Evening star., 1935-10-06
1925 II Street
WaS Residence
Of Man Who
Fouuded L. s..
NavyAcademy
audW0nFaue
as Writer of
History,
By John Clageh Proctor.

of Columbia, and those of the
natives who may still be re-
- garded as young, are, generally
speaking, unfamiliar with the appear
ance Of downtown Washington as II
was half century or more ago, wher
F street was largely a residential
thoroughfare and when the property
owners around Lafayette Square
would have been horror stricken at
the suggestion of opening up any kind
of a business in this once staid old
neighborhood
Today, things are different, for
nearly all the old settlers around this
historic and beautiful park are dead,
and many of them forgotten. Indeed,
even the descendants of these old
Washingtonians have moved else
where, with the notable exception of
TruXton Beale, son of the late Gen.
E. F. Beale. close friend of Gen. U. S.
Grant, who occupies the Decatur
house at the southwest corner Of
jackson place and H street.
Close by, however, at 1851 Pennsyl-
vania avenue, just across the street
from the White House, there is an
other old home that has been in the
same family for at least 98 years. 1t
was purchased by Francis Preston
Blair in 1887, from the heirs of
Joseph Lowell, surgeon general in
the Army during the War of 1872.
1t was built about 1910, and was en-
larged by Blair, who, in 1855. gave it
to his son, Montgomery Blair. The
latter made additions to it, and it was
from him it was inherited by his son
and present occupant, Maj. Gist Blair,
who was born there, September 10.
1860.
From every viewpoint, this old
building, which has reached its CEN
tury and a quarter of existence, Is
undoubtedly the most historic of the
private homes still standing in the
neighborhood, and one of the hand
soonest as we'll, and 1t was here that
DR.. Lowell, who erected the original
part of the building, died on october
II, 1886. Two days later, the National
Intelligencer had this to say of the
deceased:
"It rarely falls to our lot to record
the death of cne whose loss to the
community and the profession, both
military and civil, Of which he was a
distinguished member, is so deeply
and widely spread as the untimely
exit of DR.. Joseph Lowell, M. D., the
late surgeon general of the Army.
Cut down in the prime of life, in
the full career of great usefulness, he
has left void in society and in the
military service of his country which
but few who may follow can ade-
Quately fill.
'Dr. Lowell entered the Army in
1872, on the declaration of war with
Great Britain, as surgeon of the 9th
Regiment of the United States In
fantry. He served in the memorable
campaigns on the Niagara frontier in
1918 and 1914. His patriotic devo-
tion to the public service and the
faithful discharge of his official duties
soon distinguished him in the camp
and in the field among his brother
officers and in his profession. Pro-
NOTED to the rank of hospital surgeon,
he eventually was selected by Presi-
dent Madison in 1918 to fill the i'm
portant station of Surgeon General of
the Army, post which his talents,
medical skill and, above all, his great
experience as a tried officer of the
medical staff eminently qualified him
to fill with honor and great advan-
tage to the public service.
"In his social duties, the domestic
circle and as father, husband-all
the ties which bind the Christian and
man to the obligations Of the world
DR.. Lowell stood conspicuous. His be-
reaved family-11 motherless and
now fatheriess children-who will at
tempt to depict their woe? Let other
hands, at more appropriate season,
I'LL up the outline Of the character
and services of the lamented Lowell,
now so hastily and so briefly sketched.
s**
every mark of respect was paid to
his mortal remains last evening at
o'clock by his numerous friends, both
officers and citizens. We also noticed
the Presidents family, the heads of
departments and bureaus and the
principal officers of the Government
now at Washington. The pallbearers
were:
Maj Gen. Macomb, Brig. Gen.
Jones, Gen. Towson, Col. Wainwright,
Commodore Rodgers, Commodore Nor
ris, Col. Twiggs, Mai. Cross
A FTER the death Of Surg. Gen.
= Lowell. the property then 'front.'
Ing 50 feet Q inches on Penn