Allegany County Maryland--Biography

Hannah Cresap was a real “frontier woman” of the mid-18th century. She accompanied her husband, Thomas, from their home near Havre de Grace, Harford county, Maryland, to the untracked frontier of Western Maryland. In 1741, they settled, built a home and stockade fort in what is now Oldtown, thereby making this the oldest town in present-day Allegany County (established in 1789). A sixteen year old George Washington stayed at Hannah’s home for several days in 1748 while doing survey work on his first trip to Maryland.

Mary Calmes Hoye died October 20, 1875 aged 87 years

John and Mary Hoye lived in the Hoye Mansion on Washington Street. This is one of the oldest structures in Cumberland. In recent years it has served as the First Church of Christ Scientist and is now a law office. The 1820 census shows the Hoyes household as consisting of four family members and ten slaves. The slaves included a coachman, cook, maid, and several children of the Dorsey and Robeson families.

"Nelly and Ben"

From the Cumberland, Maryland Advocate, run-away slave notice, January 11, 1832

$100 REWARD.
Ran away from the subscriber near Frankfort, Va. on Sunday night the 11th of December, inst. two coloured people :—One a black man named
BEN,

"Aunt Judy", 1805-1866

Her tombstone reads
"A Faithful Friend and Helper
There is neither bond nor free for all are one in Christ Jesus."

Aunt Judy was a one-time local slave and later servant in the Robert Hall McCleave (1808-1886) household, in whose family plot she is buried. In 1860, Allegany County was identified as having 666 slaves, 467 free "colored", and 27,215 whites.

Women have played an increasingly important role in the armed forces. In March 2005, about 350,000 women were serving in the U.S. military, almost 15% of active duty personnel, one in seven soldiers. (From: NPR Radio, Wounded in War: The Women Serving in Iraq, March 14, 2005).

Ruth Franklin was in the first graduation class of the Frederick Street School, for blacks, in 1923. In 1927 she became the first local teacher hired at that school, which in 1941 became known as Carver High School.

Ruth Franklin was regarded by her supervisor at the Board of Education as one of the most outstanding teachers in Allegany County. Upon the complete integration of Allegany County public schools in 1959 Ruth Franklin relocated to Allegany High School until her retirement in 1966.

Her obituary from the Cumberland Times-News:

In May 1956, Fort Hill High School of Cumberland held the first commencement exercise in Allegany County with participating African-American students following integration. Judy Leath, Harold Hilton and William Peck were among the first of this group of students graduating from Fort Hill. Prior to school integration, Judy, Harold and William had attended Carver High School.

Kia Corthron, 1961 -

(The following narrative on Kia Corthron was revised/updated in Spring 2014 at the request of the Maryland Women's Heritage Center as part of an upcoming Fall 2014 exhibit on Women in the Arts.)

Allegany Branch of NAACP holds Freedom Fund Dinner

Local residents honored for distinguished service

The Cumberland Times-News Thu Oct 27, 2011

CUMBERLAND — The importance of education was a recurring theme during the Allegany County Branch of the NAACP’s annual Freedom Fund Dinner held Sunday at the Holiday Inn.

Keynote speaker David Cox, superintendent of Allegany County public schools, focused on the vital role of education in a productive society and emphasized community support, especially from the parents.

Sarah W. Bromery, 1880 - 1980

The Metropolitan A.M.E. Church was first organized and a board of trustees elected in 1837. Sarah W. Bromery, a prominent leader in the African-American community, served in 1937 as Chairwoman of the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church in Cumberland.