Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14


architect. father of Mrs. Pendleton; DR..
]. NJ. Brodhead of the treasury. and J. G..
Whitwell of the Post Once Department.
On other portions Of the square there was
practically no settlement. a two-story frame
at the corner Of c and South Capitol streets
occupied by Samuel Conner, a carpenter,
being about the only house other than those
mentioned until about 1850.
The site Of the ONCE building Of the House
Of Representatives, bounded by New Jersey
avenue and LIST, B and c streets, square No.
$50. laid off in the Carroll tract in the early
days of the capital. was plated and divided
between the United States and the original
proprietors in 1795. 1t was not an ideal
spot for building as regards typographical
feature. but for those whose business was
in and about the halls Of legislature no
more convenient place could be found. The
ground was traversed more or less by ra-
vines. ami either cutting or filing, some
times both. was required to make the lots
suitable for homes. Nevertheless 1t was
not long before there were some substantial
houses showing up. AS early as 1907 there
were nearly $4,000 assessed on improve
ments, those Of Thomas Law being promi-
nent.
To that Of the original proprietor, Mr..
Carroll very soon wereSadded the names
of Law, Morris and Greenleaf. There were
thirty-two lots originally plated, but re-
vision was made providing for only eleven
lots some having more than 200 feet front
One Of the first lots purchased was by
James r. Dermott in 1895, 1t being at the
northwest corner of the square. Arthur
Jones, in 1897, had part of the lot, as also
did Samuel Brown. The latter was on the
corner and Jones on B street. Mr.. Law
about that time built the fine residence on
New Jersey avenue north Of street into
which he moved about 1859 from the oppo-
site corner. That was his home for few
years, but about 1868 DR.. Frederick May
bought the property, which became noted as
the home of the May family for years, the
sons becoming eminent In the law. legis-
lative. medical and military professions. In
after years the property was owned by Jo-
seph Holt, Postmaster General and Judge
advocate general.
What the Books Show.
Griffith Coomb in 1900 owned on lot and
Harry Ingle on lot 4. and two years later
James Mccarthy and John Minchen each
had leases in the lot and resided there for
many years. Samuel Eliot, who was a rela
tive of Greenleaf and cashier of the Bank
Of Washington, and DR.. May in 1904 bought
in lot 3. r. oliver in 1907 bought two three
story brick houses occupied by Law and
Elias B. Caldwell, the latter clerk Of the
United States Supreme Court at the time.
Al that period. the corporation books show
by faint pencil marks, improvements of
s., 900, 5000. $1,000, $500. $500, $4,000,
81 500 and $500.
The Bank Of Washington was opened in
John Davidson and w. Cranch. sublots
and Of lot 4. the business being conducted
there until the tWenties.
Gilbert Decker in 1911 bought in lot
and James Young in lot 3. improved by
brick residences on New Jersey avenue,
and in 1872 Buckner Thurston bought
brick house on lot 8. in B street, and
Francis Pic leased part Of lot TO- corner Of
B and LIST streets, and opened grocery
store. On street near New Jersey ave-
nue. A. Thurston. in three-story building,
conducted the original White House Tav-
ern" from 1912, and about the same time
Charles Warden and Rev. A. T. MacCor-
mick, the rector of Christ Protestant Epis-
copal Church, bought in lot IL, the first
opening a merchant tailor's shop on New
Jersey avenue and the latter establishing
his residence on B street.
Thomas Claxton in 1914 leased part OF
lot 8, with two-story frame house on
the north front of the square and Mrs.
Claxton conducted a boarding house there
for number of years. Mrs. Martha Cor
don bought in lot on New Jersey avenue,
the Michin property; Henry Tins, part OF
lot 7, on B street; John Cambel. In lot
H. and H. V. Hill three-story brick on
1918 was on lot TO- on B street; ]. Duck
worth on lot II, on New Jersey avenue,
and James Young on the corner of street
and New Jersey avenue, conducting a
grocery store there Harvey Crittenden
in 1920 bought part of lot II, on New Jer-
sey avenue, and w. A. Bradley part of
the same lot on B street, on which was
Hills cabinet-making shop. j. w. Hands
of the Post Office Department in 1925
bought the Duckworth property on New
Jersey avenue, about which time Rev. A.
T. MacCormick bought in lot Z, on B
street, and John Coyle bought from Pic
property in lot 10 on the same street. Col.
c. X. Gardner, long connected with the
Post Office Department and once city post
master, bought-sublot of lot A. New Jersey
avenue, in 1896, and took up his residence
there. The following year Francis lar
della bought in lot 4, the Decker property,
on New Jersey avenue, a two-story frame
house then occupied by Mrs. kinsla, and in
1929 John p. Ingle bought in lot 8 on
New Jersey avenue and resided there many
years.
Valuation Of Ground.
In the twenties the ground valuation
had reached 20 cents per foot. and the
were as follows; James
Young. grocery store and residence, south
east corner of New Jersey avenue and B
street, $500; Harvey Crittenden, $3.50; J.
w. Hand, $500; H. ". Hill, $1,000; C. K.
Gardner, 81 500; J. P. Ingle. $4,000; Bank
Henry Ingle. $1,000; Griffith Coomb, So, 800;
James Young, $500; Thomas Law, S., 600
and +. May, 1920 On street were H.
V. Hills cabinet shop, $50; George Burns
ware store and residence, Thomas Claxton,
50 goo: H. Tins. $500: B. Thurston, 50 ,0OO
A. I. MacCormick, 81. 100, and B. Thurston,
Then residing on New Jersey avenue
were the May family, James Young H.
V. Hill, E. Lindsey of Ingle & Lindsey,
Mrs. kinsla, who conducted a boarding
house; w. A. Bradley. cashier of the Bank
of Washington; Henry and John p Ingle;
Alexander TAFT, stone CUTTER James Thomp-
son. grocer; Mrs. Patience Mnchen; Rev.
Reuben Post, pastor of the First Presby-
terrain Church; Matlock & Warden, mer-
chant tailors: j. 7. Frost then clerk in
the War Department, and W. H. Gunnell,
dentist. The Youngs, Mays, Inges, Brad
leys and Gardeners were on New Jersey
avenue for many years.
Some changes occurred in the thirties in
the personnel, and but little in the improve
ments. Mr.. Young had gone into the
brick making business, and his grocery was
transferred to s. Cartwright & Co., later
being owned by William MacLean. Fran
els Iardella later conducted a hardware
store there, and In more recent years it
became George F. Gulick's grocery Among |
the residents other than the families named
were James Adams, cashier of the Bank