USA > Maryland > Portrait and biographical record of the Sixth congressional district, Maryland V. 2 > Part 9
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near Williamsport, where he had a grant of land from the English government. His remaining years were spent there, in the cultivation of a farm and the purchase and sale of property. He had a son, John, who became the largest land owner and dealer in the state, and who made his home in Cumberland; he owned all of Fort Hill, where the courthouse now stands.
Another son, William Waller Hoye, resided near McHenry, where he owned about two hun- dred acres of land and raised considerable tobacco. Besides the cultivation of his land he engaged extensively in buying and selling property, and was also a practical surveyor, surveying among other tracts, the military lots west of Fort Cum- berland. He died at the age of about sixty years. His son, John, father of our subject, was born in Allegany County in 1807 and spent his entire life here, engaged in farm pursuits. He owned one thousand acres of land, as well as a number of slaves. Besides being one of the leading farmers and stockraisers of his locality, he was prominent in public affairs and a leader of the Whigs in his community. During the war his sympathies were with the south, and shortly after the close of the conflict he died, in October, 1865, being then fifty-eight years of age.
By the marriage of John Hoye to the daughter of Jacob Craver, of Greensboro, Greene County, Pa., eight children were born, and six of these are still living, namely; Samuel C .; Ann, wife of L. C. Hendrickson; Ellen; Mary, Mrs. Walter Engle; William D. and John J. P., of Dunbar, Pa. The mother of this family passed from earth in 1883, at the age of seventy-one years.
The birthplace of Mr. Hoye was Hoyesburg (named for the family ), about ten miles south of Deer Park, on the Northwestern turnpike, the old stage route from Winchester to Clarksburg. Here his father conducted a hotel in addition to his agricultural interests. This property was des- troyed by fire in 1882, causing a loss of $10,000. During the year 1861 a skirmish was fought at this place, known as the battle of the Burnt Chimneys, between the retreating Confederates under Colonel Ramsey, and the Union forces under General Hill.
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The early years of his life our subject spent under the parental roof and in attendance at the public schools of Allegany County. In 1863, during the Civil war, he enlisted with McNeal's rangers and served in the cavalry until the ex- piration of his time, in January, 1865, when he returned to his home. Taking up agricultural pursuits he engaged in carrying on a farm at his native place until 1872, and then removed to a farm near Mountain Lake Park, where he re- mained for ten years, occupying the farm where Henry Weber now resides. From there he moved to Deer Park. In 1882 and 1884 he was the Demo- cratic candidate for the house of representatives, but his ticket was defeated both times. For four years he served as justice of the peace and for six years he was a member of the school board. Under President Cleveland he was deputy post- master at Deer Park. Fraternally he is a charter member of Lodge No. 122, I. O. O. F., at Oak- land, and in religious connections he is identified with the Lutheran Church at Oakland.
( OHN O. GETTY is a member of a prominent family of Garrett County, and is himself a man of exceptional ability and sound judg- ment, carrying on with great enterprise the mercantile business at Grantsville, of which he is the head. He was born near this village in 1863 and is a son of Hon. William R. Getty, one of the distinguished citizens of the county and a . promoting the interests of the silver Democracy man who has long been a recognized leader of the Democratic party in this section. Through his efficiency in the management of public affairs he has attained a position of great influence. His fitness for public office has led to his frequent se- lection as the people's representative in positions of trust and responsibity.
Hon. William R. Getty was born February 29, 1832, on the national pike in Allegany (now Garrett) County at Piney Grove, within six miles of Grantsville. His parents, James and Jane (McKinzie) Getty, were natives respectively of
Pennsylvania and Maryland. They were the parents of three sons and one daughter. In 1856 the family removed to Ohio, with the exception of William R., who alone remained in Maryland. He obtained his early education in the public schools of Maryland and Bedford, Pa., and a se- lect school. For two years he clerked in a store at Southampton Mills, Pa., and from there came back to Piney Grove, where he clerked in a mer- cantile store for nine years. In 1860 he came to Grantsville, where he was constable for two years and magistrate for a similar period. He then went to St. Louis, where he remained for three years, and during that time he was engaged in the commission and leather business, in part- nership with John A. Schultz. In 1867 he again returned to Maryland and started a mercantile and lumber business in Grantsville, carrying it on until 1890, when he retired from active busi- ness life.
He filled the offices of school commissioner and tax collector for two years. In 1872 he took an active part in the formation of Garrett County. The following year he was elected the first sena- tor from this county and served four years, and after an interval of four years, was again elected, then, after another interval of four years was re- elected, serving twelve years altogether. In 1887 he was appointed deputy collector of in- ternal revenue under Cleveland's administration, serving for three years, and was re-appointed by the Republican administration, but refused to serve. In the campaign of 1896 he was one of the Bryan electors and took an active part in
in this locality. It is undoubtedly true, and will be accepted readily by his political opponents, that few men have done more than he to promote the welfare of Garrett County. His time has ever been at the service of his fellow-citizens; their prosperity, his aim; their advancement, his ambition; and for such reasons as these he has gained the prestige which a life of loyal service always gives an able man. He is still in life's prime, with, it may be hoped, many years of continued usefulness before him.
By the marriage of Senator Getty to Margaret,
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daughter of Uriah Cross, eight children were born, namely: O. G. Getty, M. D., of Meyers- dale, Pa .; J. C., also a physician, .but now deceased; Alvin F., who lives in Cumberland; John O .; Charles B .; Ella, wife of Dr. G. C. Keller; Fannie, wife of Dr. Bruce Lichty; and Leonard B. The mother is still living and makes her home in Grantsville. - Our subject was edu- cated in the public schools and upon starting out for himself succeeded his father in the mercantile business, which he has since conducted. He is interested in politics and supports Democratic principles. In 1894 he married Annie Dorsey, daughter of Patrick Dorsey. The two children born of the union are Angela and Wilda.
APT. ELIJAH M. FRIEND, of Friends- ville, Garrett County, is a worthy represent- ative of one of the veritable pioneer families of this section. The founder of the house in the United States was Dr. John Friend, a French- man, who settled in New Jersey about 1725; married a Miss Levis, and subsequently removed to Maryland, taking up his abode near Swan Pond, not far from Cumberland. Thence the family later went to Turkey Foot (now Conflu- ence), Pa.
The birthplace of our subject's grandfather was probably in the town last mentioned. He bore the christian name of Gabriel, and his eventful life extended over an entire century, as he was six months and twenty-one days past his one hundred and first birthday anniversary at the time of his death. He made the journey from his native town to this locality on the Youghio- gheny River, when it was frozen over solidly. Being among the very first settlers of this com- munity, and as he was a man of great force of character and learning for that day in these wilds, he became an influential personage here. The town of Friendsville was named in his honor and he was appointed the first postmaster of the place. All of the legal business of the
neighborhood was brought to him for settlement, and for years he held the office of magistrate. His main occupation was that of agriculture, but he found time for discharging multifarious duties.
The parents of the captain were Jacob B. and Ruth (Casteel) Friend, who lived to the ages of sixty-nine and eighty-three years, respectively. Of their four children our subject is the only sur- vivor. Those deceased were Nancy Jane, Jesse and Elizabeth. Mrs. Friend was a daughter of Jesse Casteel, of Flint Stone, Md. Jacob B. Friend was a representative man of his period, and was noted for his prowess as a hunter in these mountains, when bears and deer and other wild game were very abundant. Many a story is related of him, and though he was very dar- ing, often actually entered the caves and dens in- habited by the denizens of the forest, he always escaped with small injury. Politically he was a Whig. Born in 1793 in the neighborhood of Friendsville, he passed his whole life in this part of the county, and was respected and loved by all who knew him.
Capt. Elijah M. Friend was born upon the farm where he still dwells, in 1836, and was edu- cated in the district schools. His studies were continued in Rainsburg Seminary after he had completed his first term of service in the Union army, and in the fall and winter of 1865 he taught school in his home neighborhood. He enlisted in Company I, Second Maryland Regi- ment of Volunteer Infantry, as a private and served three years, being promoted to corporal and sergeant and sergeant-major while on the field. In February, 1865, he was ordered to Cumberland, Md., to act in the capacity of en- rolling officer with the rank of captain. This position he filled acceptably until the fall of Rich- mond, when he was soon granted an honorable discharge. In 1857-58-59 he was superintendent for Joseph Thornton, a wealthy Englishman, who was in this country engaged in getting out ship timber. In 1859 and 1860 he was appointed assist- ant enumerator in the government census taken of this portion of the state. In the spring of 1866 he was appointed assistant asses- sor under George Charles, at Cumberland, and
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later succeeded that gentleman as county asses- sor, retaining the office up to 1869. In 1873 he helped to take the census of the western part of Allegany County (now Garrett) and divide the county. For several years he traveled extens- ively as salesman in the western, southern and eastern states, but in 1879 returned to his old home with the intention of making his permanent residence here in the future. He has since been engaged in general farming and owns three hun- dred acres of fine land here. In 1887 he was elected to the Maryland legislature, and was one of the active Democrats in that honorable body during the sessions. For many years he has held membership with the Methodist Episcopal Church, was one of the building committee of both the old and the new church buildings, and has been a trustee for a long period.
In 1890 Mr. Friend married Miss Emma C. Schroyer, daughter of J. D. Schroyer; and three children grace their happy home. They are named respectively: Earl Morrill, Ruth Adele and Ada Blanche.
EORGE E. BISHOFF, a successful farmer and dairyman of the Sixth District, Garrett County, was born in Preston County, W. Va., in 1843, and is a son of Henry and Lydia (Miller) Bishoff, natives of the same county. His father, who was born in 1799, spent fifty years of his life upon the same farm and was one of the prominent farmers of his locality, owning large tracts devoted to the raising of horses, cattle and cereals. Politically he was active in the Democratic party up to the time of the war, and afterward a Republican. For many years he was a deacon in the Lutheran Church. His death occurred in 1872, when he was seventy- three years of age. He was of German parentage, his father having emigrated from Germany and become one of the earliest settlers of Preston County.
The family of which our subject is a member
consisted of eleven children, of whom eight are living, namely: Susan, widow of John Ringer; Mary, wife of Jacob Bower; Rachel, widow of Eugene Wolf; Elizabeth, Mrs. Joseph Harner; Catherine, who married Thomas Cuppett; George E .; and Ezra, of St. Louis County, Mo. Those deceased are: Margaret, wife of Michael Albright, of Preston County; Joseph; Lydia, wife of Zalmon Cuppett; and John H. The mother of these chil- dren died at the home of our subject in 1891, when she was eighty-seven years of age.
In a log cabin, with few appurtenances for teaching, our subject gained a knowledge of the three R's. At the age of eighteen he enlisted in Company A, Seventh West Virginia Infantry, and served for four years, being promoted to the rank of sergeant-major after the battle of Gettys- burg, and to the rank of adjutant near Petersburg during the siege of Richmond. He participated in the battle of Antietam, Gettysburg, the Wil- derness and other engagements. During his en- tire period of service he was not wounded or taken prisoner. In July of 1865 he returned to Preston County and shortly afterwards bought one of his father's farms, situated near Brandon- ville, where he spent four years. In 1870 he came to Allegany County and settled on a farm near Friendsville, his land being included within the present limits of the village. In 1878 he sold there and bought a farm near Hoyes, where he has since resided, carrying on general farming and stock-raising on his two hundred acres of land. He makes a specialty of fine dairy work and furnishes the markets with the finest quality of home-made butter.
Politically a Republican, Mr. Bishoff was county commissioner for two years, census taker for one term, and tax collector during his residence in Preston County. Political matters engage his attention and he studies to keep him- self posted concerning all the issues before the people to-day. In 1865 he married Miss Martha A., daughter of George Sisler, of Preston County. The children now living that were born of their union are: Charles H., who is living in Mineral County, W. Va :; Laura, wife of George Custer; Thomas; Lillian, wife of George W. Kemp, of
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Somerset County, Pa .; Jennie, Clara, William and Pearl. The children are all musically in- clined, having inherited talent in that art from their father, who has been interested in music for years and has served efficiently as leader of the church choir. The four children of our sub- ject who are deceased are two who died in infancy, unnamed, and Joseph Cook and George Milton.
Fraternally Mr. Bishoff is connected with Sherman Post No. 11, G. A. R., department of Maryland, in which he has been adjutant. In the Methodist Episcopal Church he has been steward, trustee, class-leader, exhorter for twenty-seven years, and Sunday-school superintendent for twenty-one years. He has also been president of the Garrett County Sunday-school Association. His family are members of the same church as himself. As a farmer he is well and favorably known. He takes great pride in keeping his farm and its buildings in good condition and has gained a success of which he is eminently deserv- ing.
D HRISTIAN M. KEEDY, of Keedysville, was born in 1827 in a house that stood a little to the south of this village. He repre- sents the fourth generation of a family in Wash- ington County. His great-grandfather came to America from Germany, and was one of the pioneers of this county (then included in Fred- erick), settling in the vicinity of the present village of Keedysville, where he cleared and im- proved a tract of farm land. The grandfather, Jacob H. Keedy, was born in this vicinity and spent his entire life in agricultural pursuits, be- ing fairly successful in his enterprises. He oc- cupied the old homestead on the Braddock road, residing there until within a short time of his death, when he came to Keedysville and here he died when about seventy-five years of age.
John J. Keedy, our subject's father, was one of ten children. He was born in this locality in 1805, and made farming his life occupation, though he had other important interests. In
1834 he built a grist mill in Keedysville, which was the first mill in this part of the county, and which he carried on for six years, in addition to managing his farm. He was the pioneer of Centreville, the name of which, after the establish- ment of the postoffice, was changed to Keedys- ville, in honor of him and in recognition of the work he had done for the upbuilding of the town. Politically he was a Whig during the existence of the party, and later a Republican. When the Civil war was in progress he acted in the capacity of guide to the Union soldiers, and at the battle of South Mountain was in the Union lines, but never enlisted in the service. Being an old resi- dent and knowing the country well, his services were quite valuable to the army officers. He died in 1868, when he was sixty-two years of age.
The mother of our subject was Mary Ann Middlekauff, daughter of Christian M. Middle- kauff; she died in 1882, at the age of eighty-two years. Of her eight children, four are living, viz .: Christian M .; George W., living in Kan- sas; Ann Sophia, wife of James Aversall; and Thomas Jefferson, whose home is in Nebraska. The early years of our subject were passed on the home farm, where he assisted his father in the cultivation of the land. After his father's death he succeeded to the old homestead, which he now owns and upon which he raises the various cereals. He is the owner of about seven hun- dred acres of fine land in Washington County, As a farmer he is very progressive, it being his aim to keep in touch with every improvement that will assist in the work of developing an estate. Of agriculture he has made a science. He has introduced modern machinery and all the latest methods of carrying on a farm. In 1868 he established a general farmers' pro- ducts business at Keedysville, and this he has since successfully conducted. Both in business and in farming he has been successful. He is the only one now living on the line of the Balti- more & Ohio Railroad at this point who resided here at the time the road was built. He was the first burgess of the town and has been active in promoting enterprises for the benefit of the town and county. Politically a Republican, he is active
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in the party in local and state affairs, and was one of the prime movers in establishing the town cemetery, donating the land needed for the pur- pose, and purchasing about two-thirds of the stock. He is also a director in the Boonsboro and Sharpsburg turnpike. .
In 1849 Mr. Keedy married Mary Ellen Carr, daughter of John Carr. They have three chil- dren: Clemantine, wife of Jacob Eavy; Etta E., Mrs. Charles B. Taylor; and Lottie B., who mar- ried Charles E. Keedy, of Baltimore. The family are identified with the Reformed Church, in which Mr. Keedy has been an elder for many years. Fraternally he is connected with Eureka Lodge No. 105, A. F. & A. M.
ACOB H. COST, a representative citizen of the Twenty-first District of Washington County, has always been noted among his neighbors and acquaintances for his integrity and uprightness of character. He is a man whose chief aim in life has not been personal aggran- dizement, but rather the promotion of his brother's welfare and that of the people. He has not sought, as so many do, to become wealthy at the expense of others' rights, but has gradually amassed a comfortable fortune by honest industry and steady toil. To his children he will leave an inheritance far better and more lasting than riches-an unblemished name and a record of which they have just cause to be proud.
The father of the above, Samuel Cost, was a native of Sharpsburg District, and in his young manhood plied the trade of shoemaking and at one time had the largest trade of any country shoemaker in the county. He had a shop on his farm, and was aided by his wife, who did consid- erable of his work for him, such as binding, etc. Afterwards, when he had become rich and suc- cessful, he bought tracts of fine farm land until he owned some four hundred and fifty or more acres. For one term he served as county com- missioner, to the entire satisfaction of all con-
cerned, and after the organization of the Repub- lican party he gave it his earnest support. Dur- ing the war, he was exceptionally good to the wounded soldiers, and often cared for them in his own house. He was a true Christian, and for years was a faithful member of the Reformed Church and an elder in his last years. Death called him to the better land when he had reached the age of about seventy-four years. His father, Frederick, whose age at death was nearly the same, was likewise a shoemaker by occupation.
The mother of our subject was Miss Barbara Kecdy before her marriage, a daughter of Jacob H. Keedy. Her brother, John J. Keedy, founded the village of Keedysville. Mrs. Cost was a lady whom everybody loved. She died when but forty-five years of age, firm in the faith of the Reformed Church, in the doctrines of which she had been trained from childhood. Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Cost but two are now living, Jacob H. and Aaron, the latter a resident of Hagerstown.
Jacob H. Cost was born in Sharpsburg District, Washington County, January 14, 1833, and passed his early days on a farm where the old shoe-shop of Keedysville yet stands. He re- ceived his education in the subscription schools of that period, and continued to give his father his assistance until he was twenty-three years of age. For the following thirty years he was engaged in carrying on a farm on the banks of Antietam Creek, the place being called the Hitt farm. In 1885 he bought the fine home- stead which he has since cultivated and on which he has made substantial improvements. He has been a stanch adherent of the Republican party, a friend to the cause of education and everything favoring progress. On the morning of Septem- ber 17, 1862, while the dreadful battle of Antic- tam was being fought, he opened his house as a hospital for the wounded soldiers and by nine o'clock there were twenty-five of the poor suffer- ers in his parlor receiving treatment. General Meade had his headquarters in his home for some time, also; in every way possible Mr. Cost gave his aid to the Union forces. He is a man of very kind and generous nature, and it has been one of
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the chief pleasures of his life when an opportun- ity offered that he might prove of use to liis fel- low-men and country. For twenty-one years he served as deacon in the Reformed Church of Keedysville, but since his removal to his present home he has been an active member of Zion Re- formed Church at Hagerstown, of which his fam- ily are regular attendants. He has served as an elder of that body since 1886.
The first wife of Mr. Cost was Miss Barbara A. Piper, who died at the age of thirty-three years, leaving four children. But one of the number, Hamma, is now living. For his second wife Mr. Cost chose Miss Alice L. Koons, daughter of Peter Koons, of Carroll County. They have had two children, Irene M. and Jessie. Irene is the wife of Rev. G. A. Snyder, pastor of Christ Reformed Church of Hagerstown. Jessie, the younger sister, is at home with her parents.
ICHARD THOMAS FRAZEE is the pro- prietor and manager of the Crawford House in Friendsville, Garrett County, and is very popular with the people of this community and with the traveling public in general. About six years ago he built the fine modern hotel now con- trolled by him, and has it well fitted out with equipments suitable to a place of this size. In addition to running the hotel, he owns and oper- ates the farm known as Chestnut Lump; is inter- ested in a lumber business, furnishing ties to the railroad company at the rate of three thousand per month the year around. Aggressive and methodical in his transactions, adhering to the letter in all contracts, reliable and fair, he has won the commendation of all who know him, and is rapidly acquiring a comfortable fortune.
Elisha Frazee, great-grandfather of our sub- ject, was a native of France, but settled in New York City during the Revolutionary war. He owned large estates there, and among other property which he possessed, was that where Trin- ity Church now stands. He leased this site to
unknown parties for ninety-nine years, and the land has grown in value until it is now estimated to be worth nearly $100,000,000. By right it belongs to the Frazee family, but the lack of proper evidence and the loss or destruction of the original lease, prevent them from taking any definite action in the matter. After leasing the above land, Elisha Frazee came to Maryland and purchased land near Selbysport. There he passed the remainder of his life and reared seven daughters and two sons, Jonathan and Jeremiah. The younger son succeeded to the home property, and of his descendants now living in Selbysport, Hiram W., George W. and William Henry are his grandchildren. Jonathan Frazee removed from his birthplace near Selbysport to the vicinity of Friendsville, and here bought what is now known as Frazee's Ridge, and on this place his death occurred.
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