Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-08

readers of The Star are also entitled to peruse
its contents. So here it is:
Dear Mr. Proctor:
IT had the pleasure of reading In the Maya
zine section of last Sundays Star your article
about old houses in Washington, including
the house at Ninth and Pennsylvania avenue
southeast which was the home Of my grand
father; in which you quoted substantially from
an address delivered by my mother before the
Association of Oldest Inhabitants in 1913
1T might interest you to know that after
she delivered the address and after it was
printed, she continued her investigation in
order to trace farther back the history Of this
property.
knowing that that portion of Washington
was formerly part of Prince Georges County
Maryland, I went to Marlboro, examined the
land records in the clerks Office, and discovered
q number of old deeds describing the property
1T passed through several hands prior to
1746, but in the earlier deeds there was no
description of any improvement on the property.
In a deed recorded in Marlboro in 1746, the
property is described by metes and bounds and
also contains phrase, improved by large
mansion house.
Therefore the house In question was stand
ing in 1746. How long before that date it was
built have been unable to ascertain.
THE fact that 1t was not mentioned in
earlier deeds does not mean that the house
was not existent, for the reason that the de-
scrlption of land in q deed carries with it
all Improvements, whether mentioned or not.
Very truly yours
(Signed) ~. S EASBY-SMTTH."
p. B. LILLE a close reader Of these columns,
was also greatly interested in the Tunnicliff
article, having made some investigation on his
own part, which the writer feels the public
should know of. Though his letter on the SUBJ
ject Is long, yet it adds so much to the history
OF the old landmark that its contents are here
given in full
Dear Mr.. Proctor:
Your historical account of Tunnicliff Tavern
in The Sunday Star of this week interested
me very much. have lived in the neghborhood
of this old hotel for the past eight years and
have tried to find out all that could about its
history have also heard of the ghost story
which you quoted as well as another legend
describing the house as having seven cellars.
About Ave years ago, I was determined to
discover these cellars. Every time passed the
building the ancient weather vane upon the
cupola seemed to beckon for me to come in.
obtained permission from the tenants to go over
the premises and started on my search. Upon
entering the original door, which faces the
alley found a long roonn extending the length
of the house; this was probably the barroom.
To right was a fiat Colonial arch which dis
closed the nall, as described by Mrs Easily
Smith, with the side door opening into it.
Close by was a staircase of colonial design;
the stairs were broken in their fight by
small landing. Opposite the side entrance was
door opening into another room upon the
first floor. This chamber contained two fire.
places, one Of which was peculiar, for it had
a small cupboard in either end. All other fire.
places in the tavern had only one cupboard.
Upon the second floor were four rooms only
them
chamber is in the southwest part of the house.
and, at the time I saw it, possessed a finely
carved mantel, which probably had been there
since the tavern was built. This piece of wood
work was of truly Colonial design, for it was