Blue Star Flags and Highways

above flag picture from the Harrington Historical Society

During World War II these flags were hung in the front windows of homes those with sons in the military. If the son died during the service of his country, the blue star would be changed to gold. 

You can still order from the American Legion blue Star flags to put in your window if you have a family member serving in the military

From the blue star flags the blue star memorial highways came to be when in 1944 a New Jersey Garden Club beautified, by planting dogwood trees, on a section US Rt22.  In Delaware RT13 is a Blue Star Memorial Highway and in Maryland it US Rt 301.

CHAPTER 495

FORMERLY

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 3

DESIGNATING U.S. ROUTE 13 FROM DOVER TO THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE LINE AS A BLUE STAR MEMORIAL HIGHWAY.

WHEREAS, over 40 years ago the National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc. established The Blue Star Memorial Highway program as a living tribute to the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States; and

WHEREAS, designation of a highway as a Blue Star Memorial Highway includes erection of a marker planted with flowering trees or shrubs; and

WHEREAS, many states have embraced the Blue Star Memorial Highway program and the system of highways designated as Blue Star Memorial Highways now extends thousands of miles across the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, Route 13 from Dover to the Maryland state line was designated as a Blue Star Memorial Highway in 1981 at the request of the Seaford Spade and Trowel Garden Club; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Federation of Garden Clubs has requested that the section of Route 13 from Dover to the Pennsylvania state line also be designated a Blue Star Memorial Highway to extend the Blue Star Memorial Highway completely through the State of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, it is fitting that this memorial to the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces encompass the full length of our state.

NOW THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 139th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, with the approval of the Governor, that Route 13 from Dover to the Pennsylvania state line is hereby designated as a Blue Star Memorial Highway.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is hereby authorized and directed to take the appropriate action essential to implement the provisions of this Act.

Approved April 9, 1998

Conley’s Dry Cleaners

In 1930 Conley’s Dry Cleaning was located in the W. W. Whayland Building (The Old Hotel).  It was run by Jerome Gilmore Conley who in 1930 would move his dry cleaning business to Salisbury on West Church Street.  By August of 1930 the 30 year old had died of typhoid fever.   His 25 year old wife Bertie Gertrude Voight Conley would attempt to run the dry cleaning business but could not succeed with the lost of her husband.  In 1931 she sold the business to Edward W. Davis and J. Wilmore Shockley.  She took her daughter, Bettie Jane, and returned to North Carolina where she had been born.  She would later marry Robert Emmett Russell in North Carolina. Conley Cleaners continues in Salisbury today with Todd Bailey as the owner.

Susie Lee Spriggs

above Salisbury Times 12 April 1932

Susie would marry Howard Newton German

above the Evening Journal 26 May 1930

Robert L. Toback

Robert Lewis Toback (1943-2013) would return to Troy, NY to teach.  He would marry Mary Anne Arcesi.

above newspaper clipping 1966 Bi State Weekly

The Death of Raymond Brown 1907

Raymond Brown, a young brakeman employed on a N. Y. P. and N. freight fell between two cars here this morning and was ground to pieces.  Both legs and one arm were cut off and his body forced into the roadbed in such a manner that it was necessary to remove three ties to extricate it.  The unfortunate man, who was but 23 years old, was resident of Delmar, where he is survived by a widow and one child.

Above from the Evening Journal 20 Feb 1907

His death occurred as the train started across the Pocomoke River bridge and scaffolding had to be built under the bridge so the body would not fall into the river as they removed it by cutting ties.  His body was taken to Marvel Funeral home in Delmar.

Raymond A. Brown (1883-1907) is buried in St. Stephens cemetery.  He was the son of Noah James Brown (1857-1937) and Louisa Alice Oliphant Brown.  Several of his brothers worked for the railroad.  In November of 1904 he married Lois Amanda Phillips, daughter of William Phillips and Nettie Phillips.  Raymond and Lois had a son in 1906; William Byard Brown.   After Raymond’s death Lois continue to live in Delmar on Chestnut street. In 1909 her son accidently drank a glass of lye that Lois had left on a pump bench while she did other chores.  He died.  He is buried in St Stephens cemetery alongside his father.  Lois left Delmar and went to Philadelphia where she became a nurse.  Sometime between 1930 and 1940 she married a Mr. Kenney.  The marriage must have ended under unfortunate circumstances as Lois in 1940 was living on a farm on Jersey road outside of Delmar by herself.  She had retired from nursing.  In 1943 she decided to end her life and hung herself from the rafter of a chicken house on her property.  Her body was found by her brother.  Samuel J Phillips was made the executer and her possessions and property was auctioned off. She is buried next to her first husband and son in St Stephens cemetery.

The Mardela Garage

Mardela Garage at end of Sharptown Road, G. D Evans, Prop. (George D)   burnt in the 1949 Sign pointing To Salisbury, and advertising Tires, Tubes, soft drinks, Free Air and Water.  From Westside Historical Society,

A Good Nickel Cigar

Again we come back to this photo of State Street and Railroad Ave about 1910.  On the right is a sign for Sen Auben.  No doubt the cigars were sold in George Willis Hudson's Billard Parlor and tobacco store.  This was in a period in which cigars were manufactured in the larger towns.  Salisbury certainly had their cigar makers although Sen Auben was a Wilmington cigar maker.  All of them seem to use girls for cigar makers in their factories. 

1911

Sen Auben was a brand of cigars manufactured for and by S. H. Durstein in Wilmington Delaware.  They were distributed in New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. 

in 1911 they opened their new factory at second and walnut in Wilmington 

1913

Samuel Henry Durstein (1859-1918) distributed them from the late 1890 until His son, Ralph, sold the company in 1942. Ralph Keck Durstein, jr, the grandson of Samuel, would work in Salisbury as a salesman for Atlantic Refining Company before moving to New York State and died in 1968

1942

below is an ad for 200 girls in Salisbury to make cigars in 1920

above 1918