Seaford Native Holds 90th Birthday Celebration in San Antonio Texas

Major Thomas Rhodes Hazzard celebrates his 90th birthday , ninty years old because he never let anything worry him. The celebrattion was at his son in laws home, Dr. A. L. Breeding, on Thursday at 5511 South Loop, where he had made his home the past few years.
Ever since he was born, October 16, 1834, he has never let misfortune get the best of his spirit and he is still here with the same sort of philosophy, ready to impart to the younger man who is wise enough to listen.
Major Hazzards birthplace was Seaford, Delaware, his parents were Rhodes and Nancy White Hazzard, Rhodes being the 1830's Seaford blacksmith at the northwest corner of Market and Second Street. He married Mary Jane Ellegood of Seaford, daughter of Joshua Atkinson Ellegood and his wife Ann Houston Griffith Ellegood. Mary Jane died in 1878 at St. Louis, after raising six children, four of which still are living.
A son, Seth Ellegood Hazzard, of New york and San Diego, California, is a distinguished traveler and was present at the openng of King Tut's tomb in Egypt. His other children are Edgar J. Hazzard and Mrs. Edward J. Miller of Oklahoma City, Mrs. Henry C. Hawkin of St. Louis and Mrs. A. L. Breeding of San Antonio.
Major Hazzard was in Minnesota at the time of the Indian massacre in the early 1860's and was given the rank of major in recognition of distinguished service. He was wounded and operated on by the father of the Mayo Brothers in Rochester, Minnesta.
His later years were spent with his children in Oklahoma City and California. He came alone from there to San Antonio four years ago.
He is an interesting conversationalist and remembers many notable events of his early years and is well read and traveled and has a remarkable memory. He sings the old songs and quotes poetry and the Bible, showing a general disregard of his ninty years.
Major Thomas Rhodes Hazzard, native of Seaford, Delaware, sailor, indian fighter, Major, Deputy U. S. Marshall, trader and farmer, died at his daughters home in San Antonio Texas on 17 November 1924 and was buried at Oklahoma City.

MARIE THOMAS

The February 24, 1911 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer in the Sussex County Snapshots section states “ after an unsuccessful attempt to raise the sunken wreck of the steamer Marie Thomas, at Milton, the wreckers have postponed and other attempts until better weather. The machinery has all been removed by divers and nothing but the hull remains”.

The 1911 Annual Report of U. S. Army Chief of Engineers, under the date of November 9, 1911, mentioned that “ the wreck of the steamer Marie Thomas, lying sunk in Broadkill River, Delaware, was found to be a wooden vessel, 96 feet long, 24 foot beam, 6-1/2 feet depth of hold and of 187 gross tonnage , lying opposite side of channel from wharves of Milton. Additional to the $25 allotted for 'examination' , $500 had been allotted for removal , was advertised and a contract made with Richards Dredging Company of Philadelphia”. Their winning bid was $295.00. The 1912 Annual Report of U.S. Army Chief of Engineers list “work began February 19 and completed February 29, 1912, that the wreck was broken up and parts placed ashore above high water line”. The total cost was $496.12 which included supervision, tariff, etc.

1906 was the official building date of the Marie Thomas, being built at Milton by Master Carpenter James P. Davidson on an order of Captain George Edward MeGee who was a retired Coastal Trade Schooner Master. MeGee had her built to ship products of his timber business from Milton to Philadelphia. The Marie Thomas was the first documented ship built at Milton to have auxiliary mechanical power, in the form of a 60 HP 'diesel' engine.

Captain MeGee was registered as sole owner and master was Andrew J. Davidson, with home port being Milton. Captain MeGee later sold shares and one of the owners, W. H. Thomas , whose wife the ship was named after. 1908 the Thomas was converted to a 'steamer' , and had two of her three mast removed and a 'freight house' was built on deck to carry packaged cargo.

Some time before the night of December 3, 1910 the Thomas arrived at her Milton wharf and during that night the town fire bell was sounded, the Marie Thomas was on fire. In spite of the efforts of fire fighters, she burned to the water edge and drifted to the channel and settled.

Description: Places of Interest Upon the Delaware River and Bay.
The Lazaretto

Date: May 7 2011

Newspaper published in: Philadelphia

Source: U Penn collection

The Lazaretto, Americas Oldest Quarantine Station:

Hidden away along the riverfront banks of the Delaware River just a stone's throw from I-95 and west of the Philadelphia International Airport stands the oldest surviving quarantine facility, 1643 to 1893, in the Western Hemisphere, and the sixth oldest in the world.
The Lazaretto Quarantine Station served as the gateway to Philadelphia in a crucial period of the Nations growth during 1801 to 1895. During the warm weather months, when the traffic was heaviest and imported epidemics threatened, all arriving ships, passengers and cargo were inspected there and quarantined if necessary. Vessels and cargo were disinfected and sick passengers and crew members were treated in the Lazaretto Hospital.
The name Lazaretto derives from St. Lazarus, Patron Saint of the Lepers. Maritime quarantine stations were known as lazaeetto's and were established in European port cities beginning in the late 14th centuries.
The Lazaretto site spans the area from the Delaware River to Second Street and consiste of an 18th century building and a historic burial grounds at the northeast corner. It has been called the "Ellis Island" or Philadelphia but from a historical standpoint it is much more precious and even rarer, being a century older, the origional 1799 Lazareyyo structure still stands as a silent monument to the first hundred years of our nations history of immigration and public health. In 1799 this station was established in response to the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793, it included a large main building, several out buildings and a burial ground.
Before there was a quarantine station this site, also known as Point-no-point and Tinicum, was part of the 1643 Swedish settlement and before that known to have been the home of Lenni Lenape Native Americans.
The early part of the 20th Century, this location took om a new life as the first seaplane base in Pennsylvania, also one of the first in the United States, for an early chapter in aviation history.
Source: David Barnes, University of Pennsylvania

1720's Quakertown in Sussex on the Delaware.

Outside of Lewes there are but few business places established in the Lewes-Rehoboth Hundred, except some transacted at Quakertown, two miles west of Lewes, which was a hamlet of fifteen families up until 1725. A Public House was kept there, the Militia did their training at that place and elections were also held there. Near where was built the residence of Gideon Prettyman stood the pillory and whipping post which were used as long as the courts were held in Lewes. In latter years this place became known as Prettymanville. In 1887 stores there were kept by William Prettyman and A. Cord. There were also a few mechanics shops.

The growth and improvement of Lewes had not been very eventful and in 1721 it was reported as a large and handsome town on the banks of the Delaware. Five years later there wrre fifty eight families at this place and fifteen at Quakertown. 1807 Lewes had about eighty buildings and that number was not increased much until after the Civil War. Twelve years after that event, in which period the railroads were built, 150 new homes had been added and the population was estimated at eighteen hundred.

In 1887 there were within the corporate limits about two thousand souls, five churches, a fine union school, a hotel and at least thirty places of business, including a telegraph office established in 1852.

4th of July at Mardela Springs Hotel

Edward Austin operated the Mardela Springs Hotel during the later part of the 1890's, before it burned in 1914. The 4th of July great celebrations, the square dances on the weekends and the daily drinking of mineral water from the spring near the hotel, are to be remembered. All summer long, and some time during the winter too if the weather was mild, folks from other parts of the Eastern Shore, and Baltimore, would come to the hotel to drink the health giving waters. The spring was covered with an octagonal pagoda which was always cool and quiet inside. Strolling down the foot path from the hotel, guest would often spend an hour of so in the "springhouse" on hot summer evenings, just talking and drinking the irony, flat tasting, spring water. A circular wooden bench which ringed the springhouse would accommodate twenty five or so people.
The spring water bubbled from the earth into a wooden trough and the supposed health restoring water, could be scooped in a tin cup or glass.
The hotel was a three and half story frame building, most always painted white, but sometimes a light yellow, the window shutters and trim painted either dark green or brown. It wad 30 rooms, each furnished with a bed, bureau and a couple of chairs, and a wash stand with a bowl. The spring water was furnished in a jug to each guest.

The weekly square dances were held in a special section of the small two story section at the far end of the hotel or on nice nights the caller and fiddlers would move outside and have the people dance on the porches.
During the 4th of July event the whole community would join the hotels guest on the lawn, some set up booths to sell home made candy, gingersnaps and lemonade for a penny a glass. The hotel would be decorated in red, white and blue bunting and flags would fly from everything. Fireworks were always displayed in the evening.
Most of the hotel guest were families on vacation who came by railroad to Mardela and stayed a week or two. Often, traveling salesmen, especially the tobacco salesmen, who traveled up and down the shore, would stay there too. Life here was informal, the hotel had a lobby as did most hotels those days, a check in desk for registering and picking up keys if you wanted to lock your room. Meals were served family style on a large room length table in the dinning room at which everyone ate.
The men would fish in the day at Barren Creek behind the hotel or ride horses from the hotels stables through the many bridal paths in the area. Women did not ride horses then and stayed at the hotel and enjoyed visiting. If a family wanted to go bathing they would take a train ride to Ocean City, a day long affair, leaving early in the morning and returning after dark.

This article was transcribed from the Baltimore Sun Magazine, issue June 23, 1963 and written by Mrs. Travers Willing, a niece of Edward Austin.

Accessible Archives
Contributed by Harrison

Description: Ellendale Methodist Episcopal Church

Date: Various 2011

Newspaper published in: Pennsylvania

Source: archives

The Ellendale Methodist Episcopal Church:

On July 16, 1873, William McColley granted to Alfred Heavelow, William Short, James M. Jester, Bevans Morris and Alfred Short, a tract of land for a church, parsonage and school.
A school and parsonage costing $500 were soon erected and the church was commenced in 1882 and dedicated December 31st of that year by the Rev. Mr. Johathan S. Willis.
The building committee, composed of Elias B. Reed, Alfred Short, and Benjamin E. Jester, erected a neat frame edifice, thirty bu forty-four feet at a cost of $1,200.00 . The membership was twenty five communicants and a connected Sunday School containing twenty scholars under the superintendency of James H. Jester.
The church has always been connected with the Ellendale Circuit and the pulpit has been filled by the pastors of that Circuit.

DIRECTIONS FOR GOING UP THE DELAWARE

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Pennsylvania Gazette
Contributed by Harrison

Description: A Lighthouse and Buoy Markers For the Delaware 1767

Date: September 10 1767

Newspaper published in: Philadelphia

Source: Accessible Archives Newspapers

Philadelphia, 10 September 1767 :

THE COMMISSIONERS appointed by ACT OF ASSEMBLY of the Province of Pennsylvania, for building a LIGHTHOUSE at Cape Henlopen and fixing buoys in the Bay of Delaware, having now completed this service, think proper to make public the Situation of said Buoys in hopes that the directions following may prove useful to the SHIPPING bound up or down this bay.

Directions for sailing into the Whorekiln Road.

1. A red Buoy is stationed on the SE Point of the Shears, in Four Fathom Water. The Lighthouse bears from this Buoy S by E and the outer Point of the Cape S by E, half E. The Course of the Cape bears SE by E, the Buoy NNE and Lewes Town SW, THEN there is Anchorage in four Fathom Water, good Ground.

2. A large black Buoy is stationed on the Lower Part of the Brown, in Three and a Quarter Fathom Water, which is to be left on the Larboard Hand when bound up the Bay. The Lighthouse bears from this Buoy S Three Quarters E. Cape May bears E On Quarter Sand the Buoy on the Lower Point of the Brandywine N One Quarter W.

3. A Buoy on the Lower Part on the Brandywine, in Four Fathom Water: The Body of this Buoy is painted black, with white rim and black head. Cape May bears from this Buoy ESE One quarter E, the Buoy on the Brown S One quarter E. Muspilion W. The Buoy on the Upper Part of the Brandywine NNW Onr qquarter W. From this Buoy, in coming up, the course is NW by N as high as the Breakers, which lie about Midway between the two Buoys, and it is steep too; When you are abrest of the Breakers, at the Distance of a Cable Length from them, the Course is NNW some time then N will bring you to the upper Buoy on the Brandywine, which lies in Five Fathom Water.

4. A large Buoy in the upper Part of the Brandywine, in Five Fathom Water, painted white next the Water, the middle Part red, with a black rim, the Head a black Ground with ffour white Squares, Cape May bears from this Buoy SE by N. Muspilion W by S Three Quarters W. The Lower Buoy on the Brandywine , SSE One Quarter E and the Breakers on the Height of the Shoal, SSE Half E.

5. A large white Buoy , on the LOwer End of the Cross Ledge , in Three and Half Fathom Water: Egg Island bears from this Buoy E Half N, fotescue Island NE by N One qqquaed E. The Lower Part of Bombay Hook NW. A remarkable Tree in the Motherkln SW Hale W and the Buoy on the Upper Middle NW Half N.

6. A black Buoy on the Upper Middle, in Seventeen Feet Water: The Lower Part of Bombay Hook , intersecting the Uppermost of the Thrum Caps, bear from this buoy NW Half W. The Thrum Caps NW by W. Fortescue Island E by N Three quarters N and the Buoy on the Cross Ledge SE Half S. This Buoy lies on the Height of the Shoal, in Seventeen Feer Water, at low Tide and Vessels of 14 or 15 Feet may go over any time of Tide:

NB The Sounding of the Buoys are taken at Low Water.