Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-04

The Washington Hebrew Congregat ton
| whose place of worship has been located
on Sth street between II and l streets
| northwest since 1863. is considering the
| erection of a new temple In the north
west section. following the trend Of popu.
lation thereto. The present site Is not
only interesting from its connection with
the people of the ancient faith. but also
with the followers of Calvn and John
Wesley. and its use by public schools and
as a hospital. 1t is located in the lands
oonveyed by David Burns to the Com
missoners in 1871 and descended through
his daughter. Marcia Burns. to Gen. Van
Ness. her husband. by whom 1t was
| leased and afterward sold. As far back
as 1924 this ground. about fifty feet
/ front, known as parts Of lots and 10,
square 4O4. was occupied for manufacture
| ing purposes. Mr.. Richard Butt at that
4 time establishing pottery works there
which were conducted by him and Enoch
! Burnett until the civil war came on rms
was the leading mandatory of the KIND
| here and originally occupied nearly all
| the eastern half of the square, the KIN
about the site of the present tempe at
times emitting dense clouds OF smoke
| l his was not conducive to the growth OF
! I
| Efforts were made from time TO time to
| cause its removal. but for over thirty
years il was operated, though q portion
of the ground was devoted to religious
use.
The site of the temple was first occu-
pied for religious purposes by the follow
ers of Calvin in the spring of ls4o Kew,
DR.. s. Tustin. associate pastor OF Ut.
| I.awr'e's Presbyterian Church, Withdrew
| therefrom with some members. and. form
| ing the Central Presbyterian Church.
looked for a permanent place to worsh p.
Gen. Van Ness. who held title to the site
| in Juns fol owing donated 1t for the puF-
pose and IL bri k editice was erected by
Ic L. Coltman, bricklayer. and Joel
| Downing, carpenter. to whom. with l..
] WASHINGTON, as trustees, the title passed
/ This was a plain brick structure In the
| basement of which was Sunday schoo'
room with other smaller rooms. and above
was a large auditorium 18th pulpit at the
west end facing the choir gallery. when
extended across the front.
Notwithstanding the activity or the
pastor and the 'eading members. the con.
yregation for varou reasons d not
! grow. and it was soon apparent that the
| site was not advantageous for the people
| of that faith But short distance there
from. near 9th and streets, the Fourth
PRESBYTERIAN Church, Rev. John G. Smith.
pa stor afforded amp'e accommodation for
| that section of the city. but the Central
people We're jealous and were 10th to va
cate Finally however, the congregation
deemed it wise to give up its edince.
and on June II. 1851. the trustees were d.
rected to sell the building.
4 K
| Before this time number of members
t o the Methodist Episcopal denomination
| had withdrawn from their church here.
| following the action Of the conferences
in dsmissing members for no ding slaves,
and. forming a society. were holding
! meetings. Under the lead of Rev. Charles
| A. Davis. then a government clerk. they
! soon had growing congregation, which
purchased the central property. paying
therefor $3.50. and the deed was made
/ to C. A. Davis, Blu Ter Baker. 10 ia
Melvin, L. \. Tucker, \. O. Edwards
Jackson Edmonston, J. I. Crump and
W. 5. ClaIy, as trustees. Under the
| ministrations of MIR. Davis and Rev
! John Scr.vener. local preacher, with
| fine choir organized by Capt. Tucker.
| quite Il congregation was built up, a I'd
afterward Revs J. A. Duncan, D. 5
| Doggett. j. C. Cranberry, now bishop
and others were sent here by the VIZ
/ gina conference as ministers
The war affected the congregation, and
| a number of the members being suspect
| ed as to their loyalty to the government,
| the congregation dwindled. In the sum
/ mer Of ISL the military author. ties took
ossession of the editice aud converted
| IL into hospital. Several years prio
| the war the basement rooms We're u ed
! as schoolrooms. and here many OF the
boys and girls of that section were
started in to acquire an education under
Mrs. r. NJ. Ogden. Emily Billing and
others.
The church with the site at the time
used as a military hos ital was. undo
resolution o. January 3, 1853, authoriz
20 be SO d, and 5000 was the pri
liked. The Hebrew congregation at on
t ok up the offer and a deed was eN'
cutcd by w. T.. Smithson, A Russo
Josiah Melvin and OIL ers to JOSEF
II. Heinline +. Gutman and NJ. Sies,
February following.
This site, used first for manufacture.
purposes, for preaching the gospel of IT,
New Testament. then for the educatio
of the young. became the spiritual hon.
for the ancient Jewish race, the WasL
| ington Hebrew Congregation. The nun
Der following the teachings of Mos,
who settl n Washington gradual.
increase, from scarcely handful befol
the m.dole of the asst century. Thes
we're mostly young men, sal smen
the clothing sto. es which were esta plisi.
I'd about this me. These, espec. ally
/ the holy days, attended the serves, -
.ng over TO Baltimore for that purpose
ApIU -, lso. d nulnber OF the SOli.
men l>et at the house OF William Jaco.
on Pennsylvania avenue between III.
and 10th streets and effected an organ.
ton, ard in a private house they wOl
SHIPPED according to the rites of the
faith.
So ONION Pribram was the president
this o. ganiZat op, in which there WEI
Leopold Oppenhemer. l.. Cohen, {
Strasburger. \. A. Schloss. NJ. Frder
wald, Sam Bean, Sam Wallach an
others. For two years they held the
serv' ces at the homes of H. Lissberge.
NJ Lully, l.. Cohen and in a rented roo
II az street and Maryland avenue fro
which they moved to a room on Il
street near u street. In 1854 Samuc
Herman came over from Baltimore ar
was elected chaZan. and for a year hel
cry ces at the home of the president
Isaac HerzNerd, on the Avenue betwee,
I'd and il2 streets. who followed NJ
| Lissberger as president in $50
| IN December 1880. me assures We're take
10 secure All act of INCORPORATION for the
| Washir gton Hebrew Congregation. am
| in the course of few years a bill 70.
| that purpose was rassed by Congress ave
| approved by President Pierce in 1856
| Capt. Jonas p. Levy of the United State
| Navy was instrumental in securing the
passage of the bill which gave to the
COZ" reeation all the rights privileges and
tian churches of the District There were
/ books. forty being full members. l.. Seld
| Fredenwald, president. in 1855 followed
oil tarifh nY.nx Iaiy