Evening star., 1921-01-30

IN tne IeOefdl city, out IN some cases
they were not Original proprietors"
of the land when the site of the city
of Washington was part of the
province of Maryland.
The Rambler has long known that
some of the Original proprietors" of
the site of Washington were rela-
lively newcomers, and that white men
and women had been living. marry
ing, rearing families, dying and being
buried on the lands that came to be
the District Of Columbia nearly a CEN
tury and a half before the District
became geographical fact. He has
felt that a number of the farm names
or tract names within the city were
new names. applied about 1871 to
older tracts and grants" or patents"
of land.
In some cases even the older tract
names were new names given to
parts of original grants. and in some
cases the tract names were given to
consultations of original" or first
grants or patents" The Rambler
has already proved this in the cases
of the tracts called Mount Pleasant"
and Mexico" Mount Pleasant"
consolidation of older grants. some
of them original patents" had for
its south boundary a line from about
what is now the intersection of Flor
ida avenue and 7th street. running
southwesterly to 18th and r streets.
The tract extended north to a line
which the Rambler has not yet
learned. but the old tract underlies
Meridian Hill and that part of the
CITY called Mount Pleasant.
Mexico" was tract, being con-
solidation Of older tracts and orig
side of Rock creek from about Q
street to the mouth of the creek. and
thence along the Potomac river to
the west edge of the town Of Ham,
burg. 23d street being the west
boundary of Hamburg. The land
lines of Mexico are quite irregular
but on that tract are New Hamr-
shire avenue from NJ street to the
river: Pennsylvania avenue from
22d street to Rock creek; gath. 25th
26th, eth and 2sth streets from
Pennsylvania avenue to the river.
and parts of the lettered streets from
o street to Rock creek and the Po-
tomac Washington Circle, the Naval
Hospital, the Museum OF Hygiene and
Easbys point are on Mexico"
While this is rather an ambitious
and serious job which the Rambler
has taken upon himself, he hopes
to work it out in a leisurely fashion,
If you encourage him by following
his stories, and the credit will not
rest with him. Like all old chaps
and not too riotously. he has good
many friends. and some of these
have helped him in this work. II
return thanks for assistance rem
dered me by others" is often a
e"~hemistic way of saying that the
job. and the Rambler is going. to
be square enough with his readers
to tell them that in this matter of
land grants. deeds and all that. he
would already have been up several
tall trees, without any chance of
his old friends, James s. Shepherd.
commissioner Of the land ONCE of
Maryland at Annapolis: Arthur Ira
der, chief clerk Of that ofice; Ed
ward Phelps. also OF that office. each
of whom knows Maryland land pat
bet: F. W. Richardson. clerk of the
court Of Fairfay. county for forty
years: Summertield. or Shorty Hall,
clerk of the court of Prince Georges.
at Marlboro. and the Rambler's old
Washinston friends. Jim Backer.
lumbia Title companies: viii Van
F1eck of those companies, and Billy
Manpgue.
In this line of work the Rambler
means to take up. first. the story Of
Analostan Island. That story will
when it was granted by the Lord
Proprietary Of Maryland to Capt.
Randolph Brandt OF Charles county.
in which county Analostan then was.
to the time OF the purchase of the is
land by Joseph Letter. June IA. 1913.
ment Company. 1t will carry the is
land through the periods of owner
ship by George Mason of Gunston
Hall and his son. John Mason. better
known to old Georgetown people as
Gen. John Mason.
The Rambler might begin this story
in the land Office of Maryland at An
napolis, which is one Of the most in
teresting places within 10000 miles of
Washington, but without any thought
of sighting the Maryland land office.
the history of which he means to tell
later, he finds it convenient to begin
the story of Analostan Island in the
clerks Office Of Fairfax county. There
are the wills of George Mason Of
Gunston and Of his sons and several
grandsons. The will Of George Mason
is a very long document and contains
only one paragraph relating to Ana
lostan, but more than a page relating
to his son John, to whom, he be-
queathed the island and other tracts
of land on which suburban citizens of
washington dwell. The will as a
whole ought to be interesting. to
Washington, Maryland and Virginia
,people, because of it's many refer
ences to land tracts on both sides of
the Potomac. And feeling confident
that some of his readers are interest
n
contents Of the will. 1t begins:
r George Mason Of Gunston Hall in the
parish Of Truro and the county OF Fairfax,
being Of perfect and sound mind and memory
and COED health but pnsfgl inc Of s n
mans leaving his Affairs to be settled on his
death bed do make and appoint this my last
will and testament NY soui res,gn into .ae me
mercies are over all His works. who hateth
nothing that he hath made. and to the Justice
and Wisdom Of .hs Whole ppGs0n spS, honeiSr fre
his unbounded mercy and benevolence. through
the merits Of my blessed Savior. remission
of my sns ST. the Of my
after named, close by the side OF my Dear and
ever iamented wife. and as for all the worldly
Estate with which 1t has pleased God to bless
me, diespose Of 1t in manner and form fol-
imprimis: It is my will and desire and
slaves, with their Increase. stocks, rents,
crops. Tobacco, and Money and Debts due me
with the yearly interest arising thereon: @ with
in virginia. Maryland and elsewhere. be kept
together and considered as one common stock
for the payment Of my debts and legacies and
the Maintenance and Education of my children
and the paynlent Of their Fortunes when my
said children Srespectively come Of age or
marry, when, aud not before, each OF them Is
to receive his or her part Of the same, as here
in respectively devised or bequea thed to each
Of them. and when any Of my children shall
and AtNs 10 hnR
mart Of the same accordingly. the residue shall
continue and remain In the said common stock
f,uH ,ynt{1 nf MS chill cha