davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-28

Misses Mary Barry of Fairmount street and Anna Kelley of Louns- bury street are guests of Mrs. James German.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-28

Miss Rita Hemlock of Elmwood avenue, Loretta Kelly of Rye street Mary and Irene Kane of Laval street and George Kelly of Rye street are spending week ct the beach.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-28

John Burns Of Pennington avenue was a recent visitor with his family who are spending the summer on Prichard Lane.
Evening star., 1936-02-02
Mr.. Beall This was also for the bury
ing Of colored people.

Mr.. Beall This was also for the bury
ing Of colored people.
A MOTHER Brightwood burying
= ground was in the church yard
Of Emory M. E. Church, South. and
since this church had its beginning in
1882. it may be presumed that inter-
ments began about that date.
John Emory. for whom this church
was named, was born in Queen Anne
County, Md. in 1889, Of wealthy and
influential parents. He was made
bishop in 1882. and his body lies
buried. with that of Bishop Asbury,
in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Balti-
more, Md.
A. G. Pierce gave lot Of about half
an acre, in 1882. upon which to build
the church and for the graveyard, and
the organizers of the church were:
Levi M. Osborn, the class leader; Enos
Ray. William B. Beall. Alfred Ray.
Anthony L. Ray. Hamilton Cashell,
Franklin Jones, Christopher Brashears,
William Osborn, John Thomas, Henry
Hoyle, James and Thomas Lundon and
r. S. Jones.
The first church was log building,
two stories high, In the first story of
which was conducted what was known
as the Emory School, the first free
school in this part Of the District, and
of which John Pickett was the teacher
for several years. The school was un-
Evening star., 1936-02-02
Parking
Continued From First page.)

the Park and Planning Commission,
and Edward D. Merrill and Arthur
Sundlum of the Traffic Advisory
Council, are doing the preliminary
work.
A THOUGH their study Is directed
to the traffic problem in its en-
tirety, they will devote particular at
tention to the parking situation. The
Commissioners asked them to assemble
all available data on parking garages
and underground parking and their
report is In process of compilation.
After this group makes its recon-
mendations. the Commissioners expect
to ask for an appropriation Of some
$50,000 to make an exhaustive techni-
cal study and report of the most
promising methods of getting the cars
of the street.
They believe a solution TO the park
ing problem can be found, and they
intend to find one that will be equit-
able to the car owner, the pedestrian
and the merchants.
There has been too much procras-
tination in facing this problem" Rob-
erts said. 1T can be solved and 1t
must be done at once or the day Is
not far of when ownership Of IN
automobile will be liability instead
Of m asset"
Evening star., 1936-02-02

der the direction of the church, the
special school trustees being Enos Ray.
chairman; Levi NJ Osborn, Enoch
Moreland. Thomas Brown and Henry
Ould.
Evidently additional ground was
later obtained by the church, for on
December II, 1850. purchase was
made from Mr.. Pierce, the conveyance
being made to Enos Ray. Levi M. Os-
born, Charles Davis, George T. Nc
Glue, Alfred Ray, Heniy Hoyle and
Thomas N. Wilson, as trustees.
The church burying ground was be-
hind the log frame church.. The exact
spot where the original church stood,
then known as Emory Chapel, Is said
to be now occupied by the old Bright
wood School, on Georgia avenue. and
the Church of the Nativity. adjoining.
1t is further recorded that some of the
bodies from this graveyard were re-
moved to Rock Creek Cemetery, while
others still remain where first inferred
For some time past the writer has
tried to trace the comse of the old
Milkhouse Ford road, which. as al
ready stated, is now labeled Rock Greek
Ford road.
Most naturally 1t crossed Sixteenth
street at Rock Creek Ford road, and
continued westward over the golf
course until the road lined with the
old trees Is encountered. which Is a
part Of the early road. Thence it ran
Evening star., 1936-02-02

ate vicinity In which she was born,
and her early schooling was had In
the neighborhood.
Many will recall Alfred @. Osborn,
Mrs. Osborn's husband, as one of the
earliest merchants In Brightwood,
where he conducted crossroads store
and post office at the northwest corner
Of Rock Greek Ford road and Georgia
avenue. From 1878 to 1882 and 1886
to 1890 he was justice of the peace for
this section of the District and was
past master Of Stansbury Lodge. No.
"a, F. A. A NJ The Osborn family Of
which A.. G. Osborn was descendant,
lived in this neighborhood at such an
early date that no one seems to know
just when they came here or whence
they came. Many will recall A. G.
Osborn's two brothers. George w. and
James T.. farmers, whose farm was to
the east Of Piney Branch road and
included the property of the Washing
ton Transit Co. at Fourteenth and
Decatur streets.
And so, with this dyed-in-the-wool
background, is there any wonder why
the writer should seek out Mrs. Os-
born to find out something about this
almost forgotten cemetery? And his
surmise was correct, for. according to
her recollection, this Gods acre was
laid out probably long before the Civil
War and was originally part of the
property once owned by Aunt" Betsy
Butler, a free colored woman, who made
her living by selling lots in this bury
ing ground to her humble neighbors.
The Henry Brown and Mrs. Ellen Mar
shall before referred to are grand
children Of Mrs. Butler. Mrs. Osborn
further states that there was upward
of $50 bodies buried in this plot up to
the time lnterments ceased here, many
years ago. She also says there was
another little cemetery just to the
north Of this one, where Rittenhouse
crosses Fourteenth street, the ground
for which was donated by her father,
Evening star., 1936-02-02
Bleak House, Once Country Residence
of Alexander R. Shepherd, Among
Early Estates on Georgia Avenue.

in and around the District Of Colum-
bia. Boeschke in his map. begun in
1856, shows it as running through the
extreme northern part Of the District,
from the Rockville road eastward un-
til it intersects with the Rock Creek
Church road. Later, that part of the
road eastward from Georgia avenue
became known as Shepherd road, or
Magnolia avenue, and a long stretch
of this part is now known as Concord
avenue. To the north of the Masonic
Temple in Brightwood, just to the
west of Georgia avenue, there Is an
other short stretch. but the name of
this part also has been changed to
Rock Creek Ford road. Surely one
name sounds as pleasing to the ear as
the other, and, accordingly, If for no
better reason, the older name should
have been retained.
Just word about the older resi-
dents Of Vinegar Hill" Ethnologi-
cally, they appear to combine the
white, the Negro and the Indian: at
any rate, they are good citizens, and
they are the least of the worries OF
the captain of the sixth police pre-
cinct, in whose territory this settle
ment is located, for there are seldom
any arrests made here. They are
industrious and thrifty and many
own their own property, and, as far
back as any one seems to know, they
were free colored people.
AS the writer has said. this is very
old settlement, and just recently. in
extending the Fort drive through the
northern part of the place, cemetery
was discovered, at about Fourteenth
street, that had been almost forgotten.
In the writer's records Of cemeteries
in and around Washington he had
made q note of this particular burying
ground taken from the City Directory
Of 1883. in which Hilleary Green is
mentioned as sexton and his address
given as "Piney Branch road ex-
tended" but the exact location Of the
cemetery was q mystery until the
graves were recently encountered and
IS or more Of the bodies removed up
to date.
ONE Of the oldest living natives Of
Brightwood today is Mrs. Alfred
G. Osborn. whom che writer has had
the pleasure of knowing for many
years. A most delightful woman, with
an intellect far above the average.
She freely recalls incidents and peo-
pie, particularly in this vicinity, back
to her childhood days. Her maiden
name was Beall, and she was the
daughter of William Brooke Beall, two
well-known Maryland Colonial family
names. Prior to the Civil War, Mr.. !
Beall owned two large tracts Of land |
along Georgia avenue and north of the |
Military road The daughter, Mrs. Os-
born, has always lived in the immedi- !
Evening star., 1936-02-02
Family Tales From Milkhouse Ford
Road, Whose Successor Is Rock
Creek Ford Road-Fort Stevens.

liam Beall, John King. William Bell
again, John Saul, B. F. McChesney,
A. G. Osborn and those previously
mentioned. When Boeschke made his
map before the Civil War there were
fewer owners of land in this same
area, the following names, only, ap-
pearing: F. P. Blair, D. Clagett's
heirs, T. Carbery, ]. Seldom, r. Nc
Chesney, w. B. Beall, Emory Chapel,
A. Shoemaker. Plling, Titman, j.
Moreland, l.. Barnett and j. Hoyle.
Along the north side of Kalmia
street, between Fourteenth and Six
teenth streets, there is a row of cedar
trees which evidently lined an cld
private road to the Calgett home
stead, or maybe it was the Fenwick
home, both of which were in that
vicinity, and an old spring house. in
the Marjorie Webster School grounds,
quite likely once belonged to one of
these estates. The stream that flows
through the school grounds is piped
from a large spring several blocks
away to the southeast.
NEAR the District line, to the west
Of Georgia avenue, once stood
Alexander r. Shepherds country
home, known as Bleak House, where
many interesting gatherings were held
during the days following the Civil
War when the Board Of Public Works,
Of which Mr.. Shepherd was vice presi-
dent and the guiding spirit, made so
many important Improvements in the
Capital City, but not without much
opposition. for most every move that
Shepherd made he found his pathway
blocked, but, with that indomitable
energy for which he was noted, he
swept aside all barriers, and in nearly
every case accomplished what he had
set out to do.
Injunction proceedings were the
favorite pastime of some Of his en-
emies, and perhaps, principally to
prevent and to avoid interruptions in
this way, he bought this once beau
tiful estate near the District line
In this connection, the story is told
that when, in the Autumn Of 1872,
the Board Of Public Works had de-
cided to improve First street north
west and Maryland aevnue from the
Capitol to Sixth street, then occu-
pied by the tracks Of the Alexandria
g. Washington Railroad, by raising
the grade Of the street and repav1ng
the carriageways, and improving the
sidewalks. Shepherd followed the
usual custom in such matters and
notified the railroad to conform its
roadbed to the proper level. But the
company. as usual. paid no attention
to the notice and even prevented the
efforts made by the city to do the
work.
However, Shepherd was resourceful
and clever. and one night, about 10
days after the notice was served, he IS
said to have invited the entire judi
ciary OF the city to Bleak House to
dinner, which, of course, meant every
thing from soup to nuts end aqua pura
to hard liquor. And while this secluded
and in the absence Of any one to OBJ
Evening star., 1936-02-02

around the club house and continued
westward again to the ford, q little
north Of the Joaquin Miller cabin.
The bridal path to the west Of the
ford, which can be seen through the
wood, Is evidently continuation OF
the old road. OF course. this is only
a surmise and may not be entirely
accurate.
Unouestionably, the Milkhouse Ford
road was used by j. Hcyle, an early
resident OF the site where the club
house stands, his home being plain
log house. Later, Benjamin D. Car
penter, a surveyor, made his home
there, and probably built the present
structure, which has since been re-
modelled. Mrs. Osborn says she at
tended the first free white public
school at Brightwood, then located on
the Military road, at about Fourteenth
street, where is now the colored school.
along with the Hoyle and Carpenter
School.
A LITTLE to the north OF Rock
"a Creek Ford road. on the west
side Of Sixteenth street, may be seen
q narrow roadway through the trees.
which was once known as Piilings
lane, since it led to the home Of James
Pilling. from the Milkhouse Ford road,
and not far distant, and nearer to
the creek lived Thomas Titman.
Philip Hawkins also owned tract of
land in that vicinity, nearer to the
ford, and this part Of the old road
was called Hawkins lane.
The map Of the District Of Co.
lumbia for 1879 gives the residents
and property owners Of the area
bounded by the District line on the
north, Military road on the south and
Georgia avenue westward to Rock
Creek as follows: Godfrey, J. Van
Reswicki, P. Fenwick, John B. Clagett,
Alexander r. Shepherd. Theodore
Lay, Rev. George F. Mitchell, VIII
Evening star., 1936-02-02

(D Bleak House, former country home of Gov. Alex.
ander R. Shepherd of Georgia the Dis
rict line. e? Row of old cedars, which lined an early
road north of the city. (3) Group of G. A. r. members
and citizens at the dedication of the boulder Fort Stew
ems November l. 1911. Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas (Aunt
Betty, in right foreground. ~ Spring house in the
grounds of the Marjorie Webster School, relic of early
days. (5 Officers quarters, occupied by officers attached
to Fort Stevens during the Civil War.
Evening star., 1936-02-02

to the fort that he was halted at the
sight OF her sitting with her baby in her
arms under the sheltering branches
of q sycamore tree that grew near the
fort.
The woman and child were weep
lng-according to the story, which is
undoubtedly entirely true. Piled around
them was q collection Of household
furnishings that had been taken from
what short time before had been
their home, but was now dismantled
and in ruins, for the requirements of
war needed the cellar of the house for
. powder magazine, and the house
which probably stood OF a distance
from the main settlement-had stood
q in exactly the right place for it. The
President is said to have looked at the
ruin. and turning to the woman, said:
1T Is very hard, but your reward shall
be great"
It is doubtful If the reward in dol
lars and cents ever came, though Aunt
Betty always remembered Lincoln's
promise and often said, IF MIR. Lin
coin had not been killed he would
have made the Government settle for
my home"
This esteemed relic Of Early's raid
on Washington, who continued to re-
side In the vicinity Of the fort until
ner death at an advanced age. was
always glad to recount this sad epi-
sode In her early life, when Gen. Nc
Cook appeared among the cabins and
said:
- want you women and children to
get away from here. These cabins
will be burned"
What for?" asked Aunt Betty.
I am going to form a line of bat
tie" answered McCook.
Hull" said Aunt Betty, looking at
the crippled men Of the garrison.
'You can't form much Of a line Of
battle with that force, when there
ain't none Of EN- can fire a gum"
You will have to move out. The
rebels are coming" again ordered the
general.
THAT amt nothing" cried Aunt
Betty. "The rebels have always been
here"
However, in. spite Of Aunt Betty's
protest the cabins were destroyed. as
was other property in the vicinity. as
military measure. But when, in
after years, the grand army held any
exercises at Fort Stevens, this old
oolored woman was always present as
. guest Of honor.
sNOWADAYs. and for some days
past. Vinegar Hill' has been of
, the beaten path, and comparatively
few people now ever travel that way,
preferring to use the many other
thoroughfares available In this neigh
borhood, particularly the Military
road. But during the early days,
when there were not so many streets
and roads around Washington, It was
Z welcome little village to the farm
efS who used this road. for the settle
Inent was right on the Milkhouse
Ford road, which has for its present
eastern entrance . point just opposite
Peabody street where 1t intersects
Thirteenth street.
However, 1t is no longer known as
Milkhouse Ford road. the name .hav-
ing been changed In recent years to
Rock Greek Ford road. But just why
It. was 50 changed is one Of the other
many things the writer cannot an
,sver, except that the present name
probably suited some ones fancy Just
q little bit better than the old one.
Yet it does seem that the changing
Of the names of the old roads around
Washington which have become his
toric, should certainly not be done
without most substantial and excel
lent reason.
. FOR instance, here is . road that |
IN III likelihood u one Of the Oldest
Evening star., 1936-02-02
BY John Clageft Proctor.
IF ONE were to ask the average
Washingtonian the location OF

IF ONE were to ask the average
Washingtonian the location Of
Vinegar Hill" he would probably
\ receive the reply, II don't know"
And yet there is well known settle
inent in the vicinity of Rrightwood,
occupied by colored people. which has
borne this name for so many years
that no one seems to know just when
# was first so called, and the only
reason assigned for calling it by this
name lies in the tradition that it was
dubbed with this appellation by the
mail carrier who once delivered mail
IN this vicinity.
And another question about this
place which Is hard to answer Is, as
to when it was first settled. Indeed,
the writer visited this place recently
and had an interesting talk with
Henry Brown and Mrs. Ellen Mar
shall, early natives of this particular
section, but, though they are getting
along In years, they had no knowl-
edge Of its origin.
One thing we do know is, that 1t
was settled long before the Civil War
and played a part, so to speak. in that
great conflict, since it is probably not
more than 600 feet distant from the
earthworks of Fort Stevens, as we
know it today, and at least one of the
cabins. occupied by the residents. had
to be torn down when the battle was
fought there in July, 1864. This par
ttcular cabin belonged to colored
woman named Elizabeth Thomas. but
generally spoken Of as Aunt Betty"
Evening star., 1936-06-15
StauntOn MatrOn Hostess
Mrs. William A. Pratt Gives Breakfast
to Niece and Others.

rived last week from Miss Madeira's
School in Washington, to spend the
Summer with her parents, MIR. and
Mrs. A. M. Prichard, at their home,
Gaymont. Miss Prichard Is entertain
ing q house party Of classmates, who
returned home with her. They include
Miss Paula Duke of Duke Center, Pa;
Miss Caroline and Miss Dorothy Spell
man Of Fairfield, Conn; Miss Peggy
Sheldon Of Thunderstorm, r. T.; Miss
Bobby Shepherd Of Providence, r. l.;
Miss Bobby Delano of Kalamazoo,
Mich: Miss Virginia Whitecraft of
Luthersville, Md. and Miss Peggy
Bullard Of Richmond.
Miss Nettie Bagby Of Washington,
who has been visiting her sister, Mrs.
A. w. Mays. at her home here, has re-
turned home. Miss Kitty Bagby of
this city spent Sunday In Washing
ton, where she was Joined by her
uncle, Mr.. James M. Southland Of Con-
nellsville, Pa, and returned with him
to his home there to spend the Sum-
mer.
Evening star., 1936-06-15

Continued From Third Page.)
Evening star., 1936-06-15

| - TAUNTON, Va, June l5.-Mrs
william A. Pratt of this city
and her sister, Mrs. Waller
- Staples Of Roanoke, entertained
Saturday morning at a breakfast in
honor of their niece, Miss Elizabeth
Trout, and her close friends. Miss
Trout's wedding to Mr.. Glenn Lemon
took place Saturday.
Mr.. Hal McCue of Fishersville Is a
guest of DR.. and Mrs. Franklin M.
Hanger for few days. Mr.. McCue
will leave Wednesday for Lexington,
Va. to attend the finals at Virginia
Military Academy, of which he Is an
alumni member. While there he will
be a guest of the school board.
Mr.. and Mrs. Luis A. Fajardo of
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, announced
the engagement of their daughter,
Raquel Emile, to Mr.. A. ]. Ross of
Louisville, KY, and Baltimore, Md,
at q supper given at Pennington
Country Club Friday evening.
After the supper the host and hos
tess and their guests attended the
opening dance Of the final group at
the University of Virginia.
Miss Fajardo Is a member Of the
senior class of Mary Baldwin College.
She was vice-president this year of
the International Relations Club, a
delegate to the /. r. C.. convention
at Winthrop College. Rock Hill, N. c.,
and addressed the Harrisonburg Ro-
tary Club on "Pan-Americanism."
Mr. and Mrs. Leslie I. Madden and
small daughter. Nancy Lee, of Welles-
ley, Mass, arrived last week and are
visiting Mrs. Madden's parents, Mr..
and Mrs. M. Kivlighan. She was be-
fore marriage Miss Alicia Kivlighan.
A marriage of interest was per-
formed Saturday, June 6, at the home
OF Mr.. and Mrs. w. j. Bodie, near
Staunton, when Miss Margaret Nc
Bride of New York City, became the
bride of Mr.. Raymond Alvis of Carl
pito, Venezuela, who Is a brother of
Mrs. Bodie. The ceremony was per-
formed by Rev. David F. Glovier, pas
tor of st. Paul's Church, this city.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alvis are now in New
York, and will sail shortly for Vene-
Euela, where they will reside.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Luther Abbitt OF
Norfolk announce the engagement Of
their daughter, Mary zaida, to Mr..
Joseph Harold Kivlighan, son of Mr..
and Mrs. Michael Kiylighan of this
city. The wedding will take place in
September. Miss Abbitt has been a
member of the faculty of Robert e.
Lee High School for several years.
Miss Betty Jacquelin Prichard ar
Evening star., 1936-06-15
Weddings
Continued From Third Page.)

and carried q bouquet Of garden
flowers.
The bridesmaids were Mrs. Carroll
lie Roy Anderson, whose gown was of
hi-light blue mousseline de sole, and
Miss Kathleen Benedict of Winslow
Ind, who wore a gown Of croquet
pink mousseline de sole and a leg
horn hat and carried a bouquet Of
garden flowers.
Mr.. Mark Charles Fox of Kitan-
ming, Pa, was the best man and the
ushers were Mr.. Robin Lee Kirk
patrick of South Bend, Ind; DR..
Donald d. Brewster of Washington,
Mr.. Carroll LIE Roy Anderson Of Wash
ington, Mr.. Seaward Speer of Wash
tngton and Mr. Ferdinand Newman
OF Auburn, N. Y.
A small reception for the members
of the wedding party and relatives
followed, when Mrs. Norris, mother
OF the bride, assisted in receiving and
wore a gown Of yellow lace and a
large yellow hat with dubbonet ac-
cessories.
Later Mr.. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick
left on a wedding trip, the latter wear
ing a navy blue suit with a coral
blouse and matching accessories. They
Evening star., 1936-06-15
Residential
Washington
SOCialNOteS
Mrs. Wright in Crosse
POinte for Sons
Wedding.

Continued From Third Page.)
of former Senator and Mrs. David A.
Reed of Pennsylvania, who make their
home in Washington during the Win
ter. Mr.. Denby's parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. Charles DENLY, also live in
Washington.
MIR. H. Cabell Maddux, jr, of the
University of Virginia, and recent
guest at the Martinique Hotel, has left
for Miami Beach, Fla, for visit OF
several months.
Mr.. and Mrs. Burdette Roland of
Atlantic, Iowa, have been the guests
of Mr.. and Mrs. J. Blaine Gwin the
past few days. Mrs. Roland was Miss
Martha Lnstrum of Des Moines prior
to her marriage on June 6.
Mr.. and Mrs. Louis Caldwell, who
returned Friday night from Cleveland,
entertained between 400 and 500
guests at tea yesterday afternoon and
later at buffet supper for about fifty
guests. Among the guests at the tea
were a number of visitors in town for
the radio conference and members of
diplomatic, residential and official
circles,
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Parsons Erwin
have gone to Stockbridge. Mass, where
they are staying at the Red Lion Inn.
Mr.. Eben T. Comins has left for
Mexico, where he will spend the
Summer studying the native art and
the art of fresco painting.
Mr.. David Paul Marshall Is at the
New Weston Hotel in New York City,
where he expects to remain for a
week or more.
Mr.. and Mrs. Milton Nathan, Miss
Lucille Nathan and Mr.. Melvin Beh-
rend, who have been spending the
past four months travelling In the
Orient, Hawaii and California. will
return Wednesday.
Mrs. c. G. White. accompanied
by her daughter. Miss L. Janet White
of Redlands, Calf, and by Mrs. r.
B. Stith of North Hollywood. Calf,
is staying at the Dodge while in the
Capital.
Mrs. Harry Bernstein of New York
came to Washington Thursday and
is the guest of her brother-i -in-law
and sister. Mr.. and Mrs. Sol Peyser,
for several weeks.