Clairvaux & its Occupants Eddie
Lee Mary Elder Comeau
It was
erroneously reported by this researcher in the very
early stages of my research that the stately Clairvaux
Mansion, near Emmitsburg, MD, was the second home of
William Elder and Jacoba Clementina Livers, William's
second wife.
William Elder's second
home was built on land known as Ogle's Good Will and the
name of the home was known as Pleasant Level. This was
located on a parcel of land directly across a field from
Clairvaux Mansion. I deeply regret rushing into
publishing the information I was given on this home. It
was not until a year later when I came across numerous
deeds on the Clairvaux property I realized what gross
error I had made. The first information was published
from stories of some old timers. This taught me one
lesson I will never forget. Always check and find
authentic documentation before writing any history.
The only known Elder to
live in the Clairvaux house was Ann Rosetta Elder,
daughter of Aloysius Elder and Josephine Green. Ann
Rosetta married James Cretin on the 17th October, 1842,
son of Andrew Cretin. This couple had one daughter, Mary
William Anna Cretin. The brothers and sisters of James
Cretin were: Dennis, John, Joseph, Phillip, and
Elizabeth who married John Keepers. Ann Rosetta Cretin
died 25th September, 1854, at age 37. She and husband
are both buried at the Mountain Cemetery. This
information was obtained from the Historical Society,
Baltimore, Maryland, and was found in the notes of Dr.
Richard Mudd. Other information on the house was found
in deeds, and another was an article that appeared in
the Emmitsburg Chronicle.
After the death of Ann
Rosetta, James Cretin married secondly Mary Ann Livers,
daughter of Susannah Harris and Thomas Livers and a
descendant of Arnold Livers.
The
Clairvaux Mansion was located on US 15, bypass
intersection with Motter Station Rd, one-half mile south
of Mt. Saint Mary's College. After a fire [early 1970s]
the only thing left standing was the stately brick
walls. When the firemen arrived on the scene they found
the house to be completely engulfed with flames they
decided to let it burn itself out. It is believed the
fire was started in the kitchen area on the west side of
the house. The fire was discovered by persons residing
near the dwelling. This was the third fire at the
estate. One of the fires destroyed a summer house, the
other a barn.
For several years
Clairvaux was owned by Daniel F. Roddy family who sold
it to the Rial family. Mrs. Rial owned the property from
1941 until she entered a nursing home. At this time she
sold the property to her son-in-law, Col. G. E. Borst of
Washington, D.C. Sometime after the fire, Col. Borst
sold the remaining property back to Mt. St. Mary's
College.
During the early years
of Clairvaux House, it served as a refined boarding
house, later as an Inn. Due to the home's historic
importance Fire Chief Guy McLauglin said when questioned
that he would not venture an estimate as to a monetary
extent of loss prior to contacting the owner of the
property. The home at the time of the fire was one
hundred years old. It was built by Dr. James A. Shorb
who named the estate "Clairvaux."
The fire was said to be
of a suspicious origin. It was also thought that vandals
may have set it. Just prior to the one hundred
seventy-eighth celebration of the College's anniversary
of existence they felt that the walls of Clairvaux
should be demolished. At the present time the land is
being cultivated and has raised soy beans as well at
wheat thereon. One historian of that area I met on the
grounds stated he did not understand why the college had
not left the gardens at Clairvaux in tact as it was a
wonderful tourist attraction.
William Elder was the
original owner of the Clairvaux property, however, it
was not known as Clairvaux at that time nor did William
at any time build on this property. In his will he
deeded this piece of ground to his son Aloysius. At a
later date Aloysius gave the property to the College
reserving the burial ground which was near his father's
home, Pleasant Level, for his family and himself to be
buried there. When Aloysius made his will he gave the
cemetery to the College and at present time they are
still the owner of the cemetery. The college sold the
property to Dr. James A. Shorb the builder and owner of
Clairvaux. The house and land passed through many hands
before the College was able to buy it back.
Information and history
of this property came from deeds, wills, and from an
article that appeared in the Emmitsburg Chronicle, from
the Maryland Hall of Records, and from a book "We
Discover the Old Dominion."
The happy ending is,
the College now has the land in its possession.
This
article originally appeared in the Elder Family
Newsletter, Vol. 1 #3, July, August, September 1993.
To learn more about the Elder family, go to http://www.familytrail.com/elder
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