Evening star., 1944-08-06

'cluded what is now Oak Hill Cemetery,
given to the people of Georgetown in
1849, a burial plot by w. w. Corcoran.
The Parrott purchase even extended as
for east as Rock Greek, where in the
spring Of 1913 the Georgetown Wool
&c Cotton Mandatory was started in
his mill.
But it was the Oak Hill Cemetery
grounds, that early became known as
PARROTS Woods, where Fourth of July
and various other celebrations, enter
tainments and picnics were held for
many years.
PARROTS Rope Walk
Close by also was PARROTS rope walk,
where heavy rope for vessels was made,
an industry then quite as important,
so far as ships were concerned, as it is
today, and perhaps even more so. 1t
was here, in 1909, that the ropes were
made that were used on the frigate
President.
In an early account it is said that
the demand for rope was so great in
the early 1905 that Mr. Parrot
utilized the long strip between the
dwelling hause and the gardens at
the edge of the bluff on the north as
a rope walk, and that the path has
ever since been known by that name
This rope walk is mentioned in the deed
executed in 1904 and the dwelling,
garden and rope walk is mentioned later
in the deed of 1877 Mr. Parrott died
in 1922, and in his will mentioned him
self as Richard Parrott of Elderslie, and
adds, adjoining Georgetown" which
indicates that his holdings at this place
was once known by that name. After
Mr.. Parrott's death the estate became
very much involved and was sold under
a deed in chancery to Clement Smith
in 1922. From 1911 to 1874, Mr. Smith
was cashier and president of the Farm
ers & Mechanics Bank, which during
the War of 1872 advanced large sums
of money to the United States Govern
ment.
In later years, Col. George Crogan,
Inspector General of the United States
Army, lived at Montrose In 1887 the
estate was sold to trustees for Mary Nc
Euen Boyce, wife of William M. Boyce
The deed recited the prior occupancy
of Parrott, Smith and Crogan. From
that time until its sale to the United
States in 1911, the property was held by
the Boyce family, of which family Will
liam M. Boyce, who once owned the place,
graduated from the United States Mill
tary Academy in 1922 He was a cap
tain Of infantry in 1886, when he re-
signed from the service to become as
sistant chief of the Coast and Geodetic
Survey. He died in 1855.
A Georgetown Showplace
From the time of its purchase by the
Boyce family in 1897 up to within
few years Of the removal of the building
in 1914, Montrose was kept in the most
complete order and was one of the show
places of Georgetown.
In the story of "The Old Mills by
Allen c. Clark, in the records of the
Columbia Historical Society, that writer
says:
Recently has been published the
diary of Elbridge Gerry jr, who passed
few weeks in Washington, beginning
July /, 1913. The day after his arrival
he visited the home of Mr.. Parrott.
And after that, nearly every day. OF
the first visit he enters: 'Mirth and
happiness smiled on the countenance
of every person in the room, excepting
one poor fellow who was most desperate
ly smitten, and whose downcast look
and constant attention betrayed his
feeling Young Gerry may have had
his troubles, but bashfulness was not
of them. The portrait by Gilbert Stuart
shows handsome man with an express
sion of good nature. Very likely there
were so many charming girls who court
ed his smiles and attentions as intended
specially their own, that not to disap-
point all the others he took none and
renamed bachelor. He lived to be 81.
"A year after, August, 1914, Dolly
Madison in her fight stopped at MI
PARROTS. She with him changed horses
and coach to divert attention"
The Oak Hill Cemetery grounds, early
known as PARROTS Woods, as before
stated, came in for much notice in
1912, when here was paid tribute to
Gen. James Macubbin Lingan. who met