Pitts, William (1889-1983) 1978 Interview |
Worcester County Library: Local History and Genealogy Collection, Snow Hill Branch, Snow Hill, MD
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Interviewee: |
William Pitts (1889-1983) |
| Interviewer: |
Katherine Fisher |
| Date of interview: |
1978 February 9 |
| Length of interview: |
1 hour |
| Transcribed by: |
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| Preferred Citation: |
“Name, Oral History Collection, Date of Interview, Worcester County Library, Snow Hill Branch, Snow Hill, Maryland.” |
Topical Terms:
Berlin (Md.)—History
Worcester County (Md.)—History
Worcester County (Md.)—Social life and customs
Location Terms:
Berlin (Md.)
Interview Begin
PITTS: Here’s your front—the porch—and here’s the addition, and back here. And this was the little room this was the place where the youngsters played; it was all fenced in so that nobody could get to them. First through third. And this was the girl’s side, over here, and this was the boy’s side.
INTERVIEWER: Oh, look at that pretty lamp. Is that a gas lamp or oil?
PITTS: It’s gasoline. It had a mantle on it.
PITTS: That’s north Main Street.
INTERVIEWER: The railroad track is at the end of that fence on the left hand side. It’s going east and west. And this of course is still Orlando Harrison’s home. And this is Rozelles—not Roselles—Sorins.
PITTS: This is Main Street looking north from a position in front of what is now the Acme Store, and the parking lot on the right and the Acme store on the left.
INTERVIEWER: And the house with the red roof there is where the parking lot is?
PITTS: That’s the old James Wise, the old undertakers place. Back in 1895-96-97, he was then the oldest active undertaker in the United States.
INTERVIEWER: And he had a gold-topped cane.
PITTS: Yes, they gave him one. And this, you can’t see it, this shot, if continued for enough, it would go right into the Calvin B. Taylor house.
PITTS: This is the Exchange and Savings Bank, which is,-- see there’s another one of your lamps—and this was the Exchange and Savings Bank built right where Tom Franklin’s old drug store was. And next to it is the site but not this; this is the First National Bank built by Levin L. Derrickson Jr.—not Sr.—they’re two different people—different in every way, shape or form. One was the boy and one was the son. And then the other brick building is the old Ayres place. This First National Bank was also the site at one time of the FIRST Calvin B. Taylor Bank. We sold it; it burned down. At the time these two buildings burned and he sold the lot and moved up to town there—oh, no he didn’t—he moved across the street, right on the corner.
INTERVIEWER: If he moved across the street, did he move where the Treasure Chest is?
PITTS: Yes.
INTERVIEWER: Now this then would have been taken before these two burned?
PITTS: That was around 1901. It was 1901—no, wait a minute—yes, 1901.
INTERVIEWER: Now what did the Ayres building sell? It looks like it’s a store—a grocery.
PITTS: Yes, it’s a general store. We children bought our penny candy there. In the back of it you could buy a pound of beef for 15 cent.
INTERVIEWER: Ok, this is Main Street looking south. Whose house is that?
PITTS: This is a late picture.
INTERVIEWER: But it still has dirt streets.
PITTS: No, it hasn’t.
INTERVIEWER: Isn’t that dirt?
PITTS: No, I don’t think so. This is a Henry place, which is right over here, and this is U.T. Stone Waller (?) house. But I can’t place this. I don’t know what that is. It seems to be looking south, alright. This is Anderson’s house, and this is Horace Davis’s house. But, I don’t understand it.
INTERVIEWER: It looks like it’s reversed.
PITTS: Something happened to it.
INTERVIEWER: It’s on there right according to the postcard, but when you were showing me before where Horace Davis’s house was, it was on the other side of the street, wasn’t it?
PITTS: No. We’re on the east side of the street, this is the east. I mean, see, you’re looking here, you’re looking west, but I’m on the east side. The reason I don’t understand it is there’s no stone wall here in front of this house. And that stone wall was put there to my personal knowledge at the same time the church was built, because what he did, he had some stones left over and used them around his own lot; which he owned this lot at that time.
INTERVIEWER: That’s the Park Hotel.
PITTS: And that brick building which you see is on the other side of Williams Street—the street in between.
INTERVIEWER: Now Williams Street is the one that runs up to the light at Miss Anna’s on the east side of it. And that brick building isn’t there anymore?
PITTS: You’re looking west-north-west in this position. You see, it has a drive and a lot of land all the way around it. Of course, there is the rest of the lot here.
INTERVIEWER: Now what’s where that empty lot is now?
PITTS: Where that empty lot is now is the enclosed and it’s part of the Donoway Furniture Company place, and that’s right.
INTERVIEWER: That’s a beautiful place. Now, when did that burn?
PITTS: That burned in 1918 or 1919.
INTERVIEWER: And it was built around 1900? Or before that?
PITTS: Maybe it was before that; it was there ever since I can remember. But, you see, we didn’t move here until I was 9 years old.
INTERVIEWER: They’ve got lightning rods.
PITTS: That’s the upside down Berlin Milling Co.
INTERVIEWER: And that’s an earlier one of that.
PITTS: And that is the Atlantic Hotel as she was. And see that little piece of – and there’s a road that went all the way around. See, you could go in there; the old bus would come in there and unload. This is Mill Street, which is now Jefferson Street—renamed Jefferson.
INTERVIEWER: Why, do you know?
PITTS: Well, one of the men was on the council didn’t like to live on Mill Street, so he had it changed to Jefferson.
INTERVIEWER: Now this was taken, what, in the ‘30’s?
PITTS: It could have been taken anytime—any time after 1895.
INTERVIEWER: Now I was thinking that those big trees weren’t there in the earlier slides we saw.
PITTS: That weeping willow has been there for a long, long, time.
INTERVIEWER: Those cars don’t look—they’re old, but they’re nothing like the oldies.
PITTS: Yes. I don’t know when they stopped putting the – what do you call them—guards? On the sides?
INTERVIEWER: Bumpers?
PITTS: No. Those things you step on—running boards.
INTERVIEWER: That’s Buckingham Presbyterian Church.
PITTS: Turn back. This was a little house he had out in front on this little strip. I don’t know what he ever used it for; it was a little place 2 x 4.
PITTS: That’s the Presbyterian Church.
INTERVIEWER: Now that’s fairly early, judging from the hose and carts, I would assume.
PITTS: Now there’s a horse and buggy there. Well Main Street was put down around 1909-1910—I wasn’t here—I left here in 1907, and when I came back it was paved.
PITTS: That’s the Majestic Hotel, and this is just a little lane down here, now called Purnell Street. And right just out of the picture is the Methodist Church on the other side of the lane.
PITTS: I don’t think that’s the Henry house because this is not brick—I –
PITTS: Now that – I don’t know what that is – it’s not in Berlin.
INTERVIEWER: That’s out on a farm someplace.
INTERVIEWER: And that’s Bill Drydens. Who owns that now, do you know?
INTERVIEWER: Isn’t that where Bill Dryden used to live, out there on the highway?
PITTS: Yes. That’s the Old Stokes farm. Granville Stokes. After Harry Purnell used to live there; Colonel Harry Purnell, whatever you want to call him. He was a full colonel and he was a doctor. He was in the medical corps. His widow is still living and she’s 96 years old.
INTERVIEWER: Is it particularly old?
PITTS: Yes. I don’t know just how old it is, but it is old.
PITTS: That is the old Godfrey place, Mt. Pleasant. The mansard identifies it. This is the old part, here.
INTERVIEWER: And that’s the new part?
PITTS: That’s the Henry Tingle place; that is an old property but it’s not where it was – it’s been moved. It fronted on Main Street right opposite the Hammond property and then – that’s the old milk house – then the Engles bought it when that development was made in there, Burley Heights. They moved it over this way in order to make more lots back in there and the whole front yard. Mrs. Hardesty – Archie Hardesty – bought and build on part of the front yard, and Norman Peters and Vincent Holland bought in the other part. And this is of interest because Henry Tingle was one of Robert E. Lee’s engineers during the War, and he and his brother Tom Tingle both of them served as Robert E. Lee’s engineers. It has recently been bought by Jim Barrett, and this is Buckingham Road going back there.
PITTS: Now that is the house right back of you.
INTERVIEWER: Oh yes, ‘cause there it says Church Street.
PITTS: Now that is Burley Cottage.
INTERVIEWER: Yes, because it’s looking at it from the back side.
PITTS: No, it’s not! It’s looking at it – you’re looking south.
INTERVIEWER: Now, am I in Barrett’s back yard?
PITTS: You’re looking at the back porch. The reason I’ve got it is this is the way down the cellar. My sister-in-law’s great-grandfather built it. But it’s not too old – about 1834-35.
PITTS: Now that’s the old Powell house property. It’s on Main Street. You wouldn’t recognize it now. It’s changed all up. It’s where Tiny Abbott’s mother lives – Jenny.
PITTS: That shows the wall. If that’s the case, then this is Creamie Davis’s house. In the foreground. Don’t ask me what Creamie’s name is – I don’t know.
PITTS: It says it’s the Trappe Water Mill, but I remember seeing it and it’s not the same as it was. Here, wait a minute. Now, see, this is the water mill. Look at it. It doesn’t look like it. It’s even turned around.
INTERVIEWER: I notice down there on the bottom it says T. M. Purnell.
PITTS: Well that was Theodore – Theodore Moses. Yes, that was my grandfather; he was my great-grandfather on Dad’s side.
INTERVIEWER: So he took that, wherever it is, but it doesn’t look at all like the other. I’m talking about Moses. That’s the one Theodore Moses was named for.
PITTS: Now that’s the Trappe Mill Pond. That’s where we used to skate and they – I think there’s the tailgate; here’s the old
INTERVIEWER: There’s the color of sailing on it, I guess.
PITTS: That’s on the other side of the mill. The mill’s up here.
INTERVIEWER: The mill’s out in front.
PITTS: The mill is here and you’re standing on the bank.
INTERVIEWER: This Brick House Farm, we were puzzling over it last time as to what it was.
PITTS: It might be where – the only brickhouse farm that I know of around here is where Bill Phillips lives, but he has built; there’s been an addition made to his. I don’t think Bill did it. I think that the Harrison’s owned it, and I think young Orlando Harrison added to it.
PITTS: No that – if we’re both talking about the same place – is the country home of Judge William Tingle. Who also lived where Judge Ned Thomas lives. That was his townhouse.
INTERVIEWER: Ok. Yes, because in the thing I did last night I came across something about Chancefield was also known as Ingleside and the Staton House, and Tingle’s residence.
INTERVIEWER: And Golden Quarter.
PITTS: It doesn’t look like Golden Quarter.
INTERVIEWER: But that’s what it says. But it certainly looks a lot different now.
PITTS: Well, that’s a brick house. Of course, that’s a brick house too. That little. Of course, you can see underneath that house, can’t you? Looks like it’s about ready to fall down. I don’t see any new props on this corner. I guess we’ll have to say that’s Golden Quarter.
INTERVIEWER: But it’s a long time ago.
INTERVIEWER: That’s that little Trappe – the miller’s
PITTS: That’s the miller’s house.
INTERVIEWER: Built around 1834.
INTERVIEWER: Newport Yacht Club.
PITTS: That’s probably at Hayes Landing, but I don’t know. That’s not taken at Hayes Landing, cause that’s just nothing but a little creek there.
INTERVIEWER: Ok. Now this is right out in the bay.
PITTS: That’s right out on the bay. The reason I say that Newport Neck is Hayes Landing, but that doesn’t mean to say that that’s where they are. This Ocean City Yacht Club and Golf Course you know is close to Ocean City.
INTERVIEWER: Now, tell me about this alligator.
PITTS: That’s Jake.
PITTS: That Jake Franklin.
INTERVIEWER: Where did he come from?
PITTS: Now, he came from Florida, that’s where…..comes from.
INTERVIEWER: Was he a baby when he brought him up here?
PITTS: I am told that he got him in a shoe box.
INTERVIEWER: Ok.
PITTS: Who gave it to him, I don’t know. He grew to be about six feet.
INTERVIEWER: Oh, my dear.
SISTER: I remember when he stayed up in the drug store window.
PITTS: He was nobody’s pet. But now that looks like it might have been taken when the old drugstore was on Main Street right opposite John Howard Burbages Style Guide. He died in the front window. You know, they go to sleep in the winter-time, and he just didn’t wake up. I wasn’t here, but that’s what they tell me.
INTERVIEWER: So he died sometime between 1907 and 1922, then.
PITTS: Right.
PITTS: You see the semifore there? That’s the BC&A and here’s the Pennsylvania going down to that little country place, I think, Snow Hill.
PITTS: Now here’s the water tank.
INTERVIEWER: Yes, that’s a good picture of it, and there’s that pipe that flops down.
INTERVIEWER: That’s peach loading.
PITTS: They’re loading peaches or strawberries.
INTERVIEWER: That says peaches; and that’s an ox, isn’t it? Is that an ox? See that thing with horns?
PITTS: O yes, that’s an ox. And that’s a Model T Ford.
PITTS: Now, there you are.
INTERVIEWER: Yes, there’s a yoke of oxen.
PITTS: And that’s buring strawberries.
INTERVIEWER: And that’s a mule?
PITTS: No, that’s a horse.
INTERVIEWER: It certainly is a long-earred horse.
INTERVIEWER: Now that’s the – what was there before Berlin Milling?
PITTS: Well, it was still the Berlin Milling Company. Berlin Roller Mills, see? Now they differed from the old kind you ground; this was rolled between metal rollers, and it was started by Henry Adams who afterwards moved to Snow Hill and died there. His boy Harry Adams died there, and Henry became quite a slight-of-hand man and went all up and down the shore with his show. But he started that, and put Just Right Flour on the market. And Just Right Flour was the flour used all up and down the Eastern Shore when I was growing up. You could go most anywhere and get Just Right Flour. And the Berlin Milling Company took over this and they bought it and made Just Right Flour too.
INTERVIEWER: Now that’s somebody’s holly tree or somebody’s oak.
PITTS: That not a holly; two trees there.
PITTS: Now who is that? Looks like Henry Godfrey. Believe it is.
INTERVIEWER: It’s him, and his tree.
INTERVIEWER: And then this is the Episcopal Church with the front on it.
INTERVIEWER: And another view of Buckingham.
INTERVIEWER: And that’s the flowers inside at Easter at Buckingham.
PITTS: And that is the Methodist Church.
INTERVIEWER: M.E.?
PITTS: Now you see, that’s a double decker just the same as the Old Presbyterian Church.
INTERVIEWER: Now is that still there?
PITTS: No. No. They tore it down. Sometime after I left home they built the big stone church. And they moved all these graves. They’ve down there at the Evergreen Cemetery.
PITTS: That’s still the Presbyterian Church.
INTERVIEWER: That’s another Presbyterian.
INTERVIEWER: That a picnic on Orlando Harrison front lawn.
PITTS: No, that’s Al Harrison.
INTERVIEWER: Excuse me, you’re right.
PITTS: They used to put on, every year they’d invite all-their-everybody there.
PITTS: That’s the Orlando Harrison place.
PITTS: That’s the packing house.
INTERVIEWER: That’s the oak tree at Trappe near Berlin.
PITTS: Here’s an old time. Some blow-ups. Here’s a shot of the railroad track; right at the end of that fence it came up here and went the other way. Right over here is the railroad station. Now this is Dan Hudson’s house where the beauty shop. This place here is Al Harrison’s where you saw that picnic.
INTERVIEWER: Now there’s the standpipe.
PITTS: You see, there’s Powelton Avenue. Looking east from Main Street.
INTERVIEWER: I don’t know where it is. It just says residential section, and the curb there.
PITTS: I don’t see enough.
INTERVIEWER: I’ve got another with a curve in it; maybe we can tell from that.
PITTS: That’s Dr. Tyndall’s place.
PITTS: That’s right out in front of this house.
PITTS: That’s not a regular buggy; you see, its got rubber tires and wheels.
PITTS: Dr. Ebe Holland used to live here.
PITTS: That’s looking south. What you’re doing, you’re standing right here in front of the Silco place.
INTERVIEWER: And there’s the Calvin B. Taylor Bank there on that side.
INTERVIEWER: That’s a color one of the high school.
PITTS: Now that’s the way I remember it, with that old fence there. Now this was before that other building was built, see. This is the boys side.
INTERVIEWER: So this makes this the earliest picture of the high school?
PITTS: This was built around 1900. Because we were here when they built it. I don’t know where the children – the youngsters – went, I mean the real youngsters. But.
PITTS: Now that was taken in 1915. No, wait a minute. That’s not right, cause the Park Hotel wasn’t burned until 1918, and you couldn’t get, the Park Hotel’s gone. So it’s later. It’s after 1919. It’s probably during the 1920’s.
PITTS: That is Main Street. That is before. This is Burbage and Powell. That’s a vacant lot. This is where that little 10 cent store was. It’s still there, but here’s where Burbage and Powell build in and here’s the bank. Now that would be somewhere around 1910 or 1912.
PITTS: Now look at that automobile; double decker; the fella in back sits higher, looks over top of the driver. Only one seat fore and after.
PITTS: When we moved here in 1898 Ned Furbush was in this store here; his store wasn’t built up there at the corner.
INTERVIEWER: This is the only one we have of the hole without the Furbush Building in it.
PITTS: Not that’s 1919.
INTERVIEWER: Isn’t it newer than that?
PITTS: Well, the only reason I say that there were two or three pictures taken right after that standpipe was built. Of course when it was brand new, everyone wanted to go up the standpipe.
INTERVIEWER: No, this is an aerial view.
PITTS: I can’t figure that place. We’re looking south. Here’s Main Street going towards Snow Hill, and this is Williams Street. Here’s the drug store and the C.B. Taylor Bank. That’s looking north; the bottom is south.
PITTS: That’s the Park Hotel.
PITTS: That’s the old Presbyterian Church. It’s the old one.
INTERVIEWER: It was burned in 1904?
PITTS: That’s right, October 1st. So was our house. Burned in the same fire.