Rob's Historic Sites

Here in Westminster, Maryland, the Neal boys were just 2 of the thousands of Americans who were imprisoned by Lincon’s Yankees simply for their “sympathies” or “opinions”. I’m sharing their story primarily because their historical marker was permanently removed, yet the plaque that marked the location of their home remains. Both their home and this historical marker are located on Main street where JEB Stuart engaged in Corbit’s Charge. Here’s an excerpt from the historical marker in Westminster, MD that is now missing. “A block away, at what is now 71 East Main Street, stood the Abner Neal house. In August 1862, Federal soldiers arrested sixteen Westminster residents as Southern sympathizers and escorted them to Baltimore for questioning. The group, soon released, included Neal’s two sons, Henry and Frank. The young men joined the Confederate army in September 1862, when Col. Thomas L. Rosser’s 5th Virginia Cavalry swept through Westminster during the Antietam Campaign. The Neals s...

Lincoln’s re-election of 1864 has been called the most fraudulent, corrupt, and anti-American in our history. These historical signs in front of the Caroline County Courthouse in Denton, Maryland help explain why. Can you imagine this happening again someday? ** Excerpt from the historical marker in front of the Courthouse: “Maryland slaves were not freed by the Emancipation Proclamation (EP) of 1863, which excluded states that remained in the Union [slavery was more protected in the north than south after the EP]… more than half of the eligible voters in Caroline County did not attempt to vote for fear of arrest by Union soldiers; potential opponents of the constitution were closely interrogated and forced to prove their loyalty; opponents of emancipation were denied the right to vote; protesters were arrested; and half the votes against the constitution in Denton were deliberately destroyed. 89 men signed an affidavit supporting the latter assertion. When disfranchised citize...

This is the oldest continuous Protestant church/parish in America. St Johns Episcopal Church in Hampton, Virginia was founded in 1610 less than 3 years after the first settlement was established in nearby Jamestown. This 4th building was erected in 1728 with 2-foot thick walls which helped it survive extensive damage inflicted during the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and unCivil War. The 1618 Communion Silver used today is the longest continuously used church silver in America. Needless to say, some of the earliest colonists in America and Revolutionary war vets are buried in this graveyard. Near the front door is a 20-foot monument with the inscription “Our Confederate Dead”, dedicated as a memorial to the 145 local American military veterans buried there. Included are photos of the church from both my visit and century old historic postcards. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ADDITIONAL READING: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John%27s_Episcop...