MYERSVILLE-WOLFSVILLE AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY - Myersville-Wolfsville Area Historical Society Research Blog

When an Apple Falls Far From the Tree: Part Two

4/28/2019

Amazingly—almost miraculously—on 8 August, just four days after the shooting, George Waters Bittle was able to give testimony to Justice of the Peace Christian H. Eckstein whilst propped up in a chair in the bedroom of his Main Street home. Also present during the testimony was State’s Attorney for Frederick County Arthur D. Willard (1872-1959), the counsels for the defense, the accused, Captain Jacob Koogle, Dr. Ralph Browning, Rev. Otto E. Bregenzer (abt. 1877-1920) of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and Mrs. Bittle, the former Mary Elizabeth Routzahn (1865-1936.)

Bittle told Willard and Eckstein that on the night of the attempted burglary, “He had seen the burglar around his place early in the evening [and] though he recognized his walk,” the Frederick News noted. “The party wore a dark slouch hat, dark coat, and trousers. He did not see the face of the man at the door sufficiently well to say it was George Koogle, but he could say from what he had seen of Koogle earlier in the evening and what he could say of the man at the door he thought it was George Koogle, although he was sorry to say so.” The dolorous look Bittle may have given Captain Koogle as he spoke can well be imagined.

Bittle, like his fellow citizens, likely saw Koogle as somewhat of a superhero. For example, the merchant would surely have heard this wartime anecdote from Myersville veteran Daniel Mowen, Koogle’s brother-in-law, who included it in a series of articles he wrote for the newspaper, The Globe: “At the assault of Petersburg, on the 17th of June, 1864, and while the Seventh [Maryland Regiment] was in line, Jacob Koogle, first sergeant of company, saw a shell bounding toward them. He called to the men to ‘look out!’ Watching its course, he attempted to step out of its way when it lodged against his breast. Its force being about spent, he threw it off with his arm without injury to himself and, as it didn’t explode, it injured no one else.” This was before the affair of stealing of the Confederate colors and returning with the secessionist banner and a uniform full of bullet holes. Those twin events could make anyone wonder whether Koogle was divinely blessed.

Continue reading at historian Ann Longmore-Etheridge's blog, Your Dying Charlotte.

Financially Sound

4/4/2019

Above is a 1940 financial statement from the Myersville Savings Bank. The financial institution was located in what is now the C. Basil Grossnickle Insurance Company at 415 Main Street, Myersville. It was established in 1898 and operated as such until it was purchased by First United Bank & Trust in 1995.

A Message for Miss Mildred

4/3/2019

By Rebecca Conrad

This second family postcard was sent from Frederick to Miss Mildred Knodle of Myersville on 22 October, 1909. The sender was Walter Knodle (1873-1929), Mildred's father. It reads: "Hello Mildred, How are you getting along. Wish you were here tonight. You could go to the show. I am not good. Am so tired and stiff. Help Mama all you can and be a good girl. Tell her not to worry about anything. Take good care of Baby and Helen. I will bring you something. Your Papa."

Below: Mildred Elizabeth Knodle Poffenberger, Jacob Berman Poffenberger, Audrey Irene Knodle, and Fannie Rosella Moser Knodle around the time of Mildred’s marriage in 1921.

A Postcard for Mrs. Knodle

4/3/2019

By Rebecca Conrad

My grandmother, Mildred Elizabeth Knodle was born and resided at our farm on Ward Kline Road. Her parents were Walter Knodle (1873-1929) and Fannie Rosella Moser Knodle (1872-1943) and her grandparents were John Henry Moser (1834-1905) and Amanda Weddle Moser (1837-1913).

This postcard, with the stamp cancelled on the morning 2 December, 1911, reads: "Dear family, we got over all right and I as well as usual. It rained so hard all day and tonight Hary thinks the ice may break and come down. Wishing you a happy birthday. Your Mother, Amanda Moser.'

The ABCs of Mr. McGuffey

3/29/2019

By Rebecca Conrad

Most of us probably learned to read using the series of books starring Dick and Jane. These books used a “look and say” approach of learning new words followed by sometimes tedious repetition. “See Dick run. Run, Dick, run. “ Used from the 1930s to the 1970s, children of this time all followed the antics of these characters. The books fell out of favor due to many factors, such as the women’s movement, limited and stereotypical story lines, and the preference to the phonics system of learning to read.

For almost one hundred years prior to Dick and Jane, students had learned using a set of books created by William Holmes McGuffey. McGuffey was an educator and a preacher. He combined these two skills to create a series of textbooks which consisted of basic education in the areas of reading and spelling as well as religious instruction in his compilation of stories. His set of seven books consisted of a Pictorial Eclectic Primer and an Eclectic Primer to be used by beginning readers; four increasingly difficult Readers to be used by more advanced scholars; and an Eclectic Progressive Speller. As their names suggest, the books used a variety of materials gleaned from the Bible and works written by many notable people such as John Milton, Lord Byron, and Noah Webster, along with original essays on a wide range of subjects such as nature and geography.

McGuffey's colleague Joseph Ray published three instructional books on arithmetic in 1834. McGuffey’s series were published between 1836 and 1838. Two later textbooks (the Fifth and Sixth Eclectic Readers) were written by William’s brother, Alexander McGuffey. A study of these books gave any student a thorough knowledge of the three R’s – Reading, ‘Riting, and “Rithmetic - as well as a fourth R, Religion. Many parents who homeschool their children still use these resources today.

MWA Coopers: Rolling Out the Barrels

3/29/2019

By Rebecca Conrad

Have you ever heard “The Beer Barrel Polka?” How about “Roll out the Barrel?” Barrels were such an integral part of life that many songs were written about them. There are also many sayings such as “He is a barrel of laughs” that reference them. We even use the expression “stave off” which refers to the wood pieces used in the barrels. Barrels were used to store essentials such as flour, sugar, and salt. They were very important in the production of beer, whiskey, wine and other liquors. The type of wood used in them was crucial because they lent some of the flavor to the final product. Where did all these barrels come from?

A search of the 1850 Census for the area shows many men listed as coopers. The skill was passed down from father to son. The listing for Jacob Wastler, aged 68, and his son, Jacob, aged 25, shows them both with cooper listed as their occupation. The cooper Joseph Stottlemyer, took an apprentice named Goodlow Hayes into his household and trained him. John Wachter, John Haynes and Henry Gaver were others in the area manufacturing barrels.

The Gaver family was well-known for their cooperage skills. The History of Frederick County, Vol 1 by Thomas John Chew Williams and Folger McKinsey tells of John T. Gaver. He was the great-grandson of the John Gaver who donated land for the church for which Church Hill is named. John T. Gaver’s father was John P. Gaver, who purchased 121 acres of timber land and spent summers peeling bark and getting out materials for his barrel making enterprise. He was so successful that he was able to purchase an additional 60 acres of land.

These barrels were so critical that there was even a magazine called the National Cooper’s Journal that proudly declared itself "Devoted to the Cooperage Industry; A Paper of Great Value to All Stave, Hoop, Heading and Liner Manufacturers; To All Makers and Users of Barrels, Kegs, Casks, Tubs, Pails, Machinery and Mill Supplies." It began publishing in the 1890s and continued into the mid 1900s.

All of this makes me long to have been there when you could sit at the general store, playing checkers on an old cracker barrel and watching little girls roll the hoops down the streets. Ponder on this the next time you hear of politicians "pork-barreling." Just don’t try going over Niagara Falls in one!

When an Apple Falls Far From the Tree: Part One

3/28/2019

The late evening of 3 August, 1904, was hot and sultry, but with a luminous Moon. George Bittle closed up his shop but did not go home. As he had done on multiple recent occasions, Bittle sat on his front porch, armed with a breech-loading gun, to watch over his store. The night song of the cicadas and crickets and the calls of the amphibians at Frog Hollow were thick in the humid air around him.

Two months earlier, on 9 June, someone had burgled his storeroom and taken about $50 in jewelry—more than $1,500 in today’s worth and a significant loss. On 6 July, the storeroom was entered through the cellar, but the thief may have been spooked and fled empty-handed, leaving a lit lantern outside the door.

Sometime between 10 and 11 p.m., Bittle’s neighbor, Joseph Wolf (1850-1911), and another man strolled past the storefront. The second fellow wore a dark slouch hat and dark clothing. Bittle was sure it was George Henry Koogle (1884-1958), son of well-known Captain Jacob Koogle (1841-1915), who had been in the store earlier that evening and who possessed a distinctive gait. Shortly after this, Bittle heard noises at the rear of the building, went there—finding no one—then remained awhile, keeping lookout. At about 12:15 a.m. he heard noises at the front of the building and quietly retraced his steps. Under the bright moonlight, he saw a figure half-crouched, fiddling with the door lock.

Click to read the full article by Ann Longmore-Etheridge at Your Dying Charlotte.

George R.'s Other Girl

3/26/2019

By Ann Longmore-Etheridge

This strange, slightly sinister unstamped postcard was addressed to Nellie Amanda Johnson (1890-1979) of Ellerton. It reads: "Hello Nellie, How are you and George R. getting along. Suppose you are very sleepy this morning. Now don't wait as long as I did to answer. From George R. [sic] other Girl".

The postcard dates to before 1909, when Nellie married Clyde Leatherman Harshman (1885-1978). Nellie was the daughter of farmer Charles Webster Johnson (1857-1918) and Amanda Ellen Wiseman (1860-1934), who had married at the parsonage on Church Hill on 8 January, 1880.

Who was George R.? We don't know. Was this a love triangle? It reads like one, but until more information comes to light, we cannot be sure.

Conrad Maugans

3/11/2019

By Nancy Bruce

The Maugans family cemetery is located off Harp Hill Road. The stones have been removed but the Maugans remain. The first of this clan came from Germany to Pennsylvania in 1695. There were, and are, various spellings of the name: Maugins, Maugin, and even Morgan.

Conrad Maugans, known throughout his life as "Nick," was born in about 1732 and researchers have found records of his father's death in Wolfsville, Frederick County, and have thus attributed Conrad's birth to the Wolfsville area.

Who was Conrad Maugans? He was a man of determination and stamina. At one time, Maugans owned a part of the land grants with the colorful names "I'll Take It All" and "Tom's Farewell." However there was another parcel of land for which he and another man sought a grant. reportedly, Conrad walked all night to Annapolis to beat his competitor to it. When the other man arrived the next morning, he found Conrad at the capitol building with the deed in hand. This parcel became the Maugans' homestead and was known as "Conrad Travels At Night." Their log cabin stood over the spring. The Maugans Family cemetery is adjacent and the Conrad's remains still occupy the land for which he walked so far.

Below: The Will of Conrad Maugans; Right: John Robert Maugans (1860-1940). Resident of Ellerton and descendant of Conrad Maugans.

The Browns Come to America

3/11/2019

By Nancy Bruce

On St. Cecilius Day, 22 November, 1633, the fast and large ship, the London Ark and the smaller, slower ship, the Maryland Dove, set sail from the Cowes, at the lower end of the Isle of Wight. These two ships were on an expedition to found the first Roman Catholic colony and the first of the English proprietary colonies in North America. On 25 March 1634, these two ships landed at St. Clements Island, Maryland.

While there is no documented list of all the passengers on these two ships, there is evidence that one William Browne came on The Ark as a manservant and shoemaker to Captain Thomas Cornwalys. He is believed to be between 10 and 13 years old at the time. William accumulated a large estate. He had many slaves and thirteen hundred acres of land. There are records of William being sued many times and of him suing others frequently.

William Browne died 28 February 1665 leaving a son and a daughter as his heirs.

In the 1720s, a descendant, William Browne, moved to the Monocacy Settlement, where he served as constable. In 1742, this William Browne signed the petition for the formation of Frederick County.

Thomas Brown was the sixth generation of the family in America. Brown was a corporal in the 2nd Maryland Regiment during the Revolutionary War. He married Hannah Pittinger and fathered nine children. Thomas died in the late 1780s; his burial site is unknown.

Following Thomas's death, Hannah and the couple's children built a home along Monahan Road south of Foxville. As the family grew the village became known as Brownsville. When Hannah died she was buried on her homestead which is now known as the Brown's Cemetery. Some of the foundation rocks from her old cottage are still intact there.

Photo: A replica of the Maryland Dove at St. Mary's City, Maryland.