Evening star., 1930-06-15

Again on April Is. 1928, 1t Is recorded that
Charley Forest was sold on that date to Charles
w. Ray.
DURING the month Of May just past the
writer spent delightful afternoon with
Mr.. Ray. his old Brightwood neighbor, at
Charley Forest, where, it is said that the grand
father of the Presidents sister n-laW, Mrs.
Theodore Hoover was born in the old frame
dwelling removed in 1913 There are few things
left to remind one of the great age of the spot
as place of habitation, effort apparently
having been made to rob the place of the dis
tinction that rghtfully belongs to it by re-
moving all traces of its early history.
The large brick dwelling house is new, as are
some of the outbuildings. small frame house
with bay window attached, and which was
probably occupied by the Downeys while their
splendid now home was being built, does not
give evidence of being old at least not back of
the Civil War period, for much of the material
out of which it is constructed is of compara-
lively recent manufacture. It's few rooms
cramped and hardly suitable for dwelling pur-
poses, except in case of an emergency.
Some of the trees hereabouts are quite Old
and indicate by their position just where the
original home stood. Two old abandoned ice
houses still remain, and an underground vault
or paSsageway in which Mr.. Ray keeps his
apples and potatoes. 1t has every appearance
OF dating back at least hundred years and is
plastered throughout with what seems to be
lime mortar of early period, but for Just
what use it was built in the first place even
the owner failed to hazard a guess
Though some of the farms being sold to
newcomers yet among the present residents the
names of many of the families that are recorded
rs living in Sandy Spring half century ago and
even longer still be recognized. In 1879
the census included living there Charles
H Brooke, James Stabler, Roger B. Farquhar
William s. Brooke, Roger Brooke Sallie Brooke
Alban G. Brooke. Mahlon Kirk Sarah B. Far
DR.. William El Magruder Henry c. Halowen
Francis Miller, Joseph wetherald Robert S.
Moore, Samuel Bond James H. Stone joseph
T. Moore, William w. Moore Robert r. Moore
Caroline B. Scott, Benjamin D. Palmer Penuel
Palmer, James Holland, Amos Holland G. w C.
BeaIl George E. Brooke, James P Stabler
Mary G. Tyson, Barnard Gilpin William H
Farquhar, Alban Gilpin, Clara Chalfant Will
liam H. Stabler, Edward Stabler, Arthur
Stabler, Richard T. Bentley, B. Rush Roberts.
Charles G. Porter, Benjamin H Miller Philip
t. Stabler, William Schoneld John Smith,
Sally Lea Mary Chandlee Edward Lea Eliza
beth e. Tyson. Charles A. Iddings, Harry T.
Lea, Edward G. Gilpn Thomas j. Lea Isaac
HartShorne, Harry Stabler, George L. Stabler
Edward Pierce, Samuel A. Janney Henry
Chandlee, Mahlon Chandlee Samuel Ellicott.
James S. Hallowell E. j. Hall, Frederick Stabler.
Robert M Stabler. Asa M. Stabler, Warwick p.
Miller William Lea, william S. Bond, William
k1nnaird Gideon Gilpin, Francis Thomas John
IhomaS, William John Thomas Edward p
Thomas, Samuel P. Thomas Charles Stabler
Mary P. Thomas Hetty Stabler Dr. Edward
Iddmgs, Alban G. Thomas, Llewellyn Massey,
Henrietta Snowden Walter r. Brooke Samuel
Hopkins and Thomas Lea.
AMES BROOKE the progenitor of a large
number of descendants in this part of the
country, was besides one Of the wealthiest and
iFnn INT 80
him. Mr.. Farquhar, the annalist, has this to
say:
The Brooke family like the Calverts were
originally Catholics, but ancestor James had left
the ancient faith for the simple tenets of the
Quaker. He married Deborah daughter of
Richard Snowden, in the year 1925 and went
to housekeeping soon afterward as stands re-
corded in his own handwriting in little ancient
book belonging to the Brooke family Thus
settled comfortably at Charley Forest James
Brooke continued making large acquisitions of
land property, securing near 20 600 acres in
one tract which he called Addition to Brooke
Grove. This patent reaches from the Begin
ming. nigh stone still standing in Samuel
Eliiotts lane, to Seneca Creek distance soma
10 to IL miles"
Robert Brooke, the common ancestor of the
Maryland family of this name, as well as some
of those who reside in Virginia, was a man of
letters and distinction, and for while acting
Governor of Maryland during its early Colonial
days When he came to America from England
in 1850 he did not work his way over, or later
indenture himself out to pay for his passage
as many of our early emigrants did but came
in his own vessel with his wife and 10 children
and % servants, there being in ALL it is said,
40 persons to make the trip. He is also said
to have brought over at this time a COW and
perhaps other cattle, and q pack of hunting
dogs. which later became celebrated as the
Brooke hounds
He arrived in Maryland on June 30 1850
and settled the Patuxent River, calling the
place De la Brooke.