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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_ APR I L 23, 1696
- NEWS AND NOTES FROM The Prince Georges County Historical Society
NEWS AND NOTES FROM The Prince George's County. Historical Society Vol. XV, nos. I & 2 January/February 1987 Advance Notice of Meeting Following our Winter recess, our next regular meeting will be held on Saturday, March 14, 1987 in the County Administration Building in Upper Marlboro at 2 PM. The Historic Preservation Commission staff will make a slide presentation of the results of the 1985‑86 Historic Sites Survey in Prince George's County. These additional listings are primarily from the 1880‑1930 period. Full details will appear in next month's newsletter. News and Notes Anniversary As may be noted from the masthead above, 1987 is the fifteenth year of publication for News and Notes. The first issue (March 1973) was mailed during the month of February to about 130 members. Included were the following events and stories: ‑John McGrain of the Baltimore County Historical Society was to speak at the March meeting at Montpelier on Maryland Mills. ‑‑The Society's Historian, Judge R. Lee Van Horn passed away in December, 1972. ‑ METRO had assumed control of the area transit system, begun in 1854. ‑ Historic Annapolis was asking for support in their fight against a proposed state office building to be erected on the block between Church Circle and State Circle, east of the Government House. (They were successful!) ‑ The County had purchased the College Park Airport. ‑ A state historical marker had been erected at Bellefields in Croom in Dec. ‑ The feature story, "On Leisure Time in Prince George's County", discussed the early development of fraternal groups in the County. The rationale for this first issue was stated as follows: "It costs the Society 8¢ (the 1973 first‑class postage rate ‑ed.) to circularize the membership for every meeting. Therefore we are taking full advantage of the weight allowance with this publication." Actually, our primary motivation was the fact that after almost 20 years of operation a publication which would provide a cohesive force was long overdue. There were words of encouragement from the members and a second issue appeared in April. Among the item appearing in that issue was a list of new members of the Society. One name stands out ‑ ‑ that of Alan Virta who was to begin his long tenure as editor in the Fall of 1974. Finally, with the May issue, the designation Vol. 1, No. 3 was carried on the masthead and the commitment to a permanent PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APRIL 23,1696 publication for the Society had been made. With this, the 153rd issue of News and Notes, we continue the tradition of bringing our readers all matters of historical interest in Prince George's County and Maryland. ‑FSD
Benjamin O. Beard A. W. Chaney, &.Sons General Merchandise Undertakers and Funeral Directors Halls, Md. Halls, Md. Phone, Marlboro 21 – 3 Phone, Marlboro 21 ‑ 21 -‑The Riverdale Sentinel 28 Nov. 1913 (V.5, no.39) President of the Senate The recent opening of the 393rd session of the General Assembly of Maryland in Annapolis on January 14, 1987 saw a change of leadership in both houses. Delegate R. Clayton Mitchell of Kent County became the new Speaker of the House of Delegates. We note with special interest ‑ and pride ‑ as Prince Georgeans, the election of Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. of Clinton as President of the Senate. Senator Miller is beginning his 4th term in the Senate, having been elected in 1974 after serving one term (1971‑75) in the House of Delegates. He is a native of Clinton where he attended local schools before graduation from the University of Maryland (1964) and its law school (1967). Senator Miller's law office is located on Old Branch Avenue in is home town. As one who has an abiding interest in the heritage of Prince George's County, he is a long‑time member of the historical society and is a recipient of the St. George's Day Award. Sen. Miller is the sixth Prince Georgean to serve as President of the Senate. In his acceptance address, the senator noted that 200 years ago Daniel Carroll held this office. Actually Carroll served on four separate occasions in the period 1786‑1789. Born in Upper Marlboro on July 22, 1730, young Carroll attended school at the Jesuits' Bohemia Manor in Cecil County and St. Omer's College in France, returning home in 1748. Like his father he became a planter and merchant. In 1780‑84 he was a member of the Congress, signing the Articles of Confederation in 1781. As a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 he was one of Maryland's signers of the U. S. Constitution and he was elected a representative to the first U.S. Congress. Daniel Carroll was appointed by President Washington as one of the original commissioners of the District of Columbia (1791‑95) whose duty was to establish the new national capital. During his later years Carroll lived on an estate at Rock Creek where his distinguished brother John established St. John's Catholic Church, Forest Glen. John Carroll, of course, was the first Roman Catholic bishop in the United States and was the founder of Georgetown College in 1789. Daniel died at Rock Creek on May 7, 1796 and is believed to be buried at St. John's. The next to occupy the president's chair was John B. Brooke, Jr. who was born in Upper Marlboro in March 1826. After attending Georgetown College and Harvard Law School he practiced law in Upper Marlboro and was later elected to the House of Delegates. Brooke became President of the Senate in 1860, however his was to be a short tenure. As a Secessionist he was arrested by Federal authorities and imprisoned with some other members of the General Assembly, in order to make sure that Maryland would remain in the Union. Upon release from prison he went South, where he remained for the duration of the Civil War. In 1865 John Brooke resumed his law practice in Upper Marlboro and was elected Judge of the Circuit Court in 1881. Judge Brooke retired from the bench in 1896 and died in 1905. (As a matter of interest, Judge Brooke's grandson, the late William Hill Brooke of Upper Marlboro, served as the 5th president of the Prince George's County Historical Society, 1963‑1965.) The first of those to lead the Senate in the 20th Century was a long‑time political leader in the County. Born in Upper Marlboro on September 30, 1893, Lansdale Ghiselin Sasscer, Sr. attended Central High School in Washington and the Tome School in Port Deposit prior to his graduation from Dickinson Law School, Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1914. He practiced law in Upper Marlboro and served as a 1st Lt. in the Artillery during the St. Mihel and Argonne offensives in France 1917‑19. Mr. Sasscer return to his practice and was elected to the Senate in 1922, serving until 1939. He was President during the 1935 and 1937 biennial sessions of the General Assembly. In 1938 Senator Sasscer relinquished his seat in order to mount what proved to be an unsuccessful campaign in the Democratic contest for governor against Herbert R. O'Conor. After the general election Rep. Stephen Gambrill died and Senator Sasscer was elected to the unexpired term, taking his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on February 3, 1939. He served six more terms in the House before stepping down to carry the Democratic banner in the U. S. Senate campaign against Republican Rep. J. Glenn Beall, Sr. Unsuccessful in this effort, Mr. Sasscer return to the practice of law in Upper Marlboro, where he passed away on November 5, 1964. Perhaps the shortest term as Senate President was that of L. Harold Sothoron of University Park. He was elected to preside over a one‑day special session in October, 1950. Born in St. Mary's County, Harold Sothoron came to the Washington area as a youth, where he attended law school and engaged in the practice of law. For many years he served a legal counsel for the Town of Brentwood. Mr. Sothoron was a member of the House of Delegates from 1936 until his election to the Senate in 1946. He served as Majority Leader of the Senate but was defeated in his quest for re‑election in the 1950 Republican landslide in Prince George's by John Raymond Fletcher of Cheverly. Senator Sothoron died at, age 84 on October 13. 1978. Of the past senate presidents, the best known to our readers is Steny H. Hoyer of District Heights. Having attended the Prince George's County schools, Mr. Hoyer graduated from the University of Maryland (1963) and Georgetown Law School ('66). In 1966 he was elected to the first of three successive terms in the Senate. At the beginning of the third term (1975) Senator Hoyer was elected President. He was the first of the Prince Georgeans to preside over an annual session of the Senate. Senator Hoyer relinquished his Senate seat in 1979 after an unsuccessful primary race for Lt. Governor on the ticket of Acting Governor Blair Lee III. With the illness of Rep. Gladys Spellman in 1980, the Fifth District seat in the House of Representatives became vacant. Steny Hoyer was the winner in the special election and was sworn in on June 3, 1981. He has been reelected each time since. Thus we have them, Carroll, Brooke, Sasscer, Sothoron, Hoyer and Miller a distinguished group of Prince Georgeans. Membership Response Corresponding Secretary Margo Ritchie and Treasurer Don Skarda wish to express their appreciation to all of our members for what has been a very prompt and generous response to the dues notice mailed in mid‑December. Your cooperation has lightened their burden considerably. If you are one of the few who have not responded as yet, they would appreciate hearing from you before the March 31st deadline. Again, many thanks! The Prince George's County Historical Society Headquarters: Marietta, 5626 Bell Station Road, Glenn Dale Library Hours: Saturdays, Noon ‑ 4 PM House Tours: Sundays, Noon ‑ 4 PM (Closed until 1st Sun. in March) Mailing address: P.O. Box 14, Riverdale, Maryland 20737 Headquarters Telephone: 464‑0590 President: Warren W. Rhoads 464‑0819 NEWS AND NOTES, FROM The Prince George's County Historical Society Vol. XV, no. 3 March 1987 March Meeting in Upper Marlboro ‑ March 7 On Saturday, March 7, 1987 the regular meeting of the Society will be held in the County Administration Building in Upper Marlboro. The program will be presented by the staff of the Historic Preservation Commission -- Executive Director Gail Rothrock and research historians Susan Pearl and Marina King. This slide‑ illustrated lecture will cover the buildings researched during the 1986 historic building survey in Prince George's County. Among these are a number of "pattern‑book" houses of the Victorian period which appeared in the suburbs of the late 1800s. The wide variety of types and styles of structures covered, including some from the 20th century, should prove to be of broad interest to our members. On Saturdays, parking is no problem in Upper Marlboro. Those attending should use the Gov. Oden Bowie Drive entrance to the County Administration Building which looks out on Schoolhouse Pond. There should be adequate on Gov. Oden Bowie Drive. The guard on duty at the entrance will direct you to the meeting room. If you haven't been in Upper Marlboro during the past year, it is suggested that you take a few minutes after the meeting to see the new mall between the County Administration Building and the Court House. As usual, guests are welcome. 50th Annual Maryland House and Garden Tour ‑ April 11 The Prince George's County portion of the 50th Maryland House and Garden Tour will be held on Saturday, April 11, 1987 from 10 am ‑ 5:30 pm. With the exception of Montpelier at Laurel, which was on the original tour back in the early Thirties, most of the houses are new to the tour and are located in the Upper Marlboro and Croom areas. They are: Bowling Heights, Patuxent Farm, the Buck House (exterior only ‑ under restoration), Content, Waverly, St. Thomas' Church of Croom, Mattaponi, Trinity Church, Brookefield of the Berrys, Dukeshire and Mt. Airy. The tour ticket cost is $12 (includes tour booklet/map) or $4 for individual house admissions. If you are completely unfamiliar with the location of these sites, we suggest that you start in downtown Upper Marlboro (Content‑Buck House‑Trinity Church) where you can pick up your tour booklet with map. The local sponsor of the Prince George's tour is the Forest Garden Club. Members planning to take the tour are encouraged to purchase their tickets through the club. They will receive a wall portion of the price which will be used to place an entrance gate and historical marker at the Buck House in Upper Marlboro when its restoration is completed. PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY_ APR I L 23, 1696 Do call Lisa Raffetto at 627‑3877 to order tickets or receive further information (The other tour dates are as follows: Apr. 12, Federal Hill and Fell's Point in Balto. City; Apr. 25, Anne Arundel; Apr. 26, Calvert; Apr. 29, Balto. County; Apr. 30, Carroll; May 1, Howard; May 2, Kent; May 3, Talbot.) St. George's Day ‑ 1987 The 14th annual St. George's Day Dinner will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Stamp Student Union, University of Maryland on Thursday, April 23, 1987. Our special guests at the dinner will be Lord and Lady Fairfax who will be visiting Prince George's at the invitation of the county government. We are also pleased to announce that the Hall of Fame will induct Daniel Carroll, an Upper Marlboro native and one of Maryland's signers of the U.S. Constitution, in commemoration of the bicentennial of our national government. Invitations will be mailed within the next two weeks. Wedding Gowns Past and Present A free workshop, "The Conservation of Wedding Gowns", will be held at the Riversdale Mansion on Saturday. March 28 from 9:30 to 12:30 p.m. Dr. Margaret T. Ordonez, Textiles and Clothing Specialist, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Service, will conduct the session. You will learn what method can be used to clean an antique wedding dress (or other old fabric) as well as the best way to store a wedding dress to preserve it for future brides. Among other professional affiliations, Dr. Ordonez is a member of the Washington Conservation Guild and the Costume Society of America. The workshop is sponsored by the Prince George's County Historical Society. Coffee, tea and sweet rolls will be served. Riversdale is located at 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale, Maryland. For more details call: 779‑2011. No reservations are required. Bring your own costumes for special advice on their care and conservation. Houses By Mail A major source of houses in the he developing suburbs of Prince George's County during the first half of the present century was the Sears‑Roebuck House Catalogue. Nationwide, during the period 1908‑1940, over 100,006 of these structures were built. Well designed, and with many models to choose from, the Sears‑Roebuck house was the answer to the needs of the lot‑owner who could not afford an architect or secure the necessary financing during this era prior to the developer‑built mass communities. A recent article, "Cheverly's Mail Order House" appeared in the Winter 1986 issue of Friends of Preservation. Author and Town Historian Raymond W. Bellamy, Jr. identified 25 Sears‑Roebuck houses in Cheverly, among which 20 different models are represented. His own life‑long residence is an Alhambra model, built by his father in 1925. The Historic Preservation Commission is in the process of compiling a list of Sears‑Roebuck houses in the county. Members are encouraged to call research historian Marina King at 952-3520 if they know the location of any Sears‑Roebuck houses. Baron von Steuben in Upper Marlboro There are very few commemorative monuments in Prince George's County such as the Peace Cross. In the city of Washington there is a monument on almost every corner, with applications pending for hundreds more. However, there is a monument in Prince George's County that used to be in Washington, D.C. and when it was dedicated in May 1870 there was a huge military parade and a celebration that lasted all day. The President of the United States, generals, senators, ambassadors and the mayor of the city were present at its dedication. The monument I speak of is that of Baron von Steuben, general and hero of the American Revolution. It now stands on the lawn of the German Orphan Home just outside of Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The original monument was twelve foot, six inches tall prior to being moved to its present site in 1966. The base of the monument was left behind at the old German Orphan Home on Good Hope Road, S.E. in Washington. It was placed at the old German Orphan Home in 1893 and stood on the front lawn overlooking Good Hope Road until it was moved to the Upper Marlboro location. The monument had been moved to Good Hope Road in 1893 by the Schuetzenverein, a German musketry and marksmanship club. This had been a very active German club in Washington and during the war between states they had raised a company of troops to defend the city. The statue had originally been placed in the Schuetzen Park at Georgia Avenue and Kenyon Street N.W. in May 1870 by the Schuetzenverein and the Steuben Monument Association. The Schuetzen Park for many years was a center of social activities for the German community of the City of Washington. Baron von Steuben was the great hero of the German community and an association was formed as early as the 1850's to raise the funds to construct this monument. The war and other problems delayed this project until 1870. The day of dedication started out with a great military parade that began at eight in the morning. Led by the U.S. Marine Band, the parade marched up Seventh Street Northwest with the marching unit of the Schuetzefterein, officers mounted, stepping out right behind the band. They passed the new buildings at Howard College and proceeded up the Seventh Street pike (now Georgia Avenue) to the green space of the park that was just coming into full bloom in May. At the park the Marine Band went to the band pavilion and there was dancing, eating and beer drinking all day. Late in the afternoon the festivities were punctuated by the measured sequence of a twenty‑one gun salute and onto the grounds, pulled by the finest and fastest team in the city, was drawn the carriage of the President of the United States. The Marine Band struck up "Ruffles and Flourishes" and "Hail to the Chief" and President Grant, perhaps a bit dusty and rumpled, climbed from the carriage and waved. With him were General William T. Sherman, the German states Ambassador Baron von Gerolt, Mayor Bowen of the District of Columbia, Senator Carl Schurz and representatives of the U.S. Congress. After much singing by the Masonic Choir and the Sangerbund and many speeches, the monument was unveiled. The Schuetzen Park was closed in 1893 and this required that the monument be moved. Thus it was transferred to the relative obscurity of the German Orphan Home in Southeast Washington. However, the von Steuben Committee had been successful in raising funds for another monument more appropriate to the old baron ‑ this one at Lafayette Park across from the White House. The date of the unveiling of this monument was December 7, 1910 and President Taft was present for the dedication. It still stands in one of the corners of the park. --Robert A. Crawley References: Archives, The Washington Evening Star and The Washington Post. Pierce, III; Frank H. The Washington Saengerbund. A History of German Song and German Culture in the Nation's Capital. Antiques Market Gone Crazy! For those who follow the purchase and sale of antiques, it might be of interest to note some recent events which have been reported in the public press as well as antiques journals. Item: A Baltimore album quilt was sold recently at auction for $148,000. Item: George Caleb Bingham's painting of "The Jolly Flatboatman" was sold in January by private sale for a mere $8 million! Bingham, a 19th century American genre painter, specialized in scenes of life along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. This work was commissioned by the American Art Union in the 1840's and brought the artist the handsome sum of $450. You my see this painting on display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington where it has long been on loan and will continue to be in the future. Item: The so‑called "Cadwalader Chair" was sold at auction in New York for $2.75 million ‑ a world record for a piece of furniture. This Philadelphia Chippendale wing chair was purchased by Gen. John Cadwalader from Philadelphia's noted cabinetmaker, Thomas Affleck, for £4.10 on December 20, 1770. What, you might ask, makes this chair so unusual? Well, it just so happens that it has carved hairy paw feet! If you are curious about hairy paws please stop by the Society's library on a Saturday afternoon and consult Nicholas Wainwright's Colonial Grandeur in Philadelphia. The House and Furniture of General John Cadwalader. It is shelved with the materials on Kent County, Maryland. As an aside comment, you might wonder why a book dealing with a Philadelphia gentleman's furniture is on the shelves of the Prince George's County Historical Society. The answer is that John Cadwalader married a member of the Lloyd family of Wye House in Talbot County. They owned a large farm in Kent County and the Cadwalader family history is closely entwined with that of old Shrewsbury Parish church. Gen. Cadwalader served in the Continental Army and represented both Kent County and the Eastern Shore in both houses of the Maryland General Assembly. Returning to the matter of these breath‑taking prices paid for antique objects, one is reminded of the surrender at Yorktown in 1781. The British troops, with colors cased, marched out to the American lines to stack their arms. The fifers played "World Turned Upside Down", a tune which expressed their opinion of the then state of affairs. Perhaps the spirits of those fifers have been roaming about the antique markets of late! --FSD Publications Copies of Alan Virta's Prince George's County. A Pictorial History are available, however it is recommended that you procrastinate no longer! If you will need a copy for Aunt Matilda's birthday or Uncle Alex's Christmas, buy now before the supply is exhausted. $26.20 at Marietta on Saturday'& Sunday afternoon. $28.20 by mail. The Prince George's County Historical_Society Headquarters: Marietta, 5626 Bell Station Road, Glenn Dale Library Hours: Saturdays, Noon ‑ 4 PM House Tours: Sundays, Noon ‑ 4 PM (March thru December) Mailing address: P.O. Box 14, Riverdale, Maryland 20737 Headquarters Telephone: 464‑0590 President: Warren W. Rhoads 464‑0819 Corres. Secty: Margo Ritchie 434‑1524 (address changes) Treasurer Donald D. Skarda 474‑5319 Newsletter Fred De Marr 277‑0711
Vol. XV 2 no. 4 April 1987 St. George's Day ‑ April 23, 1987 An outstanding program has been arranged for the St. George's Day Dinner in commemoration of Prince George's County's 291st birthday. This event, now in its 14th year, will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Stamp Student Union, University of Maryland, College Park. The St. George's Day Awards will be presented to six individuals and organizations which have made significant contributions toward the preservation of the county's heritage. In this, the bicentennial year of our national government, the Hall of Fame will induct Daniel Carroll II, an Upper Marlboro native who was one of Maryland's signers of the U.S. Constitution. His portrait will join those of his brother, Archbishop John Carroll, and other distinguished Prince Georgeans on display in the main foyer of the Court House. The President of the Senate of Maryland, Sen. Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. of Clinton will make the presentation. Bringing greetings to the Society on this occasion will be Lord Fairfax of Cameron, a relative and good friend of many Prince Georgeans. Some of our members will recall this personable member of the English Bar from the reception held by the Society at Montpelier, home of his Snowden ancestors, on July 30, 1978. We are pleased that Lady Fairfax will accompany her husband on this good‑will visit to Prince George's County. Do join us on this memorable occasion. Invitations have been mailed and reservations should be returned by April 15. Guests are welcome. For further information call Margo Ritchie (434‑1524) or Warren Rhoads (464‑0819) Notice of May Meeting at Riversdale Saturday, May 9, 1987 at 2 PM is the date for our next regular meeting of the Society to be held at Riversdale. Please mark your calendars. The speaker will be Frederick Tilp, a native Prince Georgean now residing across the Potomac in Alexandria. His topic will be "Fact, Fiction and Fun on the Potomac." Mr. Tilp is a member of the Society and has received the St. George's Day Award. His slide lectures on the Potomac are superb! PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APRIL 23,1696 Life Members Five new life members have been added to the Society's membership during 1987. We appreciate their support of our programs. The up‑dated list of life members is as follows. Mrs. Frank Bagot Hyattsville John B. Bourne College Heights Mr. & Mrs. Richard Bourne College Park Anath & Margaret Bright College Park Eunice E. Burdette Boonsboro Mrs. Felix E. Cristofane (Honorary) Bladensburg Brice M. Clagett Friendship Charles T. Clagett, Jr. Washington, D.C. Mr. & Mrs. Fred Clagett King City, Oregon Mr. & Mrs. Page B. Clagett Washington, D.C. Willard R. Entwisle Forestville Sarah J. Harvey College Park Phyllis Herndon University Park Forrest S. Holmes, Jr. College Heights C. Harold Hutcheson Laurel Mrs. Catherine M. Kotrla Southern Pines, N. Car. Paul T. Lanham Huntingtown Mrs. G.W.S. Musgrave (Honorary) Lake Wales, Florida J. Spencer Overholser Oley, Pennsylvania Mrs. Maxie D. Phillips University Park Gertrude L. Poe Ashton Mrs. David R. Ray Fayetteville, N. Car. Mrs. A. H. Seidenspinner College Heights Patricia Tatspaugh Hyattsville Jessie M. Ward College Park
(Sun.) (Magruder's Plains to Oldfields to Forestville.) by Willard Entwisle. 7:30 MI at the church. 3111 Forestville Road. FREE. May 14 National Register Properties in Pr. George's County. (7‑9:30 PM) (Thurs) Over 40 properties in the county are on the National Register. This slide lecture will describe and discuss some of the important sites and explain the significance and process of National Register listing by Susan Pearl. Sponsored by the Pr. George's Community College at Largo. Call 322‑0797 for information. May 17 Hyattsville Historic House Tour (1‑5 PM) 8th Annual Tour (Sun) Tickets may be Purchased at the Hyattsville Armory (The Castle) 1‑4 PM for this walking tour. Brother Against Brother Over the years much material has appeared in the form of novels and film on the subject of divided loyalties among families living in the border states during the Civil War. The extent of this "brother against brother" situation is being researched currently by a member of the Department of Family Studies in the University of Kentucky. As a matter of interest to the members of the Society, we publish herewith a letter of reply prepared by our past editor, Alan Virta. Hattiesburg, Mississippi February 19, 1987 Dear Dr. Crosby: In the February 1987 issue of the Prince George's County Genealogical Society Bulletin (of Maryland) a notice of your research on combatant Civil War brothers was published. While most combatants from Prince George's County, Maryland, fought for the Confederacy, local histories record at least three pairs of brothers who took opposite sides. Since I am temporarily in residence in Mississippi (until June), I cannot verify these instances in either the county records or military records at ,the National Archives. I pass them on to you, nonetheless, should you be interested. (1) From Across the Years in Prince George's County, by Effie Gwynn Bowie. Richmond, Va.: Garrett and Massie, 1947. Reprint 1975, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Company. On page 690 is presented a biography of Col. Thomas Bowie (1767‑1823), a native of Montgomery County, Maryland, who resettled in Prince George's County, in the town of Bladensburg, and built the historic home (since destroyed) known as War Park, or the Parthenon. Col. Bowie was a planter, state legislator, justice of the peace, judge of the orphans' court, and colonel of the 34th Maryland Regiment during the War of 1812‑‑a man of local distinction, and bearer of a historic Maryland surname. His grandchildren were divided by the Civil War, according to Across the Years. Grandsons Argyle Campbell Bowie (b. 1840) and Henry Clay Bowie (1842‑1929) ‑‑ the sons of his son George Washington Bowie (b. 1804) ‑‑ chose opposite sides, as did grandsons Thomas Daniel Bowie (b. 1832) and Leonard Osborne Bowie (b. 1844) ‑‑ the sons of his son Richard Cramphin Bowie (1808‑1863). According to Across the Years Argyle Campbell Bowie "entered the U.S. Navy at the outbreak of the War between the States; honorably discharged April 26, 1865. Single." (p. 692). His brother, Henry Clay Bowie' "was with Mosby in the Confederate States Army. He was later a merchant in Washington, D.C." (p. 789). Across the Years records this concerning the other pair of grandsons‑ Thomas Daniel Bowie, "b. 1832; d. in the Confederate Army, single." (p. 736) Leonard Osborne Bowie "removed with his parents to Baltimore where he remained until December 15, 1861, at which time he entered the United States Army as a clerk in the Commissary Department, Army of the Potomac. He resigned this position at City Point, Virginia August 9, 1864 and on October 4 of that year was appointed a clerk in the Pay Department, United States Army, at Washington." (p. 791) The widow of one of Leonard Osborne Bowie's grandsons is a member of the Prince George's County Historical Society. (Mrs. William Bowie‑Ed.) Col. Thomas Bowie's oldest surviving son‑‑the uncle of these two pairs‑‑was a staunch Union man. He was known as John Bowie of Bladensburg, and he inherited War Park on Col. Bowie's death (according to Across the Years). He was a Unionist member of the state legislature and was federal provost marshal. (p. 736) He had one son, Thomas John Bowie (1837‑1898) who was also a Union man and also a provost marshal (at age 25). He later was active in Republican politics, serving in the legislature like his father and grandfather before him (p. 788). (2) From Stones and Bones: Cemetery Records of Prince George's County, Maryland edited by Jean A. Sargent. Bowie, Md. Prince George's County Genealogical Society, 1984. On page 225, tombstone inscriptions of Epiphany Episcopal Church Cemetery, Forestville, Maryland: "George T. Jarboe. Co. F, 1st Va. Inf., C.S.A.11 In parenthesis is added this note: "His brother was a soldier for the North and had a stone next to George. Stone was stolen and only footstone remains. May have been brother William age 7 in 1850 or brother James age 11 in 1850". Prince George's County, Maryland, adjoins the District of Columbia. Now largely suburban, it was in the 1860's chiefly agricultural. Tobacco was the principal crop. There were more slaves than whites in the county. The social and political life was dominated by a plantation gentry with pronounced Southern outlook. While approval of slaveholding was almost universal, opinion on secession was divided, at least at the beginning of the war, while President Lincoln carefully divided the issues. The Union Party (led by slaveholders) actually managed to carry the county elections in the Fall of 1861. At the same time, there was little enthusiasm for prosecuting a war against the seceding states, and very few entered the Union Army. Quite a few local men did go South, however, to fight for the Confederacy. Prince George's County is a prime example of the wisdom of Lincoln's policy of separating the issues of secession and slavery early in the war, for once he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, the support the Union cause had in Prince George's County virtually disappeared. Sincerely, Alan Virta
Society
Headquarters.* Marietta, 5626 Bell Station Road, Glenn Dale
Library Hours: Saturdays, Noon‑4 PM House Tours. Sundays, Noon‑4 PM (March thru December) Mailing address: P.O. Box 14, Riverdale, Maryland 20737 Headquarters Telephone: 464‑0590 President: Warren W. Rhoads 464‑0816 
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