Evening star., 1938-11-13
Growth With
Capital One
: Young Woman Gave
Generously to
College Work

lady who has set so noble an ex-
ample Of generosity to all wealthy
Catholics. Mr.. James H. Caldwell
lived in New Orleans until 1868.
The rule Of Gen. Butler drove him
to New York, where he died on
September II, 1868, in the 10th year
of his age.
"The son of Mr.. Caldwell. who
inherited the fortune which he had
accumulated, lived in Richmond,
Va, where he was noted for his
many benefactions to Catholic in
stitutions during the time of Bishop
McGill, the predecessor of Bishop.
now Archbishop, Gibbons. Among
his liberal acts was the presentation
to the Little Sisters of the Poor
of his fine residence in Richmond
and $4,000. Miss Caldwell was born
in New York, but her parents were
both Virginians. The mother was
member of the distinguished
Breckenridge family, of which Vice
President Breckenridge and DR.. Rob-
ert Breckenridge were members. The
estate inherited by the daughters
for there is second daughter-is
estimated to be not far from $4,-
600, 0,000 The young ladies are nieces
of Bishop Spalding"
OF course there was much pioneer
work to be done after the project
was authorized by the Pope and the
money for the purchase of the site
was made available. First came the
appointment of a board of man
ayers consisting of Archbishop Glib
bons of Baltimore, afterward Car
dinal Gibbons: Bishops Williams of
Boston. Corrigan of New York, Ryan
Of Philadelphia, Heiss of Milwaukee,
Spalding of Peoria, Ireland of st.
Paul, the Rev. Pladide L. Chapelle
of Washington, and five laymen.
Archbishop Gibbons was chosen
chairman.
On May 7, 1885, this committee
decided to name the institution the
Catholic University of America.
Ground was broken for the first
building. Caldwell Hall in 1886, and
this building was completed in 1899.
The original purchase of land for
the university was made October
q, 1886, and included what was
known as the Middleton estate, a
tract of about 65 acres. The price
paid was $4,000. and, of course,
some one at the time had to ques-
ton the wisdom of the choice Of
the site, because it was too far out
in the country, but time has proven
that an unusual amount of good
judgment and foresight was actually
used in placing the university where
it is. and the acreage has been
greatly increased since the original
purchase.
The grounds themselves contain a
certain amount of interesting his
story, for it was here that Samuel
Harrison Smith, pioneer newspaper
man and first editor of the National
Intelligencer of this city, made his
country home. from about 1903 to
1885. Mr.. Smith came to Washing
ton in 1900 and began to publish the
National Intelligencer and WASH
ington Advertiser as a tri-weekly,
on October 81 of that year. In 1910
he sold out to Joseph Gales, and for
many years subsequent to 1912 it
was published by Gales g. Seaton,
and became a daily in 1914. 1t ceased
to exist after January 10, 1870.
When Mr.. Smith bought the place
it was known as Turkey Thicket,
or rather as a part of this grant,
for the patent by this name must
have been quite a tract of land.
In a description Of Pleasant Hills,
a grant of 536 acres, it is said, it
lay close to Turkey Thicket and
Mount Pleasant.
About 1885 Samuel Harrison
Smith sold Sidney, most likely to
James Middleton, father OF Erasmus
]. Middleton, for the name J. Mid
dleton appears on an early map
of this section. In all probability
the property descended to his son,
before mentioned, since later plats
carry the sons name.
Samuel Harrison Smith bought
the property for $40 an acre and
sold it for $4,000. The Catholic
University of America paid for the
land $4,000, as before stated.
The original cottage occupied by
the Smiths still stands. inclosed
on three sides by yellowish brick
building, partly erected by the Mid
dletons. The exposed side of the
old cottage is pebble-dashed and can
be seen in outline in the south wall
Of what is now a residence hall for
lay students and is called st. Thomas
Hall. In the summer session 1t is
used for woman students.
Too much praise cannot be given
to the late Cardinal Gibbons for his
earnestness and zeal in forwarding
the interest of this university, which
was near and dear to his heart, and
of which he was the first chancellor,
while the Right Rev. John Joseph
Keane was it's first rector. serving
from September Z, 1887, to 1896. He
was followed as rector by Right Rev.
Thomas Joseph Conaty, Right Rev.
Denis Joseph O'Connell, Right Rev.
Thomas Joseph Shahan, Most Rev.
James Hugh Ryan, and the present
| ACSGO1 Id 1SISIiG 1bCN. OOoCpll MOl ola
Corrigan, appointed March q, 1895.
Cardinal Gibbons was great be-
lever in America and American
principles. During the Civil War he
served as a volunteer chaplain in
the Union Army, and in every way
showed his devotion to the country
of his birth and its democratic in
stitutions. During his silver jubilee
as a cardinal, in 1911, and his golden
jubilee, which was celebrated at the
same time, members of the American
hierarchy and friends of the cardinal
presented him with fund of $780,
600, and this he turned over to the
university, and with it was erected
the Cardinal Gibbons Memorial Hall.
Another memorial to this beloved
prelate stands at the corner of Park
road and Sixteenth street, in front
Of the Sacred Heart Church. It is
the work of the sculptor Leo Lentelli
nf Neu York and shows the cardinal