The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-02
AN ANClEHf | COUNTY seat
The Time Honored Old Town Of
Rockville, Nd.
In Existence Before the Capital Of
the Nation Was Determinations
gers of Journeys Along the High
ways Leading to Other Places.
Vow n suburb of WashingtOn.

Inc forthcoming Centenn1al celebration
in Washington may be said to have ere
ated party interest in the minds Of the
people OF Rockville. Nd. and its vicinity.
The history OF old Montgomery's county
seat, though generally well known to
some OF the older inhabitants of this
District. is not so familiar to the younger
generation, and to those who. coming
from other parts of the country, have
made their homes here. and to these an
account of the old village must assuredly
prove interesting.
The western part of Maryland, from
tide to the headwaters of the Potomac.
now constituting Allegheny. Washington.
counties, prior TO the year 1776 was in
cluded in one municipality. called Fred
erick county. This was represented by
districts, designated-as the upper, middle,
and lower. in the convention that framed
the constitution and government of the
State which superseded the colonial au-
thorities. The convention, considering the
ease and convenience Of the people would
be promoted by the erection of two new
counties. on September 6, 1916, resolved
that the upper district should constitute
a county. to be called Washington, and
the lower should be erected into a county.
to be called Montgomery.
To organize the latter Messrs. Nathan
Magruder, John Murdoch, Henry Griffith,
Thomas Cramphn, jr., Zadock Magruder.
Allen Bowie. and John Wilson were ap-
pointed commissioners for Montgomery
county, with authority to purchase in fee
a quantity OF land, not exceeding four
ACES. at such place as q majority Of the
voters should select, for the purpose of
building court house and prison for the
county. 1t was further resolved that the
county court for Montgomery county
should begin and be held yearly on the
second Tuesday of those months in which
other county courts were held. and should
have equal power and Jurisdiction with
any county court in the State.
On the 21st of April, III, Messrs.
Charles Jones, Thomas Sprigg Wootton,
David Lynn, Edward Burgess, Enos Camp
bell. William Deaking. Henry Griffith,
Elisha Williams Joseph Wilson. Samuel
Wade Magruder, Robert Owen, Francis
Deakins, James Offutt, Thomas Cramphin,
Richard Beall, Gerard Briscoe. Allen
Bowie, Charles Greenbury Griffith, Elias
Harding. and Richard Thompson were
commissioned as justices of Montgomery
County Court. On Tuesday, the Goth day
of May. 1777, Messrs. Charles Jones. Ed
ward Burgess, William Deakins. Elisha
Williams Samuel Wade Magruder. James
Offutt and Richard Thompson. assembled
at the house of Leonard Davis (which
house is now still standing and occupied
by Miss Mary Russell. whose great
grandfather, Joseph Wilson. built and
owned it. and being known at that time as
Charles Hungerfords tavern) qualified.
and elected Brooke Beall esq. clerk OF
the county Thus the lower district Of
Frederick county was transformed from
an election precinct to distinct munich
pal corporation. invested with all the
rights, privileges. and immunities Of
county. 49,.
The site selected by the commissioners
for court house and prison was dis
tinguished as that for the Montgomery
County Court House, which was built a
short time afterward. and the first court
was held in 1I79 On August g. 1854. Will
liam Prather Williams purchased the land
around the court house, and Immediately
thereafter caused it to be laid of into
streets and town lots by Col. Archibald
Ormc. and called it Williamsburg. At
the November session. 1901. of the Legis-
lature an act was passed which. after re-
citing that the titl-- tn these lots were
uncertain. because fheFe gn scgr1
OF the survey there COL ret 0rua.
erected the place in --trf Ec-E-
Vile. end appointed trs-rs Us r ---
survey it. At the Mo- esaiG" o.
there was suppler passed add
in 1903 the commiss .oaer- l-L=ct ,he re-
survey and the pla 70 -hr v..,o be
made by William ST b -el1ry -grts-or.
1t was meditated to .a- T7-r Wa.ls-
vile. but. Watts le- r.-=rde6
as too insignificant -t Va fHalie
concluded to name it after IT, ....s gre
tentious neighbor, Rock Creek.
Rockville" had then neither "a local
habitation nor a name" There was no
church or place of worship nearer than
Rock Creek Chapel. No highway, except
rude wagOnway connecting Georgetown
with Frederick Washington was then a
thing of the future. Travellers carried
arms for protection against hfghwaymen-
Inns of the rudest sort, at remote dis
tances, afforded homely fare 10 wayworn
men. Four-vheeled e@rriages were Gu
riosities. Umbrellas Created sensation
as foreign fopperies brought from France.
Men and women rode on horseback, the
former carrying their wives. daughters.
and sweethearts on billions.
Throughout the whole area of the coun-
ty there was nc school in which any in
struction beyond the rudiments of Eng
lish education was taught The rising
generation, whose parents were able to
incur the expense were sent to Frederick,
Bladensburg. or Georgetown, d. c., for
education. In few families private tu-
tors were employed who gave instruction
in the higher branches of education
Sparse as the schools were then, the ear
lest records of the county show that
class of men existed who were most ac-
complished clerks. Penmanship was
brought to great perfection. Manuscripts
we're executed with the regularity. beau
ty. and precision of type. Language was
used with accuracy. conciseness. and per-
spicuity; In fine. learning, although not
generally disseminated as now, had Its
disciples who were familiar with 1.-The we'll
Of English indebted
The germ of the Rockville Academy was
first developed in an act of the General
Assembly, passed in the year 1905. and
re enacted in 1866. Messrs. Upton Beall.
Honore Martin. Lewis Beafl. Thomas Lin
sted, Thomas p. Wilson, Richard Ander-
son. and Solomon Holland were appoint
ed commissioners to raise the sum OF
s2,500 by lottery, for the purchase Of
a lot to erect q school house, and pur-
chase a FIRE engine. The gentlemen Sc
lected were amcng the most in. slligent,
active. and public spirited of their day.
The scheme authorized by the Legislature
was successfully executed. A beautiful
lot was purchased, on which substantial
brick building was erected. This was
some twelve years ago torn down and
new academy building erected on the
same spot.
This is but a brief glance at the rise
and progress of the good town OF Rock
Vile. but it is believed that there is
enough contained therein to entitle the
subject thereof to honorable distinction
as claiming. if not sisterhood. kind OF
elderly cousinship to our own beautiful