Charles Sterrett Ridgely's name change and Oakland

Charles Ridgely Sterrett (1782-1847) legally changed his surname as requested by his mother's uncle Capt. Charles Ridgely, the builder of "Hampton" when he died in 1790.  Another heir of the childless Ridgely, Charles Carnan also added Ridgely to his name and inherited Hampton.  Built in 1811, Oakland underwent changes during its years of many owners. It is at 5430 Vantage Point Road, Columbia. 

In 1804 Charles Sterrett Ridgely married Elizabeth Hollingsworth (1783-1856) who's brother Jacob Hollingsworth was good friends with Gov. George Howard of "Waverly" near Ellicott City.  Ridgely fought in the War of 1812 and became Speaker of Maryland's House of Delegates,

The original interior plan (which is now 'opened up') -

Two years before he died, Charles Sterrett Ridgely was forced to sell Oakland to Robert Oliver, a wealthy Baltimore merchant, a Baltimore & Ohio railroad founder and namesake of the Oliver Viaduct crossing over downtown Ellicott City's Main St.

In 1838 Thomas Oliver sold the house to John Riggs Gaither, whose son Col. George Gaither led Gaither's Troopers in their fight for the Confederacy, and lived at Bleak House HERE.

During the Civil War, in 1864, Phillip & Katherine Morris Tabb bought the property, built a race track, and raised horses.  Her father Francis Morris raised horses in New York, and one, Ruthless, won the first race at Belmont in 1867.  Ten years later her father bought Oakland and was known for perfecting the first underground silos for corn fodder.  Ruthless was shot by a hunter at Oakland and died, more HERE. Morris died at Oakland and willed Oakland Manor back to his daughter.

After many owners, the Rouse Company bought the property in 1966 for their original offices to build their new town, Columbia.

As the owners changed, so did the outside.  The front -

Rear plan -

Mid 1800s -

Early 1900s -

GENEALOGY   change surname to Ridgely to inherit

Children of Col. Charles and Rachel Howard Ridgely:
John Ridgely= Mary Dorsey  ->  Deborah=John Sterrett  -> Charles Sterrett Ridgely
Pleasance R=Lyde Goodwin  ->  Dr. Lyde Goodwin
Achsah=John Carnan  ->  Charles Carnan Ridgely  inherited "Hampton"
Capt. Charles Ridgely=Rebecca Dorsey    built "Hampton" 1790
Rachel=Derby Lux 

All the black and white pictures are from HO-32 Oakland Manor in Md. Inventory of Historic Properties.

My post about Oakland's existing out buildings: wash house, ice house, carriage house, blacksmith shop, stone slave quarters, house, sheep house and spring house. HERE

©2016 Patricia Bixler Reber
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