1937-05-16 [P F-2]

OLD NURSERIES GAINED FAME Linnaean Hill in Rock Creek Park, Named for Great Botanist, Associated With Historic Events in Virginia and With Wash- ington Home for Foundlings. By John Clagett Proctor. JOSHUA PEIRCE believed in adver- EW people In Washington, In- tising—good advertising; a com- mendable for one to cluding the members of the As- thing any in- in. And in the sociation of the Oldest Inhabi- dulge so, National Intelligencer of March 7, we tants, could tell you where 1825, find a card inserted him announc- Linnaean Hill is located, and yet it by ing the varieties of "Fruits and Orna- is an estate dating back for consider- mental Trees,” which he had for sale ably more than a century, and was so at Linnaean Hill, and these include, named by Joshua Peirce for the great to quote his announcement: • • * "a Swedish botanist, Karl von Linnaeus, choice collection of Fruit Trees, con- commonly called Linne. sisting of Apple, Peach, Pear, Nec- Linnaean Hill is now a part of Rock tarine, Apricot, Plum and Cherry Creek Park, and has been ever since Trees; with a variety of Garden Fruit, this reservation was transferred to the such as Currant, Gooseberry and with other land Government, together Raspberry Bushes, etc. A large col- Rock Creek, in 1890. This lying along lection of Evergreen and other Orna- estate then consisted of 31.817 acres, mental Forest Trees, among which are and was held in the name of Joshua and European American Balm of Linnaean Hill mansion, built in 1823. The early home of Joshua Peirce. —Star Phot o Peirce a Staff Klingle, nephew by marriage Gilead, Fir, White or Weymouth Pine; of Joshua Peirce, who built the old Norway, Black, Red and Hemlock in 1929. The Fifteenth street site Is John of Mount mansion house about 1823, when the Spruce Fir; Juniper and Arbor Vitae, S Fleming Pleasant; fact that the wording of the act de- now occupied by St. Augustine's Elizabeth, to Dr. William Mar- clared it to be a national land was given him by his father, Larch, Linden, Sugar Maple, Locust, Gay; park for the Roman Catholic Church. to Thomas Isaac Peirce, who built Peirce's Mill, Button Wood, Lombardy, Athenian, Old fireplace in the Linnaean Hill mansion. tha, Eldridge, and Anne, benefit of the people of the United The residue of Mr. Peirce's estate, to James the total issue States. recently restored. and with a Murray, Tulip Poplar Trees; va- __ Staff Photo. __—Star which included Linnaean Hill, he de- from these six descendants 63 “Our Federal When Isaac this riety of others, suitable for streets being legislators could not Peirce deeded land to John B. vised Blake and Moses children. and would not un- to his son Joshua, on October 10, 1823. and lawns; Grapes native and foreign, constitutionally, Kelly, in trust, the profits to be paid dertake to such "for natural and the Joshua Peirce, who con- Vines and Creepers, for walls and impose legislation love affection," to his wife's Joshua Peirce ducted the arbors; Ornamental nephew, THE fifth degree of descent from upon the people of New York, or any estate then consisted of 82 acres 2 first general nurs- Flowering Shrubs, for JN Klingle, life, balance to his chil- Pocahontas we find John other State, and the should rods and 28 ery in the District Rose Bushes; Green House Trees and Bolling practice perches, and it soon be- of Columbia. dren and the children of his deceased Plants, Bulbous-rooted and other marrying Martha, the sister to Presi- never have been instituted here. It came one of the best nurseries in hardy if after his Plants. children, any, death. And dent Thomas Jefferson, and in the ought to be forever abandoned.” America. Indeed, John A. Saul, who estate, in if he had no then bygone days, may be had issue, two-thirds same degree of descent we find John Francis D. Shoemaker, whose people is an authority on local nurseries, and “Also a large quantity of the Pyra- by reading what the late Louis P. of the residue as mentioned was to go son of Richard owned a of the at the or Randolph, Randolph large part park who has written entertainingly on the Shoemaker, a cantha, Evergreen Thorn, and to his own heirs (the heirs of grandnephew of Joshua Joshua fwho married Jane Bolling) marrying time it was sold to the Government, for the records of the Columbia Main's American Hedging Thorn, subject Peirce, said upon one occasion re- Peirce) and one-third to his wife's Frances still loves to visit the old haunts of which will be sold Bland, and from this union Historical Society, says it was the garding Mr. Peirce and his at reduced prices next of kin. nurseries, was bom the famous John Randolph his childhood days, and occasionally first general in the District when he stated: to persons disposed to plant largely. nursery of of whom it is said that stops in at Linnaean Hill to look the Roanoke, of Columbia. Joshua Peirce also con- "This place was known as ‘Linnaean “Catalogues of the above death of Joshua Peirce, articles, y^FTER he probably probably never loved any things over and compare the past ducted a within the limits Hill,’ and is of with can be had nursery7 city worthy special mention, prices affixed, of the Joshua Klingle took up his resi- human being with natural affection with the present. on a tract said to have included about not only because of Its subscriber at the Nursery of Mr. past history, dence at Linnaean Hill with his wife, except his mother. 64 acres. This, of course, must have the scenes of business activity and Thomas Levering, near the Poet Office Laura T. said to have been At this time it might not be amiss been before the streets in the out- the great beauty with which it was in Washington; of Mr. Edward M. Klingle. to mention once a Baltimore lady of refinement, whose the occasion when John lying parts of Washington were opened adorned by its original owner, Linthicum, Comer of Bridge and Fishing maiden name was Gay, and who was Rolfe returned to England in June, up, and the center of his but because of the future utility to High Streets, Georgetown, or of the city plant with which it could be so proud of her descent from the In- 1616, Pocahontas, or Mrs. Re- was somewhere in the neighborhood applied. following persons who as agents wdll (Continued dian Princess Pocahontas, that she becca Rolfe, his wife, when King From First Page.) of where once stood the "Mr. Pierce was one of those citizens receive and forward orders; Mr. Ab- Washington in James was to be raham always kept hanging her parlor disposed quite angry Hospital for Foundlings, 1751 Fifteenth whose character and industry adorn Coates, Philadelphia; Mr. that Is exercised In atock portraits of Pocahontas ana with him for daring to marry an judgment street northwest. The the of our Robert Sinclair, Baltimore; Dr. Wil- King principal part of early history’ District. He while raising, the size of fish may be con- liam Powhatan. imperial princess, today the his town nurseries extended from had the advantage of a good educa- Pitcher, Fredericktown, Md.; siderably increased and much better Without looking up the facts re- British crown seems to be all upset Fourteenth to Sixteenth street and tion and soon became, by reason of Mr. John Bradock, Rockville; Mr. results obtained.” James our. garding the ancestry of Mrs. Klingle, because a former King and present points from R to T street. his taste and talent, a horticulturist Thomas Swann, Annapolis; Mr. John “A area of will furnish it may be taken for that she duke is going to marry, according to given ground of national and Shaw, Va. granted But a word reputation a nursery- Leesburg, forage for just so many cattle, and just about the old Lin- was descended from the Indian prin- the English view, a little out of his man who conducted an extensive busi- “All orders from a in- when more are added it meana less haean Hill home before telling more distance, cess. through Dr. William Gay, who station. Then America furnished the ness. The and reservations of food of the Peirce family. parks closing cash or referring to some married princess royal, whereas, in the per capita. The seme rule the Elizabeth, the daughter of present city were, to a great extent, near, who will become applies to fish, and no more should person re- John Bolling, who married Mary instance, this country is only furnish- 'T'HIS is a old residence, ! stocked from Linnaean Hill. for the be placed in a body of water than the picturesque sponsible payment, will meet Kennon. It is known that Mrs. Klingle ing a simple, plain, but apparently fully in with the station I'lt will be remembered that about i with prompt attention.” natural food will maintain. Young keeping did try to perpetuate the name "Gay” delightful lady, with ancestry that of a of means, 1856 the camellia was even bass, crappie and sunflsh require country gentleman i introduced ; by naming a daughter Lillian Gay Bea- might lead back to this very As stated, it was erected in into this country. This of natural food, and it is for this reason 1823, the species PEIRCE is said to have trice Klingle. In this connection a Indian princess. or that any fish should be re- walls being of blue stone similar to ! Chinese Japanese shrubs was first JOSHUA list surplus been in partial of the descendants of Po- Of the descendants of Isaac Peirce, into born Philadelphia about moved to other waters in which a that found throughout the park area, i imported Europe by a German cahontas and her John in Francis D.

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