Page:Some History about the Village of Berlin.pdf/154

More work needs to be done on this early pionner !!!!!!

Joseph Waltman may have been Berlin's first banker. This is a man history has forgotten. Waltman did not leave any descendents to repeat his story. Without children and grandchildren to tell his story, he faded into time. To tell about Waltman's life is to take a journey through antiquated documents and court records. Waltman was entered in the Frederick County land Records in 51 entries. The first entry was on September 28, 1830. Here, the slave Amos Hill, aged about 18, was recorded for employment and not for sale. The slave registration was necessary because they moved from Loudon County, Virginia, to Berlin in Frederick County, Maryland. Between Sept. 28, 1830 and Dec 31, 1867 Joseph recorded 30 deeds, 6 sales, 12 mortgages, 1 power of attourney and 2 bonds. It was not uncommon to not file deeds or mortgages. In 1866 he declared 809 acres of land for taxes. Much more could be known about this early pioneer with a closer inspection of these records. It is know that three of the tracks of land where west of Berlin one from the Potomac to the tow path and one from the publick road to Knoxville to the road of rails tthen another north of the road of rails about D Street. Then west from the western border of Berlin half way to Knoxville. I beleve he thought this would be the direction of grouth when it happened.