Evening star., 1937-09-19
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

OOilielllileS f1OIIleT nOQS -dn0 we all
occasionally make mistakes-and some
times a mistake leads to more careful
research which corrects written history.
This is the case regarding the first mis-
take yet found in the Biographical
Directory of the American Congress,
carefully compiled 10 years ago by Ansel
Void, clerk of the Joint Committee on
Printing, which contains biographical
sketch Of every person who served In
Congress from 1774 to 1927. This mis-
take was regarding the burial place of
Abraham Baldwin, a Senator from
Georgia, the sole signer Of the Consti-
tuition of the United States whose grave
is in Washington. This grave, in Rock
Greek Cemetery, was the scene on Friday
of an impressive ceremony at which
Commissioner Hazen presided.
The Biographical Directory states that
Baldwin was first buried in Rock Creek
Cemetery and reinterred in Congress
sional Cemetery. When this was pub
lished in The Star in connection with
plans for decorating Baldwin's grave
Mrs. Marie Moore Forrest, in charge of
the local celebration of the anniversary
of signing the Constitution. called atten-
tion to the mistake, pointing out that
Baldwin had previously been inferred in
Kalorama-but that did not tell the
whole story. Ansel Void came to the
rescue and ferreted out the facts. with
the assistance of John Clagett Proctor,
washington historian. The mistake in
the Directory is due to the fact that Joel
Barlow. distinguished diplomat, poet
and philosopher. whose wife was Bald
wins sister, after attending Baldwin's
funeral, wrote to his wife in New
Haven, where Baldwin was born:
1--WE laid him by the side of his friend.
General jackson, just one year after he
had followed that friend to the same
place. 1t was a dreadfully stormy day
and five miles from the Capitol yet
everybody went that could go, and I
never witnessed such solemnity and re-
spect. The coffin is placed in the ground
in large wooden Golfer. 1 shall pro-
pose to have it brought to our ground,
where we can have it always under
our eye till we are ready to take our own
lodging by his side"
The general referred to is Gen. James
Jackson, English born, who fought in the
American Revolutionary Army, and who
received the keys of Savannah from the
British, July IL, 1892 Jackson was buried
in Rock Creek Cemetery and reinterred
IN Congressional Cemetery. The fact
that Baldwin was buried by his side led
to the mistake.
Barlow in his letter expressed hope
OF getting the Washington estate. That
was kalorama or Washington Heights,
as 1t is now called-in which area have
nved Presidents Taft and Wilson, Hard
q
was originally called Widows Mite.
James His Park, Rock Hill and Belair.
Barlow had long considered buying the
estate but Col. William Augustine WASH
lngton, nephew of the first President,
beat him to it. But Barlow finally
acquired the place There he wrote "The
Columblad" and there entertained Presi-
dent Jefferson, President Madison Rob-
ert Fulton, Noah Webster and General
Lafayette. Barlow changed the name
OF the estate to Calorama, subsequently
Kalorama, from two Greek words mean
ing beautiful view Barlow there built
a tomb at what is now the junction of
Florida and Massachusetts avenues. He
made good his promise by removing
there the body of his friend, Senator
Baldwin, signer of the Constitution. But
Barlow never slept in death by the side
of his friend in this tomb He was in
vited by Napoleon while on his Russian
campaign to meet him in wilma, Poland.
When he reached Moscow he became
entangled In the historic retreat, and
died of exposure. He was buried at Ear
niwica, Poland. although his name was
inscribed on the Kalorama tomb. To
that tomb was taken the body of Com
modore Stephen Decatur, after he fell
in duel with Commodore Barron in 1920
1t was removed to Philadelphia in 1886
On February IA, 1892, all of the IA
bodies in the Kalorama tomb were re-
inferred in Rock Greek Cemetery. Among
them were those of Mrs. Barlow and her
brother, Senator Baldwin,; Col. George
Bomford of the Army Ordnance Depart
ment and Henry Baldwin, associate JUS
tice of the United States Supreme Court.