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NEWS AND NOTES FROM The Prince George's County Historical Society Vol. XVII, No. 3 March 1989 The March meeting will be held on March 11th a Saturday, at the County Administration Building, Council Auditorium, Upper Marlboro, at 2:00 P.M. You may wish to enter from the lower level where there is parking on Gov. Oden Bowie Drive, then go up to next floor. Our speaker is to be Don Creveling, Archeologist for the Maryland‑National Capital Park and Planning Commission. His subject will be "Recent Archeological Discoveries in Prince George's County." Mr. Creveling brings to us a wide range of experience. He was formerly with the archeological program, Alexandria, Virginia; has done survey and excavation in Tennessee, D. C., Maryland, North Carolina and Delaware. He has worked in St. Mary's City and Annapolis. His particular interest is the archeological history and pre‑history of the Middle Atlantic region. A graduate of the University of Maryland in anthropology, he is completing work on a Master's degree there in applied anthropology. Bring a guest if you wish to this interesting lecture. After the lecture, we hear from Joyce McDonald, we are invited to go the short distance across the street for refreshments at Darnell's Chance. This beautifully restored old mansion will be interesting to see and a very nice site indeed, for our social hour. PRINCE GEORGE IF S COUNTY, MARYLAND ERECTED ON ST. GEORGE'S DAY, APRIL 23.1696 THE (NEW) ST. GEORGE'S DAY CELEBRATION Spend a pleasant Sunday afternoon celebrating Saint George's Day, April 23. Meet at the Marlboro Hunt Club for a dinner of a typical Maryland buffet with crab cakes, fried chicken and country ham. Enjoy 19th Century music. The afternoon will feature: 1:30 Cocktails and Music 2:00 Program 3:00 Dinner followed by music and Hall of Fame presentation.
Ethel A. Belinky Sheila Breeden Dieter and Brigit Brill Robert and Rachel Brown Mr. and Mrs. Henry Cirbee James F. Clements Martha Lee Davis‑Salime Mrs. Addison Gamble Cecelia Gentilini Marianne M. Gill Ellen N. Hart Dorothy A. King Mrs. Meta Lagerwerff F. Richard Malzone Mr. and Mrs. John Marshall Jean Peters Steve and Kenzie Raulin Hugh B. Robey Ogdenia M. Singletary Jeffrey D. Spalding Marla J. Stripling Amy R. Stuven Clair D. Wilcoxon We are delighted to welcome you to the Prince George's County Historical Society. OUR SOCIETY IS REACHING OUT One of the goals that the Board of Directors of this Society has undertaken, Cheryl Adams reports, is to establish one or more outreach programs in our schools. We have "brainstormed" ideas, for example, such as establishing a member speakers' list, starting a school essay contest about our County, and introducing new teachers to our County's history. All of these ideas have merit and are possible, but only with the help of the membership. We need people who are interested in school outreach to help us plan and present programs. The following ideas have been suggested by social studies teachers or Society board members: Women in Prince George's County, past and present. The Political History of Our County. Early Family Life in Our County. Architectural Study ‑ Our County's Buildings. Economic Changes in Our County. We know that our membership is a knowledgeable one. We are calling upon you. If you would like to help plan any of these programs or one of your own; or if you have the time to make school presentations, please contact Cheryl Adams at 577‑2339 (h) or 434‑0700 (w). It may be possible to make a video recording of a presentation, if a participating member is not available as a speaker during the school day. HOUSE AND GARDEN PILGRIMAGE "Pilgrims" in 1989, to Maryland’s unique and beautiful gardens and houses have eight tours awaiting them according to information received from Fred DeMarr. In addition to the traditional offering of fine houses and gardens, this year there will also be tours of five unique and small Maryland towns. Proceeds go toward restoration projects. Tickets ($12.00 for all the tours, or $4.00 for a single house) are available at Pilgrimage Headquarters, 1105‑A Providence Road, Towson, MD 21204. (301) 821‑6933. Tour books are also to be available as of March 15th. Tours begin April 23 and end on May 7th. Tours will include Anne Arundel, Charles, Cecil, Kent, Frederick, Washington Counties; Oxford and Dickeyville towns. FROM THE PEN OF R. LEE VAN HORN [Submitted by Paul Lanham, from Out of the Past, by Judge Van Horn.] "Marlborough had been originally laid out in the year 1706 but in 1744 the General Assembly found it necessary to redefine the boundary lines. Also, at that time, the Assembly required all houses therein to have brick or stone chmneys within twelve months to avoid a fine of five shillings per month for violation." [ p. 80. ] "The Maryland Gazette of September 6, 1745 announced a fair to be held that month near Queen Anne Town in Prince George's County and horse racing in connection therewith. Prize money was thirty pounds on day one and twenty on day two; heats were two miles in length and riders limited to 110 pounds." [ p. 83. ] "On September 25, 1745, Christopher Lowndes advertised a twenty shilling reward for the return of two horses and a thirty shilling reward for apprehension of the offendors. He cautioned that one horse was 'very much afraid of having his ears touched,' and that the offenders 'have with them a gun or two.' " [p. 83.] Bostwick, built by Christopher Lowndes "is situated on 48th St. in Bladensburg and there it stands with calm dignity and that mien that is only acquired after overcoming all attacks by storms and decay and winning the contest with the greatest of all tyrants, time." [ p. 84.] "The Provincial General Assembly in 1748 reported to petitioners in the lower part of Prince George's County by transferring land apparently north of the Rolling Road and south of Mattawoman Creek to become part of Charles County effective June 1, 1749. [ p. 85. ] "Chapter 15 of the Acts of the General Assembly was entitled Van act to divide and erect a new county by the name of Frederick County.' " effective Dec. 10, 1748. [ p. 85.] SPRING BUS TOUR SET to visit places in Washington, D.C. that are sure to interest Society members. For example, one stop will be the newly reopened home, Tudor Place, Georgetown, of Thomas and Martha Custis Peter. Our tour planner, Warren "Dusty" Rhodes has given us full particulars and a sign‑up sheet in this News and Notes. It promises to be an unusual and delightful tour. MARIETTA RENOVATIONS CONTINUE Sarah Mosley has noted that the Marietta House committee is busy with renovations and scheduled activities. A very small group of women are doing a great deal of work to carry out these endeavors. Additional helpers will be much appreciated. It is interesting and rewarding work. PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY POSTAL SERVICE By Don D. Skarda The News and Notes of the Prince George's County Historical Society of April 1973 contained an article, "On The Postal Service in Prince George's County," by Frederick S. DeMarr. As background, the article stated in part: "In 1704 the Maryland Legislators obliged the sheriff of each county to deliver all official government communications within his jurisdiction. Much later a Royal Post was established by the Crown and then, in 1775, the Second Continental Congress authorized the Continental Post under Benjamin Franklin as Postmaster General." Thus began what was to become the U. S. Postal Service. Under the authorization cited above, in 1776 Bladensburg and Upper Marlboro became the first official Post Offices in Prince George's County. The first Postmasters were Christopher Lowndes and Stephen West respectively. The initial spelling was "Upper Marlborough," which was changed to the present spelling in 1893. Both Post Offices continue in operation today but many of the subsequently authorized postal facilities in the County operated only briefly and the locations of some of them are no longer known. Since late in the 18th and 19th centuries, these postal facilities were located in general merchandise stores, at boat landings, and in travelers 'ordinaries,' not in well established communities. Others changed names or locations one or more times. Any business establishment that could partition off a small corner for a postal facility was usually authorized to do so. Obviously, these early post offices did not make mail deliveries or pickups. Patrons came to the post offices to transact such business. Contracts were also awarded for the networking of the postal facilities; some by rail, some by boat, but most by horse drawn conveyance. Such contracts specified the frequency of service, the route to be taken, and even such specifics as "by four‑horse post coach," or "by two‑horse stage." The following listing of 18th and 19th century postal facilities includes only those which are no longer active, those which have changed name, and those whose location is no longer known. Readers of this article are requested to contact the author if they can shed some light on the unknown locations. The source of the listing below is the Postal Service Archives. P.O. Name Date Est. Date Disc’d 1st P.M. Notes Agricultural College 10/15/1859 8/14/1890 John 0. Wharton Bellevue 8/29/1878 1/10/1882 Joseph T. Boswell Birdlawn 11/21/1895 5/11/1896 George F. Kirby Blithewood 5/27/1875 10/11/1877 L.Mont.Magruder Buena Vista 4/7/1851 10/16/1877 Wm.T.Duvall Buxton's 4/15/1884 3/19/1891 John H. Buxton, (Changed to Mistletoe Spring) Cedars 7/10/1882 6/23/1883 Geo.W.Beall Central Inn 5/20/1823 11/10/1823 Benj. B. Myers Charlton Heights 11/17/1890 4/2/1896 M.E. Carrier (Changed to Berwyn) Contee's Station 2/15/1871 6/28/1880 Chas. S. Contee Fort Foote 1/3/1871 11/6/1893 James Quintin (Changed to New Glatz) Good Luck 10/8/1830 2/9/1852 R.M. Beall (Changed from Magruder's) Good Luck 6/19/1872 5/18/1876 John Welsh (Changed to Glenn Dale) Hicks Mill 9/9/1879 5/30/1900 John W. Hicks Horse Head 6/12/1819 9/9/1893 Rich. T. Hall (Changed to Baden) Huntington City 1/26/1871 2/18/1873 John C. Lang (Changed to Bowie) Laurel Factory 2/11/1837 6/14/1873 Edward Snowden (Changed to Laurel) Long Old Fields 1/25/1827 1/6/1864 Elisha Perry Magruder's 1/6/1817 10/8/1830 Henry Magruder (Changed to Good Luck) Meadows 4/24/1883 10/8/1884 Enos Pumphrey Mellwood 10/5/1869 1/13/1876 Wallace R. Hall Mistletoe Spring 3/19/1891 3/31/1892 John H. Buxton (Changed from Buxton's) Mount Welby 2/9/1853 10/5/1855 George S. Cox North Keys 7/30/1873 12/19/1894 Henry H. Sasscer (Changed to Northkeys) Oak Crest 3/29/1892 10/15/1896 Wm.I.M. Bowles Oak Grove 8/3/1866 1/22/1883 R.M. Magruder (Changed to Leeland) Palmer's Tavern 2/25/1829 6/9/1849 John Palmer Pine Grove 8/8/1871 3/4/1872 Jos. B. Sipe (Changed to Lanham) Queen Ann 3/l/1796 6/3/1865 Soloman Sparrow Robeystown 5/3/1865 10/10/1878 Andrew V. Robey (Changed to Clinton) Rosaryville 9/20/1869 10/20/1925 Henry W. Clagett Saint Ignatius 3/5/1852 9/2/1852 Thomas Cusak Silver Hill 6/6/1864 12/1895 Andrew Messer Suitsville 8/1867 2/17/1875 Geo. T. Suit (Changed to Brightseat) Surratt's 10/6/1854 5/3/1865 J. H. Surratt (Changed to Robeystown) Temples 10/6/1881 6/6/1887 Wm. F. Gardner Vansville 4/1804 9/28/1825 Edward Hall (Changed to Beltsville) Watson 11/26/1869 5/13/1872 John F. Watson Welby 12/27/1814 6/4/1823 John H. DeBritts Woodmoor 6/7/1877 7/23/1878 Lewis R. Wood Woodyards 6/20/1890 4/21/1891 M.V.P. Kidwell End
A Women's History Lecture Series, sponsored by Prince George's Community College will be held with lectures on the following dates. For more information please call 322‑0797. March 8 "Women of 18th Century Maryland," Shirley Baltz, 6:30‑9:30 P.M. Marietta, Glenn Dale. March 11, "The Changing Role of Women During the Civil War," Laurie Verge, 10:00 AM until Noon, Surratt House, Clinton. March 29, "Rosalie Stier Calvert of Riversdale," Susan Pearl, 6:30 ‑9:30 PM, Darnall's Chance, Upper Marlboro. 
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