USA > Maryland > Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland > Part 30
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HOMAS G. REYNOLDS. On the banks of Goldsborough Creek, in Trappe district, Talbot County, lies the farm that for many years has been owned and cultivated by Mr. Reynolds. It consists of eighty-five acres, upon which good improvements have been made, in- cluding substantial farm buildings, excellent fences and the other equipments of a modern es- tate. The land is devoted to general farming purposes and brings to its owner a fair profit in re- turn for its cultivation. In addition to this place, he is the owner of another farm comprising one hundred and fifty acres.
In Dover, Del., Mr. Reynolds was born Feb- ruary 14, 1836, being a member of a family dis- tinguished in the history of Delaware. His brother, Robert J. Reynolds, was at one time governor of Delaware, and his father, Robert W., was also a man of prominence and influence, being register of wills for a number of years and sheriff of Kent County for several terms. The family home was a beautiful country seat, Golden Ridge, situated near Willow Grove, eleven miles from Dover. Born in Dover, during the period of his father's service as sheriff, our subject, however,
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spent his childhood years principally at the coun- try home, where he early gained a knowledge of farming and a love for the occupation. His ed- ucation was received mainly in Dickinson College, at Carlisle, Pa. At the age of twenty-one hie began to teachi school, which occupation he fol- lowed for two years in Nottoway County, Va.
Returning to Delaware, Mr. Reynolds engaged in farming there until 1864, when he sold his place and purchased the property in Talbot Coun- ty that he has since occupied. Politically' he votes the Democratic ticket, but is not active in politics. In 1859 he married Julia, daughter of Dr. James N. Sutton, of St. George's, Del. Five children were born of that union, namely: Lola, James N., Audley E., Fannie and Julia. Mrs. Julia Reynolds and all of her children are de- ceased. The present wife of Mr. Reynolds, with whom he was united in 1886, bore the maiden name of Kate Geogliegan and is a lady of esti- mable character, popular in the best circles of the district.
HOMAS H. KIRWAN is the proprietor of a general supply store at Lakeville, Dor- chester County. He is an enthusiastic Democrat and has served the people of this com- munity in the capacity of constable and tax col- lector. The office last mentioned he still holds, his district being the fifth. . For years he has been a worker in his party, and is quite an im- portant factor in its local success. He owns con- siderable land in this county and is a thorough, practical agriculturist.
A native of this district, Mr. Kirwan was born in 1849 to Thomas and Mary (Dean) Kirwan. The father was likewise born and reared in this immediate part of the county, and was a farmer by occupation. He has been a life-long resident of this place, and is now passing in quietude his declining years on the old farm. He has been given more than the allotted years of man, for he is now in his seventy-ninth year. He has been a very active member of the Republican party
and has never been prevailed upon to accept office. His father, John Kirwan, was of English descent, and was born, grew to man's estate and died, after a busy and useful life as a farmer, in this district. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Jolin Dean, who fought in the war of the Revolution. The children in the family of Thomas Kirwan are: Thomas H .; Fanny, wife of Edward Evans; Martha, wife of J. L. Wheatley; and Benjamin F., a merchant at Taylor's Point, this county. The mother departed this life in 1877. Both she and her husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Thomas H. Kirwan was educated in the public schools of Lake district, and from boyhood was very desirous of trying the life of a sailor. How- ever, he dutifully refrained from following out his own wishes as long as he was under age, in deference to his parents' opinion. On arriving at his majority he decided to resist the attrac- tions of the ocean no longer, and he accordingly shipped before the mast. For nearly ten years he was upon the sea, the greater part of the time having charge of a vessel. He made frequent trips to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, and other points. Then for a few years he was interested in running a sawmill and in selling lumber. He now owns about one hundred and twenty-five acres of good farm land here, and also has an interest in a tract of seven hundred and fifty acres. His homestead is well adapted for the raising of a general line of cereals and the crops commonly grown in this part of the county, and everything about the place gives evidence of the supervision that is bestowed upon it by the proprietor. In 1897 he opened his store at Lake- ville, and here may be found a good stock of groceries, dry goods, etc .- in short, whatever is usually contained in a store of this description.
Mr. Kirwan is a member of the Order of Red Men, being past sachem of the same, and is con- nected with the Junior Order of American Me- chanics, in which he has held many of the im- portant chairs, and is now treasurer of the local lodge. In 1876 Mr. Kirwan married Laura, daughter of Lorenzo Adams, and they have one child, Walter Pattison by name. The family
WILLIAM S. MERRICK.
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formerly were regular attendants upon the serv- ices of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and still go there to some extent.
ILLIAM S. MERRICK is a successful business man of Trappe, where he has for a number of years carried on a large trade in the sale of drugs. His interests are of a ver- satile character and are by no means limited to the management of his store. To some extent he has been identified with agricultural interests, owning a farm planted mostly to wheat. From 1884 until 1896 he served continuously as journal clerk of the Maryland house of delegates, and since the latter year he has been journal clerk of the Maryland senate.
In the district of Trappe, 11ear the village of that name, the subject of this sketch was born January 13, 1851. He is a son of Judge Samuel B. Merrick, a native of St. Michael's district, Talbot County, who spent the most of his life as a farmer, but from 1874 until his death, which occurred in December, 1891, was engaged in the coal and lumber business. In addition to this he owned and operated a number of coasting vessels. Politically a Democrat, he stood high in the ranks of the party in Talbot County. From 1872 to 1876 he was president of the board of county commissioners, and for eight years he held office as judge of the orphans' court. In religious be- lief he was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church South. At the time of his death he was seventy-five years of age.
The first marriage of Judge Merrick united him with Miss Ann J. Seymour, and six chil- dren were born of their union, two of these dying in infancy. The others are Drusilla, wife of Joseph Barnes, of Trappe district; Ardilla, who married J. J. Valliant; Samuel K., a practicing physician of Baltimore; and William S. Judge Merrick's second wife was Mary J. Barnes, by whom he had two children, Henrietta and M. Barton. The Merrick family is one of the oldest
on the Eastern Shore and was founded by Daniel Merrick, the settler, during the early part of the seventeenth century.
On a farm near Trappe the boyhood years of our subject's life were passed. He was educated in private schools and the high school of Trappe, and at the age of eighteen years began to teach school, in which occupation he continued for a time, meanwhile devoting his leisure hours to the study of law under the tutelage of Senator Gib- son. His next venture was as a merchant in Trappe, where he continued from 1874 until 1879. In 1880 he opened a drug store at his present location, where he has since carried on a successful business, and at the same time is the owner of freight coasting vessels, which handle a large grain trade. He is a man of energy, shrewd judgment. and untiring industry, and through persevering application has won a suc- cess of which he is eminently deserving. In politics he is a Democrat, being one of the leaders of the party in the county. For ten years he has been a member of the Democratic state central committee for Talbot County. He was elected journal clerk of the house of delegates of the session of 1884 and served continuously in that office without opposition from his own party until 1896, when he was elected journal clerk of the. Maryland senate, which position he still holds.
AMES H. CAULK. The entire life of this gentleman has been passed in Bay Hundred district, Talbot County, where, after the death of his mother, he purchased the old Hop- kins place formerly owned by her. On this eighty-acre tract he has since engaged in farming, fruit-raising and the oyster business. While by trade he is a carpenter he has never concentrated his attention upon this occupation, but has used it only in connection with his work upon the farm, preferring to devote himself rather to agriculture.
The first member of the Caulk family to come to America was John Caulk, a Scotchman, who had a grant of land lying between the Miles River
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and Harris Creek, in Talbot County, given him by Lord Baltimore. The property consisted of about three hundred acres and is now owned by Charles Caulk, brother of our subject. James, son of John, was born on this homestead and en- gaged in farming liere throughout his entire life. During the war of 1812 lie was a valiant defender of American interests and was one of six who guarded Parrott's Point at the time it was fired upon by the British.
John R., son of James and father of our sub- ject, was born on the homestead, and upon it he spent his entire life. For a short time he followed the carpenter's trade, but his attention was prin- cipally given to farm pursuits and to the manage- ment of a grist mill situated on the Miles River. A man of excellent judgment, he attained pros- perity through his efficient management of affairs. In politics he was a pronounced Democrat. He was at one time nominated for the position of county commissioner, but refused to accept the nomination. In religion he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died in 1876, aged sixty-seven years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Ellen Hopkins and was a daughter of James Hopkins, died in 1865, when sixty-four years of age. They were the parents of ten children, but only four are living: James H .; Joseph O., a merchant in Baltimore; Charles K., who resides upon the old homestead; and Lida, who makes her home with Charles.
Near his present place of residence our subject was born in 1844. After studying for some years in the public schools here, at sixteen years of age he went to Baltimore, where he served an ap- prenticeship to the carpenter's trade. On his return to the old homestead, at the age of twenty-one years, he settled down here to farm work and carpentering, but in 1866 he moved to the Hopkins place, owned by his mother, and after her death he purchased the property. In politics he takes an interest as a strong Demo- crat, but he has never sought office or aimed at leadership in his community. In the order of Heptasophis he is now the head officer. In 1871 he married Anna R., daughter of John W. Mc- Daniel, an extensive farmer of Bay Hundred dis-
trict. They have two children: Imogen, a suc- cessful teacher in the St. Michael's schools; and Walter H. The family are identified with the Methodist Protestant Church.
DWARD W. GIBBONS, one of the enter- prising young business men of Cambridge, Dorchester County, was born in Baltimore County, December 30, 1859, being a son of Isaiah Gibbons, who was likewise a native of that county, and there spent his entire life. He was an iron-worker and was an honest, industrious man, respected by all who knew him. In polit- ical faith he was a Republican, and fraternally was an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias. He died in his early prime, having just made a good start in his business career, and being but thirty-one years of age. His wife, whose girl- hood name was Elizabeth Ann Young, also was summoned to her reward when our subject was a mere child, she being scarcely thirty years old at the time of hier death.
One of six brothers and sisters, Edward W. Gibbons and his brother John S. are now the only survivors of the family. He grew up in Balti- more County and Howard County, Md., receiving a good general education in the public schools. In 1880, when he was about twenty-one years of age, he came to this town, Cambridge, and here learned the milling business. He was employed in the grist mill of this place upwards of fourteen years, and became thoroughly conversant with every department of the trade. In 1897 he de- cided to branch out in another line of occupation, and having carefully considered the matter he entered into partnership with U. D. Hopkins, and opened a livery and sale stable here. They are doing very well, and the business is rapidly increasing. They keep a good line of carriages and horses, and are very courteous and obliging to their patrons.
July 30, 1883, Mr. Gibbons married Lizzie, daughter of Robert A. Le Compte, of this place. She is a well-educated lady, of pleasing manners
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and fitted to grace any circle of life. They attend the Episcopal Church, and are ever ready to extend a helping hand to the poor and needy. Mr. Gibbons is a member of the Knights of Pyth- ias and of the Golden Chain, in both of which organizations he has held numerous offices.
LFRED B. TURPIN, a worthy representa- tive of an old and respected family on the Eastern Shore, has been engaged in mer- chandising for a great many years and has been located at Kingston, Somerset County, for over three decades. During this period he has man- aged a general store here and has also conducted
his fine farm adjoining his store, which contains one hundred acres, all in a high state of cultivation, also another farm of about two hundred acres. He has been actively connected with the Demo- cratic party and was twice a candidate for the office of sheriff, but was defeated, and served effi- ciently for two terms as tax collector.
John Turpin, father of the above, was a native of Brinkley's district, and was a farmer and also a merchant at old Kingston for some time. In 1843 he removed to Baltimore and kept a hotel on Camden street for several years, and while actively occupied in that enterprise he was claimed by death, being but forty-four years old. The Turpin family is an old one in Somerset County, dating back a number of generations to the original English ancestor who settled here. William Turpin, the father of John Turpin, was a hero of the war of 1812 and was a life-long farmer in this county. The first wife of John Turpin was a Miss Susan Bell in her girlhood, and of the five children born to them only two, Alfred B. and Emily, Mrs. H. Van Ausdal, of Ohio, re- main. The second wife of John Turpin was Mrs. Martha (Long) Mitchell, and all of her four chil- dren are deceased.
A. B. Turpin was born April 17, 1838, in Brinkley's district, but his boyhood was chiefly passed in the city of Baltimore, where his father was the proprietor of a hotel. His education was
obtained in the excellent public schools there and when he was in his eighteenth year he returned to this locality, and began serving an apprentice- ship to a carriage-maker. In 1860 he bought out Isaac T. Beauchamp and continued in the manufacture of carriages until after the war had ceased. Then he opened a general store at Carroll's Corner and five years later removed to Crisfield. There he built one of the first houses put up in the place, and during his two years' stay there he conducted a general store. It was in 1868 that he came to his present home and cast in his lot with our citizens, and he has never seen fit to regret this venture. He is a member of the Heptasophs and has been treasurer of the Odd Fellows' lodge here since it was organized.
In July, 1862, Mr. Turpin married Aurelia, daughter of George H. J. Beauchamp. She died in 1865, leaving two children, one of whom has since died. The other is Cora V., wife of E. M. Brook. The second marriage of Mr. Turpin was with Elizabeth, daughter of John J. Bell, of this county. They have an interesting family of three sons and two daughters, named as follows: Eliza- beth B., Susan M., John A., Thomas W. and Sidney F. The family are Episcopalians, and attend St. Mark's Church. Mr. Turpin is treas- urer of the congregation and has also served in the capacity of vestryman for several years past.
ON. JOHN F. DAWSON. With many of the leading enterprises of Caroline County the name of Mr. Dawson is indissolubly associated. A11 influential factor in the public life of this section, he has been chosen to serve in various positions of high honor. Among the po- sitions he has held are those of school commis- sioner, representative and state senator, all of which he filled in a manner indicative of high ability and great energy. His landed possessions aggregate three hundred acres of valuable land, which he superintends, besides acting as agent in the settlement of large estates. He assisted in the organization of the Denton National Bank, of which he was one of the first directors.
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Now a resident of Greensborough, Mr. Dawson was born in Centreville, Md., October 5, 1833, being a son of Capt. Thomas C. and Ann (Coursey ) Dawson, natives respectively of Tal- bot and Caroline Counties. He is the sole sur- vivor of the family of five children. His father, who was a soldier in the war of 1812, died March 10, 1840, in Dorchester County, when John F. was less than seven years of age. The grandfather, Nicholas Dawson, was a native of Talbot County, and a farmer by occupation; his father, Ralph Dawson, was a native of England, and thence emigrated to America prior to the Revolution, making settlement in Maryland. Captain Daw- son spent many years as a mariner, sailing a vessel between Centreville and Baltimore, but when past middle age he retired from the bay, and after- ward gave his attention to farming, until his death, at sixty-three years.
About a year after his father's death, our sub- ject and his mother came to Caroline County. His education was obtained principally in the public schools, and one year was spent by him in the Centreville Academy. He followed teaching for four years, and afterward turned his attention to farming. A Democrat in politics, he has al- ways been an ardent champion of his chosen party. In 1866 he was elected to the legislature, serving in the session of 1867. From 1868 until 1874 he was a member of the board of school com- missioners. In 1873 he was re-elected to the legis- lature, where he served for two years. In 1880 he was appointed school commissioner, which posi- tion he filled for the six ensuing years. Elected to the state senate in 1889, he rendered efficient service in behalf of his constituents during his terms of office, 1890 to 1894. On retiring from the senate he again became a school commission- er. At this writing he is a member of the audit- ing committee of Caroline County. Few Demo- crats of his locality have been more active than he in the management of party affairs, and the numerous victories won by the party organiza- tions during the past are in no small degree attributable to his energy and judicious manage- ment.
who was born in Caroline County, and died here at the age of twenty-nine. She was a distant relative of the late Samuel J. Tilden, of New York. A lady of excellent education, she was associated with her husband in teaching, and was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church. The second marriage of Mr. Dawson took place in 1868, at which time he married Emma Delahay, a sister of his first wife and a native of Caroline County. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons, and in religious views finds his home in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ON. JOHN S. SUDLER, of Fairmount dis- trict, Somerset County, has always been an important factor in local Democratic politics. He was a member. of the Maryland house of dele- gates in the session of 1858, and again in 1874. He was appointed state fish commissioner by Governor Frank Brown and served most credit- ably as such for two terms. Moreover, he has been chairman of the county Democratic central committee, and in every honorable way has sought to advance the welfare of his party.
The subject of this review is of the third gen- eration who have been sheltered within the walls of the substantial and beautiful house located on the old family estate in Fairmount district. This tract of land was a grant from Lord Baltimore. The structure was built over one hundred years ago from material shipped here on slow sailing- vessels from England, and many a sorrowful and happy event have its venerable walls witnessed in the intervening years. From time to time necessary improvements have been made upon it, but the original design is still unimpaired and it stands as a worthy example of the style and taste of the last century. The Sudler family is of English extraction and members of it have been connected with the history of Queen Anne's County, Md., since its first settlement. The town of Sudlersville was named in their honor and from that vicinity the grandfather of our sub-
In 1857 Mr. Dawson married Sarah J. Delahay, ject, Thomas Sudler, came to this county in his
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youth. He married Miss Nellie Waters, of the historical Waters family, and continued to dwell here during the remainder of his busy and pros- perous life. Of his children, William married and left children in this county; Thomas and Eleanor F. died unmarried; and Tubman was the father of John S., of this sketch.
The birth of Tubman Sudler took place upon the farm now owned by the gentleman of whom we write, and here he followed agricultural pur- suits as long as he lived. He married Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of Col. John Stewart, of Mano- kin, and their family consisted of Sarah, who became the wife of Thomas Sudler; Elizabeth, who is deceased; John S .; James E., of this county; and Thomas, who died while young.
John S. Sudler was born June 24, 1827, in the old home wherein he has always dwelt. He re- ceived a liberal education and turned his energies to farming when he had arrived at a suitable age. After his marriage he undertook the management of the farm of three hundred acres, and has kept it under good cultivation ever since. He was married November 27, 1861, to Susan E., daugh- ter of James and Elizabeth (Ballard) Thompson, of Dorchester County. Mrs, Sudler is also a de- scendant of the Waters family. They are identi- fied with the Episcopal Church and enjoy the esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances.
INLEY ROBERTS, a member of one of the oldest families of Queen Anne's County, and a prominent resident of Centreville, was born near the village of Sudlersville, in the north- ern portion of the county, March 10, 1850. His father, Lemuel, also a native of the county, was born in 1803, and spent his early life as a mer- chant at Sudlersville, later engaging in agricult- ure and milling. He was one of the prominent men of his day, and represented his district in the legislature for six or eight terms at different periods. After having served for two years as register of wills for the county, he was appointed by Governor Thomas for a second term of two
years. From 1847 to 1850 he served as com- missioner of public works for the state. During his long public career his ability and integrity won for him a high place in the regard of his fel- low-citizens, and the closing of his active work by death brought sincere regret to very many. He died in October, 1869, when in his sixty- seventh year. He was the only child of Benja- min Roberts, and was born after his father's death.
In the family records is an account of the pur- chase by Benjamin Roberts, November 12, 1791, from Martha and Rebecca Hughes, for one thou- sand pounds gold and silver money of Pennsyl- vania, "all that certain tract of land called Con- don Renowned, extended on the south side of the Chester River above Red Lyon Branch, in Queen Anne's County, Maryland." Three years later we find that he entered a tract of land in the Eastern Shore land office in Queen Anne's County and called it "Roberts' Land Renowned." This patent is now in the hands of Finley Roberts, the subject of this notice, as is also the deed from Martha and Rebecca Hughes for the tract pur- chased from them.
Maria Scott, the wife of Lemuel Roberts and the mother of Finley Roberts, was a native of the Western Shore, and was an only child. She died when her son Finley was ten years of age, leaving four sons: W. Scott; Benjamin G., who was a soldier in the Confederate army and cap- tain of a company raised in Queen Anne's County, but was wounded at Gettysburg, and died as the result of his wounds; Lemuel, who graduated from the Maryland Agricultural Col- ledge, and died of typhoid fever when only twenty years of age; and Finley, the subject of the present notice.
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