Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-03-03
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Of authority from one department to
another, a subsequent law, approved
May Is, 1872, authorized the Secretary
of the Interior to purchase a new
site for the school, to be selected by
himself and the board of trustees, and
| $50 acres of the farm of Thomas
Peter probably Thomas Peters, a
clerk. whose home was then at Ken
dali Green was purchased for $780,
900, and an offer to sell the remainder
of the farm of 100 acres for $4,000
was made.
THIS is the site of the National
l. Training School for Boys, on the
east side of the Bladensburg road,
beginning at about South Dakota
avenue, which prior to the Civil War
was owned by John Veitch, together
with other farm land in this vicinity.
| The Veitches we're early settlers of
this part of Maryland, and Hezekiah,
John, Thomas and Nathan were mar
ried, had families. and were living in
Montgomery County as early as 1890.
In the adjoining county Of Prince
Georges we find two Mary Veitches
War, John, William. Jacob and Abra-
ham served from Maryland.
| John Veitch, who owned the land
now held by the National Training
School, was born on the place in 1884
and died there in 1861. After the
close of the Civil War, an account
states, the Rev. William K. Boyle, who
married Vietch's daughter Elizabeth.
bought the property, which evidently
| soon afterward found itself in the
hands of Thomas Peters, who last
held title before it was acquired by
the Government. Mr.. Boyle, it seems,
was the pastor of Methodist Church
| in Hyattsville and also of one in
Baltimore, and was long the editor Of
a religious periodical published in the
Monumental City.
A genealogical account Of this
branch of the Veitch family, written
some years ago, says that John Veitch
had four daughters-Isabella, Mar
garet, Elizabeth and Maryland two
sons, Fletcher and John w. Veitch.
Fletcher became a farmer in Mont
gomery County, Md, and John W..
Veitch became a lawyer who at
tanned prominence in Western Mary
land and was at one time States at
torney for Garrett County. He also
served on the military staff of four
Governors Of Maryland. Two sons Of
| Fletcher Veitch were then living in
Westinghouse, Percy H. Veitch,
being a lawyer, and the other being
F. P. Veitch of the Bureau of Chem
istry, Department of Agriculture. The
| widow of John w. Veitch and his
Observation-Disclosures of the war
time owner-at that time were living
in the old homestead.
/ John vEITCH, who was born there
in 1884, was the son of John
Veitch, who acquired the land by
marriage with a daughter of man
named Conn, said to be the Revolu-
tionary proprietor of the fort land.
There were two tracts of this estate.
Scotland, on the east side of the
Bladensburg road, and Barbados, on
the west side. One of these Veitches.
| probably John, LIST, was the owner of
this land at the time of the battle of
Bladensburg.
From the tombstones in the Veitch
family burial ground on the farm, the
! following inscriptions were copied and
preserved:
John veitch, born August 20, 1874;
died October 3, 1861"
Caroline NJ, wife Of John Veitch,
died April "a, 1862"
'Dr. Eldridge R., son OF Rev. FL
January 20, 1852"
"Col. John w., son Of John and
Caroline Veitch, died October II,
1892"
REV. William K. Boyle, born July
Is, 1910; died February 20. 1895"
Mary Elizabeth and Caroline Vir-
ginia. infant daughters of John
Veitch."
James William, son of John and
Caroline Veitch. died November 8,
184S."
John A., son of william and Ra-
cheI Veitch. died November 10, 1891"
John Fletcher, 1899. and James
| Gavin. 1901"
There were other numerous graves,
marked with large pieces of the red
| brown iron stone, common in the
Eastern Branch region. but these
could not be identified, though they
were probably early members of the
Veitch family or their slaves.
| At the time the Veitches owned this
land the farms nearby were Of con-
siderable acreage. John G. Rives
owned a tract at the District line,
where he built the mansion, still stand
ing, in 1847, and below the training
school and above Hickey Run, the
land was owned by Col. William
Hickey. clerk of the United States
Senate; A. Dodge. Charles B. Calvert
and DR.. c. H. Nichols, first superin-
, tendent Of St. Elizabeth's Hospital.
At a later date, Frank Rives. Ed
Hickey and Leopold Leuchs owned
land near the school. and the Boyle
and Arlington properties are some
times referred to.
THE grounds of the training school
were made historic during the
War of 1812-1815, for on the highest
point-later Fort Lincoln-the gallant
Comdr. Joshus Barney planted his
guns that so annoyed and slaughtered
the British during the march on the
Capital, August "a, 1914.
Nearby to the north, at the District
line, Is Barney's spring. now hidden