USA > Maryland > Caroline County > History of Caroline County, Maryland, from its beginning > Part 16
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Pickaninnies all scamper from the kitchen followed by Nancy.
Nancy: (as she walks out) "Pete most woke up ma baby. Mammy'll put you to bed right away. Most time I was gettin denna any how."
ACT II.
Betsy Baynard .enters her parlor fanning herself with her hat. She carries her sewing bag on her left arm. "How very warm it is this morning! I think I'll sit here by the window where it is cool and sew a while."
Liz: (a little house girl enters with her broom) "Missy, want me to sweep up fo' you this mo'nin?"
Betsy Baynard: "I wish you would Liz. This room hasn't been swept to-day. Be sure to sweep well around the fire place."
Liz: "All right, Missy. I'll do my bes." (L. begins sweeping vigorously. She hums "Old Black Joe" as she sweeps. She raises such a dust that Betsy B. has a terrible spell of coughing.)
Liz: "Fo de land sake, Missy, what am de matta?"
Betsy Baynard: "Why Liz, you are making so much dust!"
Liz: (beginning sweeping again) "Dis aint no dust Missy, dis aint no dust." (A knock is heard at the door.)
Liz: (listening hand at ear) "Missy, I believe I hear a knock." ( Another knock) "Sure as you's alibin dat am a knock. Shall I go to de do?"
Betsy B .: "Why yes, Liz, don't keep them waiting."
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Liz: (goes to door. Bows three times ) "Mornin Massy, morn- in. You want my Missy?"
Mr. White: (a stranger ) "I want your Missy or your Master or somebody." Liz: "You sot down here on the piazzy while I go tell Miss Betsy."
White sits down. Liz runs in to Miss Betsy. Liz: "Fo de land sake, Missy, you jus ought to see that good looking guy out thar.
Betsy B .: "What does he want?"
Liz: "He wants you."
Betsy B .: "Did you tell him to come in,"
Liz: "No mam shall I?"
Betsy B .: "Yes indeed. Don't keep him standing." Liz: "Missy, he aint a standin. He's a settin." ( Goes to
door) "Come right in Massy, come right into the parlor. Dat's whar Miss Betsy's at." Liz listens at door.
Betsy B .: "Good morning."
Mr. White: "Good morning. My name is White."
Liz: ( Aside)' "He sho am white." (Runs off stage ).
Miss Baynard and Mr. White sit down.
Mr. White: "As I was traveling thru this part of the country I came thru Bridgetown. Quite an interesting place is Bridge- town.
Betsy B .: "What interesting places did you see?"
Mr. W .: "I saw the old ware house that was built by Wm. Hughlett in -
Betsy B .: "In 1789."
White: "That was the year. I saw it on a stone at the boun- dary of his farm. You have quite a number of granaries along the river."
Betsy: "Yes, we have quite a number up and down the Chop- tank."
White: "Why, do big boats come up to Bridgetown?"
Betsy: "They come as far as the stakes and the slaves bring the grain the rest of the way in scows."
White: "Scows-what are they?"
Betsy: "They are large, flat boats which have to be poled up and down the river. My slave, Mose, was helping one day last week and his pole broke. He fell overboard of course and such a splashing time as they had!"
White: "Well, I should think so. Miss Baynard, I think I had the best supper I ever had in my life down at the tavern last night."
Betsy: "Well, you know Maryland is noted for its cooking."
White: "That certainly was a fine supper! (a knock is heard at the door. Mick, a little colored boy runs to the door) "Missy, I hear a knock." He opens the door and there stands Marcellus Fountain. "Howdy, Massa, howdy." He puts his hand to his mouth and says, "Fo de land sake it's Massa Fountain. Wonder what he's oin round here! Spec hes uine to buy some of us niggas." Fountain: "Is Miss Betsy home?"
Mick: "Yes Massa, yes sar. Walks right into de parlor. Shes got company but that don't hurt."
Fountain: "Miss Betsy, I've come for that slave I bought last week.'
Betsy: "Mr. Fountain, I'm very sorry to sell Nancy. She's -" Nancy: "Fountain! Missy, bas you sold old Nancy?"
Betsy: "Nancy, I'm so sorry but I needed the money. You know that it means a thousand dollars to me."
Nancy: "O Missy, please don't sell me! I've worked hard fo' you fo' years."
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Fountain : (pushing her on) "Gon on. I'm tired of this fool- ishness. You're my nigger now."
Nancy: "Missy, Massa Fountain 'll sell me way down to Geor- gia-away from my baby."
Fountain: (flourishing whip) "Get out of here I say!"
White: "What are you going to do with that slave?"
Fountain: "Take her home. What do you suppose I'm going to do with her?"
White: "I'd like to have a woman like that for our nurse down in Virginia."
Nancy: "Buy me, Massa, buy me. Yon's a kind man I knows." Fountain: "Go on out of here, I tell you!"
White: "I" give you a thousand dollars for her."
Fountain: "No sir. You can't have her, I just gave a thousand dollars for her myself."
White: "I'll give you eleven hundred."
Fountain: (pushing Nancy ahead of him) "No, sir."
White: "Twelve hundred."
Fountain: "Did you say twelve hundred?"
White: "Yes."
Fountain: "Well then, take her."
Nancy: "Thank you, Massa, thank you! You'll be good to Nancy, won't you?"
White: "Yes indeed. We'll be good to you down in Virginia." Both leave stage.
Fountain: ( counts his money, slaps his knee) "Gee but it does pay to sell slaves. Made two hundred dollars in about two min-
utes." Walks off stage.
Enter Mose, a poor old darky, leaning on a cane. He walks slowly across the stage. "Poor old Nancy, poor old Nancy. Missy done sold old Nancy to Massa Fountain. Speck Massa Fountain sell her way down in Georgia. Nancy was a good cook. My she was a good cook. I wonder who's gwine to cook dem possums now. Poor old Nancy! Missy done sold old Nancy! Fust thing I knows Missy'll be asellin me! Mose don't want to be sold. Mose is an old nigga."
As Mose limps back across the stage, the cihldren all sing the first verse and the chorus of "Old Black Joe." They sing softly to the accompaniment of the violin.
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BAPTISMAL SERVICE AT GREENSBORO STATION __ 1920.
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DR. HENRY ROUSSET.
One of Greensboro's Earliest Physicians.
Looking northward along Old Main Street one may see a house noticeable for the oddity of its structure. Its long low lines, its hipped roof, its dormer windows, its shadowy gray look all mark it as belonging to the days of long ago.
The property which is slowly falling into ruin and disuse was once a show place of the town,-an American type of the French Chateau, having its grounds sur- rounded by a close clipped boxwood hedge so that even the tallest person could no more than catch a glimpse of what lay behind it.
The enclosed grounds formed an old fashioned gar- den filled with pansies, mignonette, sweet Williams, and all the riotous blooms dear to our great grandparents. Through this garden, at eventide passed a dark man of medium height carrying himself in an erect and military manner, while at his side walked a petite figure with laughing eye and golden brown hair .- Dr. Henry Rous- set, perhaps, Greensboro's first resident physician, and his wife, Augusta Mohlen Rousset.
Both were born "over-seas"-he in Breslau, she in Hanover; but both were loyal Americans, true to the land of their adoption.
Dr. Henry Rousset was born in Breslau, Prussia, No- vember 1, 1785 of Franco-Prussian parentage. Little is known of his early life except that he was a lineal de- scendant from a noble family, and at an early age was sent to Paris where he was educated in the University and became thoroughly French in his ideas.
With true patriotism he served as a Sergeant-Gen- eral under Napoleon Bonaparte and was with him at his defeat at Waterloo. In this battle he received a wound almost directly between the eyes. This wound must have troubled him somewhat for he covered it con- stantly with a surgical patch.
Shortly after the downfall of Napoleon in 1815. Rousset came to America and stopping in Philadelphia met, wooed, and won Augusta Mohlen, then but 14 years of age. After his marriage they returned to France where he practiced medicine for six years, but the youth- ful bride longing for America they arrived in Philadel-
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phia again in the spring of 1823. Coming via Baltimore he crossed the bay and came up the Choptank with Cap- tain Cornelius Comegys, and was met at the Greens- boro landing by Thomas Hughes, who with mule and cart transferred him to the old brick Crawford house.
Soon after he purchased the frame building which became his permanent home. The interior they fitted up in a manner pleasing to themselves. Many things were brought from overseas for the decoration; among which was a large French fire-place-now transferred to an- other Greensboro home.
An anecdote is told of their housekeeping troubles. Both were "To the Manor born." Servants were scarce, hence, the preparation of food became a problem. A chicken was to be killed-but how? Dr. Rousset over- came the difficulty by performing a surgical operation that ended the life of the fowl.
Hospitality was the home motto-Tea and cakes al- ways awaited the caller.
Dr. Rousset was known far and near as an eminent physician. According to the custom of the day, when visiting his patients he rode on horseback with his sad- dle-bag filled with medicine, strapped behind his saddle.
His work is done! He went into the beyond in 1871 and his wife followed him in 1885.
On old Main street stands the age stricken house marking where he lived. In the old Methodist cemetery a gray slab marks his final resting place, while folklore has kept alive the patience, skill and wonderful healing power of Dr. Rousset.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
As early as 1785 the Society of Methodists was formed in Greensboro, or Choptank Bridge, as it was then called. The meetings of this Society were held in the homes of the different members, but the members in- creased so rapidly that it became necessary to have a building in which to worship.
The church was probably erected in 1789 and a deed for the site is now recorded in the Clerk's Office in Den- ton.
It was in this old building, located on the bank of the Choptank river, the site on which Greensboro then
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
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stood, that many had the opportunity of listening to Freeborn Garrison and Francis Asbury, who were among the ministers that visited and served these people at that time.
This church served the people until 1843 when it was decided that a new building was needed, and as the population had by this time extended to the west, it was thought best to have a building near the center of the town, and the site selected was the one now occupied by the old elinreh on North Main Street.
In 1903, sixty years later, when the town having ex- tended still farther to the west the members of this same Society of Methodists, or as they were then called, the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, built the new church on Railroad Avenue which is in use by them today.
THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY.
The Church of the Holy Trinity at Greensboro is apparently the result of the work of two women: Mrs. Angeline Goldsborough, widow of Dr. George Washing- ton Goldsborongh, and grand-daughter of Thomas Hard- castle, and Miss Ella Betts, who taught a private girls' school. These two became interested in some children who belonged to no church and organized a little Sun- day School of five pupils. This led to thoughts of a par- ish at Greensboro. The matter was brought before a Convention at Easton by Mr. Ernst and in 1870 a new parish was formed by taking a part of St. John's parish at Hillsborough. The present church building was ded- icated in 1875. April 13th. It is said that Miss Mary Reed who lies buried in the old Methodist churchyard provided in her will about $1500 towards the erection of this building.
Mrs. Goldsborongh was chairman of the committee which selected the name for the church. The Rev. George Beaven was in charge until Rev. Frank Adkins was in- stalled. The congregation at present is much reduced and is served regularly by the Rector from Denton.
Mrs. Goldsborongh is still living and at the age of ninety-two still takes a keen interest in the affairs of the church.
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THE HELVETIA PLANT.
June, 1920 opened at Greensboro one of the largest plants on the peninsula. It is one of sixteen owned by the "Helvetia Milk Condensing Company," whose head- quarters are at Highland, Illinois.
The plant proper is constructed of hollow tile and is fire proof. It is 279 ft. long and 176 ft. deep, part being one and part being two stories high, while the stack which is constructed of reinforced concrete, measures 10 ft. at the base, 6 ft. at the top, and 125 ft. high and is the largest in this section.
HELVETIA MILK CONDENSING PLANT.
Fonr milk storage tanks having a capacity of 70,000 lbs. each are installed, while the water tank is 18 ft. in diameter, 50 ft. high and has a capacity of 100,000 gal- lons. The entire capacity of the plant is between 150,000 lbs. and 200,000 lbs. of milk daily.
The boiler room has three boilers of 150 horsepower each and room for three more of equal size. The build- ing will have its own electric plant and practically all of the machinery will be run by motors.
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Employment is given to about thirty men, whose number will be increased as the milk supply increases, until it reaches the plant's present capacity-60 men.
When running at full capacity the farmers will re- ceive $100,000 monthly for milk.
As a future prospect a tin shop, for making cars may be opened, doubling the working capacity of a plant even now, one of the largest on the Eastern Shore.
WHITELEY'S AND LOWE'S.
The history of these communities need necessarily be written in connection because of their joint activities through all the early period.
Doubtless because of the section's proximity to Greensboro, the earliest settled and developed part of our county, and the natural fertility of the soil here- about, this community seemed to attract and hold men who became prominent not alone in county matters, but in state as well.
Of these early families, Whiteley was probably the best known. It seems that William Whiteley came to this county from Delaware and located just west of the state line, though likely owning real estate in Delaware. There is a record in our Clerk's Office that William Whiteley purchased over 1000 acres of land in a body shortly after the Revolutionary War. Elsewhere in this volume is given an account of this man.
Thomas White, another prominent man of this coun- ty, and one of our first conrt justices lived in this section. This family came from the section of Delaware near where White's Chapel now stands. When Bishop As- bury, who had been preaching Methodist doctrine on ' the peninsula was forced to suspend work for about two years during the Revolutionary War, he found refuge at the home of Mr. White on the Delaware side. Perhaps it should be explained that the Tory element, which was in considerable strength at that time in this section, natu- rally held to the Episcopal church, the established Church of England, and opposed any counter doctrine as advocated by the rising Methodist denomination. It has been stated elsewhere that the Carter family succeeded to the ownership and possession of the property of the Whites in this section.
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Being along the main highway from Queenstown to Dover, these fertile lands peopled by prominent and ac- tive families and tilled by numerous slaves, it can read- ily be imagined that this entire section was very busy in these early times.
Lee's Chapel that stood on the road from Carter's Corner to Whitelysburg seems to have been the first place of worship in this neighborhood. It seems likely too, that it was once used for a school, though we have no anthority for this assertion. This building was erect- ed in the latter part of the eighteenth century. A family of Lees who lived across the road from where the Chapel was erected, used their influence in having this church built, and a member of this family, Rev. Lee, was among the preachers of the church. This Chapel is a small wooden building; the frame work is all hewn and is put together mostly by means of wooden pegs. Very few nails are used, but those which are used were made by the village blacksmith.
At that time almost everyone went to church regu- larly. Shoes were very scarce at that time so the boys and girls went to church bare-footed just as long as the weather permitted. The grown men and women carried their shoes in their hands until they were almost in sight of the church and then put them on. They took them off again as soon as they were coming home from church. This church was used until the Civil War when Shep- pard's Chapel was erected to take its place.
When the state law as to schools was changed in 1868 and trustees were appointed by the School Commis- sioners, provision was made for Whitelysburg. This name of the school was continued until 1883 when White- leysburg was discontinued as a public school. About this time Benjamin Whiteley recognizing the great need for a school nearer than Lowe's built a school house and planned a school for the children of thus section. Late in 1885, the School Board again decided to pay the teach- er and thus Whiteley's was again oper, remaining so until abont 1906 when the very small attendance neces- sitated the school's being again closed.
Besides giving money towards the school, Mr. Whiteley always sent a Christmas box to the school. This box contained a gift for each pupil and for the teacher. He also wrote a long letter each year to be read to the children.
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Thus did Benjamin Whiteley, the worthy son of his highly representative father, keep alive his interest in childhood though advanced in years. Mr. Whiteley died in Catonsville a few years ago at the age of nearly one hundred years.
On the road to Greensboro, William Hughlett and Dr. Rousset owned much land, acquired either by grant from the state government or by purchase. As both of these men will be treated under the Greensboro section, no further notice is necessary here.
About the year 1855 the old Rawling's school was built. This school was erected on Mrs. Rawling's farm at the end of her lane, on what is known as the Whitelys- burg road.
After a time Esma Lowe bought the farm on which the school stood; then its name was changed from Raw- ling's to Lowe's, the name which it bears today, though the location has been changed slightly and a new build- ing erected.
Several years ago a Seventh Day Adventist Church was built, at Whitelysburg, also a small school provided for the children of this denomination in the neighbor- hood.
In 1919 a joint public school with Kent County, Del- aware, was started in this small building.
Contributed by ETHEL EVELAND, Teacher, and the Pupils of Lowe's School
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BURRSVILLE SCHOOL.
Formerly an M. P. Church. Erected About 1833.
BURRSVILLE. (Union Corner, Punch Hall).
The first name above seems to have been given the adjoining villages of Union Corner and Punch Hall about the time of the establishment of the postoffice there, years ago.
Two very different stories are in circulation in re- gard to the origin of the name Punch Hall. One anthor- ity tells us that the name originated from the fact that runaway slaves hid under a building called a hall stand- ing on what is known as the F. C. Porter lot. To cap- ture these fugitives the citizens used long poles to punch them out. Thus came the name Punch Hall. Other au- thorities claim that the name Punch Hall originated from a citizen by the name of Hall living in that end of the town who kept the inn and sold strong drink.
The name of Burrsville was probably selected for the postoffice without reference to any suggestions in the neighborhood. Be this as it may, we know that Union Corner was a little hamlet, long years ago, while the central group of buildings was designated as Punch Hall.
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The first public school for this section seems to have been Chinquapin, provision for which was made by the Legislature about 1840. This building stood on the Saulsbury land about one mile west from the village on. the Denton road and continued as the school for the neighborhood until sometime in the seventies when it was discontinued and a school building erected on the spot now occupied by the Union M. P. Church. This was Burrsville's first public school and the building thereof by private means was prompted doubtless for fear the colored people after the passage of the Fif- teenth Amendment would be allowed the privilege of at- tending school with the whites at Chinquapin.
In eighteen hundred and eighty-four this building was moved about a mile west of the village to a corner of the county farm where it has since been used as a col- ored school. The old M. P. Church, erected in 1833 or 1834, was purchased by the county and is still used as the public school building for Burrsville. Thus this vil- lage has the honor of having its school housed in one of the oldest frame buildings in the county, perhaps, in the state.
At the time the church was purchased for the school, the school lot was sold or traded to the church trustees for a church site as indicated above.
WESLEY M. E. CHURCH.
The following is taken from a note book kept in eighteen hundred thirty-three by Thomas Baynard :
"A record of the proceedings of the trustees legally appointed in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three for the Methodist Episcopal Church near Burrsville which church is not yet built but is in contemplation and to supply the place of the old church near the said village which is now in a condition not fit for worship."
The said church which was completed in eighteen thirty-five, was named Wesleyan Chapel and dedicated December twenty-fifth of the same year.
The site for this church was purchased from Reu- ben R. Richardson of Burrsville and was located be- tween Burrsville and the present M. E. Church. This building served as a place of worship until eighteen sev- enty-two, when it was sold to John Cahall, a son of Ar- chibald Cahall, who was one of the building committee of eighteen thirty-three, and is now used as a barn on the Cahall farm.
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The present M. E. Church is known as Wesley's Chapel and was erected in eighteen seventy-two on a corner of the Cahall farm. It is said that Thomas Mel- vin, one of the founders of the Methodist Protestant Church, then living near Burrsville did about 1834 deed a piece of land to be used as a site for an M. P. Church to be erected. The church that was built about this time is in the main the same structure that has been used as the public school since 1884.
From Burrsville neighborhood have gone out some men of state and national fame. Among them are the Saulsbury brothers who attended Chinqnapin school and in young manhood moved to Delaware. One of them, Gove by name, became a prominent physician of Dover, and later governor of the state. Another brother, Wil- lard, became Chief Judge of the state and a third one, Eli, served as United States Senator from Delaware for nearly a generation. The Melvin family from which sprang several important men who have filled honored places in the Maryland Annual Conference of the M. P. Church was prominent here years ago. Among them are Walter Graham, D. D., and T. H. Lewis, D. D., Pres- ident of Western Maryland College, also three Melvin brothers who served with honor in the ministerial ranks. Still later we have Dr. M. Bates Stephens, State Super- intendent of Public Schools.
Contributed by MARY E. RAUGHLEY.
CENTRAL.
A sketch-An Old Time Maryland School-in this volume describes the school at Townsends' Cross-Roads which was the forerunner of the famous Chinquapin school erected on the road to Burrsville in about 1840.
After this old building (Chingnapin) had stood about fifty years there were a good many people moving in around Towson's Cross Roads. These people thought it was too far to send their children to this school, hence they wanted a new building.
John R. Wyatt gave one acre of wood lot on the North West side of his farm for their school building. The timber was cut and the building erected in 1879. After it was completed they decided to call it the Wyatts' school in honor of Mr. Wyatt.
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A few years later the Methodist Church was built by the side of the school. The people in the community decided to name it Central it being about central of the community and midway between Burrsville and Denton. The school has since been known as Central.
DROWNED VALLEY, NEAR CENTRAL.
Caused by the Raising of a Mill Dam.
CAMP GROVE (Chilton's).
The first school for this section was organized many years ago, because legislature records indicate that pro- vision was made in 1830 to move from the present Shep- pard's church site a school building, to the south end of Carter's or White's Lane, hence the name Carter's, which was applied to the school for many years after- wards.
One reason, of course, for this early school was the fact that several prominent men lived in this community in Revolutionary War times. Among them may be men- tioned Col. Mathew Driver, who built and lived in what is the Brick House on the Horsey farm. A complete de- scription of this man and his home is given elsewhere in
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