The preamble of the act sets forth that the citizens of the town petitioned for the act of incorporation, stating in their petition that the streets of the town were frequently rendered almost impassable by means of many of the inhabitants raising the ground before their own houses, and turning the water with a view to their private convenience only, and that disputes often arose respecting boundaries of lots by filling up the streets and alleys, etc. The commissioners were empowered to levy a tax not exceeding three shillings on one hundred pounds, to dig wells, purchase a fire-engine, etc.
The commissioners were also made a body corporate by the name of the Commissioners of Elizabeth Town, and to have a common seal and perpetual succession. Additional powers were conferred on the commissioners by the act of 1792. At this time the lower part of the town was built on very low and swampy land, the streets have been raised many feet above the original ' level, and were often in a very bad condition. The marsh at the southern edge of the town accounts for the bend in South Potomac Street, as it was bent east of the straight line to avoid it. In the year 1802 the General Assembly authorized a lottery for the purpose of raising money to repair the streets. About 1810, Samuel Rohrer made an addition to the original town.
The first census of Hagerstown of which any record remains was taken in 1810. At that time the population numbered 2342, of which 1951 were whites, 297 slaves, and 94 free negroes.
In 1820 the population was as follows: Whites, males, 1161; whites, females, 1137; total whites, 2298; slaves, males, 147; slaves, females, 133; total slaves, 280; free colored persons, males, 55; females, 57; total, 112; total population, 2690.
A writer describing Hagerstown in 1822 says:
" There are perhaps few towns in this county which have risen more rapidly in importance within the last few years than this town. Nor are its advantages in other respects less important. The arrivals and departures of stages in one week amount to forty-two, — seven arrive from Wheeling, seven from Washington, Georgetown, and Baltimore via Frederick; three from Baltimore via Westminster, Taney Town, and Emmittsburg, which line is intersected twenty miles from this place by a direct line from Philadelphia via Gettysburg; three from the respective sections of Pennsylvania via Chambersburg; and one from Virginia via Winchester, Martinsburg, and Williamsport, making twenty-one arrivals from, and the same number of departures for, the respective places above named. . . . An idea of the progress of improvement may be gathered from the fact that a court-house equal, perhaps, in elegance and taste, to any in the country has just been completed, and that there are now in progress a market-house, connected with a town hall and Masonic Hall, independent of a large Episcopal church and several private dwellings. The number of well-conducted public-houses is not, perhaps, surpassed by those of any inland town in the country, the enterprise and activity of our mercantile men are proverbial, and the industry and perseverance of our mechanical population give life and energy to the various branches of active business."
In connection with the town hall and market alluded to an animated discussion arose. It seems that the steeple of the old market-house was surmounted by a little old man of tin, with a rotund abdomen, who was popularly known as " Old Heiskel," doubtless from his resemblance, real or fancied, to some well-known resident of the town. The citizens generally wanted to have " Old Heiskel'" placed on the steeple of the new building, but the Freemasons desired a compass and square to indicate the character of the edifice. Neither party would give way at first, and a violent controversy in and out of the newspapers was the result. The Masons finally triumphed, however, and the compass and square were placed on the vane.
Early Notes and Reminiscences. — In 1805 there were about two hundred and fifty houses on Washington, Potomac, Antietam, Locust, and Franklin Streets. They were nearly all built of logs, very substantial and roomy, and a very few were of brick. Upton Lawrence, Samuel Hughes, Mr. Brent, and John Thomson Mason, the elder, were the principal lawyers. Brent and Otho Stull, who succeeded Mr. Beltzhoover as the proprietor of the Washington Hotel, fought a duel in 1805, in Virginia, and Brent was shot in the knee. Old Dr. Frederick Dorsey attended them as their surgeon. Joseph I. Merrick removed to Hagerstown soon after, and was a very brilliant lawyer.
Two of the oldest houses in Hagerstown are Kirschtenfeter's, on Potomac Street, built by the elder Knapp in 1778, and the stone house now occupied as the office of the Hagerstown Agricultural Works, on South Washington Street, which was built in 1781.
From time immemorial Tuesday has been observed as " public day" in Hagerstown. The same custom prevails in most of the other county towns of Maryland, but in Hagerstown it has always been marked with peculiar observances. Even at the present day the people from the surrounding country assemble from miles around in order to transact their business and discuss the political situation. On these occasions peripatetic " fakers" ply a thriving trade in " thimble-rigging" and other games shrewdly calculated to deceive the unwary and ease them of their cash, and the whole town is full of bustle and excitement.
Harry Cookus was one of the oddities of Hagerstown about seventy years ago. He was a large, corpulent man, weighing considerably over two hundred pounds, and was always strolling about, apparently waiting for something to turn up. He had been a recruiting sergeant and a soldier in the war of 1812. His favorite occupation, like many other prominent citizens in the town, was cock-fighting, and his elation or depression as his favorite chicken conquered or was vanquished is described as having been manifested by the most ludicrous writhings and contortions. Jacob Yeakle, who carried on the business of tinsmith in a log house on West Washington Street, was also a most peculiar character. He kept several fine horses, and rode with the practiced ease and skill of an Arab.
When the post-office became vacant by the death of William Krebs, who had been postmaster for many years, there was quite an exciting contest among a number of applicants for the vacancy. As there was then no direct travel between Hagerstown and Washington City, except on horseback, each of the candidates started themselves or dispatched couriers to the capital to procure the possession of the desired vacancy. Yeakle was employed by Daniel H. Schnebly to carry his application to the seat of government. Some of them got the start of Yeakle, but he overtook them on the banks of the Monocacy beyond Frederick Town, and while they were waiting to be ferried over he plunged his horse in, swam the river, arrived in Washington first, and procured the appointment for his employer, and came back triumphant ahead of them all. Charles Ohlwein also achieved a local reputation by his bluntness in discharging the rather delicate duties of a constable. On one occasion he had a bill against a certain " very respectable" gentleman to collect, and instead of approaching him privately, blurted out one day in the street, " Say, Mr. ––– , I've got a warrant for you."
The " very respectable" gentleman was, of course, highly indignant, and the constable, concluding that he was the wrong man for the place, gave up his position and returned to his trade, that of a stonemason. Maj. Benjamin Galloway, who lived on the southwest corner of Washington and Jonathan Streets, in the house now occupied by E. W. Mealey, was another man of peculiar characteristics. He was a graduate of Eton College, England, and often prided himself upon that fact. He was quite a politician, and was always in his element when there was any political excitement. He was somewhat erratic, but always honest. He was frequently desirous of a seat in the Legislature, but having but few of the elements of popularity about him, he was often defeated or ruled out. On one occasion, however, after the death or resignation of a member of the Legislature, he was returned to fill the unexpired term. He was a man of strong prejudices, and vented his feeling against his opponents in placards and in doggerel verse, which he read aloud in the streets whenever he could obtain an audience to listen.
Considerable excitement was created one day in Hagerstown, about 1805, by the announcement that the old Episcopal church was haunted. The report arose from the fact that a large black dog got into the building on Sunday and went to sleep without being observed. When he awoke