“Lou Dielman and Taneytown History”
Carroll County Times Article for 20 May 2001
by Jay A. Graybeal

A number of Carroll Countians who have contributed to our knowledge of local history have been featured in this column over the past decade.  A notable figure, Louis H. Dielman (1864-1959), has been mentioned on several occasions.  Originally from New Windsor and later associated with the Peabody Institute and the Maryland Historical Society, Dielman also edited the Maryland Historical Magazine from 1910 to 1938.  He was a talented and generous researcher who contributed to our understanding of Maryland history and genealogy.  The Historical Society’s library files contain a variety of information he supplied including several March 1939 clippings from the Taneytown Carroll Record newspaper.  The first appeared under the headline of “Taneytown Data in 1802, Names of Citizens Given as of that Date:”

“Another communication from Mr. Dielman, at the Peabody Institute, will be of interest to those who care for Taneytown’s antiquity.  He writes…
‘I have recently secured a long run of the Frederick-Town Herald, from the beginning in 1802 to 1832 and shall be glad to send you such items as I think may be of antiquarian interest, which you may print or discard at your pleasure.’

He inquires specially about ‘Millersburg’ as ‘races’ are mentioned in an advertisement as having been held there, ‘near Little Pipe Creek bridge.’  Information as to this, would be appreciated.  The following is a reproduced clipping from the Frederick-Town Herald: 

Mr. Thomson.

In the Hornet of the 21^st. inst. published by Mr. Bartgis of Frederick Town it is stated, that a publication signed by U. Bruce respecting the resolution introduced into the last session of Assembly, calculated to bring to account those who held public money in their hands under a law of 73 and 74, intended for the improvement of roads &c., &c., had been stuck up at some of the taverns of Taney Town.  We the subscribers inhabitants of Taney Town, do hereby certify that no such publication as the one, signed U. Bruce and published in the Hornet, was stuck up at or in any of the public houses in Taney Town, and we do declare the said assertion to be an absolute falsehood.

Taney Town, Sept. 27^th, 1802.

George Grove.              Christian Houk.
Joseph Little.                 Joseph Taney, Jr.
John Harritt.                  John Sawyer.
William Kelly.              Jacob Myers.
Henry Swope.             Amos England.
John Black.                   Ludwick Sharrer
Jacob Cress.                 Joseph Shunk.
Adam Good.                Peter Shunk
Jos. Sim Smith.             John Shunk.
John Coskerlee.           John Burk.
Thomas Gibson.         Hugh Thompson.
John Hughes.             John Shoner.
John M’Kellip.            James Wood.
Philip Creamer.            Casper Snarr.
Eli Bentley.                  William Walker.
Joseph M’Kaleb.        John Fisher.
John M’Kaleb.

It will be noted that the name of Eli Bentley, the famous clock-maker of Taneytown, appears in the list of names.  As all efforts to trace the definite time of his operations in Taneytown have failed, this clipping locates him here in 1802.”

This article sheds light on a controversy and also provides a useful list of male Taneytown residents at the turn of the nineteenth century.  A second clipping, an advertisement that originally appeared in the Frederick-Town Herald, January 11, 1823 and reprinted in the Carroll Record, noted the sale of the contents of the Taney-Town Library Company in 1823: 

"On Saturday, 8^th. of February next, will be sold at Public Sale, at the house of Mr. Thomas McCulloch, in Taneytown, the Taney-Town Library, in sets, single, etc., consisting of about 800 volumes; Among which are Law, History, Voyages, Travels, Geography, Religion, Poetry, Agriculture, Biography, Miscellany, Plays, Novels, &c.  Sale to commence at 10 o’clock, a.m.

                                                            JOSEPH TANEY

                                                            SAMUEL THOMPSON,

                                                            Agents for the Company.”