Evening star., 1923-02-24
Old Colonial Mansion Must Go
To Make Way for Embassy
German Government Viii Raze HOImeud
Home, at 22d and S, When 1t Starts
to Build on Property.

When the German government de-
cfdes to erect its embassy building
on the land owned by it at 22d and
. streets northwest there will be
necessitated the razing Of one of
Washington oldest and most inter-
esting homes-the old Holmead man.
sion, located on the heights between
Connecticut and Massachusetts ave-
nues.
This large brick structure, the ma
terials for which are said to have
come from England, was erected more
than a century and a quarter ago by
Anthony Holmead, nephew and name
sake of the holder of an original
grant OF land from the British crown,
comprising many acres of ground in
MARY Land" now in the District Of
Columbia.
Stone Has Date Cut In 1t.
A stone set in the chimney of the
In the attic. has cut into II the date
Of erection. 1895, with the initials,
"A. H." for Anthony Holmead. This
house. however, was not the frst
home here of the Holmead family, its
predecessor, located about two blocks,
in modern distances, to the north
west, having been torn down the year
the existing home was built.
In its halcyon days the old mansion
was the scene of numerous colonial
gaietieS, its stately walls and beau
tiful surroundings forming a setting
that would have been elaborate even
in this day. From the front steps OF
the house Anthony Holmead, the Sec
ond, shook hands and bade farewell
to a tribe of Indians which had been
forced from its nearby holdings by
the invasion of the palefaces and
which was starting on the long trail
to the far west.
Guarded by British.
A score of years before the erection
of the present house in the exciting
days of the American revolution, the
first dwelling to the northwest had
been guarded by British sentries from
possible attack by rebelling colonists,
Indignant that the Holmead family
did not join the American cause &C,
cording to a great-great-grands OF
Anthony Holmead, bearing the same
name who lives at 1902 Irving street
northeast.
Mall in those days could be address
cd in q very general way as to desls-
nation without danger of being lost,
Judging from a letter now in the pos
session of the Holmead family. Tho
letter, dated October 26. 1885, from
one James Sanders in London, was
addressed as follows:
AT Rockcreek, Peotomick.
"cr. The Sally. Mary Lahd.
"Captn. Necks.
Contents OF Interest.
A portion of the contents of the let
ter is of interest, because mention
is made of impending troubles be-
tween England and France. in CON
mead's request for sailing schedules
10 England. The latter part of the
communication follows:
The present trouble sometimes. L
contend, must be disagreeable. am
heartily sorry for our bad success IN
those ports. At present we are not
certain If it will come to an open war
with France, but we have taken an
their ships that came in our way for
some time past, &: we have not lou
saiIs in all our ports in England. and
as YOU desire to know If 1t Is peace
or war. this is all hearsay at present.
The French have not molested our
trade yeti, but. we must not eSpect @
our friend Captn. Necks. who promis-
cd to forward il, and serves Tor the
present to wish success, and nope
all things will favor your Noyage.
uhjrh is sincerely wished You DS
your affectionate cousin James saho-
ers.
Barn Was Silk Factory.
4 barn which stood to the northeast So
of the present building, and which
VAS torn down some thirty or SO
years ago. formed one OF tne nrsl
homes for the silkworm IN thls cou.-
Nv In this barn was n room devot,,
ed to the culture of silSworms ana ana
in the spacious grounds about the
house were mulberry trees on whlcn
the worms were fed. TINS barn was
rrobahiv a unit in the original group
,r,omposing &c the Holmead holdings. 1t
raa held together with wooden pegs