Evening star., 1937-06-13
District Scout Council Head
O,vns Famed Maryland Estate
"WO cd end" Includes
Ruins of Historic Clean
Drinking Manor House.
BY JESSE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSE FAINT EVANS.
Among the distinguished sponsors
Of the great International Jamboree of
Boy Scouts of the world meeting here
in Washington this month, is tall,
ruddy, forceful Capt. Chester Wells,
U. S. N, who is president Of the Dis
trict Council Of Boy Scouts of Amer
lea, chairman of its Executive Com
mittee and member Of the Executive
Board Of the Third Region Of the
American Scouts organization.
Mr.. Wells is accompanied by Mrs.
Wells, who was Australian born and
bred. He has, in the course of their
travels to far-flung outposts of the
British Empire, addressed groups of
English-speaking Scouts the world
around. To many Scout from dis
tant land, therefore, his cordial,
booming voice OF welcome carrying
power reminiscent of old Navy days
when he issued orders from the quar-
ter decks of battleships will be a direct
link with his home land
To be in daily attendance at the
Scout sessions, Capt. Wells, who re-
tired from the Navy several years
ago, will travel back and forth from
his historic nearby Maryland home.
Known today as Woodend the Wells
holdings, which face Jones Mill road
and overlook the extension of Rock
Creek Parkway into Maryland, in
clude the ruins of the ancient Clean
Drinking Manor House and a portion
of its original acreage, justly famous
as one of the most historic of the early
Colonial grants adjacent to the Ma
tion's Capital.
Manor History Romance Filled.
The authenticated history of Clean
Drinking Manor teens with the ro-
nance Of vast estates held in the
New World by the younger sons of
English gentry. loyal to King and
crown and their ideals of the home
land until they felt their inalienable
rights as free-holding citizens were
being invaded. Today only the red
brick, ivy-entWined outside chimneys
OF the old manor house are left as
mute reminders of its nearly 300 years
association with the stirring events
which made Nation. The large fiat
time-Wore stone before the spring
which gave the place its name is
the same on which Washington stood
when he "tarried for thankful rest
to quench his thirst and that of his
men at this clean fountain" as they
were returning from their sovereigns S
defense in Pittsburgh (Fort Du-
quesne) during the French and In
dian Wars in 1855.
BY coincidence John Coates, born
at Clean Drinking Manor, and one
Of the members of the household to
whom Washington rendered his re-
spects before proceeding on his way
to Virginia, was later to see military
service in Washington's Continental
Army. Entering the Continental Army
as captain of the 7th Maryland Regi-
ment. which took its baptism of fire
at White Plains in 1776, this scion OF
Clean Drinking Manor was made q
brlgadier major for his valorous serv-
ice and designated to serve as an aide
to Gen. Smallwood Concerning the
dashing 7th Maryland it was said
though they were distinguished by
the most fashionably cut coats and
the most macaroni- cooked hats in
the Continental Army, they were
equally remarkable for gallantry and
unflinching valor."
Maj. Jones later became one Of the
~ II
the Cincinnati, patriotic memorial
society, organized by officers Of the
Revolutionary Army, American for
eign allies, to perpetuate the re-
nembrance Of the war and the mu-
tual friendships formed under pres
sure Of common danger"
Today Maj. Jones sword, various
other military souvenirs of his pa
triotic career and other historical
relics OF the Jones family are in the
custody Of the Smithsonian Museum
and OF their descendant, Robert c.
Jones, who lives here, at 480l Indian
lane. Jones himself saw distin-
guished- service overseas during the
World War.
Bought by Capt. Wells.
1t was from members Of the Jones
family that Capt. Wells purchased his
Maryland estate. Abandoning their
original idea to rebuild and enlarge
the original Clean Drinking Manor
house, Capt. and Mrs Wells erected
their own beautiful Georgian abode
upon a neighboring elevation, but
with meticulous care, preserved the
foundations and floor plan of the his
toric old domain. With like reverence
too, they left undisturbed the famous
spring which gave the place its name,
the outlines OF Colonial garden with
its ancient wall, and the lockwood that
was planted by Charles Jones,
gentleman" in the form OF the letter
about the same time that Washing
ton set out the famous box at Mount
Vernon.
In the Gods acre to the rear Of the
old manor house site still lie the re-
mains Of Charles Jones, Gentleman
and Elizabeth Coates, his wife" and
their children. It was through Eliza
beth's collateral line, partly by dover
and partly by purchase. that portion
OF the patentee's broad acreage came
into the Jones family, as she was thu
sister Of the third John Coates in lin.
from the Hon. John Coates of Eng.
land, who received an extensive gram