Hubbard family papers

Wilbur Watson Hubbard (1860-1938) was born September 18 to Thomas Rumbold Hubbard (1831-1910) and Josephine Watson Hubbard. The Hubbard family has lived on Maryland’s Eastern Shore for generations. Thomas was a successful businessman and had moved to Chestertown to build a fertilizer factory. Upon his father’s death Wilbur W. was left sole heir and continued with the family businesses. Wilbur W. owned multiple fertilizer and cement businesses, served on boards and directors of banks and insurance companies, and owned the Imperial Hotel in Chestertown. In 1890 he married Etta Ross Hubbard (1864-1965) of Mexico, Missouri. Etta was passionate about historic preservation and politics serving as President of the Woman’s National Democratic Club. Their first child was Miriam Hubbard Morris (1891-1982) who inherited her mother’s love of historic preservation buying and restoring The Linden’s in Washington, D.C. Miriam married diplomat George Morris they had several children including Hiles Morris Garlick, Patricia Young, and Hugh Ross Morris. On the second of August Wilbur W. and Etta had a son, Wilbur Ross Hubbard (1896-1993), who also enjoyed historic preservation and the family’s enjoyment of fox hunting he served as Master of Hounds for several years. A lifelong bachelor, it is believed by the family that Wilbur R. was a member of the LBGTQ+ community and unable at the time to be open about it. After his graduation from Yale in 1920 he continued on with the family businesses and community projects. The family owned and lived in the Custom House, as well as the property across the road, Widehall. The Custom House today serves as the home of Washington College’s Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience.