Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-11

The Nestor Of the Treasury Department
Passes Away This Morning.

The Nestor Of the Treasury Department
Passes Away This Morning.
Richard @. Dove. the Nestor of the treasury,
il dead. The death occurred this morning nj
Mr. Doves home, 1917 l. street northwest.
After having served the government for fifty.
seven years and lived to a greater age than that
allotted to man he has passed away. He was
born in the vicinity of Washington Circle, on
the 26th day of January, 1914. Those were
roubious times, and when less than year old
bis father and mother took fight from the city
in August 1914. when the British marched
through the streets, setting fire to the Capitol,
White House and other public buildings. When
Lafayette visited this country in 1924 Richard
Dove was a schooiboy and was among the num-
Der Of children who were sent to the navy yard,
where the noble Frenchmsn landed, and as
sisted In strewing flowers in the pathway of
that ardent patriot. When he was born this city
was but fourteen years old and consisted OF only
few houses scattered along Pennsylvania
avenue from the Capitol to Georgetown. The
thickest settlement was then in the vicinity Of
Washington Circle, which was. at that time,
supposed to be the best residence section of
the city. 1t was near the stores and markets OF
Georgetown, where all the shopping and bust
ness was done. Pennsylvania avenue was then
a dirt road and stage line ran from George
town to the Capitol In his boyhOod
he attended q school which stood near St.
Johns Church, which was at that time the only
building Of importance north Of the avenue
and west of 18th street. The place where the
Arlington Hotel stands was the children's play
ground and Lafayette or Jackson Square was a
briar thicket. where the children went during
play time" to gather blnckberrics.
The fashionable northwest was to him gun
ming ground, Astounding in slashes, brambles
and marshes. II was the home of the hare.
the partridge and the kissing reptile, and was
considered the most undesirable section for
residence purposes III or about the city. Dur
ing part Of his boyhood he lived III the old
two-story frame house on Vermont avenue OPP
posite the Arlington. This house is still occu-
pied and is, apparently, in q well-preserved
state.
He had seen and remembered the appearance
Of all but four of the Presidents had heard and
seen Clay, Webster and Calhoun in their palm
lest days, and remembered having seen the
democratic hero of New Orleans walking arm
in arm with the workmen who laid the founda-
ton Of the treasury building. 1t was in 1879.
during the administration of Andrew Jackson,
that Mr.. Dove, who was then only fifteen years
of age, was appointed to position IN
the Treasury Department. which he con-
tinued to hold without intermission until
1861, when he WIS removed because he was what
was then termed a southern sympathizer.
Having accumulated considerable property he
engaged in business during the war and was
quite successful, but during financial strin-
gency soon after the war, during which one or
more of the most substantial banks in the city
went to the wall. he lost most Of the funds that
he had spent the better part OF his life in ac-
In 1866, at the request of Assistant Secretary
Hartley. with whom he had been associated in
the department. he accepted a reappointment
and was placed in charge of the Secretary
hles, which position he held at the time of his
death. He was thoroughly conversant with
the files. having devised the system of filing
that is in vogue in the Treasury Department.
One of his pet ideas or hobbies was a fire.
proof file building, where all but the current
files Of all the departments could be
kept He was never married; was temperate
in his habits; amiable, almost to effeminacy, in
disposition; gentle, kind and affectiOnate
friend and relative. Generous to a fault, his
purse was always open to his friends. He
always lent u willing ear and helping hand to
every worthy cause and never turned away the
poor and needy nnaided. He leaves a few rela-
tiyes and many friends to mourn his death.
Arrangements have been made for the funeral
to take place Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock
from the house.