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The Prince George's County Historical SocietyVol. XIII, no. 2‑3 Feb.‑March 1985 The March Meeting: The Death of Walter Bowie "The Death of Walter Bowie" will be the topic of the March meeting of the Prince George's County Historical Society, to be held on Saturday, March 9, at Riversdale, the Calvert mansion. Walter Bowie was one of Mosby's Rangers, a Confederate officer in the War Between the States, and he was killed in Montgomery County during a guerilla foray in 1864. James 0. Hall will tell the fascinating story of this Confederate Prince Georgean and his untimely demise. The meeting will begin at 2 p.m. James 0. Hall is well known to all who have an interest in the Civil War. He was born at Afton, Oklahoma, more years back than he will admit. He is a graduate of Northeastern State College, Tahlequah, and taught school for four years: two years in a one‑room country school and two years in a large high school. In 1941, after near starvation on a teacher's pay, he went to work for the U.S. Dept. of Labor in Texas and came to Washington in 1956. He retired from that job in 1972. During World War II he served almost four years in the Army, both as an enlisted man and as an officer. He has written and lectured on Civil War subjects for many years. Mr. Hall lives in McLean, Va. Riversdale, the Calvert mansion, is located at 4811 Riverdale Road in Riverdale. Refreshments will be served after the meeting, and guests are welcome. Join us for the first meeting of the Spring season. Thinking Ahead: St. George's Day This year the St. George's Day Dinner will commemorate the 289th anniversary of the founding of Prince George's County (which occurred on April 23‑‑St. George's Day‑‑1696). The dinner will be held at the University of Maryland Student Union on St. George's day itself, Tuesday, April 23. As at previous dinners, the Society will present St. George's Day Awards to individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to the preservation of our county's heritage. If you have nominations to make, send them by March 11 to President John Giannetti in care of the Society at P.O. Box 14, Riverdale, Md. 20737. PRINCE GEORGE A, S COUNTY, MARYLANDERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APR I L 23, 1696The National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s most prestigious list of historic sites. The register is maintained by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, and includes districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, and culture. To date, forty‑six properties in Prince George's County have been placed on the Register. We publish below the list of those properties. B & 0 Railroad Station, Laurel Avondale Mill, Laurel Laurel High School, Laurel Ammendale Institute, Beltsville Snow Hill, Laurel Montpelier, Laurel Rossborough Inn, U of Md. College Park Airport Hitching Post Hill, Hyattsville Riversdale, Riverdale Hyattsville Armory George Washington House, Bladensburg Magruder House, Bladensburg Bostwick, Bladensburg Mount Hope, Cheverly Holy Trinity Church, Collington Melford, Bowie Williams Plains, Bowie Belair Mansion, Bowie Belair Stable, Bowie Bealll's Pleasure, Landover Addison's Chapel, Seat Pleasant Pleasant Prospect, Mitchellville Bowieville, Leeland Concord, Walker Mill Rd. St. Ignatius Church, Oxon Hill Melwood Park, Upper Marlboro Mount Pleasant, Upper Marl. Bowling Heights, Upper Marl. Compton Bassett, Upper Marl. Kingston, Upper Marl. Content, Upper Marlboro Traband House, Upper Marl. Buck House, Upper Marlboro Oxon Hill Manor, Oxon Hill Fort Foote, Oxon Hill St. John's Church, Broad Creek Harmony Hall, Broad Creek Fort Washington His Lordship's Kindness, Clinton Surratt House, Clinton Pleasant Hills, Upper Marl. Mount Airy, Rosaryville Bellefields, Croom St. Paul's Church Baden,
the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser, 1745-1790. The advertisements are printed in full in Lathan Windley's compilation, Runaway Slave Advertisements: A Documentary History from the 1730s to 1790, volume 2 (Westport, Conn. Greenwood Press, 1983). The compilation is not indexed by place, so this listing should serve as an index to Prince George's advertisements placed in those two newspapers. The list concludes below. The planter's name is listed first, followed by his place of residence (if given), issue of the newspaper, and name of slave. For the full text of the ad, the reader should turn to Windley (where they are printed in chronological order), or to microfilm of the newspapers themselves. The Enoch Pratt Library and Maryland Historical Society Library, both in Baltimore, have the two newspapers on microfilm. McKeldin Library at the University of Maryland and the State Archives, in Annapolis (formerly the Hall of Records), hold the Maryland Gazette on microfilm. Slaveowners Reporting Runaway Slaves from Prince George's County 1745‑1790
42. Forester, Ralph. near Brick Church, Forest of Pr. Geo. Co. MG 8/25/80. Caesar. 43. Forester, Ralph (former owner). Hill's Delight. MG, 3/1/87. 44. Gantt, John. near Upper Marlboro, MG 7/23/61. Anthony. 45. Gantt Levi. MG 5/31/87. Luke 46. Gantt, Thomas. MG 8/13/61. Syrus. 47. Gantt, Thomas, Jr MG 7/8/56. Cyrus. 48. Gantt, Thomas, Jr: MG 6/29/58. Cyrus. 49. Gordon, George. at Rock Creek. MG 11/2/48. Peter 50. Hall, Benjamin (of Benj.), on Patuxent Riv., nr. Governor's Bridge MG 4/10/83. Jenny. 51. Hall, Richard B. MJBA 11/4/77. John. (formerly belonged to James Miller of Bladensburg; brought from Philadelphia) 52. Hall, Richard Bennet. near Queen Anne. MJBA 8/20/73. Prince. 53. Hamilton, Alexander. Piscataway. MJBA 7/13/87. Harry. 54. Hanson, Samuel. Nottingham. MG 10/11/59. Cato. 55. Hanson, Thomas (former owner). Oxon Hill. MJBA 7/7/78.Stepney (a‑man). (ad by Alex. Henderson, Fairfax Co., Va.) 56. Hardy, Ignatius, near Woodyard. MG 11/13/83. Phillis. (Bought of Robert Darnall; has run away before and used name Charity McGinnis; hired herself to John Wynn) 57. Harris, Benj. near Piscataway. MG 12/31/72. Jack; calls him John Gladding) 58. Hawkins, James. near Piscataway. MG 2/9/75, (unnamed slave) 59. Hepburn, J. Rock Creek. MG 7/17/60. Will. (Will's master lives in Upper Marlboro) 60. Hill, Clement. near Upper Marlboro. MJBA 10/11/85. Michael. (Michael has a brother in Alexandria) 61. Hill, Clement. near Upper Marlboro. MJBA 6/23 78. Frank, 62. Hollyday, Clement. near Nottingham. MJBA 9/9/88. Poll, was then pregnant. 63. Hopkins, Gerard, Jr. MG 8/9/64. Cyrus. 64. Jenkins, John. near Bladensburg. MG 3/12/72. Harry. 65. Johnson, Rinaldo. Aquasco. MJBA 9/23/83. Anthony. Anthony talks of relatives at Fielder Bowie's, where called self Jacob) 66. Lamar, John, Jr, MG 7/18/54. Peter (formerly belonged to Mrs. Sarah Beatie, in Anne Arundel Co.) 67, Lowndes, Christopher. Bladensburg. MG 9/13/64. Joe. 68. Magruder, D. Upper Marlboro. MG 3/1/87. Joe. (in flight said he belonged to Ralph Forester of Hill's Delight) 69. Magruder, D. MG 11/6/88. Simon. 70. Mauduit, Jasper. near Bladensburg. MG 9/13/59. Sambo. 71. McCubbin, James (former owner). MG 11/27/77‑ Peter. (ad placed by Thomas Crackells, Upper Marlboro) 72. Miller, James. Bladensburg MG 1/9/72. Jack, a carpenter. 73. Miller, James. Bladensburg: MG 9/72. Dick. (former master lives in Newcastle County) 74. Miller, James (former owner). Bladensburg. MJBA 11/4/77. John. (ad placed by Richard B. Hall; John brought to Md. from Philadelphia) 75. Monk, Renaldo. near Patuxent Iron Works. MG 8/11/47. young mulatto (apprentice to subscriber; belongs to John Hepburn of Upper Marlboro; seen there often) 76. Moore, George. near Bladensburg. MG, 7/7/85. Davy. 77. Mullikin, James. MJBA 3/12/82. George (raised at Pig Point, by Mr. Richard Wells) 78. Mullikin, Mrs. (former owner). MG 1/12/64. Peter. (ad placed John Kent, of Curtis Creek Iron Works) 79. Nailes, George (former owner). Nottingham. MG 10/2/77. Charles. (ad placed by John Thomas Boucher, nr. Georgetown) 80. Noble, Thomas. MG 12/15 57. Forrester, Joe and Bess. 81. Orme, Ebenezer Edm. near Upper Marlboro. 7/11/71. Steven. MG 82 Parker, Mrs. Aletha. MG 5722/77. Nace. (ad placed by Walter Smith Parker) 83. Parkert Walter Smith. near Piscataway. MG 5/22/77. Nace. (ran away from Mrs. Aletha Parker) 84. Perrie, John. near Benedict, on Patuxent River [in Pr. Geo.?] MG 5/31/64. (unnamed slave) 85. Perrie, John. near Benedict [in Pr. Geo.?] MG 10/30/73. Hammet 86. Rawlings, James. near Snowden Iron Works. MJBA 9/12/83. Sylvia. (May pass for one of Samuel Snowden's Negroes he set free) 87. Savary, P. 3 miles from Alex. ferry. MG 10/14/90. Anthony. 88. Savary, Peter. 212 miles from Harrison's ferry. MG 6/15/86. Isaac. 89. Scott, Andrew. near Bladensburg. MG 9/3/72. Charles. 90. Scott, George (Sheriff). MG 9/29/63. Jem and Sambo 91. Scott, Henry. near Bladensburg. MG 7/18/71. Frank. (formerly belonged to Geo. Plater, Esq., St. Mary's Co.) 92. Smith, Basil, Sr. near Piscataway* MG 12/3/72. Isaac. 93. Snowden, Samuel (and John and H. Snowden). Patuxent Iron Works. MG 6/30/74. Jacob. (Ran off with two servant‑men, James Lindsey and Thomas Sutton) 93. Snowden, Richard. Patuxent Iron Works. MG 3/31/47. Tom. 94. Snowden, Thomas. Patuxent Iron Works. MG 7 26/87. George. 95. Snowden, Thomas. Patuxent Iron Works. MJBA 5/5/86. Daniel. 96. Snowden, Thomas. MJBA 8/3/87. George. 97. Sprigg, Amey. MG 4/20/69. Charles, a "waiting‑man." .(Ad by Miss Sprigg's guardian, William Foard, Sr. She was "little daughter of the late Mr. Gilbert Sprigg) 98. Stephenson, Daniel. Bladensburg. MG 8/29/71. Davie, carpenter. (Davie born on Eastern Shore; sent here by James Maccubbin of Philadelphia last Spring) 99. Truman, James. near Magruder's Warehouse. MG 10/28/73. Lin. 100. Tyler, Robert. MG 12/8/74. Will. (Ad describes violence) 101. Wade, Lancelot. near Piscataway. MG 6/25/89. Phil. (Phil brought from St. Mary's Co.) 102. Waring, John. Mount Pleasant, nr. Upper Marlboro. MG 12/2/84. Hess, alias Hezekiah Scott. (Hess' mother lives in Annapolis) 103. Waring, Richard Marsham. MG 4/29/62. John. 104. Waters, Samuel (former owner). MG 2/14/60. Jem. (Ad placed by Caleb Dorsey, Curtis Creek Works) 105. Welsh, Benjamin. near Snowden's Iron Works. MG 4/30/61. Dick. 106. West, Stephen. MJBA 5/5/86. Joe. (Ad placed by Edward Gaither of Anne Arundel County) 107. Whitenhall, John. near ferry on Eastern Branch. MG 6/8/48. Peter. 108. Wilson, Lingan. near Upper Marlboro. MG 9/6/45. man and woman. 109. Wootton, William T. MG 8/25/68. Philip and Charles. 110. Wynn, John. MG 11/13/83. (Ad placed by Ignatius Hardy; his runaway slave Phillis ran away two years ago and hired herself to Wynn under name of Charity McGinnis) 111. Young, Notley (former owner). On Patowmack. MG 9/14/86. Charles. (ad placed by William Bowie 3d) 112. Young, Notley. mouth of Eastern Branch. MG 7/8/62. William, a carpenter. 113. Young, Notley. mouth of Eastern Branch. MG 1/21/62. Billy Carroll, a carpenter. Supplemental listing 114. Hepburn, John. near Upper Marlboro. MG 8/11/47. young mulatto. (Ad placed by Renaldo Monk, near Patuxent Iron Works) 115. Magruder, Dennis. Upper Marlboro. MG 5.18.86. Simmes (lately sold as blacksmith by Mr. Richard Watkins, AA County) 116. Merriken, William. near Baldwin's Tavern. MG 91 9/4/83. Margaret Fenton. [End of lists]
State about 15 years ago, and became a 'pioneer of the far West.' By his sterling integrity, the geniality of his manners, and by his energy and perseverance in whatever he undertook, he rapidly made many friends, not only among civilians, but officers of the army and officials generally. He occupied a seat in the third Legislature of the Territory, and at the expiration of the term was re‑elected, but resigned on account of ill‑health. He was afterwards appointed collector of customs, the duties of which office he discharged honorably and satisfactorily to the Government. A decline in health compelled him to retire from active life, and he traveled in Mexico with the hope of improvement. Obtaining partial relief, he accepted the position of assessor of internal revenue, which office he held until the date of his death. He leaves two children in Tuscon, a mother, sister and brothers in this county, and many relatives in Washington City." ‑‑Alan Virta, Editor The Prince George's County Historical Society Riverdale, Md. 
NEWS AND NOTES FROM The Prince George's County Historical Society Vol. XIII, no. 4 April 1985 St. George's Day Dinner: April 23 All members of the Society, their families, and friends, are cordially invited to attend the twelfth annual St. George's Day Dinner, to be held on Tuesday, April 23 (St. George's Day) at the University of Maryland. This year's dinner will celebrate the 289th anniversary of the county's founding, which took place, by decree of the General Assembly, on St. George's Day 1696. The dinner will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the University of Maryland Student Union. A cocktail reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., the dinner at 7:30. In addition to celebrating the founding of Prince George's County, the Society will honor several individuals and organizations for their contributions to the preservation of our county's heritage with the presentation of St. George's Day awards. The Hall of Fame will induct another member with the unveiling of a portrait to be placed in the County Courthouse. This year's honoree will be the scientist James Harris Rogers of Hyattsville. Invitations for the dinner are being mailed to all members of the Society. Please note the cut‑off date for reservations. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Plan to be with us! No Meeting in April Because of the St. George's Day Dinner, there will be no regular Society meeting in April. The next meeting is scheduled for May 11. Historic District Hearings: April 15 and 16 (Evenings) In 1984 the Historic Preservation Commission voted to create the first two local historic districts in Prince George's County at Broad Creek and Aquasco. Some residents in both districts oppose district designation and have appealed to the County Council. The Council will hear testimony pro and con on April 15 and 16 and render a final verdict on the creation of these two historic districts. PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLANDERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APRIL 23,1696The proposed Broad Creek District is centered along Livingston Road between Oxon Hill and Fort Washington roads. It is the site of one of Prince George's County's earliest towns, the town of Aire. Aire disappeared long ago, but what remains is a rural neighborhood, significant because it has survived despite all the development around it. It is the purpose of the district to preserve the rural nature of the neighborhood (a reminder of the past in an area of rapid development) and to enhance the setting of four important 18th‑century historic sites located there: St. John's Church, Harmony Hall, Piscataway House, and the oldest, the ancient ruins of Want Water house. The proposed Aquasco district is located on the other side of the county, in Prince George's southeastern corner. Aquasco is as far away from Washington as one can get in Prince George's County; it is still a rural farming village. Aquasco grew up during the 19th century, and there are quite a few important 19th century landmarks in Aquasco to remind us of its early days. The purpose of the district is to help preserve one of Prince George's County's last remaining rural villages. If the County Council approves district designation, the Historic Preservation Commission (working through Local Advisory Committees) will gain review power over new construction and architectural changes in the districts. Unlike some districts, elsewhere, though, the Historic Preservation Commission will not have the power to freeze out new construction nor dictate one architectural style in either of the districts. Its primary function will be to preserve the rural and historic nature of the neighborhoods through control of size, scale and setback of buildings. The County‑Council hearings on the Broad Creek and Aquasco districts will be held on the evenings of April 15 and 16 in the County Administration Building, Upper Marlboro. Tentatively, the Broad Creek district is scheduled for April 15 and the Aquasco district for April 16. For final details on the schedule including times call the Historic Preservation Commission at 952‑3520. Felix Cristofane We regret to inform the membership that Felix Cristofane, a member of our Society for many years, died on March 14. A native of Washington, D.C., Felix was an attorney and a veteran of World War I. For many years he was an official of the Government Printing Office. He lived at the colonial home, Bostwick, at Bladensburg, with his wife Susanna, who is a director of the Society. To Susanna and her daughter we extend our deepest sympathies. "Scenes and Circumstances of the Olden Time" Broad Creek is a small estuary of the Potomac River in southwestern Prince George's County. In the 18th century it was a busy place, for here was located the village of Aire, a place with a tobacco warehouse, a landing, a shipyard, stores, taverns, a church, and numerous residences. The old tobacco port disappeared like so many other lost towns in Southern Maryland; today it is a rural neighborhood. The name Aire has disappeared too; the place is now called Broad Creek, for the estuary. A historic district has been proposed for Broad Creek, centered around four 18th century properties along Livingston Road. (See the article on the County Council hearings.) A great deal of modern development now surrounds Broad Creek‑‑‑on Indian Head Highway, Fort Washington Road, and Oxon Hill Road‑‑but somehow the old rural neighborhood has escaped too much modern intrusion. The fate of the proposed historic district‑‑and the fate of Broad Creek‑‑is now in the hands of the County Council. Broad Creek has been recognized for its antiquity and historical importance for a long time. A booklet entitled Some Old Historic Landmarks of Virginia and Maryland, written by W.H. Snowden late in the 19th century, devoted some attention to Broad Creek. Subtitled "A Hand‑Book for the Tourist over the Washington, Alexandria and Mount Vernon Railway" (a Virginia line), the booklet offers a glimpse at Broad Creek at the turn of the century. It conjures up an image that is not unlike the Broad Creek of today, a neighborhood that many in this county would like to see preserved as a reminder of what Prince George's County‑‑and particularly the Potomac Shore and the Indian Head Highway corridor‑‑was like before the suburbanization of recent years. From the 6th edition (1904) of Snowden's Some Old Historic Landmarks of Virginia and Maryland: Broad Creek‑‑Old Church and Old Houses Four miles below Alexandria, on the Maryland shore...is the estuary or bay of Broad Creek. There Washington often went, as he tells us in his diary, with his friend and neighbor, Diggs, of Warburton Manor [across from Mount Vernon in Prince George's County] to throw his line for the finny denizens of the still waters. At the head of this bay, where now only the light draught scow boat can ascend the silt‑filled channel, large schooners used to lie at their moorings and load with cargoes of tobacco, wheat, and corn for foreign ports. It was a busy neighborhood then, when the odd and ancient looking houses, which have stood through the changes of one hundred and fifty to two hundred years, were comparatively new, and the surrounding lands were fertile and produced abundantly all kinds of farm products. There is much in this isolated locality to interest the curious delver into the scenes and circumstances of the olden time. The weather‑beaten tenements, so dilapidated and forlorn in appearance; the impoverished fields and the forsaken landing place with never a freight nor cargo to be loaded or discharged, will murmur to him, as he thoughtfully scans the desolation, in audible stories of how the generations of toilers came and went, how they fretted out life's fitful fever, and were at last gathered from their labor of success or failure to the densely populated burial‑place of the settlements. The creek meanders down from the far uplands in bright rivulets, touching in its course the borders of many an old home whose mournful landmarks of falling tenement or blackened hearthstones or deserted springs are mute but eloquent reminders of the long faded years when those now impoverished fields in their primitive fertility yielded to the tobacco and maize planters their fifty and a hundred fold. More than two hundred years ago an Episcopal church was organized here by the first dwellers. The parish was first known as Piscataway, afterwards King George's, and the Church of St. John's. The first house of worship was of logs and built in 1694, rebuilt with bricks in 1722, and enlarged to its present dimensions in 1763. John Addison, William Hatton, William Hutchinson, William Tannhill, John Emmet, and John Smallwell were of its first vestry, and Rev. George Tubman its first rector. This church antedates all other Episcopal churches of the Potomac region of Maryland. The leading spirit in the organization of this church was Col. John Addison a member of the Governor's council and an uncle of the celebrated Joseph Addison [English essayist]. The burial place of the old kirk is densely peopled with the dead of departed congregations. Over most of the graves is a wilderness of tangled vines. Many of the stones are levelled and sunken nearly out of sight, with inscriptions worn and hard to decipher. Hundreds of graves have no stones at all, presumably of the earliest burials. A broad marble slab lies over the remains of Enoch Lyells, killed in a duel, August 7, 1805, with the following inscription: "Go, our dear son, obey the call of Heaven; Thy sins were few‑‑we trust they are forgiven. Yet of, what pen can paint the parents' woe? God only can punish the hand that gave the blow." The quarrel of the duelist had its origin in offensive remarks made at a ball in the village of Piscataway, and the duel took place at Johnson's Spring, on the Virginia shore. The young man who was killed and who had made the remarks was averse to the encounter, but was goaded on to his death by his father and mother. His antagonist was named Bowie, who afterwards fled to the new settlement of the southwest. To him belongs the unenviable reputation of originating the bowie knife. [This is legendary and not supported by the historical record.] The hip‑roofed house over two hundred years old still remains on the shore of Broad Creek where the wounded man was carried by his friends to die. [The house Want Water, now in ruins] It stands lonely and ghost like, scarred and blackened by the mutations of time, a grim memorial not only of the duel, but of the more prosperous days of the locality, when square rigged vessels even, sailed from the now lonely and desolate place with cargoes of tobacco and other valuable freight of a fertile and productive region. Long after the event of the duel the old house was...an object of aversion; and even to the present time stories handed down through the generations, are told of strange lights which were seen flitting and hovering over the locality, on dark and dismal nights. These lights if seen as averred, may not have been due entirely to the distorted imagination ... but as well to the phosphorescent exhalations from the decaying matter of the surrounding marshes. [End] Editor's note: The story of the duel is a most tragic one. Young Enoch Lyles does rest at Broad Creek, in the cemetery of old St. John's Church. His story will be told in the next issue of News and Notes. A Short, Bow‑legged Old Man "RAN AWAY from the Subscriber, at Broad Creek in Prince George's County, on the 31st of December last, a Servant Man named Charles Brown, a Miller by Trade, a short old Man, bow legged, and has lost all his Teeth. He had on and with him a new blue Frize Coat, two Cotton Jackets, and old Cloth Coat and Breeches; and hath a blackish Bitch with him, somewhat resembling a Fox‑Hound. He is a very roguish Fellow, and has assumed several Names, one of which is Burgess. He is supposed to be gone towards Baltimore County, where he formerly sheltered himself ten Years, and tended a Mill near Baltimore Town. Whoever will take up the said Servant, and secure him so as his Master may have him again, shall, if taken out of Prince George's County, have Ten Shillings Reward, more than the Law allows. ‑‑Humphrey Batt"
Sponsor
Tom and June Goodrich South Bowie Wm. 0. Long Doris Mullings Landover Hills A. Virta Jean W. Hahn Upper Marlboro J. McDonald Harold Klein Silver Spring J. Giannetti Catherine L. Farrell Hyattsville J. Giannetti Richard Krafchik Fort Washington J. Giannetti Hobart Key, Jr. Marshall, Tex. A. Virta
April 18: Gardening in Maryland's Past, a series of lectures on gardening history in the state. Maryland Historical Society. Free, but reservations required. Phone 301‑685‑3750, ext. 322. April 23: St. George's Day Dinner April 27: National Colonial Farm Day, 1 to 4 p.m. Free. Demonstrations of traditional crafts, sheep shearing, fireplace cooking, children's activities. Phone 301‑283‑2113. The farm is on Bryan Point Road in Accokeek. April 27: Hyattsville 99th anniversary celebration, Magruder Park, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Phone 927‑1689. May 5: Takoma Park House and. Garden Tour, 1 to 5 p.m. Tickets $5.00, or $4.00 in advance. Phone: 270‑8247 or 270‑4048. Minibus transportation provided from Municipal Building, 7500 Maple Ave. May 11 Marlboro Day, Upper Marlboro May 11 Laurel Main Street Festival May 19 Hyattsville House Tour in the afternoon. Phone: 277‑2508. See Hyattsville's Victorians. May 19: Greenbelt House and Garden Tour, in the New Deal's planned community. Phone: 474‑4161 April 27‑May 5: Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage. This year the tour will cover Southern Anne Arundel County, St. Mary's County, Ellicott City, Long Green Valley (Baltimore County), Poplar Hill (Baltimore City), Frederick County, Kent County, and Talbot County. Tickets: $10.00 each tour, $3.00 for a single house. For a brochure, call 301‑821‑6033 or write the Pilgrimage at 1105‑A Providence Road, Towson, Md. 21204. A tour book will be sent, for $2.00. Historic Map of Prince George's County The Maryland Heritage Committee's Historic Map of Prince George's County is now available. The map (in color) measures 25 by 38 inches, and locates 76 of the county's historic sites. Capsule histories and descriptions of each are printed on the back, and photos of 33 of then are printed either around the border or on the back. The map was produced by the University of Maryland as its contribution to Prince George's County's 350th anniversary effort. To be available at the various publicly‑owned historic sites, or by calling Joyce Rumburg in Upper Marlboro at 952‑4140. The Prince George's County Historical Society, Riverdale, Md. John Giannetti, President Alan Virta, Editor 474‑7524
April 85
CHRISTMAS GIFTS In our November report we asked that you remember the Library at Christmas by bringing in gifts from your attic, closet, basement or desk. Well, Margaret Marshall and Ted Bissell each brought in a large bag filled with materials. Going through these was more fun than emptying the surprises from a Christmas stocking! And, Susan Douglas brought us a copy of a popular novel written in 1876 by her grandmother, Sue Harry Clagett (b. Upper Marlboro in 1843). This work is a real collector's item. And finally, Vera Rollo contributed three volumes two of them authored by her. Our thanks to all of them for their holiday kindness! P.S.: Belated Christmas gifts are always welcome! A TREASURE The climax of the Christmas season was the gift, by Alan Virta. of a copy of his newly published Prince George's County. A Pictorial History. This is the first work to span the full course of Prince George's County history, from colonial to modern times. It therefore ranks with the works of Van Horn, Hienton and Effie Bowie as one of the classic basic references on county history. Copies may still be purchased at any Prince George's County office of the John Hanson Savings and Loan, the sponsor of the publication, or by mail from the Prince George's Chamber of Commerce. Incidentally, the many fine photos in Alan Virta's book demonstrates the value of building a good photographic archive of the county. Many of these were from the Society's collection, however there is much, much more material to be gathered. Please share your old photos from the family album with us for copying. WHITE HOUSE TAVERN The old White House Tavern (Rhodes Tavern) located on Baltimore Avenue (Rt. 1) next to the Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville is the subject of extensive research source material deposited in the Society's library this month by one of our new members, Fred Simmons of Silver Spring. A recent graduate of the University of Maryland in Chemical Engineering, Fred has assembled eight bound volumes of information pertaining to the tavern and the old Baltimore and Washington Turnpike. Included is information on the property title, owner John Brown and his family genealogy, earlier owners Rhodes and Spurrier, the stage lines, early Beltsville area, Van Horn and his tavern, the turnpike, contemporary travelers' accounts and much more. This material is a very welcome addition to the collection. It also provides an excellent starting point for a definitive history of the Baltimore and Washington Turnpike. Perhaps Fred will continue in this direction! LIBRARY ACCESSIONS Author Title Donor Stein, C.F. A Hist. of the So. Md. Soc. 1914‑64 Margaret Marshall Baltz, S.V. A Chronicle of Belair (incl. Ogle Purchase genealogy) Rollo, V.F. Your Maryland. A History Vera Rollo Middleton, A.P. Tobacco Coast Purchase Forman, H.C. Tidewater MD Architecture.& Gardens Margaret Marshall Baker, G.P. Those Incredible Methodists Ted Bissell Rollo, V.F. The Black Experience in Md Vera Rollo Clagett, S.H. Her Lovers Susan P. Douglas Kendall, D.H. Maryland Postal History Purchase A Review of the Meetings of the State Adm. Bd. of‑ Presidential Electors in Md. 1739‑1980 Election Laws Laws of Md.(1867,76,78,80,84,86) Roy Licari Kytle, E. Home on the Canal (C&)) Purchase Bissell, T Hist. of Entomology at Bissell, Ted the U./Md. Reubens Genealogy v. 2 Henry de Witte Kelly, J. Peabody Heights to Charles Village Margaret Marshall Martin, M.P. The Flag House Story Margaret Marshall Dawson, W.E. Hist. & Ancestry of Rev. John Foster, 1735‑1800 (Pr. Geo's Co.) W.E. Dawson Sargent, J. Stones & Bones (P.G. Tombstones) Purchase Schaun, G&V. Maryland Biographical Sketches Vera Rollo MISCELLANIA It is encouraging to note the large number of Maryland history publications which have appeared on the market during the past year, prompted by the 350th Anniversary. . .. We received from Louise Bowen a 1934 program for the Prince George's County Republican Club's dinner in honor of Governor‑elect & Mrs. Harry W. Nice which was held at the old Beaver Dam Country Club. Also received, from Edith Bagot, a program from the occasion of Eleanor Roosevelt's visit to the University of Maryland, College Park in the late 1930's. Items such as these are the fabric of local history, and are always welcome additions to our files.. . . We are still in need of volunteers, to spend an occasional Saturday afternoon at the library in order that we might keep it open to our users. Call Fred De Marr at 27.7‑0711 if you can help. Even though Riversdale is scheduled to be closed at the end of June, the Library will continue to function during this period of construction with your help! Download 12.14 Mb. Share with your friends:
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