Evening star., 1934-06-17


own mayor and City Council
(though always restricted), and
during its little over three years of
territorial government, from Feb
ruary 28 1871, to June 90, 1874, there were
many notable and distinguished men who
served in the City Council and the Legislative
Assembly and gave their time and efforts to
making of the Federal Capital city magnif
cent" out of "city of magnificent distances"
Their names with few exceptions, have been
recorded but just what they actually and in
dividually accomplished may never be known,
for the record here is incomplete.
The first mayor of Washington. Robert Brent,
was appointed by President Jefferson in 1902.
and continued in office, through executive ap-
pointment, until succeeded by Daniel Rapine.
who was chosen mayor by the City Council
in 1912, after drawing lots for the office, the
vote being tie on the tenth ballot.
Washington Boyd became the first city
treasurer in 1902, and Thomas Hertz, first
register. The members Of the first chamber
included James Barry, president; George
Blagden, Nicholas King, William Brent, A. B.
Woodward, Samuel H. Smith, Thomas Peter
and Thomas Herty, secretary. In the second
chamber were Daniel Carroll of Duddington,
president; Benjamin More. William Prout,
James Hoban, John Hewitt and James Hewitt,
secretary.
James Barry perpetuated his name in
Washington, St. Mary's Catholic Church, his
torically known Barry Chapel. The tablet
built in the original church now forms .
part of the rear wall of ST. Dominics Church,
and reads:
In the name of the blessed & Undivided
Trinity Amen. This first stone of small
Roman Catholic Church is laid in the City
of Washington in the Year Of our Lord &
Saviour Jesus Christ 1906 and dedicated to the
blessed Virgin Mary under the title & name of
Saint Marys Gloria in Excel Dec.
Erected by & at the Charge Of James
Barry
4 ar BARRY was an enterpriSing man, of
wi good judgment until he invested his
fortune in real estate in the Federal Capital.
That he was of Irish extraction there is no
doubt for his surname not only indicates this,
but also that he was "a man of eminence."
He came here at the suggestion of Thomas
Law, and designated trustee in the
marriage settlement entered into between
Mr. Law and Elizabeth Pa.k Custis grand
daughter of Mrs. Washington, on March 1e,
1896, the ceremony being performed two days
later at the home of the brides stepfather,
DR.. David Stuart, Hope PARK, 5 miles north
west of Fairfax Court House.
There was a difference in the ages of the
contracting parties, Miss Custis being 10 and
the bridegroom 20 years her senior. For q
WHILE at least, they lived happily and
joyed themselves travelling about in their
chariot drawn by four horses OF course, he
brought Mrs Law to Washington, and leased
from Mr. Cranch the mansion, still standing
at the northeast corner of Sixth and N streets
southwest, where he remained for few
months, when he moved to his own home on
the west side of New jersey avenue, between
and C streets southeast, the site now occu-
pied by the House Office Annex. 1t was here
that Gen. and Mrs. Washington were frequent
guests and where Mr.. Law received visit
from Louis Philippe, who later, from 1880 to
l84S, served as King of France: being accom-