Sandy Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Powell-Matthews-Cook and Brooks Families in Sandy Spring
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Spencerville
Sandy Spring African American Heritage Trail
| | [Sandy Spring Slave Museum & African Art Gallery] | |
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 12, 2021
1. The Powell-Matthews-Cook and Brooks Families in Sandy Spring side of the marker
The Powell-Matthews-Cook and Brooks Families in Sandy Spring: Focus on Lucy Matthews Cook
Margaret Ann Powell, born circa 1890s is the mother of Lucy Powell Matthews and great grandmother of Lucy Matthews Cook.
Gilbert Matthews [son of Walter and Lucy (Powell) Matthews] of Sandy Spring and Minerva Selby Matthews [daughter of Joshua Sr. and Christianna (Budd) Selby] of Mt. Zion are the parents of Lucy Rebecca Matthews Cook, and James a. Matthews Sr., Charles Matthews, Joshua Matthews, Richard Matthews, Chester Matthews, Harold Matthews, Lillie Gibbs, and Callie Diggs.
The Pumphreys
The Pumphreys are among the prominent black settlers of the Spencerville community. Mildred A. Pumphrey, b. 8/2/1916, d. 5/3/1984, was one of six children born to Albert and Eliza Adams. Her father a former enslaved person worked on a farm owned by a prominent Quaker family is Spencerville. Mildred was the only sibling that received an education beyond the elementary school level. In spite of numerous hardships and Jim Crow Laws Mildred earned a degree in Elementary Education from Bowie State Teachers College. She married George and
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Mildred worked as a teacher in the black public schools in Montgomery County for more than three years, teaching at the Sandy Spring Elementary School under Principal Ross Boddy, and the Smithville Elementary School. After the schools were integrated in the 1960s, she was assigned to the Jackson Road Elementary School She joined that pioneering group of black teachers to teach in the integrated school system (examples, Allisson Claggett, Nina Clarke, Warrick Hill). She also worked in the summer recreational programs in Spencerville. She demonstrated a strong passion for social and racial equality. As a member of the NAACP she was active in Montgomery County activities related to integration of County school systems. Mildred retired in the 1970s, however she worked persistently to acquire funds for Bowie State activities, sustenance of the Round Oak Baptist Church, and development of recreational activities in the Spencerville neighborhood. Upon her death in 1984, the newly constructed recreational center was named in her honro. James A. Matthews Sr., also known as "Townboy" was born on March
Lucy Rebecca Matthews Cook (James A. Matthews Sr.' sister) was born in August 1913 and married Mr. Earl Cook from Holly Grove. Lucy had one child, Robinette Matthews who was born in her grandmother' (Lucy Powell) home. She subsequently married Allen W. Brooks Sr. Allen W. and R.V. Brooks resided at 18501 Brooke Road, next door to the Lucy and Earl Cook house at 18505 Brooke Rd. where Beatrice and Allen Brooks Jr. now call home.
Ms. Lucy, as she was called was a life-long resident of Sandy Spring and dedicated member of the Sharp Street Church. In fact, she was an officer of the church and honorable member of the Methodist Women of Sharp Street Church. She helped people in the community build homes with Habitat for Humanity.
The architecture of the Cook house is similar to the Blair house at 18313 Brooke Rd. (sketch).
Spencerville:
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 12, 2021
3. The Powell-Matthews-Cook and Brooks Families in Sandy Spring side of the marker
Many of the early settlers of Spencerville were Quakers and Methodists with strong views against slavery and were sympathetic to the abolitionist cause. Edgewood II, the home of Richard Stabler is believed to be a safe house for slave fleeting Maryland. A hidden panel room is thought to be a hiding place for fleeing slaves.
By 1860-70s Spencerville approximately 106 residents, a community store and Post Office was a bustling white community. Blacks coming to the area found work on local farms, lumber mills, as teamsters, and house maids; they populated portions of Oak Hill Road, Brogden, Batson, and the Northern end of Good Hope Road, where descendants of the black settlers still live.
Mt. Calvary AUMP Church. At 150 years old Round Oak Missionary Baptist Church is the second oldest major African American church in Montgomery County
In 1872, George L. Bowen from Ashton Road organized the community to purchase land to build two black churches and an elementary school.
Mildred A. Pumphrey led a life of service to the community, a philosophy that her son Paul and Pumphrey family are noted for.
Erected by Sandy Spring Slave Museum & African Art Gallery.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Civil Rights • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the Quakerism, and the Rosenwald Schools series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is March 8, 1923.
Location. 39° 9.579′ N, 77° 1.974′ W. Marker is in Sandy Spring, Maryland, in Montgomery County. It is on Brooke Road 0.1 miles west of Chandlee Mill Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 18524 Brooke Rd, Sandy Spring MD 20860, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Leatha Howard Holland Webster / William Howard Hill & Anna Virginia Carter Hill (here, next to this marker); Sadie Matthews Budd and Family / The Bowens, Mitchells and Jacksons of Ashton and Baltimore, MD (here, next to this marker); Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park / The Hill's of Holly Grove / Lineage of the Hill Family (here, next to this marker); Harridays and Carrolls / Carolyn Snowden (here, next to this marker); Mysteries of the Hopkins House / Free Black Slaves Settled the Norbeck Community (here, next to this marker); Historic Sites Allegedly Connected to the Underground Railroad / Mamma Annie Matthews (here, next to this marker); Brookeville - Mt. Zion / Early Builders in Sandy Spring: The Robert Hill Story (here, next to this marker); Eliza Howard and Descendants / Remembering the Bells, Hopkins, Harriday Families (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sandy Spring.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 15, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 1,438 times since then and 127 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 15, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
