Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13
Settlement Laid Out in 1771
by Jacob Funk.
NOW PART OF CAPITAL
Five-Pointed Square, South of 104,
Marks Its Center.
CURIOUS DEED ON RECORD
"Half Penny for Use Of Lord Bal
timore" Receipted for and Men.
toned in Document

The fpe-pointed square now known as
square south of 1914. bounded by lines
of New York and Virginia avenues and
Goth. Dist and + streets northwest, was
once near the center OF Hamburger. the
settlement laid out by Jacob Funk In
III.
Funk disposed OF a number OF lots
shortly after laying out his town. There
is a deed on record in which II Is re-
cited that on the Goth OF October. 777l.
Jacob Funk OF Prince George county
decided to Jacob Striker lot 219. eighty
feet front or Walnut street, and run
ming back go feet to Locust street. for
a consideration of Five pounds OF the
money Of Great Britain" subject to u
yearly quit rent Of one-half penny
sterling.
Appended thereto is receipt o. the
half-penny for the use of Lord Ralti-
more. This is mentioned in the deed Of
III, recorded in 1911.
Woodland Was Extensive.
Prior to its becoming city property, in
the locality were vineyards flower and
kitchen gardens where the land was
denuded of its primeval growth. There
was much woodland at the time Of the
transfer from town to municipal condi-
tons.
In the early years of the town, in the
nineteenth century the few settlers in
that neighborhood had their supply of
fuel near at hand. In the avenues. and
adjacent, there was an abundant supply
of clay, which was made into brick and
burnt on the spot.
The residence of William McCreery
representative from Maryland: Charles
W. Goidsborough of the Navy Depart
ment Joseph Forest and others, situated
north. were built Of this material. At
the same time the natural grade was
lowered toward what became the standard
grade thereafter.
Transfer to District of Columbia.
In the transfer of the Hamburger prop
erty to city property, under the commits
sioners appointed to lay out the city, the
rights of the original owners were re~
spected and their names connected with
the numbered city lots In the square
There were eight lots in this square, NO
forming the south half, and the other
seven, fronting on street, were each
14O feet deep.
In the division of 1880, lot No. 2, at the
corner Of 21st and streets, was assign
ed to James w. Chiswell, No. 3 to Elias
Youman, No 4 to Joseph Meddart and g.
Liday. and Nos. 8. 8 and Z, running to the
corner of Goth and E streets. to Christian
Lower and Michael Hoffman for Ham
burgh lot; the United States taking title
to No. 1, which about twenty years later
was subdivided into fourteen lots.
In November. 1892. however. Uriah
Forest and Benjamin Stoddert bought Of
the heirs Of Christian Lower the FIVE lots
of Hamburger. which included this prop
erty, for 100 gold guineas Of Great Brit
ain These lots ran through from Per-
simmon to Walnut street of Hamburger.
In September. 17g4. James Greenleaf
bought OF Forest and stoddert Lgo2Se5
square feet OF ground In part Of Widows
Mite, which included this locality.
In 1876 Morris and Nicholson succeeded
to part of the square remaining unsold-
Capt W. M. Duncanson. Deakens and
Forest subsequently took title to these
lots. In 1902 Alexander Kerr had lot Z.
near the corner of Goth street. The lots
conveyed In 1875 went to John Temple
man. In 1902 and in 1903 Walter s.
Chandler succeeded, paying $3.210.40 for
the lots.
No improvements in 1903.
At this time the assessment in the cor
poration books was cents per foot and
no improvements were listed. In 1904
Capt Elias B. Caldwell owned lot i.
which subsequently went to Greenleaf: in
1911 George Striker owned lot IL, which
he sold to John Striker.
In 1917 James M. Varnum owned lot ..
afterward selling 1t to E. Hlldreth. Col.
John Tayloe bought lot 1. of over $1,000
square feet, for 81 $50 O5-3 cents per foot.
In 1918 John Lacy leased of Varnum lot
2 at the corner of 21st street, $500 feet,
for twenty years. at $50 per year.
In March, 1919. Col. Tayloe subdiyided
lot I into fourteen sublots, and by a deed
Of gift conveyed the eight sublots to his
children In 1919 John A. Wilson leased
sublot 1 In Tayloes subdivision a 81
per year. with the right 60 purchase at
IS cents a foot. In 1927 DR.. Henry Hunt
had lot and Thomas Marshall lot .; In
1893 8. Hunt and ]. Patterson had lot ..
In 1913 Mrs. Varnum leased the Lacy lot
to 8. Burche at $50 a year and payment
OF $3.50.
Improvements in 1880.
In 1880 there was on subiot I 800
building listed to J. L. Thompson at 800
and two small buildings to Tayioe's heirs.
valued at $125: and on lot 2. at the corner
OF 21st and E streets. brick house listed
to ]. A. Wilson at 81, 200. This house was
forty years ago In the occupany Oh
colored family named Holley.
There was but little activity In real as
tate here till later years. the larger por-
ton being unused except that during tho
civil war some temporary buildings were
used by the military, and to this Gay
more than one-half is devoid of improve
ment. JAMES Sno>TIo1s.
LEFT HIS FORTUNE TO