National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-05-20
HISTORIC REsIDENoEs.
Pleasant RccoiIcctiops of old Houses ir,
Washington.

WnshinstOus
One can hardly realize that less than twenty
years on the southwest corner OF seventeenth
and / streets northwest, where now stands
the pnlatial mansion Of A. Pollock, esq,
there once stood n small two.story building, used
as a school housc, in which Chlef-Justicc Chase,
when young man, taught school, he Mt the same
time studying law with William Writ, the then
Attorney General of the United States. Mr. Chase
when hc first came to this city boarded with n
Mrs. DR.. Elsey, the widow Of u prominent ply
sician, and he then being very poor and finding
his school did not pay him as much as could sup
port him, he very frankly told her he would have
to leave her house and go home, because of his
inability to pay tor his bourd. Mrs. Elsey would
not hear Of such thing for an instant declared
she had perfect confidence In his integrity, and
believed she would live to see him occupy prom
nent position in the history of the country.
THAT OLD LADY LIVED To SEE
Mr.. Chase fill the position q governor of Ohio, and
never forget the grnlitudu Mr.. Chase manifested
toward her; that he never visited Washington
without calling TO Zee @ Sr ana meyer cI G9wGG nst
rs suitable for her comfort. / attended school in
this building in 1857 5s.'59, when taught by Pro;
fcssor Silns l.. Lpomis Mr. LOOMS alttrwnrd
studied medicine, ,'nnd was professor of chemistry
in the medical department OF Georgetown and
Howard Universities.
oN THE OPPOSITE CORNER
of this building stands what was once the resi-.
dcnce of Mrs General Mauomb. the second wife
of the late Major General Alexander MacOmb.
General Mncomb was gcnernl-i iii chief from the
oath of May, 1925 TO the time of his death, 18th of
June, 1911. lie was brave aud gallant officer,
and received tho breyGt rank of major. general
for distinguished and gallant conduct in de-
feating the enemy at pluttsburg" on the llth Ui
september, 1sii l should imagine that Mrs
MHcOmb must have been an exceedingly ECauti-
fu and intelligent lady from the fact tnat AZ the
tine knew her, although She was quite an old
lady, her fGcc showed the remains of great lcauy
and she wns the Lest convcrsationallst even
listened to. She was widow ~ the time of hel
marriage with General MaCOmb who was nj o Il
widowcr with grown children. Mrs MacomO wa
the daughter OF the Rev. Stephen B. Bulch, pastor
for many years of the Bridge Street Presbyterian
Church in Georgetown, u. G.. On the LIST of Jan
uary Mrs. MacOmb kept open house, and 1t was
the custom for the Army officers stationed in
paying their respects TO the Secretary of War to
call and pay their respects TO the widow of the
General in Chief
ONE OF GENERAL MAcoMBs DAUGHTERS
married General John Mason of Virginia, brother
of senator James NJ. Mason, who, with Senator
Slidell, Of Louisiana was arrested on board thu
English steamer Trent by Rear Admiral Charlie.
Wilkes, U. $. N. Their sons, James, Erlbeck, nnt
MUConb Mason, We're my most intimate friends
and associates. Another daughter married Colone
Morris S. Miller of the Army. He died immCdi
atcly after the war; Their son, Macomb Miller
believe, an officer in the Army. Mrs. Macomb'
residence is now owned and occupied by tn
family of the late Albert Ray, esq, and has yer!
much the same appearance as when occupied b!
that lady. In nothing Is the Improvement q
Washington more dsccrnible than in the i'm
proved character Of the houses built in the north
western part of the city, and believe that to Gov
ernor Shepherd Is due the credit of making
Washington indeed worthy to bear the name q
the Federal Metrorolis.-R. r. Il. for The RepubII