The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-03
Catholics TO Build on Site of
Queens Chapel.
READY TO LAY CORNERSTONE
Impressive Ceremonies VIII he Con-
Quoted at LangJOn sunday After
noon, February 10, by Bishop A. A.
Curtis, of baltimore, and Other
Prominent CIergymen.

Chapel erected in 1722 by Richard Queen.
and three times destroyed by fire, once
during the Revolutionary period, again
during the invasion of the British in 1914,
and during the civil war. The land came
into possession Of the Catholic Church by
the will Of Richard Queen, executed in
1893. and admitted 10 probate in the
County Of Prince George. Maryland. in
1894. one clause Of which reads.
81 give and bequeath 20 my friend
Right Reverend John Carroll. bishop of
Baltimore, his heirs and assigns, forever.
the remaining members of the Roman
Catholic Church, two acres of land where
the Roman Catholic Church now stands.
being a part Of tract of land called the
Enclosure. My intention and will is that
the said two acres Of land be solely EN-
ployed and used for the religious pur-
poses Of the Roman Catholic Church"
He also directed how the boundaries were
to be marked, and the bound stones are
still in place The remainder of his prop
erty is left to his children-Richard,
James Mary. Joseph, Marsham. Ellen
der, Elizabeth. and Samuel Queen.
The history derived from record and
family tradition is an interesting one.
This site on the tract known as In
closure was originally included in a pat
ent from the Crown for Haddock's Hills
in 1855, and a few years thereafter the
tracts known as the Barbados, and
"Seaman's Delight" were carried, as we'll
as Enclosure. the latter becoming the
property Of Richard queen IN l722, and
receiving also the name Of Queens /
borough.
Al that period there was much feeling
in Maryland between the Catholics and
Protestants. the latter being ia the as
tendency Though iu a sparsely settled
section the want 81 religious facilities
interested Mr.. Queen, and when a priest
Travelled that way he opened his house
for his mlnistrations and afterward
built a house exclusively for religious
worship. This was built In the form of q
dwelling. that it might not be recognized
as a church by the opponents. and the
family with others attended the min
istrations Of the priests on their occa-
sloual visits.
Three Times Destroyed by Fire.
Some time during the Revolutionary /
period this building was burned, and
about 1850 a new church was erected by
Mr. Queen. this time on the site OF the
graveyard Here the Catholics of that
section worshipcd for a long series IF
years. and among the priests were Rev.
Father John Carroll. afteTward the first
bishop Of Baltimore; Rev. Fathers Plum
ket, Nicholas Young. and others. of
Georgetown College, and Rev. Fathers
Caffray and Mathews. OF St Patricks
Church. These services were held as the
priests could conveniently attend IT least
monthly, but as rule every other sun
day, the priests usually spending Satur-
DAYS and Sundays there, and IN some OF
the older families fl is related that there
were large congregations and good music.
the choir in the gallery over the front
door being supported 10y q good organ.
Among the attendants. other than the
Queens. were the Plant. Carroll. Dob
bins Feuwick, and Barrett families and
the c0lored race, mostly slaves. were
largely In evidence During the invasion
of the British in August. 1914. the chapel
was again destroyed by fire.
The Queens in a fcW months rebuilt the
chapel and for reaTly half century,
to 1865 the Catholics Of the neighborhood
worshiped there. The congregation,
while the rebuilding was In progress.
attended services al CaZeuOvia. the large
frame building on Delaware avenue. near
y street then occupied by one Of the
FenWicks in which a room was fitted up
for the purpose. Father Nicholas Young
frequently ministered there. When the
chapel had been completed those Of the
faith soon were a compact congregation,
other families than those mentioned above
the Brookes, NcDaniels, FORESTS, Hick-
eys, Buns. CAROLS. Brents, Digges, and
Andersons-augmentn #, and regular
services We're held every other Sunday
The music was of quite high order-so
attractive. indeed, as to draw visitors
from the city. particularly IN good
weather
During week days a school was conduct
ed in the chapel. and many of the Citi-
zens of the community started on the
road TO knowledge within It's walls In
the thirties the residence of Mr.. Charles
L Queen. located a quarter OF mile from
the chapel was completely destroyed by
fire, and the family Of dozen took
refuge in the church The priests. re-
garding the chapel as Mr.. Queens prop
erty, told them 10 use it as dwelling.
and they did so until a new home was
built.
During the civil war many soldiers were
encamped in the neighborhood, a number
of whom attended the services conduct
ed by the priests from Georgetown Col
lege and St AlOysius. A regiment Of
Massachusetts heavy artillery occupied
some of the forts. and it was charged
that some of them in 1863 set fire to the
chapel and destroyed it. NOtwithstand-
ing that several of the members of the
Queen family were in the Union military
and naval service. q report that those
remaining were rebel sympathizers gained
credenee with the soldiers and il is said
they vented their ire by firing the church.
The fencing had been previously burned
or carried off. and the premises were
thrown open to vandalism and neglect.
Many of the monuments or tombStones
were carried off or destroyed, one a beau
| tiful figure OF a kneeIing child, and some
were used with gravel with which to
mend the roads in the vicinity. OF the
/ fifty or more gravestOnes there perhaps
a dozen remain. most of them being in
closed by new ratings. The wild growth
/ in few years obliterated every vestige
/ Of a graveyard.
There is some uncertainty as to how
/ long the ground about the chapel has been
used as a graveyard. and though no earlier
/ date can be found on a tombstone than
! 1868, il is believed that buTials were made
/ there long before. Several years ago a
/ very cid gentleman, supposed to be over
ninety years OF age, visited the grounds
and sought the burial places Of his par
| ents. These, he said were buried when
/ he was a boy, and he understood the
/ graves We're nea~ where their parents had
/ been buried years before. He was un-
able to find the place but insisted that
/ it was now overgrOwn by forests, some
/ of the trees a foot or more in diameter
/ It is known. too, by some, that when
4 their grandparents we've Inferred there
! three generations ago. the place had ev-
/ cry apuearance of being very old ground