The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-02-20
Written for "The Enquirer
Historic Mt. Airy.

ance did not number more than Az or 3O
persons, many of these lockers on; but
few ladies were present. The complain
ant in the case, Mrs. Sarah Calvert Huse,
accompanied by her son, Mr.. Cecilius Cal
vert Hines, and his friend, MIR. Harry
Wright, of Washington, D. c.; Mr.. Will
liam Earl Ambrose, counsel for Mrs. Huse.
also of Washington, D. c.; Messrs. George
Z. and Finley Calvert, two of the co-ad-
ministrators, Mrs Rosalie Kearney and
her two unmarried daughters and Mr..
Eugene G.. Peter were present. We
noticed among the country people present
Messrs. Roberts and Rogers. trustees to
sell the real estate, Mr.. B. F. Duvall and
sons, Mr. Mattingly, Mr.. Magruder, Mr.
Buck, Mr.. Dorsey and wife, Mr.. George
Taylor, Mr. Wells, auctioneer, and some
twenty or more present. names not known.
A reporter for the Baltimore Sun showed
up We fear he got but poor statement
for his paper.
The property was put through form
of sale, to satisfy those present, but no
actual sale took place, sufficient price
not being bid to warrant said sale. The
impression has somehow gotten about it
was forced sale. Indeed, one of the
administrators made such a statement.
The truth is, the complainant, Mrs. Huse,
niece of the deceased and daughter of
Major George Calvert, of Nottingham, on
the Patuxent, asked through her counsel
| for sale or division. The other heirs re-
fused division and trustees, MIR. Roberts
to represent Mrs. Huse and Mr.. Rogers
the other heirs, were appointed by Equity
Court. An advertisement of three weeks
was inserted in county papers and notices
in New York. Philadelphia, Baltimore
and Washington papers.
| The trustees recognize no immediate
necessity to sell this place. and the value,
historical and otherwise, is too great for
sacrifice and no debt encumbers the
estate Miss Calvert died leaving no
debts of any kind and no mortgage on the
place. She was very proud woman, and
it was her self denial and life of sacrifice
that saved the old place. Aided by de-
voted brother, she freed the old home Of
every debt, buying out the interests of the
several heirs-her brothers. Putting away
her jewelry, fine linen, carriage, every
luxury, she made this her life work, and
| even the night when alone, her lamp up
set and she was sadly burned she, with
feeble strength, beat out the flames and
saved the beloved home Those benefited
| by her death should hold her life as one
| of self sacrifice. In the room she died
some one has cut with an axe or Ratchet
through lath and plastering to get at a
hive of honey bees. This act of sacrilege,
committed in the very room she suffered
and died in and within less than months
after her death, should be censured by the
| Court as an act of vandalism and precau-
tons taken to stop further destruction.
She loved her flowers and bees and no
one dared, while she lived, to disturb
them.
The first tract offered for sale was the
tract embracing 4O4 acres, occupying the
center of the estate and improved by the
fine old mansion, somewhat out of repair,
with IL large rooms, extensive halls, 2
stories and attic ana cellar under entire
house. In one wing of the cellar is the
old colonial kitchen, with Dutch oven;
adjoining this is a hall entering into the
wine cellar, a fine piece of arched brick
ho fohI 10 pd
wood cellars. Extensive ornamental
grounds, laid out by an English gardener,
fine old althea and box hedges, rose gar
den and dahlia beds. A we'll of water
and necessary out buildings; graveled
drive to house, straight and circular, brick
stable, at entrance gate, granaries and
barn. In this tract is much wood land
and 10 acres of lake, filled with fish, a
boat house and boats Old English ivy
clings to the walls of the old home. The
bidding was not active and the amount
offered so disproportioncd to the value
that the tract was Withdrawn from sale
and the second tract, embracing 240 acres,
adjoining the woodward estate, was put
up for sale.
The bidding on this tract was confined
to Mr.. Dorsey, of the county, and Mr.. W.
Earl Ambrose, of Washington, D. c., and
the highest bid was made by Mr.. Ambrose,
$1,000. This tract is improved by a 6 room
house, built by DR.. Cecilius Calvert for
his own occupancy, but he never lived in
it and it was used for a storage house and
then rented to white family or two, and
is now occupied by freed servant and
her family. She was Miss Calvert's maid
and the only one of the old servants now
living on the estate. A smaller tenant
house is also on this tract; also granary,
barn and other out buildings. 1t is from
this tract the acre of burying ground is
reservcd-"God's Acre" While this tract
is not so valuable as the house place, it is
we'll worth $50 per acre. The bid, So 200,
not thought sufficient the sale of the third
and last tract was put up.
Quite spirited bidding on this between
Mr.. George Taylor. whose land, acquired
by purchase from DR.. Calvert, lies con-
tiguous, and Mrs Huse, who wished to
possess by purchase rs she could not, it
was thought, by division. part of the
old home. This tract is not So desirable
as the others, but is we'll wooded, well