The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-10-25

EllZdDetHJ tue daughter OI OOl. JOHH
Coates, who married Charles Jones,
gent, who built the present manor
house in 1850. The land records of
Maryland show this gentleman to
have been man of great energy,
having recorded II deeds for land,
built mill, the ruins of which still
stand near the house, and to have
been a member of the first court of
Montgomery county, Md, also a
member of the committee of safety.
A granddaughter of this Charles
Jones, gent, Eleanor Seldom, married
John Augustine Washington, tn e
granddaughter of Gen. Washington
and last member of the Washington
family to own and reside at Mount
Vernon.
The estate of Clear Drinking Manor
covered originally 1900 acres, but it
has been divided among the various
members of the family, and sold, until
but IS acres are left of the manor es-
tate. The interior of the manor house
is of type we'll known in Maryland
and Virginia, containing large square
rooms of hospitable dimensions. In
the drawing-room, which is entered
directly from the porch, stand nu-
merous family heirlooms. On a high,
triangular-shaped gilt-legged table
are pair of handsome gilt Candida
bra, beside various other ornaments
of rare and quaint workmanship.
Above the high mantelpiece is a long
gilt-framed mirror and on the table
beneath a group of family portraits.
One of the most interesting of these
represents a handsome boy of Ia,
John Coates Jones, taken while
cadet at West Point. He was born
in the manor in 1901, and his widow
survived him until within three years.
Built into corner of the drawing
room is an old-fashioned cupboard,
inclosed by an arched glass-paned
window. Beside this stands high
backed oak chair of our grandmoth-
ers' times, and near it another of
greater antiquity. The latter is of
black walnut, triangular in shape,
with dark red leather covered seat.
1t is more than 200 years old. From
the drawing-room we passed through
another large square room, and thence
visited the family graveyard, which
lies few yards to the rear of the
manor. Here are buried the ramains
of all of the members of the family
who have been born, reared and died
upon the estate.
Until recently there have been re-
tanned in the manor some of the heir
looms, the veneral widow of John
Coates Jones having taken great pride
in their preservation. She willed
them to the Daughters of the Amer
lean Revolution. There was punch
bowl of India ware which once be-
longed to Col. Robert Hanson Harri-
son, close neighbor and friend of
George Washington. and it was
recognized fact that Washington had
often been on familiar terms with
that same punch bowl. There was
also a pair of 1uted andirons which
also belonged to Col. Harrison. The
venerable widow who so long dwelt
as mistress of the manse, until long
past her ninetieth year, was daugh-
ter of Copeland Parker, who served
in Washington's army, also as col
lector of customs at Norfolk and
who served in the same capacity dur
ing Jackson's presidential terms.
Whether the officer sought the man
in those good old days doth not ap-
pear in the family traditions. 1t is
only known that the man held the
office.
Two hundred and twenty years
have elapsed since this estate became
the property of Col. John Coates, and
the frame mansion has been the home
of generations for more than $50
years. Considering the fact that
there is no law of entailment in this
country, it is remarkable fact that
one family should have retained pos
session for so long period. Mem
bers of the family claim that there is
no other estate Of that age; they use
the world antiquity, which scarcely
fits anything yet in this new world.
Visitors to this city might well
spend a couple of hours going to
Clean Drinking Manor. The drive
ways are excellent and the country
beautiful all the way.-SmiM d. Fry,
in Washington Letter.