Samples Manor, Maryland facts for kids
Samples Manor is a small, quiet place in Washington County, Maryland, USA. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Instead, it's part of the larger county. One important spot here is the Kennedy Farm, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it's a special place recognized for its history.
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Samples Manor: A Look Back
Early Days of Samples Manor
Samples Manor has a long history, starting way back in 1764. On October 1st of that year, a large piece of land was given to a businessman named John Semple. This land was about 10,160 acres, which is a huge area! Back then, very large properties like this were called "manors" in colonial Maryland. They even had their own special rules.
John Semple named his land "Keep Treist," but people started calling it "Semple's Manor." Over time, the name changed slightly to "Sample's Manor," which is what we know it as today. John Semple was a smart person with big ideas for his time. However, he wasn't very good at managing his money.
From Forest to Farmland
Within ten years of getting his manor, John Semple faced financial trouble. Most of his land was then bought by a company called Frederick Forge. This company later became known as the Antietam Iron Works.
The Iron Works needed a lot of wood to make charcoal, which fueled their furnaces. So, much of the forest in Samples Manor was cut down. After the trees were gone, the cleared land was sold off. People bought these pieces of land to create farms and build homes. This happened even more after the owner of the Iron Works, John Brein, passed away in 1849.
John Brown's Connection
One of the most famous people to live in Samples Manor was John Brown. He was an abolitionist, meaning he strongly believed in ending slavery. John Brown lived at the nearby Kennedy Farm for about four months in 1859.
On October 16, 1859, John Brown and his followers made history. They launched a raid on the U.S. Armory, which was about three miles away in Harpers Ferry. This event was a major moment leading up to the American Civil War.
Community Life and Development
The Samples Manor Church of God is believed to have started around 1850. Its cemetery holds the graves of many generations of families who still live in the area today.
In the 1960s, Samples Manor and the Kennedy Farm became the site of an interesting plan. Important African American leaders wanted to develop the area. This included events at "John Brown's Farm" that featured performances by many famous R&B musicians of that time.
