Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-20

John Henderson, pioneer resident of
''The Island
lumber dealer and member OF the old Southwest
family OF that name, has recently taken up his
residence at 912 B street. Harrison G. Crook,
the physician, lived at $40, in the same block,
until he passed away, within the last year or
SO. His daughter, Miss Mary Cook still resides
in the old home.
Rev. Stephen Brown in the early eighties
lived at 928 B street. and his son, Stephen c.
Brown, for many years registrar of the Smith
sonian Institution, resided next door, and even
at an earlier date Jane Polkinhorn, widow Of
Richard D. Polkinhorn, had her home at 942.
In the rear of this old house, which is still
standing, an early resident tells the writer
that there an improvised private school,
taught by Miss Mary Hatch, which was at
tended by the children of the elite living in
that neighborhood
TN the parsonage at $50 lived Dr. Huntley,
pastor of the Presbyterian Church, and on
the southeast corner of B and Tenth streets,
where the Marvin M. e. Church South stands,
once lived DR.. Hamilton Leach.
The Ahern and OTaughlin families at one
time also resided on this corner and here John
Callan OLaughlin, the writer, lived when at
tending the Jefferson School. Crate E. Dun.
KUN, superintendent Of the Metropolitan Life
Insurance Co., was q more recent conner to this
block.
On the opposite corner, at 1000 and 1902 B
street, are two houses built about 1887 or 1888
by a Mr.. Cameron, the contractor for erecting
the Smithsonian Building. The elder Cameron
lived in the corner house and the son next
door, and of more recent date the corner
house had been the home Of James Fraser and
his son, both deceased, though the elder Mrs.
Fraser, now well in her nineties, and her
daughter-in-law still occupy the residence.
Where houses 1904 to 1908 now stand were
once two light brick houses which probably
stood there until 20 years ago. One of these
was built as early as 1929 by John H Tucker,
and the other soon afterward by Samuel Crown,
the writer's wife's grandfather, and here the
writer's father-fn-law, Charles e. Crown, was
born in 1886.
Samuel Crown was at one time an employee
Of the City Post Office, and was on duty the
night of December Is, 1886, when the old
Blodgett Building was destroyed by fire, and
it was he who gave the alarm and assisted in
saving much valuable property.
John H. Tucker was one of the citys earliest
letter carriers, and it is said that during the
administrations of Presidents Jackson, Van
Buren, and William Henry Harrison he
selected from among the employees of the Post
Office Department as special messenger to con-
vey the Presidents messages to New York by
stage, to be delivered to the postmaster in that
city for publication In the early days Of the
Washington City Post Office he was for many
years one of the penny posts, or mail carriers"
In this same block in 1881 to 1884 lived Ann
Cor Nancy Tucker Duvall, an aunt to John H.
Tucker and Samuel Crown and grandmother to
the late Andrew Brown Duvall
An article appearing in The Star of August
%, 1908, refers to this particular block as
follows:
1.-THE triangular space within the lines Of
Virginia avenue. Tenth and streets, square
No. N-351, Of two lots, was divided in 1885, one
going to Daniel Carroll. The west lot No. 2,
went from the Government to F. D. May in
1897, and through s. Elliot, jr, and John Law
It passed, till in 1928 it was vested in John A.
Smith, Anthony Preston succeeding to the
whole square. Three cents, the first rate Of
ground value, was reduced in 1907 to I cent,
but in 1880 it was 6 cents.
'In 1929 John H. Tucker, who, through his
long connection with the City Post once as q
penny post or letter carrier, had become gen.
orally known, bought In lot and improved the
property, making his home here many years.
In 1881 Samuel Crown and J. L. Peabody owned
in the square, as did Francis B. Lord in 1898
and M. o. Buck and N. Tastet in the forties.
The latter, long clerk In the sixth auditors
Office, had his home In three-story brick
residence at the corner Of Tenth and streets,
and next lived John. Mcpherson"
At 1910 b street was once the early home Of
J. Thomas West, who afterward built as
Twelfth street. Sarah Z. Lycett, widow q
William Lycett lived next door, while Frank ~.