Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-14
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benches placed for the repose of the dead.
The entrance was defended by heavy iron
door. Twelve or fifteen years ago this vault
was one of the gruesome places or the
neighborhood. The Baskets that had been
laid on the stone benches had crumbled to
dust and small bits of rotted wood, and In
this dust the skeletons lay, each bone IN lts
proper place. Today the iron door. the SLABS
of stone that served as benches, and
ragged hole in the ground mark the site OF
the vault. The place is veiied with thick
growth of honeysuckle and wild cherry. ana
sassafras trees cast their melancholy shaue.
The Star man was told that the vault was
wrecked by a latter-day owner of the place
and the brick used in the building OF
spring house. a place where milk is usually
kept The disposition made OF the poor
bones is not known.
Two miles south of Oxon Hail. but on the
bottom hands, not far from the river, Is the
old Rozer homestead. The Rozer family was
prominent and gave its name to the wooded
bluff on which Fort Foote stands-RoZer
Bluff-a river landmark from lmmemorlai
times The house is deserted now. Near 1t are
the Rozer burying ground and vault In the
vault Is a pile of broken coffns, ana IN TINS
confused heap of funeral lumber may DE
seen here and there a skull rib, arm or leg
bone Near the vault is a fat tombstone
inscribed:
Henrietta +. Rozer.
Daughter of John Roberts of Alexandria
Born January 80. 1910. .
Married to Francis F. Rozer July IL. 1881
Died October 10. 1898,
Leaving Two Surviving Children,
Born July II. 1884.
Francis whitenhall Rozer.
Born October 4. 1888.
The ground is pitted with sunken graves,
but the only tombstone visible is that oil
run with honeysuckle. wild violets and al
thea bushes. and is shaded by black locust
and pecan trees. .-..
Near the house Is a curious subterranean
chamber. The ground being fat. an exca-
walton about eight feet deep, twelve
feet wide and fifty feet long was made. This
was brieked UP and rooted over with
brick arch so that the crown Of the arch
was nearly flush with the land The roof
was then covered with a heavy layer OF
earth and turf This vault today is cold
and dark. 1t contains nothing except
little debris. such as an old can. bottle. etc
The nelghbors tell that 1t was the Rozer
wine vault. but unless Rozer was wine
merchant. the vault is out Of proportion to
the dwelling.
About one mile west of st. Barnabas
Church stands Barnaby House. There is
much misunderstanding and confusion con-
corning the name Barnaby, and the neigh
borhood people whom The Star man met
could not make the matter clear No one
of the name Barnaby ever lived there.
When the tract was carved out OF the oriBi-
nal Addison estate the place was probably
called Barnabas Manor. and this was pro-
nounced Barnaby Manor. The land for
church was given by the owner of Barnaby
and the church was called st. Barnabas.
No doubt the first proprietor of this
manor" named 1t In honor of Barnabas. the
fellow-laborer Of the Apostle Paul, and
who Is said to have founded at Antioch
the first Christian community, 10 have been
the first bishop of Milan. and to have suf-
fered martyrdom at Cyprus. Then when
the lands for new church were taken
from this manor 1t was thought appropriate
to give to the church the name of ST. Bar
nabas Another reason favoring the prob
ability of this Is that there are two St
Barnabas churches In Prince George coun-
ty; one in Queen Anne parish and this In
St Johns parish The St Barnabas or
Queen Anne is much the older
Barnaby House was built by Henry Ad-
dison son of Thomas Addison. the son of
John Addison. first. One of the female de-
scendants Of this Henry Addison married
an Englishman named Callister. Old folk
in the neighborhood- remember the Calls
ters The house Is now occupied byEa col
ored family. but is stih owned by Addison
heirs.