Evening star., 1924-07-13
"Spirit of Old House" at Nonesuch,
Traced by Rambler to the Youngs
Pennsyu Avenuea dBowenRo
Ancient Mingled With Modern Btxn1k

~ took a few more steps another
chimney and a roof came TO
view. The roof was shingled and had
dormer windows. Each chimney was
bold against the sky, and one seemed
to nod and the other beckon to me in
a friendly way. The dormer windows.
without a pane of glass. stared blank,
but even they seemed to hail me.
Between the main road and the
house was a field where not much
grew but sassafras and locust bushes,
sprouts from trees that an ak had
felled. There were weeds of many
kinds, but part of the field, gray
gravel, sand and clay. was not even
not to be poor land, for in the field
was a little patch Of peas, and the
vines were thick and green and the
pods were plump. The field seemed
to have given up farming and turned
its thought toward becoming a sub
urban subdivision and very likely that
will be.
That field has grown tobacco and
corn for more than 200 years. and
and alleys. with homes set on lawns.
The house with the chimneys and
unglazed dormer windows will go
the way of houses and Of men, and
people will forget that such a house
was. A few years will whirl by and
man straying into that new village
will ask a group of children: where
did the old house with outside Chin
neys, shingle roof and dormer win
dows stand?" And the children will
say: I'VE never heard of such
house near here, but old Mr.. Smith
can tell you, for he has lived here
ever and ever SO long"
Later, .old Mr.. Smith will say: Yes,
I'm the oldest inhabitant here.
moved out here-let me sect must
have been near on eleven year ago.
The oldest house in this neighbor-
hood is that there bungalow that was
built nine years ago, and is ready to
fall down now. If you are looking
for a ruin that will do"
The house l have pointed to you is
about quarter of a mile south of
the junction OF Pennsylvania avenue
and Bowen road. The Avenue from
the bridge and Twining climbs the
Eastern Branch ridge and ends at
Bowen road. which winds from south
west to northeast along the ridge
Stand at the meeting place of the
Avenue and the road, look south and
you will see the house.
1t is the mansion Of Nonesuch.
Nonesuch, or None Such is a name
given a tract got from the proprietary
Of Maryland by patent or first deed.
Before the creation of the District
of Columbia the tract was owned by
Nicholas Young and the house. a
picture of which is shown, was the
home of his son. George Washington
Young. / believe it was also the
home Of Nicholas Young. George
Washington Young was living there
in 1926 when his father died, and he
lived at Nonesuch until 1888, when
he bought the tract and mansion Of
Giesboro, properly Gisborough. which
4 DR.. John Thomas Schaaf of Anna
polls bought in 1909 from John Addi-
son. to whom 1t had descended from
the first Maryland Addison. Col John
Addison, who obtained Gisborough by
marriage with the widow of the origi-
nal grantee, Thomas Dent
y
7 HAVE read the will Of Nicholas
Young, signed July 81, 1926, and
probated November 10, 1926 To his
son. Edward Dominick Young he be-
queaths the farm, White Hall, on the
right hand side of the main road
| from Piscataway to Port Tobacco" and
that part of White Hall on the other
sdie Of the road was bequeathed to
other sons including Benjamin Young.
Motley Roser Cor Rozier) Young, Igna-
| thus Fenwick Young and to my
granddaughter, Sarah Ellen C1aget."
Nicholas the testator wrote: ITO son
| Ignatius Fenwick Young leave
| seventy-five acres, part of a tract
|