Allegany County Maryland--History

Community can take pride in tunnels
Escaped slaves likely sought refuge beneath downtown church

Matthew Bieniek Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Fleeing slaves finding their way north likely found a resting place and a bit of food and drink beneath Emmanuel Parish of the Episcopal Church in Cumberland. The low-ceiling, often-narrow tunnels are all that remain of Fort Cumberland, and over the years, an abolitionist rector turned the tunnels into a stop on the Underground Railroad, the route that escaped slaves followed to freedom.

City celebrates being part of Underground RR

CUMBERLAND — "I looked over Jordan and what did I see, coming for to carry me home? A band of angels coming after me, coming for to carry me home."

The words of the spiritual were familiar in the mid-1800s to black men and women who stood on the southern bank of the Ohio River near Ripley, W.Va., staring into Ohio and freedom from slavery on the far side.

Underground Railroad history

City woman recalls grandfather's role

MARIA D. MARTIRANO

FEBRUARY 9, 2004

CUMBERLAND —
As a child walking home from Frederick Street School, Romaine Franklin would stop by to see her grandfather, who gave her a coin each time.

She'd ask how he was doing, and he would respond "just tolerable." Then he asked which grandchild she was. And once she answered, he'd give her a nickel or a dime.

"I was one of his spoiled grandchildren," she said.

The following is excerpted from a newspaper article entitled, “The Railroad Lost Money” appearing in the August 6, 1904 edition of the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper. It describes a picnic and reunion traveled to and attended by numerous “colored people” that was held in Frostburg, Maryland on July 26, 1904 by the Knights of Pythias of Cumberland and Frostburg There were also a large number of Afro-Americans” from Keyser, West Virginia and Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. The newspaper reports:

Albert L. Feldstein, a Republican, was one of three unopposed candidates running for Judge of the Allegany County Orphans’ Court in the May 26, 2018 Republican Primary. The Court consists of three Judges. All three Republicans (Albert Feldstein, Donna May and Edward Crossland) were elected to a four-year term of office in the November 6, 2018 General Election.

On November 8, 2016 Eugene Frazier, in a five-way race, was elected to one of the two open seats on the Cumberland, Maryland City Council. He is to be sworn in for a four-year term beginning January 2, 2017. Frazier secured 2,530 votes on his way to victory, and is only the second African-American to be elected to this position. On November 3, 2020 Eugene Frazier was re-elected to another four-year term.

William F. "Bill" Lashbaugh, a Republican, first began working in the Allegany County Office of Register of Wills in 1962. He was elected Register of Wills in 1986, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2006. As noted on this campaign item from the 1986 campaign, Lashbaugh noted his 25 years of experience as the Deputy Register of Wills.

This page depicts the unsuccessful Allegany County Board of Education candidates from either the 2014 Primary or General Elections.

There had been seven candidates running in the June 24, 2014 primary for one of the three open seats on the non-partisan Board of Education (two current Board members ran for re-election and a third member had chosen not to run for re-election.)

As a result of the November 4, 2014 General Election, Jason Buckel, a Republican, defeated the incumbent Democrat, Kevin Kelly, in the race for Maryland House of Delegates, District 1-B. In the House of Delegates race, District 1-C, the Republican candidate, Mike McKay, defeated Nick Scarpelli, a Democrat.

As a result of the November 4, 2014 General Election, Jake Shade, Creade Brodie, Jr., and Bill Valentine, all Republicans, were elected to the position Allegany County Commissioner. Tom Striplin and Kevin M. Shaffer, both Democrats, were unsuccessful in their election bids.