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The “Catoctin Clarion”
By Barbara Abraham
From its earliest settlement in
the mid-1700s until the late 1800s,
Thurmont—known during that time
as Mechanicstown—was built around
the abundant physical resources of
the area; for example, the creeks, the
farmland, the timber, and the mineral
resources. By 1871, Mechanicstown
was a thriving community as more
and more houses were being built,
streets were laid out and named,
business ventures were initiated and
the Western Maryland Railroad came to
town. It was a good time to establish a
newspaper.
Mr. William Need set about
collecting news and advertisements
and then setting type on his printing
press in preparation of printing the
first issue of his weekly newspaper,
The Catoctin Clarion.
In his first issue, published on
March 4, 1871, he proclaimed
himself “William Need, Publisher and
Editor, Mechanicstown, Maryland.”
He described his newspaper as
“independent, fearless and free in the
discussion of public matters, no man’s
parasite, no party’s tool... containing
a carefully prepared abstract of the
News of the Day, an Historical sketch
of Past Events in Frederick county;
Foreign and Domestic Intelligence;
Topics of the Times; carefully prepared
Matters; Items of Interest, politics or
otherwise; Local Intelligence, and a …
collection of instructive Reading.”
Although Mr. Need named his
newspaper Catoctin Clarion, he also
interchanged the name with The
Clarion on subsequent pages. Mr.
Need published much information
within four pages, and the subscribers
in town and outlying areas were
undoubtedly delighted.
Reading a copy of an old issue
of the newspaper gives one a sense
of the flavor of day-to-day life in
the town. Described here are some
items of interest happening in and
around Mechanicstown (later named
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Thurmont) on or about March 4, 1871.
The Western Maryland Railroad,
having been built to Mechanicstown,
provided a passenger train, and the
town found itself busy as Mr. Need
reported that “a considerable number
of strangers continue to arrive and
depart daily on the trains from and
to Baltimore.” The railroad also
provided freight service, and “the first
load of Pig Iron from the Catoctin
Furnace, for shipment on the Western
Maryland Railroad to Woodberry,
near Baltimore, was hauled to
Mechanicstown and unloaded near
the Depot, on Saturday, the 18th
of February, 1871.” The train also
carried the mail. Mr. Need noted “this
is the beginning of a train which will
prove highly lucrative in the future.”
Mr. Need printed the names of the
streets of Mechanicstown—Main,
Water, North, Church, Carroll, East
and West Baltimore—and “a dozen
others are spoken of as soon to be laid
out.” Also, a new street to be called
Pleasant Hill or Fairview was being
laid out between the mountains and
the United Brethren Church.
A new tollgate was being
established on the turnpike between
Mechanicstown and Emmittsburg [as
it was spelled then].
Marriages were announced under
the “HYMENEAL” column and
deaths under the “DEATHS” column,
with a few notices sprinkled elsewhere
in the news.
Advertisements were not only
local, but from the surrounds as far
away as Middletown and Baltimore.
Here are a few local ones: Edward L.
Jacobs had mountain land for sale;
Ephraim Carmack, attorney at law,
had an office in Mechanicstown; Dr.
William White practiced his profession
from his residence on Main Street;
Ezra M. Smith permanently located
in Mechanicstown on Carroll Street
and intended to open a furniture store
room and commence the cabinet-
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000-000-0000 000-000-0000 301-271-7900
000-000-0000 000-000-0000 000-000-0000
Local Address Local Address 224 Local N. Church Address Local St. Address Local Address
Local Address Local Address Thurmont, Local Address MD 21788 Local Address Local Address
making business; Dr. George M.
Zimmerman continued to practice
his profession, saw his patients when
not away and, too, advertised his
drug store; Waesche, Bro. & Co,
advertised as a Planing Mill, sash,
door and blind factory; Benj. F. Firor
was a wagon-maker, spring wagon
and shovel manufacturer, one mile
from Mechanicstown Depot on the
road leading to Catoctin Furnace;
Dr. George S. Fouke, dentist, of
Westminster, was at the “Gilbert
House,” Mechanicstown, on the
fourth Thursday afternoon and
Friday forenoon of every month,
and at Emmittsburg on the fourth
Wednesday afternoon and Thursday
forenoon, and at Rocky Ridge, first
Wednesday afternoon; A.A. Troxell,
who employed Mr. John B. Saylor, had
a new bakery establishment on Carroll
Street to make bread, rusks, cakes,
etc., fresh every morning.
For his historical news, Mr. Need
published a column titled “One
Hundred Years Ago” in which he
described “The Patriots of the Valleys
of Tom’s creek and Owings creek in
Council” regarding “The Dawn of the
Revolutionary Era.” “The first meeting
of the inhabitants in Frederick County
to give expression to their views, was
convened at the old School House, not
far from Troxell’s mill, on Tom’s creek,
on Sunday, the 28th day of Aug., 1770.”
Mr. Need also published
information about the town
government, churches, and local
societies. “Town Authorities.
Commissioners: Frederick White,
President, Van R. Osler, John R.
Rouzer, Geo. W. Foreman, Geo. W.
Stocksdale. Reuben Osler, Justice of
the Peace; Hiram Arthur, Constable.”
“The Churches. St. John’s
Evangelical Lutheran – Pastor to
be supplied; Reformed (Apple’s)
– Rev. N. E. Gilds, Pastor; United
Brethren – Rev. John K. Nelson,
Pastor; Methodist Episcopal – Rev. J.
Montgomery, Pastor; Catholic – Rev.
John McCloskey, Pastor.
Odd Fellows’ Hall. Main Street –
Randolph Waesche, Noble Grand.
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A copy of the publisher’s information from a
March 4, 1871 issue is shown.
Mr. Wm. Damuth is the Worthy
Chief Templar of the Temperance
organization of this town. The Society
meets at Odd Fellows’ Hall every
Tuesday evening.”
Mail delivery days and times were
posted: “The mail for Baltimore daily
(except Sunday) leaves this place
every afternoon by the 1:40 train. The
stage for Frederick, with the mail,
leaves here every Tuesday, Thursday
and Saturday mornings. The stage
for Emmittsburg, with the mail,
leaves every day immediately after
the 12:30 train from Baltimore. The
mail for Sabillasville leaves here on
horseback every Tuesday, Thursday
and Saturday.”
There were other newsy items:
“THE POST OFFICE – Of this place
is kept at the store of Messrs. Root &
Black, Main St.; Col. John R. Rouzer,
Postmaster.”
Mr. Need also included words of
wisdom: “He who receives a good turn
should never forget it; he who does
one should never remember it.”
Can we imagine the day when
travel was by horseback, stagecoach
and train? Can we imagine a day when
print had to be type-set by hand and
a new issue of a newspaper published
every week, or a day when there were
no paved streets?
Mechanicstown was truly blessed
to gain a weekly newspaper, published
by the very capable Mr. William Need.