Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-06
AN OLD timer TALKS
20 A
Changes he Has Seen Around
the West End.
IT'S HIsToR Il & HOMES
MANY OF THE OLDEST STILL IN
Ex1srENeF.
Personalities of Some Of the Dwellers
Whose Names Make National
History.
Written for The Evening Star.

know a man who can give you personal
experience of things that belong to what we
call the past. Here is a little recital A
gentleman talking of Washington as 1t look
ed during the Tyler administration said: "At
that time Lafayette Square was like big
front door yard. nothing more; cattle in
vaded the place, and the music of cowbells
was often heard l. myself was lad and
did not disdain to drive our cows a little
beyond. toward 10th street, where were
farm lands. belonging to different people,
Ny chums." he continued. were the Tyler
children, and many romp and game of
blind mans bluff was played in the east
room. My father had been an officer in the
war of 1872, but when he died my mother
was left poor widow, with a brood of lit
tie children to educate and maintain. She
was a brave, sensible woman, and went to
work with will, taking a large house on
Lafayette Square for what was then called
large rent-$1O0 per month. She turned it
INTO 1ash1onabie boarding house. 1 mean
the red brick that has had so many names
First it was called the Rogers house be-
cause 1t belonged to Commodore Rogers;
afterward the place in front of which
Sickies shot Phil Barton Key; then it was
known as the Seward house, beca use it was
there that the attempted assassination of
Secretary Seward took place at the time
Mr.. Lincoln was murdered by Booth Now
~ ID INC SitS VI tIle lLuldyoCte square The
alter.
During its occupancy by our family II
was noted as a rendezvous for very impor-
tant people-army and navy officers cabi-
net ministers. senators and members Pres
1dent Polk boarded there. John c. Spencer.
one time Secretary of War, and once Sec
rotary of the Treasury. with his family.
was living in that house when Lieutenant
eIanzs"orth came with the sad news of the
execution Of Spencer's son for mutiny and
attempted piracy on the high seas He was
an officer on the brig Somers in South
American waters. A court-martial had
S oeeh hastily called. the charge that young
Spencer had melted mutiny and endeayor-
cd to turn the brig into a pirate vessel.
The verdict Of the court ma rtial was that
ne should be punished by death. By order
or Slldell Mackenzie. Spencer was hung at
the yard arm Of the brig Somers. Macken
zie was execrated for the indecent haste.
Inc father never recovered from the shock,
ana poth men were ruined by this tragic
event. Inc lady who kept, this noted house
pusy as she was. found time to arrange and
start many beneficent, cha rites which flour
1sh now. All honor to a brave, fine woman.
1T seems to me that the street from Penn
sylFanla avenue was, then called Executive
avenue. The first house on the corner was
even then an old-fashioned, moderate-sized
red brick house wthfa beautiful conserva-
Tory. IL was occupied by dentist whose
son afterWard became surgeon general of
the navy. You see. at that time Washing
ton mad only about 10000 Inhabitants. so
one knew of his neighbors. Close to the
rogers place was asIarge, roomy house
known as the Mrs. Madison house where
she lived. sad and anxious on account of
the escapades of her. undutiful son, Payne
lodd, she having been the widow of Todd
When Madison married her.
She was painfully embarrassed for money.
ana was then tryfRg-to get Congress TO
ouy the Madison library. Poor as she was
she was ever queen, and always most at
tractlve. She was generally surrounded by
d NM u,1,1a
ADELE Cults. relative, and who afterward
became Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas and then
MRS. Williams. AT that time the corner
house was occupied by Senator Crfttenden
now the Cosmos Club.
me corner opposite on H street and dag
ohaHy across, was vacant ground, and
there Is nothing to say about it, though
farther along there was large double
mouse. stucco exterior built by rich man
Matthew st. Claire C. Clark, now owned by
the Coleman-Freeman estate Next to it is
oid St johns Church. They appear as
they did then.
On Lafayette Square.
Crossing 10th street is at present the
handsome residence Of the Secretary of
State. John Hay. and next a house owned
by Henry Adams. This locality had MOTH
Ing particular to distinguish It, but there is
now a broad, square light-br house that
has IN time been occupied by many people
as Senator Depew's house. and which was
the last residence of the great phila nthro-
plst w. w. Corcoran. is still owned by his
estate. Among the families which have oc-
cupied 1t may be mentioned that of Senator
Brice, whose hospitality knew no bounds
Mrs. Brce herself will always be remem-
bered as one of the most gracious hostesses
ever associated with the capital, but the
house once occupied by Daniel Webster
has claim to distinction 1 think 1t was
once bought by the state Of Massachusetts
for him. though it is now owned also by the
Corcoran estate. The splendid grounds
which are fnclosed by a high brick wall
are It's greatest attraction. The house has
had many notable occupants; it was once
used as boarding house.
''Diagonally across the street stands a
large unattractive house, still known as the
Decatur house. though it belongs to the
Beale estate. Next to It, facing the square.
Is modern house that has had many off,
cial occupants. and within the year 1t has
been used as a temporary executive man
sion by President Roosevelt. A little far
Their along are the Blair houses, one owned
by Mrs. james Blair; next is the General
Parke house. All Of these have had most
hospitable owners. About the middle Of the
square Is broad three-story house that
has had strange histories. too numerous to
mention. though 1t Is always called the
Sickles house. 1t Is now owned by Admiral
and Mrs Ludlow. 1t was once called the
Stockton house on account OF Admiral
Stockton's ownership. though 1t was built
Court while he was Secretary Of the Treas
ury. 1 forgot to say that the Decatur
house was once owned and occupied by Mr..
Gadsby. who made his money keeping the
Gadsby Hotel, now the National Hotel. on
Pennsylvania avenue. Passing around the
corner you find ther Montgomery Blair
house. facing Pennsylvania avenue and the
War Department.. That. house also looks
as it did when 1t Was occupied by Tom Ew-
ing. Secretary Of the Interior. father Of
Mrs. General Sherman Miss Ewing. then,
was splendid woman, a. great favorite.
the well-bred woman. who treated all
guests alike, making4 every one welcome.
An Old-Tima Home.
Next is the residence OF Admiral Lee.
and over that house fstillI presides real
gentlewoman: she wssn'a, Blair If you
cross the avenue and godown to F street you
will find on the corner the old house Of
General Macomb. afterward used as Grants
headquarters before he became President.
Until you come to 1Athostreet the houses
are commonplace. and as far as I know.
have no distinctive histories, though on the
corner stands fine large, square brick
house. Of late owned by Mrs. Senator Stew
art. where she exercised, during her life. a
generous hospitality. The commodous
grounds attached to the house are spacious