Daniel Trimper, Sr.

In the record (7)

1. 1896 · 1896-05-04

   Ocean City's first contested election is "a fight between the people of the south end against the members of the Sinepuxent Beach Company" — and the losing ticket is led by Edward Hobbs and Daniel Trimper.

   The dispatch of 4 May 1896 printed in the Democratic Messenger of 9 May gives what the election result alone does not. "There were two tickets in the field and the contest was hot throughout. The opposition ticket was led by Messrs. Edward Hobbs, Daniel Trimper and others, while Messrs. John Waggaman and others looked after the interest of the candidates on the successful ticket. The polls were opened at 11 o'clock and closed at 2." And plainly: "The campaign started some weeks ago and was a fight between what is known as the people of the south end of Ocean City against the members of the Sinepuxent Beach Company." Non-residents who owned property could vote, which "brought a large influx of visitors from all parts of the State as well as from Washington, D. C. These interested parties stood around the polls all day and canvassed for votes for their ticket" — including "Mr. A. Marcus, secretary of the Northern Pacific Railroad," who "came to vote and after casting his ballot left on a special train for New York." The dispatch adds that the majority of the Beach Company's stock was held in Washington, and that its Washington stockholders and lot owners, "disbarred from voting at elections" in the District, "were here in full force today and seemed to enjoy the privilege of casting ballots in a free country." This is the earliest documented factional politics in Ocean City, and it names two men the campaign had placed in the town's government only much later: Edward Hobbs, of the Eastern Shore House, and Daniel Trimper.

   Sinepuxent Beach CompanyJohn F. WaggamanGeorge M. Upshur

   Source · checked 2026-08-11

2. 1896 · 1896-06-06

   Contracts let for a T-shaped iron pier 570 feet into the ocean and a casino of bath-houses, bowling alleys and pool rooms — and Trimper adds a theatrical apartment 100 by 90 feet.

   Under "OCEAN CITY. Iron Pier and Casino Contracts Awarded. Cottages Building," the Messenger of 6 June 1896 inventories the largest single season of building the town had yet seen. "A contract for a casino and one for the iron pier have been awarded, and a pavillion will be added to the Plimhimmon. It is expected that the iron pier will be completed, so it is said, by the Fourth of July, and the casino two weeks later. The ground floor of the casino is to contain bath-houses and booths, and the upper story bowling alleys, pool rooms, etc. The iron pier is to be 'T' shaped and to extend 570 feet into the ocean. Mr. Thomas W. Jenkins, of Baltimore, who is one of the incorporators of the pier company, has been at Ocean City taking active measures for improvements." Ten cottages were building and several being remodelled; the builders named are W. J. Warrington of Baltimore, Oscar Purnell of Snow Hill, Alvaro F. Gibbons of Washington, Reverdy J. Dennis, Lambert Ayers, Samuel Massey, George Lewis and Thomas W. Jenkins. "Captain Mahan, United States Army, is putting an addition to his cottage, and Daniel Trimper has added extensive improvements to his house including a theatrical apartment 100 by 90 feet." The same issue's deed-transfer column records the charter itself: "Steel Pier and Railway Co., of Ocean City, Worcester county, Md., Charter. Principal office of the Corporation will be located in the town of Ocean City, Md. Amount of the Capital Stock $50,000, number of shares of the Stock of the Corporation five hundred, par value of each share is $100." By September the pier was being described at 600 feet, not 570.

   Sinepuxent Pier and Improvement Company

   Source · checked 2026-08-11

3. 1896 · 1896-07-20

   Charles Quartly and Daniel Trimper each give an entertainment at Ocean City for the Berlin fire sufferers — the photographer raises $26, the showman $9.

   The Berlin Relief Society, formed to aid those burned out by the fire that destroyed much of Berlin on the night of 4 August 1895 — the fire the Ocean City life-saving crew walked seven miles inland to help fight [fact:1895-life-saving-crew-fights-the-berlin-fire] — published its final accounts in the Democratic Messenger of 25 July 1896, signed at Berlin on 20 July by Rev. David O. Howard (president), Rev. E. C. Atkins (treasurer) and Rev. Arthur Dougall (secretary). Two lines of the treasurer's receipts are at Ocean City: "From Mr Chas. Quartly (entertainment Ocean City.) 26.00" and "From Mr Trimper (entertainment at Ocean City.) 9.00." Total receipts were $498.40, all of it disbursed, $440.47 through the relief committee's chairman Miss Mary G. Jones. The Quartly line matters beyond its $26: Charles Quartly is the Baltimore photographer who spent a week at Ocean City in April 1895 photographing beach scenes — including the life-saving crew at drill — for a book the Sinepuxent Beach Company intended to publish [fact:1895-quartly-photographs-the-beach-for-the-company]. A year after that commission and fourteen months after his client was sold out from under it, he was back at Ocean City giving a paying "entertainment." What an 1896 photographer's entertainment consisted of is not stated; a stereopticon showing of his own views is the obvious candidate and is not evidenced here.

   Charles Quartly

   Source · checked 2026-08-11

4. 1899

   The Ocean City public school in 1899: a "higher room" running to the sixth grade, a teacher named Nellie Bowen, two printed report cards, and a fourteen-year-old top scholar who was dead by April.

   The Democratic Messenger printed the Ocean City school's standings twice in 1899. The first, on 14 January, covered 1 October to 1 January and put Elizabeth Quillin first in the sixth grade with a general average of 97, Emily Burwell second and Nellie Dennis third. Elizabeth — "Mary Elizabeth Quillin" — died on 22 April 1899 aged fourteen years, six months and ten days, and her classmates' memorial verse for her filled the head of the Ocean City column of 29 April. The second report, on 1 July, covers "the higher room" for the year and runs sixth, fifth and fourth grades: Emily Burwell first in every sixth-grade subject; Nadine Showell, Rosetta Mumford and Florida Quillin in the fifth; Elma Trimper, Daniel Trimper, Nannie Lewis and Virginia Quillin in the fourth. The teacher signs it NELLIE BOWEN. Two of the fourth grade are Daniel Trimper's children. In March the same column printed, in full, two compositions by "two little girls of Ocean City" on the disadvantages of a long vacation — the earliest writing by Ocean City children this campaign has recovered.

   Board of Education of Worcester CountyNellie Bowen

   Source · checked 2026-08-11

5. 1910 · 1910-07-12

   Sheriff Dale sneaks into a dry Ocean City 'by an unusual route' and serves liquor warrants on eight men, Daniel Trimper among them.

   Worcester County had gone dry in 1908 and Ocean City had failed to get itself exempted. Two years on, the Democratic Messenger reported that 'it has been very evident that considerable liquor has been disposed of at Ocean City, and recently parties in this town while on a visit there claim to have had no trouble in making purchases.' It also reported the counter-intelligence: 'those engaged in the speak-easy business keep spies at the principal railroad stations near Ocean City, and ... as soon as an officer of the law or other person of whom they might be afraid, put in appearance, word would be sent to Ocean City to discontinue selling.' Sheriff Dale knew it, and on Tuesday 12 July 1910 he and Deputy Gordon Bowen and his brother Harry went down 'by an unusual route, taking the alleged violators unaware, and having no trouble in serving warrants on Charles Mitchell, Harry Graham, DANIEL TRIMPER, John Burnell, Louis Petre, John Coffin, Thomas Smallwood and George Brewington. Most of the parties waived a hearing and gave bail for Court in the sum of $500 each. John Burnell and Harry Graham were released for lack of evidence. Other writs have been issued and more arrests are likely to follow.'

   Source · checked 2026-08-06

6. 1925

   A Maryland Seashore Corporation bought the whole of Block 8 North in Ocean City in the autumn of 1925, and the resort's land market was busy all year.

   Among the Worcester County real-estate transfers printed weekly in the Worcester Democrat: "Maryland Seashore Corp., from Charles S. Walton, Jr., and wife, property comprising the whole block No. 8 North, in Ocean City," and "Maryland Seashore Corp., from W. C. Poole, certain lots in Ocean City, one at the intersection of the East side of Philadelphia avenue and the North side of North Seventh street and 5 lots at the intersection of the Easterly side of Philadelphia avenue with the Southerly side of North Seventh st." (5 December 1925). Other 1925 transfers with real prices attached: "Elijah L. Brittingham from George H. Myers and John W. Staton, Trustees, real estate at the corner of the west side of Atlantic avenue, and the South side of North First street, at Ocean City. Consideration, $13,800" (11 July); "John D. Ayres and Ada T. Ayres, his wife, from Ralph P. Barnard and wife, real estate on the West side of Atlantic avenue, on the north side of Ocean City. Consideration, $2500" (18 July); "Charles W. Purnell from George H. Myers and John W. Staton, Trustees, part of the 'Isaac J. Coffin Farm,' in Synepuxent, in East Berlin Election district. Consideration, $4200" (7 November). Daniel Trimper, Sr. and Lloyd E. Jester both sold mainland ground opposite Ocean City to Frank L. Garey in October, and Josephine Hastings bought at Baltimore Avenue and North Fifth Street in December. On the mainland, the F. B. Bannister Company of 339 St. Paul Place, Baltimore was cutting a "new road to the property from the Ocean City highway" for a lot sale about 15 June, with J. W. Carey as sales manager.

   Nobody in 1925 was buying Ocean City ground because of the pier or the hotels — they were buying it because of the road.

   Maryland Seashore CorporationDr. Charles Washington PurnellJosephine Hastings

   Source · checked 2026-08-06

7. 1941 · 1941-12-11

   Four days after Pearl Harbor and on the day Germany declared war, the Ocean City council sat down and organised a home defence council — eleven departments, twenty-two names, and a Department of Evacuation.

   The 1940 minute book does not mention the war once, in the year of the fall of France. The 1941 book does not mention it either — until 11 December. The council met at 7:15 on Thursday evening with Mayor C. P. Cropper and Councilmen Harold Rayne and Raymond Bounds, granted a building permit to Chas. S. Powell for a two-apartment dwelling on the alley between 11th and 12th Streets, let the English Diner move to a site next to the Post Office on Dr. Chas. W. Purnell's ground, and resolved to borrow from the Bank of Ocean City to meet bonds and coupons due 1 January. Then: 'Mr. S. Earl Tromley, John I. Timmons and Miss Lena Riggin were present to help in organizeing home defence council and the following were selected to head the orginization.' Those three were not helpful neighbours. As the Worcester Democrat printed a week later, they were the entire executive of the Worcester County Council of Defense — Tromley its Executive Director, Timmons its Chief Air Raid Warden, and Miss Lena H. Riggin its Executive Secretary, all three of Snow Hill — going town to town. They were carrying an order. The same paper prints the telegram that sent them: 'Supplementing my telegram December 10, immediate arrangements must be made to hold blackouts just as quickly as possible. No delay in this matter, as conditions are very serious. Let me know when ready. Col. Henry Barrett, Director of air raid Precaution Service for Maryland.' The roster Ocean City adopted that night, verbatim from the minute: John B. Lynch, Commander. Harold Rayne and L. B. Cropper, Dept. of Public Safety. J. M. Mumford and Robert Allen, Dept. of Public Works. Dr. F. J. Townsend and Guy R. P. Dennis, Dept. Public Health. Archie Davis and Morris Peacock, Dept. Fire Protection. D. Trimper Sr. and Denard Baker, Dept. Transporation. Arthur Davis and Preston Laws, Dept. Gen. Supplies. Rev. Dewees and F. W. Truitt, Dept. Evacuation. Willie Ludlam and Gladys Jackson, Red Cross. E. M. Scott and Chas. J. Jackson, Communication. Bob Jackson and Wm. H. Purnell, Air Wardens. The council adjourned at eleven. Pocomoke City's mayor and council met specially the same Thursday evening and resolved to organise a Civilian Defense Corps of their own, and Pocomoke's published department list — Public Safety, Evacuation, Transportation, Communications, Public Works, Fire Protection, General Supply, Public Health — is the same scheme under the same headings. So the eleven departments were a template handed down, not a local invention; what Ocean City supplied was twenty-two names, and the names are the whole value of the document. By 18 December the county could report that Home Defense Corps in Snow Hill, Pocomoke City, Berlin and Ocean City were 'now complete in every detail', and Mayor Clifford P. Cropper sat on the county council himself.

   Ocean City Home Defense CouncilWorcester County Council of DefenseBank of Ocean CityClifford P. CropperHarold J. RayneE. Raymond BoundsJohn B. LynchS. Earl TromleyMiss Lena H. RigginGladys JacksonMorris PeacockWillie LudlamFrancis J. TownsendArchie DavisL. B. CropperRobert AllenJ. M. MumfordW. Preston LawsF. W. TruittEdward M. ScottWilliam H. Purnell

   Source · checked 2026-08-11