History of the Wilson Farm

History of the Wilson Farm. . , On this site stood the Wilson family homestead, which was built in the early 1900s after an earlier family home was destroyed by fire. It was the home of Georgianna Cornelia Wallis and Joseph Percy Wilson, the grandparents of the last generation of the family to live on the farm., For several hundred years, the Wilson Farm was a tobacco-growing plantation. Enslaved African-Americans labored here during the nineteenth century, including members of the Allen, Banks, Woodward, and Jones families. In the 20th century, the family operated the Wilson Brothers' Dairy here and also raised beef cattle, hogs, turkeys, and chickens. Trees were planted on the property to provide apples, pears, peaches, and pecans for the family. Several of these trees, which were planted by Joseph and Georgianna upon the birth of each of their children, still exist today and are located adjacent to the site of the homestead., The Wilson Farm was originally part of the tract "Beall's Pasture," which had been granted by Charles Calvert, 3rd Lord Baltimore, to Ninian Beall in 1699. James Wilson purchased 305 acres of this land in 1750 and re-surveyed it in 1763 into "Wilson's Part of Beall's Pasture Enlarged." His son, William Wilson, inherited the land along with 130 acres of the adjoining tract, "Mount Arrarat." In 1823, William Wilson added 30 more acres to the farm by purchasing parts of the neighboring tracts, "Crauford's Adventure" and "Gordon's Pasture," making the farm 483 acres in size., Over the years, small parts of the farm were donated by the family for the construction of several churches, including the original St. Ambrose Catholic Church in 1886, and for the construction of the Capital Beltway., Wilson family members proudly served their country during the War of 18 12, the Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War. During the War of 18 12, British troops who had participated in the burning of the White House and the U.S. Capitol marched past the Wilson Farm on their return from Washington. In the 1860s, Union soldiers stopped at the farm, and during World War II, German prisoners-of-war labored on this and other area farms., By the end of the 20th century, the Wilson Farm was one of the last large family-owned farms remaining inside the Beltway. It was purchased by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in 1995., Known Enslaved African Americans at the Wilson Farm , From 1867 Slave Statistics of Prince George's County, Maryland. Levi Allen, 65, M, Infirm, Slave for Life . Violetta Allen, 50, F, Good, Slave for Life . Tobias Allen, 32, M, Good, Slave for Life . Mary Allen, 12, F, Good, Slave for Life . Henry Allen, 1, M, Good, Slave for Life . Levi Allen, 18, M, Good, Slave for Life . Cassandra Banks, 15, F, Good, Slave for Life . Mary Banks, 2 months, F, Good, Slave for Life . Benjamin Allen, 13, M, Good, Slave for Life . Harriet Allen, 11, F, Good, Slave for Life . Violetta Allen, 8, F, Good, Slave for Life . Nancy Brown, 40, F, Good, Slave for Life . Sallie Brown, 16, F, Good, Slave for Life . Emily Brown, 11, F, Good, Slave for Life . Daniel Brooke, 24, M, Good, Slave for Life, Margaret Woodward, 34, F, Good, Slave for Life . Joseph Woodward, 34, M, Good, Slave for Life . Lucy Woodward, 17, F, Good, Slave for Life . Alexander Crawford, 2, M, Good, Slave for Life . Virginia B -, 10, F, Good, Slave for Life, Mealina James, not given, F, Good, Slave for Life . Cornelia Jones, 10, F, Good, Slave for Life . Richard Jones, 6, M, Good, Slave for Life . Caroline Jones, 3, F, Good, Slave for Life . Infant of Mealina Jones, 2, F, Good, Slave for Life . Linnie Brown, 17, F, Good, Slave for Life