Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-17
THE VETERAN OFFICIAL.
Washington Department Clerk Who
Knew Andrew jackson.

Knew Andrew Jackson.
An old gentleman, Mr.. Strother Evans.
who has been a citizen of Washington for
more than half a century. saws a
Washington special to the New York
World, has curious store of historical
narrative. Few people now living knew
Andrew Jackson personally, and Mr..
Evanscame to the national capital in July,
1929, four months after the first inaugu-
ration OF President Jackson. And 1929
was, it will be remembered, only fifteen
years after the burning of the capital by
the British. Mr.. Evans is considerably
over eighty, nearer ninety in fact, but his
hearing is still unimpaired and his men,
ory perfect. He is still a clerk under the
government, having held office al
most continually since Jacks0n's
time-through fifteen administrations.
In 1881 he was promoted to a $l.40O
clerkshlp (then a princely salary) by
Governor Cass, Secretary of War under
jackson. and Old Hickory's signature
(autograph) was affixed to the papers
used in the transaction. Through his
faith er-in-law, a Mr.. O'NeaI, who was a
warm personal friend of jackson. Mr..
Evans came to know him quite intimately.
The northwest portion of this city,
now the centre of wealth and fashion, was
then barren waste of field and marsh.
Lafayette square was muddy bramble
patch without even fence round it. On
the west side stood an old house wherein
Dolly Madison lived and died. A little
below stood the row known as the 'sseven
houses" on the north side OF
Pennsylvania avenue, between Seven
teenth and Eighteenth streets, and the
~, six houses" near Twenty-third street.
These with two exceptions were the finest
houses in the town, and where the
grandest people lived. One of the ex
ceptions was the immense, singularlv
built residence at the corner of New
ork avenue, known as 'Ethe OctagOn.v
and Eighteenth street. This was CON
sidered palace in that day, and was the
home OF one of the finest gentlemen
and richest men in Virginia.
John TaylOe ''of CarOline,v as
he proudly subscribed himself. just
in front of the TaylOe place, which is still
in state of tolerable preservation. stood
on the very bank Of the Potomac the then
magnificent home Of Gen. Van Ness, the
second finest house. Gen. Van Ness had
married the only child of David Burns.
who then owned a large portion of the
land upon which the city now stands. The
Van Ness home, which fifty years ago was
at the height of its grandeur, gathering
tnOiCeSt a.
clety OF the continent, is pathetic sight
to-day Crumbling, decaying, isolated. it
has fallen from its high estate to become
a negro dance house.
When Mr.. Evans came here those were
the principal houses of the town. then a
mere village of less than $4,000 inhabi-
tants. His father-in-law's Mr.. O'NeaD
house was near what was known as Hol-
meade's burial ground, not far from the
hOnnHqpU
TINS and the White House. and Old
Hickory used to stroll across lots on sun
day afternoons to chat with the family in
friendly way, and get drink of water
from the O'Neal well. which he preferred
to that of the White House. The picture
conJured up by this tremulous old
voice, telling how the President
used to sit gossiping on ''split-
bOttOmed'' chair, is a curious com
mentary upon the changes times and Gus
toms have undergone. Yet Mr.. Evans
says no man possessed more grandeur of
manner or more polished address than
jackson when he chose to assume it-sim.
pie to primitiveness as his habits ordi-
narily were. He remembers, too. that in
all the conversations he heard between
MS latner-ln-laW and jackson, he never
heard him use an oath. Another peculi-
arity popularity ascribed to him was his
L
Mr.. Evans says the minister who was at
that time pastor of the old Foundry
Church told him that when the Presi-
dent CHANGED to reach the church during
prayer, he stood with uncovered head in
the vestibule until it ended, while others
came heedleSsly in at once. By the Way
strangers in Washington speculate as to
the origin of the name of the Foundry
Church. The present building is a spruce
old Ia
original church, which was torn awav
about eight years ago, was erected and
named as thank Offering by the owner
OF large foundry in Georgetown which
the British spared when burning the town
in 1914.
An amusing anecodOte is related bv Mr..
Evans in giving the history of the old
Foundry Church. Those were slavery
days, it will be remembered. and. as was
customary, the cOlOred members occupied
the gallery. AT length they threatened to
overflow it and it was decided by the
Wnlte members to purchase a lot and
Dulld them church to themselves. A
little Westinghouse was consequently
erected and given them upon a lot at the
corner of Eleventh and X. An old deacon,
who superintended the selection OF the
site, saying this location was $50 fur out
so distant from any white people, that no
one would be annoyed by the noise the
darkIes would make in shOuting.0 This
isolated spot is now in the heart of the
city and the church has grown to such
proportions that an admission fee is
charged the white people who flock there
to hear the music.
Illustrative Of the changes-the vast
growth OF governmental machinerv-Mr
Eyans relates that soon after he came to
Washington he had occasion to call upOn
Rlc0dr0 HARRISON A Of
the treasury, who had been appointed by
Gen. Washington. He found the Auditor.
the personal friend of Washington, sur
rounded by none of the luxury and cere-
mOny which doth hedge about the gov
ernment official of to-day. The old mans
once was small room with a brick floor,
a fragment of carpet spread under the
pine table TO rest his feet on, and a few
wooden chairs. Then the old gentleman,
whose feeble voice was visibly failing,
told OF his last meeting with Andrew Jack
san. The rugged old soldiers health had
been giving way before lung affection
for some months previous, and when Mr..
Evans inquired for him he was told to 90
to his bedroom, that he was too ill to rise
Fancy visitor being directed by a
lacky of the present regime to walk into
the Presidents best room before he has
risen!
1t was on the morning of the Inaugural
tlon of JacksOn's successor, Van Buren,,
and was blustery, cold day and snow
ing heavily-Maach f. 1S37-just forty
seven years ago. Gen. Jackson was in
his bed, and on little stand beside him
lay the portrait of his wife. It was a
small oval painting upon ivory, attached
to chain which he habitually wore
round his neck. The visitor had never
seen Mrs. Jackson, who died before he
came to Washington, but had heard the
story of this portrait, and tor that reason
possibly the incident made more lasting
impression than it would otherwise have
done. NO allusion was made to the por-
trait by either of them. But the visitor
demonstrated with the President when he
expressed his intention of being present
at the Inauguration, calling his attention
to the weather and his own health.
Il shall attend the Inauguration, SIR"
said Old Hickory in his uncompromising
way, ''if it's the last act of my life"
That was the last time Mr.. Evans saw
him, as, in consequence of failing health,
he went South almost Immediately, and
died few years later.
KILLED BY EATING CHICAGO
MEAT.