A. W. Cissel,
When the first
lands along
today's Moser
Road were
granted in 1738,
they were
described as
being "in the
backlands of the
Province". This
grant for
"Taylor's Lot"
to Jacob Weller
(The Moravian)
predates the
formation of
Frederick
County. Over the
next few years
Jacob
(1704-1794)
would survey and
purchase
adjacent
parcels, most of
which he named
after the tools
of his
occupation:
"Taylor's
Shears, Taylor's
Bodkin, Taylor's
Needle".
The beginning
point for the
1752 grant
Taylor's Bodkin
was a few
hundred feet
west of the
north/ south
"wagon road from
Frederick Town
to Ambrose's
Mill" at Owens
Creek (Roddy
Road). This road
follows Hessong
Bridge, parts of
modem Route 550
and past the
site of later
Apples Church,
on its waynorth
to Marsh Creek
(Gettysburg). It
was along this
wagon road that
the early
Monocacy Church
is believed to
have been
located.
One of the
possible church
sites is at the
Jimtown
intersection on
a 36 acre parcel
owned by Leonard
Moser, a weaver.
He called this
land
"Germantown",
and although he
sold his land in
1765 to move to
North Carolina,
two of his sons
remained in
Frederick
County; 200
years later the
road west from
Jimtown would
bear the Moser
name.
On the grounds
of the Maple Run
Golf Course,
adjoining the
pro shop, is an
interesting
stone structure.
The east side of
this residence
was originally a
one room school.
Known as "The
Centre School",
its location one
and one-half
miles from
Graceham and its
dedication is
mentioned in the
Moravian Church
Diaries.
Ceremonies were
held on January
7, 1835 with
sermons
delivered in
both German and
English. The
1858 and 1873
maps of the
county show it
as a public
school, located
down the lane
behind a Weller
descendant's
house.
During most of
the 19th
century, Moser
Road was known
as the road to
Harmon's Gap or
the Mountain
Road. It was
lined with farms
belonging to
later generation
of Wellers or
the heirs of
Jacob's step-son
the Firors.
Where this road
intersects the
Thurmont to
Frederick
Turnpike, (now
commonly called
Cozy's Corner)
were smaller
farm holdings as
well as several
small
industries:
brickyard,
blacksmith,
lumber yard and
Chambers
Creager's
greenhouses.
The Mosers
returned to this
neighborhood
when George
‘Jerry" Moser
purchased parts
of the old
Weller farms in
1943 and 1948.
Jerry had grown
up at the Moser
Farm on the Pike
near the site of
today's Pizza
Hut. He and his
sons operated a
dairy farm on
260 acres on
Moser Road. He
reported finding
lots of Indian
artifacts, along
with bits of
broken
gravestones from
the Weller
family
graveyard.
According to the
Moravian
Diaries, at
Jacob Weller's
death in 1794 he
was laid to rest
in "the burial
ground in his
orchard". This
ground had once
been enclosed by
a stone fence,
but generations
of plowing for
farm use had
eliminated the
gravestones. Mr.
Moser found one
nearly whole
gravestone
naming Johannes
Henge (Hankey)
who died in
1775, which was
put aside for
safekeeping, but
the other
graves, as well
as any sign of
an early log
church, had been
erased by time.
Old timers say
that the Jimtown
Crossroads got
its name from
Jim Crouse's
Tavern, a
popular social
center at the
time the
Thurmont
Election
District was
"dry" or alcohol
free. The east
side of the
intersection,
lies within the
Creagerstown
District, which
still allowed
liquor, so the
Thurmont
citizens didn't
have to ride far
for a drink.
For whatever
reasons and by
whatever names
the Jimtown area
and Moser Road
have seen a lot
of history. So
next time you
pass this way
imagine riding
through a
wilderness; a
dense woods
broken only by a
rutted wagon
road bringing
settlers to a
new life in
these backlands
of the Province
of Maryland.
Have your own memories
of Moser Road or
other places in
the Thurmont Area?
If so, please send them to us so we can
included them in our archives.
E-mail us at:
history@mythurmont.net
Read more articles by
Anne Cissel