1897 RAILROAD CHANGES LEWES

LEWES HISTORY

1897 RAILROAD BRINGS GREAT CHANGES TO LEWES

Since the railroad to Lewes is gone by the way, this January 2, 1897 article

in the Delaware Pilot might be of some interest to those interested in Lewes

history. It somewhat covers the persons Davis L. Mustard and his brother

Robert, son's of Cornelius Hopkins Mustard, a Presbyterian minister.

David wrote his brother Robert in China, on a business trip,  that all we hear is

the train whistle, day and night, the track being  on the Orr farm field a short

way from the road going to Rehoboth, to take trains of cars from Lewes to Philadelphia.

Robert Mustard was born in 1839 and by the Civil War was a Lewes merchant, hence, to St. Louis, Missouri, then in 1864 to Shanghia, China

where he was in the import business, importing cheese, sugar, flour, brandy

and canned and bottled goods from United States producers for the next

twelve years before returning to Lewes.

Upon Roberts return, in 1876, just as David had predicted the railroad which came in 1869 had made dramatic changes in Lewes. With connections to distant cities a building boom of colorful Victorian homes

and several fish processing plants had appeared. The railroad also took

Lewes residents to Florida to warm up. Excursions in new Pullman accommodations were made as far as California at affordable prices.

Robert Mustard returned to Shanghia in 1877 until he died in 1900. By then

the horseless carriages came to Lewes, bouncing down the road, and

changed Lewes all over the second time.

Abstract: Delaware Diary by Michael Morgan, and first, January 2, 1897,

Delaware Pilot