Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-19
old GEORGETOWN
PRESENTED IN TALK.
Early Historical Facts of
WaShington's Mother City
Given Before Society.

Old Georgetown, Washington's moth
er city, was presented pictorially and in
graphic language last evening to the
columbia Historical Society in the as
sembly hall of the Cosmos Club by Miss
Coruella jackson, a member of the So
ciety and daughter of the late Richard
RUNNER jackson, whose Chronicles of
georgetown" remain an authoritative
history OF the first corporate city on the
Potomac.
An appreciative audience, principally
residents of Georgetown. filled the hall
and followed the story from the map
OF ISL, when the city was founded, to
the restoration of the earliest mansions
since the vogue for old houses swept
across Rock Creek.
Pioneers of what is now one of the
Capitals most desirable residential Sec
tons were, according to Miss jackson,
made up Of the Scotch who, after the
collapse Of the rebellion in the early
eighteenth century had ended all hopes
OF restoring the Stuart dynasty and led
to the exile, in some instances volun-
tary, of many sterling men. George
Beall and George Gordon, who are
given the honor of being the
city's founders, were of earliest stock,
Beall being the son of Ninian Beall,
who took out the patent of one of the
most famous estates in that part in pre-
Revolutionary DAYS, the Rock of Dunn
barton. September 10, 1851, is George
towns birthday, as evidenced by the act
in the Maryland Assembly on that date
which recorded the planting Of the city
on the Potomac.
Many Pictures Shown.
Miss jackson presented pictures of
the many illustrious sons and daughters
of Georgetown, and in many instances
showed the historic houses where they
lived Robert Peter was the old towns
pioneer business man and his Rock
Creek store was the most flourishing
establishment in the section. Born in
Scotland in 1926, he was about 81
when he arrived in GEORGETOWN soon
after 1t was incorporated. He was an
agent of the famous firm of John
GlaSsford & Co., which had a monopoly
on the Potomac River tobacco trade.
The Peter family remains prominent in
Georgetown affairs, and Tudor Place,
one of the handsomest estates in the
District. is their home.
Georgetown's celebrities include Ben
jamin Stoddert, first Secretary of the
Navy and the only cabinet officer on
cially a citizen of the Federal City.
He was appointed by John Adams in
1898 and his beautiful home, on Pros
pect avenue. designed by Benjamin La
trobe, is still standing. Francis Scott
Key, as lad and In mature years, was
for years a resident of the old city
and the picture of his house on the
river front, demolished for the founda-
tions of the Memorial Bridge, drew en-
thusiastic applause. Gen. Ohio Holland
Williams, q hero of the Revolution and
the first treasurer OF the Society of
the Cincinnati, spent some years in
Georgetown.
Admiral Decatur was a resident and
so was Admiral Stephen CaSsin, whose
home. at 3017 o street, is now the
Epiphany School for Girls.
Early Social History.
Miss jackson gave q survey of the
social history of the old town and its
Importance in the first quarter of a
century after the Capital was founded,
when nearly all Of the oficial world
sought homes there rather than in
Washington proper. .*#t
Suffers Tavern, which gave hospitality
to President Washington when he came
to meet the proprietOrs of the land and
which was afterward; the L'Enfant
headquarters when the ground plan of
Washington was in preparation, was
presented. Union Tavern was the first
hotel of any elegance and size in the
10 miles square and there the first
diplomats to this Capital found shelter.
William w. Corcoran, the philanthropist,
was Georgetown citizen and his first
place of business was shown as well as
his later elegant home.
Allen c. Clark, president Of the
society, presided at the meeting, which
was the 251st regular assembly Of the
members. He gave a resume Of the old
town on the other side of Rock Greek
and Of several of its well known citizens.
Tnr11her shinrnents from Swaden last