Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21

the alley and going toward Sixth street.
lived Charles W. Langley in the little house
with clapboard sides that sits back in the yard.
Next Charles and John Davis painters, and
William H., an engraver In the U 8. Coast
Survey. In the third house. with columns sup
porting the porch, resided Edwin N. Gray Of
Gray & Noyes, and next was the home Of q
Mr. McGinnis.
Close by lived Henry Cook, probably in the
house with the magnolia trees in front. Then
came the home Of Detective William p. Wood.
who served IS President Lincolns personal
bodyguard. The old numbering of his house
was 507 Maryland avenue. His close neighbor
was q Mr.. CYamer, . painter, and the druggist,
Fenelon d. Bowling, whose place Of business
was near the corner Of Four-and-a-hah and @
says that the Bowling house was earlier the
Dorsey home, DR.. Downing having married a
Miss Dorsey and Ia this way became possessed
Of the property. The City Directory shows that
IN l066 Edwin J., Joseph G. and william n.
Dorsey lived there. Capt. George Wright con-
execution Of the Lincoln conspirators, lived In
the adjoining house.
In residence No. Ao7 Maryland avenue STAN
live members Of the SpriHgman family, one Of
the first families to settle In this neghborhood.
HeUe, at aD earlier date, lived Frederick Luff.
said to have been connected with the Philade1-
phiA Public Ledger. The next house, 499, it is
said has for many years been in the possession
of the family and descendants of John Imirie,
who kept grocery store there during the Civil
War. Both Of these houses have modern brick
fronts From the Imirie house to the corner
was once an old farm house, where lived.
according to Mr.. Handy, John Springman,
father Of James Springman, in the early days
connected with the Fire Department and later
the first bailiR Of the Police Court John
Springman was the grandfather Of Detective
Springman Mr.. Handy says the elder Spring.
kaAA Il
has seen corn and other farm products grown
there. This corner Is now covered by several
two-Story lead-colored bricks Of modern type.
Somewhere along here also lived William J.
Murtagh, who ct one time with S. p Hanscom
published the National Republican. The old
numbering Of the Murtagh house was 497
The writer asked Mr.. Handy in what way
he was related to Mr. Brady. the Civil War
photographer, and he said Brady was his uncle
by marriage, having married julia the only
sister by the full blood to his father, for his
grandfather, Samuel Handy, it seems, was mar
rted four times and had in all % children Leven
G. Handy's father and Mrs. Brady being the
only children by the last wife.
MATHEW B. BRADY was an unusual char
acter, and surely the best known Of the
pioneer photographers of America In the
United States his name will last as long as
the history Of photography itself, especially for
ms ILLUSTRATIVE Work In connection with the
Civil War, which is. and always will be- Of
inesttmable historic value to the student of that
great conflict.
From sketch by one unknown author loaned
TO the writer by Mr.. Handy, we find that Mr..
Brady was born In Warren County, N. Y HIS
father was an Irishman; of his mother nothing
Is recorded. Accounts Of his life present .
bewildering maze Of conflicting statements, bart
Scrapbook and other material left by him
make possible o clearing up Of many Of the
contradictions In spite Of his meager school
ing, he managed to pick up some sort of an
education. He had his own way Of spelling
the first part OF his given name and he appears
not to have known what the initial B. repre-
sented. At Saratoga he met william Page. the
Portrait painter, who encouraged him to draw,
and who later, in New York City introduced
him to g. r.. b. Morse
The youth became deeply interested IN
Daguerre's discovery (made known in 1880 Is
Wen Is in the Photographic experiments Of
Morse and Prof. J. w. Draper in the rain OF
that year, and soon began experimenting on his
own account Improvements rapidly brought