TOMLINSON, Jesse

 
About a hundred years ago a young man by the name of Jesse Tomlinson, removed from Will's Creek, to the Little Meadows, where he commenced opening up a farm and carrying on a tavern. He was prosperous, considering the times, but was a bachelor and needed a helpmate in his business. The tide of emigration, then as now, was westward. On a lucky day, a genteel family from the east came along Braddock's road, bound for "old Kentuck", and halted at the modest inn for shelter. Among them was a tall slender daughter of quiet demeanor. Mine host was at once captivated and the young lady never got any farther west than Little Meadows. The lived a happy and prosperous pair and both died in the same year - 1840 - each beyond four score years. Jesse Tomlinson in his day was the most important and influential man in the upper end of Allegany county. He was foremost in every enterprise and in the course of his long life held many public positions and had acquired much property for his time. He was a considerable slave-holder, one of whom - Reeson Sweet - still survives, an aged man living in Baltimore, respected by all who know him. He is the only living being that was attached to this once powerful family. Tomlinson had five sons, to all of whom he gave a generous education, but none had the thrift of the father. Henry, the youngest, and favorite son, graduated at Washington college, Pa. In 1825 became a member of the Cumberland bar. Married in Washington Pa., but lived on his father's ample estate most of his married life, but died while on a visit to his old college home in 1838, aged 38 years, the last of the five brothers. His education was brilliant and talents splendid, yet the fruit was not excellent. Nearly all this powerful family have for long years rested at the foot slope of Meadow Mountain, at a spot indicated by a beautiful marble shaft, in full view of the "Stone House", and quite near the site of a small fort built by Washington in one of his campaigns to Fort Pitt. The name of Tomlinson in Garrett county exists only in memory and that in but a few. All the sons but one died childless, and he lived in Kentucky and left only one or two children.
"Brown's Miscellaneous Writings Upon a Great Variety of Subjects: Prepared and Written from 1880 to 1895" by Jacob Brown
~Genie
Posted June 21, 2013

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