Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-07-13
A Historic Glance at St. Johns Epis-
copal Church, 0lney-Its Early
and Later Days.


The development of county is shown n
the history of its churches. Four distinct.
i've starting points in Montgomery are yet
living landmarks of early progress.
"Rock Creek Church" itself an offshoot of
st. Johns Parish of Prince Georges coun
ty, stands first "The Chapel Of Ease"
whose petitioners in 1853 addressed Gov.
Sharpe for permission 10 erect parish chap
ell within the boundaries of Rawlings river
and the Patuxent, leaves not q stone, and
but few remaining families, to mark where
it stood-but st. Luke's Chapel is thought
to stand near the spot, and hold its territory
as the second movement in Montgomery g
progress.
In 1891, the western section of the terri
tory still lying along Rawlings river,
marked off another boundary known as st.
Bartholomew Parish, but it still held al
legiance to its parent parish, Rock Creek, in
it's arrangements for church service until
1S43. On the 4th day of April, 1874, Rev.
Orlando Hutton, of Brookeville, was called
TO the charge.
In the meantime, Dr. Hutton had initiated
movement for the erection of St. Johns,
at Mechanicsville, and in 1916, on the 25th
OF March 1t was organized into district
church, DR.. Hutton being called to BOTH
This separation was taken under the act of
1902, and Thomas j. Bowie, Rich'd Holmes
Elisha j. Hall, DR.. VIM. b. Magruder, Re-
mus Riggs, Ephraim Gather, John w. Oar
by and Enoch Hutton were made the first
vestry, required to take the oath and sign
their names to the constitution then adopt
ed. All, except Messrs. Gather, Hutton
and Darby, appeared before Jas. II. Brooke
and George W. Hall, two Justices Of the
Peace, and qualified. St. Bartholomew 8
agreed to the withdrawal and called for a
consultation upon the disposal of the par
sonage at Rockville. There was also con-
treversy between st. Bartholomew and its
adjacent territory of Prince Georges, in
which St. Johns declined to enter Mr..
George w. Hall was elected first Registrar
and was requested to put the constitution OF
the church upon record. He was also ap-
pointed delegate to the Diocesan Conven-
ton, with instructions to offer resolutions
applying for admission. Mr.. Ephraim Gal.
Their having declined the office of vestryman,
DR.. Il. I'll. Speake was elected.
On the 21st of August, 1916, the church
was consecrated in the presence of the vestry
and wardens, by Bishop Nottingham, then
in the fifth year of his administration. In
1846, a committee, Messrs. Thomas j. Bowie
and Elisha j. Hall, had the church painted
and the lot enclosed
There seems 10 have been break in the
records until 1861, but your compiler, as a
student at Brookeville Academy, sat under
DR.. Hutton's ministry during portion OF
that interval, and knows how gradually DR..
Hutton was cultivating the seed already sown
for great good. He remembers when our
popular Washington B. Chichester, ST., fur
Their united the two churches by bringing to
st. Johns his handsome bride from Haw-
ling's river.
During that interval, also, DIR. Hutton
held an afternoon service in Mrs. Mary P0r-
ter's large seminary in BrookeviIle, now the
residence of DIR. James s. Martin
DR.. Hutton resigned in 1861. The vestry
in June, 1861, sought to induce him to with
draw his resignation and resume control OF
both churches, but he had taken up his life
work in Mount Calvary church, Howard
county, and he thought best to resign both
here.
Your compiler was one of the first TO fol-
low him in that good work. Afterwards he
was induced to unite with st. Bartholomew g
whilst St. Johns sought union with Rock
Creek.
In 1862, DIR. Magruder, r. Is. Hutton, A
X. Wadsworth, II, b. Cashell, Chas. Albert,
Samuel Cashell, Thomas j ID. Bowie and
Thomas J Holland were elected to the YES :
try In 1866, DR.. James S. Martin sue
ceeded Mr.. Wadsworth. During that year
Rev. b. f. Brown, who had been officiating
was granted leave of absence for six weeks
1t was then resolved to make st. Johns in
dependent and self sustaining.
Mrs. Norris, OF Baltimore, presented {
handsome baptismal font, corresponding
with the silver communion set.
Messrs. Allen Bowie Davis and Remu,
Riggs, as a memorial to their deceased sons
undertook to build branch church il
Brookeville, but il ended in Mr.. Davis put
ting memorial window, representing the
fl CURE of St. John, in st. Johns chancel.
Rev. Peter Tinsley was, in 1866, called
In 1857, Mr.. George Hyatt presented the
cemetery lot and a. roadway leading from
the pike. In that same year, Mr.. Tinsley
resigned to take up q more extended work
at the University of Virginia and Rev. Jos
+. Poindexter was called to the pastorate
and parsonage, which had been decided by
Mr. Davis MIR. j d. Parkinson, Principal
of Brookeyille Academy, was then elected
registrar in place of Mr.. Il. j. Holland, who
had resigned la 1868, Mr.. Poindexter Of
fered his resignation and the vestry resolved
to elect a minister for one year and no less.
A move was again made to unite with st.
Bartholomew, and Rev VIM. Il. Duncan
was elected, with Mr.. Charles Albert lay
In 1s8s The cemeterv lots were sold the
nroceeds IN be devoted IN Their fnrtber i'm :.
rrovemen, +, 1s7n M parLinaon bauina
tar, Inc Acodamv M hart wos aiec,a3
roa;0,rar md NJ Irhoa I HoIland ba vino
$500 ,ha otfioa IF traao,,rar NJ Thos
ID. Bowie succeeded. A new organ was
;ns,,,n,aS ~ ,y LII anoiad nocvoaac w 49,,
onn,;noon, oxne,oes and In 1s7I ,his avo
~, LIS adon,ad ~ NO., tha on,i-a ~ -
o OS ,ha cbnrcb when M Rohort NJ MocLa ali
u .n. VIC a,e e ,roasnrar w. D" OH
T.. 1870 NJ Wasn;no,o, pov;. ,I-o,,h
s,,ncssos,,, aenr,s tnrneS over aanerp,a
oEo.iSm - ,hn ohn.ch axnanoas e"o'''
a new Factory was in 1870 determiped
rnon ond Dr Martin and NJ Thomaa +
Yriian ~ ,.aro onnn;n,ed ,n ooIi mo "VaIIav
Hona.." w. iii ~, NV " '''' ''' '"0'
I'VE Tha ,o,y ao oa .hv bs v;n heo, como,.,.d
49, 10 nraa-'r', az ,ha arJ;no hn,,s,. IF
~ pon 40 . pJor. 9v a, . nSrad for W
a ano o ia " .n"s yr, Ta' W;as Ella hnr,
ase anu w"o p aoo;a;n nhn",d"d ,hanLs