Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-22
THE VAN NESS ESTATE
OLD LANDMARK OF WASHINGTON
TO BE DESTROYED.
In Early Days the Mansion Was the
Scene Of Many Brilliant
Social Functions.

AS result Of the sale of the Van Ness
mansion and it's park to the Columbian
University, as stated in Saturdays
Star. one of the old landmarks of
Washington will be destroyed. and villa
which was at one time the center of the
social activity of the national capital
will pass away. The property will not
be occupied by the university until
the fall it was said today, and the
Young Mems Christian Association will
continue to use 1t as an athletic park
The association has no lease on the prop
erty, simply renting 1t by the month, and it
can be dispossessed at thirty days notice.
The association officers do not believe that
they will be dispossessed, however, until
after the summer season, so that they can
continue to use the park for their athletic
work until fall
The Van Ness mansion was built by
Major John Van Ness, who married Miss
Marcia Burns, the daugh. er of the famous
Davy Burns, who owned almost all Of what
is now the city of Washington and obsu
nately refused to sell it for many years.
Miss Marcia Burns was the only daughter
of old Davy, and at his death she inherited
all his property. She had been married to
Major Van Ness before the death of her
father, and when the property came to her
she conveyed it to her husband. At that
time Major Van Ness was member of
Congress from New York. but was unseated
because he had attached himself to the
volunteer militia of the District. it being
held that he could not hold two positions
under the United States government al
though the militia citizenship was simply
an empty honor. carrying no pay or privi-
leges, except so far as the latter related
to the possession Of the title. He erected
the old mansion which now stands in the
park at most of $4,000, and inaugurated
a series of entertainments the like Of which
49, 49, l., or lot cfvon
Center Of Social Gayety.
The Van Nesses were the leaders in So
ciety and their house was the center of all
gayety. The house is described as having
been the most noble mansion in the Dis
trict. and money was spent with lavish
hand to extend to the guests Of the lord
and lady of the estate the generous hos
pitality that was the custom Of the times
Major Van Ness became one OF Wash
ington's most prominent citizens. He was
at one time mayor Of the city and was
president Of one of the banks here. At
his death the property was made the SUBJ
that Major Van Ness had no natural heirs
and fight for the possession of the estate
was made by the collateral heirs. One
Of the claimants to the property was
woman from Philadelphia. it Is said. who
claimed to be Major Van Ness widow. She
alleged that she and Major Van Ness had
been married clandestinely and produced
letters from the major which are alleged
to have been couched in very endearing
terms. She instituted suit for share
in the estate and her claim was contested
The case was in the courts for a month, at
the end of which time 1t was decided that
the formalities necessary for a valid mar
riage had not been proven and the case
was thrown out.
Story Of Beautiful Miss Wright.
One Of the most brilliant Of the many
persons who were wont to visit the Van
Ness mansion was Miss Anna G. Wright
q cousin of Mrs. Van Ness. who is said
to have been at one time a nun at the
Convent Of Visitation in Georgetown. Miss
Wright is said to have been the most beau
tiful woman in Washington, and she re-
sided with her cousin in the old mansion
for a long time. She never returned to
the convent but travelled considerably in
Europe and was a great success, socially,
in Madrid, where she visited the American
minister.
For the past five or six years the old
mansion now almost a ruin has been oc-
cupied by the Y. M. c. A. as adjunct to
the athletic track they had established in
the park The house was used for dress
ing rooms for the men,