Olney House

The “Olney House” has been a familiar landmark in the village of Olney for 200 years. The house and springhouse are the only remaining historic sites at the intersection of the Brookeville-Washington Pike (now Georgia Ave.) and the Sandy Spring-Mechanicsville Road (now Rt 108).

Many of the oldest Olney family names have been associated with the house. Whitson Canby is believed to have built the house in 1800 as a small log structure. A few years later it was bought by Roger Brooke V. of Brooke Grove. He was hoping that his daughter Sarah Brooke, who married Charles Farquhar Sr. in 1833 and was living in Alexandria, would return to Mechanicsville. They moved to the house in 1837.

The Farquhar family, originally from Scotland, came to Pennsylvania in 1721. Amos Farquhar, born in 1768, was the great grandson of the earlier immigrant Allen. Amos married Mary Elgar in 1795. In 1825 they moved to Montgomery County so that Amos could teach at Fair Hill School which was located just across the road from the “Olney House”. Their son Charles Farquhar, Sr. had taught at Fair Hill during 1821-1823 and then at Benjamin Hallowell’s School in Alexandria. In 1826 Charles attended the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania receiving a degree in 1832. He opened his practice in Alexandria and was assigned by the city council to deal with the cholera epidemic of the time.

After Charles and Sarah married, moved and remodeled the house, Roger Brook V conveyed the house and two tracts of land totaling 250 acres to them. They named the property “Olney” after the village of the same name in Buckinghamshire, England, home of their favorite poet William Cowper. The chimney on the extreme left was built in 1841. One of the corner stones bears the initials “C.F.” and the date. A large fireplace with bake oven and crane was added to the kitchen. Above this was the spinning room.
A parlor and second floor bedroom, each with a fireplace, a front hall and stairway were also included. Later an “in-law” suite was added to the rear and occupied by Mary (Elgar) Farquhar, Dr. Farquhar’s mother until her death in 1853.

In 1844 Dr. Farquhar died of pneumonia which he contracted on a trip to Baltimore. He left behind a young widow, five children and one on the way. With her father’s help, Sarah managed the farm and raised her children. During the Civil War, soldiers from both sides passed through the village requisitioning horses and supplies. Mrs. Farquhar was reported to be a gracious hostess when called upon.

In 1866 Sarah Farquhar divided her property among her children. Eight acres were retained with the “Olney House”, which appraised at $2,000.
Sarah continued living in the house until her death in 1888. The house was sold to Henry Clay Sherman who occupied it with his wife Sue. Unfortunately Henry Sherman died suddenly in a violent storm in September 1896.
Charles Farquhar Jr. became a doctor late in life and he purchased the house in 1898. He was the county coroner and president of the Montgomery County Medical Society. He died in 1916 at the age of 75. His wife sold the house to Estelle M. Gilmore who made extensive renovations adding two bathrooms and central heating.

In 1936 Gordon A. Grant purchased the house and 3.26 acres. Ten years later, he sold “Olney House” to Mrs. Clara May Downy, the owner and operator of Olney Inn. Mrs. Downy made the place her summer home and further beautified, decorated and furnished the house with period pieces.

In 1963 Helen Denet purchased the “Olney House”. Over time the property was rented as a residence and later to various small businesses. After Helen Denet’s death, the property was divided into two, one acre parcels. The James and Amy Ricciuti purchased the “Olney House” parcel and Bette and Joe Buffington purchased the other. The “Olney House” is currently operated as a local seasonal restaurant – “Ricciuti’s”. A path connects the “Olney House” to the springhouse preserving the “Olney House” history.