Evening star., 1935-12-08
Tales of Section Along Potomac Follow
Lines of Families Long Associated
With History of Settlements in
Western Part of Maryland.
By John Clasett Proctor.

TEW Washingtonians have not
- heard of such places as Ounce
Orchard, Darnestown, Dawson
wills, Poolesville, Beallsville,
Dickerson and other towns on the road
from Rockville that follows the Po-
tomac River to where it intersects
with Highway No. IS that runs to
Frederick, Md, and points north, but
comparatively few travel this way the
majority of the District people pre-
ferring the ClarkSburg road, after
leaving Gaithsrsburg, for points in
upper Western Maryland The writer
confeSses that, until recently, he was
among the many who always turned
right at the outskirts of Rockville
when going north, instead of continu-
ing on straight ahead when leaving
this historic old town.
There are old mansions and inter-
esting spots in this fertile part of
Montgomery County and when the
writer visited there late this Autumn
the homes never looked more beauti-
full nor the farms more attractive
dotted, as they were, with large piles
Of white and golden corn. indicating
good crop of this most healthful food
for man, beast and fowl and the many
nearby shocks of fodder for the cows
to nibble on in Winter, when the
weather is too bad and cold for graz
ing. The horses in the fields looked
well fed and the cattle fat and sleek.
To the lover of nature each season has
its special charm and Montgomery
County is always attractive.
ONE of the places at which the writer
stopped on his recent visit to this
section of Maryland was the estate of
Pleasant Hill, now owned by DR.. J.
Thomas Kelley of this city The building
is said to have been erected about 1868,
or 13 years before Montgomery County
was created. Though, undoubtedly,
the present structure, or part of it,
at least, is quite old, yet 1t does not
appear to be near so old as stated.
From about the time of the close of
the Civil War the place was owned by
DR.. Kelley's father-also named J.
Thomas Kelley-who in 1865 appears
to have been engaged in the grocery
business, at 64 Market street, now
Wisconsin avenue, and who bought the
farm from Col John Hawkins and who
moved there from Georgetown at this
time. The senior Mr.. Kelley and his
wife, Susan (Appleby) Kelley, were
both natives of Baltimore, Md.
DR.. Kelley's son, Thomas Chadwick
Kelley, judge of Montgomery
County, and his wife, reside in the
old brick mansion, which was built in
part by William Gasaway. 1t is not
far from Darnestown and Senaca and
Ounce Orchard are only few miles
distant. Judge Kelley and Mrs. Kel-
ley are delightful people to meet, and
the writer was privileged to inspect
the old home, and regretted when he
had to leave, for we must bear in
mind that Southern hospitality begins
with Maryland and friendly smile
always awaits the visitor.
Passing Dawsonville, we come to
Poolesville, quite a nice little town,
with a decided Southern leaning, as
is particularly apparent in all of
Montgomery County bordering the Po-
tomac, on the west side of which is
the State of Virginia, until Harper's
Ferry is reached. During the long
War Between the States, this territory
was upon many occasions in the hands
of the Confederate forces and the in
habitants usually bade them welcome
and furnished them with food and
shelter; and this was but natural,
since many of their own sons were
serving on the Southern side and many
repose today within the many Gods
acres throughout this country, a not
able one being the Monocacy Gene
terry at Beallsville, not far north of !
Poolesville.
IT IS a beautiful little cemetery
about 18 miles from Rockville and
n1arvelously well kept. Indeed, the
great care and attention which this |
metropolis manifestly receives will |
strike the visitor as soon as he enters |
the grounds and proves in a conclusive |
way that the dead buried there really |
are not forgotten.
The history Of this cemetery goes
kack quite a way, for we are told by
echarf, the Maryland historian, that |
upon the site of old st. Peters |
church. or as it was frequently called
old Monocacy Chapel an ante-Rev-
Dictionary relic and time-honored |
place Of public worship, which must
have been one of the first ever built |
in the State. stones erected to the
memory Of the dead in the church,
yard date back as far as 1885," Old
st. Peters Church, according to this
author, was built about the year 1877,
was subsequently torn down, and still
later rebuilt on the same spot, and
was in fair state of preservation at
the beginning of the Civil War, at
which time it was occupied for re-
ligious purposes.
However, during this period. when
the fate of the Nation was being de-
cided, the Federal Cavalry is said fire.
qlently to have taken possession of
the church and stabbed its horses in
it-just as was done In our nearby
Pohick Church. Some Of the seats
and notwithstanding, at this time,
were burned for fire wood and the !