Dayhoff Westminster

Dayhoff Westminster
www.kevindayhoff.city Address: PO Box 124, Westminster MD 21158 410-259-6403 kevindayhoff@gmail.com
Showing posts with label History 1830s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History 1830s. Show all posts

Monday, September 30, 2013

Battle of the Alamo coincided with Carroll's independence efforts

Battle of the Alamo coincided with Carroll's independence efforts

By Kevin Dayhoff, September 26, 2013

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/carroll/westminster/ph-eagle-archives-20130926,0,6733017.story

http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2013/09/battle-of-alamo-coincided-with-carrolls.html


Labels: Dayhoff Media Explore Carroll, History, History 1830s, US st Texas, US st Texas Alamo, US st Texas San Antonio - See more at: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2013/09/battle-of-alamo-coincided-with-carrolls.html#sthash.9jS0EqTr.dpuf

In October 1833 a referendum was held, in what we now know as the area encompassing Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties, on whether a new county was to be created. The vote failed, 593 to 554, although it was later speculated that it failed because of voter irregularities in Baltimore County.

Manchester, which had been against the idea of forming a separate (Carroll) county, “exultantly fired [a cannon] in the direction of defeated Westminster” after the vote was taken.

Subsequently a bill was introduced in 1835 and passed the General Assembly on March 25, 1836 to form Carroll County.  This act was confirmed on January 19, 1837. It took only a war of words that lasted about 50 years, but Carroll Countians had finally become an independent county.

This portion of Carroll County history came to mind earlier in the month as I pondered the events of Feb. 23 through March 6, 1836 while I studied a small clay, mud and straw building in a far-off land, now known as Texas.

Many will recognize the dates as when the Battle of the Alamo took place in San Antonio Texas. I took a few days in early September to tour the Alamo and San Antonio and study how its history compared with events in Carroll County in the same time frame.

With the exception of Manchester getting a bit feisty in 1833 and about three military campaigns during the American Civil War, Carroll County history is remarkably free of bloodshed and violence.


Although a small group of missionaries visited the San Antonio area as early as the 1675-1691 time period, it was not until 1718 that a mission outpost was built on the site of the Alamo. A more permanent building was started in 1744… http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/carroll/westminster/ph-eagle-archives-20130926,0,6733017.story
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Carroll Lutherans started meeting in 1747

By Kevin Dayhoff, September 3, 2013

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/carroll/westminster/ph-eagle-archives-20130903,0,6274260.story

The Lutheran church in Maryland can possibly trace its roots as far back as 1747 when small numbers of Lutherans and German Reformers began meeting in private homes primarily in northern Carroll and Frederick Counties.

“The first church building in Carroll County was erected by the Lutheran and Reformed congregations of Manchester in 1760…,” according to a history, “Carroll County Maryland," written by Nancy Warner.

In Westminster, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church is celebrating its 146th anniversary this month. The historic church located at 21 Carroll St. in Westminster was chartered September 20-23, 1867, according to various accounts including a history of Grace Lutheran published in 1967… http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/carroll/westminster/ph-eagle-archives-20130903,0,6274260.story

http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2013/09/carroll-lutherans-started-meeting-in.html

Labels: Dayhoff Media Explore Carroll, History, History 1740s, Religion Grace Lutheran Church, Religion Lutheran - See more at: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2013/09/carroll-lutherans-started-meeting-in.html#sthash.tIPQRcUp.dpuf
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Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoffTwitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff
Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net

Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/
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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Eagle Archive: History of government in Carroll County is one of change and debate

Eagle Archive By Kevin E. Dayhoff January 28, 2013 http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/carroll/news/community/ph-ce-eagle-archive-0120-20130116,0,2118722.story


http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2013/02/eagle-archive-history-of-government-in.html

Labels: Carroll Co Govt, Dayhoff Media Explore Carroll, History 1830s, History Carroll Co, History Westminster


Throughout Carroll County's history, many issues have caused deep divisions among voters. Recently we recalled the stark differences of opinion between the German and English speakers in the October 1833 referendum over whether or not to form Carroll County.

As a matter of fact, it was after that election that Manchester fired the town cannon at Westminster to emphasize how they felt about the disagreement.

But divisions of opinion certainly aren't accentuated only in history. The decision last Nov. 6 by Frederick County voters, to go to a charter form of government, has kept local political junkies preoccupied ever since the election results were announced.

The ballot issue last fall was contentious in Frederick County. In Carroll County, even the preliminary discussions over such a change here have already had a polarizing affect.

"Like" explorecarroll on Facebook

There's no word yet as to whether or not any cannon fire will figure into the upcoming discussions, but I suppose we can't rule out the possibility of a few character assassinations.

According to numerous media accounts, including that of Ryan Marshall in the Frederick County Gazette on Nov. 7 … http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/carroll/news/community/ph-ce-eagle-archive-0120-20130116,0,2118722.story

Related

Baltimore football championship seasons have always started in Westminster … so should we be worried?

Eagle Archive: Community's history comes to rest at Westminster Cemetery

Eagle Archive: Chief ingredient of colonial cooking was hard labor

Eagle Archive: County birthday event notes family divided by Civil War

Eagle Archive: County has taken care of its own since days of alms house

Eagle Archive: Historical Society turns to older generations for children's programs

Eagle Archive: Rev. John Paul Buchheister Sr., former pastor at Westminster UM

Christmas tree lights were an extravagance in early 1900s

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Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoffTwitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff
Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net

Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/
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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Eagle Archive: Strictly speaking, Carroll's predominant language was once German

Eagle Archive: Strictly speaking, Carroll's predominant language was once German

Press 1 for German

By Kevin Dayhoff October 20, 2012 http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/carroll/neighborhoods/westminster/ph-ce-eagle-archive-1021-20121020,0,7714126.story

Labels: Carroll Co Commissioners, Dayhoff Media Explore Carroll, Diversity, Diversity Hispanic, English only

In October 1833, in the area we now know as Carroll County, a vote was taken as to whether or not we should form a new county in Maryland from portions of Baltimore and Frederick counties.

A bill authorizing the vote passed the General Assembly on March 2, 1833, according to "Carroll County Maryland, A History 1837-1976," by Nancy Warner, and "Advocates of the new county sprang into action" to help promote the vote.

They formed committees to write pamphlets containing arguments advocating a vote in favor of a new county. Several of my ancestors, the Warfields were members of this committee.
Some of the pamphlets were even printed in English — a special consideration, since the predominant language in Carroll County at the time was German.

Anecdotal accounts indicate that German was the predominant language in Carroll up to around the time of the Civil War, especially in the northern and western portions of the county… http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/carroll/neighborhoods/westminster/ph-ce-eagle-archive-1021-20121020,0,7714126.story

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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The first Carroll County Board of Commissioners met on Friday, January 27, 1837

The first Carroll County Board of Commissioners met on Friday, January 27, 1837

by Kevin Dayhoff Posted February 2, 2011

The recent celebration of Carroll County’s 174th birthday brings to mind several columns that I have written in the past about the early days of Carroll County…

For an article about the recent birthday celebration party put on by the Historical Society of Carroll County, go here: Name from the past helps mark Carroll County's 174th birthday Published January 23, 2011 by Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle: WESTMINSTER -- Author Helen Jean Burn introduced Carroll County historical figure Betsy Bonaparte to a crowd of more than 100 people on Jan. 20 during the celebration of the county's 174th birthday. At an event held at Holy Cross Hall in Westminster -- ... ...  http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5101/name-past-helps-mark-countys-174th-birthday/

The full-length version on my Explore Carroll Eagle Archive column, “DAYHOFF: Greetings to the new 'Levy Court,' a.k.a. the Board of County Commissioners,” http://tinyurl.com/285shup, published on December 5, 2010, may be found below…

EAGLE ARCHIVE By Kevin Dayhoff  http://tinyurl.com/285shup

Posted 12/05/10  http://www.explorecarroll.com/opinion/4976/greetings-levy-court-aka-county-commissioners/  (Enlarge)

All that remains of the Thanksgiving turkey dinner are the leftovers, and many Carroll County residents have now turned their attention to Christmas -- and, oh, yes, the new Board of County Commissioners.

This year, there are no leftovers in the commissioners' office.

In November, the president may have pardoned a turkey for the Thanksgiving holidays, but in our county family the gobbler did not survive and neither did any of the incumbent commissioners.

At 2 p.m. Monday, Carroll County gets a Christmas present when the first five-member board will be sworn into office. Of the new faces -- Robin Frazier (1st District), Haven Shoemaker (2nd), Dave Roush (3rd), Richard Rothschild (4th) and Doug Howard (5th) -- only Frazier has served before…  http://www.explorecarroll.com/opinion/4976/greetings-levy-court-aka-county-commissioners/

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/12/dayhoff-greetings-to-new-levy-court-aka.html 20101205 SCE Greetings to the new Levy Court sceked

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DAYHOFF: The first board of commissioners

Eagle Archive By Kevin Dayhoff for publication: 12/05/10

All that remains of the Thanksgiving turkey dinner are the leftovers and many Carroll Countians have now turned their attention to Christmas – and, oh, yes, the new board of commissioners.

This year, there are no leftovers in the commissioners’ office.  In November, the president may have pardoned a turkey for the Thanksgiving holidays, but in our county family the gobbler did not survive and neither did any of the incumbent county commissioners.

At 2 p.m. on Monday, Carroll County gets an early Christmas present when the first five-member board of commissioners will be sworn into office.  Of the new faces - Robin Frazier (1st District), Haven Shoemaker (2nd), Dave Roush (3rd), Richard Rothschild (4th) and Doug Howard (5th) - only Frazier has served before.

Taxes, waste-to-energy, the airport, police protection, and the economy are some of the many leftovers the new commissioners will find on their plates.

One thing that will not be on the plates of our new county leadership is the Christmas tree in front of the Center Street office building.  The Grinch-economy stole it and county spokesperson Vivian Laxton drew the short straw to explain that not only was the tree done away with but the county did not even have money to buy Christmas cookies...

It will be interesting to see how well our county government functions with five instead of three commissioners.  Of course, when the first Carroll County board of commissioners met at the Union Meeting House on Church Street on Friday, January 27, 1837; there were not three – not five, but count them - nine county commissioners.

Long-range forecasts indicate that the weather on Monday is expected to be cold.  In 1837, according to Nancy Warner’s history of Carroll County:

“The town (of Westminster,) of less than five hundred residents welcomed new county citizens and strangers alike, but the bitter cold and deep snow were inhospitable, changing the parade as planned … into an assembly in Union Church located in the Westminster Cemetery.”

From 1837 until 1853, the county commissioners were appointed to two-year terms by the governor.  Today one of the reasons we celebrate Thanksgiving in Carroll County is that the commissioners are no longer selected that way.  Thank God for small favors.

In 1837 the commissioners were called the “Levy Court” because the main function of the “commissioners of the tax” was to levy taxes for the construction and maintenance of the county’s roads.

It was not until the Maryland Constitution of 1851 was adopted on June 14, 1851, that the commissioners were elected.  That date ought to be a county holiday.  From 1853 to 1891 we elected three commissioners for a two-year term. 

The first board of commissioners in 1837 included: William Shepherd, Sterling Galt, John Erb, Joshua C. Gist, Joseph Steele, Jacob Reese, John Lamotte, Nimrod Gardner, and Harry S. Brinkman.

When he is not looking for leftover turkey, Kevin Dayhoff may be reached at kevindayhoff@gmail.com

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Alexis de Tocqueville and Charles Carroll of Carrollton


Alexis de Tocqueville and Charles Carroll of Carrollton

July 29 2009 by Kevin Dayhoff http://tinyurl.com/lyt9pw

Today is the birthday of a famous French aristocrat, Alexis de Tocqueville, who published in 1835 what many historians to this day, consider to be the foremost classic analysis of American culture, society, and government, “Democracy in America.”

To see a copy of “Democracy in America,” go here: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/home.html; or here: http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/t/tocqueville/alexis/democracy/.

For more information on “Democracy in America,” go here: http://www.tocqueville.org/.

Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville was born on July 29, 1805 in Paris.

Today’s segment of “The Writer’s Almanac,” narrated by Garrison Keillor, noted, “In 1831, (Tocqueville) was 25 years old, and he and Gustave de Beaumont, who was just 29, were sent by the French government to study the prison system in America. They arrived in Manhattan at sunrise on May 11, 1831.”

According to my Elon College history textbook, “The American Nation,” written by John A. Garraty, Tocqueville wrote at the time, “We are leaving with the intention of examining, in detail and as scientifically as possible, all the mechanism of that vast American society which everyone talks of and no one knows… We are counting on bringing back the elements of a fine work.”

[I used notes from my 1971 Elon College history class for the http://www.explorecarroll.com/ column I wrote last night for this Sunday’s Archives column on this topic. (Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/c0ysz)

In addition to my Elon College history textbook, “The American Nation,” written by John A. Garraty.

In the fall of 1971, I had Mrs. Holt for History 211-E, 9:05 AM, MWF. The classroom was in CO-206.

In the spring of 1972, I had George Troxler for History 212-G, 10:10 AM, MWF. The classroom was in CO-213.]

In 1831, our fledgling nation was much on the minds of the French for many reasons, but most notably for the fact that it was in that year that France and the United States teetered on the brink of war over monetary claims accumulated against the French for their actions during the Napoleonic Wars.

The dispute raged-on for years and was prosecuted, for the most part, by President Andrew Jackson, who was not only upset with the French, but also with Great Britain – and Canada – and native Americans...

In today’s world, Jackson would have been diagnosed with an anger management problem. Eventually, the French settled the dispute because, as Garraty puts it, Jackson “showed poor judgment, being ready to take monumental risks to win petty victories… (It) reinforced the impression held by foreigners that the United States was a rash young country with a chip on its shoulders and pathologically mistrustful…”

It is an attitude held by much of Europe to this day.

Historians have developed a number of explanations as to why these young writers made the trip. One accounts says: “Both were at odds with the new government of Louis Philippe,” (the last King of France, Louis-Philippe I,) who had just come to power on August 13, 1830, and they were looking for an excuse to leave France.

Whatever the reason, the result was an ageless classic which is studied and interpreted over and over again, to this day.

My Elon College history textbook, “The American Nation,” written by John A. Garraty, observed that “… many of the fundamental traits of the (American) society Tocqueville analyzed may still be observed in America today.”

For example, “The Writer’s Almanac” segment notes that Tocqueville observed: “The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.”

The “Almanac” segment reports, “For the next nine months, they traveled more than 7,000 miles, from New England to Wisconsin to Louisiana.” I have yet to determine whether or not they came through what we now know as Carroll County.

Although there is an oblique Carroll County connection nevertheless because the man, after whom our county is named, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, was one of the many Tocqueville interviewed – just before Carroll died on November 14, 1832.

Carroll, who was, at the time Tocqueville interviewed him, the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was also the only Catholic to sign; and was considered to be one of the wealthiest men in the U.S.

One publication on the travels and work of Tocqueville notes “Tocqueville interviewed presidents, lawyers, bankers and settlers and even met with Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland…”

Carroll was probably a fascinating interview because it was not until after his death that his reputation was rehabilitated…

Dr. Bradley J. Birzer is currently writing a new biography on Carroll, “American Cicero: The Life of Charles Carroll (Lives of the Founders) ,” that is scheduled to be released in February 2010.

In a recent interview with Dr. Bradley J. Birzer, in the Washington Times, (Hat Tip: “Against The Grain,”) it was brought out that Carroll “was one of Alexis de Tocqueville's main informants. So there are moments in de Tocqueville's Democracy in America … when he is being critical of the democratic spirit, and it seems very clear to me that he is taking that from his interview with Carroll…

“He was so critical of what happened to the republic after the founding. He's very critical of the democratic element in the American republic - he's worried that self-interest and greed are replacing republican virtue.”

“So from the late 1700s, Carroll starts being called ‘the hoary-headed aristocrat.’ He starts to be seen as a relic of an older age. But after Carroll dies, there's a resurgence of his reputation. All across the country, the headlines read, ‘The last of the Romans is dead.’”

20090729 sdosm pubver Tocquevilles America

People Charles Carroll of Carrollton, People Tocqueville Alexis de, History 1830s, History This Day in History, Dayhoff writing essays history, Colleges Universities Elon, Dayhoff Elon College University,
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