Evening star., 1919-12-21
The Rambler Writes More About WV COrCOrar
y partial review of the history
OF the Corcoran mansion. the
land on which II stands and the


square bounded by Connecticut
avenue. II. l and 18th streets, which
only a few years before the passing
OF W. w. Corcoran formed the gar
den of the house. the Rambler told
last Sunday such facts concerning the
farm of which this block formed a
part as had come into his possession.
lie also briefly traced the manner in
which Mr.. Corcoran came, parcel by
parcel, to own the square. He wrote
that what appeared to him 10 be Mr.
Corcorans first purchase OF land In
the square the number of which Is
ls6, was made in 1S45. In that year
Henry Davidson of Tullock, in Ros-
shire. North Britain. sold to Mr.. COR
coran lot No. |, which is the Johh
Hay-James w. Wadsworth lot, at the
northwest corner of ii and lbtn
streets, and lot IS, on ! street, while
Mt the same time. Justina Dallas.
widow. and formerly Justina Davidson
of Park square, in the county OF Mid
dlesex. England. sold to him lot NO. j.
on II street, Those deeds are In the
Office of the recorder of deeds OF 'he
District of Columbia.
Ry the will of Samuel Davidson.
'soriginai owner" of this land, and
owner of the west third of.the tract
called Port Royal, this square OF
ground was devised to Mary PAUL
son, daughter Of Archibald Pattison'
"late of Dorchester county. Nd TO
ouote the will which was recorded IN
1910 Samuel Davidson left this land
tn Mary Pattison "in consideration OF
and in grateful memory OF 'he many
friendships and real services rendered
me by her worthy father Nine years
later-that is, in 1Sl9-the assess
ment records of Washington sho"
that Mary Pattison owned no land IN
that square, and that the corner VI
18th and II was owned by hehry III"
vidson. the next lot on the west pS
sarah Davidson, the next on the "es'
Inv Justina Davidson, and the lol at
tho northeast corner of Connecticut
avenue and III by Gen. james brecN
inridge.
The means by which the lana passeu
from Mary Pattison or her helrs u
the persons named is one OF the ue-
taila of this story, which the Rambler
dtd not inquire into. but II there Is
an uproarious and insistent puoiio
demand for this information ne WIZ
hoxv acuuiescence and make another
trim to the recorders office. Henry
nay;dson of Tullock. in Rosshire. was
a son of the Henry Davidson VINO ap-
peared as owner OF the lots anu 10
bv the assessment OF 1873. Ihis
Henry Davidson seems not 10 nave
been a son OF Samuel DAVIDSON oe-
cause no mention Of son Is maze I"
Samuel Davidson's will. he may
have been a son of John Davidson Oh
ANNAPOLIS, brother of Samuel, VINO
owned the middle third of the tract
Of Port Royal, but that is speculation.
Now, although Henry Davidson OF
Tullock, in Rosshire, and Justlna
Davidson Dallas of Middlesex county,
England, decided lots l., and lS TO
William w. Corcoran in lS4S' the
Rambler finds another deed covering
lots 3 and part Of IS. recorded April
12. lS46, from Thomas Corcoran ana
his wife Emily to w. w. Corcoran
and George w. Riggs. and later
deed from George w. Riggs. jr and
his wife Janet, covering his share in
these lots to W. w. Corcoran. The
first deed recites that this indenture,
made this twenty fourth day of Feb
ruary, in the year of Our Lord 1876,
between Thomas Corcoran and his
wife Emily Of Washington. p. c.. OF
the first part and William w. Cor
coran and George w. Riggs OF the
second part witnesseth that the said
Thomas Corcoran, for the considera-
tion Of S11,59050, current money, etc,
receipt of which is hereby acknowl-
edged, hath given. granted, etc, all
those lots of grounds in the city OF
Washington being numbered 3. in
square 1876, and part of lot Is. in same
square, which lies north of lot j, the
whole having front of fifty-one feet
on II street by 13l feet, with three
story brick dwelling situate thereon
together with the buildings, improve.
ments. rights, privileges, appurte-
nances and other heriditaments. etc"
The witnesses to the deed were
Nicholas b. Van Zandt and Nicholas
Callan, justices of the peace. BY in
.3epture January IA 1S47 George W.