Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-12

ganic trouble, only the weakness that comes
when the machinery of the body is worn
out and Mr.. Gait was in his seventy seventh
year, Funeral services will take place
at mis- late residence Saturday, the
14th instant, at O'Clock pm. The ser
vices, which will be in accordance with the
rites Of the church with which he was SO
long identified, will be conducted by DR.. D.
]. Stafford and the interment, which will
be private, will be in the family lot at the
Congressional cemetery.
His Long and Active Life.
Mr.. Gait was born November 8, 1925, at
Alexandria, which was then included in the
District of Columbia. He removed with his
parents to Washington the year following
his birth and has since continuously
sided here. Through both parents he was
of Scotch lineage, his father having been
James Gait and his mother Eliza Neitch.
His ancestors on both sides were among the
early settlers of Maryland, his father hay
ing been born in Carroll county and his
mother in Prince Georges county, in that
state, and it is striking fact that while
ne was of Scotch lineage on both sides, all
of his American ancestors were natives of
Maryland.
His father in 1902 established in Alexan-
dria the weH-known jewelry house, which
is now conducted by his nephew, Mr.. Nor
man Gait, in the name of Calf & Brother.
In 1916 on the death of the founder of the
house. his sons, the late Matthew w. Gait
and William Gait, the subject of this
sketch, succeeded to the business under the
name of Gait & Brother, in which name,
as stated, the business is still conducted.
Shortly prior to his illness Mr. Gait referred
with pleasure to the fact that he had lived
to witness the one hundredth anniversary
of the establishment of the house. He
tired from active connection with the bust
ness in 1879, but retained a special interest
therein until 1886 when his relation thereto
finally ceased, but his interest in the house,
which his father had established, and in
which he 80 long took pride, never ceased,
and until his last illness he was daily visi-
tor to the establishment.
His Interest in Washington.
Although man of very strong character
istcs, he was unobtrusve in their assertion,
but his interest in Washington and every
thing that pertained to its upbuilding and
progress, was the deepest possible. He
saw Washington pass from village to town
and from town to city, and hal the keenest
interest in its future, now SO much in the
general public mind. He was especially
attracted by the beauties of Washington in
respect of its parks and trees. as he was
by nature a devoted lover of both trees
and flowers, as is shown by the care be-
slowed by him upon his beautiful home, in
the grounds surrounding which are some
OF the most attractive trees and grasses in
the city.
Mr.. Gait was all his life in WASHINGTON
a parishioner of St. Patrick's Roman Cath
Ole parish and always manifested the live
lest interest in its affairs, as also in the af-
fairs of all of the Roman Catholic institu-
lions in the District. OF an unusually
charitable disposition, many stories are told
OF his charities toward the Institutions not
only of his church, but also those of other
denominations The Children's Hospital
the Central Free Dispensary and Emer-
gency Hospital, the Home for the Incur
ables, the Home for the Aged of the Little
Sisters Of the Poor, Providence Hospital,
and, indeed, almost every benevolent insti-
tuition in the city will long remember his
many kindnesses and charitable deeds to-
ward them, but the most striking feature of
this phase of his character was that his
many acts of private charity can never be
known, owing to the unobtrusiveness with
which he did them, and his almost shrink
ing from the thought of having them known
OF others.
Although indisposed by nature to exhibit
himself in such light he was man of
large public spirit, and his wisdom and ex-
cellent Judgment were often used on occa-
sions to which he was known by but few
to bear any relation. Although of decided
views, and firm in their expression and
maintenance, he was conservative in tone
fact doubtless largely due to the ra cial
characteristics which he inherited, and the
fact already noted, of the small compass
within which his American ancestors was
born and reared.
For Forty Years in One House.
For forty years Mr.. Gait lived in the
home in which he died. and on the site Of
which boy he attended the once we'll
known McLeod's school, fact to which he
repeatedly referred with interest and pleas
most appropriate to his characteristic con-
this connection that the original homes of
both his paternal and maternal ancestors
in Maryland are still in possession of the
respective families.
Mr.. Gait was prominently identified with
many local enterprises, among others
the Arlington Fire Insurance Company
and the Norfolk and Washington, D.
which corporations he was an organic
ing member and director. He was
never married and was the last sur
vivor Of his generation. He has been pre-
coded to the grave by his brothers, Messrs
Thomas ]. Gait, Matthew w. Gait, George
Sterling Gait and James Veitch Gait, and
his sister, the wife of the late Henry S.
Davis. He leaves surviving him as his
nearest relatives nephews and nieces as
follows: Miss Josephine Davis, Mr. Henry
E. Davis, Mrs. Reginald Fendall, Mr.. VIM
w. Calf, Mrs. Marion v. Elliott, Mr. Alex
ander H. Gait, Mr.. Norman Gait, Mr. Ster-
ling Gait, Mr.. James Howard Gait and Mrs
Alexander H. Mccormick, jr. Mr.. Walter,
Allen Gait, who died last week, was also a