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- PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGES DAY, APRIL 23,1696
- NEWS AND NOTES FROM The Prince Georges County Historical Society
- PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGES DAY, APRIL 23, 1696
NEWS AND NOTES FROM The Prince George's County Historical Society Vol. IX, no. 4 April 1981 The St. George's Day Dinner Members of the Society, their families, and guests, are cordially invited to celebrate St. George's Day, the 285th Anniversary of our county's founding, at the 8th annual St. George's Day Dinner on Thursday, April 23, at the University of Maryland Center of Adult Education. This year, for the first time, the Prince George's County Hall of Fame is joining the Society in sponsoring the dinner. As part of the program, the Hall of Fame will induct a prominent citizen from our county's past. Prince Georgeans previously honored have been Archbishop John Carroll, Bishop Thomas John Claggett, John Rodgers, Dr. William Beanes, and Justice Gabriel Duvall. As at past dinners, the Historical Society will present the traditional St. George's Day awards to individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions toward the preservation of our county's heritage. Invitations have been already mailed to all members, and reservations should be placed no later than April 13. For more information, contact Mrs. Edith Bagot (927‑3632), Mr. Herb Embrey (434‑2958), or President Fred DeMarr (277‑0711). The dinner begins at 7:30 P.m.; the reception preceeding at 6:30. Please plan to join us in celebrating our county's heritage and those who are working so hard to preserve it. The Historical Calendar Sunday, April 12. Champagne Brunch to benefit the restoration of the Magruder House ‑in Bladensburg. 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Back Alley. $25.00 per person. Checks payable to: Prince George's Heritage. Address: P.O. Box 39, Bladensburg, Md. 20710 Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25. 11th annual Antique Show and Sale, St. John's Church at Broad Creek, 9801 Livingston Road, Oxon Hill. Meals available. $1.50 admission. Sunday, May 3: Takoma Park House and Garden Tour, 1 to 5 p.m. For details, call 270‑4048 during office hours, 270‑5798 evenings. Next regular meeting of the Society Will be Saturday, May 9, 1981. PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APRIL 23,1696 Seat in Congress Those of us who have met a candidate at the door or received political literature through the mails in recent weeks need no reminder that there is an election campaign going on in Prince George's County. On May 19, the voters of the Fifth District of Maryland will be called to the polls to choose a member of Congress to succeed Representative Gladys Spellman, whose continued illness has made this special election necessary. This will be the first special Congressional election in Prince George's County since 1939 and the first time in the history of the United States that the House has declared a seat vacant because of the incapacitation of a member. The man or woman elected on May 19 will become the 44th such individual to represent Prince George's County in the House of Representatives. The Fifth District's new Congressman will follow in the footsteps of Benjamin Contee of Nottingham, Prince George's first Representative in Congress, and men such as the fiery John Francis Mercer, the physician‑politician Joseph Kent of Landover, agriculturalist Charles Benedict Calvert of Riversdale, and the two Sydney Mudds of Charles County, father and son. The district new Congressman will continue the service of the men and women many of us remember‑‑Stephen Gambrill, Ghiselin Sasscer, Frank Small, Jr., Richard Lankford, Hervey Machen, Larry Hogan, and Gladys Spellman. The new Representative in Congress will join Marjorie Holt, whose Fourth District includes the southern half of Prince George's, in speaking for the citizens of Maryland's largest county. This issue of News and Notes will be devoted to the history of Prince George's County's representation in the United States Congress. Following the obligatory list of all our Congressmen, we will present some additional biographical information on the Prince Georgeans on that list and a few notes on the people and politics in this county's Congressional history. ‑‑Alan Virta
many of us remember, the old Fifth, was formed in the 1860's, when Montgomery was lopped off and portions of Baltimore City were added. That district's boundaries remained fixed for more than one hundred years, save for the subtraction of parts of Baltimore City as the southern counties grew in population. Maryland's apportionment process had more or less kept pace with population growth and shifts through most of her history, but the Legislature failed to react to the massive shifts of the post World War II period. As a result, a special federal court, basing their decision on the landmark one‑man, one‑vote rulings of the Supreme Court in the early 1960's, mapped out new Congressional districts in 1966. In the court's ruling, the Fifth was reduced in size to include just Charles and Prince George's Counties. The Fifth contracted even more after the 1970 census to include just the northern part of Prince George's and several precincts in Montgomery. Preliminary figures from the 1980 census indicate that the contraction is over, however, and the Fifth's boundaries will expand once more, probably to include more of this county than it does today. Prince George's representatives in Congress: Congress Benjamin Contee Federalist 1st, 1789‑91 William Pinkney Chesapeake 2nd, 1791 John Francis Mercer Anti‑Federalist 2nd & 3rd,1791‑4 Gabriel Duvall Jeff. Republican 3d & 4th, 1794‑6 Richard Sprigg, Jr. Jeff. Republican 4 & 5, 1796‑99 John C. Thomas Federalist 6th, 1799‑1801 Richard Sprigg, Jr. Jeff. Republican 7th, 1801‑02 Walter Bowie Jeff. Republican 7 & 8, 1802‑05 Leonard Covington Jeff. Republican 9th, 1805‑07 Archibald Van Horn 10 & 11, 1807‑11 Joseph Kent Fed., then J.R. 12 & 13, 1811‑15 John C. Herbert Federalist 14 & 15, 1815‑19 Joseph Kent Jeff. Republican 16‑19, 1819‑26 John C. Weems Jeff. Republican 19 & 20, 1826‑29 Benedict J. Semmes Democrat 21 & 22, 1829‑33 John T. Stoddert Democrat 23rd, 1833‑35 Daniel Jenifer National Repub. 24‑26, 1835‑41 Augustus R. Sollers Whig 27th, 1841‑43 John M.S. Causin Whig 28th, 1843‑45 John G. Chapman Whig 29 & 30, 1845‑49 Richard Johns Bowie Whig 31 & 32, 1849‑53 Augustus R. Sollers Whig 33rd, 1853‑55 Thomas Fielder Bowie Whig, then Dem 34 & 35, 1855‑59 George W. Hughes Democrat 36th, 1859‑61 Charles B. Calvert Union 37th, 1861‑63 Benjamin G. Harris Peace Democrat 38 & 39, 1863‑67 Frederick Stone Democrat 40 & 41, 1867‑71 William M. Merrick Democrat 42nd, 1871‑73 William J. Albert Republican 43rd, 1873‑75 Eli J. Henkle Democrat 44‑46th, 1875‑81 Andrew G. Chapman Democrat 47th, 1881‑83 Hart B. Holton Republican 48th, 1883‑85 Barnes Compton Democrat 49‑51st, 1885‑90 Sydney Mudd Republican 51st, 1890‑91 Dames Compton Democrat 52 & 53, 1891‑94 Charles E. Coffin Republican 53 & 54, 1894‑97 Sydney E. Mudd Republican 55‑61st, 1897‑1911 Thomas Parran Republican 62nd, 1911‑13 Frank O. Smith Democrat 63rd, 1913‑15 Sydney E. Mudd, Jr. Republican 64‑68th, 1915‑24 Stephen W. Gambrill Democrat 68‑75th, 1924‑38 Lansdale G. Sasscer Democrat 76‑82nd, 1939‑53 Frank Small, Jr. Republican 83rd, 1953‑55 Richard E. Lankford Democrat 84‑88th, 1955‑65 Hervey G. Machen Democrat 89 & 90, 1965‑69 Lawrence J. Hogan Republican 91‑93rd, 1969‑75 County split in 1972 Gladys Spellman (Fifth) Democrat 94‑96th, 1975‑81 Marjorie Holt (Fourth) Republican 93‑present, 1973‑ Prince Georgeans in Congress A good many of the Congressmen who have represented this county have been either residents or natives of this county. Benjamin Contee (1755‑1815). Born at Brookefield, near Nottingham. Served in the Revolutionary War, also Continental Congress. Moved to Charles County, where he became an Episcopal clergyman. Son of Col. Thomas Contee. (In House: 1789‑91) Gabriel Duvall (1752‑1844). Born in this county, died at his estate Marietta, near Glenn Dale, was actually a resident of Annapolis when elected to Congress. Held numerous State and Federal posts including Comptroller of the U.S. Treasury and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. A fuller biography appeared in News and Notes, Oct . 1980, by Shirley Baltz. (1794-96) Richard Sprig, Jr. Also a county native. Member of State House of Delegates and judge of Maryland Court of Appeals. (In House. 1796‑99, 1801‑02) Walter Bowie (1748‑1810). Born at Mattaponi, near Nottingham. Revolutionary War veteran, State legislator for 20 years. (1802‑05) Leonard Covington (1768‑1813. Born "in Aquasco”—Congressional biography‑‑though political career began outside of this county. A regular Army officer before and after his Congressional service, he was killed in the War of 1812 and buried at Sackets Harbor, N.Y., at a place now known as Mount Covington. Served in House of Delegates. (1805‑07) Archibald Van Horn (d. 1817). Son of Gabriel P. Van Horn who came to Prince George's in the 1790's to operate a stage and tavern business, Member and Speaker of the House of Delegates, elected to the State Senate. Died near Vansville. (1809‑11) Joseph Kent (1779‑1837). Born in Calvert County became a physician and moved to Prince George's. Also served as Governor and U.S. Senator. Home was Rose Mount, near Landover. Fuller sketch appeared in News and Notes, July 1978. (1811‑15, 1819‑26, in House). John C. Herbert (1775‑1846). Born in Alexandria, Ila., was a member of Virginia House of Delegates before removing to Prince George's. Member and Speaker of Maryland House of Delegates. Home was Walnut Grange, now on Beltsville Agricultural Center grounds. (1815‑19) Benedict J. Semmes (1789‑1863). A physician, born in Charles but moved to Piscataway. Member and speaker of House of Delegates, lived at Oak Lawn. (1829‑33) Thomas Fielder Bowie (1808‑1869). Nephew of Governor Robert Bowie, brother‑in‑law of Reverdy Johnson. Member of State Constitutional Convention, 1851. Buried at Mount Pleasant, near Upper Marlboro. (1855‑59) Charles Benedict Calvert (1803‑1864). Son of George and Rosalie Calvert, builders of Riversdale, he was a noted agriculturalist. Founded Maryland Agricultural College, College Park, and served in the House of Delegates. (1861‑63) Barnes Compton (1830‑1898). Native of Charles County, where he was elected to House of Delegates and State Senate (serving as its President). Moved to Laurel in 1880. A legal challenge by Sydney Mudd successfully overturned his election to the 51st Congress. (1885‑90, 1891‑94). Charles E. Coffin (1841‑1912). Born in Boston, came to the county to manage the Muirkirk ironworks. Member of House of Delegates and State Senate. Buried in St. John's Episcopal Cemetery, Beltsville. (1894‑97) Lansdale C. Sasscer (1893‑1964). Native of Upper Marlboro. Member of State Senate for 16 years, serving as its president in his last term there. First elected to Congress in a special election. (1939‑53) Frank Small, Jr. Born in Temple Hills, engaged in banking and automobile business. Member of House of Delegates, old Board of County Commissioners. Born 1896, died 1973. (1953‑55) Hervey G. Machen (1916‑ ). Born in Washington, D.C., practices law in Hyattsville. Member of House of Delegates. (1965‑69) Lawrence J, Hogan (1928‑ ) Native of Boston, served with Federal Bureau of Investigation for 10 years, became business executive, teacher. Elected County Executive, 1978. (1969‑75). Gladys Noon Spellman (1918‑ ) Born in New York, N.Y., taught in the county schools. Elected to old Board of County Commissioners and was its chairman; elected to County Council. (In House: 1975‑8l). A number of other Congressmen, who did not represent this district, also have Prince George's County connections. Daniel Carroll (1730‑1796) was born in Upper Marlboro. His home was Forest Glen, on Rock Greek. He was a signer of the U.S. Constitution and also served in the Continental Congress and State Senate. Richard Potts (1753‑1808), another Upper Marlboro native, established himself in Frederick County. He served in the House of Delegates and was a judge of the Maryland Court of Apreals. Potts never served in the House, but was a member of the Senate. A Congressman from Washington County, Thomas Sprigg (1747‑1809). was also a native of Prince George's. He was the uncle of Congressman Richard Sprigg, Jr. Thomas G. Pratt, a U.S. Senator, was for many years a resident of Prince George's County, from which he was elected to the House of Delegates and State Senate and Governor. The list would not be complete without reference to the illustrious Reverdy Johnson (1796‑1876), U.S. Senator from 1845‑49 and 1863‑68, who as a young man practiced law in Upper Marlboro. And another Prince Georgean has served in recent years. Carlton Sickles of Lanham was elected in 1962 and 1964 to the seat Maryland gained after the 1960 census. That seat was elected statewide until the 8th Dist,, was created in 1966. Election by District Although the Constitution does not require it, Maryland has been divided into Congressional districts since the very first Congressional elections in 1798. The method of electing Representatives to the first two Congresses was quite different from. today's, however. The districts in those first elections were merely residence districts. All candidates for Congress ran state‑wide. The candidate from each district receiving the most votes state‑wide became the Congressman for his district. This method of election had two practical effects. First, all the Congressmen from the State in both Congresses were from the same party or ticket. And secondly, several candidates who lost their own districts became their district's Congressman because their party was stronger elsewhere in the State. This method was changed to the current system in 1791. Voters may vote only for those persons running in their district, and candidates need not live in their districts. A Hot Campaign The Planters Advocate of November 21 1859, reported that the two Congressional candidates, Democrat George W. Hughes and Alexander Hagner, a former Whig, exchanged blows in Piscataway. Congress did not meet in Washington until November of 1800. Potomac Calls to Chesapeake Maryland's first Congressional campaign was a contest between Federalists and Anti‑Federalists. The Federalist ticket won state‑wide, and thus Federalists represented all the State's Congressional districts. The second Congressional campaign in 1790 was something quite different. Party labels disappeared. Long‑time antagonists became allies; allies became foes. A single issue restructured the electoral politics of the state, and that issue was the location of the national capital. Congress was still meeting in New York, and the choice of the permanent site for the national capital was not yet settled. Two Maryland options were among the possibilities: a site on the Potomac River and a Chesapeake Bay site (either Baltimore or along the Susquehanna River). Marylanders were divided on the issue, and this division transcended party identification. Those favoring a Chesapeake location, both Federalists and Anti‑Federalists, met and nominated a ticket. Those favoring the Potomac site did the same. Both sides earnestly wooed areas of the state in between or not particularly affected by the choice. Both sides knew that under the state‑wide system of voting, they could win all of Maryland's seats, and thus give great weight to their side in Congress. The Chesapeakes won‑‑but we all know that Congress chose a Potomac site nonetheless. Prince George's County illustrates how the campaign turned politics upside down. In 1789, the county voted against Benjamin Contee, the Federalist candidate for the district, by a vote of 272 to 248. In the 1790 election, they chose Contee, a Potomac candidate, by a vote of 973 to 2 over his Chesapeake opponent. In each case, though, the state‑wide vote went against Prince George's, and the loser in the county went to Congress. The Chesapeake‑Potomac prompted electoral reform. Potomac men in the legislature, as well as Federalists who saw the Jeffersonian Republicans gaining strength state‑wide, changed the law to what it is today, the election of Congressmen district‑by‑district. Politics in the next election reverted to party‑against‑party, as usual. Special Elections Prince George's County has had eight previous special Congressional elections. Six were the result of resignations and two were on account of deaths (the younger Sydney Mudd and Stephen W. Gambrill). Lansdale G. Sasscer was the last Congressman from this district to be chosen in a special election. Charles Coffin, the ironmaster at Muirkirk, was elected twice in one day. Congressman Barnes Compton of Laurel resigned in May 1894 after being appointed by President Cleveland to a government post. The special election to fill his term (extending until March 1895) and the general election for the next term (1895‑97) were held on the same day. Coffin won both seats. Another Tough Campaign The Congressional campaign of 1792 was among the bitterest this county has seen. The differences between the Federalists and Anti‑Federalists were intense, and the Anti‑Federalist candidate in this district was John Francis Mercer of Anne Arundel County, a man of fiery temperment. His first Federalist opponent was David Ross of Bladensburg, but he dropped out and was replaced by John C. Thomas of Anne Arundel. In a speech in Upper Marlboro, Mercer accused the Federalist Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, of mismanagement, favoritism, and some say bribery, although Mercer denied he made that charge. Ross, while still in the race and even after withdrawing, defended Hamilton in speeches and in print. He also wrote to Hamilton and told him of Mercer's charges. Hamilton wrote to Mercer defending himself. Mercer responded by sending the testimony of Clement Hill, David Craufurd, and Notley Young that Ross's charges were exaggerated. The two continued corresponding even after the election (which Mercer won) until Mercer made this invitation: "Your own discretion will determine you what course you are to pursue‑‑confining myself as I have hitherto done to a line purely defensive, I shall assuredly not refuse any summons I may receive from you." In gentlemen's language, Mercer invited a duel. Both sides let the matter drop. There was another controversy in that election. Mercer's campaigners apparently told people that George Washington endorsed Mercer. Washington wrote to Mercer: "I was not a little displeased to find by a letter... that my name had been freely used by you or your friends, for electioneering purposes, when I had never associated your name and the Election together...." ‑‑Quotes from The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed. by Harold C. Syrett (Vol. 14, p. 250) 3/26 793) and from The Writings of George Washington, ed. by John C. Fitzpatrick (Vol. 32, 164, 9/26/92). Historical Precedents The Fifth District has sent quite a few State legislators to Congress, including Senate presidents, but no mayors nor any spouses of former Representatives. Two father‑son combinations have represented this district: John Grant Chapman and Andrew Grant Chapman, and the two Sydney Mudds. Politics was not necessarily a bed of roses for these political sons, however. Young Chapman was ousted from office after one term, and young Sydney had to try twice before he could win his party's nomination. Among the works consulted for this issue of the newsletter were Dorothy Marie Brown's Ph D. Dissertation, "Party Battles and Beginnings in Maryland" (Georgetown U, 1961) and Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (1971). This newsletter is published monthly. Dues and subscription price, $5.00 per year. Frederick S. DeMarr, Pres.; Alan Virta, Editor. The Society's address: P.O. Box 14, Riverdale, Md. 20840 NEWS AND NOTES FROM The Prince George's County Historical Society Vol. IX, no. 5 May 1981 The May Meetings Early Days of the Telephone "The Early Days of the Telephone in Maryland" will be the topic of discussion on Saturday, May 9, at Riversdale at the May meeting of the Prince George's County Historical Society. Our guest speaker will be Joseph N. Cromwell, a retired executive of the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company who is active in the field of history. A past president of the Maryland chapter of Telephone Pioneers, he has also served as an officer in the Baltimore County and Maryland Historical Societies. He has written several historical works, including a history of C & P, and has been commended by the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge for his articles on citizenship. Mr. Cromwell will have numerous photographs to illustrate his talk. Twentieth century history, particularly the history of the technological developments which have so shaped our modern society, is probably one of the most neglected areas in the study of local history. Join with us on May 9 for a most interesting look at the highlights of the development of the telephone system in Maryland and Prince George's County. The meeting will begin at 2 p.m. Riversdale, the Calvert mansion, is located at 4811 Riverdale Road, between Kenilworth Avenue and Route One. Refreshments will be served, and guests, are welcome. Tea to Honor Society's Officers: May 17 Mrs. A.H. Seidenspinner cordially invites all members of the Society and their guests to a tea in honor of the officers of the Prince George's County Historical Society at her home in College Heights Estates on the afternoon of Sunday, I‑lay 17, 1981. Details and a reply card accompany this issue of News and Notes. The College Heights Estates neighborhood with its lovely homes and gardens is one of the finest places to celebrate Spring in Prince George's County. Plan to be with us on May 17. National Historic Preservation Week is May 10‑16 PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APRIL 23, 1696 New Members of the Society We welcome the following individuals to membership in the Prince George's County Historical Society: Sponsor Mr. & Mrs. Lee D. Lodge Adelphi R. Cecil Virginia B. Nichols Hyattsville Wm. Sullivan Kathleen A. Lowe El Monte, CA. F. De Marr Jean & Joseph Faulkner Takoma Park R. Cecil Lucille Donnelly Silver Spring R. Cecil Hershel H. Helm Arlington, VA. P.B. Clagett Mr. & Mrs. Walter W. Hauff Laurel F. De Marr Mr. & Mrs. Robert P. Beaver Mount Ranier WM. Sullivan Mr. & Mrs. C.R. Embrey Melbourne Beach, FL H. Embrey Carolyn S. Akel Hyattsville E. Bagot Ms. Nina J. Fleenor Landover Hills E. Bagot Mrs. Helenita M. Lukasewicz Silesia M. Zimmerlund The Spring Season at Montpelier The Friends of Montpelier announce the following calendar of events at the mansion this Spring: Spring tours are now being offered and will continue on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. through June 21. Luncheon tours for groups of twenty or more are offered during the week. Phone 779‑2011 for more details. The annual Spring festival will be held on May 3 this year from noon until 6 p.m. There will be an art show, mansion tours, arts and crafts exhibits, woodcarving demonstration, children's activities, and food and drink. Special features include an exhibition of tools from the Duvall farm tool collection and a visit by Miss Betty and her Colonial Trunk. Bring a chair or blanket along if you wish, for there will be continuous music by a service band. Admission if free, save for a small charge for the house tour. Parking is available at Town Center or Montpelier Shopping Center with continuous shuttle service. A Civil War encampment will be held on the weekend of May 30 and 31. There will be battles both days involving infantry and cavalry. Admission is 50 cents. Montpelier is located on Route 197 between Laurel and the Baltimore‑Washington Parkway It is across the road from the Montpelier Shopping Center. Congratulations are extended to the new officers of the Friends of Montpelier, President Helen Hass and Vice‑President Caroline Cline. And congratulations, too, to retiring President Jean Speicher, with praise for a job well done. Correction on the First Congressional Election There was a typographical error in the third line of the article "Election by District" in last month's newsletter (page 24). The correct date is 1789. The St. George's Day Awards, 1981 The Prince George's County Historical Society is proud to announce the recipients of the 1981 St. George's Day Awards, Presented at the St. George's Day Dinner on April 23. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Couser, Upper Marlboro. Their "do‑it‑yourself" restoration of Woodstock will serve as an inspiration to others in their quest to preserve our architectural heritage. Additionally, Mary Sue has given generously of her time and talents to Prince George's Heritage, Inc., and the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Historic Sites and Districts Plan. James G. Boss, Laurel. His wise counsel and guidance as chairman of the Historic District Commission of Laurel has stimulated neighborhood acceptance and has provided an example for other prospective districts in the county to follow. Likewise his efforts in the Laurel Bicentennial activities, for Prince George's Heritage, Inc., and the Citizens Advisory Committee on the Historic Sites and Districts Plan are highly commendable. Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., Clinton. His efforts in the Maryland Senate provided permanent funding for the county committee of the Maryland Historical Trust. As representative of the President of the Senate, he serves as a director of the Trust, which has been a major contribution to preservation efforts in the county. Delegate Charles Blumenthal, Oxon Hill. His efforts in the General Assembly in behalf of restoration efforts in Prince George's County are well known to all, beginning with the Indian Queen/George Washington House in 1975. Such places as Oxon Hill Manor and the Buck House have benefited as well. These efforts have helped the economic development of our county as well as help preserve our cultural heritage. Eugene Bowie Roberts, Collington. As an organizing member of the Historical Society over thirty years ago and as its second president, he helped generate much needed interest in our county heritage and has lent generous support ever since. Mr. Roberts could not be present at the dinner, and his award will be presented at a later date. Ivy Hill Association, Inc., Laurel. In 1974 a group of citizens expressed concern for the run‑down and overgrown condition of Ivy Hill Cemetery, Laurel's 19th century burying ground. Since then, as a labor of love, a new body of fourteen trustees has through their personal labor, restored the cemetery's quiet beauty and planned for the future by raising an endowment fund of $104,000 to date. The award was accepted by Col. Gordon Gary. The Hall of Fame, Prince George's County, Md., Inc. As a private citizens' group the Hall has undertaken an ambitious educational program of identifying and honoring the distinguished leadership of our County's past. By placing the portraits of the honorees in the County Courthouse in Upper Marlboro, the Hall is providing a permanent visible record which will serve as an inspiration for future generations. Mr. Edgar Merkle accepted the award. The evening concluded with the induction of Pierre Charles L'Enfant, planner of the City of Washington and resident of Warburton Manor and Green Hill, into the Hall of Fame. Mr. James Longstreet Sibley Jennings, Jr., presented a slide‑talk on L'Enfant's life and plan. Among the guests at the reception preceding the dinner were our two Congressional candidates, Mr. Steny Hoyer of Berkshire, former President of the Maryland Senate, and Mrs. Audrey Scott, the Mayor of Bowie. Addition to the National Register Greenbelt Historic District., Greenbelt is an incorporated city in northern Prince George's County. The Greenbelt Historic District is the original developed section of the city which was established and expanded between 1935 and 1941 as one of three "green towns" founded by the U.S. government under the New Deal as an attempt to solve social and economic problems confronting the nation. The two other towns were Greenhills, Ohio and Greendale, Wis. These projects were aimed at creating jobs and demonstrating the applicability of certain garden‑city planning techniques to a residential area intended for modest‑income families. Of the three towns, Greenbelt is the only one to retain many of the original features such as the buildings and sections of surrounding "greenbelt." Greenbelt also continues the concept of community responsibility as the majority of the housing is owned by a cooperative. The district contains 789.05 acres and is approximately bounded by the city limits on the north, the Baltimore‑Washington Parkway on the east, and property lines on the south and west. ‑‑Adapted from the notice in the January issue of SWAP, from the Maryland Historical Trust. Bowie Heritage Day The City of Bowie invites all its neighbors to join in the celebration of Bowie Heritage Day on Sunday, May 17, from 2 until 5 p.m. Activity will be centered at Belair mansion, where Congress' Own Regiment and a British group will skirmish on the terraces. The Stables will also be open (as they will be every Sunday in May and June from 1 to 4). Admission to all events is free. Prince George's Tobacco Society On April 16 the Smithsonian Institution offered a tour of the Prince George's County tobacco country through its Resident Associate Program. For the benefit of our readers we republish below the tour description found in the February‑March 1981 issue of The Smithsonian Associate. Prince George's Tobacco Society Tobacco trade has been the mainstay of the Prince George's County economy ever since colonial days, when the leaf was even used as currency. As a result of this production, there arose in the 18th century a wealthy, cultured society, with Upper Marlboro as its commercial and social center. This tour, led by historian James F. Turk, focuses on the tobacco tradition, from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Mount Calvert, the last remaining building of a once‑bustling tobacco port on the Patuxent River, and now a private home, offers the group a perspective on the lifestyle of early southern Maryland, as does the manor house Weston, on a farm that has produced tobacco since the 17th century. Two l8th‑century Anglican churches (whose ministers were paid in tobacco) are visited: St. Thomas' Church in Croom (1742) and St. Barnabas' Church in Leeland (1774), both beautifully preserved examples of local architectural styles. St. Barnabas' is noted for its Last Supper by Gustavus Hesselius, the first ecclesiastical painting commissioned in the colonies (1721). The exterior of Mt. Lubentia, where a school attended by George Washington's stepson [Jackie Custis] was held in the 18th century is also viewed. Returning to the 20th century, participants go on to view present‑day practices of raising and marketing tobacco at the University of Maryland's Tobacco Research Farm. The farm demonstrates that many of the aspects of harvesting and curing have scarcely changed since colonial days. A tour of one of the tobacco markets still in operation follows. The day concludes with light refreshments at a private home, Solitude. Lunch is at Leeland Hall at St. Barnabas' Church. The Tourism Committee of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Historic Sites and Districts Plan has met with Mr. Turk to discuss the possibility of designing a self‑guided tour of the tobacco country. We will keep you posted. The Lowe Family: A Query Information desired regarding the families of John W. Low(e), b. 27 Feb 1773 (?), Maryland (?), and Eleanor Lisb(e)y, b. 4 Aug. 1783 (?), Maryland (?). John and Eleanor were married 8 October 1807 in Prince George's County, Maryland.‑‑from Kathleen A. Lowe, 3215 Granada Avenue, El Monte, California 91731, Ms. Lowe is a new member of our Society. "Surprising Prince George's County" The Travel Promotion Council of Prince George's County has just printed a series of four beautiful, limited‑edition posters highlighting some of the beautiful scenes and historic sites in "Surprising Prince George's County." The posters feature full‑color scenes of Fort Washington, Fort Foote, Oxon Hill Farm, and Montpelier Mansion. The posters, which are suitable for framing, are available from the council offices at 6600 Kenilworth Avenue, Riverdale 20840, phone 927‑0700. The posters sell for $2.00 a piece, or $7.50 for a full set. If you wish to receive these posters through the mail, be sure to add $1.00 postage and handling for one poster, $1.15 for two posters, or $1.30 for a set of either three or four posters. Full price for the full set, then is $8.80. Proceeds from the poster sales go to the Travel Promotion Council, a non‑profit organization, to further its efforts to promote the surprising things to see and do in Prince George's County. ‑‑From Tour‑isms, the newsletter of the council. Marlborough Day Saturday, May 9, is the date of the 5th Annual Marlborough Day, a "star‑spangled celebration" featuring a parade, historical tours, an art sale, crafts, clowns, exhibitions, an auction, rides, and plenty of food and drink. The festivities begin at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. The Prince George's County Historical and Cultural Trust will conduct two walking tours through the town, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This year's tour will include the opening of several historic homes and churches; Content, Trinity Episcopal Church, the Sparrough home on Elm Street, St. Mary's Catholic Church, and St. Mary's. Beneficial Society Hall. For more information call 952‑4140 or 248‑1260. Free parking and shuttle service are available from the racetrack. Riversdale Spring Open House The Calvert mansion, Riversdale, will be open to the public in a Celebration of Spring on Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17, from 1 to 5 p.m. An exhibit of a private collection of dolls and doll furniture and a display of quilts from the National Quilting Association will highlight the event. Admission is $1.00 for adults and 50 cents for children under 12. Riversdale is at 4811 Riverdale Road in Riverdale. The Prince George's County Historical Society Subscription to this newsletter is included in the annual dues of $5.00. Write the Society at P.O. Box 14, Riverdale, Md. 20840 Frederick S. De Marr, President; Edith Bagot, Corresponding Secretary; Herb Embrey, Treasurer; Alan Virta, Editor. 
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