Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-17
HISTORIC MANSION
NOW CHURCH HOME
Presbyterian Institution Lo-
Gated on Noteworthy Estate
Once Known as IngIeside.

The building and grounds now occu-
pied by the Presbyterian Home Of the
District of Columbia at 1918 Newton
street have an interesting history. The
property was part Of what was formerly
known as the "Ingleside" estate. and
the house, used as the Presbyterian
Home, was the "Ingleside mansion.
The original tract known as "Ingleside"
was composed of parts of two tracts
known as Pleasant Plains" and
Mount Pleasant" The grounds will
be the scene Tuesday and Wednesday
OF a garden party for the home.
Pleasant Plains" was owned at the
time of the CeSSion of the District OF
Columbia by Anthony Holmead. BY
his will, probated February II, 1903,
he devised his land to his two sons,
John and Anthony, in fee, as tenants
in common. John Holmead and An
thony Holmead divided the property
March %. 1907. Anthony Holmead. jr.,
died intestate, leaving as his only heirs
James B., Anthony. Mathilda s., Emily
V, Alfred. Mary Z. and John b. Hol-
mead. The heirs mentioned, by deed
dated April 7, 1890. conveyed Anthony
Holmead's third part of Pleasant
Plains" to John B. Holmead.
John B. Holmead and wife. November
o, 1858, uetueu Vic " w
HoSkins. He conveyed 1t, April 4, 1913
to Abner c. Pierce.
Title Vested i'm William IIOlmead.
John Holmead died intestate in 1880,
leaving no widow, and as his only heirs.
his sons, Henry and William, ana a
daughter, Jane NJ, who married Joseph
Helm. Henry Holmead died unmarried
and intestate John NJ. Helm died in
testate, never having had issue. ThuS
the title to John Holmead's part oil
Pleasant Plains" rested i'll William
Holmead.
William Holmead and wife, by deed
dated July 10, 1947, conveyed part OF
''Pleasant Plains" to John p. Helss.
At the time of the cesSion of the DIS
trict of Columbia the part OF 1ngle-
side embracing part OF Mount Pleas-
ant was owned by Robert Peter. the
elder. BY his will, probated May ",
1906, he left all his estate to his hVe
sons, Thomas, Robert, David, George
and James. Thomas Peter. by ms
will. dated June %, 1909, devised the
property to his brothers. James Petet
died interstate. unmarried and without
issue. The others divided the prop
ertv. part of it going to George
Peter. He decided it April 8, 1924, 10
Thomas Peter, and the latter july a.
1927. transferred it to Abner, c. Pierce;
The latter. March 10, 1924, transferred
it to John P. Heiss. HeISs ana ms
wife, April "a, 1850, decided to Edwin
P. Hewlings that parcel OF land, cameo
Ingleside, composed Of lots and OF
subdivision of Mount Pleasant and part
of Pleasant Plains, and also announcer
part of Pleasant Plains"
After several other transactions OF no
significance, the land was conveyed by
deed dated May IL, 1854, to Hiram wal
bridge.
Recalled as WaIbridge Home.
Persons living today recall 1ngle-
side as the Walbridge home. it being
occupied in the early SOS by Mr.. and
/ Mrs. Chester Walbridge, as their country
home. They had city home on the
south side of Pennsylvania avenue near
Fourteenth street, Chester Walbridge'
father of Gen. Hiram Walbridge, was
! the son of Gen. Ebenezer Walorldge,
who served in the Revolutionary war,
and was a captain at the Battle, OF
Ticonderoga. Chester Walbridge had
three sons, Hiram, Horace and Heman.
Following the death of Chester Wal
bridge, his widow, the mother OF Gen
TRAM Walbridge, occupied Ingleslde
until her death. Then Gen. Hiram
Walbridge became the occupant.
One of the Walbridge descendants Is.
authority for the statement that the
Ingleside mansion was built by an
Englishman, although he Is unable 10
! furnish the date, or the approximate
remembers being told by his grand
/ father, Heman Walbridge,- that the
structure had been built of brick laid
! in cement
The game Of checkers was favorite
/ diversion for Mrs. Walbridge. Among
I her friends and visitors were the Mat
tinglys, the Browns and the Plerces.
j The latter owned the famous Pierce
Mill. Servants at 1ngleSide were
slaves hired in Alexandria Mrs. Wal
bridge, being Northern woman, did
not own slaves.
Once Served in Congress.
Gen. Hiram Walbridge was born In
ithaca County, N. Y, February 2, 1921,
but moved with his parents to Ohio and
settled in Toledo in 1886. He graduated
! in law and practiced as an attorney.
He was appointed brigadier general OF
the militia in 1843. He moved to New
! York and engaged in mercantile pur-
suits. He was elected as Democrat to
the Thirty-third Congress March 4,
/ 1853-March 3, 1850, declined TO be
candidate for denomination and re-
sumed his former pursuits. He was an
unsuccessful Union candidate for cleo
! ton in 1862 to the Thirty-eighth Con-
gress; was president of the 1nterna-
tional Commercial Convention in De-
troit, Mich, July IL, 1865, and was
delegate to the Southern Loyalist Con-
( vention at Philadelphia in 1866 He
was a cousin of Henry Sanford Wal
! bridge, Representative from New York
to the Thirty-second Congress March
4, 1851-March 3. 1889. Gen. Walbridge
married rather late in life. He had no