Evening star., 1898-04-01
The Old Home Of Several Religious
Organizations.
COLUMBIA Law BUILDING A MEMORY
Many Prominent and Notable Cit
izens Worshiped There.
LOOKING FAR BACKWARD

ihe OLD columbia Law Oufld1ng, on oth
street above D, facing the Judiciary
Square. having been razed to make room for
a splendid office building, one of the old
lard marks Of the olden time, SO dear to
the heart of those who remember primitive
Washington, and venerated by the de-
scendants of the worthless of three-fourths
Of century ago, disappears from view.
and hereafter will exist only in the MEM
ores and traditions Of the old days. For a
long period-cver twenty years-it was the
home of the third Episcopal Church estab-
lished in the city limits, for shorter periods
by the Corgregationalists, who subse-
quently built at 10th and G streets; by the
Central Presbyterian Fev. DR.. Pitzer's)
Church, organized in May, 1868, and other
religious bodies, and for thirty years as
law school and office building, the Column
bia Title Insurance Company, on its organ
ization, occupying the large hall in the up
per part. There are, therefore, quite a
number of the old-time Washington people
who feel an interest In the old building,
some OF whom, in church and Sunday
school. laid the foundation for Christian
character, and many are those who be-
came disciples of Blackstone through the
law school, 1t may be asserted, therefore
that there are memories of scenes which
were enacted in the building for near three
fGurths of century which are remem-
bered and will be recalled by hundreds
scattered over the Union, if not the world
Belonged to Davy Burns.
The site itself has an interesting history.
1t occupies what is known on the original
plat of the city the south half of lot 13
and all of 10. II, square 4S9, having a 'front.'
age of nearly - feet and a depth of over
95 feet. 1t was included in the tract of
and in, hn oF
city lots the first fell TO the government
and the latter remained in the possession
o. Burns. The south half of Ii, in October,
l'9Z, was deedo1 to Gen. Samuel Davidson.
ana lot 1t was in January, 1902, conveyed
ny Burns heirs TO Isaac Pollock, who one
year later conveyed it to David Pollock In
March, 1919. Davidson's s administra tors con-
Veyed the south half of lot IL to Commodore
stephen Decatur and Col George Bomfori
the former a hero of the war with Trpoli
subsequently killed in duel, and the latter
for years at the head of the ordnance de-
Tartment Of the army, and for a long Sc
lies OF years the proprietor of kaiorama
This portion having passed into the hands
OF Henry Ault, and lot IA to 6. w. Boteer,
the vestry of Trinity parish of the Protes-
t2nt EpisccI al Church purchased in June
and July, ISIS. the site, the consideration
il the deed from Ault being $500 (about ~
cents per square fooD, and nominal in the
other.
There were but two churches of the An
sllcan faith in the city limits in the '2Os-
Washington parish, established in lT95,
with its church. Christ, near the navy
yard. covering the eastern portion, and ST.
Johns, set off in 1915. with the church at
10Th and ii streets, covering the remainder
or the city. The central portion of the
CITY was then sparsely supplied with
churches of any denomination, and there
were none for those of tie Episcopal faith
me want OF more convenient place of
worship In the central portion of the city
was further emphasized by the condition of
the streets or roads. as we'll as the distance
between the two churches. The neighbor-
hood OF the city hall COR court house as
low called was regarded as about the CEN
tral portion, and the neighborhood espe-
cldlly south and west of judiciary Square
appeared to be the proper locality for a
church Gen. Roger G. Weiyhtman then
mayor OF the city, and some other corpora
ti"n officers Were of that faith, and resi-
dents OF that section meeting was ca He'd
Tor December :, 1S26 at the city-h hall
lhG&e present canvassci the subject OF
estaollshlEg a church and parish, and de-
termine! 70 ask subscriptions in further
ance Of the project.
Those prese mt went forth and talked rp
the matter with their friends, and by April
~. lS2I, nearly 500 had been secured. on
tits date the use of the council chamber
now the Circuit Court ROOM in the city
hail, having been secured for temporary
services, "A vestry was elected. composed Of
Gen. Neightman. Mr.. VIM. Hewitt Thos
Henderson, Joseph II. Bradley Richard $
Coke. Edward lngle. G. G. Grammon and
II. NJ Motiit, but the latter failed to quail
ify.
bishop Johns Called.
a call was extended to Rev. II. V. d.
Johns (afterward bishop, and he accepted
and entered on his duties as rector The
election of vestry having been questioned
there was reorganization, Messrs. Weight
man, Hewitt, Coke, Ingle and Grammon,
with John \. Smith, DIR. John b. Blake
and VIM. Prout constituting the new board
C. ii. WiltberSer AM w. S. Drummond
were chosen wardens. Mr.. Ingie treasurer
and J. Dawson James register. Mr.. Johns
tnen formally accepted the call at $3.50 per