David Harry and His Time

  General Washington's death was announced by the "Hagerstown Herald" in the following, extract for the Rights of Man, published at Frederick:
                                                                                                   Fredericktown, Tuesday evening
                                                                                                                  9 o'clock, Dec 16 1799

  "Disagreeable as the talk is to me, I think it is my duty to  announce to the public the Dissolution of  his excellency George Washington, who died at Mount Vernon (of a few hours illness) on Sunday morning last, about five o'clock. This intelligence was received by two honest countrymen, who left Georgetown yesterday at 12 o'clock.and stopped at Major Miller's tavern about four o'clock this evening. A third person arrived from Alexandria about the same hour, who corroborates the melancholy circumstance, and leaves us to lament it but too true. 

                                                                                                      "Printer of the Rights of Man"

" As soon as the news reached Hagerstown a meeting was held , at which it was resolved to have a funeral procession to in Washington's honor on Friday of the following week. Elie Williams occupied the chair, and Nathaniel Rochester   acted as secretary. The following resolutions were adopted:

 "Resolved, That Messers. Elie Williams, Adam Ott, N.Rochester, Jacob Schnably, George Waltz,  William Fitzhugh, Samuel Ringgold, David Harry, Josiah Price, Thomas Sprigg, and Daniel   Heister be appointed a committee to make the necessary arrangements for, and to superintend, the   said Procession, and that they or a majority of them meet at the Court-hose, on Saturday net, to   make the arrangements."


There are many mentions of the Harry family in Scharf's History of Western Maryland. There is specific information about Martin Harry and the Market House, David Harry and the fire company, George I Harry, and others.  They owned businesses, served in public positions, helped establish churches. The family was active in many aspects of community life.

 If you are interested in learning more about them, it is a great resource.  Because it is a "Google book"; it's available to read for free online.  Most of the information is in small articles about historical events similar to the one above. Take a few minutes to read a few articles about events that happened around the same time. It helps to understand the times these men lived in. It's a wonderful indexed history of early Maryland.

The article that follows mentions two duels in 1800. A  captain and a lieutenant fought. The captain was injured in the side, but not seriously. In the second dual a man was wounded in the leg.  There is a list 10 prisoners who broke out of jail in early 1801.  In December 1801 five Indian chiefs of the Pottawotamie tribe who passed through Hagerstown on their return from Washington City. Among them were the powerful chiefs "Little Turtle" and "The Toad." They were accompanied by an interpreter, Captain Wells.  The following year the "kings of the Delaware and Shawnee tribes", nine chiefs and two attendants, passed through Hagerstown.

Perhaps I should be more impressed that my ancestor was asked to help honor George Washington. There were probably similar celebrations in towns throughout the country, but Hagerstown was his community.  I am captivated with the duels, the escaping prisoners, and  the Indian Chiefs passing through his town.  It's like my own personal movie going on in my mind.

Observation:
David and his family and friends lived life face to face.  Communication was slow. They wanted confirmation of events. They took action.