Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-16

i IlChTtii, W. A21mVDSx1. Id DDSy ana mar
den and J&mes Lusbx on Oh street by 1880.
| In 1885 George Crandie bought the south
| east corner II 9th and directs. and
two years later James Menkin bought
| inent builder and local politician, located
! on II street between Sth and psn streets in
1899, and soon afretyard John Z. Norris.
| then a school teacher. later an employe Of
l the State Department. long a member Of
| the bar and long the old ga.sorse Of
democracy In this section. was his neigh
Dor on the eastward on Nth and II streets
In 1915 Thomas Lewis, one of the best
| known bricklayers of the day in early life
prominent In fre-nan's clncles, long a mem
\ Der OF the city councils anS a contractor
Tor government and corporatioE work
| bought on 9th street; RoSert Brown a
| carpenter. located on l street near the
! corner OF Sth street. and for many years
Mr William Fienner lived next soo- west
IN IS2i Messrs kirkwood & Bnsshears
| leased the lot at the southeast corner os
| 9th and Fl streets
Later II was held by z. D. Brashears.
| mere was erected a one-story frame school
mousse in which Mr.. Brashears taught sue
cessfully many of the routh of Washinp
| ton especially of that neighborhood. Later
MI Strahan, Mr.. John E Norris and DIR.
iooias watkins taught here, the latter in the
iate forues being the principal of the Sec
ond district public school This house fig
ored IN the early history of the Fourth
presbyterian Church. for Mr. Brashearz
| rendered Its use and for some months in
4
there. 1t was here also that some early
meetings were held and the Northern
Liberties fire company was organized, erect
| ing thelr engine house In Sth street about
| the location OF the entrance to the public
| Horary. DIR. Watkins lived in a brick
dwelling on this lot.
New Congregation Formed.
When in 1s45 Rev. DR.. Septimus Tustin.
| associated with Rev. Dr. Laurie in the pas.
torate of the Street Presbyterian Church.
and some of the members of that church
came out Of that congregation and formed
a new one of the same faith, the offer by
Gen. yam Ness OF site adjoining the pot
tiers Kiln on Sth street, on the south was
accepted. Here, mainly through Mr.. Chas
L. Soitman, then largely engaged in brick
making in the neighborhood of 10Th and p
streets. substantial church edifice was
erected, known as the Central Presbyterian
church. Here services were regularly he'd
Ior some years, but the congregation was
never large. due possibly o. the fact that a
church of the same faith, was within a
couple of squares of it. and finally ceased to
be Presbyterian Church, and Decame the
llrst location of the Washington Methodist
Episcopal South congregation, now repre-
sented by that OF Mount Vernon Place
Church, Massachusetts, avenue and 9th
streets.
The Southern Methodists worshiped here
few years. Rev. Charles A. Davis and
Rev. John Scriviner, local preachers, min
istering to the little flock. The congrega-
ton. gaining strength. bought the edifce
Mr.. Coltnan to the following trustees of
| the church: Josiah Melvin, F. Asbury Tuck
er, A. L. Edwards, H. F. Zimmerman, w.
T. Smithson. ]. c. Bronaugh and Alfred
Russell. From the Virginia conference
| regular ministers were assigned. and before
the war quite large membership was en-
rolled under Revs. Duncan, Rosser and
Doggett The war coming on, the church
teal
location was found on NJ street near 9th
street and occupied for some years.
In the basement of the edifice when. In
consequence of the establishment of addi-'
tonal public schools in each Of the four
districts in 1849, one school was opened
here and for years was taught by
Mrs. r. M Ogden and Miss Re-
becca K Billing There are. thousands
OF life who can recall how they were d.
rected there In the path OF knowledge and
many successful teachrs In local and other
schools are following the footsteps of the
instructors of that school. Mr.. Norris and
later J. c. Fill. taught private schools here
also.
AS is we'll known. the potters wheel has
ceased to revolve, the fires OF the kiln have
been drawn an6 in q fine synagogue wor-
ship Is conducted according to the old dis
pensation, the congregation of Rabbi Stern
occupying the old church site.
Land Worth One Cent.
South of Mount vernan place. facing the
public library. land was given the value
OF cent per foot between 9Th and 9th
streets. and half cent a foot between It'll
and Sth when the corporation entered BUSH
ness. but these sums we're reduced In q few
years to fourth OF a cent a foot. In 1924
the value Of land on It'll street was cents
per foot, and other lots at half that sum.
and ten years later. on It'll and K streets.
8 cents and on other portions OF the square
(, 3 aud cents.
In 1877 Joseph Covachick bought a lot
fronting street George Lewis the south
half of the It'll street front OF the square
and John Atkinson a lot on 8th street. somc
a dfty-acre tract purchased by William
Bagley in Port Royal. For twenty years
little was done In the disposal Of lots in the
squares between 7th and 9th streets. and
1878 Samuel Hoffman came into The pos
session Of the lot formerly owned by Mr..
Coyachick on K street, and F. C. Gross pur-
chased lots on and 9Th streets.
In the twenties no improvements, 1t
seems. had been listed. but some transfers
were made. In 1921 F. Delius owned the
southwest quarter OF the square. In 1927
]. A. Wilson owned the southeast corner of
Sth and X streets, Jacob Gideon the center
lot on I street and Elizabeth Clagett the
two of the four lots on the 7th street front.
In 1929 Ulysses Ward bought the middle
lot on K street and. Rebecca Taylor and
w. Jackson and w. Beiber purchased prop
erty on street In the following year Jas.
Towles and William Dougherty owned the
lot at Sth and streets, on which soon af-
terward VIM. Radcliffe and C. p. Sengs-
tack had interests. Charles L. Coltman and
]. D. Murphy owned Sth street property.
and r. Sims had the lot at K and It'll
streets. now Hahn's corner. The improve
ments in the thirties were the properties of
William Jackson. corner 7th and 1 streets,
81 600; E. Graft, 9Th street 81, 400, and A j.
Wilson, K street, 81 400.
Similar Ancient History.
The square west of the above described
has somewhat similar ancient history, for
the same names appear, with those of
Thomas Turner who owned six of the
twelve lots in 1903 Mr. Covachiek bought
lot on Sth street in 1871, which twenty
years after, through VIM. Brent and A.
Suter. passed to VIM. Greer. The improve
ment column on the tax books for a num-
Der of years is blank, nothing showing up
till the thirties. In the twenties there are
transfers. showing that Count D'Menou
owned the lot at the northeast corner of
9th and l streets, which afterward went to
Johp Pjckrell. ULYSSES Ward T. Wi<insOn