East New Market
Property Reports
11 Railroad Avenue
Tilghman Andrew House (1872)
Before 1802 James Sulivane likely built the original house. In 1872, Shadrach Carmine constructed the larger current dwelling which possibly incorporated the older smaller dwelling.
An 1803 deed conveys a house and lot owned by James Sulivane. A deed in 1865 conveys this property combined with another and makes it difficult to determine whether a house was still on this lot. When Shadrach Carmine bought this lot in 1871, he paid $150 which is about $50 more than what one would pay for a vacant lot during that time period. He sold the same property for $1300 in 1876 which would reflect large scale construction during this five year time period.
From the Maryland Historical Trust - State Historic Sites Inventory Form - 1985
The Frances Anderson house stands on the south side of Railroad Avenue in the center of East New Market, Dorchester County, Maryland. The two-story, three-bay frame house faces north with the principal gable oriented on an east/west axis.
Built around 1872, the two-story, center hall frame house is supported minimal brick foundation and sheathed with vinyl siding. The steeply pitched gable roof is covered with asphalt shingles. Attached to the back of the front block is a shorter two-story service wing with a single-story addition farther south.
The north (main) facade is a symmetrical three-bay elevation with a center entrance and flanking six-over-six sash windows. The five-panel Victorian door is framed by three-light sidelights and an eight-pane transom. The entrance bay is sheltered by a single-bay gabled porch. The windows to each side are flanked by replacement shutters. Lighting the second floor are three evenly spaced six- over-six sash windows. The cornice above is boxed.
The east gable end wall is a plain wall surface with a flush gable end and small attic vents to each side of the internal end brick chimney stack. The west end is marked by six-over-six sash windows that light each floor, and an interior end brick stack rises through the gable end.
The south side of the house is partially covered by a shorter two-story two-bay service wing lighted by six-over-six sash on the first floor and small two-over-two sash windows on the second floor. A centrally located brick stack rises through the roof. A shed roof screened-in porch partially covers the service wing on the east side. Attached to the back of the two-story wing is a single-story one-room plan section that is detailed in a similar manner.
An interior end brick stack rises through the south gable end, and a board-and- batten door provides access on the east side. The interior has not changed significantly since the nineteenth century. The center hall contains a dog-leg stair that is distinguished by a turned newel post, turned balusters, and an oval-profile handrail that continues to a second floor balcony. A two-panel door opens into the stair closet beneath the first landing. Four-panel doors open into adjacent rooms which are finished with mid nineteenth-century features. The east room was not seen, but the west room is fitted with a mid nineteenth-century style mantel with simple pilasters, a plain frieze, and a thick shelf. The balance of the woodwork is relatively plain. The dining room is fitted with beaded board wainscoting and plaster. The second floor is finished with four-panel doors, beaded baseboards, and plain mid nineteenth-century mantels. The most unusual feature is the generous upstairs U- shaped hall which provides access to the three front bedrooms as well as the upper rooms of the rear wing.
The Frances Anderson house stands on the south side of Railroad Avenue and is the last house before the lane to Friendship Hall. The two-story, center hall, single-pile dwelling is a standard house type for the post Civil War period, and the interior finishes follow along predictable lines, except. for the generous upstairs hallway which is distinguished by a continuous handrail. The rear two- story service wing appears contemporary with the front section with consistent mid nineteenth-century finishes. The difference in floor level between the front and rear sections is not uncommon. Historical research has indicated the house was erected around 1872. The structure is located on this site on the 1877 East New Market map under the ownership of a T. Andrew.
Notes from Kirk Hurley
The January 1966 conveyance was in settlement of the estate of Edith Twilley. Walter Anderson was a son of Edith H. Twilley from her first marriage. He was married at one time to Frances Wiggins Anderson. Frances W. Anderson and Mrs. Edith H. Twilley (nee Stevens) remained very close after Walter and Frances's divorce, and shared Mrs. Twilley's primary residence which had been divided in to upstairs and down stairs apartments. Even after the divorce Frances (or Sisi as she is called by those very close to her) referred to Mrs. Twilley as "Mother". There was an irregularity in the will that had originally left Mrs. Twilley's home to Frances. In settling the estate, Frances got the house across the street which is referred to here as the "Tilghman Andrews" house. The house had been until that time occupied as a rental providing income to Mrs. Twilley. My Grandmother, Dorothy Edith Hallsa (nee LaMar) had occupied it for some time until the settling of the estate. The main residence of Mrs Twilley was sold to Ralph and Helen Wheatley who then operated as a two unit rental. Frances Anderson in the mean time took over the single residency rental and moved there while my grand mother moved into what had been Mrs. Twilley's apartment in her primary residency. My Grandmother Hallsa lived in the house until this move for about 8 years. prior to her living there a Mrs. Tilghman had lived there.
Mr. Twilley was a postmaster of East New Market at a time when it was a political appointment by the President of the United States. In a conversation with Frances Anderson, who was present at the time the Twilley's purchased the property, it was disclosed that Mr. Twilley made the purchase out of fear that what he viewed as a less desirable element was anticipating buying the property. This characterization included primarily people of African-American descent.
For most of the 1940's and early 50's the subject property was known as the home of Mary Bramble Willey a granddaughter of Mary King Bramble.
It is clear from the architectural style that the front section of the house was built in the 1870's as indicated. However there is a severe step down in the back part of the house along with a number of other anomalies indicating a different construction time or the marriage of one building to another. In my research... my "gut" feeling is that some older structure was there or moved there and the front section added in the 1870's. The tax records at this point are the most likely place to determine if a preexisting structure was there when Carmine bought the property. However I think a more modest residence was built by the Carmines when the bought the lot from Dr. Phillips (or moved there) and that they later added or Andrews added the front. The land records are a good indicator, as is the real property inventory if his estate if I remember correctly, that Andrews was a land speculator and investor. He owned at least one or two other properties in East New Market at the time or later and so this would not have been out of line for him.