Evening star., 1933-01-01

u
Meadows. on the Marlboro Pike . few miles
beyond Forestville, and with her went little
farther on toward Upper Marlboro to Melwood
Park, where the British forced their presence
on Maryland hospitality just before entering
Washington, and probably gormandized them
selves with Maryland fried chicken II their
owners had not anticipated their coming in
time and had not shooed the fowls beyond
harms reach
Mrs. MayberTy was a Pumphrey, and Is
descended from Otho Pumphrey, who had i've
sons: William, Rector Gabriel Samuel and
Otho The Humphreys were large land owners
in this part of Maryland. william Pumphrey
OF the second generation, once owned MeIwood
Park. Rector Pumphrey married Caroline
Fraser and their home is still standing on the
Melwood estate, where little burial plot is
marked with gravestones which tell us that
simon Fraser, who died in 1847; his wife,
Mary, who died in 184l; two children Of John
and Martha Walker, and child Of Samuel and
Elizabeth Pumphrey, peacefully sleep until the
last trumpet shall sound. No care seems to
have been taken of this sacred spot and no
doubt there are unmarked graves here Of early
Maryland families
Gabriel Pumphrey, third son OF Otho mar
ried Martha Bryan. and part of his home is
still standing in the neighborhood The young
est son, Otho, married Sarah Ann Ferguson
and had three sons: Enos r., John T. and
Otho S. Enos F., the father Of Mrs Mayberry,
married Mary L. Hayes, daughter Of Samuel
Hayes, said TO be a connection of the Ruther-
ford B. Hayes family.
Melwood House Is large brick mansion of
Colonial type, painted yellow No special care
seems TO have been taken of it, and today it
seems to be quite in need of repairs. It Is
partly occupied by tenant who uses the old
dining room on the east front as place In
which to store his chicken feed.
It is nice to go through nearby Maryland
and visit some of the early homes OF the
gentry, some of which are well kept and indi-
cate reverence for those who not only helped
to establish American freedom. but continued In
after life to reflect glory upon the principles Of
liberty.
Melwood Park, in which stands the old man
sion, was once tract of 525 acres, and was ac-
quired in 1929 by William Digges, and by his
win bequeathed to his son. Ignatius Digges,
whose daughter. Mary, married Thomas Sim
Lee. governor of Maryland, 177s to 1888, and
1892 to 1894.
Governor Lee seems to have lived IN his
large estate, 'Needwood" in Frederick County,
Nd where we find him residing In 1870 with
his wife seven sons over 16 years of age, three
under Is. and three daughters and l1s slaves.
He also appears to have owned farmland in
Montgomery County, where he kept 16 slaves
to keep it properly titled and quarters in Prince
Georges County where he kept 36 slaves, or
I'll slaves in all
In 1777 he served in the Provincial Council,
and from 1888 to 1874 in the Continental Con-
gress. He was born near Marlboro, October 29,
1745 though it would seem that his death,
which occurred October g. 1919, took place at
his home in Frederick County However he
was buried in private cemetery ON the Mel
wood estate, though his remains were removed
to the Catholic Cemetery at Upper Marlboro,
on April IT, 1888.
The Lower Bridge. which was opened to
travel on January II, 1904, and destroyed by
c&r a4iox
"a, 1914, was rebuilt during the following year.
The width of the Eastern Branch at that time
was given as 1.543 feet, the average depth Of
the water at common low tide four feet, ex-
cept one channel, which was IL to IA feet in
depth and 450 feet wide. The Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridge, which is now crossed by upward
of million people year, is on the approxi-
mate site of the Lower Bridge.
| Asst Summer the writer took trip from
l. Paris to Belleau Wood, also visiting on the
way such historic World War spots as Chateau
Thiery, Epeinay, Chalons-sur Marne, Verdun,
Rheims. Scissors and Compiegne, and saw the
famous Hindenburg Line and many other In
teresting places enroute.
Belleau Wood was particularly inspiring, for
here we saw the no mans land that was
deemed untraversabe, until successfully cross
ed and possessed by our Marines and the rest
of the Second Division in June, 1918. Paris
did not feel quite as independent then as 1t
does today. It would have given US anything
then for our assistance. Today it cannot pay
us enough for the loss of our boys-the bravest
boys who ever wore uniform.
Here on the American side are stin TO be
seen holes Of all shapes and sizes, dug by the
troops Of the 2nd Division with anything ut
hand, such metal hats, knives and bayonets.
Indeed, pile Of utensils of every conceivable
description was still to be seen, gathered from
the field some IA years before some bits Of
which no doubt had served their purpose in en-
trenching some boys safely in mother earth
beyond the reach of the sharp-shooter.
During the first days of June" writes Gen.
Pershing, something akin to panic seized the
city Paris and it was estimated that 100000