NEWS AND NOTES PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY JANUARY 1995 OUR 43RD YEAR VOLUME XXII NUMBER 1 BOARD OF DIRECTORS - 1995 SOCIETY PLANS FOR 1995 DECIDED President - Jane Eagen On Saturday, January 14, 1995, Society President Vice President - Eugene Roberts Jane "Delegate" Eagen hosted the Society Board Secretary - Sarah Bourne annual planning meeting. In addition to the Board, Treasurer - John B. Bourne members were invited to provide input and assist in Historian - Frederick S.DeMarr execution of the Society's busy calendar for 1995 and Editor - Lester H. Sweeting several of the projects which were agreed to by the Board. Directors- 1994/1995 John Mitchell So that no one will miss out on these events, and Julie Bright given a newly upgraded and well working computer Sarah Moseley and new software, I am attaching the Calendar for 1995. Keep this in a handy place, and mark your Directors - 1995/1996 schedules now. Mildred Ridgeley Gray Wallis Hall Cain I will continue to include a bi-monthly calendar as James Ray well, but that one lists events of the Society and other groups as well. Past Presidents W. C. (Bud) Dutton The names of the new officers and Board members John Giannetti are shown in the box at the left. I have asked that Paul Lanham Sarah Bourne provide more in her series on the Warren (Dusty) Rhoads members of the Board and will share those as they Joyce McDonald come in. As I said, 1994 was a good year, and 1995 promises to be even better as we continue to prepare for the 300th birthday of this Prince of a County in 1996. The Society, ably led by our new officers and Board, has preliminarily developed specific Tricentennial activities - mainly in the publishing field. As these become more clarified, I will share them with the members in News and Notes. The Tricentennial groups are forging ahead as well - planning for the Heritage Center continues with the report of our consultant, Charles Lyle (jointly sponsored by the FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK Tricentennial Committee and the Society) delving into the riches of the County and Welcome to 1995, and the new era in providing preliminary advice as to where a Washington. As one involved daily in the Center might best be located and what it comings and goings on Capitol Hill, let me might contain. say only that I find this fascinating and that it keeps me off the streets and busy until the Last issue contained a questionnaire, and wee small hours. some replies have come in. This, in the next issue I shall present the first round results of 1994 was a very good year for the Society, that effort. I urge members and other one in which we accomplished quite a bit. readers to review the questionnaire and send But, sadly, it was also a year of loss. I have me your responses - your input is important! included a remembrance of Ivan Rainwater, a longtime friend of the Society, who passed I have reviewed the News and Notes in my away in December. We will miss Ivan. personal file and find that this is about the 25th I have done. While some members, We in Hyattsville and Prince George's most notably Paul Lanham^Fred DeMarr County will also miss our late Congressman and other members of the Board have from the 5th District of Maryland, The been very helpful to me in generating Honorable Hervey G. Machen, who material, let me make this plea -1 need your passed away late in November. Some 14 help in continuing to provide the kind of years ago, I was privileged to spend an information, especially historical anecdotes, evening with Mr. Machen and a tape vignettes, etc. that you would like to see. It recorder, while he reminisced about growing is your newsletter, and you can contribute to up in Hyattsville. Since that time, Sharon it. Just drop a line to the Society post office and I became quite close to Mike (Hervey's box or leave copy at Marietta or give it to son) and Judy Amanda (his youngest any Board member you see. daughter) and spent some lovely days with the family at Broome's Island. We will also Thanks, and a prosperous 1995 to all of you. miss Hervey. Lester H. Sweeting IN MEMORIAM Ivan began projects like the periodical collection and the publication of accession H. IVAN RAINWATER lists. He saw the need for special series, such as Filby's Passenger and Immigration "As best I can determine, Dorothy and Ivan Lists. Rainwater joined the (Genealogical) Society in the late 1970s. In 1980 Dorothy became "I'm not taking anything away from Ivan's the Chairman of the Education Committee, successors by telling you that without Ivan's and whether voluntarily or at Dorothy's efforts we may not have the fine Library we suggestion, Ivan began the task of do today. establishing the (Genealogical) Society's Library. "Ivan's dedication to the Society and its Library has been manifested in ways too "He collected the few books the Society numerous to mention here. His long years of owned, tracked down lost and missing books service were first formally recognized in and catalogued them. President Kay 1986 when he was chosen as the 3rd Mayhew and Ivan then negotiated with the recipient of the Jane Roush McCafferty C.G. City of Bowie for use of three rooms in the Award of Excellence. Belair Mansion. "Due to health considerations, Ivan resigned "Ivan and a team of members scraped, his position as Archivist on April 3, 1991. patched, plastered and painted what was to become our home for the next ten years. "In May 1991, the Library was jointly named Ivan bought lumber and supplies and he and in honor of Ivan and a Society Librarian. Bill Taylor built bookcases to conform to the Today the Library is officially known as the space. Much of the furniture and furnishings Rainwater-Miles Research Center of the for the Library came from the Rainwater's Prince George's County Genealogical home. Society. "As a handful of people in this room today "As is most often the case, funeral and know, managing the Library was not a 1 day memorial services are sad occasions. We a week job. Ivan spent untold hours every attend them to say goodbye to loved ones, week for 11 years building that Library. family members, spouses, friends, co- workers or companions. Ivan is all of these "In 1990 it was necessary for the Library to to us. move from the Mansion to allow for renovation of the historic site. After a year "Ivan suffered a great deal this past year. in storage, Ivan negotiated with the City of And I think that as we acknowledge his Bowie and again we had a home for the death, we should be happy that he is in a Library. This time in the Belair Stable better place and bid him a fond farewell." Museum. Karen D. Miles "During Ivan's 11 years as Archivist, the Library grew from a handful of books to the Ed. Note. The Miles mentioned above is Karen Dufly nucleus of the collection we have today. Miles whose lovely eulogy for Ivan Rainwater, this is. I would also like to point out that the 3. Will not be repeated. Historical Society benefitted from the life of Ivan Rainwater and his surviving widow 4. Will not be announced in advance of presentation. Dorothy. The Rainwater's, long time members of the Historical Society, were 5. Awards will be presented honored with the St. George's Day Award in at the annual St. 1992 for their work on the Belair Mansion George's Day dinner held and with the Genealogical Society. Dorothy by the Society on the and Ivan were also very active in the early Sunday closest to April months of the Tricentennial Citizen's 23rd. Committee effort and Dorothy has served on the Tricentennial Citizens Committee and the 6. Awards will be determined by a committee composed Tricentennial Celebration Trust Board. of the Society's Board of Directors plus 3 Society Our condolences to Dorothy Rainwater. members at large (elected or appointed by the ST. GEORGE'S DAY AWARDS Society President). A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS 7. Specific activity means The Society Board will meet at one that has accrued over 12:30 PM, March 18, in closed a period of time. If a session to select the 1995 specific project is the honorees for this prestigious basis for the Award, the award. This year, we are activity must have been asking the membership completed. (For example, specifically to make an award based on a nominations for the Board to publication could be made consider. Therefore, it is only after publication of appropriate that we review the the item.) criteria for the Awards. The St. George's Day Awards were 8. There are a limited established by the Prince number of awards each George's County Historical year. An average of 7 Society to honor individuals awards have been given and organizations that have over the years (although made a significant more were made in the contribution to the early years - to catch up preservation of Prince on needed recognition.) George's County's heritage. Honorees: 9. The Award recipient must be living, unless the 1. Need not be a County Committee had voted on resident or County-based the award and death organization. intervened before the presentation. 2. Activity for which honored must pertain to There are five specific Prince George's County.