FREDERICK COUNTY
Transcribed by Denise Wells
Frederick, the oldest of the Western Maryland counties, and one of the largest and most flourishing in the State, is bounded on the north Pennsylvania, on the east by Carroll county, south by Howard and Montgomery counties and the Potomac River, and west by Washington county. The county contains an area of 633 square miles. It is divided into twenty-one election districts. The western boundary of the county is the top of South Mountain. East of this, and running nearly parallel, is the first mountain ridge of Western Maryland, called the Catoctin Mountain, which is a spur of the Blue Ridge. The country between these two mountains comprises six of the election districts, and is known as the Middletown Valley, which is watered by the Catoctin creek in its flow to the Potomac. Pen-Mar, the celebrated resort on the Western Maryland Railroad, is situated at the head of this valley, and is right at the northwest corner of the county. The upper end of the county, comprising Hauver's and Catoctin districts, is broken, hilly, and for the most part stony, although there are several fertile little valleys, formed by the Catoctin creek, known as Eyler's Harbaugh, &c. The next district towards the south is Jackson, which has good, strong soil, mostly limestone. Next comes Middletown, with its heavy limestone soil and one of the richest and most productive districts in the county. Below this lie Petersville and Jefferson districts, which contain a variety of soil, clay, flint, limestone and loamy land, mostly of good quality and productive. These two districts border on the Potomac River, and the B. & O. R. R. and Chesapeake the Ohio Canal run through their southern borders. In the former of these districts I situated the famous "Merryland tract," the seat of some of the finest homes in the county. Among the families residing there are those of Outerbridge Horsey, Thomas Lee, the Gouverneurs, Deavers, Horines, O'Donnells, Hillearys, Ahalts and others. Here is situated also the Needwood distillery, operated by Mr. Outerbridge Horsey. The remarkable gap in the mountains at Harper's Ferry is a conspicuous feature from this locality. Along the South Mountain, from a point northward of Middletown down to Crampton's Gap, near the Potomac, the battle of South Mountain was fought.
East of the Catoctin mountain [ es] the Monocacy Valley, watered by the river of that name, much broader than the Middletown Valley, and bounded on the east by the Linganore Hills. Emmittsburg and Mechanicstown districts, which lie about the headwaters of the Monocacy in the northern part of the county, have a variety of soil-slate, flint, clay, loam and red land. Creagerstown, Lewistown and Tuscarora districts are mostly red clay soil, with some flint, slate and limestone. They produce large crops of grain. Near Emmittsburg are located the large Catholic institutions, Mount St. Mary's College and Mount St. Joseph's Academy, which is also the headquarters of the Sisters of Charity in the United States. The Western Maryland Railroad runs through Creagerstown and Mechanicstown districts, and there is a branch railroad from Rocky Ridge to Emmittsburg, and also a branch from Mechanicstown to the Catoctin iron furnaces, a distance of three miles. Emmittsburg and Mechanicstown are both thrifty towns, each possessing a number of local industries, such as tanneries, &c. Tom's Fishing and Hunting creeks, strong streams which flow down the mountain sides in this region, afford excellent water-power. Woodsboro, Mount Pleasant, Frederick and Buckeystown districts, extending southward along the Monocacy, comprise the largest extent of prime soil in the county. Nearly all of it is strong, first-class limestone land, comparatively level and almost wholly free from surface rock that would interfere with cultivation. It is unsurpassed by any land in the State for general fertility.
Johnsville, Liberty and Linganore districts comprise a fine farming section-land gently rolling, mostly limestone, with some slate and flint. In this region are situated valuable deposits of copper, zinc and hematite iron ores. The Dolly Hyde copper mines, near Liberty, were operated a century ago, and continued to be worked successfully until stopped in recent years by inflow of water. The Liberty copper mines are near Johnsville, and the zinc an iron mines in Linganore districts. Woodville, New Market and Urbana, together with the three last-named districts, comprise the Linganore section of the country, lying east and south of the Monocacy, and drained by the Linganore, Bush and Bennett creeks, tributaries of the Monocacy. The land in these districts is more rolling and consists principally of slate and flint soil, there being little or not limestone in this section. The land, however, is of a good clay consistency, though varying somewhat in quality. The best is under good tillage, producing excellent crops and well adapted for fruits.
In the western section of the county there is considerable mountain land that would make comfortable homes for industrious settlers, and which can be bought for from one dollar to ten dollars per acre. The better lands in the upper part of Middletown valley, with comfortable improvements, range from $15 to $40, while in the lower part, the range is from $25 to $100 per acre. In the upper part of Monocacy valley, improved farms range in price from $20 to $50, and in the lower part from $50 to $120; in the upper Linganore section, from $30 to $100, and in the lower portion from $10 to $70. Springs and running water abound throughout the county, except in the limestone region, around Frederick and Middletown, which is supplied largely by wells.
The present products of Frederick county are principally wheat and corn and other cereals, hay, potatoes, grass and dairy products. Considerable impetus has recently been given to the dairy interests in the county, and large creameries have been established at Walkersville, Middletown, Buckeystown, Adamstown, Frederick and other places. The low price of wheat and corn has been one cause of the stimulus to the dairy business, the farmers beginning to realize the necessity for a new departure. The mountains in the Linganore section are well adapted to the growth of all kinds of fruit and the cultivation of the vine. The Catawba, Concord, Isabella and other varieties of the grape grow there to great perfection, but little attention has yet been given to the cultivation of fruits of any kind on an extended scale, though it would undoubtedly prove profitable. The mountains are capable of cultivation to their tops, and wines of an excellent quality are made here in a limited way from the native grape. During his several visits to Frederick while President, Gen. Grant expressed much surprise that the great advantages of the mountain sides in this section were not availed of for the cultivation of grapes. Nearly the whole of this county is excellently adapted for truck farming, and capable of raising to the greatest perfection, all kinds of vegetable and small fruits. Asparagus and celery of the finest quality are produced, and all root crops yield largely, but their cultivation thus far has been for home consumption only. The scope for varied agriculture is unlimited, and especially in view of the fact that there are direct railroad outlets to Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia by both the Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroads. In regard to machinery, the most improved make is generally used, and abundant supplies of it are furnished by agriculture implement houses in Frederick and by agents at the various railroad stations throughout the county. Horses, cattle, hogs and sheep are generally of superior quality and great attention has of late years been given by numerous stock farmers in the county to the breeding of the best trains of these. The result has been a great improvement in milch [sic] cows, roadsters, draught horses, &c.
The manufactures of the county comprise numerous flouring mills and tanneries, three distilleries, the Catoctin iron furnaces, a number of brickyards, hinge factory, several woolen mills, carriage factories, numerous extensive limekilns, several foundries, and one of the largest corn canning establishments in the country. The abundance of water-power in the county and available mill sites, together with the conveniences for procuring coal by railroad and canal, and timber of all kinds from the forests of Pennsylvania and Virginia, added to the mineral resources, present great inducements for certain kinds of Manufactures. The enormous output of pig iron from the Catoctin furnaces, when in operation, together with the large quantities of iron that might be produced from other ore deposits, could all be worked up to advantage in the county, if rolling mills and other iron industries were established, instead of being transported to other States. The manufacture of agricultural implements and machinery, woodwork for carriages, &c., could also be profitably conducted; and if truck farming was more generally introduced, a superior quality of all kinds of seed could be supplied. A pickling factory on a large scale, it is thought, could also do well.
According to the census of 1890, the population of Frederick county was 49,512, divided as follows: white, 42,865; colored 6,646. Frederick city, according to the census of 1890, contains a population of 8,193.
Among the larger towns outside of Frederick, are Emmittsburg, Mechanicstown, Middletown, Woodsboro, Jefferson, Walkersville, Buckeystown, New Market, Liberty, Unionville and Point of Rocks. Of macadamized roads there are about 125 miles, and between 1,200 and 1,300 miles of country roads. The public schoolhouses number 151, and the pupils who attend them nearly 11,000. The churches, representing all denominations, number about 140. In 1880, according to the census returns, the county had 13,326 horses, 13,793 milch cows, 14,544 other cattle, 12,672 sheep, 38,074 swine. The farm products were 1,774,256 bushels of corn, 1,418,542 of wheat, 94,267 of oats, 42,502 of rye, 133,390 of irish potatoes, 370,840 pounds of tobaccco [sic], 74,857 pounds of wool. There were at tha [sic] time 444 manufacturing industries in the county, with capital of $1,828,927, and products of the value of $2,806,098.
The opportunities afforded in Frederick county for industrious immigrants are believed to be as good as anywhere in the United States. The colored help is, to a large extent, inefficient and unreliable, and industrious white immigrants would be welcomed and have no difficulty in securing employment at remunerative wages, or cheap homes where they could rapidly thrive and prosper.
SOURCE: Scharf, J. Thomas, "The natural & industrial resources and advantages of Maryland: being a complete description of all counties of the state and the city of Baltimore: together with an accurate statement of their soil, climate, antiquities, raw and manufactured products, agricultural and horticultural products, textile fabrics, alimentary products, manufacturing industries, minerals and ores, mines and mining, native woods, means of transportation, price of land, cheap living, ready markets, excellent homes, and the material and social advantages and unequaled opportunities Maryland possesses for those seeking homes, and for capitalists who wish to invest in industries that are sure to pay big dividends," C.H. Baughman & Co., Publisher; © 1892. pps. 55-61.