Sussex County
DEGenWeb
J. R. ATKINS, Undertaker
I am carrying a nice, fine and complete line of
funeral goods which enables me to fill all orders promptly and give good
satisfaction at all times.
W. B. WAGAMON
Bargains in underwear. All
winter underwear reduced. Now is the time to buy.
HAZZARD & CLENDANIEL
Molasses - 10c a can; Coffee - 12 c lb.; Mince Meat - 8c lb.; Cod Fish - 3c box.
Andrew T. BRYAN
Lumber for sale.
STARKEY's Drug Store
Bucklen's
Arnica Salve for piles, ores and burns - 25c.
The Steamer Frederica
Round trip to Philadelphia - $1.50 (covered deck for horses)
WAPLES &
KING
Poultry wire and gunning coats - the Sale is now on.
The Sussex
Trust, Title and Safe Deposit Company
D. S. FOOKS, Pres.; Jos. M. LANK, Trust
Officer. Capital, $60,000.
Lewes National Bank
We respectively invite
the account of every individual firm or corporation.
J. B. WELCH -
Druggist and Jeweler
Physicians prescriptions carefully compounded day or
night.
Dr. J. C. WILTBANK
Painless extraction of teeth. A stock of
artificial teeth always on hand.
Wm. H. MEARS & Sons
Tonsorial Parlors
opposite Ponder House - Hair cuts in all latest styles - courteous treatment.
A good bit of excitement and anxiety was stirred up in Milton on Monday when the
news rapidly spread that Dick Baker was lost at sea. He left home early Sunday
morning to accompany a policeman friend on a fishing trip. After he failed to
arrive home in the late evening his wife, the former Miss Neva Crouch, became
very anxious about his safety and got in touch with the proper authorities and
the search was on for the missing fishermen. Finally after hours of worry, Dick
called at his home and revealed that he had been a drift during the evening but
was able to land in Lewes, from where he was calling. Work just as quickly
spread throughout the town of his safety and many persons showed their great
relief for his safety and his return to Milton and his family.
The two-masters ranged in size up to the MARY G. FARR, the largest such vessel
ever launched into the Broadkill. Built in 1863 with dimensions 129.2' x 30.5' x
10' and of 356 tons, she came within a very few feet in depth of exceeding in
all specifications the "largest vessel", three-master JOHN G. HECKSHER.
Mechanical devices for handling heavy sails were primitive at best. Vessels of
this description became known as "back breakers" because of the extreme physical
burdens placed upon their limited crews.
The FARR went ab out her
assigned work for a few weeks more than 23 years without recorded incident. By
October, 1881, Captain John D. CONWELL had become Master and owner of 1/16th
interest in the vessel. Then tragedy struck.
Sailing from Baltimore on
December 30/31, 1885 for Providence with a cargo of corn, the vessel was off the
New Jersey coast on the late evening of January 8, 1886. A northeast storm had
commenced earlier and a gale developed. By some unknown means a fire commenced
on board the FARR, and the vessel drifted with the storm toward shore where she
struck the outer bar, from 200 to 300 yards off Spring Lake. Heavy seas
extinguished the flames before they wrecked the vessel. All seven persons on
board were lost, though
Captain Frank LACEY is at home, and during his leisure hours is teaching a Vera
Cruz parrot how to talk English. The native of the land of the Montezumas will,
no doubt, become ac adept in English vernacular.
Having had a frozen lake
for a long time the boys have tired of skating, and abandoned that pastime for
the equally hilarious one of sledding. The smaller ones are making merry with
hand sleds on the hill-sides, or adown the sleeted pavements of the principal
street, much to the danger of colliding with passers on this public
thoroughfare. All who are old enough, and can raise a horse and sleigh, are on
the rampage, each one doing his best to outdo some other one. The sleighing
never was better; all the participants appear to enjoy it immensely, but we
don't know what the horses think. --Milton, Jan. 18, 1893. D. A. C.
It will be remembered that at one time during the late war the U. S. Navy asked
persons who might have binoculars, eye glasses, etc., to loan them to the
government for a season and they would be returned. Capt. C. P. LACEY responded
by sending a binocular. This has now been returned to Captain LACEY with the
thanks of the Navy Department. The department also wrote that it was making an
engraving, as a remembrance, which would be sent to him later.
Through the courtesy of Captain George E. MAGEE the members of the M. E. Sunday
Schools, and all other people of the town, who would accept the invitation, made
an excursion to Broadkill Beach on Friday on the three-mast schooner rigged
steamer, Marie Thomas. Ice cream and refreshment were served on board of the
steamer. The vessel left Milton at 8 o'clock a. m., and returned at _ o'clock
p.m. The day was cool and pleasant, and six hours of solid enjoyment were
experienced by the excursionists beside the pleasure of the voyage by water.
Last week was winter indeed! the ground hog to "the contrary notwithstanding."
There are times when winter is enjoyable, and enjoyed. Last week was one of
these times: The little boys and girls amused themselves by coasting down the
sidewalks of federal street, and the older ones, by sleighing on Federal street
and Union street to the end of Milton Lane. Thre was lots of sport on the four
last days of the week. All law in regard to fast driving was suspended! and on
Friday afternoon the company was particularly noticeable, that were racing on
the extreme north of Milton Lane. There were John P. WILSON, Oscar BETTS, Dr.
WILSON, Anson RAUGHT, Captain George E. MAGEE, the Rev. R. T. COURSEY, and many
others, with fast horses, enjoyed in this wicked sport? The sinners consoled
themselves, that they could be doing no harm, as part of the "holiness band"
were with them, and the mere thoughtful were astonished that the priselyter of
the asthetico - religious cultus should contaminate themselves by engaging in
such worldly sport. On Wednesday Dr. WILSON and Robert WORKMAN were turned out
of their sleigh but not hurt. The horse ran through town and was captured on the
eastern outskirts. On the same evening Harry WILSON, with a male friend and tow
ladies, while trying to go about, had his sleigh miss stay, and before he could
bill away again the vehicle bursted open and the whole company were spilled out.
Thursday morning the thermometer registered 10 degrees. On that day Constable
BACSUGLIA put in a hand at sleigh-riding. Sometime in the afternoon the body of
his sleigh went off, and he with it. He now wears a black eye, whether from his
incident or some other cause, "deponent sayeth not." Saturday afternoon while
trying to get out of the way of the races Alfred CAREY Chester GRAY ran their
sleigh into the gutter on Federal street and capsized, both were thrown out, but
the horse stopped, and no damage was done, or no one hurt. But alas! it is all
over now! On Saturday the temperature began to rise and on Sunday the snow so
far disappeared, as to render sleighing a thing of the past, for the present.
Rev. George MORRIS and wife, of Virginia, are the guests of his father, Joseph B. MORRIS.
Lost $350. - Mr. George PRETTYMAN was a speculator in turkeys last month; but
George found that other things could gobble besides a turkey. He sold $350
dollars worth of turkeys to a man in Philadelphia, who gave him a check for the
amount. On presenting the check for deposit at our bank, he discovered that the
amount was not written into the face of the check. When he returned to his
purchaser to get the check corrected, he found that the purchaser had closed up
and departed. Thus ends the first chapter.
John W. PRIMROSE who during the excitement following the discovery of gold in
1848 sold out and started for California, went as far as Philadelphia. His
enthusiasm abated however, he returned, removed to Milton and later died there.
Mrs. Sallie PONDER and Captain Joseph WARRINGTON, have purchased of Captains
George and Theodore MEGEE, schooner Ella Call. Captain WARRINGTON will command
the vessel.
Who built the first vessel on the Broadkiln?
Scharf's History of Delaware
(1888) states that, "Baptist LAY, the pioneer of this (ship-building) business,
built his first vessel a short distance from Milton over a century ago." Since
then LAY has been the earliest of officially recorded Broadkiln-built vessel.
Broadkiln was registered at Philadelphia on April 16, 1737. The inventory of
Lay's estate is dated March 15, 1793, 56 years after the Broadkiln was
registered.
It is questionable that LAY built the Broadkiln but his
estate contained items which indicate that he was connected with ship-building.
It is more likely that Nathaniel NAWS and his brother, Edward, first registered
owners of the Broadkiln were the vessel's builders.
Shipbuilders were
contractors who employed ship carpenters. Their names were usually included in
the Government document issued to each new vessel. The quality of the builder's
work was well known throughout the shipping industry and his name influenced the
value of the vessel through the subsequent years.
Among the shipbuilders
of Milton, these names have been noted on vessel documents and in other papers:
David H. ATKINS, George W. ATKINS, Jos. L. BLACK, Thomas BLACK, Cornelius
COULTER, William V. COULTER, C. C. DAVIDSON, J. K. P. DAVIDSON, R. F. HASTINGS,
William LAMB, George E. MEGEE, Noah W. MEGEE, Samuel MARTIN, John MUSTARD, James
PONDER, John PONDER, PONDER & RUSSELL, Rouse T. POTTER, Wm. C. PRETTYMAN, James
C. ROBBINS, Samuel STEPHENSON, Jacob WHITE.
Honey bees appear to take a fancy to Milton. There has been a swarm on the end
box of W. B. TOMLINSON's dwelling on Federal street for four weeks. These bees
are not under the box, but on the front of it, and exposed to the weather. They
are making honey around the lightning rod for a nucleus. The building is two and
a-half stories high, yet it is thought some one may be found to capture the bees
further on.
An accident occurred in the store of James H. WARRINGTON some time on Friday
night, by which a barrel of molasses was spilled over the floor and lost. It is
supposed a cat knocked a box down, which falling on the gate in the barrel drew
it out. When Mr. WARRINGTON entered the store on Saturday morning, he was
obliged to tread tenderly for it was "__nked sweetness long drawn out."
With thanks we acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the Blue Book Magazine,
published in Chicago, Ill., the compliment of George T. WELCH, M. D., of
Passaic, N. J. In this magazine is published a story. "The Man Who Died." by
Aiden M. WELCH, nephew of Dr. WELCH and son of Theddeus WELCH, formerly of
Milton. The story is unique and psychological in tenor and carries one's
thoughts beyond the great adventure into the beautiful land of life's
continuation. It is interesting to one who is seeking to unfathom the
unfathomable. The author is editor of a scientific magazine published in New
York and has written other productions both in prose and poetry. The family of
Nehemiah D. WELSH, who lived and died in this town, has produced men who have
been devoted to literature. Those of our citizen who can hark back thirty years
will remember them better than the writer. Dr. Geo. T. WELCH, besides attending
to a large practice, has found time to write a book of poems, and Thaddeus
WELCH, well, we all remember "Thad." He was a school teacher in old Sussex for
many years when he moved to New Jersey, married, and became the father of the
author of the above mentioned story. Others of the family have made their mark
in the various professions and have honored the places of their adoption, no
less than Milton, where they first saw the light of day.
J. B. WELCH's last poem, "The Old Church in the Graveyard," is dedicated to
Captain George E. KIMMEY of Philadelphia who was raised in Milton and knows much
about the town, and the old church spoken of. The poem calls up reminiscenses
dear to them who knew of its history, and leads the mind in prospective to a
future meeting with those who have gone before. This is, probably, one of Mr.
WELCH's best, and will add another laurel to the many, that have already adorned
the fame of the Milton Bard.
Mr. James B. WEST who lost a son some time ago from off the schooner Hettie J.
Borman, at Hog Island Inlet, has been notified by the captain of the life saving
station at that place that the body has been recovered and buried. Mr. WEST will
proceed to have it removed, and interred at his place.
On Wednesday Mr. P. J. HART went to Hog Island Inlet to look after Mr. James B.
WEST's son, drowned two months ago, and said to have been found and buried.
The body was exhumed and Mr. HART recognized it to be that of the son of Mr.
WEST; but owing to the sanitary regulations now prevailing was unable to remove
it at this season of the year.
Contributed 2015 by Gennie
1910
H. L. Robinson is on the left.
Capt. Henry Hudson is on right.
1911
Milton's Baseball Champions
Front Row, left to right: Tom Morgan, William Wagamon, Sr., J. Leon Black, Charles Vent.
Center Row: Leighton Douglas, Ernest M. Jefferson, Robert Black, Sr.
Back Row: John B. Welch, Howard Anderson, W. C. White, Dr. William Douglas.
1 - Jonathan Wolf
2 - Thomas Walker
2 - William West
3 - Jno Wiltbank
4 - Mrs Nunoz
5 - Hercules Kollock
6 - Phillip Kollock
7 - Mary Train
8 - Hazzard Hickman
9 - John Maul
10 - Reese Wolf
11 - Wolf & Parker
12 - W Arnell
14 - Henry Fisher
15 - Samuel Payster
16 - George Parker
17 - Dr Johnson
18 - Thomas Martin
19 - Jno C Vaddy
23 - Shield & Dyer
28 - Levin Ennis
28 - Brinkle Ewing
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This page was last updated
01/01/2026