A mural of early Potomac Photo Contributed
A direct descendant of the Offutt family, whose acreage originally known as Offutt’s Crossing at the meeting of River and Falls Roads became Potomac Village in 1880, brings to life his colorful family history at the Potomac Community Village Potluck Dinner and Program on Dec. 17, 6 p.m., at the Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road.
Historian Ralph Buglass, will present “Offutt’s Crossroads and the Early Days of Potomac,” detailing the murders, feuds, and lawsuits of his forebears, including an inside look at family members’ involvement in slavery, and a name change at the request of the U.S. Post Office. His ancestor, William Offutt, was granted hundreds of acres around Potomac to help settle the colony of Maryland in the late 1600s, later acquiring an additional 2,000 acres, including a Potomac River island still bearing his name. After hearing and seeing Buglass’ presentation, residents can decide for themselves how well the crossroads have been settled.
A passion for history, and existing knowledge of his father’s family, inspired Buglass to uncover his mother’s family roots, the Offutt’s. A volunteer with the Montgomery County Historical Society, Buglass is also the volunteer school master of the Kingsley School, a one-room schoolhouse in Little Bennett Regional Park in Clarksburg that he worked to renovate and furnish. He received the 2015 Maryland Parks and Recreation Association Agency Volunteer Award and last year was a National Service Award recipient from the Country Schools Association of America.
A potluck dinner begins at 6 p.m., with the Potomac Community Village meeting and program following from 7-8:45 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring various items for dinner according to the first letter of their last name. Details and RSVP are at www.PotomacCommunityVillage.org. For more information about the dinner, call Joan Kahn (301-294-6801) or Linda Perlis (301-299-6181). For those wishing to attend just for the program portion of the evening, that starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Potomac Community Village, a nonprofit all-volunteer network of neighbors and friends, seeks to enhance the quality of life for older Potomac residents by creating social connections and providing services such as transportation, computer assistance and simple home repairs. For more information, to volunteer or to get volunteer help, visit www.PotomacCommunityVillage.org.