The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-29
OLD STONES RESET.
Items in the Early History of Wash.
ington.


To the older residents of Washington
bits Of the early history OF the city are of
rare interest. Among the most successful
of those who have collected and are co..
lecting data pertaining 10 the Washington
that was is Thomas B. Queen, of the Met
ropolitan Hotel. While going through a
file of the National Intelligencer'' for 1850,
he came upon the following series of para
graphs appearing under the caption: -old
Stones Reset-Items in the Early History
of Washington
Geology asserts the fact that old
Oceans drift once buried a forest fifty feet
below the surface of the site of Washing
ton.
1.-The principal boarding houses in the
city in 1920 were on Capitol Hill, and were
kept by the MeLeods, Claxtons, McCandles.
Tins, Pattersons, Heyers, Hickeys. and
Burches. Mrs. Bolton had one on Street;
Mrs, Tucker. Mrs. Polk, Mrs. Gather, and
Mrs. Arguelles, on Pennsylvania Avenue,
and Mrs. Brown, near the City Postoffice;
Mrs. Peyton, on Street; Mrs. Meyer, near
the Centre Market Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs.
Queen, Mr.. Fletcher, Mr.. Hyatt, and Mr..
Sayer, in other places. but the great ma
iority OF members of Congress boarded
either Oh Capitol Hill or over in George
town.
John Henry Eaton and Andrew Jack
son in 1923 had rooms at Mr.. O'Neal's.
Henry Clay, when Speaker, boarded
with Mr.. John Davis. on Ninth Street.
Meridian Hill was first occupied by
Commodore Porter and J. Florentine Cox.
In 1923 James Buchanan boarded at
Mrs. Blake's on Pennsylvania Avenue.
1.-THE Oldest Catholic Church in Wash
ington is that Of st. Patrick's, built by
Father Matthews in 1910.
Daniel Webster boarded at Mr.. Coyle's
on Capitol Hill and Sam Houston at Mrs.
Claxton's.
''Anne Royal says that when she landed
here in a steamboat in 1923 the landing
was mile from any house.
1.-THE Oldest church in the District is
Rock Creek. It was built long before the
Revolution out OF bricks imported from
England.
Thomas II. Benton had his quarters at
Mrs. Clark's on Capitol Hill and Horatio
Seymour boarded with Mrs. Hamilton also
on Capitol Hill.
St Johns Church was built in 1916 1t
was attended by Madison, Monroe, and Ad-
/ ans and the early English ambassadors,
Bagot ind Canning.
I'm 1922 there were 2.229 dwelling houses
in the city, 1,045 OF brick and 1,1Si Of wood
and on January !, 1921, the assessed value
of personal property was s6.s6s, 726.
Christ Church, Navy Yard, was built
in 1900. For sixteen years it was the only
place Of Episcopal worship in, the city and
was attended by President Madison.
I'm 1880 there were only two free
schools in Washington-the Eastern and
Western. The principal teachers in those
days were John Mcleod Hughes, Caden,
Thompson. Wheat, and Jewett.
George McDufie, who fought duel with
=
itol Hill. Martin Van Buren, and Rufus
King boarded at Peck's Hotel in George
town. and Robert Y. Hayne had quarters
at Strother's Hotel.
Georgetown was originally laid out un-
der an act Of the Colonial Assembly of
May 10, 1851. George Gordon and George
BeaIl were the original proprietors of the
land. The city was incorporated in 1883
| and its first mayor was Robert Peter.
"Kalorama was built by Joel Bristow,
author of the 'Coumbiad' 1t was frescoed
by Robert Fulton and while engaged in do
| ing this he made his first models of the
steamboat and the first one ever sailed in
the world was on Rock Greek, near the old
mill dam.
1.-THE population of Washington in 1900
was 1910; in 1903. 1852; in 1907, 5652; in
1910, s.20S; in 1917. II, 299, and in 1890. 49,
IA The increase during the first twenty
years was 10.264. In 1920 the First Ward
had 1852; the Second. 2,522; the Third,
2,6O1; the Fourth, 1,64O; the Fifth, 1,464;
and the Sixth. 1885.
Rev William Parkinson, Of New York
who was chaplain 10 Congress, organized
the Baptist Church in Washington in 1902
and in its entire communion, strangers and
all, there were only eight souls. In 1907
Obadiah B. Brown became their first regu-
lar pastor. In 1909 their first church was
erected at / and Nineteenth Streets, their
second one in 1910 near the Navy Yard,
and the third was built in 1921"