National Republican., 1883-03-27
KALORANTA.
A History OF one OF the Many "Old
Homes" About washington-Who It's
Owners Have Been.

History OF one OF the Many "Oio
HomesD About vvashington-Who It's
Owners Have Been.
The old mansion known as Kalorama is in
the northwestern suburbs of the city, near the
p street bridge, across Rock creek. In 1872,
the estate then large tract Of land, was owned
by an Englishman named Anthony Holmead,
and at about this time George Scott
bought part of 10 and built the man
sion, identifying the grounds with statuary,
vases, shrubbery, and foweF. II was
then resort for many visitors, and later
we'll known rs the residence Of Col. Washing
ton; but the owner who gave it the poetic
namo It bears, and whose personality gave IL
marked distinction was Joe Barlow, the early
American poet.
The story of Barlow's career is full Of in
torcst. Ho was born in Reading, Conn, in
1755 and was both volunteer and n chap
lain in the revolutionary army, where his
patriotic songs were first sung to keep up tho
spirits of the soldiers. His Prospect of
Peace" delivered in New Haven in i7Sl, gave
him a wide reputation, and while he was q
bookseller in Hartford he published, with
some additions of his own, DIR. Watts version
of the Psalms. He was consul to Algiers in
1705, and came to Washington in 1897, bought
the place which he named Kalorama, and
lived there until he went to France as United
States minister He was great favorite
here, and he lavished money upon tho place
to make it more beautiful. Here he wrote
" Columbia" and many of the poems
that live in English literature. Here
Robert Fulton spent many days,
and it was upon the placid waters Of Rock
creek, just back Of Kalorama, that he first
experimental with his wonderful invention
t, oil, 1 o1l hot ha al of p1
for IL.
Soon after Mr.. Barlow went to France as
minister plcnipotentiary Ho went with Ma
poleon TO Poland and died there Dec. 26, 1872
and after his (Barlow's) death the estate passed
into possession Of his wife, Ruth Baldwin
Barlow. She came from n noted Pcnnsyl-
vania family, and the name suggests another
interesting bit Of biography.
Her two brothers, Abraham and Henry
Baldwin, were born in Connccticut-Abra-
ham in 174l. He graduated at Yale in 1772,
was five years tutor there, and became, in
1777 u chaplain in tho army. In 1884 he
went to Savannah, Ga. was a member of
convention which framed the consti-
tuition of the United States (17S7),
and was United States senator from Georgia
| (1790-1S07). He was the originator OF
the state university, and died March 4. 1907.
Henry, half brother of Abraham Baldwin,
was an American jurist, born at New Haven
in 1779, went to Pennsylvania and was elected
amember of congress from that state for several
terms; was appointed an associate justice OF
the supreme court of the United States in 1880,
and died April 81, 1874. Both are buried in
the ancient vault on the hill at tho head OF
| Massachusetts avenue under a group of an
cient and stately oaks. On each side of the
vault door Is marble slab ON one is inscribed
! at the top, Sacred to tho repose of tho dead
| nd In tba # ha
bottom Of the other slab bears this inscription,
His memory needs no marble; his country
| is his monument; its constitution is his
greatest work" This evidently has reference
to Abraham Baldwin, who was q member OF
the convention that framed the constitution
of the United States, and who took an inn
| portant part in the proceedings of that conven.
tion. Judge Baldwin had son named Henry
who married lady from Tennessee, and they
had two sons named Henry and William Bald
| win. Henry married o Miss Dayton, o
daughter of the late A. o. Dayton, long one
of the auditors of the treasury. William
Baldwin is patent attorney of this city. !
Mrs. Barlow survived her husband but a
short time, when "Kalorama" became the
property of her heirs, the Baldwin family
who sold it to Col. George Bomford, Of the
ordinance department, and here comes in
more interesting biography.
Gen. George W. Cullum, himself dis
tinguished military officer, says of Col Bonn
ford: "To the skill and inventive talent ol
this invaluable officer the country was largely
indebted preceding and during the war OF
1S12-15 with Great Britain, he being almost
the only one well informed as to the manu-
facture Of ordnance and ordnance stores he
also introduced the bomb cannon under the
name of "Columbads." Col. Bomford received
the brevet rank of lieutenant colonel Dec. 22
1874 for meritorious services in the ordnance
department. After 1912 he was on inspection
duty, and made many ingenious and valuable
experiments in heavy artillery. He died
March 20, 1siS, at Boston, Mass, aged 6S years
During the late war the mansion was used
by the government as smallpox hospital
under the charge of DIR. Thomas, of the volun
tcer service. After Bomford's death the prop
erty was purchased by Mrs. George Lorett
and isnow owned by party named Fletcher
who resides in Philadelphia.