Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-10-05
The Mysterious }
Sun Spot !
1t Contained an Impor- ;
tant Message. ,
N nIGIIAnR nHEnNH
By RICHARD MARKLY


one of those imposing colonial ediflces
for which that state is famous. It
was built during the times when the
southern settlers, requiring laborers to
work on their tobacco plantations, were
importing large cargoes of African no
groes, who were held as slaves. 1t Is
of brick, with large pillars In front,
and. considering its age, is in a re-
markable state Of preservation. This
is because recent owner has put 1t
In repair.
Like other houses Of its kind dating
back to the seventeenth century, It
was built out of tho proceeds Of ne
groes captured in Africa and sold as
slaves in America. But the slave trade
and its twin brother, piracy, were
not in that day deprecated as they are,
or, rather, would be, today. He who
built the house referred to became one
Of the most prominent men Of his time.
Richard Granville was not his name
but In bringing out the antecedents Of
his descendants 1t is q far safer name
to use than his own. He began life as
a sailor. visiting every country where
there was trading to be done, and
few Of his older slaves, who were
house servants and thus enabled the
more readily to become conversant
with his secrets handed down a tradi-
ton that their master started his for
tune In piracy.
Be this "a II may. up to the middle
Of the last century his descendants did
not deny that much of his money had
been made I'm the slave trade In his
old age his conscience troubled him.
and those who were nearest him said
that he desired 70 mako some renora.
tion for bis misdeeds Uo had n statue
of himself made of bronze and set II
nm on n nedestal IN n Inv window of
his library Tho loft hand rests on an
anchor and tho right holds n soxtant--
not n mock sextont. n real ono though
NOT Of brass hut of tho sama nnatariaI
no tho stotua No loft ordora thot NO
baadstono shop,d roorb b,o crave onA
n mes sunnoood tbot no Intondod tho
ototro NO a suho,,tu,o Co. oro A. ocr
roto No ono now hnoua ,uhoro ha y
hrr,od
naToroo. oono.ot,oo. 90 h,, doaoooa
49,. 1,,o,,.."a a. 49, - a..
~ .. .h~ IT,, ,n 49, ,os . INV "on sa
- a. -. a. O.. 80 poee
"'' - y
80 Spe' ",.e'in' 'eay unUin
.n ue .ne 1ui, SHINING ~ upon IT. S'riAes
~ - y, '"e 9oNn' u''u' pus'
,ns '"i"ush 'nc tuoe' eus's soiar
iii"be VII 'ne opposi'e "ah' ING tracA
vi inns rouhu spot Oh ilgnt cnhngeS
win 'he sehsoH' iruVersihB sllBntly
inherent paIh each uhy' 1here III an
other thlhg that puzzleu the owners OF
the hrnhVllle estate Inc only IN
scrlptloh on the statue. or rather, It's
PEDESTAL ls the date OF huchnrd Gran
Villes Dlrth. ANA not only Is the date
gwen pit the hour ana minute.
vi aI topics connected with the
statue propaDly the giving or THIS MI
mute Information was most discussed
NO one VINO saw IL couid remember
=, -
.he hour "hu minute Oh Dlrtn or the
nour anu minute Vi ueath' put one
eenelalio,i niucr uho'ner Pusseu a"ay'
"nu h' lia"Sipie ie'iSoii ior ei.iler the
9uu'uc " 'S singular ihScr'pt'oh WIS
'usees'o"
'.s WV oi'ii war hi"oou "Inn-
.il'c' 'nu V"her vi 'iie esthte Ut 'nu.
~. .,i"o Lousnt ,oi Iio maintenance VI
.l,e system ~ 'he ''itrouuctiol oi when
n is 1-.ltoi NON 30 'n'po, ,p,it puIt
- % " ',, ''i' iensious nian
o.. 49, Tno - , 80 w., NV n ,r".'' aH.no,y
~. pa eis .io'' NV i'ip,'' nioei 'ns
-, :. ,' ' !, ~ ",s I s "a. anu
10. 80, - ~ - 49,
a t"w "onar D' ,hot I,aS ' ho,onaaS .o
.ha .t,-,roi C.an1,,,,a - $3.50
- ,1.n,,,,, nia 5naoo,1 o,. TN"
roS -, ,nio '',1,, .na u ~,
s, "r ~" 49, W. ~. ~ ""u ~" ~
~. Va, ~. ,o ~, M. ~ ~
80 49,, 1is W ~. .ene ~"
pu1 -,', n ~ nl,, C,r
$500 80 Tno u"s Ioioi ,h uiai' ,"e
"o l ~ a. 80 ,'... ~
ue '."u "'',i .io,n .'v iou,
va "t9 H"'S' W ''s' - 'A'""' III VIM"