Your Daily Bread for Life... 4/08/16

PEARL LEONA STURGIS· 3/31/16

Your Daily Bread for Life.
 “The Northern Zone” by District D Councilman Chad Shrodes Feb/March 2016:

 Northern Harford County, Maryland in American History by Doug Washburn: 

The Mason/Dixon Line:

The Northern border of Maryland and Harford County is the famed or infamous, Mason/Dixon Line. “The Line” was plotted by Englishman Charles Mason, as astronomer and Jeremiah Dixon, a surveyor.

Although the border did not become well known until the time of the American Civil War, when it was deemed the dividing line between the North and the South, it had been established one hundred years earlier to settle the land dispute between the Calvert Family of Maryland and the Penn Family of Pennsylvania. Maryland was granted in 1632 and Pennsylvania in 1680. 

Both Calvert and Penn agreed the line would be 40 degree parallel but neither knew exactly where the line fell. the Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767. The American Civil War tore apart our nation. Some say it was because of slavery and some say it was because of states rights. The preponderance of men north of the Mason/Dixon Line fought for the Union and the majority of men in Virginia fought for the Confederacy, but like the nation, many Marylanders were divided. 

Our northern neighbors had abolished slavery in 1780, long before the first shot was fired at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. Anyone who attended school knows that John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln but unless you grew up in Harford, County you probably never paid attention to the fact that Booth was born and raised in Harford, County at Tudor Hall not far from Harford Community College Campus. It is even less likely that you know that Booth’s plotting is part of the history of Pylesville.

Yes, sleepy little Pylesville. (unquote Doug Washburn)

Pearl L. Sturgis: 

I was born in Minefield Hollow between Pylesville and a little town named Highland, Post Office Street,Maryland. I was born in a tenant house on the Strawbridge Farm which belonged to my Uncle Harry.

The house later burned down. I attended Highland School where I now attend writing classes at Mason/Dixon Senior Center. I live just above the Mason Dixon Line now in Delta, Pennsylvania.

The poem:

“Headed Back to Highland” 

I wrote in 2015 is in honor of the “Old School” and our memoir class. It was published by christart.com and written by request of Margaret Ann Murphy Hilsmeier. She is a volunteer for Mason/Dixon seniors. Mason/Dixon Business Association do many good works with charities.

 More poems by Pearl L. Sturgis

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