USA > Maryland > Montgomery County > Sandy Spring > Annals of Sandy Spring history of a rural community in Maryland, Volume III > Part 5
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In the latter part of the month, those Sandy Springers who are members of the State W. S. A., formed themselves into a local auxiliary, with Sarah T. Miller president. At the State convention, a few days later, Caroline H. Miller made an excellent and much appreciated address.
Candlemas Day was dark and stormy enough to presage the quick coming of spring. But alas! the sign failed, and two months of bad weather fol- lowed, interrupted by a mild day or two about the 11 of March, and again on the 19-20, when the temperature rose as high as 75°. The much- needed rain came, however, and enough fell through February, March and April to really wet the ground and raise the water in springs and wells. There was a flood February 6, all the streams about being out of their banks, and several people who went to Wash- ington that day ran considerable risk in crossing the North West at Burnt Mill.
At the Farmers' Convention, February 17, many topics of interest were discussed; among the papers read, Dr. Thomas' study of farming conditions, past and present, was suggestive if it did not solve the problems that now confront the farmer. The com- parative improvement of dairy and hay-and-grain farms; the best farm fence: and the dairy, were the topics of other papers: and resolutions were intro- duced covering a wide range of subjects, from County roads and electric railways to the extermination of
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dogs. The prospect of a Farmers' Market in Wash- ington was reported as slight.
February 22, J. Janney, Jr., son of J. J. and Helen Reese Shoemaker, was born.
February 27, Wm. J. T. Farquhar and Marie Harvelle were married, and came to Mt. Olney to live.
March came in dull and sullen, and preserved that demeanor during much of its stay; but there was remarkably little wind, only three or four typical March days in the month. In fact, the lack of wind was noticeable all winter. For a wonder, however, March 4 smiled brilliantly for .McKinley's inaugura- tion, which was attended by many of our people.
March 13, at Wrenwood, Mrs. Ellen Cochrane died. Death came to her as a release, after many years of invalidism, and after services at her home on the 16, her body was taken to Washington for burial.
March 12, Samuel Janney, son of Ulric and Mary B. Hutton, was born.
About this time Lillie B. Stabler went to Wash- ington and took a position in her brother's insurance and real estate office. Ernest and Sallie Janney Ad- ams moved from their home in Howard County to the Tillum house at Brighton.
April 6, about fifty people had a great pleasure in hearing President Sylvester of the Agricultural College deliver a lecture, one of the Lyceum course, on "Altruism as a Factor in Life."
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When the orderly workwoman draws to the end of her task, she gathers up the loose ends of her ma- terial that may have been dropped during its prog- ress ; and so it behooves the historian to collect any bits of information that have failed to fit into the regular course of her narrative.
In taking a general survey of the landscape, va- rious changes and additions in the way of buildings may be noted since this time last year. Jas. T. Hen- derson has built an addition to his mill at Sandy Spring; the Janney brothers have put up a large barn; H. H. Miller has reconstructed his Lyndon barn blown down in September, and George M. Ta- tum has added to his house above Brighton. A large new barn at Mendon is the outward and visible sign of Dr. C. Farquhar's latest enterprise, as it was built to house the Fullerton Dairy herd which he has lately bought and imported from Virginia, sending the milk to Washington daily.
The dairy interests of the vicinity have been fur- ther increased of late by the establishment of a cream- ery at Brookeville, under the management of Walter Dorsey.
Besides the two new homes, Altonwood and Sweet- brier, already alluded to as having been set up within the past twelve months, Henry W. and E. C. Davis have begun one on a lot bought of F. M. Hallo- well and Edward Farquhar, and lying opposite Stan- more gate; ground has been broken for the house, which is to be called Knollton.
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Another piece of Rockland farm has been sold to Mrs. Fuller of Washington for a building site; it has been improved by the planting of trees and shrubbery and it is named Rokeby.
John C. Bentley purchased of Edward N. Bent- ley thirteen acres of the Bloomfield farm, and C. R. Hartshorne bought of George M. Tatum a lot of wood- land.
The mention of real estate naturally suggests taxes, and the new assessment, which was made all over the State during the summer and fall and showed a de- crease in the value of real estate and of much per- sonal property.
Asa M. Stabler and W. B. Chichester, Jr., were among the assessors.
But though taxes have been tinkered ; though crops were fair; though wheat actually went up to $1.00 per bushel; though Mckinley was elected, people still complain of hard times, and farmers, and farm- ers' wives particularly, try to make the most of all the means at their command. One frugal-minded dame, bent on utilizing all her resources, went so far as to press a rooster into service as an incubator! Verily the feminine intellect is ingenious !
Though as a community we have the reputation of being extremely self-centered, yet we have many points of contact and strong bonds of sympathy with the outside world, so that the tidings of the death of Robert Shoemaker of Philadelphia, of Marcia M. Libbey of Washington, of Robert Marshall of Al-
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toona, and of Ellen M. Miller of St. Louis, came with the force of personal bereavement to many hearts. here.
But it is not only pain that comes to us from abroad ; the religious visits of Isaac Wilson and Mary Heald Way gave general pleasure and satisfaction to our people, and we have also had gratifying proofs of the esteem in which Sandy Springers are held out- side.
S. B. Wetherald and Edwin W. Scott made excel- lent scores at the Interstate Rifle Match at Sea Girt last summer; Arthur Stabler has been appointed by Gov. Lowndes one of Maryland's commissioners to the Tennessee Centennial Celebration, to be held this coming summer; and Fred. L. Thomas was elected business manager of the Halcyon, an annual pub- lished by the Junior Class at Swarthmore.
Yes, in a thousand ways we are influenced from without. Last year the bicycle stirred our society to its depths, and the ceaseless revolution of its wheels continues, till almost everyone has "wheels" on the brain if not "in his head."
The suggestion of a possible railroad still suffices to give us a mild thrill. though it-the railroad-is still as remote a possibility as ever.
But though the railroad tarries, golf has come. Of course, it had to come sooner or later, everything does, and now the little red flags that mark the course are beginning to be of frequent occurrence in the landscape, and the youthful mind is intent on "get-
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ting a lot of little balls into a lot of little holes with a lot of little sticks entirely inadequate to the pur- pose."
And last, but not least, Sandy Spring has had its "Bradley-Martin Ball," planned and executed by the incipient society men and women of the neighbor- hood, under the auspices of Hallie J. Bentley at Bloomfield.
With these same juveniles rests the honor of hav- ing started the latest thing in the way of societies hereabouts : the Children's Musical bids fair to be a useful as well as an enjoyable institution. Further- more, the pupils of Sherwood school seem to have been the only Sandy Springers observant enough to see Venus in broad daylight.
All the manifold organizations with which we are blessed continued to flourish; and the reorganized First Day School has had a good attendance during the winter, a flourishing Bible Class being an impor -. tant feature in its work; while the long-established societies continue to meet with as unfaltering regu- · larity as the moon waxes and wanes.
The Enterprise Telephone Co. has recovered from its $300.00 or $400.00 loss by the September gale, and is in a flourishing condition, with 10S 'phones in its system.
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CHAPTER III.
1897-1898.
In spite of wars and rumors of wars in the outside world, our record for the past year shows more of cheerful interest than the historian had to present last April.
Spring opened so slowly that we hoped it would be sure and free from backsets. On the 19-20 of April, however, the mercury dropped to 27°, and we thought that winter had come again; but by the 25 we were enjoying a temperature of 86°, and confidence was restored.
Though long anticipated, the death of Hadassah J. Moore, on April 26, brought sorrow to the whole neighborhood, for a presence so gentle and gracious must needs be missed when it is gone. But the mem- ory of her beautiful countenance and of her thought- ful kindness will live while any are left who knew her.
"In 1839 she came from Baltimore, with her deli- cate husband, to live in this neighborhood, at Plain- field, for the remainder of her life. Slight and frag- ile herself, and contending for many years with very limited means, she was ever the neatest and most methodical of housekeepers, and the untiring and
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devoted helpmeet and nurse of her beloved compan- ion.
"She was full of benevolence towards her needy neighbors, both white and colored; and her sweet na- ture and her interest in all her friends, near and far, continued to the end of consciousness.
"Her memory was phenomenal, and the birthdays of her friends, young and old, were often remembered by her with some simple gift, or an affectionate note. The sole survivor of twenty-three children and fifty first cousins, it was but natural that she should seem to commune as much with the dead as with the living, and to make nearly every day the anniversary of some event in her long life.
"None of us can forget her beautiful old age her spotless cap and kerchief, her dainty personality, her pure and guileless character. Her consecrated life shed its beneficient influence on her home and all who came in contact with her, and in her conversa- tion she dwelt on the virtues of others rather than their faults, never indulging in censorious or dis- agreeable comments or harsh judgments. In her was exemplified the Truth of Scripture :
" 'Thou wilt keep them in the secret of thy pres- ence from the strife of tongues.'
"In her last years, surrounded by every comfort, she constantly spoke of her blessings and of the de- voted care and attention of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all emulous to show her af- fection and to do her honor.
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"She survived her husband more than a year, grad- ually failing in strength, and then, with the assur- ance to all around her that she had done the best she knew and that all was peace and hope, like a sheaf of wheat fully ripe, she was gathered to her heavenly home." (By S. E. Stabler and Eliza N. Moore for Association.)
April 27 a tenant house on the farm of Dr. Chas. Farquhar was burned to the ground, with most of the household goods of the tenant, and a baby only escaped death through the presence of mind of a lit- tle colored girl who lived with the family.
"On April 28, the hearts of many in the com- munity were stirred with grief by the sudden death of Lucy Stabler at Auburn," writes one of her life- long friends, "and deep sympathy was felt for her family who sustained the sad loss; but not only in her own household and nearest circle of friends has her presence been missed, for in the homes of many needing help it was her wise charity that had lifted a burden.
"She had that ready insight which, prompted by a generous nature, knows just how and where to give; her pleasure in giving making it blessed to receive at her hands, while her modest shrinking from public praise, even from verbal thanks, proved her charity to belong to that highest type that would not let 'the right hand know what the left hand doeth.' She hath builded for herself in the memory of grateful hearts' a monument more enduring than marble." (M. B. Magruder.)
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This year, as before, May brought us wet weather and various less common natural phenomena. A se- vere storm of rain and wind occurred on the 13, and on the 24 the region round about Ednor was visited by a cyclone that transplanted portions of orchards at Lucknough and Clifton, and moved various other articles usually regarded as stationary. The month's program ended with several earthquake shocks about 2 p. m. on the 31.
Human history was not at a standstill, either, while all this weather was going on: A stepdaughter of Sandy Spring, so to speak, Mary Lois Sherman, was married in Washington on the 9 to Samuel Paschal. James T. Henderson put new engines into Sherwood Mill, and the usual group of annual stock- holders' meetings occurred. Nothing new or differ- ent was done by the Union Turnpike Co., or by the Enterprise Telephone Co., but the Washington, Coles- ville and Ashton Turnpike Company declared the sec- ond dividend since its incorporation.
May 23, Laura, daughter of Wm. M. and Sarah J. Canby, died of diphtheria, and our warm sympa- thy goes out to the bereaved family of this lovely child.
June was ushered in with a touch of frost on the first, but it warmed up at the prospect of the Phre- naskeia banquet on the 4. In spite of most inclem- ent weather and dire foreboding as to the success of the program, this-the third-was the most brilliant banquet the Phrenaskeia has had, owing, as the toast- master, George F. Nesbitt, Jr., said, "not only to
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the competent committee and able speakers, but to the hearty co-opeartion of all the members of the so- ciety." Viewed materially, esthetically or intellectu- ally, it was admirable, and Phrenaskeia stock may always be expected to bring a premium about banquet time.
The whole month of June was cool, damp and rainy, with many morning fogs, and snow came as near to us as New Jersey about the middle of the month.
. Quarterly Meeting, favored with fine weather, was well attended and much enjoyed. John J. Cornell, Martha S. Townsend and A. Haviland Hull were the preachers present.
About this time Sandy Spring found a new Outlet for its intellectual activity. The enterprising mind of Mary E. Thomas conceived the idea of a neighbor- hood paper of but one issue for the benefit of the Hollywood Children's Summer Home, of which she is a manager, and singlehanded she carried her scheme to success, realizing a good sum for the Home. Probably her paper had a wider circulation than any other in Maryland, as copies of it went to nearly every State in the Union, from New England to Cal- ifornia and abroad as far as Australia.
On June 18 lovers of music hereabouts enjoyed the rare treat of a piano recital given by Gertrude H. Nve at Rockland. Such brilliant and artistic execution it has not often been our good fortune to hear in Sandy Spring, and it was pleasant to think of the
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artiste as more or less identified with the neighbor- hood during her early girlhood.
June 24 occurred one of those violent and strictly local storins which were frequent during the summer. Between Sandy Spring and Olney about an inch and a half of rain fell in an hour, while less than two miles away the shower was not enough to stop the harvesting.
To counterbalance frost on the first, on June 30 it turned very warm, and continued so until the mid- dle of July.
July 8, there was quite a severe hail storm about Olney and Brookeville, which did a good deal of dam- age to many gardens, totally destroying the tomato crop at some places.
Many strangers came to us for the "Glorious Fourth," and during the evening of that day quite an epidemic of patriotism broke out in rockets and Roman candles.
"Perry Leizear, the oldest representative of one of the largest families in Montgomery County, died at Sandy Spring, July 14, in the eighty-ninth year of his age. He had been active in local politics for many years; he was once sheriff for an unexpired term, and later was elected to that office. A man of strict integrity and genial personality, he probably never made an enemy nor lost a friend." (Mary Bentley Thomas.)
July 15, John C. and Cornelia H. Bentley cele- brated the fifteenth anniversary of their marriage at
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Cloverley. A throng of relatives and friends enjoyed the hospitality of the beautifully decorated house, and the grounds illuminated by a brilliant moon and many Japanese lanterns, leaving behind them cordial good wishes for host and hostess, attested by appro- priate gifts.
July 17-25, the W. C. T. Unions of Montgomery County and the District of Columbia held their sec- ond annual camp meeting at Washington Grove, with even greater success than attended their first effort, owing largely to the labors of several of our Sandy Spring ladies.
During the whole of this year's history, whenever there is a halt in the march of events, the historian can always truthfully remark, by way of filling in the space, "It rained." And so it did on the night July 21, at the rate of about an inch an hour, for three hours or more. The streams were all higher than they had been for years, reaching or exceeding the high-water mark of the Johnstown flood; the roads were terribly washed, and bridges were injured or destroyed. The skeleton of the turnpike was laid bare, and many of its vertebræ and knucklebones, in the shape of loose stones, came to the surface, to the summer-long annoyance of all who jolted and bounced over them in any vehicle whatever.
Ten days later came another heavy rain, with some hailstones three-fourths of an inch in diameter, but fortunately not being numerous in proportion to their size, they did little damage. Altogether, the precipi-
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tation of moisture for the month was more than half as much again as usual.
The only other event in July is the establishment of a new society, The Neighbors, holding meetings at the homes of its members once a month, when a "regulation tea" is served and a business program much like that of the Home Interest is followed. Properly speaking, the society began May 20, when an organization meeting was held at Stanmore, the "charter members" present being Allan and Char- lotte H. Farquhar, Joseph T., Jr., and Estelle T. Moore, Tarlton B. and Rebecca T. Stabler, J. Janney and Helen R. Shoemaker, S. B. and Florence M. Wetherald, Henry H. and Helen G. Miller. The names of Alban and Sarah E. Brooke, Alice and M. Beatrix Tyson, Clarence L. and Rose M. Gilpin were entered on the original roll of the body, which has since increased till it now includes representatives of fourteen households ; but it was not until July that The Neighbors was launched upon the tide of public life, duly named and officered.
But routine society meetings do not meet all the needs of "our dear young people," and for the second time a party of youths and maidens, duly chaperoned and equipped with all the modern appliances for a frolic, camped at Folly Quarter from August 5-14, to their mighty enjoyment.
August 9, Andrew, son of Ernest and Sallie Jan- ney Adams, was born.
On the same day the long and painful illness of Charles Abert terminated in his death. These fitting
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words concerning an honored member of the com- munity are taken from resolutions passed by the In- surance Company, and by the vestry of St. John's church :
"For more than a quarter of a century Charles Abert had been an active and most useful member of the board of directors of the Mutual Fire Insurance Co. of Montgomery County, and had given it his faithful and conscientious attention. * * His manner was that of a polished gentleman. and he ex- tended to others the courtesy he expected for him- self. His mind was of a rather serious cast, although there was frequently a display of humor that was very attractive. He was a poet of considerable skill, and, at times, enjoyed making verses as a rest from professional labor. He was always particularly at- tentive to his religious duties, sometimes at the sacri- fice of his pecuniary interests." "For thirty-three long years he toiled through summer's heat and win- ter's cold to do his Master's work as lay reader at St. John's church, Olney." "He was never heard to ut- ter a word that could offend the most sensitive ear. Such a life is not lived in vain !"
It was during this month that Sandy Spring lost one of its time-honored landmarks. The ruin of the old schoolhouse, so long the Lyceum's nearest neigh- bor, was sold to the Robison brothers for $5.00, and soon thereafter reduced to its original elements.
Another conspicnous feature of our landscape, the great poplar tree at the Anchorage, was shattered by lightning on the 25 August.
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Should your historian undertake to chronicle all the peregrinations of Sandy Springers these annals would be inordinately long, but when the neighbor- hood travels in wholesale numbers it is permissible to mention it. Sure it is, too, that all the twenty who enjoyed the excursion to Fredericksburg, August 17-21, would consider this record strangely incom- plete should that delightful episode be omitted from its pages, though the recollection of the "joys we have tasted" and otherwise enjoyed on the steamer West- moreland are deeply graven on memory's tablets. Ellen H. Thomas spent the month of August study- ing gymnastics at the summer school at Cambridge, Mass., and during the month Frank T. Lea made his farewell visit to friends and relatives here, before starting on his missionary journey to Central Africa, where he and his wife are now settled. Our neigh- bor, Fred. Stabler, killed a four-foot rattlesnake with nine rattles while at Capon Springs. During the year one or another of our people visited the Ten- nessee Exposition, Illinois Yearly Meeting, Canada, Florida and Asheville, N. C.
August 24, Curtis Grubb, son of Albert G. and Julia M. Palmer, was born at Meadow Brook.
August 27, a lawn fete was held at Lucknough for the benefit of the Friends' Home, since established in Baltimore through the efforts of some of our peo- ple and other members of Baltimore Yearly Meeting. The fete was a success financially and socially, a large crowd enjoying the beauties of nature and of art on Dr. Thomas' lovely lawn.
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The seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of Sharp Street Church was celebrated by special serv- ices for sixteen days, beginning August 6, and from that time on till after New Year the most protracted meeting on even Sharp Street records trailed its slow length through the nights.
The summer drought, so long delayed that we hoped it had been forgotten, set in after the rain that fell the 30 of August. But the shower made the open- ing of the County Fair at Rockville on the 31 very favorable: The weather was fine all the four days, the display was good, the attendance large, and, as usual, a fair share of premiums was borne off by Sandy Spring.
September opened dry, and the ten days of intense heat from the 7-17 were particularly hard on teachers and pupils just entering on their winter's work.
Nora L. Stabler took the public school at Takoma Park, Edna V. Thomas the Oakley school, and Sallie P. Brooke wielded the birch or its modern equiva- lent, at Emory. Sherwood, with Elizabeth P. M. Thom Principal and Alice V. Farquhar assistant, opened September 13 with twenty-eight pupils, and by midwinter had increased to forty, with Augusta N. Thomas as second assistant.
This year, for the first time since the George School opened, Sandy Spring sent no students there; but various other institutions of learning received our boys and girls.
September 13, Helen Thomas, daughter of George
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F., Jr., and Anna L. T. Nesbitt, was born at Sweet- brier.
September 14, Olney Grange entertained Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Brigham, then Worthy Mas- ter of the National Grange, inviting to meet him all past members of the order in the neighborhood and many others. It was a large and interesting gather- ing, and Worthy Master Brigham made an excellent address.
At Woodburn, the home of the bride's sister, Sep- tember 15, at 5 P. M., Edith Woodward, formerly of Washnigton, and Harry Johnson of New York, were married by the Episcopal service.
After the oppressive heat early in the month, the sudden drop of temperature on the 20 was felt severe- ly, though there was only a light touch of hoar frost during September; but the rain of the 22-23 was wel- come after weeks of drought.
September 23, Martha Ellicott, daughter of R. Rowland and Margaret S. T. Moore, was born at Plainfield.
September 16, the colored people held a successful fair at Sharp Street.
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