, 1879-02-16
couTa.ed among the tyrannes and fears OF
absolute governments? Very respeettgli YOURS
THE PACAS.
Extraordinary History of a Noted Maryland
Family.

QUEENSTOWN, Md, Feb 10.-Iwo occur
rcnces OF tile week haye recalled yiyidly to the
people Of this out-of- the-way land the eVentfui
history Of tue Pacas. On Sunday the Islanders
of the Wye learned that Mrs. Mariana Eden
Paca, noted woman Of her race, had just died,
and on Monday they saw Wye Hall, the twin
mansion Of the White House at Washington,
and the most notable building in all Maryland,
burn to the ground, with its stores Of relics and
rare mementoes OF tile past. Henry Winter
Davis used to say that, apart from the CAROLS,
the Pacas were the most interesting family IN
Maryland. The family is now extinct.
Gov. William Paca, of Wye Hall, Hartford
County, first brought the family into pronli-
ucnce. He was born III 1740, crossed to London,
studied at the Middle Temple, was hot oppo-
ncnt Of George Ill, Delegate to Congress, q
sigper OF the Declaration, the husband of q
Chew, Governor Of Maryland, aud what not.
Governor William one day sent his eldest son,
John, down the Chesapeake on cruise with
orders to buy an isa d. John rounded Kent
Island, and sailed up uancing, low-banked
little river, which he called the WE. The Wye
runs. up into Queen Ann.'s County, OH the
eastern shore Of tie Chesapeake for few
miles, If aud x,ch BRANCHES e oil aokcG Into sFe'ks
the foot of this old town. Not far from the
mouth Of this river John came upon the island
| that TIC wanted. This low, wel-wooded little
bit Of sea land, shaped like dolphin, and con-
Wye lslaud. John asked Of bis father, then
Judge Of the United States District Court
for Maryland, $4,000, with which to
build masion that should De called Wye Hall
aud become the centre Of the Paca domaln. The
| money was freely giyen,-this Was In 17W,-
aud wnen John cast about him Tor design he
learned that mansion, to be called the ''Nhltc
House." was soon to be erected at the new Capt.
! tai of the Republic the City OF Washington. lie
accordingly sailed to Baltimore, aud there met
tile architect who hul planned the original dt-
| sign Of the Cupitol. The architect copied the
| uesign for the White uousc, and upon these
| plans Wye Hall was built on the south eud OF
| thu fve-lnile-long island.
| The house had in its front long, broad lawn
| running northward down sloping bank to the
| river. The building was in three parts-a large
centre structure OF Two stories, with wings on
| the east ind west connected by q long nall. The
main building contained large urawlng-roon,
which extended its entire width, with
| doors opening on tile north and south into
| large porticos, the gable roofs Of which we're
supported by massive columns Of brick, covered
| with mortar resembling stone. Over the main
| buiidin. were chambers for the falniy, and on
| either side of the drawng-room were chambers
| generally devoted to the guests. In the rear
| ot the mansion extended another laWn-the
south 1awn-cmbellishcd with shrubhcry. Ap-
! p:oarb;ug from the north, the visitor passed
11p high Steps to portico, along which extended
Doric columns. A wide double doorway opened
into tite hall. Standing III one end OF the hall,
| an adult at the other cnd looked like boy. Op-
posite the hall door was that Of the drawing.
| room the place Of gathering for the family anu
guests. john Paca furnished the house IN The
most costly style. The drawing-room had six
windows, aud each was draped with u 81 ,Uo0
curtain. Upon the walls were mirrors so large
that they were great curlos'tles IN ihst aay'
! Over the mantelpiecc that surmouuted the lire
| place hung llfe-size portrait Of William Iaca,
| comics OF which are now in Independence Hall,
| Philadelphia, and at the Annapolis state-House.
On the walls we're mauy Other portraits u tnc
| Pacas, Chewa, Lloyds, and other members of
! the family. Upon occasions the drawing-rooma
| BECAME q ballroom, and over the polished Aoor
| the miuuct was walked as it was nowhere else
| iu Maryland.
When John paca, uiter good long life and
useful one, too, for he cultivated his land turn
| fur tic 2,iOO acres into rich wheat fields aud
| seudine the first expectation of brcadstutfs from
tie United States to Engand), at last died, his
| son William B. Para fell heir to the estate.
| William B, Paca had three sons. John r.,
| Chew, and James Fnillips-botn OF the latter
| wralS-tniudcd And so the family lived up to
and through the War. being aruent Unionlsts.
William. B. Paca lived at Wye uall when the
snrjnr OF 1875 opened, LIS SOUS having grown to
nauhood. On the mainland lived Mrs: slarial,-
M 8. Paca, widow Of Williams Younger brother
Edward Tilghman Paca; mud her SOU Johu, and
brother, Albert Jones, both remembered now as
manly young 1ellows: oa tne nolnus "a ti.ans ln
were leaning against q fence by the
roadside when William B. and his sons came
riding by. William B., who seems TO have been
offoyerbearing manners, spoke harshly 70 hfs
nephew, bidding hlm leap ue lenee anu r,, ap
wnip, and John feared that it would be drawn
across Ills shoulders should be obey. He there
fore stood by the fence and Laughed. ING two
Younger sons Of William b. Paca, Chew
| &1,o$r f7t,t.1-i inrr
saddles AS soon as they saw the laugh they
! uustrappcd the guns.
| nrll tanc Johi,n said Chew.
"Ifl take Albert" replied James.
John and Albert turned to run, but the aim OF
the imbcelc WIS perfect. John anu Albert tc1l
dead in their tracks.
William B. and his sou, John F., were tried
ut the May term Of the Talbot County Court IN
1865, and found not guilty. The in1bcciles had
done tic shooting. Chew and James we're tried
at tue May term Of the Caroline County Court
and acquitted. They were itnbeciles, and II the
killing were murder, then tie father, William
| B., aud the sound-mlnded son, John r., were
| responsible for it. SO there Was no one puhlsned
| for the crime. .
Shortly after his acquittal, the newspapers
announced that Is William b. Paca, q son Of q
signcr,' had just been found dead at wye Ha1i,
Queen Anne's, Md" \ year passed. John T.
Faca, the heir Of Wye Hail, moved about like q
slladow. One morning his body was found
stretched lenethwisc with his fathcr's grave, q
buiIet-hole in his head and revolver IN big
grasp. Not many months after this fourth
yioIent death, james Phillip, one Of the ln1c'
Giles, TOOK the pet doc Of Wye Hall and led him
duwn to the river. He tied heavy stone about
the dogs neck and moved to the edge OF the
boatSlundng. lie raised the struggling, snap
ming dog in his arms and gave forward toss. In
thc nick OF the tall the imhecile's arm caught IN
the ropc, he was dragged forward with tile dog,
and James Phillip Paca, pct dog, and stone went
into the WYE with splash, never to come up
Ihc maiden name Of Mrs. William B. Paca was
Phillips, She was an excellent woman, anu
Ioved her husband and boys dearly. She stood
the strain for long time, but at the last
tragedy lost her mind, and is now an inmate o.
the Baltimore Asylum for the Insane. One o.
the Pacas, Chew, still lives. In the spring ame
summer lie eau be seen playing jump-rope VILE
tile children.
Soon alter the news of the death OF Mrs
Mar1anua Paca (who was blood relative OF Joht
+. Kennedy, the author Of notc) hau Teachcc
Wyc. puff Of smoke came from the extreme
end Of tie right wing Of Wye Hall. The Islander!
gathered quickly, shorcmcn ran across the n lvt
IRON, the mainland, aud dredgers stopped theil
work at the mouth OF the Wye, sailing up TO SIT
tlle end Of the Pacas. Several men hurried io
buckets. many entered the hall TO save the 1ur
niture, but the mass stood with their hands II
their pockets, while the wind, whlstllng IRON
$41r @fF1t