May 1970
Bear excitement
"Has Anyone Seen A Big Black Bear!
"Several land surveyors in the county recently found themselves suddenly surveying a bit more than land. Loping across their field of vision early Monday morning was a big black bear estimated by one of the surveyors, Claude M. Skinner Jr. to weigh up to 250 pounds.
"The three surveyors insist it was a bear they spotted on the former Blunt Farm on Route 29 across from the entrance to the Columbia Hills development. As Mr. Skinner said, 'It wasn't a calf and it certainly wasn't a dog!' The bear was reportedly some 100 yards from the men — between the pond and the main house on the Blunt Farm.
"Another creature curiously resembling a big black bear roaming the county comes from county councilman Charles E. Miller. However, Mr. Miller, apparently fearing to be the butt of a joke, refused to disclose his source of information revealing only that a 'prominent county man' had informed him.
"A quick survey of patrons of the local bar in the area revealed that no one had spotted a black bear amongst the pink elephants.
"Another inquiry at the Columbia Association's Community Service brought this response from Dorothy McUmber: 'A black bear! No, we've received a lot of strange ones (calls) but not about a black bear.' "
"Council Adopts Rules For Mobile Home Pks.
"Amended twenty-four times — most of them minor — the county's first comprehensive Mobile Home Parks regulations were adopted by the county council Monday night. An emergency measure, the regulations take effect as soon as the county executive signs the Bill.
"Among the more notable amendments is one deleting the requirement that the operator of the park must be 'of good moral character'. This verbiage was termed 'a carryover of a minor insult from the 30's by attorney Charles E. Wehland at the public hearing on the Bill on April 20. The park operator's role as a pseudo health officer, required to report to the county Health Department all cases within the park suspected of being a communicable disease, was also eliminated."
May 1940
Wipe your feet
Savage social notes:
"Mr. and Mrs. Herman Pfeiffer, Pfeiffer's Corner, visited Mrs. Pfeiffer's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Damm last Friday evening. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Matthews were Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Rufus Thompson, of Pfeiffer's Corner."
"Miss Sue Sanders, of Annapolis Junction, spent the past week-end with Miss Gloria Redmond. Mrs. Emory Swann, Mrs. Frank Shipley, Mrs. William Shipley and Mrs. William Reeley were dinner guests of Mrs. Edward Ryall of Baltimore."
May 1915
Surprise for the Hillsingers
"50th Wedding Anniversary.
"The friends of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Hillsinger, of this City and surrounding neighborhood gave them a surprise at their home last Monday night, which was the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hillsinger were married by the late Rev. Dr. Isaac J. Martin, of this city on May 17th, 1865, at the home of Mrs. Hillsinger's parents near Bethany, this county, which was followed by a reception and an old time country dance. The music for the dance was furnished by one violin, it being the only piece of music used for dancing in those days.
"Mr. Hillsinger was born in New York State and, after the war, came to this city and was first engaged in the cabinet making business in which he was very successful and later undertaking, the business in which pursuit he is at present engaged."
The "after the war" had to be the Civil War, but often it wasn't necessary to explicitly name the war. That war was such a huge event, such a demarcation in the history of the nation and the individual, that life events would naturally just fall either before, or after, "The War."