And in another letter he says "In improving your mind, remember your God. The fear of the Lord, says the wise man, is the beginning of wisdom. Without virtue there can be no happiness; and without religion no virtue; consider yourself as always in the presence of the Almighty. If this sentiment be strong and vivid, you will never sin or commit any action you would be ashamed to commit before man" and this letter concludes "And peace, oh virtue, peace is all thine own. God bless you."

In 1801 Catherine Carroll married Robert Goodloe Harper of South Carolina.

In 1803 Mr. Carroll was one of a committee of three selected by the governors to help boom St. John's College. This committee was "to publish an account of the state of the College, and of the advantages it presents and may afford. They did this so well that the college seemed to take a new start.

In 1805 his son lost an infant and wrote to Mr. Carroll of the great grief of the family. In feelingly replying to this letter the father says, " Everything in this world is precarious. Health, riches, power and talents are all uncertain. Virtue alone is subject to no vicissitudes."

Charles Carroll of Homestead, the son, died in 1825. Many tender, loving letters from his father have been preserved referring to his failing health. In one of these letters the father writes, "God bless you and prepare you for a better world, for the present is but a passing meteor compared to eternity."

Charles of Homestead was a strikingly handsome man. His son Charles was the fifth of his name and inherited Doughoregan Manor.

On the completion of the Erie canal connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic ocean, medals commem

orative of the event were struck and three of gold were ordered presented, one each to Charles Carroll of Carrollton, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the three surviving signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Mr. Carroll, now in his 89th year, was still vigorous of intellect and fairly strong of body. He was far from being an infirm old man. In reply to a letter about this time from a friend, who spoke of the useful life he had led and the important things he had accomplished, Mr. Carroll closed his letter with this sentence, "On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for Salvation; and on His merits; not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts."

In private life as well as he had been in public office Charles Carroll of Carrollton continued to be the most active and useful citizen of his State. He was mentor, guide, leader and banker for his whole section. In fact, he was the only man who had money to lend and wanted to lend it for the improvement of his people. He had early undertaken to convert his part of the State from a tobacco growing to a wheat and corn raising section. Tobacco was a hard crop on land and its continued cultivation year after year was exhausting the soil and making the land less productive and, therefore, less valuable as an investment. As the soil grew thinner the tendency to go west grew stronger and the natural growth of the State was retarded. This condition had begun to develop just before the beginning of the Revolutionary war and Charles Carroll of Carrollton and his father had discussed it frequently and sought the best remedy to meet it. The Ellicott brothers came along at the right time and attracted by the fine water power were induced by the Carrolls and others to establish mills for grinding grain. They had been successful millers in Pennsylvania, but were convinced that this was a better field

for the operations they contemplated on on a more extended scale. Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the richest capitalist in the province, stood ready to back the enterprise in any practical way, and he changed much of his farming into the cultivation of wheat, and other enterprising farmers followed. This change involved much expense in the purchase of new implements and the erection of new buildings. But the Carrolls advanced the money to those who needed it and they also aided in the building of roads that grain might the more easily be got to the mills. The Ellicotts had their mills running and were producing flour when the war began. The mill owners also built, or greatly assisted in building, roads in all directions and the country was greatly improved and the land much enhanced in value. The Carrolls, with the aid of farmers, on the route now had a road all the way from Ellicotts mills to the Carrollton Manor in Frederick county. Of course much tobacco was still grown, but by the year 1780 wheat had become the main crop of the section. The Ellicotts became general merchants as well as millers, and by 1790 were sending quantities of flour to Europe and importing many lines of goods useful to the farmers.

Their coming was a real benefaction to the people and prevented many from sacrificing their lands and going to new sections. With the success of grain growing, land values increased, incomes from the farms were increased and the Carrolls profited greatly as a consequence. By 1803 all this section of Maryland had practically given up the cultivation of tobacco and was one of the finest wheat producing sections in the world.

CHAPTER XXIV

ORGANIZING THE B. & O. R. R.— LAFAYETTE'S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES IN PRIVATE LIFE

Mr. Carroll, ever alert in promoting the welfare of his people, took a deep interest in the question of transportation, which had become a vital matter for Baltimore City and the section. Though over ninety years old he was energetic and vigorous, heard all that was to be said, and decided that the interest of the State demanded some radical action, and he was in favor of a railroad. Accordingly at a meeting held February 12, 1827, a committee of thirty-five was appointed to prepare a charter and petition the legislature for its enactment. Charles Carroll of Carrollton was made chairman of the committee and John V. L. McMahon prepared a charter which was granted in Maryland on the 28th of February and in Virginia March 8th. Thus, in sixteen days from the meeting at which the railroad project was adopted, the charter was granted in the two States through which the road would pass. By April 1st the necessary stock was subscribed and on April 23d the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company was organized by the election of the following board of directors. Charles Carroll of Carrollton, George Hoffman, Thomas Ellicott, Philip E. Thomas, Robert Morris, Isaac McKim, Talbot Jones, William Lorman, and William Stewart. Philip E. Lorman was made president, and George Brown treasurer.

Work of locating the road went rapidly on and the point of its entrance within the city being agreed on, it was announced that the "Corner Stone "would be