WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. -- A massive fire erupted at a home in Stockton early on Thursday morning. According to the Stockton Volunteer Fire Company, it started at a home on Little Mill Road around 3:30 a.m.
Nobody was hurt or killed.
Fire crews from Accomack, Worcester and Somerset Counties responded to battle the heavy flames that, ultimately, destroyed the home. A cause has not yet been released.
That home, owned by a gentleman named Bob Jones, was a wonderland of historical artifacts. Jones has spent most of his life conducting research and traveling worldwide. Sadly, virtually everything he collected in various adventures, near and far, is gone.
Jones has spent his life holding onto the past in the form of old newspaper clippings, photographs and postcards.
Jones' friend and neighbor, Dale Holland, told WBOC that it has given the 87-year-old an uncontested wealth of knowledge.
"If I wanted to know something about the community, the Eastern Shore itself, he'd have the answer," said Holland. "And if he didn't have the answer, he'd find out that answer."
Virtually all of that knowledge, at least in a physical sense, has been destroyed.
"A lot of that's on paper, he's still got his mind, you know when you have your mind you can do it again, and I'm sure he will," said Holland.
Jones' nephew, Tony, spoke with us over the phone on Friday. He told us his uncle lost everything from family heirlooms and handwritten letters to chinaware from Mexico and historical artwork.
Neighbor Shana Farlow watched the fire from across the street, and the first thing on her mind was Mr. Bob.
"It was just fully engulfed and I just, my first thought was Mr. Bob was in there and I called my husband, he was able to call his nephew and find out that he was safe, he had gotten out," said Farlow. "It was just very, very sad to see all that transpired after that."
Despite the tragedy, Jones' Facebook page tells a tale of looking ahead. To his followers on Friday, Jones stated "give me a day or two and I will jump back on my horse and trot or canter, even if I can no longer gallop."
By the way, Jones's Facebook message has already received a lot of support. Nearly 200 people commented, sending their thoughts and prayers and asking if there was anything they could do to help.
Jones's nephew told us his uncle is fine; insurance is taking care of things. Instead, he's encouraging people to make donations to the Stockton Volunteer Fire Company or other fire companies who rushed to his home early on Thursday morning.
