USA > Maryland > Anne Arundel County > Annapolis > The Ancient City.: A History of Annapolis, in Maryland, 1649-1887 > Part 37
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THE CHASE MANSION.
The house, on the north side of Maryland Avenue, corner of King George, built in 1770, by Judge Samuel Chase, (known in the family as Judge Samuel Chase, the Signer, ) has been described as "probably the most stately house in Annapolis, being the only colonial residence which is three stories high. The main feature of the house is its hall of entrance opening on a lofty porch and extending through the house from front to back, a distance of over forty-five feet, and being over fourteen feet wide, the large double front door being arched with glass transome and a window on each side. The stairway, op- posite the front door, begins with a single flight of steps, and, rising to nearly half the height of the stairway, ends with a platform from which a flight of steps on each side diverges, ascending to a gallery which is supported by Ionic pillars. Above the first platform of the staircase rises a triple window, the central of which is arched and the whole is of magnificent porportions, reminding one of some ancient church. At each end of the gallery above is an arched door with glass transome. Opening on this gallery, from the front, is the door of an apartment, and on each side of the door a niche intended for statuary. The dining room is handsomely ornamented in carved wood, and the marble mantel piece of this room represents a scene from Shakespeare in sculpture." It was intended to have had wings upon this house, but it was sold, before being finished, to Governor Lloyd, who was the executive of the State from 1809 to 1811. Mr. Henry Harwood, his son-in-law, bought the house from Gov. Lloyd. It was afterward purchased by Captain Edward Gibson, U. S. N. The next purchaser was Miss Hester Ann Chase, who bought it in 1847. She was the daughter of Jeremiah T. Chase. It is now in the possession of Mrs. Hester Ann Chase Ridout, grand daughter of Samuel Chase and Jeremiah T. Chase.
THE HARWOOD RESIDENCE.
The house, with wings, on the south side of Maryland Avenue at the intersection of King George, was designed by Mr. Buckland, architect, for Mr. Wm. Hammond, a famous Annapolis lawyer, of ye
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olden times. It was built between the years 1770 and 1780. It was first occupied by Jeremiah Townley Chase, Chief Justice of Maryland in 1781, and was unfinished when he went into it. The house is of brick with stone foundation, some of the foundation walls being five feet thick. The house is handsomely decorated with carved wood. The parlor, a room nineteen by twenty-seven, has a carved wainscot surrounding the room, and the mantel-piece, window, and door frames, shutters and doors are carved in arabesque, and is said to be the handsomest specimen of its kind in Maryland. In 1811. the house was purchased, together with the ground extending from King George street to Prince George street, by Chief Justice Chase for his oldest daughter, Frances Townley, wife of Richard Loockerman. The garden was designed by Mrs. F. T. Loockerman, and was laid off under her direction, and the box walk was planted by herself. The outside corridor of the south wing was added by the family and many interior improvements have been made. The house is now occupied by Wm. Harwood and family, Mrs. Harwood being a grand-daughter of Judge Jeremiah T. Chase. Mr. Hammond, for whom the house was built, it is said, was engaged to be married to a lady, and he went to Philadel- phia to get his furniture, but the engagement was broken off, and he lived a bachelor.
THE OGLE HOUSE.
The house, on the corner of King George street and College Avenue, now owned by Mrs. Judge John Thompson Mason, formerly the resi- dence of Gov. Thomas G. Pratt, was built by Gov. Samuel Ogle, who was Governor at three different periods-first in 1732 and the third time in 1746 and '47.
THE PACA DWELLING.
The house, on the northeast side of Prince George street, near East st., now owned by Mrs. Richard Swann, was built by Gov. Paca, who was Governor in 1782. Arther Schaaf purchased the house from the Governor. Louis Neth became owner after Mr. Schaaf. About 1847, Chancellor Theodoric Bland lived there, but was not the owner of it. This garden, perhaps, more than any other spot, indi- cated the delightful life of Annapolis a century ago. The spring house, the expanse of trees and shrubbery, the octagonal two-story summer house, that represented "My lady's bower," the artificial brock, fed by two springs of water, that went rippling along to the bath house that refreshed in the sultry days, and gave delight to the occupants, form a picture tradition loves to dwell upon to this day.
THE IGLEHART HOUSE.
The dwelling, now occupied by Mrs. William T. Iglehart, was owned by Thomas Jennings, barrister, who also lived there. He it was who built the house on East st., now owned by ex-Mayor Thomas E. Martin, for his daughter Mrs. James Brice. Apropos of this daughter, she was noted for entertaining her guests with a famous kind of cake, called Naples biscuit, the recipe for which has come down to this generation. Mr. William T. Iglehart purchased the Jennings' house, from John T. Barber's estate about 1870, removed a wing of the house, and improved its appearance, but did not alter the architecture of the main building.
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AUNT LUCY SMITH'S HOUSE.
The old house on the northeast side of Prince George street, adjoint- ing the Protestant Episcopal Chapel, is an interrogation to every passer by. Its exact date is lost in the misty clouds of age, but its appearance and ancient architecture mark it as one of the oldest houses in venerable Annapolis. Part of its history has been preserved. Many years ago there lived in it an ancient colored dame, known as Aunt Lucy Smith. She was a famous cook who served to good ac- count on State occasions the grand dames of the former regime. At other times she supplied from her house or from her basket on the street, the choice morsels that her art divined in the kitchen. John Smith, her husband, kept a livery stable in the rear of the house, a business John's lineal descendents continue to this day in Baltimore.
THE PINKNEY HOUSE.
The Pinkney House, on College Avenue and Bladen street, was built by John Callahan, register of the Land office. It is one of the oldest houses of our city. It is now owned by Mrs. Mary Pinkney, a rela- tive of the celebrated William Pinkney.
OTHER ANCIENT HOUSES.
The property now owned by Charles S. Welch, Esq., on Hanover street, was built in 1763, and was at one time the residence of Anthony Stewart, the owner of the famous brig Peggy Stewart.
The main residence of Mrs. Alex. Randall, situated in the five-sided lot, opposite the State House, is one the most ancient builings of the city. It is known positively to have been in existence in 1752, and very probably in 1737. In this house Reverdy Johnson was born.
The house on the north-west of Market Space and Randall street, is an ancient building erected by John Randall, grandfather of J. Wirt Randall.
The house occupied by Ex-Mayor Thos. E. Martin, on East street, near Prince George's is also one of the landmarks af our early history. It was erected by Mr. Edmund Jennings for his son-in-law, one of the Brices.
The house, ocsupied by Mrs. Eliza Bonsall, No. 55 Duke of Glou- cester street, is one of the oldest in the city. In this house Jehu Chandler, the founder of the Maryland Republican, lived and died.
The three houses at the lower end of Duke of Gloucester street, now owned by John R. Magruder, Lieut. Albert Ross, and Philip R. Voor- hees and sister, were built by John Ridout, great grandfather of Dr. William G. Ridout. He also built the residence of Dr. William G. Ridout. The first three were built respectively for Mr. Ridout's chil- dren: Horace and Samuel Ridout and Mrs. Gibson. This John Ridout was the first of the Ridouts in the country.
Mrs. Nicholas Carroll was Miss Ann Jennings, daughter of Mr. Thos. Jennings, the great lawyer. They lived in the house now used as the Annapolis Public School Building. This house was altered during the ownership of Frank H. Stockett and also since it has been a public school building.
"THE LIBERTY TREE."
The earliest tradition, handed down to us of the imperial poplar that adorns the College Campus, is that it served as the canopy under
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which the colonists and Indians made a treaty of peace. As history records only one document of this kind signed here-this treaty must have been the one agreed between the colonists and the sturdy Susque- hannocks in 1652.
The next public use of it we find in Eddis' Letters was when the in- habitants assembled under it to determine whether, or not, persons who had not joined the association of patriots should be driven out of the colony.
In 1825, Gen. LaFayette was entertained under it, and after that there are frequent mentions in the Maryland Gazette of Fourth of July celebrations taking place under its ample shade.
About 1840, several youths were playing under this tree with that very dangerous, but frequent adjunct of juvenile sports-gunpowder. They had about two pounds of it. They placed it in the hollow of the tree where it was ignited and exploded, setting fire to the grand old tree. The citizens of Annapolis repaired in force for its rescue, the firemen bringing out the city engine and deluging the tree with water. The boys' escapade was, no doubt, greatly denounced; but the juveniles had done better than their denunciators thought or the juveniles in- tended. The tree had fallen into a state of decay that threatened its life. The next year it put forth its branches with its youth re- newed. The explosion had destroyed the worms that were gnawing away its vitals !
How long this monarch of a primeval forest has existed, none can tell. Anoctogenarian tells me he remembers it in 1812-and it seemed as large then as now. If, in 1652, it was of such imposing growth that it was selected as the scene of so important an event as the making of a treaty of peace by the Puritans with their savage foes, may we not infer it lived before Columbus saw America ? On the 30th of July, 1886, it was, two feet from the ground, twenty-nine feet, four inches in circumference, and stood about 150 feet high. One third of the trunk is gone, and is now boarded up. The body of the tree is a mere shell-a marval how its life can be maintained and thousands of tulips bloom on its branches in their season.
Its identity with Eddis' Liberty Tree is preserved to us alone by tradition, but its use and size corroborate the truth of oral testimony.
A NOTABLE BOWL.
FIRST USED AT A COLLATION GIVEN BY LLOYD DULANY.
The famous bowl that for a century graced the counter of the Old City Hotel in this city on festive occasions, such as the Fourth of July, New Year's, and Christmas, around which at the social board have gathered the sages and heroes of the Revolution and the great lights of our day, still exists. It has been in the possession of its present owner, Edward Walton, about ten years, and is sacredly guarded as a link in that great chain that connects the present with the heroic past. The bowl, which is 16 inches in diameter, 4 inches deep, and 7 inches wide at the bottom, has an interesting history. It is stated that it was first used at a collation given by Lloyd Dulany, at his private residence, now the City Hotel, a few evenings after the burning of the brig Peggy Stewart, and that among his guests was
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Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. Mr. Dulany explained to his company how he became possessor of this, then much admired, bowl. He said it had been sent to him by a friend in England and had arrived in the Peggy Stewart. He also stated at the time that the captain had assured him that in no way was it a part of her cargo, that it was not on her manifest ; that he had it placed in his cabin along with his private property, and that, after he had fired his brig, he recollected that he had promised to deliver the bowl in person. To this state- ment Mr. Carroll is represented as having smillingly replied: "We accept your explanation, provided the bowl is used to draw always this same kind of tea."
Many thousands of Marylanders and numerous statesmen of America have drank out of it.
CHAPTER LXI. ELECTIONS IN ANNAPOLIS DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
The right of elective franchise was capricious in Annapolis during. the war, and depended entirely upon the orders issued by the general of the military department of Maryland. These new qualifications for voters were formulated in test oaths whose chief objuration was that the elector had no sympathy for the South or secession. When these failed to prevent the obnoxious elector from voting, questions, yet more effec- tual in searching the conscience of the voter, were put until the desired disenfranchisement was accomplished. One spectacle was amusing, if it had not been disreputable. Somebody inspired the soldiers at the Naval Academy with the idea that they had a right to vote and, on being placed on their voir dire, two hundred enlisted soldiers of the Federal government, non-residents of the State, swore that they had come into the State of Maryland thirteen months previous with the intention of making this their residence ! On this the judges of election, in the city of Annapolis, received their votes.
[1863.] The election in November, developed an anomalous state of things. The Constitution and Laws of Maryland prescribed cer- tain qualifications for voters ; the General Commanding the Depart- ment of Maryland 'by his pronunciamento demanded another test for the right of franchise-an oath unknown to the laws of the State. A number of citizens of Annapolis refused to qualify under this new regulation. The Gaztte tersely says :
"During the past week" our city has been thrown into considerable excitement in consequence of the arrest of a number of persons, citi- zens of this city. Captain Keffer, Provost Marshal of this district, who obeys orders to the letter, addressed the following letter to Col. Waite after the election :
" 'Col. C. A. Waite, 1st Infantry, U. S. A., Commanding at Annapolis :
" 'COLONEL :- I have the honor to submit to you the following names of persons, who, upon their votes being challenged on the ground of
* Issue of November 26, 1808.
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Disloyalty, on the day of the election at Annapolis, refused to take the oath of allegiance, and consequently left the polls, being denied the right of voting :
"""Geo. M. Duvall, Jos. H. Nicholson, Oliver Miller, D. Claude Handy, Robt. W. Tate, James E. Tate, Wm. Tell Claude, candidate on the Secessiont Ticket for the House of Delegates, Thomas G. Pratt, Thomas Franklin, James Revell, candidate on the Secession Ticket for State's Attorney ; Martin Revell, Nicholas H. Green, can- didate on the Secession Ticket for Clerk of the Circuit Court ; and Edward Boyle.
" 'Many of these men are members of the Bar, and express their de- termination on Monday, next, or as soon as possible thereafter, to have the Judges of Election indicted before the Grand Jury of Anne Arun- del county, for refusing to receive their votes in accordance with the election laws of the State Maryland.
" 'I would most respectfully ask what course I shall pursue in the event of the Judges of the Election being arrested.
I am Colonel, with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
FRANCIS I. KEFFER.
Capt. 71st, P. V., Provost Marshal."
A copy of Col. Waite's answer is not extant ; but the text may be in- ferred by the sequence. All of the gentlemen, who refused to take the oath, were arrested and required to report to Baltimore to Major- Gen. Schenck, where, after some days' delay, they were all paroled, save Gov. Pratt and Col. Nicholson, to give no aid and no comfort to the Southern Confederacy. They were then allowed to return home. Their paroles continue to this day. Gov. Pratt and Col. Nicholson got as far south as Fortress Munroe, when the latter took the oath re- quired of him, and returned home. Gov. Pratt refused to take any oath whatever, and was finally released by the Government.
CHAPTER LXII. CHRONICLES OF ANNAPOLIS FROM 1863 TO 1887.
[1863.] Dr. Dennis Claude died December 9th, at an advanced age. He had filled many honorable positions, amongst them State Treasurer and Comptroller.
Roger Bellis, of Annapolis, lost a leg at Gettysburg and was after- ward made a Second Lieutenant in the Invalid Corps.
December 22, a fire broke out at the house of Smith Price, The military effectively aided the citizens in extinguishing the fire. The Gazette called on the Legislature to aid the city to secure a fire en- "#"Democratic,
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gine. Twenty years later under the administration of Dr. Abram Claude, Mayor, this engine was obtained by the city-the ladies hav- ing contributed by a fair $600 to the engine.
Under the Constitution adopted in 1864, a prominent citizen of An- napolis, Hon. Alex. Randall, was elected Attorney General. He was a son of John Randall, who, for many years, had been collector of the port, and who occupied a prominent position in the city. Alexander Randall early showed his ability, taking at graduation at St. John's College, the first honor of his class. He was in early life sent to repre- sent his district in Congress. He died in 1881. After his decease his family beautifully completed the interior of St. Anne's Mission Chapel as a memorial.
The Gazette failed this year to obtain the State printing contract. This loss of party printing, conceded in part to the home paper, was borne with an equanimity of mind that betokened a lofty spirit. He says January 14:
"OUR PAPER .- Our readers will excuse the want of the usual va- riety in today'sissue. The length of the advertisement in relation to the mail contracts excludes much Legislative and other news we would be glad to publish if we had time to prepare it. But being obliged to be mostly our own type-setter and pressman (as well as editor) we must ask indulgence for a week or two. We think it per- tinent to remark here that the fears or hopes of those persons who think the Gazette will be suspended in consequence of not obtaining any of the Legislative work are groundless. Our first object, when consent- ing to take the proprietorship of the Gazette was that the Union party in this city, and in the congressional district should have a paper de- voted to the holy cause of preserving this great and free nation from the terrible results that would follow upon its dissolution. Our mind has undergone no change and the Gazette will continue to be published, if we are blessed with health, at least, so long as this unnatural war last, even should circumstances compel us to beg or borrow a couple of blankets and made our bed with the types and our daily food be bread and potatoes."
[1864.] Jan. 21, Prof. Wm. H. Thompson, A. M., professor of the Preparatory Department of St. John's College advertised that "studies, as prescribed by the prospectus of the college will be resumed at the City Hall, (now Worthington & Co's., Drug Store, ) on the first day of February, and continue there until the Government may deem it proper to vacate the College. * * * No student admitted who has not been vaccinated. By order of the Board of Visitors and Gov- ernors."
The small-pox had prevailed at Annapolis for some time past but was now abating.
The Gazette gives January 28, this tid-bit of local "war news :"- - "SENT SOUTH .- Mrs. Davidson, who was some time since captured while crossing the Potomac from Virginia to Maryland, and who has since been confined in the Old Capitol at Washington, was on Friday last sent to the commanding officer at Fortress Munroe to be returned South. Mrs. S. is the wife of Lieut. Hunter Davidson, formerly of the U. S. Navy, but who deserted the Old Flag and joined the Traitors soon after the rebelllion shew its strength."
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During the early part of February three Russian vessels arrived at Annapolis. During their stay a Russian sailor Demidorf was killed by an Annapolitan. Demidorf was buried in the National Cemetery near Annapolis.
Sunday, February 14th, about half-past four in the afternoon a destructive fire visited Annapolis. A large three-story build- ing, foot of Main street, called Noah's Ark caught on fire. A violent wind was blowing. The inside was completely ruined; two frame houses adjoining, belonging to Mr. John Slemaker were wrecked, and considerable damage done to the store and brick-dwell- ing of Mr. Nicholas Killman. In removing the goods and chattels of the Killman residence, three flags of the Southern Confederacy were brought to light. This highly incensed the soldiers who were untir- ingly working to put out the fire. Noah's Ark was reduced one- story, and the walls rebuilt upon.
A company of negro soldiers, on their way to Baltimore, were obliged to put into Annapolis on account of the ice during the latter part of February. They encamped at St. John's College. They paraded the streets of Annapolis, and it aroused the military spirit amongst the colored people, who flocked to the camp and enlisted. One hundred and twenty went from Annapolis, about twenty of whom were rejected as disqualified. The Gazette says it learned that be- tween two and three hundred slaves had left their masters with the determination to enlist. The Gazette approved their conduct.
During the last week in March, Col. Carros A. Waite of the U. S. Infantry, was relieved of the military command of Annapolis, and Col. A. R. Root appointed in his stead. Capt. Keffer, Provost Mar- shal, was also relieved, and Capt. Thomas Watkins, of Company B., of the Purnell Legion, was put in his place. Capt. Watkins' com- pany performed the duties of Provost Guard.
The local election in Annapolis in April, developed a new party cry. The tickets were Union and Anti-Huckster. The Union ticket re- ceived a support of 168, and the Anti-Huckster 97. The excitement was small, the vote light. Solomon Philips was elected Mayor.
The Mayland Republican passed a high enlogy, at the retirement of Hon. Geo. Wells from the Presidency of the Annapolis and Elk Ridge Railroad, on his management of it, which had elevated the Road from a very low estate to one of great prosperity and useful- ness. In 1863 the State received from the road $14,286.72, being nearly 5 per cent. on the State's investment in the road. Joshua Brown, Esq., succeeded Mr. Wells.
April 12, Gen. Grant and several of his staff were in Annapolis.
Anne Arundel by an overwhelming vote elected Eli J. Henkle, Oliver Miller, Sprigg Harwood, and A. S. Bond, democrats, as dele- gates to the State Convention which had been called by the people. The Convention met April 27. Its chief acts were the proposed emancipation of slaves without pay and the enactment of qualifi- cations for voters by which a large part of the white male citizens of the State were disfranchised. The constitution, with the aid of the Maryland soldiers' votes in their camps in the field, was adopted by 400 votes.
Col. Thomas J. Wilson, late editor of the Gazette, was sent to Annapolis in May, as Paymaster U. S. Army.
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In June subscription books were "to be seen" for the Annapolis waterworks.
The barbers determined this month and thereafter to work no more on Sunday.
In July, 1864, General Early of the Confederate Army, made an invasion of Maryland. The alarm extended to Annapolis, and the military authorities began to fortify the city. The long line of re- doubts, extending parallel with the Annapolis and Bay Ridge Railroad: from the Annapolis, Washington and Baltimore railroad to the" public road, was thrown up to meet the expected advance of the Con- federates. To build the works citizens were impressed by the pro- vost-guard and marched in double files daily to the earth works. This duty was obnoxious to many who were strongly southern in their sentiments, and who did not relish the idea, of fighting against people whom they thought were in the right. Nor was the impress- ment of Southern sympathizers altogether approved of by the Union' side, one of them saying afterward if the fight had come off, he "would have had to keep one eye on the Southern sympathizers in his ranks and one eye on the Confederates." On this occasion the only bitter- ness of spirit of the war, outside of newspaper utterances and poli- tical communications, was exhibited. Some citizens were found so- despicable as to buckle on a sword, and, at the head of squads of military, to search out southern sympathizers hidden in their homes- in the town, to drag them out to the earthworks. Some of these ran- corons spirits were among the first to turn (democrats ?) when that party came into power in 1867.
During the three days of alarm a few of the fugitives were able to. hide, one finding refuge in the belfry of the First Charge Methodist Episcopal Church, where he safely remained until the impressment was over.
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