Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-06
HENRY AUGUSTUS WILLARD.

months to earn enough money to pay for
his schooling in the winter
lie began his business career as lad
in a store at Bellows Falls. VT. and
later was clerk in Chase's Hotel at Brat
tleboro When Mr.. Willard reached the
age of twenty-one years he went TO Troy,
y. y. and became a steward on a boat
on the New York and Troy steamboat
line. plying on the Hudson between the
two cities. While thus employed he met
Mrs. Phoebe Murray. "a sister of Mrs.
Benjamin Osle Taylor, through whose in
fiuence he was persuaded to come to
Washington in 1917.
Soon after his arrival here Mr.. Willard
established the City Hotel. later chang
ing it's name to Willard Hoteh He man
aged the affairs of the hotel alone until
1883. when his brother, Joseph Willard,
became partner. and the two brothers
conducted the hotel until 1861. when the
tocsin OF the civil war was sounding. In
that year the house was leased to other
parties, by whom it was conducted until
1922. Henry A. Willard sold his inter
est in the hotel in that year to his broth
er Joseph. In this connection it is stated
that the site of the present Occidental
Hotel was occupied during the civil war
as part of the Willard Hotel.
Ever a loyal supporter of the Union
cause, he refused to lower the Stars and
Stripes from his hotel at the beginning Of
the civil war, when it was believed the
Confederates were about to capture the
city. He was urged to take the flag
down, but positively declined to do So 1t
is said the flag on Wizards Hotel was the
only one flying at that time on a private
building
Mr.. Wizards Business Connections.
Mr. Willard organized and was the
first president of the National Savings
and Trust Company in 1857. He was
president of the board of public works
under the administration of Gen. Grant
as President of the United States. While
acting in that capacity he became in
innate friend of Alexander r. Shepherd,
and the two men talked over the future
upbuilding of the city.
Henry A. Willard was president of the
Columbia railway nearly sixteen years
between 1873 and 1855. 1t was in that
period the splendid development of the
northeast section of the city began in
earnest He was instrumental in the cree
ton of All Souls Church. For many
years, and up to the beginning of the war
with Spain. he was vice president of the
National Metropolitan Bank.
Mr.. Willard organized the Columbia
Fire Insurance Company and served as its
president, without salary, eleven years,
from 1881 to 1892. He was one of the in
corporators of the Garfield Memorial Hos
pital, and was its vice president at the
time of his death.
He was an active member of the Yer
mont State Association, a director of the
American Security and Trust Company, of
the National Savings and Trust Company
and the Equitable Life Insurance Com
pany.
Mrs. Willard was his active helpmeet
during all the long years of his experience
and work in the fields of business phi
lanthrophy. She. too, was of Puritan
stock, being great-granddaughte of
Stephen Rowe Bradley. who served as a
Connecticut officer under Gen. Washing
ton in the revolutionary war. and also
served three times u representative of
Vermont in the United States Senate.
In the passing of this distinguished citi-
zen of the District of Columbia genuine
sorrow finds expression on every side. He
was man whose course was d splendid
example for younger men who are begin
ming the battle of life. His name and ac-
compliShments will form one of the bright
est chapters in the annals of the District,
which was greatly benefited by citi
zenship here covering nearly two-thirds of
q century.