Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-03
'S0MI()[DTINE HOMES
WeII-Known Resident Section
Of Former Days.
WEST OF WAR DEPARTMENT
Site Of One Of the First Free School
Buildings.
MEETING HOUSE OF FRIENDS
Values Of Land and Buildings Fixed
by Tax Assessors in the
Early Years.
WEST OF WAR DEPARTMENT
MEETING HOUSE oF FRIENDS

In that portion of the city west OF the
present State. War and Navy Department
building there are to be found today few
buildings whose walls and roofs have stood
the beating OIL the storms for about q CEN
fury. Though the original occupants have
long since passed away, some are repre-
scented In that section by descendants
There are not a few of the old worthless
who laid the foundation of the national
capital by developing the interests of what
in old corporation days was the old FIRST
ward, whose names are reyered by those
who delight IN studying the ancient history
OF the District. Even some who were resi-
dents of Funkstown or Hamburger, sub
division made in colonial days of ground in
the lower part of the ward. are represented
by children's children.
Aside from local interest there attaches
to much of the ground wider Significance,
for here lived at times some OF the leading
men of the nation. It is well known that
the octagon house at the northeast corner
Of New York avenue and 18th street, the
residence Of Col. John Tayloe, housed for
a time President Madison, who was burn
ed out of house and home by the British
In August, 1874. Nearby, on New York
avenue, lived an old patriot, John N. Love-
joy, who. having served in the Continental
army. came to the District and was en-
ployed In the Treasury He died in the
forties. Capt. John Woodsue, another old
sire, lived in the west end, serving the gov
eminent he helped into existence for years
as clerk in the Treasury. Capt. James
L. Cathcart, who served in the navy Of the
revolution before reaching his teens and
after eleven years captivity in Algiers,
served in the consular service and reached
the end Of his eventful life as q clerk In
the Treasury. He was a resident Of the
first ward. Washingtons secretary, Col.
Lear, with his sons. were eaarly residents.
AS before stated. prior to 1900 there had
been some settlement in the. neighborhood
of the observatory and q the
had exchanged their lots in Hamburg for
Washington city lots.
Some Early Land Values.
Looking westward from the White House
in the first decade Of the nineteenth CEN
fury the fine blocks known as the Six and
the Seven buildings could be seen and here
and there less pretentious houses of brick
and frame, some of the latter little more
than cabins. City values had been but re-
GENTLY applied to house and ground. For
the land the usual valuation was 8 cents
per foot, which increased to double In 1920,
but In the next twenty years but few
cents more were added. In the early sales
of city lots many near to public buildings
sites were withheld from sale, the idea be-
ing that later they would bring better
prices. but 1t seems that for lots west of
the Presidents house when the sales were
made no fancy prices were obtained.
In the first decade Of the century ]. E.
Swain owned lots on Pennsylvania avenue
west OF IfIh street, Wnere later j. d j. WILL
liams opened a cabinetmaking shop as
also an undertaking establishment, in which
they were succeeded by their younger broth
er, Lemuel Williams, and 1t was the lead
Ing establishment of that kind for we'll
nigh century. That the early improve
ments of this property were not extensive
is seen IN the fact that the two buildings
on the lot in the twenties were taxes for
but $3.50. The west end Of the square was
owned by Mrs. Sarah Radcliffe. and through
the hands of Somerset r. Water 1t went, in
1921, into the hands Of N. B. Van Zandt,
treasury clerk, when there were three
frame houses upon 1t. About 1880 this prop
erty passed to s. Gresham and subsequent
ly, about 1870, to the Schneiders, who, COM
mencing with small blacksmith shop and
grocery, extended their business to gen.
eral foundry and fronwork business, with
hardware. The eastern portion of this
square on 18th street and the avenue in
1915 went to Satterlee Clarke, and a few
years after, with other property, to Thomas
Munroe
At the corner was erected a three-story
building, yet standing, which as office and
dwelling has played an important part. At
one time 1t was occupied by family, prob
ably the first here, Of spiritualistic tenden-
cies, and for long series OF years before
the erection of the Interior Department the
ONCE of commissioner OF Indian affairs was
there. During the civil war 1t was used by
the War Department, and Subsequently
Thomas B. Florence published the Consti-
tutional Union there. During the days of
the transition of the old city government
to the present form. when the old corpora
lions had been superseded by governor,
board Of public works and legislative as
sembly the offices of Gov. Cooke were in
that building.
By 1925 Richard Rush, julius Watkins,
William Langton and r. r. Wagler were
on the square, and in the thirties the val
uation Of improvements had increased to
about $4,000. Five lots on III street, which
were improved to the amount Of 5000.
pnr Cd ~. TVyfa Of he of
Department. and afterward M. Dickinson
succeeded to this property. Mr.. Wagler
was a professor of music on III street, near
18th street s paying on an lass assessed o value
membered lawyer, had succeeded to the
property at H and 18th streets, which
was two-story residence. Benjamin Har-
at s.. 800 Mr. Edward Green. long located
at Pennsylvania avenue and 18th street,
erected in the ffties a building for cabinet
shops and salesrooms, with hall, and this
for a number of years was used by fra
ternal and other societies.
Some Early Owners.
Immediately north OF this square the
early lot owners were satterlee Clarke, J.
Strange, w. Barksdale Robert Never,
Henry Gather and s. A. Smith As late
as 1910 the assessed value of the ground
was from s to IL cents as 1t was twenty
years before. About 1900 Nathan Gore
d
corner Of nth and Fl streets. About 1912
Charles Vinson of the Treasury Depart
ment owned property on the I street front
of the square and there had residence
for several years. He also owned some of
the nth street front of the square, as did
few years after Joel Crittenden and Gen.
Philip Stewart. The latter. in the twenties,
sold some of this property to E1inor Gard
ner A. 8. Payne, about this time. owned
a residence on III street west of 18th street.
Later Joseph Peck was on 18th street.
when the corporation put In operation the
public school system In the early part of
the century a school building was erected
on the south side Of I street, near the
corner OF 18th. This was known as the
western Academy and was used for public
school purposes till 1921, wnen the building
at tho southeast corner OF 14th and G
streets was donated by the President Of the
United States For many years the street
building was used as a private school, Mr..
George T. Abbott at It's head, and "Abbotts
School, became noted for many OF its pu-
pills who became prominent in after life.
Assessments for improvements were made
in the twenties to ]. A. WILSON, lot IL. cor
ner 18th and streets. $500: Charles Vinson,
1S 81 900; Robert Bowling. 22, 1900; ].
D. Barclay. %, 81. 600; Elinor Gardner. part
"a. $4,000; b A. Crittenden, part "a, 1900;
A. McIntlre. part "a, 5000, all on street;
Thomas Munroe. lots % and %, corner nth
ana streets 81 .400 each, and J. II. Handy,