Evening star., 1909-04-24
Early Washington Landowners.
XM&

In the eight squares OF ground within
the tract owned by Lynch and Sands. ly-
ing between l. and p. 7th and 9th streets
| northwest. there is little ancient history,
for it was half century after they had
been plated into building lots before
homes were erected upon them. The lots
were better known by the city plat than
by actual use. for the squares remained
intact and title was unchanged in some
for generations: as late as 1865 some lots
being held by heirs of the original pro-
prietors And this was true to the
property fronting 9TH street, which early
was an important thoroughfare, link
between the heart of the city and the
Montgomery county turnpike.
The general lay of the land offered in
ducement to building. gently sloping north
and south. and with little exception there
was no need of cutting or filling of lots
to reach the grade of streets. There were
few knolls, and in Sth street a gutter
had been worn. From the record of
transfers OF few single lots prior to
1900 Improvement was looked for; but
there was none until many years after.
Improvement came. however, In after
years. and toward the middle of the CEN
| tury, the two lower squares, 4O1 and
425. were well built up. mostly by me-
chanics. and within few years the Sec
ton was noted for the sociable habits of
the people. 1t was community in which
there was enjoyment to be found. seldom
anything occurring to mar the happiness
of any.
In square AS as originally laid out for
fourteen lots fronting l.. NJ, 9TH and Sth
streets subdivision was made in 1s42
into thirty-six parcels In 1894 the square
was in the Greenleaf contract. but two
years after It was assigned to the gov
| ernment. Title was unaffected till 1852.
when II passed to St. Vincents Orphan
Congress to the asyiums Ten years
later Col. Henry Naylor bought first one
lot, and soon after the others, the four
teen for $2,951.15. and the subdivision
was made. Early in the forties George
W. Utermehe erected row of frames
on 7th street which We're soon rented.
John Locke. long an agent for The Star.
bought and built house in which for
several years he carried on the bakery
business. and there resided on this street
Milton NJ. Ward, carpenter; ]. Walter,
who kept a shoe store; G. w. Cecil.
Caleb and Samuel Shreve, Reuben Brown,
James Lee. bricklayer, and later E. +.
Queen & Bro established grocery.
Held at Very Low Prices.
Square No. 4O1 of fourteen lots on l.. NJ
sth and 9th streets assigned to Lynch &
leaf contract with the commissioners. In
J 1897 Joseph Covachichi had three lots at
the corner of Sth and l. streets; George
| Lewis one on NJ street, f. Atkinson two
| at Sth and NJ streets and JChn Atkinson
one on |. street and one sth street. In
| 1900 Comfort Sands had three lots and
the lot of Lewis in 1895 passed to James
Taylor. afterward TO other parties, in 1872
| reaching John Eastburn. But an eighth
Of q cent per foot was the corporation
value of the ground then and for twenty
years after. lot ]. at Sth and l. streets.
being then rated at two cents, and other
portions at one cent.
In the thirt.e5 there was on lot >. front
Ing street, an old frame house listed TO
John Atkinson at $50 and Mrs. Hayes
then resided in 1t. Few were the trans
| fers until the forties. Lots l. Is and IA,
at the southeast corner Of the square. in
4 1918 were owned by James, Grear. who,
ten years after. sold lot to f. Stephens
and in 1897 Perez Packard owned the
| others. The year after John Reed owned
let "a In the forties John Brightwell,
Asa Gladman. z Jones. Mrs. Ann Mar
tin. William Miles, Mrs NJ. Chew and
others bought lots on 9th street erecting
comfortable homes. John c. Adams
erected a fine brick residence. with store
| room. at the northwest eerner of Sth and
L streets, where Adams grocery was long
a landmark James Reeves. carpenter,
| lived on l. street. as did Gilbert d. Giber-
son. a lawyer, afterward justice of the
! peace Mrs Miller and n. Robinson. On
the west side of sth street were c. c.
| Owens. shoemaker; Alfred Taylor brick
layer; w. T. Collins, carpenter: Isaac
| Jones. wheelwright: T. Endressel and
| Daniel Lazenby, carpenters. On 9th street.
with those noted above, were Isaac Hill,
! w. J. Darden Of the general post Office.
Charles J. Garfield printer. and John
Seibiy. tailor.
= Lynch & Sands, the original proprietors,