Evening star., 1939-07-30
Southwest Washington Once Garden Spot Noted as Center
Schools Had
Support OF
Best People
Jefferson Name
Associated With
Great Teacher
By John CIaeen Proctor.

By John Claeett Proctor.
Now that much of Southwest
Washington is being taken over by
the Government for it's public
buildings it is quite s-ohable that
this section will have cleaner
appearance in a few years. But as
to attractiveness, we'll, that's an
other thing, for to many a hall
dozen or more Office or factory
buildings, in close proximity and OF
somewhat similar architecture, is
certainly nothing to rave about and
not near so pleasing as was this part
of Washington go years ago and
earlier, when some of the most
noted families of Washington re-
sided there.
Gov. Alexander R. Shepherd was
born in this part of town, known
to the old-timer as the Island,
because it was separated to the
north from the other part of the
city by Tiber Greek and later by
the Washington City Canal, which
replaced the creek, both of which
are only to be found on the map
and on an old map at that.
The first Mayor of Washington
Robert Brent, referred to in a re.
cent story, lived first with his father.
in-law, Motley Young, in what
was called the Mansion House
which stood on G street between
Ninth and Tenth streets, and later
at the southeast corner of Twelfth
street and Maryland avenue.
Early this month the writer re-
ceived a letter from G. R. Thomas
of New York City in which he says
that So years ago he was born in
the Maryland avenue residence next
to the corner of Twelfth street
where the Mayor lived, which was
the house Mr. Brent built for his
son.
Called Haunted House.
The old Mansion House, on G
street, says George c. Henning,
writing for the Columbia His
torical Society, had the dual rep
utation of having been built of i'm
ported bricks and of being haunted
The first I doubt = The second
reputation I can confidently affirm
was untrue.
Even as child I was incredu-
lous as to the existence of ghosts
though ghosts and witches were
constant themes with the Negro
children. Like the man from Mis-
souri, had to be shown, and two
cents, as I will relate, enabled me
to brave the ghosts. My mother
tried to bribe me with one cent to
60 across the hall to sleep by my
self in one of the large rooms But
that didn't appeal to me as suf-
ficient compensation in view of the
reputation of the mansion: so !
compromised on two cents where
with to buy china alley which !
ardently desired. Cents were large
In those days.
After we left the mansion in
1841, an old couple, man and wife
whose names were Dozier or Rozier
owning a number of slaves, lived
there
"On his death bed the old man
manumitted his slaves upon their
agreement to support his widow for
life. She lived about one year after
her husbands death and died in
the almshouse.
About the same time there lived
In the mansion an elderly widow
who owned several slaves, one OF
whom, sam. was her favorite.
Threat to Sell.
Sam and the old lady had fire.
ouent quarrels and on such occas-
ions she would threaten to sell
him. This had occurred so often
that Sam had come to regard II
as the cry of wolf
Once when the dispute ragged
higher than usual the old lady de-
clared she would stand it no longer
but would send for Mr. Williams
to buy him.
"'You needn't take dat trouble
I'll 90 fur him mysef," said Sam.
Williams was slave dealer and
an old bachelor, and Sam went and
brought him down.
while the old lady and Williams
were bargaining, Sam was watch
ing them out of the corner OF his
eye.
"At last she told Sam that he
could 90 with Mr.. Williams and
that she was no longer his mistress
HUH said Sam, I didn't bring him
here to buy me, I brung him here
fur a beau fur you This pleased
the old lady, but Williams was
wrathy and increased his offer;
though she wouldn't sell and never
did sell Sam.
Soon after the close of the Civil
War, walking down Seventh street
one day, smiling Negro face
approached me, which I recognized
as Sans, and in answer to my
question, Dis is me, Marse George,
told Sam 1 thought he was dead
and gone to Hades long ago. Oh!
no, Marse George, Use here yit. Has
you got quarter fur a pore old
feller?'
Sam wasn't his name, but that
will do as well as another. I never
saw him any more. In its later
stages the old mansion became the
refuge for all sorts and conditions OF
men and women, went rapidly to
decay and was finally demolished
about the year 1856.
During its demolition Father
Dominick Young secured the newell
post of the stairs as a relic, and
when he died Father Raymond
Young fell heir to it. Raymond
was a son of I. Fenwick Young the
first and brother Of I. FenWick
Young the second. The Fenwick
family, with whom the Youngs were
connected, immigrated to Maryland
in 1884"
Southworth Books.
Nv. E. D. E. N. Southworth, who
resided in South Washington and
taught school there, was in her day
a nationally known novelist and a