The Oaks

Built in 1856 by Caroline and Robert H. Hare, "The Oaks" was bought by sea captain Edward P. Dennis from NY and his Georgia wife after their 1857 wedding. Son Edward R. Dennis inherited it but in 1920 moved closer to Ellicott City. From 1946 Evelyn & Carl Meyers lived there 30 years. Sadly, it burned down.

The earliest description of 'The Oaks' and its manor house is given in a Mechanic's Lien filed in 1857 by George R. Price, carpenter and Henry James lumber merchant of Baltimore against Caroline Hare, wife of Robert H. Hare and Thomas Donaldson and Robert Hare, Trustees of Caroline Hare for $1,254.41 for material and $689.03 for labor in the house built between March 17, I856 and Jan. 1, 1857. [HABS]

"Claim is against" all that two story cottage house with four story back building or tower, said house being about 44 ft. front with a depth of about 29 ft. and said back building or tower being 35 ft. by 22 ft. situated in Elkridge near Ellicotts Mills in Howard County, erected on a parcel of land(ground) lying upon a road known as Claggett's Read leading from Union Manufacturing Mill Dam Switch on Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and referred to in a deed of exchange between Mary Claggett and Robert H. Hare which is recorded among the landbooks of Howard County and was afterward conveyed by said Robert H, Hare to Thomas Donaldson and Robert Hare (Trustees of Caroline Hare)... HABS

Captain Edward Parmly Dennis (1828-1904) was the son of Edward Stillman Dennis (1801-1875), “a New York shipping magnate.” [HABS] In 1857 the sea Captain married Hermione Blount Rose (1836-1907) at Macon, Ga where her father Simri Rose HERE ran, for fifty years, the first newspaper in Macon.

Captain Dennis “lost his ship, in a great storm where only he and his first mate had survived. In those days if a Captain lost his ship, he had to leave the sea.” In 1866 he bought “The Oaks” which was built by Caroline and Robert H. Hare in 1858 (also built "Linwood", my post HERE).

They raised Belgian Percheron work horses, dainty, high stepping coach horses, and Berkshire hogs. … [The Captain died in 1904, and with his wife, is buried in NYC with his parents] A second generation took over the operation [farm] under Edward R. Dennis [1858-1938] and Hermione [HABS Oaks wrong, wife was Ella Wright Dennis ( -1936)], his wife, with a Dennis brother sharing the management. ...

Mrs. Taylor's [Hermoine (Dennis) Taylor (1898-1984) married Lloyd Gaskin Taylor (1897-1980)] childhood home was The Oaks at the northern end of Church Road [which now dead ends closer to town]. … In 1920 the Dennises sold the Oaks to the Federal Land Bank. Jim Reisinger paid $4,000 for in 1934 and sold it to Dr. Edel for $19,000 in 1940.

Six years later Evelyn and Carl Meyers bought the Oaks for $32,000. [HABS Oaks] The Myers were there at least 30 years and she wrote the brochure "The Sleepers" about its history. 8341 Governor Grayson Way.


According to his grandson Frank Taylor (1995 video), Edward R. and Ella Dennis wanted to move closer to town. He also recalled his grandfather saying that Major Peters, the great grandson of Martha Washington, put a cannon on the roof of his summer home 'Linwood'... and fired it!


SOURCES:
HABS HO-243 The Oaks. 3251 Oaks Road. excerpts italicized HERE
Meyer, Evelyn P. The Sleeper; Original History of the Oaks. Ellicott City, 1976


©2023 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD