Evening star., 1923-07-22
HISTORIC CHURCH
! TO Be FETE SCENE
Gov. Ritchie Will Crown
Queen at Herring Creek
Tournament.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
UPPER MARLBORO, July 2l-Per-
haps the outstanding annual event of
southern Maryland will be staged
Wednesday next at old Herring
Creek Church, near Tracys Landing.
Anne Arundel county. Hundreds OF
Episcopalians and others from Prince
Georges county will journey to the
historic church. the latter being con-
veniently located on the state road
TO Solomons Island, a few miles from
Mount Zion.
Gov Albert c. Ritchie was the
principal speaker last year, and has
promised to be present next We'd
nesday to present the crown to the
queen of love and beauty and make
the coronation address. 1t is ex-
pecteo That all of the candidates for
'uuicidl hon9fs in the seventh judi
eial cifcuIr of which Anne Arundel
county As part will be in atten dance,
as zen as the candidates for the
various county offices. Perhaps the
outstanding feature is the tourna-
t tnent IN which professional and anna
tha khignts are entered. Besides
1he honor of crowning the queen and
her maids, liberal cash prizes will be
competed for. A base ball game be-
tween two strong steams from
nouthern Maryland also is on the
xltins attractions will be an old
fashioned southern Maryland dinner
served by the ladies of the parish.
Ihe coronation exercises in the eve
hins VIII be followed by dancing.
Church Built in I765.
Old ST. James Church was erected
IN 1865, the bricks used in the con-
struction coming from England.
While the congregations have ex-
perienced many trying periods from
that date to the present time, the
parlsh has been kept alive by a
1he church is in good shape, with
bright prospects for DEVELOPMENT.
the proceeds of the festivities
scheduled for Wednesday will be de-
voted to the installation of an cleo
trio lighting plant
In the old churchyard repose the
remains of Christopher and Anne
Birchhead inferred as far back as
1868 and here, too, Seth Biggs' body
has lain since 1908 Rev. Henry Hall,
founder of the church, is also buried
and one of HyattsvilIe's most beloved
citizens. DR.. Joseph R. Owens sew
eral times mayor of the municipality,
was laid away here number Of
years ago. Rev. Henry Hall was the
great t-great-grandfather of Thomas,
John Hall. I'd, a prominent resident
of the neighborhood, who has charge
of the arran gements. Rev. Hall was
buried in 1922 and William Locke ten
years later. The parish was laid out
in 1892. Six years later the Rev.
Mr.. Hall built frame church which
was destroyed by fire. The present
structure of brick was begun in 1743
and finished two years later. The
Rev. w. B. Dent, at one time rector
of St Johns chapel, Mount Rainier,
just off the District of Columbia line
in Prince Georges county. and later
Gector OF the Mechanicsville parish,
St. Mary's county, is now rector of
st. James and is developing the work
of the parish
Bell Queens Gift.
The original bell. given by Queen
Anne. was melted in the days of the
revolution, but generation after gen.
Grafton has pressed its lips to the
silver gob1etS of The communion serv-
ice purchased by the parishioners in
l717 The descendants of original
settlers are baptized today from the
The poor are still helped from the
aims basin presented by the widow
OF Rev. Mr.. Hall in 17G2. Members of
the present generation have added to
these donations Of the past an cleo
trio equipment
Hundreds of bellies and beauties
from all sections of southern Mary
land. with the old folks and children,
are expected to assist in discharging
the debt in the celebrations to take
place on the Glebe farm adjoining
the church. The judges Of the tour
nament will be William S. Hill,
Prime Georges county; Charles
Chary, Calvert county, and C. Addi-
sor Hodges, Anne Arundel county.
John p. Briscoe, chief Judge of the
seventh judicial circuit of Prince
Frederick, Meade Holiday of An
napolis and Ogle Marbury of Laurel,
will constitute the receiving COM
u.ittee