November 17, 2023

The Search for the Jesuit Mission of Father Andrew White Along the Potomac River

Dr. Julia King

At the CCASM November 16 meeting Dr. Julia King talked about recent investigations done in Chapel Point State Park along the Potomac River.  They were looking for evidence of the Jesuit Mission in that area was associated with Father Andrew White.  Julie's talk was so interesting and informative that I forgot to take any notes.  I do remember  - an old map showing the location of a dwelling that could be overlaid on a current map,  artifacts made by Native Americans (that's why the Jesuits wanted a mission there), seventeenth century artifacts from the time period Father White and/or his successor would have been there, but there was so much more.

Julie has a grant to continue investigations at the site next year.  So stay tuned.
(CCASM was written into the grant, and members will be able to volunteer.)

Native American and
early Colonial artifacts recovered
Two recovered sherds similar
to mid-seventeenth century mug

Julia King is a professor of anthropology at St Mary's College of Maryland and was the principle investigator for investigations that found Charles County's first Courthouse and that found the Piscataway's Zekiah Fort. 

Several CCASM members had volunteered for at least a day on the site early this year.   Julie thanked them by taking them to dinner prior to the meeting.  A really nice thank you.

Before the meeting


Attendance: 15

 

November 14, 2023

Documenting an African American Cemetery

Recording Coordinates
(Total Station)


Monday November 13 the locations of the grave depressions that had been found in October were recorded.  Jim Gibb used his Total Station to record the coordinates of the head and foot of the individual depressions found previously as well as those of a few new ones found today.  He was assisted by Ned and Esther.  Jim will use this data to create a map of the cemetery.

Thanks to Jim for doing this.

Thanks to Ned for the info and photos.

 Monday October 9 CCASM members Denise, Elsie, Linda, Carol, and Ed joined Esther Reed to mark graves on a property along Old Stage Coach Road.  There was one marked grave on this property that is privately owned.  The rest of the graves were just depressions in the ground.  We flagged seventy-seven possible graves. This appears to be a cemetery associated with the Mount Zion Colored Episcopal Church that was formed in the 1870s
For more about the site see Finding Charles County Blog- Mount Zion

Flagging the head
of a grave depression
Volunteering for
a day in the woods