There are some homes you dream about exploring. Today, I was given the opportunity do that in a home I’ve been deeply interested in for a long time. It did not disappoint!
Henry Young built East Oaks for his new bride, Margaret Chiswell, around 1824. The Young’s, a prosperous family that had migrated to the Ag Reserve area from Hagerstown in the late 1700s, were successful and innovative farmers (there are accounts of local residents coming out to watch some of their innovative tilling practices).
According to the 1850 census, the cash value of the estate was $12,500 (it’s for sale today at 3.9 million). This made Henry more prosperous than 9 out of 10 farmers in the Medley District at the time.
During the Civil War, Union troops repeatedly occupied the woods surrounding the home, naming their encampment Camp Heintzelmen (see prior post on Civil War camps in the area). Given the Youngs’ familial linkages to the Chiswells (and the presence of many slaves on the grounds), we can be sure they were not too fond of their Union visitors.
The home, constructed of Brick, is a textbook example of the Federal architectural style. Given the architectural similarities, familial linkages, and general timeframes, it’s very likely that East Oaks had the same builder as Inverness (in Dickerson) and Annington (near White’s Ferry).
