David Kemp Cramer

From History of Frederick County. p. 1111-1113:

David Kemp Cramer, deceased, was a man of the highest character. He was held in great esteem in the community in which he lived, and at his death was in comfortable circumstances, having made a success in life. Be was the owner of “Meadow Brook” farm of 150 acres. This was the homestead of Major Beatty, who owned a tract of 1,000 acres. The house was built by the Major in 1757, and is of stone, two stories and a-half in height, and contains fourteen rooms. The barn was built by Ezra Cramer, the grandfather of our subject. Mr. Cramer was born on the farm now owned by Theodore Stauffer, in Walkersville District, Frederick County, September 19, 1855, and died January 30, 1909. He was the eldest child of Ezra Lewis and Henrietta (Kemp) Cramer.

The Cramer family, which is one of the largest in numbers and one of the best known in Frederick County, Md., is of German origin and has been settled in this country for a long time. The first of the name to leave their native land, were three brothers, who landed in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1705. Two of these brothers located at or near Atlantic City, N. J., but the mosquito pest was unendurable, and they left that neighborhood. One of the brothers after departing settled in Pennsylvania. The other, John George Cramer, is the ancestor of the Frederick County Cramers.

John George Cramer removed to Maryland, and took up his residence in Frederick County. His home was on what is now the William A. Cramer farm. This tract was part of the old Dulaney Manor, which was a grant from one of the Lords Baltimore. He was a member of the Reformed Church. Either Mr. Cramer or his son, John, donated a piece of land for a church and burial ground to the Reformed congregation, and when the church was removed the right and the ground were forfeited.

John Cramer, son of John George Cramer, the immigrant, was a large land owner. He was the possessor of seven farms, and at the time of his death was a heavy stockholder in the bank of Westminster. In a codicil to his will, dated 1820, he speaks of willing two hundred shares of stock to his son Lewis, to be held in trust for him by his brother Henry.

Ezra Cramer, son of John Cramer, was born on the old homestead near Walkersville, Frederick County, March 2, 1797. He inherited from his father the farm now owned by David Cramer. He later sold this to his brother David, who had fallen heir to the home farm, and David thus became owner of the two properties. Ezra Cramer was a land speculator, purchasing farm after farm, and disposing of them at a good profit. He also owned mills and operated a distillery on what is now the Samuel Barrack farm. He hauled his whiskey by wagon to Baltimore. He made his home on the various farms which came into his possession. He lived and owned the “Meadow Brook” farm at Mount Pleasant, once owned by D. K. Cramer. This farm he bought after the death of the previous owners, two old bachelors by the name of Smith, who were poisoned by slaves because the Smiths had sold off some of their companions. Mr. Cramer finally located on what is now the J. Henry Cramer farm, near Walkersville. He sold this place and for a time lived on small tracts near by, but the inactive life did not suit him and he was preparing to engage in active business again when death overtook him. He was at that time living in a tenant-house on the “Hawthorne” farm. Mr. Cramer was a prominent citizen and a typical Southern, gentleman of the old school. He was a large slave holder and a business man of great ability. Politically he was a Democrat, and was a member of the Reformed Church. In 1824, he was elected a member of the Maryland Legislature from Frederick County, and served his constituents so well that he was re-elected for a second term. He made the trip to and from Annapolis on horseback. Mr. Cramer was married November 19, 1819, to C. Mary Winebrenner, daughter of Philip and Mary (Barrack) Winebrenner, and a sister of John Winebrenner, the founder of the Church of God. Mr. and Mrs. Cramer were the parents of the following children: John Philip, who was born December 27,1820, married Margaret Kane, and followed the occupation of a miller about Woodsboro and the Glade; Agnes, who was born July 21, 1823, married Dr. Richard Hammond; Jeremiah H., who was born September 18, 1825, married Elizabeth C. Stimmel; Ezra Lewis; William Jacob, who was born March 9, 1829, died young; Charles Christian, who was born November 27, 1832, was a farmer in Mount Pleasant District and married Laura Ogburn; William Thomas was born March 28, 1834, and died young; and Josephus Elijah, was born August 8, 1836, and died July 24, 1837.

Ezra Lewis Cramer, son of Ezra and C. Mary (Winebrenner) Cramer, was born on the home farm near Walkersville, Frederick County, January 1.2, 1827, and died near Frederick City, July 19, 1900. He was educated in the common schools and the High School at Uniontown. He was a farmer all of his life. He began the study of medicine, but did not complete his course. After his marriage, he located in the neighborhood of Walkersville, and died at the old Burnt Mill farm at Montevue. Like his father, he bought and sold many farms, meeting with much success, and was also a slave holder. He was a brilliant man, and possessed a wonderful memory for faces, names and dates. He was a great reader of the poets and was a Shakespearean scholar, being able to accurately quote from most of that author’s works. He was a Democrat, and held membership in the Reformed Church. Mr. Cramer was married to Henrietta Kemp, of Rocky Springs, Frederick County. She was a daughter of David and Ruth (Lakin) Kemp. She died near Frederick City, September 4,1896, in her sixty-second year. She bore four children: David Kemp; Ezra Lewis; Richard R. T., and Etta.

David Kemp Cramer, son of Ezra Lewis and Henrietta (Kemp) Cramer, was given a liberal education. He first went to the public schools of Mount Pleasant, and later studied at St. John’s College. Annapolis, Md., and Mercersburg College, Pa. Part of his early life was spent at the Brunner mill, which his father had bought, and which he helped to run. At his marriage, he left the parental roof, and went to live at Walkersville. Here he was engaged in the lumber, coal and fertilizer business for three years. For a while he was also station agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad at this point. He then moved on one of his father’s farms in Walkersville District, and from there on March 20, 1894, to “Meadow Brook.” At this latter estate he lived the balance of his life.

In politics, Mr. Cramer was an ardent Democrat, and was president of a Bryan and Kern Club of Mount Pleasant. He was a devout member of the Reformed Church, which he joined while at Mercersburg.

Mr. Cramer was married June 1, 1881, to Fanny Mercier, of near Central Church. She was born in the village of New Market, her mother dying at her birth. She is a daughter of Robert Shipley and Matilda (Nelson) Mercier. (See sketch of Washington Mercier, of Jefferson District, for history of the Mercier family). The father of Mrs. Cramer died in Baltimore in 1880, having married for his second wife a Miss Clary. Mrs. Cramer was raised by her grandfather, Nathan Nelson, who was a well-known farmer and owned three farms lying together in New Market District. His wife was Matilda Poole. The father of Nathan Nelson was also Nathan Nelson, whose father came from England with or about the time of the Maynards. These two families settled close together in New Market District. Nathan Nelson, an uncle of Mrs. Cramer, was a Confederate soldier from 1861 to 1865, and at the close of the war went to the vicinity of Little Rock, Ark., where he engaged in the sawmill and lumber business. David Kemp and Fanny (Mercier) Cramer were the parents of three children: Susan Nelson, the wife of Herbert Kresh, of Frederick, by whom she has two children, Christine and Dorothy; Carl Mercier, at home; and Dorothy.