Evening star., 1934-10-28

was the daughter of Abner Cloud was born in
1761. The latter was a miller, and operated
what is generally called Edes Mill for many
years located on the Potomac south of the
Chain Bridge.
THAT Isaac Peirce was in this vicinity before
the District was formed is shown by the
census of Maryland for 1870, where his name
appears in Montgomery County and where he
is recorded as having a wife, one son over l6
years of age, two sons under 16 and three
daughters.
Isaac Peirce made his first purchase of $50
acres along Rock Greek in December 1894, the
property being bought from William Deakins
prominent merchant of Georgetown and
confidant of George Washington, and who the
writer believes should have been recorded as
William Deakins jr.," whose brothers were
Francis and Leonard, and whose father was
also named William Deakins, the son of John
Deakins, said to have been an Englishman who
came to this country early the seventeenth
century and settled in Maryland.
William DeakinS Sr., was q patriot In the
American Revolution, and attended meeting
at Upper Marlboro, Md, in November, 1774.
as member of committee of whom John
Addison and Thomas Cant jr were also
members. He is recorded two years later as
being justice Of the peace for Montgomery
County, created in 1776. It is probable he
died prior to 1880. when the census of Mary
pear in the enumeration of that date
William DeakinS, jr., seems to have been
the more prominent. During the Revolution
ary War he is found reviewing and passing"
troops for that conflict. Later, when it was
decided to place the Capital of the Nation
upon Maryland and Virginia territory Presi-
dent Washington turned to Col Deakins and
Benjamin Stoddert for assistance and on
February "a, 1871, he wrote:
Il enclose you several proclamations ex-
pressing the lines which are to bound the
District of 10 miles square for the permanent
seat Of the General Government, which wish
you to have made public with all expedition,
and In the most general and extensive manner
that you can to prevent any kind of specu-
lation. Let them be published in the news
papers-put up in public places and otherwise
SO disposed as to answer my object fully
as possible"
DRIOR to this, on February 3, the President
wrote to the same men from PHILADELPHIA
saying:
In asking your aid in the following case,
permit me, at the same time, to ask the most
perfect secrecy
THE Federal territory being located the COM
petition for the location of the town now rests
between the mouth of the Eastern Branch and
the lands on the river below and adjacent to
Georgetown. Ir favor of the former Nature
has furnished powerful advantages; in favor
OF the latter is its vicinity to George town
which puts it in the way of deriving aids from
it in the beginning. and of communicating in
return an increased value to the property of
that town. These advantages have been so
poised in my mind to give it different tend
encieS at different times. There are lands
which stand yet in the way of the latter loca-
tion and which, if they could be obtained for
the purposes of the town. would remove a
considerable obstacle to it, and go near indeed
he hol
with me-
These are, first, the lands on the southwest
side of line to be run from where the road
crosses Goose Creek Gn going from George
town to the Eastern Branch, to the corner of
Beattys lot, including by the plat of Beatty
and Orme the house of William Pearce) or
If the whole of this parcel cannot be obtained
then, secondly, so much as would lie within a
line to be run from the said ford, or there
abouts, to the middle of the line of cession
which extends from the corner of Beatty's
lot as above mentioned, to its termination in
Goose Creek. Thirdly, the lands of Mr. Car
roll, between Goose Greek, the river and Mr..
Young's. to the same ford of the creek"
And on February % he refers to the contro-
versy with David Burnes, as follows:
IF you have concluded nothing yet with
Mr.. Burns, nor made him any offer for his
land that is obligatory, pray you to suspend
your negotiations with him, until you hear
further from me- With much esteem I
am, ETC."
And writes a little later:
with respect to Mr.. Burns I will confer with
you on my arrival as to what is best to be done
IN his case, should you not have obtained q
cession in the meantime. Yours, etc. &c. W."
nAVID BURNES, as is well known was one
- OF the first of the original proprietors to
sign on the dotted line at the time for con-
veying his property to the Government