The Washington herald., 1907-08-14

TC j. HASKIN.
humble little cottage, she became the
first Of Washington bellies. IL time she
chose from her many sultors John p
Van Ness, Of New York. a member OF
Congress and a scion OF proud Knick-
erbocker family. At the death Of her
father she and her husband became the
richest residents OF Washington. They
built handsome house on what was
afterward known as Mansion square The
mansion was planned by Latrobe the
| architectural genius Of the Capitol, and
| cost $i5,O0, an immense sum in those
days. II looked out on the Potomac
over a beautiful prospect and was
surrounded By a large park. At the
gates were two lodges built of stone. It
was the first house In Washington 10
have hot and cold water on every floor
/ The marble mantes were fashioned by
the chisel OF Thorwaldsen. the greatest
| sculptor OF the day and the furnishings
were such as became The nome Of the
first belle Of the Capital. and her learned
husband. who was 'well-bred, well-read,
/ and well-fed."
Col. Van Ness became mayor Of Wash
ington. and when the fair Marcia died
she was given puolic funeral, the only
one ever given to a woman In the District
Of Columbia. once a year. Col Van Ness
entertained the members Of Congress, ana
| he was the last man IN WashingtOn &c
maintain a coach-and-six. The Van Ness
! house. too is haunted and the legend
| says that on the anniversary OF the Con-
| gTessional balls six headlCss hOi ses gallcp
! around the mansion polling a ghostIy
| coach. The house will soon be torn down
| 20 make way for the building 10 BE-
erected by the Bureau Of American Re
publics.
The first home erected on Lafayette
Square, the beautiful park In front OF the
White House was the handsome house
built in 1919 by Commodore Stephen De-
catur. 1t is also the work OF Latrobe
Il was occupied BY Decatur for only a
year. and from Il he went to his fatal
meeting 'on the field OF honor" where he
was killed by Barron. Baron Tuyl, the
Russian Minister. next lived there Henry
Clay made it HIS home, and Martin Van
Buren lived there as Secretary Of State.
! While IL was occupied by Edward Living
ston i was the scene OF many brilliant
/ social gatherings and the royal standard
| Of Great Britain fioated over il during
/ the ministry of Sir Charles Vaughn. Just
/ before the war II was the home OF Judah
4 2. Benjamin, Senator from Louisiana.
4 afterward member az Jefferson Davis
| cabinet in the Confederate States gov
/ ernment, and still later an eminent jurist
/ Of the English bar Other famous men
/ and many social leaders have lived there.
i but the house is now closed. It is owned
/ by the family of Gen Edward Fitzgerald
Beale.
Just across the length Of Lafayette
Square is the Dolly Madison house.
erected in 1875 by Richard Cuts. Mrs.
/ Madison's brother-in-law In this house
the most popular and famous OF the mis-
tresses Of the White House lived for many
years, and here official society paid her
/ court until she passed away After her
/ death Admiral Wilkes bought the house
/ and lived there. In 1852 IL was the head
/ quarters Of Gen. Mcclellan. It is now
/ the home Of the Cosmos Club. and while
/ the interior has been greatly changed. the
exterior is much the same as IN Dolly's
day.
"Corcoran Castle which has had
most interesting history, is also on Lafay-
cite Square. II was built by Gov. Swami.
| OF Maryland, and was surrounded by
large gardens OF great beauty When
Daniel Webster became Secretary of State
! in William Henry Harrison's Cabinet
| the Whig leaders OF New York and Bos-
ton made up large purse. bought this
house, and presented il to Webster The
great expounder" was never a good
financier, and he was not able to keep the
property. He sold Il and was severely
criticised for so doing. William w. Cor
| coran, philanthropist and art lover.
bought the house and lived there until the
war broke out. His sympathies were with
the South. and he took refuge from the
storm in Europe. The uncompromising
Stanton determined to seize the house for
government use. Corcoran heard of the
plan. and invited the French Minister
Count de Montholon. TO occupy IT, The
French flag was raised over Il, and STAN
ton abandoned his plan It was here. in
1896, that de Montholon gave a great ball
to Louis Napoleon, son OF Napoleon III,
which was the most brilliant entertain
ment ever seen in Washington up to that
time, and which has scarcely been sur
passed since. Mr.. Corcoran returned and
lived there until he died, In 1883. 1t then
became the home of Calvin S. Brice, Sen
ator from Ohio, and after his death
was occupied one or two seasons by
Senator Depew, Of New York. 1t is still
one of the handsomest places in
Washington, although the gardens are not
nearly so large as they once were.
Many other Washington homes possess
histories Of great interest. The house
where Charles Sumner lived is a part of
the Arlington Hotel, just now used by
the Metropolitan Club. The George Ban
croft house Is always pointed out to visi-
tors, is the house where Owen Mere
dith wrote Lucille" while he was secre-
taTy to the British legation. The John
Quincy Adams house on F street is re-
placed by the Adams Building. Many
other houses have gone down before the
march of progress, just as the Van Ness
mansion is soon to go. Their passing
causes much regret because Of what they
stood for in the days when our young
empire was In the making.
Tomorrow Mount Vernon, the
American Shrine,