Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-13
BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR.

T o the average person a cemetery
is not q very cheerful place, but
to the historian and the geneal-
ogiSt It affords much comfort
and information. Here families
NAV be traced for generations and
events. almost forgotten, again WILDLY
brought to mind by a simple name or
epitaph upon ON time-worn SLAB or
i tomb. Indeed. such a burial place is
Oak Hill Cemetery, with its unmarked
raves, its simple markers, Its towering
Shafts. or its modest or ~pretentious
mausoleums. Beneath these, however,
be they simple or elaborate-sleep side
bv side as one, the rich and the poor,
the humble and the great.
Perhaps IL is safe to say that OF all
the cemeteries in the world, none has
a more picturesque setting than has
Oak Hill, for here the hand of nature
has prepared a final resting place such
as would delight the most exacting taste
of the landscape artist, commanding as
it does the most charming views Of the
valley of Rock Greek, with its broken
vistas and Its hills and dales. Surely
the Judgment of Its selection as a site
for a metropolis but adds to the wisdom
of the donor. w. w. Corcoran, and had
this noted citizen done nothing else in
his lifetime, this M thoughtful and
generous act would have caused his
name to be long remembered by a CRATE
full public.
known in the early days as PARROTS
Woods, 1t was a well-known and favorite
place for the Fourth of July and other
celebrations, and here the famous ora
tors of a hundred years ago explained
to eager listeners the causes which led
up to the American Revolution and
which made our glorious country free
and independent.
Here the laughter of the children
could be heard in the Summertime as
they romped over the hills or sang
Charley Buck Had Money Enough"
swinging themselves to the highest pos
sible plane in that old grapevine swing,
just as you and I delighted to do many
, years ago.
Here Richard Parrot had his rope
walk-just to the west of this cemetery
proper, where is now a public park, and
In the heavily wooded part of the GEM
etery to the east all kinds of celebra-
tons were held.
One of the most notable events which
took place here was the paying of
funeral honors to the memory of Gen.
James M Lingan, who for many years
was a citizen of Georgetown. Just
where he ever got the title of general
no one seems to know. He did serve
as captain in the American Revolution
and became an original member Of the
Society of the Cincinnati.
He was a personal friend Of WASH
ington and vas beside an original pro-
prietor. of the District of Columbia,
owning that part of the tract Of land
known as Widows Mite embraced with
In the city limits.
Iingan helped the first President
materially in acquiring title to the prop
erty necessary for the seat OF Govern
u1ent, and was in every way a prom
inent and useful citizen.
THE year 1912 was election year. and
IL war had been declared against
Great Britain on Friday, June 10, 1912.
Lingan, in politics. was a Federalist,
and the Federal Republican, the organ
OF that party, was being published in
Baltimore, with Alexander Contee Han
son as editor.
The sentiment in Baltimore was
Democratic and not in sympathy with
Lingan's party, which was against the
administration, and on June 81, 400
men and boys assembled with axes,
hooks, ropes, ETC., at the office of the
Republican, corner Gay and Second
streets. and destroyed everything In
sight, including the furniture, presses, |
type, and even the house itself.
The paper was then removed to
Georgetown, where it was published for
a short while, when MI. Hanson re-
turned to Baltimore and continued the
publication of the paper in q small
house on South Charles street, although
the actual printing was still done. in
Georgetown.
When he returned to Baltimore, he
was accompanied by Gen. Lingan. Gen.
Henry Lee Light Horse Harry, father
of Gen. Robert E. Lee, G. S. A.: Capt.
Richard Crabb, DR.. Philip Warfield,
Charles j. Kilgour, Ohio Sprigg,
Ephraim Gather, and John Howard
Payne, the author of Home, Sweet
Home" all ardent supporters of the
policies for which the Federal Republi- |
can stood.
Here, on the evening of July 81, the
house was again attacked by the mob.
and the Lingan party, In self-defense, |
was forced into shooting DR.. Gales and
William Smith while they were at
tempting to gain an entrance into the
house. Both parties we're heavily armed
and determined and the militia was
ordered out and those within the house
finally marched to Jail. Here the mob
finally got the upper hand of things
and so brutally beat Gen. Lingan that
he died soon afterward. Gen. Lee re-
ceived a fractured skull and other in
juries from which he never fully recov-
cred and which undoubtedly shortened
his life.
The body of Gen. Lingan was re-
turned to Washington, and all respect
due to his honorable services In the
Revolutionary Wa wal paid his mortal
remains. There was then no church or
structure in Washington or Georgetown