Evening star., 1908-01-18
EARLY HISTORY OF so. 2s4
Description Of Location Of Gen.
Davidson's Farm.
ACCENT IN NATURAL GRADE
Graveyard for Slaves on Building
Line Of X Street East Of
18th Street.

Square 2S4. between 18th. 18th. and L
streets. was the location OF the farm
house OF Gen. John Davidson. the pro-
prietor OF a part Of Port Royal when the
city was laid out. It's history az orchard.
garden and the building sites on which
Commodores' or Franklin row was erect
ed about eighty years ago is regarded IS
In former days there was an ascent in
the natural grade from just south OF X
street to a hundred feet north. where the
row was later erected. and a plateau
with gentle descent extended north. The
farmhouse was about the center of Gen.
Davidson's possessions in the northwest
portion Of the square. 1t is yet standing
in a dilapidated condition and Is q two
story frame Of four rooms 22x32 feet In
dimensions. It had a basement. Near by
were the kitchen. slave quarters, barn on
Massachusetts avenue near 18th street
and stables near the southeast corner OF
the square. Near the home was a small
spring. from which a little stream flowed
into 18th street. On the building line Of h
street east of 18th street was a grave
yard, said to have been for the deceased
slaves. The gardens we're adjacent to the
house. and orchard and fields were north
and east of the square.
Made Into Twenty-Four Lots.
single lot was plated when the title
was placed in Dayidson's heirs. but they
made twenty-four lots of It. In 1903 r.
Snowden bought lots l to 5 on X street.
and In 1910 Thos. G. Slye Of Georgetown
had a lease for twelve years on this
square and other property. For more
ant fhn
poration value of the ground and the
farmhouse appraised at $500. the only
listed improvement Mr.. Slye had under
lease much ground in the neighborhood.
the square was known by his name, the
property. managed by Mr.. Jenkins. took
his name. In 1925 Count Demenu. the
French minister. located on the K street
front. and. In connection with Nicholas
Snowden, made preparations for improve
ments. Before 1880 the fine row Of seven
three-storied and attic brick dwellings
was completed. The value of the ground
had increased from 5 to 10 cents per foot.
The houses, set well back on lots 40 feet
deep. made possible highly ornamental
grounds in front and sides and gardens
in the rear. The houses were erected
by Joseph Bryan and Charles F. Wood In
the most substantial manner. the buildings
being In good condition today They
were listed by the corporation at 1900
each, but with the lots there were
some sold as high as $1,000. In 1880
James Owner. jr., and the next year w.
France m BsKan and WOOD apS in JSaa s
Robert Oliver and Rev. O.. B. Brown
we're the owners. The corporation books
in addition to the names of France and
Brown attach those OF Thomas Harris
and G. s. Cooper to the property.
Known as Commodores' Row.
Commodore Granville 8. Cooper. A. g..
Wadsworth and ]. II. Auiick, Mrs. Com
modore Rodgers and Mrs. Commodore
Henley and Surgeon Harris were inter-
ested as owners or occupants in 184D, and
the name of Commodores' row was at.
tached. but it finally gave way to Franklin
row. Capt. Richard France followed his
father as owner and resident, and was
long prominent as a lottery and ex-
change broker and in local military cir
cles: Col. Thomas Corcoran, brother OF
w. w. Corcoran. then In the brick busi-
ness; H. Jackson. post Office clerk: ]. NJ
Harmanson of Louisiana; Rev. ]. w.
any Church. and T. II. Quincy of the
land office and Col. Truman Cross were
there In the forties.
Col. Cross. as deputy quartermaster
general. was with TaylOr's army In the
to fall "a victim. Col. Cross had long
been stationed in Washington and was as
popular with the civilians as he was In
official circles. Consequently when his
for burial he was given most imposing
funeral. There were no United States
troops in or convenient to the city at
that time and the escort was composed
of the uniformed volunteer military OF
the District and there were hundreds OF
citizens present to attest their respect.
In the fifties Daniel Radcliffe, we'll
known lawyer; Samuel Carusi. profe ssor
OF music: Capt. McCausland of the Poto-
mac mail line: j. 8. Black. United States
Attorney General. and Prof. Alexander
Dimitry of Louisiana. long Of the State
Department. were in the row.
Vineyard and Garden.
The northwest section of the square,
lots 13 to IS in 1s39 became the property
of NJ A. Guista. a native Of Italy. and
soon was the vineyard and garden well
known by his name. That he was highly
successful needs no telling, for in the
course Of a few years the simple name
Of the garden would induce the sale of
be they flowers. fruit herb or
vine. Some Of the family yet live on
the ground.
In is4O lots 10 and 20. the southwest
corner Of 18th and L streets went into
the possession of Charles Baker, long at
tached to the War Department. He
built frame cottage, which Is yet stand
iiS. laying OH MS grOunQ into a 0ne
flower garden IN front and vegetable gar
den In rear. and living there for many
years. In 1912 Chester A. Colt. clerk
in the general post office, settled south
OF Mr.. Baker. erecting the double frame
house there today.
It was In the thirties that in the square
south there was some little change of
title. John McClelland in 1929 having
bought seven OF the twelve lots on the I
street front. and In 1898 two lots on 18th
street passed to Commodore Wadsworth.
Home Of Lovejoy Family.
In the following year John N. Lovejoy,
long connected with the Treasury. bought
lots to 4, extending from 18th street
along street. The family. including the
father of Mr.. Lovetoy, an In
teresting character. who had been a sol
dier In the continental army. settled
there in two-story frame house. Sub
sequently these lots were subdfvided and
other improvements made In q two-story
frame, one son having his physician's
office here and another a drug store.
bout 1S41 James c. Haviland. for twen-
ty-five or more years of the Treasury
Department. bought on 18th street and In
a two-story house long had his home.
At the intersection of 18th and / streets
a pond was formed and this had attrac-
tions for the boys. Arthur L. McIntire.
for a long time connected with the patent
Office and later patent agent. about
lS4O bought lot on X street west OF
18th street and erected q home, afterward
moving to NJ street.