Evening star., 1932-11-27


of the city developed from a forest, and have
INDUCED in many swim in Rock Creek near
by. The writer recalls occasion when he
was lad, having chased and caught a half
grown wild rabbit not far from where Mr..
Roosevelt lived. Kalorama woods were then
filled with all kinds of rative birds, and in
Summer blackberries and other berries could
be had for the picking 1t was popular place
for Sunday school p:cnics, as were Little's woods
adjoining Kalorama to the north.
Who would have thought at that time, when
traces of the forest primeval could still be seen
and when Slash Run, a few blocks to the east
flowed uninterruptedly almost to what is now
the center of the city that this section would
provide homes for no less than five men iden-
titled with the high office of President of the
United States, and yet such is the case.
Mr.. Harding took up his residence at 2314
Wyoming avenue shortly after he came here
as Senator in 1915 and remained resident
of Kalorama-or Washington Heights, its more
recent name-until he went to the White House
in 1921, only to live for little over two years,
when he died in San francisco, Calf, August
g. 1928, while on a tour OF the Western States
and Alaska.
Little did Mr. Harding realize when he lived
ON Wyoming avenue what he was to go through
with in few years.
Mr.. Taft, who died only few years ago, after
having resigned Chief Justice of the United
States Supreme Court, was resident of this
part of Washington, and had his home on the
northeast corner of Wyoming avenue and
Twenty-third street, where Mrs. Taft still re-
sides. The house is numbered 2215 and from
here his funeral took place.
A few blocks to the South, at 2300 street,
lived Mr.. Hoover, until he became President,
and few doors to the West of him, at 234O
street, woodrow Wilson spent the last years
of his life. His widow still resides there
Mr.. Roosevet's home, at 2131 R street, is the
kind of residence man of wealth would oc-
cupy and the surroundings are in keeping with
the rest Of Washington Heights where many
distinguished men make their homes.
When the President-elect lived in this street,
his "neighbors, from Florida avenue to Twenty
second street included Halliburton FaleS, jr.;
Harris Lanning, Mary B. Hunt, Byron S.
Amber, Marven Thompson, who lived in the
house east of Mr.. Roosevelt; Mrs. Kate Gillette
Hill, who lived in the house to the west of the
President-elect Theodore F. Jewell, Helmer
H. Bryn, c. A. F. Won Pfizsmayer Sophia
r. Webster, Randall H. Hsgner. Joseph r.
Ellerson and Senator Claude A Swanson.
While Mr.. Roosevelt made hs home on r
street his neighbors also included Mrs. Sallie
A Fremont the Attorney General. A Nit
chell Palmer, who resided at No. 2132; Edgar
L. Hill, Charles E. Fulton, Elsie M. Cassells,
Mrs. Grace M. Partridge end Charles HoyHe.
When Mr.. Roosevelt vacated 2131 r street,
Henry P. Fairbanks took up his residence
there.
ONE of the many interesting things about
~ the President-elect is the fact that he
is the second Roosevelt to use the Office of
Assistant Secretary of the Navy as a STEP
ping-stone to the Office of Chief Executive.
The illustrious '"T. R." occupied this position
from 1897 to 1898 when he entered the Span
h-American War and covered himself with
glory Franklin D., who is soon to be invested
with the highest honors this Nation can confer,
was appointed by President Wilson as Assistant
Secretary Of the Navy, and served from 1913 to
1920 and young Teddy" the present Governor
General of the Philippine Islands, occupied the
same position under President Harding. Doug
lass Robinson, near Roosevelt, also served as
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, which might
indicate that it is lucky position to hold.
The Roosevelts in Washington are not new
comers, for find the family represented here
as early as -i841, when Judge James I. RooSe-
velt came here as Democratic Representative
from New York He served but one term, 1S41
to 1843, and was collaterally related to both
President Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D.
Judge Roosevelt married the daughter of Gen.
Cornelius p Van Ness brother to our Gov.
John P. Van Ness, who married Marcia Burnes.
Gen Van Ness at the time American Min
lister to Spain, and when his brother, John p.
lied here, he as administrator of the estate as
sisted in Strengthening out the tangle precipitat-
I'd by the widow Connor. When he died he was
buried in the Van Ness mausoleum, which then
stood on the south side of street, between
Ninth and Tenth streets, but which is now in
Oak Hill Cemetery, and no doubt his remains
were removed to Oak Hill along with the rest
of the family.
In writing of Gen. John P. Van Ness, Allen G.
Clark makes the following reference to his
brothers, William P. and Cornelius P. Van Ness:
John Peters brothers. William Peter and
Cornelius Peter had more celebrity than he.
William was eight years younger; Cornelius, 18.
William was the protege of Aaron Burr and car
led the correspondence and challenge to Hamil-
ton and with Burr was indicted for murder.