Evening star., 1937-05-18
GROUP
HEARS Of ADLUM
Mrs. Bessie w. Calm Tells
Society of Pioneer WASH
ingtonian.

A varied program OF addresses,
music and motion pictures last night
featured the final meeting, this season,
Of the Columbia Historical Society, in
the Mayf1ower Hotel
An address on Maj. John Album
Of Rock Greek" was delivered by Mrs.
Bessie Wilmarth Calm, who outlined
his career as 4 soldier in the Ameri-
can Revolution and the War of 1912
and then as = scientist and early set
tier Of the District Of Columbia.
Maj. Album, who is buried in Oak
Hill Cemetery, moved to the District
with his family in 1914 and later
owned q vineyard in Rock Greek
Park, along Pierce Mill road, Mrs.
Calm pointed out The Bureau OF
Standards is said to be on the site
Of the old Album residence.
In his vineyard Maj. Album is cred
tied with having grown the first grapes
of the variety known as "Catawba,"
which he Is said to have named after
the Indians.
AAC oloO 61CW IldAy OIllSi Vol lCVlCSo
OF grapes best suited for making wines,
Mrs. Calm brought out in her ad-
dress, and wrote articles about them,
as we'll as a book on how to make
wine. To Maj. Album also Is given
credit Of having been the first person
to urge the United States Govern
ment to operate an experimental farm,
his idea at the time being to per-
petuate certain varieties Of grapes and
develop them to the fullest
A native Of York, Pa, Maj. Album
served in the American Revolution
as soldier from that State and sub
sequently was a captain from Mary
land in the War Of 1912. In the lat
ter he was with troops attacked by
the British at Havre de Grace, Nd,
Mrs. Calm said. "An old letter re-
Gently found in the files OF the War
Department records the service Of
Capt. Album at that place, November
10, 1873" she said
Maj. Album died in 1886 At mis-
vineyard" Mrs. Calm said. Recently
his grave, long sought by historians,
was found. she said. A bronze marker
is to be placed on the tombstone next
Saturday by the Susan Riviere Hetzel
Chapter, Daughters of the American
Revolution, District of Columbia, she
said.
A copy Of portrait of Maj. Adlum
by the celebrated artist, Peale, and
another portrait of his daughter Anne
Maria Album, by Sully, owned by his
! great-grandson, John Album Sterrett
this city, were shown at the meeting.
Five Of Maj. Adams great-grand-
children and several great-great-
grandchildren attended The great
grandchildren attending included
! William D. Sterrett. John Adlum Ster-
rett and Mrs. Mary Dent Yarnall
all OF this city; Miss Anne Maria
Adlum and Mrs. Katharine Dent
drummer, both of New York.
Motion pictures taken in natural
color by Mark Lansburgh OF garden
scenes at old Virginia mansions, scene.
in Bermuda and Charleston, s. c.,
were shown by him at the meeting
A program OF vocal and instru-
mental music was given by the ''Tele-
phone Quartet" composed OF men of
the Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone
Co. They are r. B. Leavitt M. B,
Reynolds, G. A. Small and J. r.
Adamson. They also played instru-
mental music.
Brief addresses were made from the
floor by Allen C. Clark, president of
the society: William E. Richardson,
president of the Society OF Natives;
| Henry P. Blair, Miss Maud B. Morris,
secretary of the Columbia Historical
Society; former Representative John
H. Small Of North Carolina and Judge
Robert E. Mattingly.
Fred A. Emery. vice president Of
| the society, presided, due to the
recent illness of Clark. The next
| meeting will be held in the Fall.