The Teackle South Gate House

Littleton Dennis Teackle constructed two twin 'tenement' houses either during the initial or perhaps the later construction period of the Teackle Mansion (known then as Teackletonia). They stood on the east edge of the property and part of the main entrance with an elaborate iron gate between the two houses. 

During Teackle's lifetime, he experienced financial ups and downs and lost ownership of his estate and lands. To summarize, in 1807 he was forced to sell his properties to his father, John Teackle and these properties changed hands multiple times. In 1812, Teackle lost several lawsuits and was declared insolvent. The mansion properties were auctioned off and sold to the lowest bidder - John Eyre (husband of Elizabeth Teackle's sister Anne) and subsequently transferred to Teackle's daugher, Elizabeth. 

Teackle acquired the mansion property back in 1815 and In 1818/19, he fully completed construction of Teackletonia adding two hyphens to the main house. It is unclear during what period the Gate Houses were built at the entrance to the estate. He retained ownership and continued to reside in one of the Gate Houses until his death in 1848, when daughter Elizabeth sold the property out of the family upon her marriage.

• On 29 Sep 1777, Littleton Dennis Teackle was born in Accomac, Accomack County, Virginia
• On 27 May 1800, he married Elizabeth Upshur in Northampton, Virginia. She was born on 12 Mar 1783.
• On 19 May 1802, he purchased nine and three-quarters acres of Beckford land from George Wilson Jackson for $600 and Teackle Mansion was built on this land.
• In 1802, construction of the center section of the Teackle Mansion began and was mostly completed by 1804.
• On 29 Oct 1807 he sold most of the property he owned in Somerset County for $3,000 to his father, John Teackle, to secure funds owed by him to Charles N. Bancker. In April 1808 he sold more property to his father.
• On 13 Apr 1809 Charles N. Bancker of Philadelphia purchased the Teackle Mansion. He was the husband of John Teackle's sister Sarah, aunt to Littleton.
• On 6 Aug 1810, the U.S. Census for Princess Anne lists Littleton Dennis Teackle as having in his household 35 persons, including 25 slaves.
• On 16 Dec 1812 Charles N. Bancker sold the mansion property to John Guest of Philadelphia, trading as Guest and Bancker for $1.  A day later, Charles Bancker sold the same property to Henry Nicolls of Baltimore for $4,500.
• On 12 Jul 1815 Littleton Dennis Teackle repurchased the Teackle Manson.
• On 28 Sep 1835 Teackle’s wife Elizabeth Upshur died. She is buried in St, Andrew's Episcopal Churchyard Cemetery, Princess Anne.

On 8 Nov 1848, Littleton Dennis Teackle sold the two tenements he had been occupying with his servants George Tilghman, Milchy Gray, Ann Handy, Sally Hyland, and James Curtis. They were sold in Baltimore to John H. King and Edward M. Wise for $100. Wise was the administrator of Teackle's estate. 

• On 16 Nov 1848, Littleton Dennis Teackle died in the Exchange Hotel in Baltimore and his body was transported to Princess Anne. A recent grave marker in the St. Andrews Episcopal Cemetery incorrectly dates his death as 20 Nov 1850. 

• On 21 Nov 1848 that sale of the two tenements was then recorded in the Somerset County Courthouse (Liber 3, Folio 294).

On 14 April 1849, John H, King & and his wife Charlotte & Edward M. Wise & his wife Harriet sold the lot or lots to George W. Dashiell for $225.

On the same day, George W. Dashiell sold the property to William Lecates for $361. William Lecates then owned the property for 14 years from 1849 to 1863, and he and his family probably lived in the house while his house next door at 229 [now 30459] Prince William Street was under construction in 1852/53. Presumably, he and his family moved to their new house in 1853. 

• On June 13 1809, William Lecates was born in Delaware.
• On 15 March 1836, William Lecates married Julia Ann Ewing in Sussex, Delaware.
• William Lecates and his wife  had the following children: -Amanda M. was born on 16 Oct 1837 in Sussex County, Delaware and died on 9 Nov 1850 in Sussex County, Delaware; Elizabeth C. was born on 27 Oct 1839 in Delaware and died on 17 Sep 1896;  Mary Elizabeth was born between 1843 and 1844; Julia Elizabeth was born between 1850 and 1851 and died in 1928; John D. was born between 1853 and 1854 and died on 11 Nov 1895 in Wilmington, Delaware; Anna was born between 1858 and 1859.
• On 14 April 1849, William Lecates bought the South Gate House.
• Per the 1850 Census William Lecates was a carriage maker and per the 1870 Census was then a coach maker.
• In 1852 William Lecates built a new house next to the South Gate House and moved his family there.
• In 1853, Lecates sold the South Gate House to Robert W. Dougherty, who defaulted on the mortgage. In Dec 1861, he mortgaged it to Mrs. Sally Dougherty for $1,500 but she also defaulted. On June 5 1863 the house was in the occupancy of Dr. Louis Morris. To recoup his investment, Lecates presented his case in chancery court where on June 5 1863 ownership of the property passed to Levin T.H. Irving, trustee who immediately sold it to Abraham Kemper and Seligman Heilbrun, partners for $1,600.
• He died between 1870 and 1880.
• In 1880 his wife Julia Ann Ewing died in Princess Anne.

On 5 June 1863, Levin T. H. Irving (trustee related to an equity case between William Lecates and Robert W. Dougherty) sold the property to Abraham Kemper and Seligman Heilbrun.

• Abraham Liepmann Kemper was born on 1 Dec 1823 in Borgholzhausen, Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
• He was married to Leina Alexander before immigrating to the U.S.
• Abraham Kemper is listed in the 1860 U.S. Census as being age 36, born in Prussia, is a merchant, and 7 other Kemper family members living with him.
• On 5 June 1863, he and his wife Leina bought the South Gatehouse from William Lecates.
• In July/August 1863, he registered for the Civil War draft and listed his age as 40, his residence as Princess Anne, and his occupation as clothier.
• On 22 March 1864, Heilbrun and wife sold their partial interest in the house and lot to Abraham and Leina Kemper for $400.

On 8 April 1864, Abraham Kemper and wife Lena sold the South Gate House to Thomas James Dixon.

•  Kemper and his family then moved to Baltimore City and in the 1870 Census was listed as a wholesale liquor merchant. On 4 November 1880, he died in Baltimore and is buried there.

Thomas J. Dixon may have lived in the South Gatehouse for the period of April 1864 to October 1866 when he owned it, or he may have rented it to someone as the landlord. He was a successful merchant, invested in real estate, was the Sheriff of Somerset County [in 1870] and President of the Savings Bank of Somerset County.

• Thomas J. Dixon was born on 21 November 1821 in Westover, Somerset County.
• In 1842 he married Sarah Jane Long, who was born on 4 October 1821 in Somerset County, died on 10 October 1900, and is buried in Marion Station, Somerset County.
• Per the 1850 Census, he was age 28, living in Brinkleys (Somerset County), and was a merchant.
• Per the 1860 Census, he was age 39, living in Brinkleys (Somerset County), and was a farmer, and his wife Sarah age 39 was living with him.

Dixon owned the South Gate House twice, as shown below, from 1864-1866 and from 1872 until his death in 1903. The house may have been an investment in the earlier period, but was his home in the last.

• Per the 1870 Census, he was age 49, living in Princess Anne, and was the Sherriff. Also living with him was his wife Sara (age 48) and his daughter Mary Ellen (age 20).
• Per the 1880 Census, he was 59, living in Crisfield (somerset County). Also living with him was his wife Sarah J. age 59.
• Per the 1900 Census, he was 78, living in Princess Anne, and was a landlord. Also living with him was his wife Sarah age 78.
• On 27 December 1900, he wrote his will which stated that upon his death the South Gate House will be conveyed to Virginia Smith (his deceased wife’s niece), and upon Virginia’s death the property will then be inherited by his niece Ella Dixon Pitts (the daughter of his brother George Dixon). His will further states that upon Ella’s death, the South Gate House will be inherited to Sidney Columbus Long who at the time of the will was sharing his residence. 
• On 30 July 1903, he died after being ill for over a year and was buried in Marion Station, Somerset County.

On 27 October 1866, Thomas J. Dixon sold the South Gate House to Levin Thomas Handy Irving for $3,250. Presumably Levin T. H. Irving and his wife Florence lived in the South Gate House from October 1866 to March 1869.

• Levin Thomas Handy Irving was born on 8 April 1828 in Salisbury, Maryland.
• Per the 1850 Census, he was then age 28, living in Salisbury, and working in a sawmill as a sawyer.
• Per the 1860 Census, he was then 32, living in Princess Anne, and working as a lawyer.
• On 15 November 1865, he married Florence Upshur, who was born on 7 March 1847.
• On 8 March 1869, Levin T. H. Irving & his wife Florence sold the property to Sallie Wailes Gardener, wife of Grenville Graham Gardener. 
• Per the 1870 Census, he was then age 42, living in Princess Anne with his wife Florence (age 23) and working as a Circuit Court Judge.
• Per the 1880 Census, he was then 52, living at the home of his father-in-law Thomas Upshur in Princess Anne along with his wife Florence (age 33), and Levin was working as the Chief Judge.
• He died on 24 August 1892 in Princess Anne, and is buried there.
• His wife Florence died on 18 August 1900.

On 8 March 1869, Levin T. H. Irving & his wife Florence sold the property to Sallie Wailes Gardener, wife of Grenville Graham Gardener.  

• Grenville Graham Gardener was born on 10 April 1840 in Princess Anne.
• He married Sallie Wailes Dashiell on 5 December 1867 in Somerset County. Sallie was born on 27 December 1847 in Princess Anne.
• As of the 1870 Census, Grenville (age 30), his wife Sallie (age 22), their daughter Nettie (age 1), and two Black servants were living in the South Gate House.
• In 1888, Sallie married Carlos Douglas Shelden.
• He died on 7 April 1916 in Mobile, Alabama.
• Sallie died in January 1944 in Houghton, Michigan.

On 21 September 1872 Grenville Gardener and his wife Sallie Gardener sold the property back to Levin T. H. Irving for $3,493. About three months later, Levin Irving then sold the property on 2 January 1873 to Thomas J. Dixon (who had also previously owned the property).

Thomas J. Dixon then owned the property for a period of slightly over thirty years, and he died on 30 July 1903. We presume that Thomas J. Dixon lived in the South Gate House for that 30-year period and during this time built the larger second section of the house, including the bay window rooms. 

Upon the death of Thomas J. Dixon in 1903, the property was transferred via his will (written 27 Dec 1900) to Virginia Smith (wife of Samuel F. Smith and niece of Thomas J. Dixon’s deceased wife Sarah J. Dixon). Dixon described the property in Princess Anne on the corner of Prince William Street and Beckford Avenue "where I live and used by me and Columbus Long".

• Virginia Fontaine was born between 1849 and 1850.
• Between 1886 and 1886, Virginia Fontaine married Samuel F. Smith, who was born on 22 February 1848.
• As of the 1900 Census, Samuel F. Smith (age 52) and his wife Virginia (age 50) were living in Princess Anne.
• On 3 February 1906, Virginia died and is buried in Princess Anne.
• On 28 April 1907, Samuel F. Smith died and is buried in Princess Anne.

In Thomas Dixon's will, he stated that after Virginia Smith's death the property entailed to Ella Dixon Pitts, wife of Fred Pitts and daughter of his deceased brother, George Dixon.

• Ella Dixon was born in September 1853 in Maryland.
• She married Frederick Leonidas Pitts, who was born on 9 Oct 1842 in Berlin, Worcester County, Maryland.
• On 23 October 1928, Frederick L. Pitts died in Philadelphia. He is buried in Philadelphia.
• On 2 September 1934, she died in Baltimore.

For some reason, Ella Dixon Pitts kept ownership of the South Gate House for less than two months and then sold it on 28 September 1903 to Sidney Columbus Long, who already occupied the property, for $1,625.

• Sidney Columbus Long was born on 9 March 1838 in Somerset County.
• In 1865 Sidney Columbus Long married Josephine Hayman, who was born on 20 May 1841.
• In 1865 Sidney Columbus Long and his wife Josephine had a son, Sidney Upshur Long.
• On 7 February 1882, his wife Josephine Hayman died and she is buried in Princess Anne.
• In 1892 Sidney Columbus Long married his 2nd wife Elnora Frances Pollitt, who was born on 22 Dec 1855.
• 4 May 1920, Sidney Columbus Long died at his home in Princess Anne and the property transferred by will to his wife who lived there until her death.

Upon the death of Elnora Frances Pollitt, the property was transferred to Sidney Upshur Long, the son of Sidney Columbus Long and the stepson of Elnora Frances Pollitt Long.

• In 1865 Sidney Upshur Long was born to Sidney Columbus Long and his 1st wife Josephine Hayman.
• In 1907 he was elected as the sheriff of Somerset County and served until 1909.
• On 4 May 1920 his father died and left the South Gatehouse to his stepmother Elnora Frances Pollitt.
• On 28 Jul 1926 his stepmother died, and he then inherited the South Gatehouse.
• On 9 Jun 1930 he sold the South Gatehouse to Loretta G. Hawk.
• On 21 Jun 1932 he died in Baltimore.

Sidney Upshur Long and his wife Sarah C. Long kept ownership of the South Gate House for almost four years until they sold it to Loretta G. Hawk on 19 June 1930 for $2,000.

• Loretta G. Hall Hawk was born in 1857 in Iowa.
• In 1918 she moved to Princess Anne, Somerset County, Maryland.
• On 9 Jun 1930 she purchased 217 Prince William Street (the South Gate House). Records have her living across the street at 102 Prince William Street, but she moved to the South Gate House by the time of the 1850 census. 
• 1940 U.S. Census (2 families): Loretta Hawk, head, age 82, widowed, born in Iowa; James Lauchner, son-in-law, age 43, born in Oklahoma; Ethelyn J. Lauchner, daughter, age 39, born in Colorado; Edward Gladding, grandson-in-law, age 22, born in Virginia; Irene Gladding, granddaughter, age 19, born in Maryland; Leon Bailey, head of a family of 8
• On 19 Dec 1941, she sold the property to her daughter Ethelyn and her son-in-law James Edward Lauchner, but continued to live there with them until her death in 1952.
• 1950 U.S. Census;  James E. Lauchner, age 54, head, born in Oklahoma, bulldozing; Ethelyn T. Lauchner, age 49, wife, born in Colorado; Loretta G. Hawk, age 92, mother-in-law, widower, born in Iowa; Marion O. Ford, age 26, head, born in Maryland, auto mechanic; Charlotte Ford, wife, age 24, born in Maryland; Donna L. Ford, daughter, age 1, born in Maryland; Jenny A. Miles, head, age 82, widowed, born in Virginia
• 10 Oct 1952: Loretta G. Hall Hawk died at the South Gate House while living with her son-in-law and daughter. She is buried in Princess Anne.

On 19 December 1941, Loretta G. Hawk transferred ownership of the South Gate House to James Edward Lauchner & wife Ethelyn E. Ethelyn who was Loretta's daughter. For almost 30 years, James and Ethelyn owned the residence until his death in June 1971. 

• 19 Dec 1895 James Edward Lauchner was born in Oklahoma.
• On 9 May 1918 he married Ethelyn Thelma Hawk in Craig, Oklahoma.
• 1930 U.S. Census, 212 Black Road, Princess Anne, Somerset County, Maryland: James E. Lauchner, head, age 34, born in Oklahoma; Etheline Lauchner, wife, age 29, born in Iowa; Loretta Lauchner, daughter, age 10, born in Maryland; Thelma Lauchner, daughter, age 9, born in Maryland
• 1940 U.S. Census (2 families): Loretta Hawk, head, age 82, widowed, born in Iowa; James Lauchner, son-in-law, age 43, born in Oklahoma; Ethelyn J. Lauchner, daughter, age 39, born in Colorado; Edward Gladding, grandson-in-law, age 22, born in Virginia; Irene Gladding, granddaughter, age 19, born in Maryland; Leon Bailey, head, part of a family of 8
• 26 April 1942: He registered for the draft and was then living at 102 Prince William Street [not the South Gatehouse].
• 1950: living at 217 Prince William St [the South Gatehouse], along with 2 other families
• 1950 U.S. Census, 217 Prince William Street, Princess Anne, Somerset County, Maryland: James E. Lauchner, age 54, head, born in Oklahoma, bulldozing; Ethelyn T. Lauchner, age 49, wife, born in Colorado; Loretta G. Hawk, age 92, mother-in-law, widower, born in Iowa; Marion O. Ford, age 26, head, born in Maryland, auto mechanic; Charlotte Ford, wife, age 24, born in Maryland; Donna L. Ford, daughter, age 1, born in Maryland; Jenny A. Miles, head, age 82, widowed, born in Virginia
• 11 May 1951: James E. Lauchner also purchased the lot immediately south to the South Gate House from Letitia Long called Parcel #2 in Miles Survey 1970. The South Gate House was deemed Parcel #1 on that survey.
• 10 Oct 1952: Loretta G. Hall Hawk died at the South Gatehouse while living with her son-in-law and daughter. She is buried in Princess Anne.
• 22 Jun 1971: James E. Lauchner and his wife Ethelyn sold the property to John Charles Tracey and his wife Gladys Ethelynde.
• 5 Jun 1977: His wife Ethelyn Thelma Hawk Lauchner died. Her funeral was on 9 Jun 1977.Buried in Princess Anne.
• 3 Feb 1986: he died. Buried in Princess Anne.

On 22 June 1971, James and Ethelyn Lauchner sold the South Gate House to John C. Tracey and his wife Gladys Ethelynde Tracey for the sum of $10 and was allowed to continue to live there. 

For 43 years (1971 to 2024), John Charles Tracey and his wife were owners of the South Gate House and it was frequently referred to as 'Judge Tracey's House', but they never lived there. Their daughter, Jill Diane Tracey, lived there for a number of years between 1996 and 2008, but the property was uninhabited for long periods of time. 

• John Charles Tracey was born on February 27, 1932c and died at age 86 on March 11, 2018. Per his daughter Juliette Goldman, he died in Laurel, Howard County, Maryland. According to his obituary, John’s nickname was Jack and he was appointed as a Juvenile Judge for the District Court of Maryland. He lived for most of his life in Silver Spring, Maryland. He was married to Ethelynde (her nickname was Lynde) and they had five children: John W. Tracey, Jody Leigh Tracey, Jill Tracey, Juliette Goldman, and Jennifer Kishimori.
• In roughly 1970 John C. Tracey (then age 38) was appointed as a judge in the Juvenile Court of Montgomery, County, Maryland. As of 1972 and 1985, he was still a judge in the Juvenile Court.
• Gladys Ethelynde Taylor Tracey was born on February 10, 1929
• John Charles Tracey and his wife Ethelynde Taylor Tracey had five children: John Williams Tracey (birth date is not known); Jody Leigh Tracey was born on May 25, 1957 and currently lives in Columbia, Maryland. Jill Diane Tracey was born on September 28, 1958 and was living in Silver Spring, Maryland when she died on April 11, 2011; Juliette Allison Tracey was born on February 1, 1965 and initially lived in Silver Spring, Maryland, and married Robert A. Goldman; Jennifer Lynne Tracey Kishimori was born on September 30, 1966 and lives in Honolulu, Hawaii.
• It has been verbally reported that John Charles Tracey and his wife Gladys Ethelynde never lived in the South Gatehouse, but that his daughter Jill Tracey did live in the South Gate House and had many cats while living there.
• In March 2001, Jill Diane Tracey, from Princess Anne, received a Masters of Arts in Teaching M.A.T.) degree from Salisbury University. Jill was probably living in the South Gate House (30467 Prince William Street) at that time.
• On August 5, 2005, Jill Diane Tracey-Bradshaw filed for divorce from Robert James Bradshaw, Jr. and in 2007 petitioned the court in Somerset County to change her name back to her maiden name of Jill Diane Tracey, and it was granted.
• On April 15, 2009, Jill Diane Tracey was living at 233 Whitmoor Terrace, Silver Spring, Montgomery County, MD.
• On 12/2/2014, John C. and Gladys E. Tracey bought 8390 Ice Crystal Drive, Unit Q, Laurel, Howard County, Maryland.
• On 3/11/2018, John C. Tracey died.
• On 6/13/2019 John C. Tracey (then deceased) and his wife G. E. Tracey sold 233 Whitmoor Terrace, Silver Spring, Montgomery County, MD.

On 27 June 2024, the Tracey family sold the South Gate House to the Somerset County Historical Trust for $35,000. That sale was recorded in the Somerset County Courthouse on 17 July 2024.