Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-29

been about two summers ago that the
Rambler walked over this road and
from the old narrative he takes what
follows:
Soon after passing the little old sway rooted
house the road leads to the brow Of a hill and
begins . sharp descent. On the right is fine
stone house with wealth Of vines climbing
over It. and close to the side of the road Ia
stone well house. At the bottom Of the hill a
private road strikes OF from the public road
and leads back up the hin through q fine
garden to the stone house. This was the home
Of Samuel Brewer Magruder and his wife Re
becca. and now the home Of Mr.. and Mrs.
FRANK Pelham Stone. Against the stone we'll
house. in which there is now . gasoline pump,
Is a gray stone slab Of plainly, boldly and deep
~, yet crudely, inscribed, "S. b. M. r., 1897"
The initials are those Of Samuel Brewer Ma
gruder and his wife Rebccca. and the date is
that OF the erection of the stone house. At one
time 1t was In one Of the mantcls Of the house.
and was removed by some OF the occupants of
the house after it passed out of the Magruder
1ahliy. Samuel Magruder in his will mentions
his wife Margaret and his son, Samuel Brewer
Magruder. He devised land called Magruder's
Purchase tpart of Friendship, Addition to
Magruder's Purchase. and Resurvey on Addi-
ton to Magruders Purchase. To his son. Sam.
uel Brewer Magruder. he left "Resuryey on
Addition to Magruder's Purchase" comprising
800 acres. At the death Of Samuel Brewer Ma.
gruder this property went to his son. Walter
Magruder. who married daughter of Ashton
Garrett of Montgomery county. The property
was sold TO a family johnson, and next came
ipfp
bought by Joshua ofrutt and from his estate
was bought by Mr.. and Mrs Frank Pelham
Stone. They are Of the Magruder family.
Mrs. Stone was charman-or is il
of the historic sites
committee of Janet Montgomery Chap
ter, which collected and collated the
data which led to the erection of the
marker where the first PRESBYTERIAN
church stood about two centuries ago.
Sitting on the breeze-swept porch.
ing, she told the Rambler what fol-
lows:
The object Of the Daughters of the American
Revolution Is to preserve colonial and reyulu-
t1onary history. Janet Montgomery Chapter
has placed three markers, and all three are
upon research work to history that would
otherwise BIZ lost. Settlement of this part Of
Maryland was well under way very early in
the eighteenth century. In 160S Capt. John
Smith sailed up the Potomac to Great Falls ana
published an account Of it in England in ITO
In l6iO Father Fisher sailed up the Potomac
river above the site Of the National CAPITAL and
worked an a missionary among the Indian,
Fnther White. called ''the apostle OF Mary
land also labored here. and a copy OF IL tter
from him is in my possession. They fell sick
with fever and were conveyed to ST. M.rvs
City. The Indians disappeared from their an
cent ranges, but were followed by the stnr,,v
Scotch settlers. who came not with crucifx
and rosary but with chain, compass, axe and
shovel. Before 1892 and 1894, when the coun.
ties Of Charles and Prince GEORGES were re-
spectively organized when st. Marys, the only
county in Maryland. stretched away to tho
mountains. these immigrants had explored the
land up to the Great Falls and were occupying
the most desirable localities for tobacco pla MT
ing. Proving this are the following rr.ntx
from records in the land ONCE: Rock of Dun.
barton granted to Ninian Beali in 1913;
SCOTS Ordinary" patented in 171s IN
Ihomas Ar'hur situated at the head spring Of
Deep run, that flows into the Potomac opposite
Island Of Rocks. now the Three sisters. Then
came grant Of SRA acres, on Dec. ., 17fB
to Thomas Addison and James Stoddart. be-
tween Rock creek and the Potomac. Friend
ship on which Gov. Thomas Sing Lee moved
in quest Of solitude. and Orphans Purchsse
wers patented In l7l5 Two ether '.rrtepd-
ships''. were patented In l7ls asd l717. and
can give Others, but this serves y show tAst