Evening star., 1901-04-02
Historic Houses and Those Who
Occupied Them.
P A P ERS OF LU E

| uioSuSSiol. LIE pTeSlueHC In6 society,
| Mr.. John A. Kasson, presided, and the first
paper read was on Waiter Jones and His
Times" by Miss Fannie Lee Jones' The
| latter, like her distinguished father, who
was the subject of her paper is rather
small Of stature, and it was suggested that
| she take place on the platform while
reading the paper, so that all could see as
we'll as hear Miss Jones complied with this
request and read an admirable account of
| the life and character of man who in
| his day, was the most distinguished MEM
| ber of the District bar and was identified
with many local interests
| 1t was brought out that at an early
| day the elegance of his diction, which was
| so characteristic of this great pleader at
| the bar was noted in his conversation as
well in his public addresses The re-
| mark of the late Philip r. Fendall was
| quoted, made in his culoay delivered at the
| memorial services on the death of General
Jones' to the effect that the careless but in
| imtable beauties of his conversation gave
| delight to every listene~"
First U. s. District Attorney,
Admitted to the bar in May, 1876, he was
! appointed by President jefferson attorney
| for the United States for the district of
| Potomac in 1902 and for the District of Co.
| lombia in 1904. The latter office he re-.
| signed in 1921. After his marriage in 1907
! to Anne Lee, daughter Of Charles Lee at
torney general under Washington and Ad-
ans, and granddaughter of Richard Henry
Lee, he made this city lis permanent home
Mention was made -by Miss Jones of some
OF the notable cases before the Supreme
Court in which her father appeared such
as the Girard will case, the case of Myra
Clark Gaines, and the case of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Canal Company against
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
In the Girard will case General Jones was
the senior counsel and Daniel Webster was
the associate counsel.
Miss Jones expressed the opinion that if
her fathers logical mind had not pointed
to the law as the fit arena for his talents
he would have chosen the army as his pro-
fession. He took part in the battle Of
BladenSburg.
In 1921 he was commissioned by President
Monroe brigadier general of the District
militia. He in command of the militia
in 1885, when mob destroyed houses and
committed other outrages and quelled the
disturbances. Gen. Jones, it was stated,
occupied the house at the northwest corner
of I'd and b streets northeast. 1t was
then square brick house with a small
yard in front, surrounded by white pick
ct fence. 1t was diagonally opposite the
old Capitol and Immediately on the turn
pike road to Baltimore. Between it and
the Capitol grounds was a large green COM
mon, which was divided in the center by
two steep hills. In front of the house
We're the hay scales where the farmers
weighed their loads of hay.
The public spirit of Gen. Jones was al
luded to and it was said that he was ever
ready to advance any plan for the material
Improvement of the city. Miss Jones'
graceful and deserved tribute to the public
services and private virtues of this dis
tinguished citizen was followed with close
attention by the audience. The apprecia-
tion of her effort was manifested in part
by hearty applause, and one of the ladies
presented Miss Jones with a bunch of
flowers.
Remarks We're made by President Kas-
md ole H,r
granddaughter Of Gen. Jones.
Old Houses and People.
The next paper was read by Mr.. Doug
lass Zevely, and was a painstaking ac-
count of the houses on street in the
vicinity of old Az street and of the people
who once lived in that section, formerly
the most fashionable in this city. In addi-
tion to sketching the history of the houses
he gave some account of the careers of the
more notable of the occupants. The ma
terial thus brought together was the re-
suit Of many inquiries made by Mr.. Zevely
and also of much correspondence with old
residents now living In other parts of the
county. The value Of this contribution to
the history Of the city was appreciated by
those present. House No. 3O2 street was
built in 1889, and was the home of John W.
Maury' who was mayor Of the city in 1852
90. The adjoining house was the residence
of DIR. William Jones as far back as 1889, !
and until DR.. Jones' DEATH in 1867. He was |
postmaster of the city for a number of
years. DR.. Jones Green lived in No. 3O6 c
street, and in 1S47 he rented it to Robt. c.
Winthrop, the Speaker of the House. No
30S was built about 1885 by Henry Weight |
mayor Of the city, 1s24-2s. Francis Scott
Key lived there prior to 1S43, and then |
John A. Smith, clerk of the Circuit Court
bought it and lived there until his death,
in 1868. In the year 1S49 or 1850 Charles |
Bradley cashier of the National Bank of
the Republic, occupied No. 300, and lived
there until his death, in 1881. Adjoining
the John A. Smith house on the west is the |
former home Of DR.. John Frederick May,
who built it in 1852. The next house was built
for Fitzhugh Coyle about the same time
bell when Postmaster General in the cabi- |
net Of President Pierce Mr. T. c. Robbins |
resided there subsequently for several |
years.
In the second house west Gen. John c.
Fremont was living in 1S41 when he eloped |
with the daughter Of Senator Benton the |
two being near neighbors at the time An
other distinguished man who occupied the |
house was A. H. H. Stuart Secretary of |
the Interior in the cabinet of President |
Fillmore. This house was purchased by |
members of the First Presbyterian Church |
after 1864 and presented to Rev DIR. Byron |
Sunderland. the pastor of the church, and |
his wife for their residence. No. $50 was |
the home for more than thirty years of |
Kew. MT McLain, and there he died In 1873 |
Mr.. McLain was at one time pastor of the |
First Presbyterian Church and subsequent |
ly secretary of the American Colonization |
Society.
No. 334 was the home of Thomas H. Ben
ton. Here he wrote his Thirty Years
View" and his abridgment of the debates |
of Congress. The manuscript of the sec |
ond volume Of THE View was DESTROYED |
in the fire which consumed the house Feb
ruary q, 1855. Mr.. Benton occupied the |
house which was rebuilt on the same site
and there he died in April, 1853
What is known as the Anderson house.
at the southeast corner Of AZ and C streets
said the speaker, was built about the year
1S43 by George Parker, who, with his
brother, conducted a large grocery store on
Pennsylvania avenue opposite the Metro |
politan Hotel
Other Historic Residences.
On the opposite corner Gottlieb c. Gram
mer lived for twenty-seven years, nm
til his death, in January, 1857. The
house was built early in the GEN.
tury by Mr.. Caldwell of Philadelphia. |
1t was purchassd in 1857 by f. A. Lutz.
whose son Is still living there John Quincy |
Adams, Mathew st. Clair Clark and Isaac
Toncey, Secretary of The Navy In Rucbop |