The Reverend Abraham Essick was born in Franklin County and served as a Lutheran minister at several churches in the Valley.
In the late 1850s he moved to Winchester, where he observed closely the differences between his home county and communities
below the Mason-Dixon Line. In 1861 Essick moved back to Franklin, where he ministered throughout the war.
"Left Baltimore at nine o'clock, arrived at Winchester at five PM. During my visit to Pennsylvania I was deeply impressed
by the contrast between the general appearance of the country and this. Naturally they are similar, both lying in the same
valley, and presenting many of the same characteristics. But in Virginia the farms are large and the population sparse. The
differences in cultivation, productiveness, and the general indications of thrift, are immensely in favor of Pennsylvania.
It is usual to account for this on the grounds of Slavery." (June 6, 1857)
"Tuesday morning. I left home in company with my brother Hiram and his wife - their destination being their home in Farmerville,
Louisiana, and mine being our old home in Franklin, Co. Pa. Brother and his wife spent two weeks with us. They came north
in April and have been visiting their friends all summer, spending most of this time with her friends in Columbia, but part
of it at our old Homestead in Franklin Co. We travelled together as far as Martinsburg, Va. where I left the cars and took
a coach for Hagerstow. The ride was pleasant, through a rich and well improved country. The corn crops are very abundant in
this region. Farming seems to be much better done in Maryland and Pa. than in Virginia. At Hagerstown I remained over night
putting up at the Washington Hotel. Called and spent part of the evening with the Rev. C.C. Braughman at the Female Seminary.
The school seems to be in a prosperous condition considering all the circumstances: but is still embarrassed in consequence
of the bad management of its pecuniary affairs in the beginning. The building was put up from the proceeds of the sale of
scholarships--then [sic] scholarships now give them pupils without a sufficient income to support the school." (September
8, 1857)
"Throughout all the neighborhood [Greencastle, Franklin County] I saw great changes, not only in the people, but more still
in the general apperance of the country. New houses have been erected in places of the old, and farms have been divided and
many houses built where none stood before.
On Monday (14th) Adam took me in his carriage to Gettysburg. My object in this visit was to attend the annual commencement
of Pa. College. Here I had the pleasure of meeting a large number of my classmates and schoolmates in College. The exercises
continued three days (Tues thru Thurs) were varied and all interesting. A class of 16 graduated from the College - only two
from the Seminary. I returned to Winchester by way of Balt - spending the night (Friday) in Balt and reaching home on Saturday.
I forgot to mention in connection into my visitn to Franklin Co that I sold my interest in the farm to my brother in law.
Mr Slaughenhaupt. He is buying out all the heirs at the rate of $60 per acre. The farms consists of 123 acres and a few [parcels].
This is the only real estate my father ever owned. This he paid for by his own industry and brought up on it a family of twelve
(one died at the age of four years) children, giving them all an education equal to any his neighbor's children and the best
which the neighborhood afforded. But when this is said it implies only a common school education. Only two of the sons (Hiram
and myself) studied professions and the expense of these were borne ourselves. We made the money chiefly while engaged at
study. What we got from home was charged to our account. I got, in all, but 283 dollars. Hiram got a trifle more. We could
not compleain of being charged for this as we had shared equally with the other children in this education which we got before
leaving home. I received the loan of $100 without interest from the Grindstone Hill congregation, which I refunded fromthe
proceeds of my father's setate. The rest of my college expenses I made up teachisng and colporting, etc." (September 19, 1857)
"Winter has gone and spring has come again, the gayest adn loveliest of the seasons. How pleasant it is to walk forth in the
green meadows or on the sunny side of the flower-decked hills! The orchard regales our senses with its fragrant blossoms,
the groves and the meadows are clothing themselves in living green, the singing of birds has come, and all nature is joyous
withnew life. But alas, the din of war, and clash of arms are distracting our once happy land. The sectional strife, arising
chiefly from the unfortunate contest about slavery, has culminated, and the result is a civil war between the north and the
south. The attack of the secessionists on Fort Sumter has aroused such indignation in teh loyal people of the free states
that they are unanimous in favor of chastising the offenders. Active preparations for war are going on throughout the whole
land. The President (Lincoln) has made a requisition upon the states for 75000 men, and will soon call for more. In the present
state of feeling any number will be at his service." April 30, 1861
"Augusta's Whig Party emphasized that slavery was safer within the Union than without and that in the 1860 election slavery
had become needlessly politicized. The Augusta Whigs moved to develop a new party around Constitutional Unionism."
