Cecil Soil Magazine

CSM believes the most important editorial in our magazine are the great letters we get from you.
It is your voices that make the most interesting stories and capture the heart of Cecil County.
We encourage you to share your thoughts and memories with us all, before they are lost.
Thank you — ETB

In the Summer/Fall of 2007 (I know – a long time ago) you took a photo of our daughter, Hannah Sanford-Crane, who was the then-reigning Miss Cecil County Farm Bureau (formerly known as the Farm Queen), and also a photo of our entire family, which was pretty cool – under the wooden barn with a flag painted on it at Scheeler’s Seeds Farm Dinner. Do you recall?

If you still have that photograph in your archives, could I get a copy? You had mentioned at the Scheeler Seeds Dinner that I could e-mail you and ask, but that was a long time ago, so I fully understand if you no longer have the photo available. An e-mail copy would be fine – more than generous.

P.S. I enjoy the articles your young writer Kyle Dixon does. He’s quite a young man and an asset to the community. Thank you for your part in mentoring him!

Thanks for the swell article Paula Kelly wrote about Sun Pharmacy. We’ve gotten lots of nice comments about it, and a bunch of “I bet you didn’t know...” stories about the place, too.

Thanks, too, to Maggie Creshkoff for including the picture of my grandfather’s copy of Handel’s Messiah. What I neglected to tell her was my grandfather’s name: Warren “Reds” Barnhart. He sang in several area choruses, including Havre de Grace’s “Show Crafters” (a group that also included current Rising Sun resident Charles Shafer and the late Bill Walker, former NBRS president), the State Line Chorus chapter of SPEBSQSA (started in Cecil County and later migrated to Newark where it was renamed the Deltones) and the Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church choir. There are still a few folks around who can remember his tenor solo in the Easter anthem, The Holy City (Jerusalem).

Enclosed is my check to renew my subscription for one year. If it has not run out yet please just extend it for another year. It is too good to miss.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Belote,

Many thanks for sending me the lovely green sweatshirt for being drawn a winner in your puzzle contest. I will enjoy wearing it.

When your Cecil Soil arrives, I drop everything and do the puzzle. When the puzzle is completed, then, and only then, I read the magazine!

I was born at home and “Aunt Mable,” no relation but a family friend, stayed for two weeks with my mother. I have a picture of her holding me.

Now, the doctors on page 38 – names please … Dr. Milford H. Sprecker – first in top row, Dr. Jacob Greenwald – fifth in top row, Dr. Cantwell – first, Supt. of Hospital – Miss Mary Delancy, Dr. Bates next (?) I think Herbert Bates.

I think it’s a shame not to have names. Could Dr. McKnight be the middle man on top row? I really think so, but may be wrong. He was a doctor at the time of the picture. I was a teenager at this time. Also, Dr. Henry V. Davis was at the hospital, but I cannot place him.

Well, this is something to think about, if you have the time and inclination.

Sincerely,
Virginia Allison Powell
Elkton, Maryland

We were delighted with the article about our daughter, Carol Brown. Since she took the job as property manager of The Perryville Outlet Center she has worked so incredibly hard to see it succeed. In addition to all the other “hats” she wears there are a couple that few people know about.

She enlisted the help of the stores’ personnel and they did ‘complete Christmas’ for at least two families last year. The personnel were so generous and did such a beautiful job. One of these families had absolutely nothing for their children for Christmas, although the single mom is one of the hardest working persons I’ve ever met. I can never describe the relief and joy I saw on her face as my husband delivered all the beautifully wrapped packages. They really shared the TRUE Spirit of Christmas.

Another “hat” Penny wears is that of being a wonderful, caring, daughter to us. Every day I get a call from her wanting to know if I need anything. I’ve even stopped saying anything if I see something I like because one of my kids will make sure I get it.

Maggie seems like such a special lady and she did a beautiful job on this article. She’s a real blessing to Cecil Soil.

Whoever thought of this idea to put out Cecil Soil Magazine is wonderful!! It is such a good idea and I enjoy it so much. I was pleasantly surprised to see my sister Lois Schmeusser pictured with Dr. Stavrakis in the Nov/Dec issue. I used to live in Childs, MD as a child right near the old paper mill. I have a couple photos of it in operation but don’t have all the history about it. My father did business there with his job on the B & O railroad. I don’t know if you would want these or not, if so let me know by phone. Thanks again for putting out such a good magazine!!!

The enclosed cookie recipe for Sherry’s Ginger Creams was given to me by my sister-in-law, Sherry Jackson, who made these cookies for my Dad. I made Melanie Peddicord’s “Best Sugar Cookie” recipe featured in November/December issue and the cookies were delicious!

Publisher’s Note: Watch for this recipe in a future installment of Cecil Soil Cookbook.

In the Cecil Scrapbook, on page 57 of the November/December 2008 issue, you featured a photo of my great-grandfather, Joseph Heisler guiding a hunter. This hunter’s correct name is Mr. Louis Eisenlohr, and he did not die on the Titanic, but on his new yacht anchored in the New York Harbor on 6/8/1922.

Publisher’s Note: For a glimpse into the rich history of Charlestown’s Heisler family, please see the story beginning on page 36.

My husband and I had the opportunity to meet Ed Belote during the North East Christmas Parade. Cecil Soil is one of my favorite magazines to read. I know a great deal of the people you feature in your stories. I would like to submit a story about the Ukrainians that settled here in the Chesapeake City area in the early 1990s. Our traditions are still carried out today as well as during the Lenten season with our Psynki Eggs.

I wanted to thank you for printing my article about growing up on the Red Bell Farm. You did a great job on the article and pulling the pictures together. It was a lot of fun working with you and your staff. You have a great magazine which reflects different things about our county and the people in it.

Please send your letters to: Cecil Soil Magazine, P.O. Box 645, Rising Sun, MD 21911. You may also fax them to 410-658-3242 or use this handy form. All letters become the property of Cecil Soil Magazine and Back Porch Publications, LLC, and may be edited for clarity or space. All letters received are given due consideration for publishing. Beginning in January 2010, writers of letters selected for publication in future issues will receive a free one-year subscriptions to CSM, or extensions to their existing subscriptions, when applicable.
IMPORTANT: YOU must call 410-658-3286 to claim and arrange for receipt of your free subscription!!