Evening star., 1937-09-05

oooAScc SoOiIN, all0 mi. hllu MIS.
Grimes had quite family Of children,
with two of whom the writer recently
became acquainted-Taylor Grimes
and his sister, Miss Grime-and whom
he induced to take an automobile ride
over to Suitland to look the country
over and especially the estate once
owned by their uncle
The land around here was originally
owned by the Barry family, and,
though this is really the center of a
rich agricultural section. some one
once dubbed 1t Starvation Farm" by
which name it is still known. A writer.
in describing the village of Suitland
some time ago, said it comprised one
house, rather dilapidated one-story
frame building, which was once a
crossroads store and tavern, and that
the sole occupant Of it then was Uncle
Sans post office. All OF this might
be literally true today if one confines
his remarks strictly to the crossroads
location, but in the vicinity there are
some very nice cottages and bunga-
lows, attractive and we'll kept.
WHEN the Grimes and the writer
arrived at the spot where the old
Suit house once stood, Miss Grimes
went to visit lady friend who lived
just across the road from where the
mansion once stood and who un-
doubtedlv made mud pies with the
Grimes children when they were very
young, which was not yesterday.
This ladys name was Miss Flora E.
Crosier, and back in 1903 she was the
Worthy Matron of Electa Chapter. No.
2, Order of the Eastern Star, which
meets in Anacostia.
Her father, Horace Crosier. came
here from Stamford. Conn, shortly
after the Civil War, at the request of
Col. Suit, to look after his saw mills.
and later looked after his stock breed
ing and virtually became manager OF
the Suit estate. At an early date he
bought so acres Of Col Suits land and
later added to this, all Of which is now
owned by Miss Crosier, who lives on
the place in the homestead built in
1872, and which is the oldest house In
that neighborhood. Miss Crosier is a
very delightful person.
Naturally, nearly all the old timers,
who lived in this district as early as
1878 have either died or left the COM
munity, but it may be interesting to
preserve these names which the writer
has found Of those who lived there at
that time They were: J. H. Smith
Capt. W. H. Slater, Robert Johnson,
Ed JOY Alex Garner, Frank Ridgeway,
Sarah N. Brooke, Mary Greer. L.
Ridgway, Jessie Ridgeway. Miss Young,
Wilfred Marshall, William Arnold,
Thomas Gator, P. G.. Grimes, James
Brown, Nathaniel Masters, John
Phelps. William Ridgeway and others
From Suitland short trip was
taken to st. Barnabas' Chapel. near
Oxon Hill, in the churchyard Of
which Col. Suit is buried, his grave
being marked with a modest but neat
stone. and next to him is the grave
Of his sister. Mrs. Kate Grimes.
Nearby Is Col. Suits father, Fielder
Suit. who was born August 80, 1905,
and died November 8, 1870.
A CCORDING to Mr. Grimes. his
grandfather. Fielder Suit, moved
from Bladensburg to Upper Marlboro,
and during the Civil War he con-
Quoted hotel in that quaint Mary
land town. Because Of his intense
loyalty, he kept the American flag
floating over his hostelry at all times,
even during the dark days Of the war,
and no trouble ever arose.
In looking over the tombstones in
this little cemetery, the writer was
surprised to find one inscribed: "In
memory of Benjamin Taylor, who died
April 18, 1857. in Bellevue. Washington
County, D. c., aged As years." And
for the benefit of those who may not
know, this is the Bellevue residence
that stands on @ street between
Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth
streets, and which Is now known as
Dumbarton House. The Rev. Matthias
Harris, chaplain Of the United States
AIHy Auu IcCCOI VI tllC p&A Loll, NIlU
died July IL. 1871, also Is buried here.
st. Barnabas' Church Is q chapel OF
st. Johns Church, Broad Greek, one
Of Maryland's oldest churches. and
located In 4 parish organized January
80, 1893. The rector Is the Rev. Will
liam Hirst Heigham, D. D.. who lives
in the rectory at Oxon Hill.
The chapel goes back to 1880, when
the land on which the church stands
was decided to the parish by Henry
Addison Calls Of Barnaby Manor. 1t
is a neat. trinity kept brick building,
painted gray, and the glebe, bounded
on all sides, except the road side, by
deep and silent woods. was not 30
many years ago heavily timbered with
massive oaks, but many Of these have
since been removed. II Is an extremely
quiet spot. and q good place to med1-
tate over the future.