Evening star., 1904-03-26
FAMOUS SQUARE $50
Ground Set Aside for Con-
gressional Offices.
THE ORIGINAL TRACT
PROMINENT PEOPLE WHO had
HOMES THERE.
Thad. Stevens, the Great Commoner,
and Others Equally Noted
The Holt Residence.

The square of ground taken by condemna-
ton proceedings for the use of the govern
mentnpn which the House of Represent
atlves~ s~annex is to be built is Intimately as
ISOLATED with the local history of the Dis
trict as well as national history. 1t was IN
cluded in the Daniel Carroll tract of land
OF the original transfer to the United States
commissioners on which to locate the fed
eral city in 1871. In the subdivision 1t was
designated as square 600. bounded by New
Jersey avenue and B, and 1st streets
southeast. and was divided into thirty-two
lots. of which seventeen were left in the
possession of Mr.. Carroll. and the others
became the property of the United States.
In 1875. however, there was redivision
into but eleven lots of which Mr.. Carroll
took six and the government five, and the
following year that at the northwest cor
ner of the square running 135 feet on Il
street and 113 feet on New Jersey avenue
was sold to James r. Dermot who, in 1871,
sold off a portion on street, and In 1900
sold the corner to s. Brown and a part of
the lot south to John Minor. At that period
New Jersey avenue was looked upon as
a great thoroughfare, ferry at the south
err end giving communication to southern
Maryland. The National Intellgencer had
been established by Samuel Harrison Smith
in one of the Ten Buildings, one of which
remains, and a number of houses had been
erected by Thomas Law and others in the
vicinity.
The natural grade on the New Jersey
avenue front was eight or ten feet above
the present grade but through the eastern
portion there flowed a stream in deep
rayine, and consequently when, years after.
1st street was graded quite large pond OF
water formed. There Is living today not a
very old man who boasts of having shot a
wild duck in that pond when he was boy,
and there are others who can tell of hunt
ing birds and other game about it,
Gleanings From Records.
The condition of the 1st and C streets
portion of the square, owing to the fact
that Mr. Law, who had become interested
in the ownership of lots with Mr.. Carroll,
had signed articles of separation from his
wife, Eliza Parke Custis. the grandniece of
Washington and sister of Col. G. w. Parke
Custis. had some effect on the disposition
of the lots. and Mr.. Law, in 1904, conveyed
interests in them to George Calvert and
Thomas Peter in trust and other Interests
for the benefit of his wife. In 1902, how
ever, Mr.. Law had conveyed twenty-thrse
and half feet front of lot on New Jer-
sey avenue to Griffith Coumbe.
In 1907 Mr.. Coumbe and Henry lngle
bought property. In the conveyances made
about this time houses occupied by Elias b.
Caldwell and Thomas Law are mentioned,
and in 1908 J. Frederick May received title
to part of lot 3, at the corner of New Jer-
sey avenue and street. on which is what
was afterward known as the Holt house.
The names of John Mecham and Gilbert
Decker appear. and James Young, Joel
Barlow, John Davidson and w. Cranch are
named as trustees. James Young, Buckner
Thurston, G.. H Warden, Thomas ClaXtpn,
Henry Tins, A. Mccormick, S. Burch, II.
V. Hill, John Duckworth and Richard Wal
ZACH are also mentioned in connection with
the property prior to 1920, some of them
having their homes there.
In 1909 the Bank of Washington was
formed by Daniel Carroll of Dudington,
,,.ot, ,--hn a iItd n iv-
cult court for nearly fifty years; Thos. Saw.
Robert Brent, S. n. Smallwood. afterward
mayor of Washington; DR.. Frederick May,
Daniel Rapine, printer and bookseller, art
erward mayor: Francis Wharton, colonel
of marines Joel Barlow of Kalorama; S. III.
Smith, founder of the Intelligencer; VIM
Prout one of the original proprietors; ]. s.
Stephenson Joseph Forrest and George
Blagden, the builder of the Capitol and
other buildings.
Board of Directors Chosen.
September IL board of directors was
elected composed of Daniel Carroll, VIM.
Cranch, Robert Brent. Dr. Frederick May,
above mentioned, and John Davidson.
Washington Boyd, R. Sewall and George
Calvert. Mr. Carroll was elected president
and Seth Elliott. ir.. cashier and temporary
quarters were provided. Business was then
commenced.
In January following the lot on which the
house later known as the Middleton resi-
dence was purchased for S1.So5, and the
bank building was erected. In 1911 Mr. W.
A. Bradley, afterward mayor. was ap-
pointed the temporary runner. In 1913 Cen
eral Roger c. Weightman, subsequently
mayor; Elias B. Caldwell, clerk of the Su-
preme Court of the United States. and
Charles Carroll of Belleyiew, were added 10
the dictatorship. Mr.. Carroll was the presl-
dent until he resigned in 1872. when MI
Smith succeeded him. serving until 1923.
The bank continued business on New Jer-
sey avenue until 1873, when 1t was removed %
to the National Hotel for a short period
and in 1881 located on the present site-the
intersection of Louisiana avenue and Z ana
18th streets
General weightman cashier in 1929 with
'sRich'' Wallach, father of the mayor, ana
Way, printer Colonel George Bonn
ford of the Ordnance Corps; Joseph Loyen'
Benning, Peter Lenox, father of the mayor;
]. c. Herbert, r. d. Sewall, Robert Leckie
and Edward Simms were the direc,ors- Ihe
Capitol Hill property was sold to ana oc-
ellIied by H. M Moffatt, a leading lawyer,
for several years, and was purchased by
Mr.. Middleton in 1S4o-
After 1920 Harvey Crittenden, John Coyle,
r. Iardeila Col X Gardiner, James Hickey,
T Ingle. G. Watterson A 7. Mccormick.
F. B. Wheatley, DIR. Noble Young, the In
gles E. B. Stelle, long in the Congressional
Library: D. w. Middleton, clerk of the
United States Supreme Court; s. M. Powell,
admiral United States navy; Chas. Miller.
Chas Bradley, c. w. Stewart, w. Marshall
and John S. Meehan appear as grantors
Six Cents Per Foot.
Mr. Mccormick received a deed from
Thos. Law in 1888 for $500 feet fronting on
street near 1st street, in which 1t was
stipulated that if two disinterested persons
shall value it at six cents per foot. Sl9S
should be paid. This is partly explained by
the ravines above mentioned seriously ar
fecting the grade.
About 1850 there was erected the brick
store at the corner of New Jersey avenue
and B street. occupied first by the Iardellas
and afterward by G. F. Gulick and Mar
ceron South of this were the former resi-
dence of W. L. Wheatley. who for years
conducted the Capitol Hill shoe store, and
the brick residence of Col Chas. X. Gar
diner who had filled the positions of sixth
auditor city postmaster and surveyor gen.
eral of Oregon, leading democrat of his
day.
The Bank of Washington building was
occupied as stated, by Mr. ID. w. Middle
ton, clerk of the Supreme Court of the
United States, who entered the office as
an assistant to VIM. Thos. Carroll who
had succeeded Mr.. Caldwell M. Middleton.
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