Charles H. Cawood

[SSlater]

Let's think about Charles H. Cawood, in the light of Kim Cawood's recent publication of Charles' Obituary. Before we begin - here's a big THANK YOU to Kim for sharing her treasure.
The Obit has some strange names in it - this in no way detracts from Kim's submittal. I want to bring the contradictions to the attention of all researchers, to assist them in getting more facts.
The obit says he died on MOXLEY POINT.I looked for MOXLEY, and there isn't any. I gazeateer (spelling ?) of Maryland led me to MOCKLEY POINT, which is located on the South shore of Piscataway Creek, in P. G. Co - Perfect. This is very close to Cawood's birth place. However, a little more poking around, I found an 1878 map of P. G. Co., and the Point just described is labeled WROXLEY POINT. Regardless, of all of this , keep the three names in mind as you search.
Next thought. Why would someone with a "lingering illness" want to go out to the wilderness to live? Was he contagious? In 1873 they had different names on an illness, than we do today. Maybe it was Unspellable or unpronounceable. Or a disease we don't mention in genteel circles?
My next effort was to find out who live out there, and who owned the land in 1873. The "1", "2", or "3", Point was owned by J. F. S. Bryan. He was easy to find - he is E. Pliny Bryan's brother. (James).
Of course, you know that Pliny died in 1864, in South Carolina. But, Charles and Pliny grew up together in P. G. Co. and they were friends before he war. The entire Point was at one time , Pliny's family home. Pliny's father died in 1853, in a very unusual way. He wated to rid his corn field of pesky crows, so he mixed some corn with strychnine and spread it in the field. Pappa died, as did Pliny's older brother. - one week after the father.
It is possible that Cawood did not know of Pliny's death, and went looking for him. I'm not resorting to fiction - I want to develop a scenario, hoping it will put ideas in my mind , to check out. If Charles and Pliny were bosom buddies, then JFS knew him too. Did he invite Cawood to stay awhile? or give him a job?
The Point was also the site of a Government Run Fish Station on the Potomac. The operation tracked spawning fish, and captured some to relocate to less populated streams in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Need I say it was the Union Government, it was 1870+/-. Did he work for them? (hint, hint, search, search.)
My next chore is to find Cawood's bones. He HASto be buried some where near by. I have read that the Cawood family was Catholic - but that doesn't mean that Charles believed as they did. Thre are some Cawoods buried at St. Mary's in Piscataway, and some buried at St Joseph's in Pomfret, MD. (hint, hint, search, search)
Why was the Obit published in Alexandria, VA.? Do you suppose that former agents in the "Secret Line" were there, and would want to know.

[L Verge]

John,

I don't believe that Pliny Bryan's farm (now the National Colonial Farm across the Potomac from Mt. Vernon) was the family home place. That was here on the outskirts of Surrattsville where Pliny's mother and brother lived during the war. I am inclined to believe that Cawood's family home was near Pliny's place.

I would suggest checking out cemetery records at Episcopal churches also - specifically Christ Church Accokeek and St. John's Broad Creek. I have also placed a Want Ad in the upcoming issue of the Prince George's County Historical Society's newsletter and will contact some friends in the Charles County Historical Society.

It appears to have been common practice for people in Southern Maryland to have obituaries published in northern Virginia newspapers. It was the Alexandria paper that carried Mr. Surratt's death notice. I suspect that it had something to do with the close, inter-familial marriages that existed between the two areas for centuries.