As the title says, Condemned for Love is a Virginia story. But after preparing for last night’s talk in Hagerstown, I realized how much it is also a Maryland story.

I revised my deck of PowerPoint slides before appearing at the Washington County Free Library. I was part of its McCauley Lecture Program, and I wanted to feature the events in the story that might interest a Maryland audience.

I had a lot to choose from.

I talked about the train connections that allowed Arthur Jordan and Elvira Corder to flee their home in Fauquier County and reach western Maryland. I talked about their mysterious choice of the Shupp farm near Williamsport, where they lived and worked.

I explained their fateful outings into Williamsport, where a meddling stranger spotted them and reported their whereabouts to Elvira’s father. And, of course, the arrival of Elvira’s family and neighbors and the couple’s abduction.

Arthur was quickly on his way back to Virginia and died within a week at the hands of a lynch mob. But Elvira stayed in Maryland, a resident of the Taylor Hotel in Williamsport. It’s not clear how long she resided there or under what circumstances. I do believe that she never returned home.

Her father states in his will that she died in Maryland but does not specify the time or place. He also doesn’t give a cause of her death. She is missing from the public record for 10 years, from her 1880 flight to the 1890 recording of the will. I could also find no record of her child.

I do know that she chose Maryland as her home after leaving Fauquier. Her life there appears to have been brief and included what would have been the best of moments but also the worst.

If you would like to see my talk, the library has posted a video here.