“Carroll County Place Names from the Carroll Record Histories, Part 1”

Carroll County Times article for 16 October 1994

by Jay A. Graybeal

The origins of community names throughout the county are frequent research topics of library patrons at the Historical Society. The Society’s new publication entitled, The Carroll Record Histories of Northwestern Carroll County Communities provides a number of references to place names in this part of our county. All were published in 1894-5 by older members of their respective communities.

Rev. W. H. Luckenbach described how Taneytown took its name from the Taney family.
About one hundred and thirty years ago the land now included in the village of which we are residents belonged to the family from which evidently it originally derived its named TANEY-TOWN. It had been in possession of that family for at least a century prior to that period. In a brief autobiography of Chief Justice TANEY, a name intimately identified with an exciting period of our national history, –as published by Samuel Tyler, L. L. D. in his “Memoir” of the distinguished jurisconsult, Judge Taney himself says, “my forefathers on my father’s side were among the early emigrants to Maryland and had -owned and lived upon this estate.” — his father’s landed property in Calvert co., where he (Roger B.) was born, “for many generations before I was born.”
It was the natural sulphur springs, Frank Devilbiss wrote, that provided the first name of the village that would later be known New Windsor.
Atlee built up a lucrative business and in the meantime, settlers hearing of a sulphur spring, now on the Maynard estate, and of its high medicinal qualities, came from far and near, purchased lots, erected houses and spent money. The place then became known far and wide as “Sulphur Springs,” and afterwards as “The Springs.”At this juncture [1815], the establishment of a Post Office at Sulphur Springs became a necessity. The little settlement was yet in Frederick county. Mr. Atlee made the suggestion to some of his friends that we had paid our respects to Uniontown long enough in our quest for mail, and why not establish an office here. It was heartily agreed to, and they began to look up a name for it. Friends of Mr. Atlee’s insisted that it be named after him, but his customary modesty forbade. An intimate friend of his who had resided in Windsor, England, was present. Mr. Atlee said to him, “You were born in Windsor, now I propose naming our town New Windsor, in honor of you.” This was done, and in 1816 New Windsor was established on the records of the department in Washington.
J. P. Garner told how the villages of Linwood, Priestland Valley and McKinstry’s Mills were named.
The years 1861 and 1862 are memorable ones in the history of this community. They mark the completion of the W. M. R. R. to Union Bridge. A new impetus was given to life; by this, Linwood became possible. It is virtually the creation of steam, and most a dutiful child it has proved to be.The late Reuben Haines, then a man prominent in the affairs of the county, at once took hold of the project, became a director in the company and for services rendered was granted the privilege of a siding at this point. Two warehouses were immediately erected, and the place was called Linwood station from the name of Haines’s farm.

Spreading out to the South from Linwood, is the well watered and fertile valley of Priestland, literally the priests’ land. During the last century a tract of 600 acres in this valley was held by a corporation of the Roman Catholic Clergy, from whence the name was derived.

Situated on Sam’s Creek, two miles from Linwood, and on the boundary between Carroll and Frederick counties, is the village of McKinstry’s Mills. The early history of the place, is largely the history of the flour mills located there. Previous to the building of the W. M. R. R., immense quantities of flour were manufactured at these mills for the farmers who hauled it to the Baltimore markets. The first mill, a log structure, was built in 1797, and owned by George Pusey. The town derived its name from the McKinstry’s who came there in 1814.
James H. Koons wrote about Double Pipe Creek (now Detour), Keysville and York Road (now Keymar).
Double Pipe Creek is a small village situated on the W. M. R. R., 51 miles from Baltimore, and 17 miles from Westminster, the County Seat of Carroll county. It contains a population of 125, all white, and is located on the western line of Middleburg district, on both banks of Double Pipe Creek stream, in Frederick and Carroll counties. Little and Big Pipe Creek unite about 200 yards south of the village, forming Double Pipe Creek, from which the village derives its name.Keysville is a small village located in the western part of Middleburg district, on a tract of about 1000 acres of land taken up originally by John Ross Key, the father of Francis Scott Key – the village deriving its name from the Keys.

During 1867, Messrs. Hiltabidle & Shriner, of Union Bridge, purchased of W. Marshall Mehring, the land on which the warehouse and other buildings connected with this business are located, and immediately erected the large brick warehouse fronting east on the York road and on the north on the Western Maryland Railroad, with track connections to same. This was the first building at what is now York Road, and was used for the general commission and grain business, and also as the depot for the railroad.
E. H. Sharetts described how Bruceville was another place that derived its name from a founding family.
Bruceville is a small village located on Big Pipe Creek, in Middleburg district, about one-half mile north of the junction of the Western Maryland and the Frederick and Pennsylvania Line Railroads. The town was laid out by Norman[d] Bruce and named Bruceville about the eighteenth century.
Next week’s column will include the stories behind the names of Union Bridge, Harney, Uniontown and Trevanion.
Photo Caption: “Taneytown Looking North.” The Taney family gave its name to this northwestern Carroll County community. Historical Society of Carroll County Collection. Gift of Mrs. Robert Billingslea.