Folklore tells of the story of the well in Westminster that never ran dry – the "Legend of God's Well," during a terrible drought in Westminster in the late 1700s, shortly after William Winchester founded our community in 1764.
A 1939 pageant, "The House That Jacob Built" tells the story. The pageant starts, "One summer in the late eighteenth century when Westminster was afflicted by a terrible drought, all but two wells in the village of around 100 souls ran dry. The two were that of the Winchester family and that of the Inn Keeper Shilling. Squire Winchester, founder of the village, finally called an emergency meeting at the Union Meeting house."
From an excellent comprehensive history of the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman property on the Historical Society of Carroll County's Web site, it is deducted that the pageant title, the "House that Jacob built" refers to the fact that 206 East Main Street was built around 1807 by Jacob Sherman who lived from 1756 to July 7, 1822. It is said that he spoke German but conjectured that he "almost certainly learned English."
However, what makes the legend credible is that when Jacob Sherman retired from inn keeping he purchased the property from William Winchester, Jr. (1750-1812), a son of the founder of Westminster, and built the house we now see….
The legend recites that at the emergency town meeting, Inn Keeper Shilling "arose with the following suggestion: Neighbors, this is a serious crisis. That we have a water famine no one will deny. Emmigrant (sic) wagons pass by with crowds every day and every night. If we share with those who have no claim upon us, God knows when we will be left to die miserably from thirst ourselves. I shall lock up my well and share only with our villagers."
With that, Inn Keeper Shilling erected a sign at his well, which read, "Only villagers allowed water from this well, 6 pence a bucket."
The pageant story reflects, "Immediately Elizabeth Winchester arose to speak for herself and her sister Lydia. Neighbors, have you lost your trust in the Almighty that you dare deny His creatures the water which He has provided for them. Water belongs to God. He alone can supply or withhold and He who notes the sparrow's fall will not deny it to those who love and trust Him."
She then posted a sign "in the Winchester garden (that) read: Water belongs to God. Free for all." According to the legend, shortly after, the well of Inn Keeper Shilling "ran dry and he, too, had to join the long line of thirsty souls who came to the Winchester" well.
A 1939 pageant, "The House That Jacob Built" tells the story. The pageant starts, "One summer in the late eighteenth century when Westminster was afflicted by a terrible drought, all but two wells in the village of around 100 souls ran dry. The two were that of the Winchester family and that of the Inn Keeper Shilling. Squire Winchester, founder of the village, finally called an emergency meeting at the Union Meeting house."
From an excellent comprehensive history of the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman property on the Historical Society of Carroll County's Web site, it is deducted that the pageant title, the "House that Jacob built" refers to the fact that 206 East Main Street was built around 1807 by Jacob Sherman who lived from 1756 to July 7, 1822. It is said that he spoke German but conjectured that he "almost certainly learned English."
However, what makes the legend credible is that when Jacob Sherman retired from inn keeping he purchased the property from William Winchester, Jr. (1750-1812), a son of the founder of Westminster, and built the house we now see….
The legend recites that at the emergency town meeting, Inn Keeper Shilling "arose with the following suggestion: Neighbors, this is a serious crisis. That we have a water famine no one will deny. Emmigrant (sic) wagons pass by with crowds every day and every night. If we share with those who have no claim upon us, God knows when we will be left to die miserably from thirst ourselves. I shall lock up my well and share only with our villagers."
With that, Inn Keeper Shilling erected a sign at his well, which read, "Only villagers allowed water from this well, 6 pence a bucket."
The pageant story reflects, "Immediately Elizabeth Winchester arose to speak for herself and her sister Lydia. Neighbors, have you lost your trust in the Almighty that you dare deny His creatures the water which He has provided for them. Water belongs to God. He alone can supply or withhold and He who notes the sparrow's fall will not deny it to those who love and trust Him."
She then posted a sign "in the Winchester garden (that) read: Water belongs to God. Free for all." According to the legend, shortly after, the well of Inn Keeper Shilling "ran dry and he, too, had to join the long line of thirsty souls who came to the Winchester" well.
Folklore tells of the story of the well in Westminster that never ran dry – the "Legend of God's Well," during a terrible drought in Westminster in the late 1700s, shortly after William Winchester founded our community in 1764.
A 1939 pageant, "The House That Jacob Built" tells the story. The pageant starts, "One summer in the late eighteenth century when Westminster was afflicted by a terrible drought, all but two wells in the village of around 100 souls ran dry. The two were that of the Winchester family and that of the Inn Keeper Shilling. Squire Winchester, founder of the village, finally called an emergency meeting at the Union Meeting house."
From an excellent comprehensive history of the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman property on the Historical Society of Carroll County's Web site, it is deducted that the pageant title, the "House that Jacob built" refers to the fact that 206 East Main Street was built around 1807 by Jacob Sherman who lived from 1756 to July 7, 1822. It is said that he spoke German but conjectured that he "almost certainly learned English."
However, what makes the legend credible is that when Jacob Sherman retired from inn keeping he purchased the property from William Winchester, Jr. (1750-1812), a son of the founder of Westminster, and built the house we now see….
The legend recites that at the emergency town meeting, Inn Keeper Shilling "arose with the following suggestion: Neighbors, this is a serious crisis. That we have a water famine no one will deny. Emmigrant (sic) wagons pass by with crowds every day and every night. If we share with those who have no claim upon us, God knows when we will be left to die miserably from thirst ourselves. I shall lock up my well and share only with our villagers."
With that, Inn Keeper Shilling erected a sign at his well, which read, "Only villagers allowed water from this well, 6 pence a bucket."
The pageant story reflects, "Immediately Elizabeth Winchester arose to speak for herself and her sister Lydia. Neighbors, have you lost your trust in the Almighty that you dare deny His creatures the water which He has provided for them. Water belongs to God. He alone can supply or withhold and He who notes the sparrow's fall will not deny it to those who love and trust Him."
She then posted a sign "in the Winchester garden (that) read: Water belongs to God. Free for all." According to the legend, shortly after, the well of Inn Keeper Shilling "ran dry and he, too, had to join the long line of thirsty souls who came to the Winchester" well.
A 1939 pageant, "The House That Jacob Built" tells the story. The pageant starts, "One summer in the late eighteenth century when Westminster was afflicted by a terrible drought, all but two wells in the village of around 100 souls ran dry. The two were that of the Winchester family and that of the Inn Keeper Shilling. Squire Winchester, founder of the village, finally called an emergency meeting at the Union Meeting house."
From an excellent comprehensive history of the Sherman-Fisher-Shellman property on the Historical Society of Carroll County's Web site, it is deducted that the pageant title, the "House that Jacob built" refers to the fact that 206 East Main Street was built around 1807 by Jacob Sherman who lived from 1756 to July 7, 1822. It is said that he spoke German but conjectured that he "almost certainly learned English."
However, what makes the legend credible is that when Jacob Sherman retired from inn keeping he purchased the property from William Winchester, Jr. (1750-1812), a son of the founder of Westminster, and built the house we now see….
The legend recites that at the emergency town meeting, Inn Keeper Shilling "arose with the following suggestion: Neighbors, this is a serious crisis. That we have a water famine no one will deny. Emmigrant (sic) wagons pass by with crowds every day and every night. If we share with those who have no claim upon us, God knows when we will be left to die miserably from thirst ourselves. I shall lock up my well and share only with our villagers."
With that, Inn Keeper Shilling erected a sign at his well, which read, "Only villagers allowed water from this well, 6 pence a bucket."
The pageant story reflects, "Immediately Elizabeth Winchester arose to speak for herself and her sister Lydia. Neighbors, have you lost your trust in the Almighty that you dare deny His creatures the water which He has provided for them. Water belongs to God. He alone can supply or withhold and He who notes the sparrow's fall will not deny it to those who love and trust Him."
She then posted a sign "in the Winchester garden (that) read: Water belongs to God. Free for all." According to the legend, shortly after, the well of Inn Keeper Shilling "ran dry and he, too, had to join the long line of thirsty souls who came to the Winchester" well.
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