Delmar has a neat and attractive Methodist church, the denomination having established itself there about eight years after the starting of the town.
Four Methodist Protestant churches are maintained in the Hundred, at Laurel and Portsville, and two country churches called Mount Hermon and St. Paul's. An old-school Baptist church was founded in the southeastern part of the Hundred in 1803. It was first called Smith's Mills Baptist Church, but the name was afterwards changed to Little Creek. Occa- sional services are held. In 1883 a Baptist church was built at Delmar, but of late years it has not been in use. The Episcopalians sustain three places of worship in the Hundred, one in Laurel, one at Ellis Grove, and a third called St. Mark's, near the center of the Hundred.
GUMBORO HUNDRED.
This is the smallest and youngest Hundred in the county. Created by act of the General Assembly in 1873, it embraces part of the twenty thousand acres warranted to General Dag- worthy in 1776, and called " Dagworthy's Conquest," and the land now within its boundaries previously formed parts of Broad Creek and Dagsboro Hundreds.
The residents of the Hundred are engaged almost entirely in agricultural pursuits. There is but one town, bearing the same name as the Hundred, containing but few houses, two or three small business places, and dignified with a postoffice, established in 1869. Much gum timber is found in the vicinity, and it is from this that the Hundred gets its name.
The Short and Hearn families have resided in this section since the settlement of the county. Plain, rugged, trusty folk,
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they have not only proved themselves successful as tillers of the soil, but the later generations have made themselves felt in the higher professions of life. Dr. R. Joseph Hearn, a descendant of this stock, has a leading rank as a surgeon in the medical profession in Philadelphia. Rev. F. Burgette Short, whose ancestry goes back to Gumboro, has become a shining light in the Methodist ministry, and for a few years past has been preaching the same gospel that was proclaimed by Wesley and Asbury a century ago to the newer civilization on the Pacific coast. He is at present stationed at Salt Lake City.
The schools of the Hundred are ample in number to accom- modate the eight hundred children within its borders, and in point of efficiency measure up to the other schools of the county. Possibly the oldest school site is that known as " Battle Hill," near Gum Hill, dating back to 1813. As early as 1785 the Methodists established a church so close to the State boundary that it has always been known as the " Line Church." The first building erected stood the stress of time for fifty-three years, the second served until 1874, the present structure being erected in the latter year. Prior to 1811 an Episcopal church was built at Little Hill, or Greenville, and called St. John's. It was abandoned in 1841. A year later the church was revived and continued until 1876, when ser- vices were discontinued. Originally it belonged to Stepney Parish, Maryland, and was an offshoot from Christ Church in Broad Creek Hundred.
The Methodist Episcopal Church in Gumboro village was originally built by the Methodist Protestants, who after con- trolling it for ten years sold it in 1875 to the Methodist Epis- copal denomination. The headwaters of the Pocomoke river flow through this Hundred, and much low land has been reclaimed and made available for the raising of corn by public ditches, which are controlled by an incorporated company.
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RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
Although like ancient Attica, Delaware is territorially in- significant, yet like that classic land of noblest deeds, her soil has been the scene of many notable events, not only of local or state interest, but also of national concern and importance. More especially is this true of her contribution to the religious department of our national history. It is safe to say that no other of the thirteen original states witnessed the rise and early development of so many religious bodies.
Rhode Island may be called the early American home of the Friends, and Maryland of the Catholic Church, Virginia of Episcopalianism, New York of the Dutch Church, and Massachusetts of Congregationalism ; but it is a more note- worthy circumstance, that within the limited boundaries of Delaware, is to be sought the origin, and in part, the develop- ment in America of three religious denominations, viz., the Lutheran, the Presbyterian and the Methodist, and the found- ing of a fourth, the " Union Church of African Members," the first church in the United States organized and controlled wholly by colored persons. Its founder and first bishop, Peter Spencer, was born in this State, as also was the founder and first bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church, David George Cummins ; and the first Methodist bishop, who was a son of a Methodist preacher, Levi Scott.
Perhaps a history of the various churches may best be pre- sented by considering them in the order of their establishment in the State.
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