Evening star., 1938-12-27
Porter Mansion
lis Donated 10
Government
Stepdouehter Of Late
Representative
Makes Gift
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

Z C4Aloy AfdIlld dL UIlC SOUTHWEST cor
ner of Sixteenth and I streets NV,
has been given to the Library Of
Congress and the Smithsonian In
stitution by his stepdaughter, Miss
Annie-May Hegeman of New York
and Lenox. Mass.
This was annouced this morning
by DR.. Herbert Putnam, librarian of
Congress, speaking for DR.. Charles
G. Abbot, secretary of the Smith
sonian, and himself.
The gift is to be a memorial to
Mr.. Porter and will be devoted to
the increase and diffusion of
knowledge"
All negotiations for the transfer
OF the house and grounds have been
completed and the deed was re.
corded last Thursday.
Deed Turned Over.
DR.. Putnam released for publica-
ton a letter from Miss Hegeman
received by the Library of Congress
Trust Fund Board at a meeting on
Thursday, with a deed of the prem
ises executed by Miss Hegeman as
of December 20.
The letter read:
"AS memorial to my father,
Henry Kirke Porter, have this day
rendered to the Library OF Congress
Trust Fund Board the conveyance
u the parcels of land owned by me
at the corner of Sixteenth and I
streets in the City of Washington,
District of Columbia, as gift, upon
an agreement that when the prop
erty is sold the Library of Congress
Trust Fund Board shall pay one-half
of the net proceeds of such sale to
the Smithsonian Institution, to be
applied by the institution for the
purposes hereinafter designated. I
have deemed it advisable to give to
the Library of Congress Trust Fund
Board the sole discretion as to the
time, price and conditions of sale.
I direct your board to add such half
of the net proceeds of such sale to
the permanent invested funds held
by your board, and to apply the in
come thereof to the general pur-
poses of the establishment for the
increase and diffusion of knowledge
among men,
Il request that your board desig-
nate this gift on your records as
the Henry Kirke Porter memorial
fund.-"
Unanimously Approved.
DR.. Putnam explained that the
Library OF Congress Trust Fund
Board Immediately and unanimous
ly approved acceptance of Miss
Hegeman's offer. "The board" he
said, fully realizes the importance
OF the gift both in itself and as an
example, and is deeply sensible of
the generosity, consideration and
public spirit which have actuated it,"
No decision, the librarian an
nounced has been reached as to the
sale of the property, but the board
has authorized him ito consider any
offers for the property or measures
looking to a disposition thereof"
DR.. Putnam added: Gifts to the
Government from private citizens
are rare: gifts to the Federal Gov
eminent from citizens of the Dis
trlct OF Columbia are among the
rar1sslma. The more remarkable,
therefore, is Miss Hegemans gift.
The conveyance is absolute, without
provlso or direction, but has been
accepted in the spirit of its tender,
as memorial to Mr.. Porter and a
contribution to learning"
Was Born in 1910.
Henry Kirke Porter, DR.. Putnam
told the press, was himself a
scholar, notably interested in the
advancement of learning, exceed
ingly generous and philanthropic in
all the instincts of his life" He
was born at Concord, N. H., No
vember "a. 1910, and was educated
at New London Academy, New Lon
don, N. H., and Brown University.
Providence. Always interested in
religious matters, he was one Of the
founders of the Y. M. c. A. in 1860
and pursued theological studies in
Newton Theological Seminary, New
ton Center, Mass, and at Rochester
Theological Seminary, Rochester, N.
Y. But the Civil War interrupted
his plan to enter the ministry. He
enlisted in the 45th Regiment, Mas
sachusetts Volunteer Militia, in 1862
and served until July, 1863, after
which he was a member of the
United States Christian Commits
sion.
Beginning in May, 1866, he was
engaged with his father in the man.
ufacture of light locomotives at
Pittsburgh, becoming president of
the H. K. Porter Co. when his father
died. He was president of the
Pittsburgh Y. M. c. A., 1868 to 1906;
vice president of the Pittsburgh
Chamber of Commerce, 1892 TO 1906;
served in the 58th Congress, 1908 to
1904; member of the International
trustees and president Of the board
Of directors of the Western Penn
sylvania Institute for the Blind in
1905; a member of the International
Committee of the Y. M. c. A. from
1875. trustee of the Carnegie In
stitute from 1890, a member of the
Board of Fellows of Brown Univer-
sity from 1899 until his death In
Washington on April 10. 1921. His
wife, Mrs. Annie De Camp Hege-
man, to whom he was married In
1875. died in 1925.
The Porter residence is red brick
structure Of 16 rooms with large
| gardens and a garage. now guarded
by Joseph jenkins, IAN old servant
and friend of the family" Front
age Of the property on Sixteenth
street is 172 feet, on I street 1877
feet.
Tapestries Given Cathedral.
Coincident with the announce
ment of Miss Hegeman's gift to the
Library of Congress and the Smith
sonian Institution, it became known
today that she has given Washing
ton Cathedral two valuable tapes