MIDDLEBURG DISTRICT, No. 10.
The Tenth District of Carroll County, generally known as Middleburg, is bounded on the north by the Taneytown District, on the west by the districts of Uniontown and Union Bridge and by Frederick County, on the south by Frederick County. The Monocacy River, Double Pipe Creek, and Little Pipe Creek separate the district from Frederick County, while Big Pipe Creek flows through the centre of the district. These streams and their tributaries supply an abundance of water for all purposes. The Western Maryland Railroad passes through the southern portion of the district, and the Frederick and Pennsylvania Line Railroad divides it very nearly into equal portions, these roads furnishing ample facilities for outside communication, trade, and traffic. The district in 1880 had a population of 1221.
Middleburg District was created by an act of the General Assembly of Maryland, passed March 24, 1852, in which William Shepperd, William Shaw, and John Clabaugh were named as commissioners to ascertain and fix the boundaries. The town of Middleburg was chosen as the place for holding the polls. The first settlers in the district were Scotch-Irish. They entered upon and cleared up a large amount of laud between 1750 and 1770.
Among the pioneers in this portion of the State were Normand Bruce, Philip and Francis Key, Upton Scott, the Delaplanes, Dernses, and Landises. “Terra Rubra,” a tract of eighteen hundred and sixty-five acres, was patented in 1752 to Philip Key, and “Runnymeade,” of three thousand six hundred and seventy-seven acres, to Francis Key and Upton Scott in 1767.
Normand Bruce was sheriff of Frederick County before the Revolution under the proprietary government, and the most important personage in this part of the county. “New Bedford,” of five thousand three hundred and one acres, was patented in 1762 to Daniel McKenzie and John Logsden.
John Ross Key, son of Philip Key, the owner of “Terra Rubra,” was born in 1754. He was a lieutenant in the First Artillery, which went from Maryland at the outbreak of the Revolutionary war, and owned a large estate in Middleburg District, then a part of Taneytown, in Frederick County. His wife, Anne Phebe Key, was born in 1775. Their mansion was of brick, with centre and wings and long porches. It was situated in the centre of a large lawn, shaded by trees, and had attached to it an extensive terraced garden adorned with shrubbery and flowers. Near by flowed Pipe Creek through a dense woods. A copious spring of the purest water was at the foot of the hill. A meadow of waving grass spread out towards the Catoctin Mountain, which could often be seen at sunset curtained in clouds of crimson and gold. When the labors of the farm were over, in the evening, the negroes were summoned to prayers with the family, which were usually conducted by Francis Scott Key when he was there, and by his mother when he was away. After prayers, almost every night, as was common on plantations in Maryland, music and dancing might be heard at the quarters of the negroes until a late hour. It was at this happy home that Roger Brooke Taney, then a young attorney, and subsequently chief justice of the United States, married, Jan. 7, 1806, Anne Phebe Charlton Key, daughter of the proprietor of the estate. John Ross Key died Oct. 9, 1821, and his wife, Anne Phebe, July 8, 1850. Both are buried in Frederick City, in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Their daughter, the wife of Judge Taney, died of yellow fever at Point Comfort, Va., Sept. 29, 1855, and is buried near her parents in the same lot, by the side of her daughters, Ellen M. and Alice Carroll.
No man in Frederick County took a more active part in the Revolutionary struggle than John Ross Key, who fought on the field, and was of great service to the patriot cause in committees and as a counselor. As early as 1770, when a mere boy, he attended the preliminary meetings of the pioneers held at Taneytown to consult as to the odious stamp measures then oppressing the colonies. He was the father of the wife of Chief Justice Taney and of the author of “The
Star-Spangled Banner,”—one a woman of rare virtues and graces, and the other the favorite national poet.
Francis Scott Key, the author of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” was a native of Middleburg District, where he was born Aug. 1, 1779. A graduate of St. John’s College, Annapolis, he adopted the law as his profession, began his practice at Frederick, and thence removed to Georgetown, D.C. He was for many years district attorney for the District of Columbia. His only sister was the wife of Roger B. Taney, chief justice of the United States. Hon. George H. Pendleton, of Ohio, is one of his sons-in-law. (4*)
In personal appearance Mr. Key was tall and thin, cleanly shaven, with a head of heavy brown hair, disposed to curl slightly. He had a face of marked beauty, of peculiar oval form, and a notable sweetness of expression. He had large, dreamy, poetic eyes, and a genuinely sympathetic and mobile countenance. A portrait in possession of his daughter, Mrs. Turner, who with some of her descendants lives in California, has been copied for the statue to adorn the monument which is to be erected to him in accordance with the $150,000 bequest for that purpose of James Lick, the millionaire.
Mr. Key died in Baltimore, Jan. 11, 1843, while on a visit to his son-in-law, Charles Howard, and was buried in the Monumental City. At the death of his wife, in 1857, his remains were removed and placed by the side of her remains in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Frederick City, under the direction of his son-in-law, Hon. George Hunt Pendleton, United States senator from Ohio, who married his daughter Alice, the favorite niece of Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney.
Daniel Turner, who graduated at the head of the first class which went out from West Point Military Academy, was a nephew of Jacob Turner, one, of three commissioned officers who, with six soldiers, were killed in the battle of Germantown.
After the war of 1812, Turner retired from the army and became a member of Congress from North Carolina. John Randolph, then in Congress, an intimate friend of John Ross Key, and a frequent visitor at his hospitable home, took Mr. Turner there and introduced him into the Key family, one of whose daughters he married.
The Scott family was an old one in the district, and one of its most noted members, Hon. Upton Scott, was born in Annapolis in 1810, when his mother was on a visit to her relatives. He was a delegate to the General Assembly in 1846, and in 1866 removed to Baltimore County, and later to Baltimore City. Governor Whyte appointed him a justice of the peace for the city, and he was reappointed by Governor Carroll. Mr. Scott died in Baltimore, Aug. 3, 1881. He was the father of Mrs. Judge William N. Hayden, and brother-in-law of Hon. John B. Boyle, both of Westminster. His father, John Scott, married a daughter of Normand Bruce.
Middleburg, the largest village in the district, is situated on the Frederick road. The land on the south side of that road was originally owned by the Brooks family, and it was a dense woods in 1800. The town in 1817 comprised the following houses: The old stone house now occupied by William Dukart was then kept as a tavern by William Neal. An old stone house also stood upon the site of J.H. Winebrenner’s dwelling, a part of which was, in 1817, used by Mr. Clapsaddle as a blacksmith-shop. Mr. Fulwiler, a tailor, lived in the house now occupied by Dr. Thompson, which was built about the year 1800 by John Dust, and is the oldest house in the village. The stone house now owned by Arnold was built in 1815, or thereabouts, and was then owned by Dickey Brooks. The tavern now owned by Lewis Lynn was also built about the year 1815. The building now occupied by Mr. Williams, and which belongs to Mary Koontz, was built in 1816, and was intended to be used as a bank, as at that time there was talk of organizing a county, and Middleburg was to be the county-seat. Dr. William Zollicoffer was the physician, and moved here in 1817, and lived in a shed-house which was attached to the Williams property. Mr. Steiner kept a store in the house where Mr. Thompson now lives, there being then an additional building attached to it, which has since been removed. Mr. Zultzer kept a store in the Williams property. The old well which is situated on the pike south of Mr. Arnold’s residence was dug by an Irishman, named Elick Fulton, in 1803. It is supposed that the town received its name from the fact that it is situated about middle way between Westminster and Frederick. It did not improve much until after the war of 1812-14, when, under the lead of Mr. Winemiller, several fine houses were erected. The house now occupied by Susanna Dehoff was standing in 1817, and was owned by her mother.
At a meeting of the “Columbian Independent Company,” commanded by Capt. Nicholas Snider, of Taneytown, and the “Independent Pipe Creek Company,” under the command of Capt. Thomas Hook, held at Middleburg, Oct. 13, 1821, information of the death of Gen. John Ross Key was first received. Middleburg is on the Western Maryland Railroad, forty-eight miles from Baltimore and fifteen from Westminster, in a fertile and thriving section of country. The merchants are Ferdinand Warner and H.D. Fuss; the physician, Dr. Charles Thompson; and the hotel-keeper, Lewis F. Lynn. A large pottery establishment is conducted by U.T. Winemiller.
The congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which is quite old, held its services in the old log school-house until 1850, when the church was built. Rev. William Keith was the pastor in 1866, and was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Haslet, who was followed by Rev. J.D. Moore, Rev. William Ferguson, Rev. George Madewell, Rev. Charles West, Rev. Mr. Smith, and others. E.O. Elridge is the present pastor. The officers of the church are C. Brooks, Mr. Buffington, J.A. Miller, E.C. Utter. Attached to this church is a neat cemetery, and the following persons are buried there:
Isaac Dern, died March 9, 1864, aged 75.
Mary, wife of Joshua Delaplane, died Aug. 11, 1862, aged 87 years, 4 months, 20 days.
John Delaplane, born Aug. 10, 1793, died Feb. 10, 1868.
Abraham L. Lynn, born Aug. 13, 1844, died April 5, 1872.
Anna E., wife of D.H. Lynn, died Aug. 17, 1873, aged 20 years, 7 months, 7 days.
Anna R., wife of C.W. Winemiller, died April 7, 1876, aged 32 years, 5 months, 19 days.
Michael Magkley, born April 16, 1799, died Dec. 19, 1878.
Joshua Parrish, died March 27, 1862, aged 59 years, 7 months, 24 days.
John Wesley Wilson, born April 7, 1818, died Oct. 11, 1856.
Mary Dayhoof, died Jan. 1, 1858, aged 47 years, 1 month, 13 days.
Joseph Dayhoof, died Feb. 16, 1862, aged 57 years, 18 days.
William Koons, born July 2, 1794, died Dec. 18, 1852.
John Nipple, born Jan. 27, 1815, died Dec. 31, 1877.
Margaret Souder, wife of Joshua S., died June 18, 1850, aged 50 years, 7 months, 14 days.
Henrietta, wife of Evan C. Otts, died March 24, 1856, aged 35 years, 9 days.
Catharine, wife of George Hope, died Jan. 22, 1853, aged 86.
Frederick Dern, Jr., died May 20, 1863, aged 35 years, 11 months, 23 days.
Mary J., his wife, died May 31, 1861, aged 36 years, 4 months, 15 days.
Frederick, Sophia, John W., their three children.
Ann P., daughter of J. and M. Winemiller, died Dec. 11, 1859, aged 16 years, 2 months, 25 days.
John H. Winemiller, died March 14, 1879, aged 59 years, 8 months, 12 days.
Susan Alice, their daughter, died Dec. 2, 1859, aged 11 years, 10 months, 7 days.
John N.F. Winemiller, died Dec. 8, 1859, aged 8 years, 1 day.
Thomas Hook, died May 12, 1869, aged 77 years, 23 days.
Sarah Hook, died May 17, 1868, aged 83 years, 4 months, 23 days.
Elizabeth C. Hook, died June 13, 1858, aged 33 years, 14 days.
Regina E., daughter of J.M. and Agnes McAllister, died Jan. 4, 1863, aged 16 years, 10 months, 1 day.
Lavina Margaret, wife of Abendago Flick, died Nov. 8, 1855, aged 27 years, 23 days.
John W. McAllister, died Nov. 10, 1880, aged 82 years, 8 months, 12 days.
Agnes McAllister, died Oct. 23, 1880, aged 75 years, 9 months, 13 days.
David Hope, died Nov. 1, 1859, aged 57 years, 4 months, 22 days.
Keysville, a small village, received its title from the fact that the land upon which the old
school-house and church were built was presented to the inhabitants by Francis Scott Key.
Though the house in which Mr. Key was born has disappeared, a large barn and spring-house, which he built not long before he died, are still standing on the farm now owned by John Winemiller, and occupied by Jacob Wentz.
Double Pipe Creek is on the Western Maryland Railroad, fifty-one miles from Baltimore. Double Pipe Creek, from which it takes its name, is near, and furnishes water sufficient for milling and other purposes. The improvements recently made indicate the zeal and energy of the people. Of the Dunker Church, here located, Revs. D. Panel and Daniel R. Sayler are the preachers. The merchants are John T. Ott, J.W. Weant, and J.H. Angell; the latter is also postmaster. The physician is Dr. Charles H. Diller. William T. Miller has a cooper’s factory, and
C.B. Anders runs the flouring-mill. There are several shops and local industries that give considerable business to the place.
The old stone mill at Double Pipe Creek, now owned and operated by C.B. Anders, has stood since 1794, in which year it was founded by Joshua Delaplaine, although it was not completed until 1800, as an inscription upon a stone in the “fire arch” bears witness. Joshua Delaplaine was a manufacturer of some note in his day, and carried on not only the grist-mill, but a woolen-mill on the opposite side of the creek. The last-named structure still stands, but no looms have made music within its walls for these many years. In 1836, Henry Waspe built an addition to the grist-mill, making it what it now is. In 1878, C.B. Anders bought the mill and other property of Thomas Cover. Mr. Anders was born at Double Pipe Creek in 1850, and in the old Delaplaine mill his father, Aaron, was a miller many years ago. Aaron Anders removed to Linganore, and in the mill at that place followed his calling upwards of twenty-five years. C.B. Anders was placed in the Linganore mill when sixteen years of age, and has ever since followed the occupation of a miller. His mill, three stories in height, is furnished with four pairs of burrs, has a capacity of one hundred barrels of flour daily, and is devoted almost exclusively to merchant-work. The motive power is supplied by two turbine-wheels measuring, respectively, fifty-four and thirty-six inches in diameter, with a head of nine feet. The manufacturing apparatus includes all the latest devised mill improvements. All the barrels used are manufactured in the mill. The total number of employés is seven. Choice Red Longberry wheat is chiefly used in the production of flour for shipment, and in Baltimore the “Double Pipe Creek” brand ranks high. Mr. Anders owns also the old Delaplaine woolen-mill property, a brick residence on the Frederick County side of the creek, and two residences on the Carroll County side, besides the railroad warehouse. His home, near the railway depot, is a handsome two-story structure of imposing appearance. He built it in 1878, and spared no expense to make it a model of its kind. It is a striking object in the architecture of the village, and is conceded to be one of the most completely appointed homes in Carroll County.
Bruceville is a small village about the centre of the district. Long before the Revolutionary war, Normand Bruce, a Scotchman, emigrated to this country and settled in the Middleburg District, in the locality now known as Keysville. At that time the land in and about Bruceville was owned by John Ross Key. Bruce desiring the Key property for the purpose of building a mill on Big Pipe Creek, entered into negotiations with Key, which resulted in an exchange of their estates. Bruce erected a large stone mill, which stood until February, 1881, when it was partially destroyed by fire. He also built a dwelling-house, the same which is now occupied by Frederick Mehring. The town was laid out by Bruce and named about the close of the eighteenth century. Bruce had three children,—Betsey, who married John Scott, the parents of the late Upton Scott, Mrs. Daniel Swope, and Mrs. John Brook Boyle. Charles Bruce, one of his sons, was born in Middleburg District, but in early life left this country and resided in the West Indies. While on a visit to his birthplace he first saw his sister, she then being a wife with a large family. Bruce was the third son. The Landis family came from Scotland in 1812, and located on a part of the Key estate. John Landis, one of the sons, who is still living, was in Washington in the year 1814, learning his trade, and was among the first who saw the British fleet sailing up the Potomac.
Nicholas Kuhen was the earliest blacksmith in the town, and Jesse Cloud kept the hotel. Dr. Leggett was the physician, and Mr. Trego the merchant. Hudson and Brooks were prominent farmers who resided near the mill at the time of its erection.
What was at one time quite an extensive cemetery is at present a thick growth of underbrush, and contains only five graves the inscriptions upon which can be deciphered:
Basil Brooks, eldest son of Raphael and Jane, died Jan. 24, 1829, aged 56.
Robert T. Dodds, died April 17, 1806, aged 74, “a native of East Lothian County, Scotland, of Haddington, of Aberlada;” Selkirk Dodds, his wife, “a native of Edinburgh, Scotland,” died April 24, 1825, aged 73.
John Dodds, their son, died Oct. 17, 1816, aged 42.
John Scott, died Feb. 28, 1814, aged 71.
It is stated that the body of Normand Bruce lies in this yard, but should the same be true, it is unmarked by even a grave.
Double Pipe Creek Division, No. 36, of Sons of Temperance, was incorporated by an act of the Legislature, passed March 3, 1847. The incorporators were John E.H. Ligget, George H. Warsche, Isaac Dern, Eli Otto, Noah Pennington, Benjamin Poole, Martin Grimes, Nicholas Stansbury, Hiram Fogle, George Landers, James Thomas, William Carmack, Abednego Slick, Francis Carmack, Joseph Fogle, Jesse Anders, William Miller, Edward Carmack, Samuel Birely.
York Road is the station and post-office for Bruceville. It is a small village, at the junction of the Western Maryland Railroad with the Frederick Division of the Pennsylvania Line Railroad, and is sixteen miles from Westminster by rail. David Hiltabidle is the railroad and express agent and postmaster. Dr. M.A. Lauver is the physician.
The following is the vote for local officers in this district from 1853 to 1861, inclusive:
1853.—Vote for Justices: Isaac Dern 113, David Otto 73, David Hope 67, J.W. McAllister 57; Constable: John Six 105; Road Supervisor: J.W. Wilson 43, Thomas Hook 90, Philip W. Hann 47.
1855.—For Justices: J. Delaplane 123, David Otto 128, Thomas Hook 71, J.W. McAllister 74; Constables: John Six 115, A. Slick 91; Road Supervisor: John Angell 109, H. CIabaugh 98.
1857.—For Justices: David Otto 174, John Delaplane 144; Constables: John Six 160, J.S. Shriner 149; Road Supervisor: Jacob Sayler 177.
1859.—For Justices: Thomas Hook 93, John Delaplane 130, A.S. Zentz 146; Constables: John Six 158, John A. Mackley 148; Road Supervisor: Ephraim Hiteshue 163.
1861.—For Justices: Samuel Angell 182, John Delaplane 181; Constables: John Six 188, Samuel T. Linn 178; Road Supervisor: Nicholas Koons 149, A.S. Zentz 81.
The following are the public school trustees for 1881 and 1882, together with the names of teachers and number of pupils:
1. Mount Union.—John Shunk, J. Thaddeus Starr, Henry Williams.
2. Middleburg.—Dr. C. Thomson, Lewis Lynn, Moses Seabrook.
3. Bruceville,—Jacob Buffington, John Biehl, M. Fringer.
4. Franklin.—Samuel Waybright, Joshua Dutterer, Sylvester Valentine.
5. Keysville.—Aaron Weant, Peter Writter, Benjamin Poole.
6. Double Pipe Creek.—J.W. Weant, A.N. Forney, Lewis Cash.
The teachers for the term ending April 15, 1881, were:
1, W.J. Crabbs, 50 pupils; 2, S. Jannetta Dutterer, 39 pupils; 3, C.F. Reindollar, 46 pupils; 4, S. Lina Norris, 41 pupils; 5, James B. Galt, 46 pupils; 6, Luther Kemp, 27 pupils.
The justices of the peace are Calvin Warner, Joseph Arnold; Constable, Moses Seabrook.
Notes
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On Thursday, Aug. 28, 1817, Jacob Christ was married to Miss Elizabeth Appler, daughter of Jacob Appler, by Rev. Curtis Williams.
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“American Devon Herd-Book,” vol. iii, and old American Farmer, vol. iv. p. 29.
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The total valuation this year of the real estate was $232,930.
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(4*).
A full sketch of him will be found in the history of Frederick County.
History of Western Maryland: Taneytown District, No. 1., by Louis H. Everts, 1882, Chapter 39A, p. 830--.)
Transcribed by Carol C. Eddleman.