Evening star., 1936-03-08
Recorded Stories About Robert Ball
and Other Pioneer Settlers of That
Interesting Observation-Disclosures Was
Characteristic of Washington's One
Time Only Letter Carrier Court House
and Original School Buildings Were
Partly Erected by Lotteries, Which We're
Productive of Legal Complications and
Much Bitterness.
Much Bitterness.

tlnueo In tnlS poSltlon until the time
Of his death.
Mr.. Ball was the son of Robert Ball
and Ann (Thrift) Ball and was a
direct descendant on his fathers side
Of William Ball. brother Of Joseph
Ball, the father Of Mary Washington,
and therefore related by blood to Gen.
Washington.
He was prominent member Of the
Masonic Fraternity. and at the time of
his death, SO years ago. he left son,
DR.. Charles A. Ball. and three daugh-
ters. Mrs. Mary Hyatt and Clara and
Florence Ball. Miss Clara Ball. the
daughter. was grand matron of the
local branch of the Order of the
Eastern Star in 1907.
Several years before Mr.. Ball passed
away he spoke Of his early recollections
of English Hill and its neighbor-
hood, and in doing so mentioned some
Of the early families living there, and
referred as well to some of the old
buildings and landmarks, nearly all of
which have since been removed.
Among these he mentioned q two
story frame, which stood on the east
side Of Fourth street between F and
G streets, which was owned and oc-
cupied by Beniah Willet, boss car
penter. the father Of Richard H.
Willet, who was for a long while q
member of the lumber firm Of Willet
& Libbey, with a yard at Sixth street
and New York avenue northwest.
Another house referred to by Mr.
Ball, as located on Fourth street, was
known all over the city by the name
of Ace of Diamonds and bore very
unsavory reputation, for it was here,
many years ago, that gamblers. drunk
ards and questionable characters, both
male and female. assembled to dance
and carouse. The building had but
one story and loft. and the gable end
fronted on G street. Evidently it be-
came repulsive to the people residing
nearby, for eventually it was supposed
to have been purposely destroyed by
fire. At any rate. and in the end, 1t
went up in smoke.
IRON D to F streets and from First
to Third streets, according to Mr..
Ball, there was an elevation Of about
IL feet above the present grade. which
proved to be excellent clay for making
bricks. One of the brick kilns used
for this purpose was owned by John
H. Diggs. 1t was situated at the cor
ner of Second and E streets, to which
all of the clay from the elevation re-
fetred to was carried and burned into
bricks. Mr. Ball also informs us:
"At that time the only houses in
that section were four brick buildings
on the north side of D between Second
and Third streets. One brick building,
about 80 feet east of Third and 100
feet north Of D. was topped of with
large and ornamental pigeon box,
from which the building itself was
known as the Pigeon House.
There was one two-story frame
house, with brick basement, at the
northeast corner Of D and Fourth
streets northwest. Three inferior
frame houses stood on a high hill
near the northeast corner of E and
Fourth streets, about where the Ger
man Lutheran Church now stands.
These buildings were owned, and
one of them at least, was occupied by
Mr. McGiven, with his family. The
others appeared to have tenants for
an uncertain length of time and of
uncertain reputation. Indeed, so fire.
nI,eptIv urere tbev enpe oed in mar
relling. fighting and throwing bricks
and stones that the locality was given
the name Mt Aetna and these COM
motions were called its 'eruptions.'
There was one small frame house
at the northeast corner of Third and
F streets. owned and occupied by Mr..
r. r. Burr, a constable. In after years
the bank on which it stood was cut
away and it was underpinned with