• Rollingwood Burial Ground

    Submitted by info@chevychas… on Tue, 2023-06-13 01:08 PM

     

    What is the Rollingwood Burial Ground? A burial ground for people who were enslaved along Brookville Road. “It is understood and agreed upon by the said G.M. Watkins and Sam B. Anderson that the present Grave Yard on said Lot, never exceeded one eight of an acre of Land, shall be used by the said G.M. Watkins and Sam B. Anderson for the burial of Colored people as needed for that purpose.” -Deed, June 3, 1864; Montgomery County Land Records Liber JGH 8 Folio 404

    Where is the burial ground located? East of Brookville road near Woolsey Dr. and Rocton Ave. “on the East side of the road leading from George Town D.C. to Brookville in the County and state aforesaid, adjoining the lands of Judge James Dunlop, and the said Sam B. Anderson, and commonly known as the lot whereon the overseer of the said G.M. Watkins lived supposed to contain six acres of Land more or less.” -Deed, June 3, 1864; Montgomery County Land Records Liber JGH 8 Folio 404. A map from 1865 highlighting the property of James Dunlop, Greenbury Watkins, and Sam Anderson along Brookville Road.Two maps showing the same area of Chevy Chase. One is a modern map marking parcels of land owned by Dunlop, Watkins, and Anderson. The other is an historic map from 1865 showing the approximate location of the burial ground.What did it look like back then? 1865 map highlight the location of the Cummings property next to the Anderson property. A photo of the Cummings property in 1910.“No Gain” / Cummings Farm / Brook Farm. Photo of the Brooke farmhouse in 1896. Photo of the cabin at Brook Farm (No Gain) in 1896.When was it an active burial ground? As late as 1864, according to the deed. Slavery ended in Maryland after the adoption of a new State Constitution on November 1, 1864. People may have been buried there after 1864. A photo of the original deed stating that the land was used as a burial ground.Who was buried there? People enslaved by Greenbury Watkins, and potentially others. Any individual who died while enslaved by Greenbury Watkins could have been buried at Rollingwood. People who had been enslaved by neighbors could have also been buried there. The 1864 deed mentions that the land “shall be used by the said G.M. Watkins and Sam B. Anderson for the burial of Colored people as needed for that purpose” How can we know? Hard to know for certain, but records hold clues. Census statistics: 1850 and 1860, including: number of enslaved people, age, and sex. But no names. People enslaved by Greenbury Watkins are enumerated in the 1850 and 1860 Census. 1864 Slave Statistics: this document includes names of people held in slavery at time of the new state constitution. Individuals named in the 1864 schedule could have been related to the interred, or had known them personally. Records available online through the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland database by The Maryland State Archives.Who was enslaved by Watkins? 1850 Census 25 people 16 men 9 women Age range: 6 months to 60 years 12 under the age of 10 yearsWho was enslaved by Watkins? 1860 Census 32 people 18 men 14 women Age range: 1 month to 54 years 9 under the age of 10Were there any deaths between 1850 and 1860? Comparing the two sets of Census data. 9 people listed in 1850 are unaccounted for in 1860 3 possibilities: sale, manumission, death Life expectancy for enslaved people about 20 years. 5 years male 18 years male 25 years female 25 years female 30 years male 38 years male 40 years female 40 years male 60 years female. What happened to the burial ground? Land sales and suburban development. A map of the Chevy Chase area in 1865. A modern day map of the same area.1916 Montgomery County Atlas (Deets & Maddox) showing the approximate location of the burial ground showing mostly undeveloped farmland. 1931 Montgomery County Atlas (Klinge) showing the approximate location of the burial ground, newly created East-West highway, and some suburban development.1949 Montgomery County Atlas (Klinge) showing the approximate location of the burial ground on a parcel of land surrounded by suburban development. 1959 Montgomery County Atlas (Klinge) showing the approximate location of the burial ground covered by suburban development.We may never know the names of the people who were interred at Rollingwood Burial Ground, or its precise location,but we can honor their lives and acknowledge their final resting place.