Evening star., 1944-03-05
In Downtown Washington Of Earlier Days
BY John Clagett Proctor.

BY John Clagett Proctor.
The recent tragedy that took place
close to the corner of Eleventh and g
streets brings to mind the time when
this vicinity of Washington was strict
presidential section where some of the
citys best families made their homes.
The square bounded by Tenth, Elev-
enth~F and G streets was one of the
first blocks along F street built upon
and is especially noted as being the site
of one of the earliest churches within
the new Federal Capital. It was Pres
byterian. church, and from reliable
sources it is said to have been built some
time prior to 1796, since in the autumn
of that year marriage notice appeared
In the Washington Gazette reading in
part: Married on Sunday evening last
by Rev. John Breckenridge, pastor of
st. Andrews Church ~; showing
that the church was not only in exist
ence then, but had name as well.
Another early announcement con-
tanned In the Centinel of Liberty of
May, 1900, gives further evidence of the
age Of this pioneer Presbyterian church.
The item reads:
"AH persons holding pe,ps in st.
Andrews Church, City OF Washing
ton, tDho 1Dish to continue them, ,oiH
please inform the committee on or
before the 18th day of May, and. any
person tDishing to rent in said church
for the present year may k1otu the
terms By applying to the committee.
"Dapid Wdterstone, Aler. Reed,
-DdDfd Oglesby, VIM. Mofdt,
'Johr Steuens, Jas. Middleton,
"Wiuiam Kno,oles.
"City of Washington,
MAY S, 1900. Com. of Arrangements.
It was in this church building that
Federal Lodge, No. l, F. A. A. M. cele-
brated ST. Johns Day, on June 10, 1901.
It seems to have been also used for civic
purposes for on May 81, 1902, meeting
of the inhabitants was held here 'to
nominate six men to represent the west
ern division of the city in the council"
However, just what finally became of
this building no one seems to know
Christian Hines says that in 1900, be-
side the church there were In this block
at that date three frame houses.
St. Patrick's Church.
St. Patrick's Church, which faces
woodward & Lothrop's store on the
Tenth street side of the square, also has
an interesting history. It's beginning was
quite humble one, starting, as it did,
In little frame church which stood
on the F street side of the block, just
around the corner and to the south of
its present stone building.
It's history starts from April II, 1894,
when Father Anthony Caffrey purchased
from the Commissioners lots and
In square 376, which is bounded by F
and G, Ninth and Tenth streets NV.
These lots faced street, and they were
purchased for the small sum of 80
pounds. In June of the same year lot 7,
next to the corner of Tenth street, also
was purchased, and in later years the
church holdings were considerably
added to. Prior to this, however, ac-
cording to Father William Clarke, the
congregation worshiped In the second
story Of building at Tenth and E
streets NV.
There is uncertainty as to the exact
date when the church was erected,
though about the year 1904 seems to
1T in best with the known facts. Pho
neering in any way generally means
intensive and hard work, and if Father
Caffrey failed to keep any record dur
ing his busy stay in Washington, surely
none can blame him, although it would
have been nice had he done so. He was
loyal to Ireland, and his reverence for
its patron saint was shown when he
named this early Washington church
st. Patrick's. OF this devout priest
little is known, and perhaps the most
to be said of him has been recorded
by Mrs. Virginia King Frye, who states:
ut Is, indeed, regrettable that so
little is definitely known of Father
Caffrey and his work; that more docu-
mentary evidence of those early days is
not obtainable. Just when he came to
this locality, and the circumstances,
are mostly conjecture, and whether or
not he was able to build any or all Of
the little church he had planned on
the new site is undetermined. The
lots were decided by him to Bishop
Carroll on September 4, 1904, for the
use of the Roman Catholic congrega-
tlon worshiping in ST. Patrick'S Church
and for their use forever Father Caf-
frey returned to Ireland in 1904 or
1905 and died there some years later"
A letter, printed in Greenleaf and
Law In the Federal City, by Allen G.
Clark, shows how grateful this good
priest was to Robert Morris for a sub
scription he had made for building the
church. The note is dated "City Of
Washington, October /. 1884" and
follows:
II thought I could have the pleasure
OF seeing you before your departure
from this city. It is more than prob
able we shall not be favored with q
visit from you before your return from
Europe. That God may take you under
His providential guard and protection
"AAA NC AAAy NoAAJ PAoyC1 uIltu ENJOY
the happiness of seeing you once more.
''Dr. Sir,
"Yr. ever obliged & obedt. servt.,
"ANTH CAFFREY, D.D.
"P. S.-Youu be pleased to teel Mr..
Lafette that I wish him most pros
perious wage & anxiously expect the
happiness Of seeing him once more In
this New World. I hope I'll have the
pleasure Of seeing Mr.. Delagarene
shortly. As could not hear that he