Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-18

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| principal workers were A. II. Young.
| Presley Simpson, Edward Owen. Robert
| Ricketts, and d. D. 7. Lerch. and from
| the school many entered the church
sometimes whole families. From that of
| Mr.. Leech four ministers and the wife of
a minister came.
| The old chapel was the scene of many
noted revivals. and in the tifties. when
| the house was packed in floor and gall
| lery, a panic occurred. but. miraculously.
none was injured. During the meeting
| sound as of cracking timber was heard,
| and at once nearly every one mad
rush for the doors and windows. Quite
number jumped from the latter and
wedged. When. however, the fears were
assuaged and order was restored it was
| found that aside from few bruises no
| damage had resulted
The initial services were in the old
| Apollo Hall. E street between 18th and
| 1914 streets in 1912. and among the most
active were Gilbert Rodman. Robert Farm
ham. Adjt. Gen. Seth Williams, Charles
H. James and Capt. ]. NJ. Giiliss.
| The church was erected in 1914. and for
| fourteen years Rev. DIR. J. w. French was
| the rector. afterward becoming the chap
lain at the military academy at West
| Point. From the first the wisdom of es-'
| tablshing the parish has been justified,
for 1t soon became the place of worship
| of hundreds of families and has always
been most influential organization. en-
| bracing in its communicates many men
of note we'll as those In civil life.
Often were such men as Jefferson Davis.
| r. NJ. Stanton. with presidents cabinet
officers, senators and representatives and
| members of the diplomatic corps there.
Among others who attached there were
Judge Cady. Prof Coffin. DR.. Joseph DR..
Maxwell Hugh McCulloch. Gen. Town
send. Admiral Amy. Capt. Allen McLane.
Stanley G. Trott, Gen. Parke, John l.. Ed
| ride oil Rove Dr
Byrd Harrison. DR.. Lovejoy. Dr. Noble.
| Samuel X. Burche. Mrs T.. J. Stone. Miss
Lenthall Miss Anna l.. Giesy. Miss Mar
garet Washington. Miss Sarah Coleman,
Mrs. Admiral Rodgers. Mrs. Maynader.
Miss Susan Cruit, Miss E. c. Nicholas and
| Mrs Kennedy
Following Mr.. French came Revs. Dr.
Wilbur F. Watkins. S. III. Giesy and Will
bishop of Maryland, nearly all of whom
nave Fad assistants. Under the present
| rector. Rev. DR.. r. II. Mckim notwith-
standing the removal Of number of COM
municants to parishes in the northwest.
the church maintains its high position as
one OF the leading ones of the diocese.
In 1Si3 Lauriston B. Harden owned in
| lot 10 and Henry A. Burr lot 20. both on
II street. and David A. Gardner in lot
| on G street and Thomas Feran lot % on
| 18th street. In the twenties the Jones.
Carroll and Johnson families were on G
street. johnson was sexton of Foundry
| Church. Lowe was on 14th street Nc
| Clelland on New York avenue and Will
| liam Clarke on 18th street About 1916
| there was on street the Jones and Car
| roll families. John White and D. A. Gard
ner: on 14th street. Columbus Alexander;
| on II street. Lauriston B. Harden of the
| Navy Department. II. 4. Burr of the
Post Office Department.: on New York
avenue. the McClellands. John Wilson.
| Col. William Selden. United States treas
urer. and on 18th street Thomas Feran.
l
Laub Of the Treasury. and Lieut.. F. ].
Page. C.SsN.. prominent later in the
Paraguay expedition.
Title to the square north of New York
avenue in 1896 was vested in the David
son heirs and for thirty years or more
the ground was idle. Thomas Snowden,
in 1903. had lots and ). running
through the center of the square, but
in 1918 these eight lots were all owned
by Col Richard Cults. In 1920 the lat
ter sold to the Second Presbyterian con-
Gregation lots 4 and 8. the east end OF
the square, for $1,311.4O Thereon was
erected the plain brick edifce which
preceded the New York Avenue Church.
The deed therefor was not given till
1884. when 1t was made by Richard
Smith. trustee. to Joseph Lowell. John
McClelland and D. II. Haskell as trus-
tees 1t recites the purchase in 1920:
the acquisition of title by the Bank of
the United States and the directors, in
1928. agreeing to accept for the pur.
chase money. interest and all charges
S1.194.21. For that consideration the
deed is given.
Among the early members were the
families of Anthony Preston. A. J. STAINS
bury. Jacob Gideon. jr.. Jonathan Phillips
and D. NJ. Phillips. who, with others,
withdrew to form the Fourth Church. The
families Of Capt. McClelland. d. H. Has
kell. Joseph Lowell. Joseph Bryan. Charles
T. Wood. James Larned. James H. Blake.
Lewis Clephane and others long worship
ed there. President John Quincy Adams.
Senator s. L. Southland. later Secretary of
the Navy in Jacksons administration:
President Jackson, Gen. J. H. Eaton, his
Secretary of War, and other prominent
| people were attendants. The withdrawal
| noted somewhat weakened the church. and
| the marriage of Gen. Eaton to Peggy
| O'Neale. which caused a disaffection in
! the cabinet and in society circles, had an
effect on the membership of the church.
PEARSON Baker" as he was affectiOnately
called. had served until 1888 and Rev.
| John n. Campbell filed the pastorate SUBJ
! seQuent!y, and 1t is said that the Pres
| ident gave up his pew because Mr.. Camp
| belb approved the ostracism of Mrs. Eaton
by ladies of the cabinet. and some of the
| members withdrew. After 1880 till 1853
the congregation was served by Revs. F..
d. Smith. p II. Fowler. George Wood and
James r. Eckard. During these years
there were times of depression as well as
| the reverse, but the membership heroically
with the F Street Church. and the latter,
selling It's property to the Willards, the
present structure, at the time regarded al
one of the finest churches In the District
was erected the title being changed TO
the New York Avenue Church. Under
the pastorate OF Rev. P. D. Gurley. DID,.
| ii was attended by President Lincoln dur
| ing the war with others in public life.
Build West Of Church.
In 1928 Henry McDuel1 bought lot g.
and lots and . were bought by Bryan
& Wood. They erected two two-story,
basement and dormer brick dwellings,
just west of the church. assessed at
$500 each. on ground valued ut 1914
cents. William Parker was ass ,ssed for
the west one, and two years later Jo-
seph Thaw the other. On lot was q
building assessed to ]. c. Herbert Of
$1,000 value. In the same year James
Larned. long Treasury clerk bought
| lot Z, at the corner OF 18th street, and
| later lot q. adjoining, and he improved
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