Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-10
Calvert Monument.


ION this place where now reside there
lived many years back Athanasius Fem
wick. descendant of one of the followers
Of Calvert. He was a peculiar man, hav-
ing imbibed the radical notions of religion
and government that prevailed in Paris
during the reign of terror, of which he was
spectator. He died here in 1924 Forty
five years later, at the request of his rela-
tives IN New Jersey. had the remains DIS
inferred"
Mr.. Coad informed me that when st. Ini-
goes house burned the banquet table used
by Lord Baltimore was rescued, and is pre-
served in Georgetown College. 1t is a mis-
sive table of oak, oval in shape. Another
incident narrated was the recovery by
Capt. Carberry Of Washington from the
bottom of the river of several brass can
non, which had been once mounted in the
fort of the Jesuits. They were precipitated
into the stream by the caving of the foun-
dations. One of the cannon was presented
to the state and others were used as boun-
dairy posts.
From Mr.. Coad's to ST. Mary's City is a
short run, with good breeze. The view
as we approach is very lovely. The river
branches cut into creeks and bays, which
wash the white sandy beaches along the
feet of cliffs and activities surmounted by
woody crest is. Amid the trees browning an
elevated headland Is observed the cross on
the spire of st. Mary's Church, and the
ing the hill, the visitor comes upon the site
of the old city, of which there are few YES
tigeS left.
Site of the Town.
The site Of the town was plain extend
ing for a mile along the southeastern shore
and terminating in the point Of lard upoE
which stood the fort. state house. chapel.
the residence Of the governor. and other
government buildings. OF these there re-
main a chapel Of the Episcopal Church.
constructed on the site of the state house.
and another building Of considerable size.
which in 1914 was converted into n school,
and is now used as girls seminary. There
are other memorials of colonial days in the
graves which fill the space around the
chapel.
Few authentic descriptions OF the st.
Mary's city have been preserved. Even the
place of the Calvert tomb is involved in
doubt, but it is said the vault. was dis
tinguishable fifty years ago, and was about
fifteen feet from the northwest angie of
the church. In 1923 some young men on a
spree broke open the vault, forced off the
lid of the coffin. and revealed the remains
of a woman richly dressed and adorned
with trinkets of gold. On exposure to the
air the body became a mass of dust and
tones. This was supposed to have been the
body of the wife of Lord Baltimore, but it
is more likely that the remains were those
of Lady Copley, wife of the first royal
governor.
st. Mary's Church was built partly from
the remains of the state house. The land
on which it stands was originally crown
property, but, on the removal of the gov
eminent offices TO Annapolis In 169i, 1t was
granted to the Church of England, the es-
tabiished church of the province. Inc ex-
listing church was erected under the super
vision of Rev. r. H. Mitchell.
The Calvert Monument.
In the graveyard are many headpieces
bearing dates that have become illegible
from age Some years ago there was in
a good state of preservation headpost to
mark the grave of child that died, &C
cording to the inscription, in iii. The
Lionel Copley tomb is much older. In 1880
the legislature of Maryland erected mon
ument to Governor Leonard Calvert 1t Is
a graceful shaft, standing near the brow OF
the cliff and displays on its four SIDES H.
scriptions.
The ecclesiastical annals of st. Mary s
are as interesting as its political and So
cial history. The band OF colonlsts led by
Leonard Calvert were almost exclusively
Catholics, and among them was no Protest
ant clergyman. The Jesuit fathers. White
and Altman. who came over with calvert
were soon after Joined by two other priests
from the College of Douay, and four mis-
sions were established-one at st. Mary 9,
and the others at Mattapany. near the
mouth of the Patuxent. on Kent Island In
the Chesapeake, and among the Piscata-
way Indians.
The eolonists having invited into the
province the oppressed Of all creeds there
was soon an influx of Puritans, who set
tied near the future site of Annapolis.
George Fox, founder of the Quaker sect,
came from England and preached In 1870
in st. Mary's, and several bodies of Quak-
ers established themselves. in the province,
in which parties of Baptists and 1ndepen-
dents from Boston also found refuge
from the Puritans. In 1862 the general as
sembIy passed an act establishing the
Church of England as the state church OF
the province, laying off the counties into
parishes, and imposing a tobacco tax to
support the church.
While ST. Mary's city was the rallyins
ground of the Catholics, the Protestants
gathered In st. Georges hundred. and the
Poplar Hill section, about twelve miles to
the westward, and in the vicinity Of what
Is now Piney Point.
The First Episcopal Church.
The Episcopal Church at Poplar 11ill oc-
cupies the ground where stood the first
Church of England in the province OF
Maryland. 1t is mile or so from the head
of st. Georges river, and beautifully sit
uated. In the chancel is slab to the mem
DRY of Rev. Leigh Massey, which is in.
scribed: Near this place lies inferred the
Rev. l1r. Leigh Massey. He was educated
at Oxford rector of this parish, the darling
of his flock, beloved by all who knew him
He died January 10, 1882, aged twenty
nine
There is in the aisle another slab to the
memory of child of Joseph Holt vino dice
in 1IO1. In the Poplar Hill cemetery rest
the remains of many of the early rectors
of the first parish of Maryland. The
records of the parish were destroyed by
fire many years ago, but the incumbent
rector, Rev. DR.. NJ. H. Vaughan, a mos
energetic and worthy clergyman, has man
aged to make up list of the thirty-one
| rectors who have preceded him. Mr.
Vaughan lives on the glebe of 430 acres
donated in 16T6sby colonial land owner
John eager. for the support of Protestant
ministry at Poplar Hill. Mr.. Vaughan Is
| good farmer as well as sound preacher
and keeps the glebe in high state of cuI
tivation. His parish includes st. Georges
Island, where there is a pretty little Epis
copal church, st. Thomas, built on ground
donated by the Adams brothers. The edi
flee, designed by Mr.. Vaughan, Is n the
pure Gothic style. R. B. NJ.
A Word to the Married.