Stafford Hall

Stafford Hall is an early 19th-century Federal-style mansion near Clear Spring in Washington County, Maryland, United States.[1][2] Stafford Hall was the residence of John Thomson Mason, Jr. (May 9, 1815 – March 28, 1873),[3][4] a U.S. Congressman from Maryland, representing the sixth district from 1841 to 1843.[4]

History

Stafford Hall is a large two-story 36 room brick and stone mansion with nine double chimneys built around 1835 by John Thomson Mason, Jr.[1][2] Mason named his property after Staffordshire, a homeplace of his great-great-great-grandfather Colonel George Mason I (5 June 1629–1686).[5][6][7] Stafford Hall was later purchased by Mason's law classmate and Governor of Maryland, William Thomas Hamilton.[2] Hamilton resided at the property for almost 50 years.[2] In 1920, Stafford Hall was bought by the Leo Cohill family.[2]

Stafford Hall had one of the largest apple orchards in the surrounding area.[8] Its orchard produced more than 50,000 bushels of apples a year and employed hundreds of area residents.[8] Nearby canning corporations including Musselman purchased apples from the Stafford Hall orchard.[8] Stafford Hall Apples were shipped all over the United States, and to England and France.[8] In the 1930s, lightning struck the packing house killing two workers.[8]

Legend

Local legend asserts the existence of a secret hidden room at Stafford Hall and that anyone discovers the room dies shortly afterwards.[1][2] Legend also holds that a prominent magistrate from Hagerstown found the room in 1924 and died within the year.[1][2] In 1926, Leo Cohill's nine-year-old daughter Margaret became ill after finding the room and admitted what she had done on her deathbed, begging her family members to not seek out the room.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Federal Writers' Project. Maryland: A Guide to the Old Line State. US History Publishers. ISBN 1603540199. http://books.google.com/books?id=K6BlU1wPV7oC. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Renasoft. "A SECRET ROOM, HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND-32 DEGREE". The Mystery Network. http://www.mysterypalace.com/viewpost_213770.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-28. 
  3. ^ Gunston Hall. "John Thomson Mason, Jr.". Gunston Hall. http://gunstonhall.com/masonweb/p8.htm#i365. Retrieved 2009-03-07. 
  4. ^ a b The Political Graveyard (June 16, 2008). "Mason family of Virginia". The Political Graveyard. http://politicalgraveyard.com/families/10855.html. Retrieved 2009-03-07. 
  5. ^ Gunston Hall. "George Mason I". Gunston Hall. http://gunstonhall.org/library/masonweb/p1.htm#i1. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
  6. ^ French Family Association (2008). "Children of Dennis French, A.2". French Family Association. http://www.frenchfamilyassoc.com/FFA/CHARTSWEB/ChartEE.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-21. 
  7. ^ GenCircles (27 Aug 2005). "George I. Mason". GenCircles. http://www.gencircles.com/users/thekgb/4/data/5391. Retrieved 2009-03-21. 
  8. ^ a b c d e Cheryl Weaver (MARCH 3, 2009). "Around Clear Spring: Did You Know?". The Herald-Mail Company. http://www.herald-mail.com/?cmd=displaystory&story_id=217966&format=html. Retrieved 2009-03-28.