Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-23
st. Mary's Chapel.

are number whose opinions and wishes
are that the property shall be used forever
for cemetery purposes. Although for thirty
years prior to 1890 there had been ap-
parently but little interest taken in the
graveyard, some of the Queens and their
kindred have had much Of the underground
cleared off, and, the iron railing about some
Of the family lots having been repaireu, it
would appear that the friends and relatives
of the dead buried there favor the perpetu-
alton of the graveyard. The authorities of
the church, though for years furnishing
clergy to ofticiate in the little chapel and
exercising a supervision of the ground,
have, it is understood, never asserted legal
title; that the clergy, as well the de-
scendants of the original family, never
troubled themselves to the title. When
the family of Mr.. c. 1. Queen, near by, were
rendered houseless by fire the chapel be-
came their home until new house was
built. period of several months.
The question recently raised as to the
title in the application to the Commission
ers to place the site in the name of the
heirs of c. l. Queen excited much interest
among the many descendants of the origi-
nal settler, and search was made without
avail in the land records of Maryland and
among the family papers for evidence of
conveyance. But few weeks ago there
was found document which shows the
title to be in Cardinal Gibbons for the use
of the Roman Catholic Church. This is
the will of Richard Queen, executed in
1913, and admitted to probate In the county
of Prince Georges, Maryland, in 1894, in
which one item reads:
Il give and bequeath to my friend Right
Reverend John Carroll, bishop of Baltf-
more, his heirs and assigns, forever, the
remaining members of the Roman Cath
Ollie Church two acres of land where the
Roman Catholic Church now stands, being
part of tract of land called the In
closure. My intention and will is that the
said two acres of land be solely employed
Roman Catholic Church" He also d.
rected how the boundaries were to be
marked, and the bound stones are still in
place The remainder of his property Is
left to his children-Richard, James Mary
Joseph. Marsham, Euender Elizabeth and
Samuel Queen.
Removes Doubts.
This instrument admitted to probate
passed the title to the church, and though
unknown to the successors of Father Car
roll for century, it will now remove all
question as to whose name the property
should be carried in. Many friends Of
those buried there are highly elated that
this will has been discovered, for 1t makes
possible, they say, the further improve
ment OF the ground, and it is not unlikely
that on the site of the modest little chapel
of hundred years ago the children of
the old worshipers and their friends win
erect a more pretentious church. Indeed,
the advisability of erecting church there
on the edge of the prosperous Subdivision
or Langdon, whose nearest church of that
faith is Brookland easy of access from
every portion Of the District by steam
and electric railroads. to say nothing of
good county roads, has already been dis
cussed with some encouragements
The history derived from record and
family tradition is an interesting one. The
site on the tract known as Enclosure was
originally included in a patent from the
crown for Haddock's Hills in 1885, and a
few years thereafter the tracts known as
Barbados, and "Seaman's Delight" were
carried, as well Enclosure, the latter
becoming the property Of Richard Queen
IN 1922. and receiving also the name of
Queensborough.
At that period there was much feeling in
Maryland between the Catholics and Pro-
testants, the latter being in the ascen-
dancy. Though in a sparsely settled sec
ton the want Of religious facilities in
travelled that way he opened his house for
his ministrations and afterward built a
house exclusively for religious Worship
This was built in the form of a dwelling
by the opponents. and the family with 9TH
ers attended the ministrations of the
priests on their occasional visits
Three Times Destroyed by Fire.
Some time during the revolutionary per-
iod this building was burned, and about
1850 new church was erected by Mr..
Queen-thfs time on the site Of the grave
yard. Here the Catholics of that section
worshipped for long series of years, and
among the priests were Rev. Father John
Carroll. afterward the first bishop of Bal
timore; Rev. Fathers Plunkett, Nicholas
Young and others Of Georgetown College,
and Rev. Fathers Caffray and Matthews of
st. Patricks Church. These services were
held as the priests could conveniently at
tend. at least monthly, but as rule every
other Sunday. the priests usually spending
Saturdays and Sundays there; and in some
Of the older families 1t is related that there
were large congregations and good music.
the choir in the gallery over the front door
being supported by q good organ, Among
| the attendants other than the Queens were
| the Plant, Carroll. Dobbins, Fenwick and
| Barrett families. and the colored race
mostly slaves, were largely in evidence
During the invasion Of the British In An
gust. 1914. the chapel was again DESTROYED
| by fire.
The Queens in a few months rebuilt tho
chapel, and for nearly half u century 10
1863, the Catholics Of the neighborhood
worshipped there. The congregation. whiIa
the rebuilding was in progress. ATTENDED
services at Cazenovia, the large frame
building on Delaware avenue, near
street. then occupied by one of the Fem
wicks. in which q room was fitted up for
the purpose Father Nicholas Young fire.
quently ministered there. When the chanei
had been completed those Of the faith soon
were compact congregation. other fam
HES than those mentioned above-the
BrOkes, McDaniels. FORESTS Hickeys.
Buns CAROLS. Brents, Digges and Ander-
sons-augmenting 1t. and regular services
were held every other Sunday, The fn,-