Evening star., 1940-08-11
Ownership
Is Now Held
By Stinnson
Secretary of War
Bought Property
IL Years Ago
By John Ciaeeft Proctor.

will again occupy his famous estate
known as Woodley, and again be-
come resident of the District of
Columbia. That the new Secretary
has a great attachment for his sub
urban home was made evident sew
eral years ago when he provided that
after the passing away of himself
and Mrs. Stimson, the property
should go to his alma mater, Phillips
Academy. at Andover. town in Es-
sex County. Massachusetts, noted,
among several things, as the place
where Is buried Harriet Beecher
Stowe, author of Uncle Tom s
Cabin"
Col. Stimson purchased Woodley
In June, 1929, when serving as Sec
retary of State in the cabinet of
President Hoover. At that time, The
Star, in announcing the passing of
title, made this reference to the
property:
THE picturesque grounds, en-
bracing about 18 acres, will afford
Secretary Stimson a restful retreat
from the whirl OF affairs of state"
Woodley not only has a glamorous
past, but a local historic background,
having originally been a part of the
tract known as an addition to the
Rock of Dumbarton, patented by
Henry Darnell, Keeper of the great
seal of the State of Maryland" to
Col. Ninian Beall in 1703, in whose
honor bronze tablet was some years
ago placed in the yard in front of
st. Johns Episcopal Church in
Georgetown, by the Society of Colo
nial Wars in the District of Colum-
bia, through the instrumentality of
Caleb Clarke Magruder, jr.
Known as "Rosedale."
George Beall, son of Ninian Beall,
who acquired this tract in 1720,
transferred in 1890, $50 acres lying
to the north of Georgetown, between
Wisconsin avenue and Rock Greek,
to Uriah Forrest and BENJAMIN
Stoddert, snd in 1894, Gen. Forrest
acquired Mr.. Stoddert's interest and
became the sole owner of the estate,
which by this time has become
known as "Rosedale." 1t was during
this year that he erected a frame
house on the north side of Ordway
street short distance east of Wis
consin avenue, whis Is still standing,
and last known to be in the possess
sion of Gen. Forests descendants.
Uriah Forrest was born near
Leonardtown, St Marys County,
Md, in 1855, where we find his
brother, Zachariah Forrest, still liv-
ing. in 1870, with his wife and two
sons over Is years of age, one under
16; six daughters and Is slaves.
Uriah at that time was living in
Georgetown, then a part of Mont
gomery County, Md. and had, be-
sides his wife, one son over 16, one
son under is, two daughters and
five slaves.
He was soldier of the American
Revolution, was wounded in the
Battle of Brandywine and lost leg
In the Battle of Germantown. He
resigned from the service on Feb
ruary %, 1881, when the State of
Maryland advanced him a sum of
money equal to seven years half pay
as lieutenant. He served as
delegate to the Continental Con-
gress from Maryland and later
served from that State in the Third
United States Congress, taking his
seat March 4, 1893, and resigning
therefrom November 8. 1894.
The highest rank that Gen. Forrest
received during the Revolutionary
War was that of lieutenant colonel,
the title of general being derived
from his appointment as major gen.
eral Of Maryland Militia in 1895.
Transfer to Key.
Many of the early Georgetown
families were related through mar
riage and intermarriage, but it was
not long after Gen. Forrest became
the sole owner Of Rosedale that he
transferred $50 acres of this tract to
his brother-in-law, Philip Barton
Key, uncle of Francis Scott Key,
who named the place Woodley. This
relationship between Forrest and
the elder Key was due to the fact
that both married daughters of
George Platter, sixth Governor of
Maryland. Col. Plater's wife was
the sister of Gen. James McCubbin
Lingan and one of his daughters,
Ann, was the first wife of Mai.
George Peter, son of Robert Peter.
Another son, Thomas, married
Martha Parke Custis, granddaugh-
ter of Martha Washington.
Philip Barton Key, who was a
Georgetown lawyer, continued to
practice until 1906, when he turned
his law business over to his nephew,
the author of "The Star Spangled
Banner" and it was at this time
that he improved his acreage prop
erty by the erection of the Woodley
mansion, which is still standing at
5000 Cathedral avenue NV, and
here be made his home, except dur
ing brief intervals, until his death
in 1877. He was distinguished
member of the District and Mary
land bars, and was acting as the
legal representative of the COM
fnissioners when, in February, 1901,
he was appointed by President
Adams, chief judge Of the United
States Circuit Court in Maryland,
which Office Congress at the follow
ing session abolished.
The owners or residents of Wood
ley, subsequent to the death of its
original owner, included, so far as
known, four Presidents, three of
whom-Van Buren, Tyler and Bu-
chanan-resided there at times dur
ing the summer months of their
respective terms, and more espe-
cially. Grover Cleveland, who leased
it and spent several summers there
during his second term.
Series of Transactions.
On January 7, 1856, Gen. Lorenzo
Thomas conveyed this property to
George Thomas, and three years
later it was decided to Rachael A. E..
Bowen. mother of the present DR..