Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
H|STORYOF SOUTHEAST
Interesting Description of the
"Navy Yard"
ALMOST A TOWN IN ITSELF
List of Prominent Residents and Bust
ness Men.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Uncle Sans Big Shops Contributed
Materially to the Growth and Pros
perity of the Neighborhood.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

the name of Southeast Washington now ap-
piles. was almost a town to itself in the
olden days. Northward and westward little
continuous settlement was perceptible, and
the section had it's own market house pri-
vate schools, volunteer firemen, military
company, secret societies and temperance
and benevolent associations and churches.
The marine barracks and the navy yard
| naturally attracted the majority of resi-
dents of the neighborhood the mechanics
in the daily employment of Uncle Sam, and
a number of officers and attaches of the
navy particularly the Marine Corps. Some
Of the officers had homes on newly opened
highways, which were streets in name
only. At the barracks were the head
quarters of the corps and the residence of
the commandant
Gen. Henderson, was the commandant
for thirty years or more, and in the Off
GERS quarters from time to time resided
Major Parke G. How1e, adjutant and IN
spector. and long a resident of South
Washington: Lieutss f. j. Weed G. w.
Walker James Edelin,, II. N. Crabb, A.
Lowry. C. F. Spear. w. Delany. ]. G. Will
liams and others. Mr.. Edelin, reached the
rank of captain. and in the forties re-
sided in the Simms house on the south
side of G. street between 18th and 9Th.
Mr.. Walker became a major and lived on
Pennsylvania avenue near I'd street Major
Samuel Miller of the marines commanded
the battalion in the war of 1872. and after
ward resided at the northwest corner OF
18th and G streets. the place then being
called The HERMITAGE
Commodore Thomas Tingey occupied the
commandments house in the navy yard for
many years, as did also COmmodores Hull,
A. A. Wadsworth. Cassin and Shubrick in
turn Another resident of the buildings in
the yard was David Eaton, a veteran
boatswan. who entered the navy in 1905
and did valiant service the Hornet in
the war Of 1872. He was the grandfather
Of Mr.~Seorge G. Eaton of South Capitol
street.
Salvatore Calalano one Of the first sail
ing masters of the yard, served with De-
catur and was the pilot when the U. S.
ship Philadelphia, held In the harbor OF
Trpoli. was burned. Calalano brought out
the attacking party. Under Commodore
Preble he conspicuous for his bravery
In subsequent engagements Coming to
this country he was rewarded by appoint
ment as sailing master and resided In the
yard to the time of his death.
Eighth Street Well Populated.
The west side Of 9Th street, then known
as Garrison street. was we'll populated be-
fore 1926 Included among the original
settlers were VIM Armstrong armorer;
Enoch Bryan. constable; VIM. Clark,
grocer: Marmaduke Dove. sailing master;
Vim. Elder, grocer; John Farrow and N.
Cassidy, shoemakers; Joseph Lawrence.
tobacconist: s. Harwood, M. D.; c. Marche.
P. F. Nash. Mrs. McCauley. L. Person,
had his Office as magistrate on the same
thoroughfare. Among the residents nearest
to the barracks were Edward Wayson'
blacksmith; Mrs. Rosanna Walker, H. wei
bert. blacksmith; Mrs. Ellen Talbert. Benz.
Stiilings;1 ship carpenter; Mrs. Charity
Nicholson Tobias Martin. Sarah King.
grocer and John Hodson. sailmaker.
Matthew Wright located grocery at Sth
nd resided there, AT
the northwest corner of X and Sth streets
resided Andrew Forrest, sutler of the
Marine Corps. and on the opposite corner
John b. Forrest. commissioner or the nith
and sixth wards. The port or cellar Of the
section was in the basement of Andrew
Forests dwelling, and 1t was conducted
| by Capt Michael Bulley and his son. A. +.
Bulley, for fifty years or more. The kealy
| family lived for years at the southeast
| corner Of Virginia avenue and X street.
Daniel Kealy one of the sons of the family,
was q tobacconist and was also the penny
| post letter carrier, serving all OF the
| city east Of the Capitol. William Prout. the
original owner Of the land Of that section.
! was in the dry goods business at Sth and l.
| streets in the twenties. and on the east
| side of sth street Samuel H. Hilton and
James Spratt were in the same business.
| j. Jenkins had dry goods store on l.
| between It'll and 9Th streets. William
| Wood conducted a tavern near the navy
yard gate and was also a silversmith. p
| Moss kept another public house on L street
| between 18th and Sth streets. Mr.. John
| Dobbyn settled in X street east of 9Th
street shortly after 1900, and he maintained
| the hay scales that street near 9th
| street. George Adams, collector Of taxes
| for the fifth and sixth wards also had an
| auction and commission business on 9Th
! street near the navy yard gate
Many Grocers in the Section.
| Edward Simms a grocer. located his store
| on Sth street between l and K and resided
on the south side of G street between It'll
| and Sth streets. He subsequently moved to
| C street near Az street and was long in
| business on the avenue. Other grocers in
| the navy yard section at that time included
| Lemuel Townsend, at 9Th. and I streets;
| Owen MacCue and Mrs. Hayer, on Virginia
| avenue between 7th and 9Th streets; Jere-
| miah Hammett, Daniel Donohue, w. H.
| Bassett and George Duckworth, on 7th
| street near L and NJ streets. Near the
| market at 9th and X streets were located
the groceries of William Forrest and
Rosetta Burford and E. w. Clark had a
| drug store at 7th and L streets, which
! was conducted by Mrs. Clark many years
| after his death.
| DR.. Alexander MacWilliams had his office
| and dwelling on l street between 9th and
| 7th. DR., John Harrison lived at 9th and
| " SlTectS anu L. JOHH f1dmlltOn near
| 9Th and G streets. Prior to 1912 DR.. Harri-
| son lived near Pennsylvania avenue and
| 14th street southeast. William Smith. who
| lived on street between 9Th and 9th
| streets; Rebecca Russ and Ann Nesmith.
| on 7th between l. and NJ streets; W. T.
Macpherson. Virginia avenue and 9th
| street: William Ensey, L between 7th and
! 9Th streets, and Thomas Wheat, Virginia
avenue between 4th and 9th streets, were
| school teachers.
Thomas Young of 7th street near M
| street and James Rhodes, Chas Miller H.
| Hanna and Phillip Otterback, on 9th street.
| and VIM. Baldwin. on 18th street south of
| NJ street, were butchers. James Danford.
eth street between X and streets. and
James Friend, at K and 18th streets, were
| bakers. Mr.. Otterback afterward owned
| and resided on the west side of 18th street
| Other residents of Virginia avenue were
| NJ. Booth and D. Munro. Rev. Robert Ell
| lott 8. N. Smallwood, mayor; John
| Thomas. ship carpenter. and Luke Hanson
| and Thomas Smith, colored. between Sd and
| 4th streets: Jas. Scanlon, foreman plumber:
| Robert Rose foreman. gum carriage maker:
| 8. Groves and James Enslow blacksmiths.
| between 9TH and 9Th streets; VIM. VenabIe
| and Chas. Venable, timers; Eli Humphrey
| and Francis Pope. blacksmiths; Jere Per-
| kins. John Naughton, Mr.. Dunn, painter:
| George Grant A Fowler Dahorob E,.ow