The Addisons of Oxon Hill Manor

The Addisons of Oxon Hill Manor. . , A Plantation Society , Settlers to the New World came in search of gold, but what they found was a rugged landscape whose humbler natural resources would prove to be the greatest source of wealth. Timber, furs, and metal ores that had become rare in Europe were prized in the colonies for their quality and abundance., It was tobacco, however, that became the most prized commodity in the New World, particularly in the water-rich, fertile lands of the Western Chesapeake Region. Tobacco became a "cash crop" both figuratively and literally; tobacco leaves were used as currency by planters for nearly 200 years., The smoking (or "drinking" as it was then called) of cured tobacco leaves became a popular pastime in Europe, making tobacco grown in the colonies a hugely profitable crop. Despite its profitability, tobacco devoured the land, exhausted the soil, and was very tedious to plant and harvest. In the early days of colonization, settlers desperate to turn a profit from their land often neglected other tasks necessary for survival–growing crops for food, building proper shelters, and maintaining an adequate supply of drinking water., Nevertheless, Europe's demand for tobacco brought settlers, trade, and economic prosperity to the Chesapeake region. A small group of wealthy, well-connected families secured massive land grants early in Maryland's history and oversaw the operation of vast tobacco plantations. The Addison family were some of the earliest settlers in Prince George's County and benefited enormously from the colony's plantation culture. In addition to tobacco cultivation, the Addisons increased their wealth and social standing through trade, land speculation, and military and public service., The Colonist: John Addison , Colonel John Addison arrived in the colony of Maryland in 1667, using his wealth and connections to secure a prime grant of several thousand acres on the Potomac River that would later be known as Oxon Hill. In 1667, John married wealthy widow Rebecca Wilkinson. They resided "in town" at St. Mary's City, the colonial capital of Maryland until 1694, and left the care of their plantations to overseers. John died while traveling in England ca. 1705-1706, leaving nearly 6,500 acres to his son Thomas., The Builder: Thomas Addison ,

"…during his life a good deal of state was kept up at Oxon Hill...superb English coach horses… [a] fine London built coach and liveries servants.". The Life and Times of Walter Dulany Addison

, Colonel Thomas Addison constructed the stately house at Oxon Hill around 1710, possibly to celebrate his 1709 marriage to Eleanor Smith. Eleanor and Thomas lived a social and luxurious lifestyle: entertaining often, dining on silver and porcelain, and drinking wine from crystal glasses. Thanks to the popularity of tobacco, they were among the wealthiest families in Maryland with considerable political influence. At the time of his death in 1727, Thomas had enslaved 75 Africans and owned more than 14,000 acres of land including Oxon Hill., The Reverend: Walter Addison , Walter Dulaney (sometimes spelled Dulany) Addison, the great-grandson of Colonel Thomas and Eleanor Addison, was born in 1769. Only five years old when he inherited Oxon Hill, Walter was educated in England and returned to Maryland in 1789., Although he was one of the wealthiest people in the country, Walter led a simple and pious lifestyle. In 1810, he sold Oxon Hill Manor and 1,300 adjoining acres to planter Zachariah Berry., Walter's greatest legacy was as a minister in the Episcopal Church. Ordained in 1793, he was rector of St. John's Church in Broad Creek from 1801 to 1809 and was also a founding member of St. John's Church in Georgetown. He officiated at the funeral of George Washington, and later served as chaplain of the U.S. Senate.,

"…A man of great individuality and strength of will, full of zeal and of remarkable independence of thought…". The Life and Times of Walter Dulany Addison

, Despite living only briefly at Oxon Hill, Walter retained a fondness for his ancestral estate throughout his lifetime. When he sold the property to Berry in 1810, he retained the Addison family cemetery east of the house. In the months before his death in 1848, he requested of his granddaughter, "…and when I die…Bury me at Oxon Hill.", Our First President? , John Hanson was a merchant and public official who rose to prominence as a Patriot during the American Revolution. In 1779, he was elected as a Maryland delegate to the Continental Congress., In 1781, Hanson was elected President of the Continental Congress under the provisions of the Articles of Confederation, the precursor to the U.S. Constitution. Some historians claim that Hanson deserves the title of the country's first president, although most recognize that the title belongs to George Washington, who served as first president of the United States under the Constitution., Hanson was also a distant relative by marriage of the Addison Family. Although the exact location of his grave has never been determined, Hanson died in 1783 while visiting Oxon Hill Manor., [Captions:] , Bird's Eye View of Alexandria, 1863 , Ships that docked at Alexandria's bustling wharves carried tobacco all over the world and brought fine goods from Europe for wealthy Maryland planters., A New Map of Virginia and Maryland, 1721 , This map illustrates the importance of waterways to the early settlement of the Mid-Atlantic colonies. The first plantations were established along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and gradually extended into the Potomac frontier. In 1695, Prince George's County was established from parts of Calvert and Charles Counties., John Hanson First President of the Continental Congress