Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1951-06-07

On a house and garden tour in
Howard County last year, we visit
ed a church in Queen Caroline
Parish near Glenelg and picked
up some of its history to pass on
to the Sentinel readers. Since we
recently reviewed the history of St.
Bartholmew's, this seems good
time to tell about sister parish.
Christ Church, "Old Brick" of
Queen Caroline Parish, on Cleary
Road, Guilford, Howard County,
Maryland, stands upon "New
Years Gift" tract of land grant
ed to Edward Dorsey and Charles
Carroll by their friend the Proprie-
tary of England as a New Years
gift. The entire tract of land was
bought by Caleb Dorsey, desecen,
dant of the Howard County Dor
seys. Later he transferred this
tract to his son, John. John Dor
sey was member of the vestry
and signed John Dorsey, son of
Caleb, In 1888 he gave a deed
for the two acres e Az to the
rector, the Rev. James MacGill,
the acting vestryman, and their
successors. This was approximate
ly ten years after the organization
of the first church.
While much of the early begin
nings of the church, or chapel, like
most early records is matter of
tradition, the original minute book
of the vestry shows meeting was
held in December, 1927, at which
time six co. vestrymen were
chosen.
The original minute book or
vestry book (1727) was in contant
use until 1910 when it was thought
best to put it in the Diocesan
Library for safe keeping. There
remains in the church a Bible
given by Rev. Jacob Henderson
and dated 1870.
The first building was of logs
and was a "Chapel of Ease" of
st. Anne's Parish, Anne Arundel
County. 1t was called Elk Ridge
Church. Some records indicate
that as early as I'LL this Chapel
of Ease" was standing and re-
mainded until 1928. Prior to 1888
it was called "The Church of Eng
land" but was later changed to
the Protestant Episcopal Church.
The original bell, used in the
17OO's, still rings from the bel
fry.
A superb silver communion SER
vice, Queen Anne design, was
bought by the vestry in 1927 and
is still in constant use. This SER
vice consists of Chalice, Paten,
Flagon, and Wafer Box, in
scribed Queen Caroline Parish,
Anne Arundel County, Maryland,
1748."
In 1947 a used electric Estey
organ was given Christ Church by
the Vestry of st. Christopher's by
the Sea, Gibson Island, Md.
Late in 1913 the front of the
needed to be REINFORCED |
and at that time the circle on the
front exterior was replaced by Mr..
Nick Morton with an exact dupli-
cate of the original, reading MANA
gers: DR.. r. G. Stockett; DR.. L. L.
7. Hammond; Sam L. King; Sam
l.. Brown, Jr.; 1909, Christ Church.
Colonial door frames were also
added. The chimneys on the front
of the roof were removed. In
January 1919, an oil burning furn-
ace was installed to replace stoves
used.
Recent rectors have been: Ogle
Marbury, 1877-1896; William Paint
err 1896-1933; A. J. Torrey, 1914
1920; ]. F. Burke, 192O-1925; C.
c, Montgomery l925-1929; B. r.
Madge, 1929 1884, Eugene S. Hal
lam 1934-1944; James F. Marshall,
Jr., February 1946-February 1913;
and Charles L. Canady, February
1913.
One half of the church yard is
a cemetery. Only a few of the
earliest families of the parish were
buried here as most land owners
had their private cemeteries.
In 1909 the foundation of the
present church was laid on the
site Of the original church and has
continued in use ever since its
1t was consecrated in
1911 by Bishop Thomas John Cla-
gett and given the name of Christ
Church. The bricks are supposed
10 have come from England. The