Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-15
Department Clerks Hold Jobs
Fathers Held.
ON NATIONAL PAY ROLL
Families Have Administered Civil
Affairs of Navy.
MEN WHO FIRST DID WORK
C. W. Goldsborough First Secretary
of Board of Navy Commission
ers-Other Old-Timers.

There were familiar names among the
two dozen clerks of the Navy Department
in TIE early part of the last century when
under Secretaries Stoddert and Robert
Sn:itl. naval affairs We're administered in
the same place as at present. but in a far
different building.
There We're some who came from Phila-
delphia. These were to some extent ac-
counting officers AS will be seen, they
became clerks in the Office of the fourth
auditor of the treasury in 1917, when it
crea ted.
A few continued in the service until re-
moved by death. by their own volition or
by the enforcement of the doctrine of Ito
the victor belong the spoils.' Neverthe-
less fair proportion of the names have
been on the rolls of the government down
TO the present. the initials perhaps diff
ferent.
Historical have become some names. for
high rank on the nations roll was won
by descendants in the naval service. Ihey
were also citizens of the District inter
cSted in local affairs. some giving Vaiu-
able service in the municipal boards ana
taking part in measures for the better
ment of the community.
Charles w Goidsborough was CHIEF
.lerk and later the secretary of the board
n navy commissioners Iol IIidHS SCui -
composed of Commodores John Rodgers,
David Porter and Isaac Chauncey- He
was long resident of G street west or
10Th street and in the twenties an alder
man, as also a guardian oil the poor.
school trustee and member of the board OF
health.
T. III. ellis. who long time resided on
r street east of 18th street. served in the
accountants office till it became an au-
iitnr office of the Treasury, becoming the
tot ,lo
He. too. was a photographed citizen. was
one of the four directors appointed by the
city government in 1904. which organized
the fire companies. one in each of the
four wards.
In 1906 and after member of the coun-
ellis Joseph Mechlin. who lived at 10Th
and / streets. like the preceding. went
from the Secretary's to the auditors office.
and was long clerk there. A member of
the council for time and active in mat
tiers affecting the interests of the COM
munity, he was valued citizen Henry
Forrest, living on l street west of list
street. went with the others to the office
of fourth auditor. did George and John
Macdaniel. Other clerks of the depart
ment included Jere Nichols. John Cravin,
Thomas French and Charles Love.
Romans as Chief Clerk.
Before 1915 Benjamin Romans. who
then lived on 1 street between 18th and
10Th streets. was filling the chief clerk
ship of the department John Boyle. who
lived near the observatory. was a clerk
In 1920 and succeeded Mr.. Romans. Mr..
Boyle was the father of a family of note,
some distinguished in their country
service and in the literary world. John
Boyle, the well-known newspaper man
being a descendant. as we'll as Capt. r.
b. Boyle of the police. In the twenties
the above were here. as were Richard
Green of Georgetown. Charles Hay, living
adjoining ST. Johns Church.: James Hut
ton of G street between 18th and 18th
streets: Burwell Randolph, who resided
on Pennsylvania avenue west of 18th
street. a well known Virginian. and
Henry Rich. living at the corner of list
and streets, with others.
In the fortieS among others was Charles
Games. principal corresponding clerk who
a few years later was commissioner to the
Sandwich Islands. and in the fifties min
lister to Venezuela, later in life resident
of this city. Others were LauristOn b.
Harden the register, father of our DR.
Harden, who short time ago was living
in Georgia: A. G. Allen, who for many
years under the name of Aga was cor
Intelligencer; H. L. Harvey, j. ]. Berret
\. b. Cpshur. w. BrentOn Boggs. Jane:
Selden. w. G. Ridgeley, W. P. Sanger
G. +. de la Roche. ]. p. McCorkle. G. X
King. Conrad Schwartz, H. A. Fillebrown
Hugh A. Goldsborough, James Broom
Moses Poor and Seth A. Elliot.
The messengers included Samuel Mick
UNI. Edward Brooke, Charles Hunt. 1g-
nacius Lucas, Marsh B. Clark. The lat
ter. who lived many years on q street
east of 14th street. was attached to the
bureau of medicine we'll nigh a lifetime
Lindsay Muse. colored. came in the de-
partment as an assistant messenger. anC
for more than half a century could bt
found at the Secretary's door
AS above stated. under the roof of thu
old building were Treasury offices, the
third and fourth auditors and the secont
controller, the two last being intimatel.
connected with naval accounts.
The fourth auditor. Constant Freeman
who before 1900 was in the Indian serv
ice as agent with the Creeks. had TO
several years been the chief accountan
of the Navy Department. and when, IL
1917, he became an officer of the Treas
ury it was merely a change of title ant
not of duties. Consequently the nav!
clerks of that branch were simply trans
ferred on the rolls. In addition to thOs.
transferred, there were here In the TWEEN
ties Ezekiel Macdaniel James II. Handy
W. W. Clagett and Robert Getty. but pc
litical lightning by 1880 removed the Mac
daniels. In the fOrties Mr.. ellis was ye
the chief clerk and the entire personne
was new Then A. II. Mechlin was her
with William Hunter, who, very aged
served to his death: John T. Sullivan. re
siding on 9TH street opposite the genera
post Office now the land Office building
ii. G. O'Neale. living on NJ street nea
10th street: r. L. Mackall, A. II. Evans
and eight or ten .others.
Second Controller Created.
The second controller created by ac
of 1917, to pass on war. navy and IndiaI
expenses. was located on the second foo
OF the navy building and the superintend
ent of military supplies, Richard Cults
was the first incumbent OF the office. MI
Cults had served in Congress repre-
sentative from the Maine district of Mas
sachusetts from 1901 to 1913, then &C
cepting the new office of superintendent
of military supplies. The war having
closed. Congress abolished this Office ant
created that of second controller, Il
which position Mr.. Cults was appoint ed
and he served till his retirement to pri
vate life in 1929.
He bought property on the east side o
Lafayette Square. where he died in 1916
In this Office in the twenties there wer
John n. Moulder, living on / street ives
of 21st. who from 1917 to 1919 and 1925 t
1926 represented his ward as an alderman
and later lived on 9th street: Jonathan Sea
ver who lived on 9TH street above d street
also in the councils: Enoch Reynolds O
r street near 18th. chief clerk for man!