Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-01
WAS DAVIDSON FARM
Early Use of the Ground East
of Commodores' Row.
HIGHER THAN AT PRESENT
Square 317 Country Property Until
the Thirties.
SOURCE OF GRAVEL SUPPLY
Organization of a Junior Fire Com
pany by the Boys Of the
Neighborhood.
HIGHER THAN AT PRESENT
SOURCE OF GRAVEL SUPPLY


The three squares of ground east o. the
portion described in The Star of the 18th
ultimo under the heading "Commodores'
Row possess similar history and were
in like condition. Included in Gen John
Davidson's farming lands, much of the
property remained in the family for years,
some of his descendants holding for fifty
years or more. Between X and l. streets
the hill on which Commodores' Row was
built, extended eastward to near 10th
street and about 18th street it was near
twenty feet higher than the present grade.
This was of gravel, and by it the material
was furnished for the crude footwalks in
the early days o. the corporation. When
some sixty-five years ago 18th street was
cut through. the quantity of gravel within
the building lines not only sufiiced for
crawling that street. but for the i'm
provement of others 1t was not long be-
fore the gravel bank" designated the To-
cality. which was in 1910 dotted with
few houses
The square known as 317. plated for
ten lots, was apparently country prop
erty till about the thirties, before that
time only of service for taxation at and
cents per foot In 1876 the lots were
vested in the United States. and before
1910 John Miclsle, S. Turner. jr.. William
Thompson and Thomas Turner were in
terested in them. In 1911 John Cox bought
three lots on the corner, and in 1917 s.
Osgood the remaining corner. For ten
years there wer, no transfers, but in
1927 John Eyre, William Jewell, John A.
Wilson and J. M. Stoughton had lots in
various parts. but little improvement had
appeared. Three years later, however.
there was listed in the name of the Bank
of the United States $500 on lot l. corner
of 11th and l streets; J. A. Watson. 500
on lot 2: William Thompson. $4OO on lot
B., on street, and j. Pickrell. $3.50 on lot
10. on X street. In 1882 Walter Stewart
had lot D. on 18th street: W. Mel. Cripps,
Billing. lot II, the corner lot, K and
18th streets: James A. Kennedy lot
s. 18th and K streets: Ann Thomas on
lot /, 18th and l Streets and Bridget
Rodgers. on lot s. on 18th street. Two
years after j. Pickrell was on lot H. on
18th street, and Alexander Boiland owned
lots and !, on 18th street.
For Asbury Methodist Church.
In 1896 lot H. the northeast corner of
the square, was purchased by trustees
for the Asbury Methodist Church. In 1899
r. P. Anderson acquired lot 5 on street,
the next year Edward H. Roper bought lot
8 on K street. and in 1871 George SeitZ
owned the northwest corner of 18th and
l streets and w. A. Lehman the adjoin-
ing property on the north. James Turton,
who had been here ten years or more,
bought near the church in 1912. In 1916
William Slade bought lot 1.
James Turton. a carpenter settled on
18th street about this time and lived here
many years. his sons James and George
becoming well-known builders. the first a
carpenter and the latter a master brick
layer. and they are residents of the square
north. Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Rodgers
were residents long time, and the Chase
family, of which the colored lawyer w.
Calvin Chase is a scion were on the
property now occupied by him.
In October. 1886, lot IL, fifty feet on X
street and seventy-five feet on 18th street,
was bought for $500 for the site of a
church for the colored people who belong
ed to and attended the Foundry NJ. +.
Church. Col. w. NJ. Billing conveyed the
lot to George Crandell, Rein Orme John
Scrivener. John Adams, James Williams.
Thos Sewall and H. C..SIade as trustees.
The church building. small brick, was
erected at once and the cOlored contingent
moved from the galleries OF the Foundry.
This congregation was under the care Of
the Foundry Church and for years there
were two ministers annually appointed to
Foundry, one of whom served the ASbury.
and even the class leaders were appointed
from the white membership of the Foun-
dry. Till 1864. when the colored churches
OF the Baltimore conference were given
separate organization as the Washington
conference, white pastors and class lead
erS ministered to the congregation and
that 1t has long been one Of the strongest
church organizations is well known.
That there were days of trial for the
members Of the congregation it is only
necessary to say that there was deep
seated prejudice against the colOred race
with many whites; that the laws against
negroes congregating or being on the
streets at night grated harshly and when
night meetings were held some whites
were usually in attendance. AS rule,
however, though the watch meetings
sometimes were held through the last
n ght of the year till sunrise. to be
within the law, only when the community
was excited by some radical language or
suggestions o.. slaves rising and escaping
were the laws rigidly enforced. and
though the services closed at 10 O'clock
those returning home in an orderly man.
ner were not molested.
Popular in Military Circles.
Mr. Seitz was a well-known baker at
one time on the northeast corner of 18th
till recent years has the Seitz bakery been
located in the neighborhood, a son, the
late John F. Seitz. succeeding him. The
father in his day was popular in military
circles. being sergeant of the Presi-
dents Mounted Guard. Washingtons
cavalry organization of the fifties, as well
as with the general public. He lived TO
near ninety years of age and prided him