F A Roberson 1913

The Delmar News January 1913.  It looks like a 1912 Maxwell

Frank Adrian Robertson (1884-1949) was the editor of the "Delmar News" he also raised and sold pigeons, was manager of the ball team and into a number of organizations.  He was born in Delmar Maryland to Joseph Robertson and Catherine Foskey Robertson.  Both died while he was an infant.  He started in the newspaper business early on, as a newsboy, and worked his way up to editor.  Frank married Mary E. Harris (1885-1930) in 1904.  From this marriage came John Parson Robertson.  In 1913 the "Delmar News" and the "Delmar Herald" combined with G T Jones as the editor.  Frank just couldn't get ahead financially and in 1913 the sheriff sold all his possessions including the car to satisfy numerous bills he owed.

Frank and his family moved to Washington, New Jersey and in 1919 he purchased the "Washington Star " newspaper.  He trained his son to be a reporter and an editor.  He was Mayor of Washington, NJ 1922-1923.  He sold his interest in the newspaper in 1927 and purchased the Canandaigua New York "Daily Messenger".  His wife, Mary, died in 1931.  After her death Frank returned to the "Star" in 1933 and remained with it until 1941.  He became a postmaster.  He remarried in 1933 to Elizabeth M Miller (1903-1984) and they had a daughter in 1933 Carolyn A Robertson (1933-1947).  The second wife is always younger than the first wife.   Frank would die in 1949.

His son, John, would marry Mary Wells.  John would die in an auto accident in 1933 at age 27.

Delmar Lions Club

Delmar Lions Club, was organized at a dinner held last week in the Maryland High School. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: president, George Stephens; vice president. Harry Gibson, Samuel Phillips and Howard T. Waller; secretary and treasurer. Alvin Elliott; board of directors, Charles Marvel, Frank Baker, Harold C. Whiteside and Lester A. Hall; lion tamer Richard Cullen; and tail twister, Walter A Calloway.

The Salisbury Times 02 Mar 1938

And from the Delmar Lions Club Web Page

Sponsored by the Salisbury Host Lions Club, the Delmar Lions Club was chartered in February 1938.  In our generous support of the Delmar community over the last 75 years, some of our many projects include donating the land for State Street Park to the town of Delmar, chartering and supporting Boy Scout Troop 174, college scholarships for Delmar High School seniors, local youth sports programs, Christmas gifts for residents of the local nursing home, vision exams and eyeglasses.

We continue to support LCIF, LVRF, Leader Dogs for the Blind, among others.  In support of our endeavors, our members can be seen fundraising at our annual golf tournament and selling hot dogs and hamburgers at local events including Delmar's A Day In The Park, Wright's Market Watermelon Festival in Mardela Springs, and Heritage Days in Delmar.

Recently, we have had only one Past District Governor and one Past District Cabinet Secretary, but over our history we have had many members serve on the District 22-D's Cabinet.  The Delmar Lions Club sponsored the Lions Club in Sharptown, MD in 1940.

Chief Charles Cullen

above 1938 Baltimore Sun Photo

Charles “Chuck” Mason Cullen was the Delmar Police Chief from 1963 to 1976.  He replaced Chief Everett Young.   He was born in 1911 in Franklin City, Virginia to Lee and Maud Joseph Cullen.  His father was a railroad man (Lee Cullen) who ended up in Delmar.  Charles had a brother, Richard Cullen, who was a well known lawyer.  Charles Cullen graduated Delmar High School and in 1938 became a Delaware State trooper.  He retired from the State police in 1958.   He married Marguerite Ann Pusey (1908 -1977) in 1939 and they had two children; Charles Mason Cullen (Chuck) and Richard Lee Cullen (Rick).  Marguerite was the daughter of Charles F. and Laura Pusey.  She would work as a receptionist at Dr.  Larmore’s office.    He married a second time to Margaret “Peggy” Remaley  Lekites  ( 1914-1983).  Peggy was a kindergarten teacher.

When Charles Cullen left the Police force he became a town councilman. At the time he was police Chief of the five man police force he made $186 a week.  In part, his reason for resigning as police chief was he felt his job was being interfered with by Town elected officials.  This has always been an issue with the Police Department who feel they have to report to no one and certainly will not be given instructions by civilians.  It apparently is an age old question as there is a phrase Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Or who will watch the watchman?  And it has been around for a long time.   Earl Hudson was the Delmar Delaware mayor at the time and Fred Disharoon was President of the Maryland side.

Charles Cullin died in 1994.

1904 Separate Cars

1904 August 6 Afro American newspaper Baltimore MD

Referring to railroad passenger cars it was the result of the supreme court upholding separate but equal in the 1896 Plessy vs Ferguson case.

A good discussion of this is on the Cecil County History Blog

https://cecilcountyhistory.com/taking-a-stand-for-equal-treatment-on-the-mason-dixon-line-in-1904/

1901 Delmar Graduating Class

a photo of the first graduating class from Delmar High School in 1901, along with the school principal. The same photo was displayed for many years in a glass case in Delmar High School. The people in the photo are back row: Minnie Smith, Margaret Hastings and Ann Stevenson; and front row: Susie Francis, Ethel Hayman and Susie Hastings. The principal is Willard Deputy.

photo from the Delaware State Archives and comments from Colleen Herman of Millsboro who mailed it to the Cape Gazette 

Miss Rubie Owens Lost Her Handbag 1912

above from the Salisbury advertiser 1912

Ruby Mae Owens (1889-1980) was the daughter of Edward and Lillian Owens,  She would marry John Wheatley and is buried at St Marks Church.  She attended and graduated in 1907 Wicomico High School, below is a yearbook writeup.

Mayor James Davis and President Albert Whaley 1968

From the Baltimore Sun February 8 1968   James  Davis and Albert Whaley.

Delmar Elementary Grade 5, 1974-1975

Delmar Elementary School Grade 5, 1974-1975 Mrs Bounds Class

Sunday Dinner At The Red Star 1929

Sunday Dinner at the Red Star Restaurant in Princess Anne Maryland.  You had to be quick to eat here as it opened in March of 1929 and was closed in July of 1929.

Restaurants are fragile businesses that are usually poorly funded to begin with and are an individual entrepreneur dream (sometime without practical experience).  If a restaurant last over a year it is a success, There are many reasons for a restaurant to go out of business; the obvious being poor food and bad service.  However there is also another wide range of reasons for closing from government interference, to Covid 19 to the town deciding to dig up the street in front of the restaurant and leaving it dug for a year or so to race riots to rumors about the restaurant staff belonging to some secret organization - just about anything will shut down a restaurant.    In the case of the Red Star Restaurant the closing was due to not  owning the building it was in.  Ada Tyler open her restaurant in a store on Main Street where E. O Smith had had a store.  The Building was owned by Mr. G W Beahler.  Mr Beahler sold the building in May to Mr. H. Edwin Morris.  Mr Morris decided to open a clothing and shoe store in the building and kicked the restaurant out. 

Ada Castle Howeth Tyler (1896-1972) had run the Princess Anne Tea Room for two years prior to opening the Red Star Restaurant.  She was the daughter of Charles Westly Howeth and Laura Dodson Howeth from the Fairmont area.  Ada would marry Oliver Vernon E. Tyler.  They would have three sons; Oliver, Allen and Preston. 

Ada would go on to run a couple additional restaurants in Princess Anne, one being the Delmonico.

Philip Breyer Chief of Police 1950

From the Bi-State Weekly April 28, 1950

PHILIP S. BREYER NAMED TOWN COP

Philip S. Breyer, age 31, has been named by the Mayor and Council of Delmar, Delaware, to the position of Town Cop. Mr. Breyer succeeds George E. Hearn, who resigned this week due to failing health.

Mr. Breyer is a veteran of World War II having served 6 years in the U. S. Army. One year of this time was spent as a member of the Military Police.

He is married to the former Miss Thelma Carmine, whose home is near Delmar on the Maryland side. They have three children.

He was born at Greenlane, Pa.

Mr. Breyer's only statement was "I'm glad to receive this appointment and will do my utmost to preserve law and order in Delmar."

Cop Hearn, who is nearing his 75th birthday, has been the local police man for the past 30 years. He will still hold the position of Constable for Sussex County.

Philip Breyer served as Chief of Police in Delmar, Delaware from 1950 to 1952.  The article had a few mistakes in it; his name was Philip Frederick Breyer (1919-1974), he was born in 1919 to Alvin and Mary Erb Breyer in Sumneytown, Pennsylvania.  He was born into a large family.  His father died when Philip was fifteen.  At the beginning of World War Two he went into the military and part of that time he served in the Military Police.  Sometime after being discharged he found Thelma Carmean (1925-2017) and after their marriage was the reason he stayed in the area instead of returning to Pennsylvania.    Thelma also came from a large family and had a difficult upbringing in the Eden, Maryland area.  Her parents were Homer Sidney Carmean and Betty Virginia Townsend Carmean. 

Bryer was hired when certification for police work wasn’t required, just nerve.  He worked with the Delmar Maryland Chief of Police; John Livingston, the railroad police and Delaware and Maryland State troopers.   Chief Breyer had the title of Chief of Police but in truth he was the only police officer on the Delaware side of town.  When he first started work the town did not have a police car.  The town policeman just walked around town and stayed to the corporate limits of town.  Not having a car meant speeders could do as they wanted, so in 1951 the town purchased their first police car.  On Saturday October 27th 1951 Delmar put it's first police car into action. It was a new black Ford (Does new mean 1952 or 1951) with "Delmar Police" on each door panel and the word "Police", all in gold lettering, on the trunk lid. The car was equipped with a siren on the top and a "stop" light on the right fender.

above from The Bi-State Weekly 

Shown left to right in the clipping photo are; Councilman Howard King, Automobile Salesman Leslie Evans, Mayor A. E. Hantwerker, Officer Philip Breyer, Councilman Gene Hammond, and Councilman Alton Truitt.

After two years of law enforcement in a small town Chief Breyer gave it up and resigned.  His family moved to Pennsylvania and he took other jobs beside police work. 

The Breyer men had short life spans, Philip’s father died when he was 45, Philip would die when he was 55.  Philip and Thelma Breyer also had a large family

Thelma however had good genes and she would live to be ninety-one.

Tomato Packing 1917

from The Afro American, Baltimore Md August 25 1917

T. Barclay Beach 1883

T. Barclay Beach, living near Delmar who cut his leg on the 8th of March, died a few days ago from his injuries.

above from the Baltimore Sun 16 May 1883.

Thomas B Beach (1855-1883) was the son of Isaiah and Irena Culver Beach .  He is buried in the Beach Cemetery

1942 Map with train tracks to Shop

Delmar USGS Historical Topographic map of Delmar train tracks in 1942

Sunday Lunch At The Palm Garden

1906 ad

The Palm Garden opened in Salisbury on Main Street in 1906.  Opening day had an orchestra playing and they gave out 1,000 carnations as souvenirs.  The Palm Garden was one of  about a thousand restaurants by that name in this time period.  The color scheme in the restaurant was green and white and naturally it had palms for decoration.

above the interior of the Palm Garden

The restaurant and catering service was started by The Palm Garden Refreshment Co with P. A. Brown as president and G. A. M Willson.  The restaurant changed management and ownership over the years but it lasted till about 1917.  It was a popular meeting place for organizations and private parties and our hypothetical Delmar family may have went down to the restaurant after church for ice cream and a light lunch. 

above 1912 ad

About 1912 John Stuart Barnette bought the company.  John Barnette was a merchant in Dover and a real estate operator in New Jersey.  His connection with Dover could be the reason the Palm Garden served ice cream from a mid-Delaware dairy instead of a Salisbury Ice Cream plant. 

John Barnette (1869-1948) was born in Princess Anne, Maryland to John William Barnette and Sarah Jane Martin.  He had two brothers; Thomas L Barnette and Paul M Barnette.  Thomas Barnette (1868-1935) was a businessman in Princess Anne and Paul Barnette  (1871- ) was a businessman in Laurel Delaware.  John worked in Dover.  They, with their wives,  all were very successful and were into a wide range of businesses.  John had married in 1903 to Daisey Moffett. 

After the Palm Garden went out of business, a Palm Garden popped up in Crisfield.  To my knowledge there was no business connection only the same name, like I said it was popular name for a restaurant.

1929 ad

1910 Delmar News

TWO CARPENTERS HURT

Crowbar Knocks Out Teeth And Falling Hatchet Severs Artery.

Delmar. July 23. Two of Delmar's. carpenters were seriously injured yesterday afternoon." Frank E. Pote, who is assistant foreman of transfer work on the New York. Philadelphia and Norfolk railroad, was prying up a huge piece of lumber with a crowbar when the bar slipped, throwing him, and the bar struck him under the chin. A number of teeth were knocked out and his chin severely cut.

J. Leonard Hastings, while working on the new Ice plant here, had his face badly cut by a hatchet which struck him in the temple, severing the artery and severely cutting the side of his face. He was on the lower floor of the plant when a fellow-workman on the next floor called to him to look out for a hatchet. Hastings looked up just in time for the sharp blade to strike his face. He was taken to the Peninsula General Hospital, where he is reported to be in a serious condition.

DELMAR HAS NEW FIRE CO.

Citizens Buy Engine And Raise Money For Uniforms.

Delmar. July 23. The Delmar Volunteer Fire Company was organized last evening with 20 members, and the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President. Arthur W. Ellis: vice-president, Charles G. Cooper; secretary. Dr. F. Ellsworth Hatch; treasurer. Elisha H. Jones; chief, George W. Purnell; assistant, Samuel M. Yingling; foreman of hose, N. L. Hayman; assistant, R. R. Gorman; driver, J. W. Bounds.

Delmar has recently acquired a $1,800 fire engine, which was purchased by popular subscription. The ladies of the town, not to be outdone, have raised money to purchased uniforms for the fire laddie

 The Baltimore Sun 24 Jul 1910, Sun  •  Page 7

No RR Crews Reporting To Delmar

Effective at the end of Friday June 12th Delmar will cease to have a Railroad crew or locomotive. The crews and trains are being transferred to Seaford and will handle the work from there.

The Ninety Nines Fly In 1964

The Delmar (State-Line) airport was used as a place to fly into, have lunch and a little social meeting by amateur pilots.  In 1964 the International Women Pilot’s magazine had a mention of the airport when the Washington DC Chapter flew in to have their business meeting.

 

December 1964    The International Women Pilot's Magazine “The Ninety Nines”

"WASHINGTON, D.C. C H APTER By Jacqueline M. C. Smith

On Saturday, November 7, the weather was with the 99 s and we did not have to resort to rain dates. We had our Fly-in at Delmar State Line Airport at Delmar, Md. Nancy Tier flew in in her Cessna 170 and brought along Alice Fuchs and Mary Ann Shelley. Peggy Borek, chairman of the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter, flew in from Philadelphia in her Cessna 150. Eve Mcllveen, who was the coordinator for air transportation to the fly-in, flew a Cherokee 140 in and brought Lu Murray with her. Bea Wilder flew in with two guests with her Dottie Allen and Louise Malone. Incidentally, Louise is a student pilot and no doubt a potential 99 member for our chapter! Chapter chairman, Laura Zerener, flew her freshly painted 140 in. A short business meeting was held and a lot of hangar flying done. The wood at Delmar is very good and reasonably priced, too a combination to take into consideration! At this Delmar meeting, it was decided to resume the "Christmas Basket idea this year. As most of you know, this basket is filled with donations and then given to some needy family. Nancy is looking into getting the name of a needy family.?

1979 DHAS Flea Market

1979 Back when flea markets were set up at the airport

1988 Delmar Grain

Sunday Dinner at West's Restaurant

above 1945 ad


West Restaurant was located on the corner of East Main Street and Popular Hill Ave in Salisbury Maryland.  It was opened in 1939 and closed in 1950.  The restaurant was owned by John W West and his wife Ida West.  The area has been demolished so we have no pictures of the building.

The restaurant ceased to be when the husband and wife had violent arguments and decided to sell the restaurant and end the marriage.  John West purchased it and sold off the contents which ended the restaurant business.

1951 ad - as you can see from the items offered for sale it was a well furnished restaurant for the time.

John William West (1887-1951) was born in Onancock Virginia to William Custis West and Annie Parks West.  He was educated as a lawyer and practiced law in Onancock.  He married Sarah "Goggy" Parks (1894-1991) in 1910.  They had three daughters; Frances Parks West, Mary Ann West and Margaret West.  They were divorced in 1926. 

John West came to Salisbury and was a successful realtor.  In 1929 he married Ida Kerr Aldridge of Burlington NC.  They had a son Harold "Hal" Aldridge West in 1931.  In 1939 they opened West's Restaurant.  They ran the restaurant together.

In 1948 Harold West graduated WiHi needless to say the West Restaurant had an ad in the yearbook (below)

After the 1950 divorce Ida would marry Garland Kellam a produce broker in Salisbury and Florida. In 1981 she would marry Horace Broughton Van Aiken.  She would die in 1997.

John W West would die in 1951 and is buried in Onancock Virginia.

Harold is still alive and living in Florida.

Trudy's Hair Happening's

1988 ad above

above 1973 ad  - Trudy Mitchell would run her Hair happenings for 17 years in Delmar.  She was a graduate of Delmarva Beauty Academy and she was another small business owner that employed people and added to the local economy.  The time she operated in Delmar was the big hair period of the 70s and 80s, so you know there was a lot of hairspray used.

Holloway Nursery 1976

1976

Leonard Mill Dam Washout 1945

In December of 1945 Wicomico County was hit with heavy rains and Leonard Pond raised high enough to wash out the dam.  The road across the dam was washed out, a power line was tire up, and a gas line was damaged.   There had been a previous washout in 1943.

At the time the mill and dam was owned by Cecil Cline whose house you can see in the distance in this photo.

Henry Baker amateur photographer took these photographs at the time .  They are part of the Henry Baker collection at the Nabb Research Center Salisbury University and can be found on line.

The Ear Iron

Long before Delmar existed but an interesting trivia thing

From The Jamestown Settlement facebook Page

Answer to History Mystery #62:

~Ear Iron (Oorijzer)~

It’s an ear iron or "oorijzer"! This piece of head wear became a common part of Dutch women's clothing during the 16th century and is still worn today with traditional costumes. By looking at original paintings, we can see how ear irons were worn during the 17th century. Its purpose was to provide a stable foundation for pinning the linen "coif" or cap that was worn over it.

An oorijzer was found on the skull of a woman at Martin's Hundred, another early 17th century English settlement near Jamestown. She is believed to have been killed during the 1622 Powhatan uprising but nothing else is known about her or why she was wearing an oorizjer. Was she a Dutch immigrant to England before coming to Virginia? Unfortunately we may never know her story.

This ear iron was made by journeywoman blacksmith Aislin Lewis based on research by Samantha Bullat.