THE CHILDREN’S HOME
The origin of the structure itself is that it was built between 1857 and 1860 by General Humphrey Humphreys as his summer home. His primary residence was on Broad Street in Salisbury between the Jackson Memorial Building and the Presbyterian Church. The Humphreys’ family cemetery is still located behind the house between the east and west lanes of Fairfield Drive about 250 yards south of the Salisbury-Parsonsburg Road or Old Ocean City Road as it is now called. Interred in the plot are Gen. Humphreys (7/23/1799 – 3/7/1882)), his wife, Elizabeth (2/20/1816 – 9/10/1878), the infant daughter of Gen. and Elizabeth Humphreys (d. 7/28/1834 aged 8 days), Thomas Parsons Humphreys, son of Gen. and Elizabeth Humphreys (d. 9/25/1838 aged 4 mos. 4 days), Eugene Randolph Humphreys, son of Gen. and Elizabeth Humphreys (d. 10/13/1847 aged 4 yrs. 7 mos. 6 days) and Elizabeth Humphreys’ father, Elijah Parsons (7/20/1778 – 1/7/1854).
By 1907, the house and adjacent property was known as Fairfield Farms and was owned by Grant Sexton. It was the largest dairy farm serving Salisbury.
After its service as a dairy farm, the house was secured by Wicomico County in 1930 and used as a home for homeless boys and girls aged four to fifteen. The original Matron in charge was Mrs. Rhetta Duffy. The Children’s Home was subsequently under the supervision of Mrs. Beulah White Hare. While a campaign was conducted each year for contributions for its support, William H. Morton was the chief benefactor.
The Children’s Home was discontinued in 1954 after federal and state programs were instituted. For the next two years, it was an institution for boys with mental and emotional problems.
The property was then sold to the Lutheran Church which used it as a church until their new church was built in front of it (new church is visible from Old Ocean City Road). When their new church was ready they sold the old Children’s Home and it has been in the possession of private families since then. The present owners are restoring it at their own expense.
By 1907, the house and adjacent property was known as Fairfield Farms and was owned by Grant Sexton. It was the largest dairy farm serving Salisbury.
After its service as a dairy farm, the house was secured by Wicomico County in 1930 and used as a home for homeless boys and girls aged four to fifteen. The original Matron in charge was Mrs. Rhetta Duffy. The Children’s Home was subsequently under the supervision of Mrs. Beulah White Hare. While a campaign was conducted each year for contributions for its support, William H. Morton was the chief benefactor.
The Children’s Home was discontinued in 1954 after federal and state programs were instituted. For the next two years, it was an institution for boys with mental and emotional problems.
The property was then sold to the Lutheran Church which used it as a church until their new church was built in front of it (new church is visible from Old Ocean City Road). When their new church was ready they sold the old Children’s Home and it has been in the possession of private families since then. The present owners are restoring it at their own expense.
9 comments:
George, i lived in that neighborhood for 25 years and you are spot on. Thank you for sharing this story.
To the person writing me in the hopes of seeing me out and about today, I am not scheduled at those locations. However, you are welcome to call me at 410-430-5349 and if you'd like we can meet wherever you like. This Blog is about making things right.However, I do not want it to be at the expense of someone else simply because they gave me the heads up. I have spend many thousands of dllars in legal fees fighting those who simply want this kind of information from me and I won't give it up. That being said, call me and we'll take it from there. I'm sorry this comment is on this Post but this person knows why and if I remember I'll remove it after contact is made.
55 and 56 Is most likely when I would of been there, ha,ha...
Mr Chevallier
I look forward to seeing your post every week. It has also made me want to know more about the Salisbury area and the Eastern Shore. Are there any books that you would sugest on this area?
Thank you for the service your provide in teaching us more about Salisbury.
Thank you, George for writing so eloquently and lovingly about this place we call home, and thank you, Joe, for putting this feature in for us to look forward to on Saturday mornings!
To carry George's story a little further. There was a big fancy dairy barn behind this house. The barn was moved across the field in the early 1900,s to the south side of the Mt. Hermon Rd about where the Bank of Hebron is now. The barn was then part of the dairy farm of John Smith. Mr Smith retired and sold the property to built the Salisbury Mall. I remember going to Mr. Smith,s farm sale and going in the barn. It was a great barn with a complete concrete floor. Also stored in the barn at that time was a Horse drawn Taxi with Drydens Taxi written on the door. I think the barn was distroyed for the Mall.
Damn thats ashame, what a pice of local history lost. Cool that we still have it in your memory. I can picture it.
I am soo glad to see that the history of the "childrens home" has not been forgotten!I used to live practically next door to the house and often walked past the tiny family plot-the graves are flat granite and almost overgrown by grass,and they are quite old.Many people in that neighborhood digging in their yards have found old bones from livestock(cows,horses?),as the farm covered much of the area that was later subdivided for houses.When I moved from the area it was run-down to the point of being condemned and the owners were hoping to get funding to restore the home and it always befuddled me that no historical organizations had an interest in buying and/or preserving the structure.It is a valuable piece of Wicomicos' past,still standing and was home to a very important person at one time.If I am not mistaken,the familys primary "city" home on Broad St is a law office today(?)
Mr.Chevalier,correct me if I am wrong,but I think the dairy barn in question is still standing,located on a farm on the North side of Nanticoke Rd as you are driving out towards Quantico.I think it was moved there from the old mall location in the 1960's.Anyone know for sure?
Also,I would love to see future articles on the old "almshouses" in Wicomico and Somerset counties.
Thanks Mr. C -you are awesome!
My wife and I were the first private purchaser of Fairfield Manor from the Lutheran Church and owned the property from 1983 to 1984 and initiated the restoration project. I remember when we found Elijah's tombstone buried under the briar bushes! My son used to love to ride a mattress down the hand made central hall staircase.
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