e built a house on West (P) Street.

A little way eastward on the same side of Road (R) Street is the famous
Dumbarton Oaks. The land was first bought from Thomas Beall in 1800 by
William H. Dorsey, first judge of our Orphan's Court, who was appointed
by President Jefferson. Mr. Dorsey had previously been living in the old
part of the town, for I find an advertisement of the sale of his
property before he came up here, and from the minutes of a meeting of
the Corporation of Georgetown on October 24th, 1801, we find the
following: "William H. Dorsey writes to ask if his removal to his
present place of residence will disqualify him from serving on the
Corporation. They are of opinion it does not disqualify him as a member
thereof."

He built this house, named it The Oaks, and lived in it for four years.
His first wife was Ann Brooke, the daughter of Colonel Richard Brooke,
of Oak Hill, Sandy Spring, whose wife was Jane Lynn, the daughter of
David Lynn. In 1802 Mr. Dorsey married Rosetta Lynn, who was the aunt of
his first wife.

[Illustration: WILLIAM HAMMOND DORSEY]

William Hammond Dorsey was born at Oakland, in Howard County, and died
at Oakley, near Brookeville, in 1818. He was a very handsome man and was
nicknamed "Pretty Billy" by his Quaker neighbors of Sandy Spring.

In 1805 the place was bought by Robert Beverley of Essex County,
Virginia. His wife was Jane Tayloe, a sister of Colonel John Tayloe, who
built the famous Octagon House. Mr. and Mrs. Beverley owned the place
until 1822. During that time their son James was married to Jane Peter,
the daughter of David Peter of nearby "Peter's Grove," and this place
became their home. They did not remain here long, but went back to
Virginia and established themselves near The Plains.

The next owner was James E. Calhoun, of South Carolina. He loaned it to
his distinguished brother, John C. Calhoun, who made it his home for
some of the time he spent at the capital in the various offices he held.
He was Secretary of War in the cabinet of President Monroe;
Vice-President with John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson, and Senator
from South Carolina. From here he wrote that the leisure of the office
of Vice-President gave him a good opportunity to study the fundamental
questions of the day called "The American System." At this time the
place was known as _Acrolophos_ (Grove on the Hill), a most descriptive
name. Later it became Monterey, after the war with Mexico made th