George Ellicott Survey Book, 1794
Daybook, 20009.0028.0017
One of the oldest holdings in the Sandy Spring Museum Archives is the Survey Notebook of George Ellicott. George, son of Ellicott Mill founder Andrew Ellicott, married Elizabeth Brooke (daughter of James Brooke Jr.) in 1790. She recently inherited part of her father’s share of Pioneer Settler James Brooke’s vast estate. Reading this Survey Notebook of the Sandy Spring region reveals all the commonly known land patents – Charley Forrest, Brooke Grove, Gittings Ha-Ha, and Brooke Black Meadow. It also introduces you to some cleverly named new ones – Hard Bought, Bear Garden Forrest, Pork Plenty, and many more! It is obvious that George Ellicott is very interested in documenting his wife’s newly acquired land holdings. Their daughter, Elizabeth Ellicott, would marry Thomas Lea and later go on to national fame as the author of a famous cookbook!
The Community Council of Sandy Spring Neighborhood Minutes from 1930
Before the days of Homeowner Associations and Civic Associations, there was the Community Council of Sandy Spring Neighborhood. The Community Council engaged with local governments on behalf of the Sandy Spring Clubs to effect positive change in the Sandy Spring Community. Road improvements, landscaping, electricity, water, and sewer were all hot topics. It’s fun to read about the Council’s concerns regarding development and compare it with the issues local residents face today.
Club Minutes: The Neighbors, 1914-1923
In 1921, The Neighbors, a Sandy Spring Social Club, formed a Committee to develop a “Sandy Spring Creed”. The idea was to communicate the spirit of unity embodied by Sandy Springers. Contributions from the community were submitted and the Committee announced the winner at the 268th meeting held August 18, 1921. The winning entry, written by Huldah Janney, is timeless and inspires us to act selflessly, especially during these trying times. You can also read the other entries that were submitted to the Committee by reading the previous pages.
Diary: James P. Stabler, 1827 (Volume 1)
James Pleasants Stabler, the first Postmaster of Sandy Spring and part-owner of the Sandy Spring Store, had recently suffered through the death of his wife Elizabeth Gilpin and 3 children when he decided to take a Trans-Atlantic journey in 1827. He kept a meticulous journal(s) of his adventure. Volume 1 starts on June 16, 1827, and spans 28 days – the time it took the packet ship “Pacific” to cross the Atlantic from New York to Liverpool. Packet Ships were similar to the airlines of today, in that they kept regular schedules between major cities. Reading his detailed diary will teach you about the risks and hardships undertaken by the crews and passengers of the packet ship vessels that sailed the oceans between continents. In addition, we learn what life was like on board the ship for Stabler and his fellow passengers and what they did to while away the many days spent at sea.