Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-23

sic was of quite high order-so attrac-
tive, indeed, as to draw visitors from the
city. particularly in good weather.
During week days school was conduct
cd IN the chapel and many of the citizens
of the community started on the road to
knowledge within It's walls. In the thir-
Ties the residence Of Mr.. Charles l. Queen,
located fourth of a mile from the chapel
FAMILY OF dozen took refuge in the
church. The priests regarding the chapel
as MI Queens property, told them to use
1t as dwelling, and they did SO until a
new home was built
During the civil war many soldiers were
eEcamped in the neighborhood, a number
or whom attended the services conducted
by the priests from Georgetown College
ana 81. Aloysius. A regiment Of Massachu-
setts heavy artillery occupied some Of the
forts, and it was charged that some of
them, IN 1858, set fire to the chapel and de-
stroyed 1t. Notwithstanding that several
OF the members of the Queen family were
In the Union military and naval service.
report that those remaining were rebel
SympathtZers gained credence with the
soldiers, and 1t is said they vented their ire
oy hring the church. The fencing had been
previously burned or carried off, and the
premises We're thrown open to vandalism
and neglect. Many Of the monuments or
tombstones We're carried off or destroyed
one beautiful figure of kneeling child
ana some were used with gravel with which
to mend the roads in the vicinity. OF the
nifty or more gravestones there perhaps a
dozen remain, most of them being inclosed
by new ratings. The wild growth in a few
years obliterated every vestige Of a grave
yard.
There Is some uncertainty as to how long
the ground about the chapel has been used
as graveyard. and though no earlier date
can be found on a tombstone than 1906 1t
Is believed that burials were made there
long before. Several years ago a very old
gentleman, supposed to be over ninety years
OF age, visited the grounds and sought the
burial places of his parents. These, he said.
were buried when he was boy, and he
understood the graves were near where
their parents had been buried years before.
He was unable to find the place. but in
sisted that 1t was now ovsrgrown by forest.
some of the trees foot or more In dame
ter. It is known, too, by some that when
their grandparents were inferred there,
three generations ago, the place had every
appearance Of being ,yery;told ground.
Clearing the Ground.
AS stated in the foregoing. some of the
descendants of the first settler have en-
gagged in clearing up the ground. and much
Of the wild growth has been removed. This
has brought to view the tombs of Ann
Carroll Brent). who. died March II. 1895;
Catherine Barrett September 2, 1882. aged
ffty-one years; Thomas Newman. Deem
Der 90, 1885; Thos. Fl. Barrett, January Id
1857 Manna 1h.5 a. Queen NAY r. ass7; LIN LIZ,
"
2. 1854; Susan Ann Barrett, December II,
1852; Henry NJ YOUNG. 1855. aged nifty
three years: ThomassJ. barrett, August 4.
1852. and a few others. The lots Of the
Fenwicks and Walter Queen are each in
closed, and though much remains to be done
in the way of identifying. the grounds are
now In better order than they have been
for forty years.
1t may well be imagined that mighty
changes have been wrought since the de-
struction Of the chapel. Near by is the
large frame school house for the children
of Langdon, and between 1t and the rail-
road has grown a prosperous suburb OF
residences and factories. In the vicinity
Is located the Lutheran Home, the gift of
the late Mrs. Utermehle to the church, and
where once the homes were mile apart
but few yards now intervene. It Is need
less to say that should church be erected
on the site of the primitive chapeis it
would not want for congregation. as
hundreds now reside within a few miles
and by reason of steam. electric and good
county roads the many hundreds of the
descendants of the early communicates re-
siding in the district will have facilities
for reaching il not dreamed Of by their
parents.