The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-11
PRICE TWO CENTS.
OLD WYE HALL In FLAMES.
THE EyTR fOEDINIRY HTSTORY OF
NOTED M.IRTL.IND F.IMJLY.
Memories Revived by the Burning or Johs
rncn's Mnnsion-lA Twin or the WHIT,
House-A IrnEedy-Gov. PRcl's Portrait

QUEENSTOWN, Ml.,tFnb. i0-Twb Ocrur-
rences Of tho week have recalled yivid.y to tn,
people Of this out-oi-the-wny land tho ovrntfu
history OF the Pacas. On sunday tho Islander
OF the Wye learned that Mrs Mariana Eden
Paca. n noted woman Of her race. had Just died
and on Monday they saw Wye Hail. tho twin
mansion OF the White House ut Washington
and the most notable building in all Maryland
burn to the ground. with ita stores Of relics and
rare mcmantors Of the past. Henry WinteI
Davis used 10 say that. apart from the Carrols.
tho pacas were the most Interesting iainily in
Maryland. Tho family is now almost cXiiact
Gov. William Paca OF Wye Hall. Hartford
County. first brought the family in;o promi-
ncncc He was born in 17l0. crossed to I,on-
don, studied ut tho Middle Temple, WIS hot
opponent o' Grorgc ILL.,. d.lc.slt" 10 Congress-.
si.ncr of tie Declaration. the husband OF
Chow. Governor Of Maryland. and what not.
Governor William onn day sent his eldest son.
John. down the Chesapeake on cruise with
orders to buy an island. John rounded Kent
Island. and sailed up dancing. ow-brnk0d
little river, which he called tho Wye. Tho Wye
runs up into Queen Annc's County On the
Eastern shore OF the Chesapeake for few miles.
and branches of into creeks. ono Of which is
now icclocked Mt the foot OF this old town. Not
far from tho mouth Of this river John came
upon tho island that he wanted. This low. WELL
wooded. little bit ot soa land. shaped ike dol
phin. and containing 2.7OO ncrcs. was selected
and named Wye Island John asked or his
father then Judge Of tho Unitcl States District
Court for Maryland. s2n.0O0. with which TO
build mansion that should be- called Wye Hall
and become tho centre OF tho Pncn domain.
The money was freely gvcn-ths was In l70i-
and when John cnst about him for u dosign he
learned that mansion. to b. called the " White
HQusi. was soon To- bn erected nt the now capt
ffal In
accordingly sailed to BaltimOrr. aud th"rc mJ
the architect who had planned the original do
sign OF the Capitol The architect copied the
design for the White House and upon theso
plans WE Hall was built ON the south end Of
the ilve-inile-Ong island.
The house hnd in its front u long. broad
lawn running northward down a slopin. bank
to tue river. The building WAS in three parts.
wings on the east AMI west connected by q long
hall. Tho main building contained l"txo
drawing room, which extended IT. vntir" with.
with doors opening on tue north aud south INTO
large pOrticos. the gable roofs Of whi'H were
supported by massive columns oi hri.S. ruv-
erod with mortar resembling stone. over the
main building were chambers Tor the family.
chambers generally devoted - III" guests. In
the rear Of the mansion eXtcnd'l another lawn
the south luwu-cmbcllishcl with shguNhcry.
Approaching from the north. the visitor pnsecd
up nigh steps to pOttlco, along when cNlvudcd
Doric columns, Awide double doorway 9p,nrd
an adult at the other end looked Ike boy, ops
pJsite tho hall door was that " Tho drawing
guests. John Paca furnished the houS- ~ the
most costly style. The drawing room hrt slx
windows. and each was drapcd with q fl.ODO
curtain. Upon the walls were mirrors 80 .hrge
| that they wore great curiusiiies IA tlmi lay.
| Over thn mant"lpecc ihnt snrmovnlni W ,iro-
| place hung life sizc portrait oi N!'l'hm fnrA
| copies oi which are now in Independence Hall
| philadelphia and ut the Annapois STATE House
| On the walls were many other portraits OF thi
| Pncus. Chcws. lloYds. and olheI mnnbrrs ol
! tho family Upon occasions tnc drnw.nI t9os
| became ballroom, aud over the polished u3Of
| the mluupt Wtle WNlkol as ~ nowhere rlSe
Whcn John Paca. after good long lie and
useful one. too for he cultivated his lanl Turn:
he a,res mt E,Th Wheat tgSs .Id% ann
son William b. Paca fcll heir TO the csia,e
! William i. Paca Lad three sons, Jol 7" CheM
| and james Phillips-boh Of the latter weak,
minded. And SO the family Lived up to and
| through the war. bning ara ,nt Unionis'S
William D. raca lived at Wyo Hall when tn,
spring Of 1915 opened, his sor; having Grows
To manhood. On the mainland lived Mrs. hiri
nnna +, Paca., widow of williams youngeI
brother Edward Tighman Paca. anI her sor
John aud brother. Albert Jones, both r.mrm
morning Of the Sih Of March, 1865. John aud
| Albert We're leaning against a irnrc 10y IA.
! roalsdc when Wiium y. AMI hi, sons came
riding by. William b.. who se'ms 10 have bfe9
| OF Oycrbclring manners, spoke harshly TO ms
nephew, bidding him l'np thr. fence and ap
| pronch his horse. Tho uncle ilourish"i rid
drawn across his Shoulders should he oiHy
! He therefor" stood by he fence and laughed
! and James hal their duckinGgu acro-s tleu
saddles. As soon as they saw the laugh thei
| unsimppod ihr guns. 20,
"i'ii tSaSSCc SEitb,air;t. rmcpi"d m James.
John and Albert turned to run. but tho aim q
| the imbcci!es WAS perfect. John and Albert lel
Wiliam Ii. ana his son. John p. wcrc trod
nj th3 May term OF the Talbot County Court, ~
1865. and found not guilty. Tho iinheclrs had
done the shooting; Chew and James wer@ tried
and utuultlnI IlWN wore lnllA' 'llN-, Aitl " the
killing wore murder, thon the iaiher, William
H. aud the sound-mndcd SON. John l." we're
responsible for it, So there was no ono pun
ishrd fcr tho crime.
shorty piier 4S 9iGGGi'iRl' The pewsg"pgsn PC
signor. had Just boon found dend Gt Wye Hail
Queen Apnp's MI" a year passed; John p
shadow one morning his holy was fonnd
stretched lcnsthwise with his tathor's grave.
bullot hole in his hend and q revolver IN M
violent death, Jamrs rhilp, ono of the limbo
Giles took the pet dog OF Wye Hall and led him
tho dogs noel, and moved to the edge Of ths
boat landing. He raised the Struggling, snap
H." nick of the fnll the imhac.l,'s arm caught 10
the rope. he was dragged forward with the cog
and Jam.e Phillip Pa,u, pet dog aud stone went
| into the Wye with a SplaSh meyer to come up
Tho maiden name OF Mrs. " lliiam B. Paca ws
rAilllts. ShE MPs an ,eAgo.iGni MoiggiRn' nna
the strain for long tinir, hut NJ the last trag ~
lost her mind. and is now an inmate OF the llal.
Paraa. Chew sti lives. In tAc spring AMI sum,
mcr ho cnn be se'n playing lump-ropo with the
Soon After the new, of ihc death of Mrs Mari.
anna pncu lwho was u blood relative of John r.
Kennedy. the author of mote. llaI reached NYq
ths ri sht wing Of WYE Holi Tho Islanders
gathered quickH. shorrncn ran across lhe -,
work ni thr mouth of The Wye. sailing up to seG
tho end of the Paca9 S'Nerl mon hurr'i loi
lint the IIlI Win tllt lr iN 10