The Prince George's County Historical Society
Vol. XII, no. 4 April 1984
The St. George's Day Dinner
The Prince George's County Historical Society will celebrate Maryland's 350th year‑‑and the 288th anniversary of our county's founding‑‑at the annual St. George's Day Dinner on Monday, April 23. This year's dinner will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the University of Maryland Student Union and will be cosponsored by the Maryland Heritage Committee of Prince George's County and the Hall of Fame. A most impressive program has been arranged.
In keeping with the theme throughout the state of saving the Chesapeake Bay, our after‑dinner speaker will be Capt. Alex Kellam, a retired skipjack captain, who will entertain with stories, songs, and folklore of the Bay. The Society will also present the annual St. George's Day Awards, honoring individuals and organizations for noteworthy accomplishments in the preservation of our county's heritage. The Hall of Fame of Prince George's County will induct
Governor Robert Bowie, of Mattaponi and Nottingham, with the unveiling of a portrait which will be placed in the courthouse in Upper Marlboro.
A pre‑dinner reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the dinner at 7:30 p.m. Invitations, with complete details and a reservation card, will be mailed to all members very soon. Please plan to be with us for this most important and historic occasion, honoring our state's 350th anniversary. Family and friends are most welcome. For further information call the Society offices at 779‑2313 or President Frederick S. De Marr at 277‑0711.
Toleration Day Tours: Prince George's Churches: April 28
In 1649 the Maryland General Assembly became the first in America to guarantee its citizens freedom of religion. In honor of this important event, the Prince George's Historical and Cultural Trust will sponsor open‑house at a number of the county's churches on Saturday, April 28. There will be no charge, and docents will be present at each church to inform visitors of the church's history and architecture. The hours will be from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Brochures and maps will be available at the first church you visit.
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APRIL 23,1696
A complete list of churches on the tour will appear in the newspapers. Among the churches already confirmed as participating are: Addison Chapel, Seat Pleasant; Christ Church, Accokeek; Holy Family, Mitchellville; Holy Rosary, Rosaryville; Hyattsville Presbyterian; St. Barnabas, Leeland; St. Ignatius Oxon Hill; St. John's, Beltsville; St. John's, Broad Creek; St. Mark's United Methodist, Laurel; St. Mary's, Piscataway; St. Mary's of the Assumption, Upper Marlboro; St. Paul's, Baden; St. Thomas, Croom; Trinity, Upper Marlboro; and St. Barnabas, Oxon Hill.
Please note: the actual anniversary of Toleration Day is April 21, and will be celebrated with bell‑ringing across the county. The tour and open house will be on April 28.
New Members of the Society
We welcome the following individuals to membership in the Prince George's County Historical Society:
Sponsor
Carolyn K. Headlee College Park F. De Marr
James D. Munson Arlington, Va. F. De Marr
Gertrude M. Falcone Hyattsville L. Tatspaugh
Mr & Mrs: Emanuel Brancato Clarksville F. De Marr
Mr & Mrs Walter J. Flynn Riverdale C. Flynn
Jack & Maureen Weaver Accokeek F. De Marr
Dr & Mrs. Daniel K. Haapala Silver Spring F. De Marr
John D. Biggs Chevy Chase F. De Marr
We are most proud to announce new life members: Anath and Margaret Bright, College Park
Rhoda Christmas Bowling, 1901‑1984
We regret to inform the membership of the death in February of Rhoda Christmas Bowling a charter member of this society. Mrs. Bowling raised, broke, and trained race horses, and is the last of a famous racing family of four brothers and one sister. She lived at the historic home Bellefields, near Croom. She is survived by nieces and nephews and was buried at St. Thomas Church, Croom, next to her husband, John D. Bowling. The officers of the Society extend their. sympathies to the family.
Events of Note in April
April 8: Dr. Emanuel Raymond Lewis speaks on "Seacost Fortifications” at Fort Washington, 2 p.m. Slides. 292-2112.
April 28: Hyattsville 98th anniversary celebration, Magruder Park.
April 28: Farm Day at National Colonial Farm, Accokeek. Rain date is April 29. 301‑283‑2113. No admission fee.
April 28‑29: Civil War encampment at Mary Surratt House, noon to 4 p.m. Phone 868‑1121
No monthly meeting in April. Next meeting: Saturday, May 12.
Upper Marlboro: A Great Town
Cambridge, Maryland‑‑the seat of Dorchester County, on the Eastern Shore‑‑is a lovely town. It has been the home of many distinguished Marylanders, and has a rich and interesting history. In the 1850s, however, the press in Cambridge began making a most extravagant claim: that no other town in Maryland could boast as many illustrious citizens as she. Now those of us in Prince George's County know that that honor truly belongs to Upper Marlboro. On January 27, 1858, the editor of the Planters' Advocate, one of Upper Marlboro's newspapers, took it upon himself to put the press of Cambridge in its place and set the record straight. His rebuttal was entitled "A Great Town."
“... Upper Marlboro furnished, within a few years past, Governor PRATT, a resident of this village‑‑member of the House of Delegates, State Senator, Governor and U.S. Senator successively. REVERDY JOHNSON [U.S. Senator] began his career in this village, as did likewise the Hon. JOHN M.S. CAUSIN. The late Chancellor [John] JOHNSON first started as a lawyer and member of the Upper Marlboro bar, where he practiced many years, and resided in our village. At this time‑‑the hon. WILLIAM H. TUCK (who was also a Major of the Militia at the period of his election) is one of the Judges of the Court of Appeals—
temporarily since his election living in Annapolis, but claiming his residence and voting here. Hon. THOMAS F. BOWIE is in the U.S. Congress‑‑also a General of our State Militia. JOHN B. BROOKE in the State Senate is from this village, and a full Colonel of the 17th. Col. BROOKE succeeded Major. S.H. BERRY, of the 17th, our late worthy State Senator, EDWARD W. BELT‑‑Major in the 35th‑‑in the House of Delegates.
We have less than 80 voters in our village, all told, so don't brag quite so fast, Mr. Herold, even if you are not disposed to haul down your flag. The above are a pretty sharp team, and we have several more of the same sort left in our Little Town, who would adorn any situation to which they might be called‑‑modest men, quietly pursuing the various avocations of life‑‑several of whom have already ‘done the State some service'‑‑Col. DIGGES, HORATIO C. SCOTT, Esq., WILLIAM PINKNEY BROOKE, Esq., each of our town, and Col. THOMAS W. CLAGETT, formerly residing here, but now of Keokuk, Iowa, have each served creditably in the House of Delegates, and the last named is now upon the bench as Circuit Judge in Iowa...."
Tobacco Auctions in Upper Marlboro
The 1983 crop of Southern Maryland tobacco is now being auctioned at the warehouses in Upper Marlboro. Those members of the society who have never witnessed the tobacco auctions are encouraged to pay a visit in this, the 350th year of the old tobacco colony of Maryland. There is no charge. The auctions at the Edelen Brothers Warehouse will go on through the end of April. Call 627‑3550 for details. Hours: 9 a.m. to noon, certain weekdays.
A Letter to the Membership from the President
It has been my privilege to serve as President of the Prince George's County Historical Society since October 1972. My tenure is just three years less than the total service of my eight distinguished predecessors in this office.
At this point in time, for personal reasons and for the future development of our organization, I feel that a change in administration is long overdue. Therefore, I have submitted my resignation to the Board of Directors, to be effective on April 1, 1984.
I wish to express to my colleagues on the Board of Directors and to the general membership deep appreciation for their encouragement, interest, and support over the years. May the Society continue to grow in its efforts to serve the people of Prince George's County through the preservation and dissemination of their precious heritage.
Sincerely yours,
Frederick S. De Marr
A Word of Appreciation from the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors, meeting on March 17 at Riversdale, voted to express most grateful appreciation to Frederick S. De Marr for his twelve years of devoted service as President of the Prince George's County Historical Society. Under his leadership, many new programs were instituted: the St. George's Day Dinner, the St. George's Day Awards, the monthly newsletter, the library and the collections, the tour schedule, and the series of publications which have included the Hopkins atlas, Van Horn's history of the county, and the Index to the registers of historic churches. He has spoken to numerous groups on our county's history, answered hundreds‑‑perhaps thousands‑‑of questions on county history from newspaper reporters, school children, businessmen, and curious citizens. He represented the Society on the Prince George's Historic and Cultural Trust and on the Citizens Advisory Committee forumulating the Historic Sites and Districts Plan. The development of the Society in the past twelve years has been most impressive, and it is due largely to the inspiration and leadership and hard work of President Frederick S. De Marr.
The Society's vice president, John Giannetti, will assume the presidency on April 1. John is no stranger to members of this society: he has worked as program chairman for several years and has been active in numerous civic and historical causes. He led the fight to save the George Washington House in Bladensburg and has served as chairman of the county's Historical and Cultural Trust.
The Society is most fortunate that Fred De Marr will continue to work with the library and collections at Riversdale. He has promised to do more writing on county history, something his schedule as president would not permit. On behalf of the entire Society, we express our thanks to Fred for all of his efforts, and look forward to his continued service in new capacities.
The Prince George's County Historical Society, P.O. Box 14, Riverdale, Maryland 20737. Dues $5.00 per year. Alan Virta, Editor.
NEWS AND NOTES FROM The Prince George's County, Historical Society
Vol XII, no‑ 5 May 1984
The Spring Schedule: Bus Tour in June; No Meeting in May
Because there is already so much going on of a historical nature in May, the Prince George's County Historical Society will not hold a regular meeting this month. We encourage you to get outdoors, enjoy the Spring weather, and take part in some of the historical activities already on the calendar.
On the second Saturday in June‑‑June 9‑‑the Society will conduct a bus tour to St. Mary's City, the l7th‑century capital of Maryland and the focus of the state's 350th anniversary celebrations. If you have not yet seen the new visitors’ center or the many new historical and archeological exhibits, this will be a grand opportunity to do so. A separate sheet with full details and a reservation form accompanies this newsletter.
Be sure not to forget the Festival of Flight on June 16 in Bladensburg. This will be Prince George's County's big public celebration of Maryland's 350th year, as well as the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of America's first balloon flight there, Details follow in this issue of News and Notes.
The Society Honors Frederick S. De Marr
The Society's library and collections‑‑so ably assembled over the past several years by retiring president Frederick S. De Marr, will be named in his honor as the Frederick S. De Marr Library of County History. This was one of the many tributes paid to our retiring president at the Society's St. George's Day Dinner on April 23. A plaster casting of the bronze plaque that will be placed at the entrance to the library was presented to Fred by Paul Lanham, who has been the Society's immediate past president during Fred's twelve years of service. Fred was also presented an engraved desk set as a personal memento of his presidency.
Although Fred has retired from the presidency of this organization, his service to it has by no means come to an end. He will continue to work in the library and continue the task of assembling our superb collection on county history.
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APRIL 23,1696
The Historical Calendar: Much to do!
May 6 Takoma Park House Tour, 1‑5:30 p.m. Price of $4.00 includes a bus. Phone: 270‑8247. Begin at Municipal Bldg.
May l2‑13 Wildlife 84: 30 painters and carvers of wildlife art at St. Barnabas Church, Leeland, on Oak Grove Road. Hours: 10 to 7 Sat.; noon to 5 Sun. Admissions $2 adults, $1 for children. Phone: 249‑9671 or 249‑5305. Great show!
May 12 Laurel Main Street Festival, noon to 5 P.m. Includes free train rides from the B&O station, now 100 years old.
May 12 Marlboro Day in Upper Marlboro. Parade, exhibits, food, entertainment.
May 20 Bowie Heritage Day at the Belair mansion, 2 to 5 p.m. Civil War battle, historical exhibits, and there will be horses at the stables.
Elsewhere: Historic Montgomery County House Tour May 5‑6 (call 762‑1492): Capitol Hill House Tour May 13, (call 543‑8565); Frederick House Tour May 20 (call 301-663-0011).
The St. George s Day Dinner and Awards, 1984
The largest crowd ever to attend a St. George's Day dinner gathered on April 23 to witness the presentation of this year's St. George's Day Awards. The winners were:
The Tanta‑Cove Garden Club of Fort Washington, represented by their president, Pauline Collins, for the publication of their history of Southern Prince George's County, entitled Along the Potomac Shore‑in Prince George's County, and for their efforts toward the creation of a Broad Creek historic district.
The National Quilting Association: represented by former president Alice Skarda, for their efforts in the renaissance of the art of quiltmaking manifested by many displays and demonstrations at our historic sites, and for their efforts in the restoration and interpretation of Marietta, which serves as their national headquarters.
Prince George's Magazine, represented by editor Dennis Reilly, for its emphasis on our historical and cultural heritage and promotion of the positive image of Prince George's County.
Oxon Hill‑Manor Foundation, represented by president Ingrid Britt, which, as a volunteer organization, has exerted herculean efforts in the preservation and interpretation of Oxon Hill Manor, whose history has been a part of the fabric of this county for almost three hundred years.
President John Giannetti presented the awards on behalf of the Society. The Hall of Fame of Prince George's County also made an induction: Governor Robert Bowie (1750-1818), of Mattaponi. Among our guests at the dinner were County Executive Parris Glendening and Comptroller Louis Goldstein. The dinner also celebrated Maryland's 350th anniversary and was co‑hosted by the Maryland Heritage Committee of Prince George's County.
A Frontier Parish...
In 1878 the religious historian William Stevens Perry, D.D., published a multi‑volume work entitled Historical Collections Relating to the American Colonial Church. Volume 4 of that work was devoted to the Anglican Church in Maryland and Delaware, and within its covers are published dozens of contemporary documents‑-chiefly letters and reports‑‑describing the state of the church in those colonies. Perry offers little if any commentary to accompany the text, but lets the documents speak for themselves. Unfortunately, he did not publish the source of each document reproduced, so we cannot say where the originals are today. Nevertheless, the work is quite a valuable one, offering as it does a glimpse at the Anglican Church in colonial Maryland as its Contemporaries saw it.
Among the documents reproduced are several relating to colonial Prince George's County and the Anglican Church here. Perhaps the most interesting among these are questionnaires completed in 1724 by the rectors of Prince George's County’s parishes describing their parishes. The county was not quite thirty years old then and still the frontier and these reports certainly reflect that. We publish below the report of John Fraser, rector of King George's Parish, Prince George's County. King George's was the county's Potomac River parish. It began at the county line (dividing Charles from Prince George's) and extended up the Potomac River to the limits of settlement.
King George Parish, in Prince George's County,
On Potomack River, Maryland
How long is it since you went over to the Plantations as a Missionary?
23 years last Novr. I arrived in Virginia.
Have you had 'any other Church, before you came to that, which you now possess; and if you had, what Church was it, and how long have you been removed?
I served Dr. Geo. Chalmers, rector of Hood, in the diocess of Durham & County of Northumb., in the capacity of a curate, annis 1697, 1698, 1699; the 1st four years after my arrival into Virginia, I was hired by the Parishioners, as the custom then was; obtained a permit from Govr. Nicholson, removed into Maryland, and was inducted into Durham & Portobacco Parishes, in Charles county.
Have you been duly Licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a Missionary, in the Goverment where you now are?
Upon recommendation of the clergy of the Deanery of Banborough and the peculiars of the Dean & chapter of Durham, dated June 4th, 1700, to the then Bishop of London, & had License as a Missionary, dated at Fulham House, Augt. 29, anno 1700, for Virginia.
How long have you been Inducted into your Living?
I was inducted into this parish March 15th, 1709‑10. The only motive of my removal was my‑wife's real Estate being in this Parish, & am the first that ever was inducted into this parish.
Are you ordinarily resident in the Parish to which you have been Inducted?
I am ordinarily resident.
Of what extent is your Parish, and how many Families are there in it?
A frontier parish about 70 miles inhabited, the breadth about 4 miles for the lower 15 miles , 10 miles in breadth for the next 24 miles, and about 20 miles in breadth for the residue, about 1200 taxables & near 400 families.
Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your Parish; and what means are used for their conversion?
The Bond slaves are negroes & mullatos, of wch. sort I have baptized a great many, both infants, but particularly of adults. They frequent my churches ordinarily, & say their Catechism. The free are native Indians, who are aversed to Christianity.
How oft is Divine Service performed in your Church? And what proportion of the Parishioners attend it?
Sundays & some holidays; more were & still are attempted, but to no great effect; frequently a large auditory in both churches.
How oft is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper administered? And what is the usual number of Communicants?
8 times a year; sometimes about 50, sometimes about 70 Communicants in each place.
At what times do you Catchise the Youth of your Parish?
From Easter to Michaelmas.
Are all things duly disposed and provided in the Church, for the decent and orderly performance of Divine Service?
My Parish church in its infancy was twice built with timber of all (word illegible) the half of a poll to a reader; the other half was not sufficient to pay the workmen & keep the wooden churches in repair, & lately built a new church with brick from the ground to the great expences of the Parishioners; not yet able to purchase Glass for window plate, &c.
Of what value is your Living in sterling money, and how does it arise?
The Trade is so uncertain that it is impossible to give a Just account of the true value of it in ster. money.
Have you a House and Glebe? Is your Glebe in Lease, or Let by the Year? Or is it occupied by yourself?
I have a Glebe, not possessed by myself but let by the year, and no house.
Is due care taken to preserve your House in good repair? And at whose expense is it done?
Ut supra.
Have you more Cures than one? If you have, what are they? And in what manner served?
One cure only; served thus, 3 Sundays I preach at my Parish church the 4th at a chapel, and one week day every month I preach and catechise in the new settlements, and on another week day from Easter to Michaelmas as I preach, in a 4th place in another
corner of my Parish, both which places are inconvenient to either church or chapel.
Have you in your Parish any public School for the instruction of Youth? If you have, is
it endowed? And who is the Master?
Private schools only.
Have, you a Parochial Library? If you have, are the Books preserved and kept in good condition? Have you any particular rules and orders for the preserving of them: Are those rules and orders duly observed?
No, not one Book. This parish was but newly seated when Dr. Bray was in this Governmt.
Annapolis., May 28, 1724. J. FRASER
A few words of explanation and commentary are in order.
John Fraser's parish church was St. John's at Broad Creek, "lately built." It stood on the site of the present‑day St. John's, on Livingston Road in the heart of the proposed Broad
Creek historic district. "Present‑day" is hardly the correct adjective to describe St. John's church, however, for it was built to replace Mr. Fraser's church in 1766.
The chapel Fraser refers to was probably Christ Church at Accokeek; the "new settlements" probably referred to the Anacostia River settlements; and the other "corner of my parish" .was very likely Rock Creek. The people of the new settlements. (if we have correctly identified them) worshipped in a log chapel built on land donated by Col. John Addison. This was known as Addison's Chapel. The beautiful little brick church on Addison Road, Seat Pleasant, is a successor to that much older chapel, and stands on the same site. We must admit, however, that this identification of Mr. Fraser's vague references is guesswork. The chapel could very well be Addison's Chapel; the new settlements the settlements on Rock Creek; and the comer of the parish, Accokeek.
Mr. Fraser's wife was Anne Blizzard, who had inherited two estates, St. James on Piscataway Creek and Blue Plains or the Potomac River. Mr. Fraser was thus well situated and thus had no need of a parish house. And although King George's Parish had not a book, the other two parishes of Prince George's County did. St. Paul's Parish, along the Patuxent River in the southern section of the county, had a fine parochial library, and Queen Anne Parish, north of that, relied on its rector's personal collection.
The Rev. John Fraser died on October 1, 1742. He had served King George's Parish for thirty‑two years. His place is filled today by the Rev. John Baldwin.
Stones and Bones: Cemetery Records of Prince George's County
The Prince George's County Genealogical Society has just published a most important reference tool, a listing of the cemetery records of this county. Stones and Bones is published in hardcover, with 674 pages, and thousands of entries. Special pre‑publication price until June 1 is $22.00 (Maryland residents add $1.10 tax). Order from the Genealogical Society at P.O. Box 819‑A, Bowie, Md. 20715. No historian or genealogist of this county should be without this book! After June 1, price is $28.00.
The Festival of Flight June 16
Brightly colored hot‑air balloons will fill the skies at a "Festival of Flight," to be sponsored by the Maryland Heritage Committee of Prince George's County on Saturday, June 16, 1984, at the flood plain area in Bladensburg. The festival will commemorate Maryland's 350th anniversary and celebrate America's first balloon flight, which occurred near Bladensburg on June 17, 1784. The day will begin with a large parade down Route 450. Following the parade, an astronaut, dignitaries, and Peter Carnes, who is a descendant of the first balloonist of the same name, will take part in a dedication ceremony. The master of ceremonies will be Walt Starling, a local air traffic reporter who flies out of the historic College Park Airport. Thomas Crouch, one of the curators at the Air and Space Museum in Washington, will serve as the guest speaker. The festival will feature thirteen hot air balloons tethered for rides, at a fee of five dollars per person per ride; living encampments of the Piscataway Indian tribe; Colonial militia and Union and Confederate army encampments; Fort Washington uniform display; a NASA exhibit featuring the model of the space shuttle and a 200‑million year old moon rock; the Air and Space Museum “200 Years of Flight" exhibit; a flyover by the U.S. Air Force; a display of paintings of historic sites in Maryland; mini‑balloons fashioned after the Maryland 350 Balloon; an exhibit of old coins representing the history of Prince George's County; an art program for children of all ages; a dramatization and exhibit representing contributions of black citizens to Maryland and Prince George's County; musical programs, crafts, a commemorative quilt, and historic house tours. Another feature at the ceremony site will be a postal pictorial cancellation station, which will issue the first such cancellation in the history of the Bladensburg post office. In addition, the Prince George's Post, which is in its fifty‑second year of operations will hold an open house at the historic George Washington House (the newspaper's new home), where the Prince George's Artists' Association will sponsor a painting show. The U.S. Air Force orientation van, a forty‑five seat theater featuring a fifteen minute film on the history of aviation, will also be located at the tavern, while a forty minute film, "To Fly," will be shown at the Prince George's Publick Playhouse (the Cheverly theater). In addition to the activities at the main ceremony site, the Bladensburg Marina, and the George Washington House, a shuttle bus will provide transportation to festivities at the historic College Park Airport where antique planes, films, a museum, and aviation contests will be featured. The Prince George's Jaycees, who are sponsoring a commemorative hot‑air balloon lapel pin, are joined by over forty‑three other organizations and agencies which are supporting this event. This festival will be one of the largest 350th celebrations in the state.
‑‑From a release by the committee
Sounds like a grand time for both children and adults!
A contemporary description of Peter Carnes' first balloon ascent near Bladensburg was printed in the June 1983 issue of News and Notes.
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