“Ever heard of a town named after its founder but don’t know why?” That’s Beallsville in Maryland. Beallsville is a small unincorporated community in Montgomery County. It sits quietly north of Poolesville.
Let’s step back to the mid-1800s. The Darby Store’s site was once a small blacksmith shop. Harry C. Darby bought the land and demolished the shop in 1908. By 1910, he’d built a general store. It was two and a half stories tall. Locals bought supplies there. They also picked up their mail at the Darby Store. The Darby Store closed in 1974. It stayed fully intact until a tractor-trailer damaged the front porch in the late 1980s.
In 2004, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission purchased the Darby Store and house for $670,000. A year earlier, the Montgomery Preservation nonprofit agency called it one of the county’s most endangered historic sites. Julie Mueller, a cultural resources planner for Montgomery County, said the structure would be moved back from the corner.
Archaeologists excavated the site in the summer of 2009. They found oyster shells. They found glass shards, coal, and nails. Ceramic pipe stems turned up too. A 1918 liberty dime and a Yoo-hoo bottle were also discovered. These finds provide clues about the area’s history and the buildings there since the 19th century.
Now, let’s walk over to the Monocacy Cemetery. This old cemetery dates back to the American Revolution. Though none of the known burials are that old. About 6,000 people from Beallsville and Poolesville rest here. It is a secluded and historic place in upper West Montgomery County near Sugarloaf Mountain.
The Monocacy Cemetery occupies the property of the former Chapel of Ease. It was part of All Saints parish of Frederick County. Known as Monocacy Chapel, it stood as early as 1747. Prayers for peace were offered there during the Revolutionary War. In 1770, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church took possession. During the War of 1812, it became a camping ground for American forces.
The congregation moved to a new church in Poolesville in 1849. The old church fell into ruins. In January 1872, St. Peter’s vestry transferred the churchyard to the Monocacy Cemetery Society. Burials began shortly after. Many stones from the original chapel still surround the rebuilt chapel. Elizabeth R. Frain documented the cemetery in her book. It’s based on all available records of the cemetery.
During the Civil War, Beallsville was known as Monocacy Church. Union soldiers encamped here in 1861. The 1748 Anglican Chapel of Ease was nearly destroyed. Beallsville was a crossroads on the road from Rockville to the Monocacy River. This made it a strategic spot for the Union.
In September 1862, cavalry units clashed in Beallsville. Illinois and Indiana cavalry met units from Virginia. Two Virginians died. The Union captured their captain and six other men. On October 12, 1862, another cavalry battle occurred in Beallsville. Confederate artillery held off Federal troops. Stuart was able to cross the Potomac.
After the war, the E.V. White Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy rebuilt Monocacy Church in the Monocacy cemetery. They celebrated Jefferson Davis’s birthday there every June 3.
Beallsville has a rich history. From its early days as a strategic crossroads to its role in the Civil War, Beallsville has stories etched in every corner. As you wander through this town, remember the people who shaped it. Remember their struggles and triumphs. Beallsville is more than just a place on a map. It’s a living testament to the past.