The National tribune., 1898-03-03
CHAPTER XVIII.


British Burned the Capitol-Gifted Mary
Clemsler-Home of ''Olivia."
Among the earlier houses erected IN tht
District was the row built on the nortt
side of Pennsylvania avenue, between 1911
and 20th streets. known as the Sever
Buildings"
TIE house on the corner OF Pennsylvania
avenue and 18th street was occupied b!
EIbrid-e Gerry. while he was Nice-Presi
dent and James Monroe President. H'
was elected in 1872. and died suddenly, il
the second year of his term.
The venerable Mrs. Townsend, who dec
in Boston some years ago, at the age o.
81. was his daughter and the mother o.
Gen E. d. Townsend, the late able and
energetic Adjutant General OF the Army:
After the White House was destroyed by
the British. this was the house into which
President and Mrs. Monroe moved after
leaving the "Octacon House. They re-
manned until the White House was rebuilt.
Ii had also been used, in the INTERIM, for
the United States Treasury. Mr.. Fry, a
Chief Clerk OF the Paymaster General
Office. occupied the house next door Jonn
Quincy Adams and Mr.. Fry had married
the daughters of Gov. Thomas johnson, OF
Maryland.
Gov. Thomas Johnson was born in Cal
vert County, Maryland. He was Dele
gate to the Continental Congress from that
State, but resigned from that body for the
purpose of raising troops, of which he was
10 take command, tn go to the rescue OF his
warm friend. Gen. George Washington.
Ii was he who proposed the name OF
Washington as Commander Chief OF the
army. He was Maryland'S first Repub-
lican Governor and was also one OF the
~ fNy lax
Washington.
Ii is said that John Adams, second
President of the United States; was once
asked how it was that so many Southern
men were in the war. He replied
'If il had not been for such men as
Richard Henry Lee; Thomas jefferson
Samuel Chase and Thomas johnson,
there would never have been any fevolu-
ton. in other words, there would have
been no United States.
After Mr.. Fry removed from this house, it
was purchased by Brook Mackau esq.
His wife was Miss Gunnell. Ian aunt OF the
ACCOMPLISHED and genial Medical Director,
+. NJ. Gunnell. of the United States Navy.
The third and fourth houses were owned
by Joseph Forrest. He married Miss
Dulaney. of Suffers Hill, near Alex
andria. He occupied one of the houses
and his brother-n-law, Commodore Bladen
Dulaney of the Navy. the other
estate. these houses came into the hands
OF the late Commodore French Forrest, who
lived in the third house from the corner,
until about three years before the war
broke out. He then removed to his coun-
try seat, "ClaTemont."
Commodore Forrest. at the breaking out
of the war. resigned his commission in the
Navy of the United States, which he had
held y wears He was gallant officer IN
the war of 1912. He was in the naval
engagement with Commodore Perry on
Lake Erie, and also fought valiantly in the
Mexican war.
When Virginia seeded, he Joined her
fortunes and was made an Admiral in the
Southern Confederacy. At the close OF the
war he returned TO the District to find his
property confiscated by the Government.
1t was purchased by Hon. Alfred Ely,
formerly a member OF Congress from New
York. who was captured and carried to
Richmond. where he remained prisoner
until he was exchanged, by special ar
ranpement for the Hon. Charles Faulkner,
our former Minister to France, who had
been arrested in New York upon his arrival
from Europe, for being rebel.
The Commodore died in Georgetown, in
1866. After his death his son, Rev. Doug
las Forrest. ID. D., brought action in the
United States Court for the possession of
the property, which he recovered after a
long and tedious suit.
In 1884 the Vice-President, Martin Van
Buren,, the Charge d'Affairs OF the Neither
lands and the First Auditor of the Treas
ury. lived in the Seven Buildings" The
Secretary OF War; at the same time, lived
directly opposite.
These are some of the past glories of the
"Seven Buildings" built in the morning of
the city's growth when the West End was
a swamp when horses were stalled on
Pennsylvania avenue and pedestrians
sank in the slough of despOnd." In those
days Washington was a provincial town;
and vet heroic men and women walked
its streets and gathered around the home
fireside. whose lives are the history OF the
city and Nation as well.
When Gen. Cockburn made his raid
upon Washington, Aug. 4, 1914, only two
wings of the Capitol were finished. Here
Congress had held its sessions since Feb.
q. 1901.
1t may not be generally known that the
flight Of Mahomet, John Gilpin and the
fight at Bladensburg all occurred Aug. "a
II is a well known fact that after the battle
of Bladensburg, Congress was without a
home.
The wings Of the Capitol. the Presidents
Mansion a few public buildings scattered
here and there score or so of private
dwellings stranded among the marshes
spreading from Greenleafs Point TO George
town. over several miles and along the
river banks constituted the main attrac-
tons OF the infant metropolis that drew
the British fire-bTand.
After the destruction Of both Houses Of
Congress. William Law. Daniel Carroll and
others began the building of a new edifice
for the temporary accommodation Of Con-
gTeSs which was completed Dec. T. 1915
The building cost $50 COO IS 600 of which
had been expended on furniture Congress
paid the builders s. 900 in money and a
rental of 81 $50 per annum, with cost of
insurance.
The Niles Register said: 'The spot where
this large cODlmOdiOus building was
erected. was a garden on the 1th q july
last. The bricks Of which il is built were
clay. and the timber used i'm its construc-
tion WAS growing in the woods that day"
Mrs. Seaton. in letter 10 iler mother
written November, 1915, says. About fifty
members have arrived and marked their
seats in the new building on Capitol Hill
erected by Law. Carroll and others. who
wished TO advance the price OF their prop-
erty."
IL was in front of this building lanes
Monroe was inaugurated President March
q, 49,, with brilliant ceremonies.
After the Capitol was i'm condition tn
receive Congress, this house emerged into
fashionable boarding house Ii was in
this house that John G.. Calhoun died
while representing South Carolina as a
Senator. Here the sculptor Luigi Persico
occupied Il room for a studio Here 10
plaster, was the group which now occ,Inies
a place in the main entrance 10 The ro
tunda, that Of Columbus holding i'm his
hand the new world. Some wap has de
scribed Columbus in this piece as PLAYING