Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Part 54

Author: Chapman Publishing Company
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: New York, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 906

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THE FIRST HOME of the Tilghmans in this country was given the name of "The Hermit- age" by the "emigrant," Richard Tilghman, surgeon, who settled there upon coming from London, England, in 1660. The site is a beautiful one, presenting, as it does, an extensive view of the Chester River. A narrow strip of water, known as Earle's Creek, lies to the right, separ- ated by a long, narrow field from the river. In front, and running well to the left, is Tilghman's Creek, while below these, and reaching as far as the eye can see, flows Chester River.

The present house is a plain modern structure, erected in 1859 by the late Richard Cooke Tilgh- man, Jr., to replace the home of the "emigrant," which was burned down in 1832, during the life- time of the last of the direct line, Col. Richard Tilghman. A wing of the original house still

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remains and bears witness to its great age. The grant for four hundred acres, bearing date of 1658, and signed by Charles Calvert, is still in the possession of the family, together with a very quaint old volume of family records, brought from England by the "emigrant" and written, for the most part, in Court-Latin. There are also subse- quent parcliment deeds, whose ink has so paled as to render them almost undecipherable.

The chief interest now attaching to the Her- mitage, aside from its beauty of situation, and paramount thereto, is the old family graveyard. Here lies Richard Tilghman, surgeon, who died in 1675, and by his side, Maria Foxley, his wife, and their children and grandchildren unto the third and fourth generation and beyond: Richard and Anna Maria Lloyd, his wife; Richard and Susanna Frisby, his wife; and again, Richard (commonly called "the colonel") and Elizabeth his wife. This last Richard was the fourth of the name. Surviving his only son, he left the Hermitage to the son of his sister, Mrs. William Cooke. This nephew, adding Tilghman to his name, became Richard Cooke-Tilghman, and founder of the branch known as the Cooke-Tilgh- mans.

At his death, these broad acres, many times multiplied since the first grant, were divided among his five surviving sons: William, Richard, Henry, James and John, the second son, Richard Cooke-Tilghman, Jr., getting the home place. For one reason or another, all were obliged to part with their patrimony, save the said Rich- ard Cooke-Tilgliman, Jr. He married his first cousin, Elizabeth Cooke Williams, and died in 1879, without children, leaving the Hermitage to his wife. She dying eleven years after, left it to her brother, Otho Holland Williams, the pres- ent owner, who makes it his home. Thus, for the second time it passed to the female line. It will be observed that Mr. Williams and his brother-in-law, Richard Cooke Tilghman the second, though of different names, bear the same relationship to the last of the direct line, both being grand-nephews of Col. Richard Tilgh- man. Mr. Williams' mother, Susan Frisby Cooke, was a niece of Colonel Tilghman, and a

sister of Richard Cooke, who took his uncle's name when made his heir. Their father, Will- iam Cooke, married Elizabeth Tilghman, sister of the colonel, and daughter of Richard and Susan Frisby Tilghman. Mr. Cooke was a dis- tinguished lawyer and resident for many years in Annapolis, Md., where, because of his Tory proclivities, he was for a time forbidden to prac- tice. Of English parentage, he studied law in the Temple, and among the few relics now at the Hermitage are the table and chair used by him when a student in London.

ILLIAM M. COOPER, secretary of the Wicomico Building and Loan Association and assistant editor of the Salisbury Adver- tiser, is one of the energetic and progressive young business men of Salisbury. He gives his atten- tion largely to his duties as secretary of the build- ing and loan association, which he aided in organizing in 1894 and of which he was a charter member, having since officiated as secretary and one of the directors. In addition to this enter- prise, which is proving of great value to the citizens of Salisbury, he is also a member of the firm of Cooper Brothers, dealers in general mer- chandise at Mardela Springs, and besides his other interests he owns a farm in Wicomico County.

On his father's farm in Barren Creek district, Wicomico County, the subject of this sketch was born April 7, 1863, being the second son of Lambert H. and Martha Washington (Bradley) Cooper, also natives of this county. When a boy he was a pupil in the common schools of the home neighborhood and afterward entered the Maryland Military Academy at Oxford, Md., where he remained a student from 1885 to 1887. September 5, 1887, he came to Salisbury to accept a position as assistant editor of the Salis- bury Advertiser, and here he remained until February, 1892. He then went south and for a short time was in Cullman, Ala., but the prospects there were not flattering and he returned to

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Maryland, spending a short time in Baltimore as an employe on the Baltimore Sun. With a view to settling in the northwest, he went to Duluth, Minn., but after a short time there he became convinced that Maryland offered as good oppor- tunities as any other state, so he returned here. He resumed work as assistant editor of the Adver- tiser in August, 1893, and has since hield this position, in addition to carrying on the other interests already mentioned. In religious belief he is an Episcopalian, and politically he is inde- pendent.

ENRY HUBBERT is a very successful busi- ness man and farmer of Dorchester County, his postoffice address being Williamsburg. He was born upon the old homestead where he now has his place of abode, and has had the re- sponsibility of its management ever since his eighteenth year. Altogether he owns about four hundred acres in one continuous body, but di- vided for convenience into four farms. He per- sonally supervises the whole property, and is constantly increasing its value by substantial improvements and buildings which he deems necessary for the achievement of the best results.

The birth of Mr. Hubbert took place in 1839, his parents being Thomas and Ann M. (Coey) Hubbert. The father was born in the neighbor- hood of Williamsburg in 1803, and in youth learned the carpenter's and cabinetmaker's trade and also that of ship-building. Later in life he turned his attention to farming and was very well prospered in this line of occupation. To himself and wife there were born six children: Joseph, of Hurlock; Martha, who married Matthew Marine; Peter, since deceased; Henry; Angeline; and Irene, who is the wife of George Felter. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Michael Hubbert, whose wife was a Mrs. Payne, a widow before their marriage. He was probably a native of this county, and the land that was formerly in his possession was bought by our

subject in 1890, and upon it is still standing the old mill, since rebuilt, which he erected in the last century.

Henry Hubbert was trained from his boyhood in the proper methods of farming and is thor- oughly posted in everything pertaining to the subject. He acquired a good business education in the common schools, amply sufficient for his needs in after life, and has added to his stock of information by the powers of observation and experience. He has four barns and a mill upon his four homesteads, besides numerous other sheds and farm buildings and his pretty resi- dence. He is a stanch Democrat, and has acted in the capacity of collector of taxes in his own district.

In the year 1879 Mr. Hubbert married Mary J. Gambrill, a daughter of Darius Gambrill, and they have three sons and three daughters, named in order of birth, Hattie, Frank H., Orra, Dorsey, Eva and Elmer. They are bright, in- teresting young people, of whom their parents have reason to be proud, and are sure to make their way in the world and secure a place of esteem and influence.

ETER W. SULLIVAN is one of the most thrifty farmers of the eighth district of Car- oline County, and deserves great credit for the neat and tasty appearance of everything about his fine homestead. He raises all kinds of small fruits and a general line of grain, etc., and has some good stock upon the place. He was born on this farm and in the identical house which now shelters his family, and here his entire life, nearly forty years, has been spent.

Peter Sullivan, father of our subject, was also a native of Caroline County and an agriculturist by occupation. When he had arrived at mature years he married Mary Warren, who was born and reared to womanhood in this locality, and they had three children whom they brought up to adult age. One of the daughters, Eliza, mar- ried Henry Culver, of this county; and another

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daughter, Tansy J., became the wife of Charles Smith, who lives near American Corners, in this district.

The date of the birth of Peter Sullivan, whose name stands at the head of this article, is Janu- ary 3, 1860. Whenever he could do so in his boy hood he attended the common schools in the neighborhood of his home, and he early learned all the duties of a farmer. He fell heir to the old home place about 1886 and has since managed it with success. There are one hundred and seventy-three acres within its boundaries, all well improved and under cultivation. The owner takes great interest in matters of politics, and votes on behalf of the nominees of the Demo- cratic party.

January 6, 1886, Mr. Sullivan chose as the future sharer of his joys and sorrows a lady who has been a true helpmate to him from that day to this. Her maiden name was Clara Roach, her father being Henry Roach, of Seaford, Del. Our subject and his estimable wife have become the parents of two sons and two daughters, viz .: Harry, Nettie, Howard and Nellie, all bright, interesting children.

APT. SAMUEL M. TRAVERS, deceased, formerly a much-respected resident of the fourth district, was a man of exceptional ability and great force of character. Starting out in the battle of life a poor boy he made his own way from the time he was twelve, and single- handed won a victory over circumstances that was unusually distinctive. After a very busy and checkered career, most of his years spent upon the briny deep, with experiences of a startling nature, and many voyages made to foreign ports, he at length, in the evening of life, settled down to the peaceful, uneventful life of a farmer. He was a firm ally of the Democracy, and was the commander of the state fisheries for a period of three years.

Capt. John Travers, father of the above, was a native of this district, and here had his home.

He was away upon the ocean, however, sailing upon long voyages for the main portion of each year, and was master of a vessel several years. In charge of the ship he went to the numerous islands of the West Indies, taking and bringing cargoes to and from Cuba, Porto Rico, etc., and at last lost his life at sea, about 1820, from the capsizing of his ship. His wife was a Miss Geoghegan, who lived to an advanced age.

Capt. S. M. Travers was born soon after the final victory of the American troops over those of the mother country in the war of 1812-14. The date of his birth was June 3, 1815, and he was but five years old when his father's death took place. The love of the sea was strong within him, notwithstanding, and he was scarcely twelve when he shipped before the mast on a vessel of which his uncle, Samuel Travers, was the master. This was a ship which plied the Chesapeake Bay, and for three years the lad sailed between the chief ports along these shores, learning in the meantime all of the duties and requirements of the life. When he was fifteen he entered the em- ploy of Capt. Hicks Travers, who was engaged in trade along the bay, and at the age of twenty- two he was himself placed in command of a vessel belonging to James Hooper, of Baltimore, that sailed back and forth to the West Indies, for the next seven years. He left that employ to enter the service of a Scotch importer, a Mr. Rogers, as captain of the bark Francis Partridge. Dur- ing the eight years that followed while he sailed that vessel he was engaged in the coffee trade and also dealt in hides and horns in Uruguay, South America. Subsequently he went to the island of St. Thomas (belonging to Denmark) and entered into a partnership, the firm being styled Travers & Spaulding, and for some six or eight years conducted a ship-chandler's supply store on that island. The captain prospered in his new ven- ture, and, selling out, returned to this, his native county, and bought a farm on the western side of the mouth of Slaughter Creek (the farm now in the possession of his son Harry). Here, within sound of the sea he had always loved so well, he passed his remaining years and died September 2, 1892, at the age of seventy-seven years. At one

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time he was connected with the Masonic order, but was not active in the same in later years. He left an estate valued at about $10,000, the result of his industrious, well-applied energy along strictly legitimate lines of business.

In the city of Baltimore the captain married Catherine A. Carpenter, who died March 22, 1888, in the sixty-ninth year of her age. She left three sons and one daughter, viz .: Samuel C., a farmer of this district; Harry, who owns the old homestead, and is justly considered one of the representative farmers and fruit growers of this community; William C., also an agriculturist of this district; and Margaret E., who makes her home with her brother Harry in the summer and lives in Baltimore in the winter. Harry Travers married, April 27, 1893, Mrs. Ella G. Phillips, of Baltimore. Politically he is a Democrat.

OHN R. NEILD, a prosperous agriculturist of Dorchester County, is now operating the old homestead in the ninth district, formerly the property of his father, and dwells in the old home which was built as early as 1800. In addition to managing the farm he has invest- ments in lumber, fine farm land, etc., and dis- plays unusual ability in his varied enterprises. Though in his home farm there are but one hun- dred and twenty-five acres, he is the fortunate owner of nearly nine hundred acres altogether. In the matter of politics he votes for the candi- dates of the Democratic party, but is not a poli- tician, and has never yet been induced to accept office. He finds that his time is fully taken up with his own business affairs, and though he believes in performing all of the duties which devolve upon him as a citizen, he has no desire to enter the arena of public life.

Our subject is a native of this locality and was reared in the vicinity of the town of Woolford. His birth occurred July 10, 1830, and he is the only survivor of a family of twelve sons and daughters whose parents were Hugh and Eliza- beth (Fooks) Neild. The father was born near

here, in what was then called Milton, July 3, 1792, and passed his whole life in this community. He was a farmer and ship-builder and for years was a merchant in Milton, in which town his death occurred in 1860, at the age of sixty-eight years. Though he was a man of noble and righteous life, one who loved God and his fellow-men, he never joined a church organization. He was a Democrat, and was a magistrate here for a great many years, giving universal satisfaction in the manner that he met the requirements of that office. He was a son of one Abraham Neild, who left England and came to America to found a new home, and settled near Milton, where he owned land, and was engaged in merchandising and ship-building. He was a wealthy and influ- ential man of these parts in his day, and was the proprietor of large estates and many slaves. Hugh Neild was married three times, his first wife having been a Miss Wheeler, who died in young womanhood and left no children. After the death of our subject's mother, his father was united in marriage with Mary A. Rea. Mrs. Elizabeth Neild was a sweet Christian lady and was a faithful member of the Methodist Episco- pal church.

John R. Neild was a youth of about sixteen years when his mother died. He was reared and educated in the neighborhood of the old town of Milton (since called Woolford) until he was ready for the higher branches of learning, when he left home and was a student for four years in Dickinson College, of Carlisle, Pa. Having graduated in 1852 he returned to his native place, and has since pursued the occupations of farming, merchandising and dealing in lumber. From the very beginning of his business career he manifested the qualities of perseverance, forti- tude and well-applied industry, which have made him a rich man.

February 16, 1859, Mr. Neild and Hester A. Neal were united in marriage. Her father, Outerbridge H. Neal, was a prominent citizen of Delaware, and she was born in that state. Eleven children came to bless the home of our subject and wife, viz .: Elizabeth E., wife of W. W. Harrington; William H., of this place; Nicey

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A., wife of James W. Brook, Jr .; Nora Belle, deceased: M. Estelle, wife of Jantes Guy Vane; Jolın R., Jr., of Taylor's Island; Bertie J., wife of Charles Asplin; Cina L., at home; Outerbridge H., Alton B. and Harry G., all with their parents at home. The family are attendants upon the services of the local Methodist Episcopal Church, and are much respected members of the commun- ity in which they dwell.

ILLIAM T. ANDERSON, deceased, was one of the native sons of Kent County, and for years one of her most honored and respected citizens. A man of exemplary life and sterling qualities, he always strove to do his whole duty towards his fellow-men and to follow the teachings of the golden rule in his daily round of labor. His associates and neighbors were ever his friends and well-wishers, and now that he has passed from his old familiar place among them, his memory will be cherished fondly. He was a faithful member of the Protestant Meth- odist Church, and served the congregation with which he was identified for years as a trustee, and in many other ways showed his sympathy with the grand work of the church and his ear- 11est desire to promote religious progress. He was one who counted his own gain and worldly suc -. cess as a secondary matter to the general good, and his neighbors' prosperity as a thing more to be wished for than his ownt.

The birth of Mr. Anderson occurred on the 24th of March, 1838, in this county, and with- in its borders the first ten years of his life passed uneventfully upon a farm. At the expira- tion of that period his father died, and the lad went to reside with an uncle in Cecil County. He at- tended school and became initiated into the hard and arduous routine of agriculture in the follow- ing years. When he had attained his majority he returned to Kent County and rented a farmi in the fourth district, and upon this homestead he continued to dwell as long as he lived. He

was an industrious, persevering farmer, and made a fair livelihood for himself and family, educated his children and gave them good advantages, and was never too poor to lend a helping hand to the needy and unfortunate who came to him for aid. Death stilled his noble, kindly heart forever Feb- ruary 13, 1897, and he was tenderly placed to rest in the quiet cemetery, to await the last trumpet.

In November, 1867, the marriage of Mr. All- derson and Mary J. Stephens took place in Kent County. She was born in Baltimore and there spent twelve years attending the primary schools of that city. Then she removed to this locality with lier parents and grew to maturity in the third district upon a farm. Three daughters and a son were born to our subject and wife, their names in order of birth being as follows: Emma J., Carrie S., Thomas S. and Jane D. They have been given a good general education and are thus qualified to venture forth and fight the battles of life. They are bright, popular young people and have hosts of warm friends in this section. Mrs. Anderson is a devoted mother, one whose every thought is for the success and happiness of her children. She has long been a member of the Methodist Protestant Church.

OHN RICHARD BENTON, M. D. In.the suburbs of the village of Stevensville, on Kent Island, may be noticed the beautiful home of Dr. Benton, called Medical Hill. Here his leisure hours are spent and here, too, much of his time is devoted to professional research, for he continues to be a close student of his profes- sion. In addition to his general practice he holds the office of county health physician, to which position he was appointed in 1896. He is a mem- ber of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, in the work of which organization he takes a deep interest, as, indeed, he does in all organizations relating to the science of medicine.

ALFRED KEMP.

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

The first of the Benton family to locate in Queen Anne's County was the doctor's grand- father, James Benton, a native of Anne Arundel County and for years one of the representative men of Kent Island. The father of our subject, Richard Benton, was born on the island in 1814 and grew to manhood here. For his life work he chose farming pursuits, which he followed successfully for many years. By his marriage to Sarah E. Bryan, daughter of Samuel Bryan, he had six children, namely: George R., who died unmarried, July 31, 1885, aged thirty-one years; John R .; Joseph, who died April 17, 1886, aged twenty-six years, leaving an only child, George R .; Luther B., a pharmacist residing in Baltimore; Sarah C., who married Prof. Edward F. Taylor, of Virginia, and died May 25, 1895, aged thirty years; and Minnie, who married Prof. Edward F. Taylor, of Baltimore, in 1897.

After completing the studies of the common schools, our subject became a student in the state normal school at Baltimore, and later he taught school for three years. This was done in order to gain the funds necessary for the prosecution of his medical studies. In 1880 he entered the medical department of the University of Mary- land, from which he graduated with the class of '83, passing the competitive examination that gave him a position in the University hospital. He had access to all the hospitals of the city and in that way gained valuable information along different lines of the practice. The knowledge acquired by his experience in these hospitals was of a most practical nature, and has helped him in his later professional practice.

Until her death, which occurred November 8, 1896, in her seventy-first year, the doctor's mother kept house for him; she was a devoted and life- long Christian. January 14, 1897, he married Miss Alice G., daughter of James Bateman Hopkins. She is an earnest member of the Protestant Epis- copal Church. Politically the doctor is a Democrat, high in party councils, and from 1890 to 1894 served as a member of the Democratic state cen- tral committee. He is a member of the Home Fo- rum at Kent Island. The success which Dr. Benton has attained is due to his unaided exertions. He

began without capital, but has worked his way to a position of prominence, both as a skillful phy- sician and as a successful business man.

LFRED KEMP. After having devoted some years to business pursuits, Mr. Kemp, - in the spring of 1897, settled upon a farm in Trappe district, Talbot County, where he now superintends the cultivation of the one hundred and seventy-seven acres comprising the property. Besides this place, he is the owner of two hundred and fifty acres in another farm and sixty acres of woodland, making the total amount of his pos- sessions four hundred and eighty-seven acres. With local affairs, too, he has been intimately identified, notably with the Trappe creamery company, of which he has been president since its organization.

In the village of Trappe Mr. Kemp was born in 1837, and is a son of Dr. Samuel T. and Eliza- beth (Hardcastle) Kemp, natives of Talbot County, Md., and here he received a public school education. At the age of sixteen he went to Baltimore and began to work in Ross Wynan's machine shop, where he was employed for one year and three months. On his return to Trappe he became clerk in the store of Kemp & Lloyd, with whom he remained about two years. In 1860 he embarked in the mercantile business for himself in Trappe, as a member of the firm of Dellehay, Kemp & Co., but the following year withdrew from the partnership and removed to Bolinbroke, where he remained until 1864. On again coming back to Trappe he became a mem- ber of the mercantile firm of Mullikin & Kemp, and when the partnership was dissolved in 1867 he continued in business alone. Selling out the store in 1870, he went to Houston, Tex., where he was employed in a cotton house for fourteen months. From that time until 1890 he was cashier of the Houston & Texas Central Rail- road at Houston Station. Leaving Texas in 1890, he returned to Trappe, where he lived in retire-

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Portrait and biographical record of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Part 54

Author: Chapman Publishing Company Publication date: 1898 Publisher: New York, Chapman pub. co. Number of Pages: 906

Author: Chapman Publishing Company
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: New York, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 906