The Washington times., 1924-11-20
Story
|. OF STREET BY
RESIDENT
Charley Keller Recalls Haly-
con Days and Distinguished
Names Of Long Ago
BY CHARLES KELLER,
Former Resident In Thirteenth

BY CHARLES KELLER,
Former Resident In Thirteenth
Street.
Roll back the tide Of time and
let us revert to those halcyon days
when the street mentioned in this
sketch BY the writer was, In days
gone BY. regarded as one Of the
recognized residential sections OF
Washington.
The writer viii endeavor to re-
trace his footsteps down the corri-
doris Of time and speak of the dis
tinguished persons who were once
the occupants OF the houses on this
street between e and f.
Frazier Bakery Popular.
We will start with the west side
of the street at the southwest
corner Of. # and describe the
houses thereon. The house at this
corner lxnown as the 'sBurch
Building'D was occupied by Mr..
Frazier who conducted q bakery
and had the store there where the
products from the ovens were
placed on sale: that part Of the
house adjoining the store was his
residence to the south of which his
bake ovens were located. Two
small dwellings (bricl) were the
next houses to the south of the
bakery and the same were occupied
by seamstresses and nailliners,
whose several names are not well
remembered at this time.
"A large four.stoso' house was the
next and was the home of a lady
by the name Of Miss Sally Manning
who was the aunt of William N.
Roach, who was cashier Of the
Metropolitan Bank and, who went
West and subsequently returned to
Washington as Senator from the
State of North Dakota.
Wilson's Were WelI-Known.
The next house was the residence /
Of Mr. Joseph s. Wilson, who was
the Commissioner of the Land Office
and father of the late John Moulder
Wilson, an officer Of the Corps Of
u. S. A., and who was
q distinguished and welI-known man.
The house next was occupied at
various periods by several officers
Of the army and Commodore Gun
nigham Of the navy, one of the
army officers. General Joseph p.
Taylor, was a brother of President
Zachary Taylor.
We come to the tall brick house
which still stands as we note same
was formerly the residence of Sena. |
tor John r. Thompson, of New
Jersey, whose wife was one Of the |
women of the city. Lat.
terly the house became the home |
Of the late DR.. Libermann, q noted |
physician. n
5ust next ana below was the I
of Colonel Nourse, whose
granddaughter, Miss Annie Hassler, /.
became the wife of Professor Simon
Newcombe, the famous astronomer.
Beautiful Flower Garden.
There was a side lot to the south |
Of the house which was made into q |
garden and which was kept in a |
highly cultivated condition and |
contained many flowers and beau
tiful vines and shrubs, besides also, |
there was a magnificent specimen |
OF an English walnut tree standing |
in this garden.
This lot in later years passed into |
the possession of Alex Shepard, who |
erected upon same the three brick |
houses which now form a part of |
Loew's theater.
We now arrive at the house, the |
home of the Keller family, the head
of which was Jonas Pascal Keller, |
who for many years had been in |
Government employ as the principal
and first clerk of the ordnance Of |
flee, War Department. He died in |
December, 1871.
More than a mere passing notice |
OF this place and its inmates will, |
l trust, be permitted the writer to |
speak of particularly the musical |
atmosphere which centered at this |
old house. The daughters of this |
household being accomplished mu-
sicians naturally made the house a |
rendezvous of all the celebrated |
vocalists, professional as well as |
n.professional, and who were al |
ways entertained most cordially |
within its portals. Here gathered |
such noted musicians as Blacque |
Bey, the Turkish minister who pos |
sessed such a wonderful baritone |
voice; Mrs. Robertson, the wife of |
the Secretary Of the Navy, with |
a highly cultivated soprano voice;
Theodore Habbleman and Tom |
Karl, famous tenors; Clare Louise |
Kellogg and last but by nor means |
least, Samuel G.. Young, who was |
beyond doubt the most gifted bari
tone. Of his day in Washington.
Noted Vocalist.
OF all the coteria of the noted |
vocalists mentioned who have long |
since passed away, there remains |
but a single one Of that group upon
this mundane sphere, lady around |
whom were gathered the vocalists
who frequented this hallowed house.
Mrs. l.. X. Camp that wonderful |
soprano Of the choir of Epiphany
the daughter of Mr.. Keller,
who resides with her son in New
Jersey.
The house at the corner Of e
street was the home Of a Mr.. Grea.
son, who conducted a restaurant |
thara If IL still ufo ndir1c