The Washington herald., 1920-07-10
Foundry W. E. Church Is Thanks Offering to God
For Saung Georgetown Factory from British Army
Several Presidents Have
Worshipped in This Tenn
pie to God Which Dates
From the British Capture
Of Washington in the
War of 1872.

streets northwest. Is a plain stone
tablet that tells in few brief
words the story Of the early or
ganization of the, historic old
church.
The inscription reads in part:
"Giyen by Henry Foxall Of
Blessed Memory as 3 Thanks Of
fering to God for the Preservation
of his Foundry at Georgetown in
the War OF 1s12."
Foxall, according to the story.
was the proprietor OF a prosperous
iron foundry in Philadelphia at the
time the seat of government OF the
new republic was located there.
Later after the capital had been
moved to Washington, at the re-
quest of President Jefferson he
brought his factory to Georgetown
and took over a government con-
tract for the manufacture OF drilled
cannon and guns. This fact was.
of course. known to the British
government. At the time OF the
raid on Washington during the
war of 1912 one of the Instruc-
tions given the British general in
charge was an order to destroy the
Foxall foundry.
The British army reached Wash
ington and burned the Capitol and
other public buildings but they
did not reach the foundry. A ter
rife thunderstorm interfered. and
rumors were heard that the Amer
lean troops had rallied under re-
enforcement and were moving TO
tho rescue of the CAPITAL.
The British troops Ned and the
Foxall foundry was saved. FoNall.
being a ydcvout man. gave thanks
to God and, being an earnest Meth
odist, his thankoffering took the
form of a Methodist chapel.
His friends suggested that the
gift be given the name OF FoNali
chanel but the donor replied that
he had given the property not as
a memorial to himself but as
thankoffering to God for the res
cue of his foundry and fortune. IL
was then suggested that in recog-
milton of the true motive that had
inspired the gift the church be
called Foundry Church.
Recalling that John Wesleys Ole
church in London bore the name OF
"OId Foundry" Foxall agreed TO
accept the suggestion. and the name
Foundry Chapel was used IN MS
deed OF gift recorded in the land
records OF the istrict of Columbia:
The first church erected by Foxali
was completed In 1915 and dedlcat-
ed in the fall of that year by the
Rev. Nicholas Snethen. pastor OF the
First Methodist Church of George
town of which Foxall was a mem
ganized a year before, but until
1917 remained an adjunct Of the
Georgetown Society, the oldest in
the District of Columbia.
In 1917 the society became inde-
pendent and was incorporated un-
der the laws of the District as The
Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church
of Washington. d. c." The new
church into which the society moved
was neat little brick building.
facing west on Fourteenth street.
with a pew reserved for the Presi-
dent of the United States. the only
pew with doors" According TO tra-
dition this pew was frequently oc-
cupied by President Madison and
the White House family. including
pretty Dolly" Madison. Later the
church was destined to become very
popular with the White House and
probably all OF the Presidents from
Madison to Mckinley attended oc-
casionally. President Hayes was
regular and devout attendant, and
Mrs. Hayes became a member OF the
church. President Mckinley, while
in Congress, was a regular atten-
dant, and after he bacame Presl-
DENT was present on two or three
occasions.
The first pastor was the Rev.
Thomas Burch. and In 1917 par
sonage for him. was built on the
lot adjoining the church, the ground
being gift of the original donor,
Henry Foxall. Years later a second
lot on G street was donated to the
church by J. Summerfield Mcken-
ney, a grandson of Foxall, and a
third by ]. P. Van Ness.
The original building, completed
in.1Sl7, remained unchanged until
1S4S, when it was remodeled and
enlarged to suit the needs of the
growing congregation. The con-
gregation continued to grow, and
in 1864 the last services were held
in the first church building, the old
structure being torn down to make
room for a new building. dedicated
in 1866 by the Rev. d. w. Bartine,
of Philadelphia. This church was
then and for many years regarded
as the finest in the city among
those having free seats.
The Fourteenth street building
continued in service until 1902.
when 1t decided to sell the ground
and move into the residential Sec
u,
torn down in March and during the
succeeding year the congregation
worshiped in the halls of Columbian
University and in the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church. Dur
ing 1903-1904 the congregation
worshipped with the st. PauPs So
ciety in the building at Fifteenth
and r streets. In February, 1904.
the new building on the lots on
Sixteenth street was solemnly dedi-
Gated andthe congregation moved
into their new home.
The building Is Gothic. of Port
Deposit stone and brick. The wood
work of the interior. in harmony
with the furniture. Is of oak. and
the windows of opal glass The au-
ditorium, with a seating capacity of
over a thousand, occupies nearly the
whole of the northern part OF the
building. The Sunday school is
located in the southern part of the
building.
The first pastor of the new church
was the Rev. Robert NJ. Moore, who
in 1918 was succeeded by the Rev.
DR.. Herbert Randolph. the present
pastor. At the time he was called
to his present charge DIR. Randolph
was pastor of Grace Church In will
mington. Del. .--. 4