Evening star., 1945-02-18

me ScuygS HOuSe, AnUCOS
erected about 1850.
East of the old Eastern Branch road,
now included in Minnesota avenue and
Anacostia road and north of Good
Hope road to Benning road, the same
map gives the following names as own
ers: r. Worthington, j. Dean r. Arnold,
DR.. Lee, Sales ]. Bowen, A. Underhill,
T. Talbert, T. Griffin, T. Gator, w.
Tremble, u. Brown, S. West, r. NJ Clel-
land, DR. w. A. Manning, D. A. Wat
terston, M Burns and j. Kennedy.
Sales ]. Bowen
Sales j. Bowen whose name appears
in the foregoing list, came to Wash
ington in 1845 from Cayuga, N Y, with
his wife, Mary Barker Bowen, sister to
Harriet Barker, who married -Amaziah
Underhill, and to Charles Barker, who
married Maria Shepherd.
Mr.. Bowen, like so many people who
came here. first secured employment in
one of the Federal departments, but
gave this up three years later, and
engaged In the claims business, with
an office at the corner of Twelfth and
F streets northwest. In 1851 he secured
an appointment in the Office of the
Secretary of the Senate where he served
as disbursing officer. In 1852, he was
Collector of Internal Revenue for the
District of Columbia, and for several
years subsequent to 1868 was the city
postmaster. He was Mayor of Wash
ington from 1868 to 1869, but was de-
feated for reelection, his defeat being
largely due, according to an early ac-
count, by the Reputation of his own
party, which ended his political career.
He also suffered financial reverses, due
to unfortunate investments, and he died
at an advanced age in reduced circum-
stances, and was buried in Congressional
Cemetery.
When he first came to Washington,
he bought a tract of land beyond the
Eastern Branch, and here he built his
home and resided there for number
of years. This old home is still stand
ing. Later, when prosperous, he lived at
1411 K street northwest
Scaggs Estate
The old Scaggs estate, according to
an early account, included in its area
Fort Sedgwick Originally Fort Chaplin,
which stands 100 feet above the level
of the river. 1t was built by Mr.. Scaggs
nearly century ago. In 1850 it was
the residence of a couple who gained
considerable notoriety on account of
romantic episode connected with their
lives. According to the story late in the
'40s a beautiful, accomplished Russian
princess eloped with serf of her
country. They fled to this country and
about the year 1852 rented this house,
which was then an attractive building.
1t was surrounded by dense forest and
in this secluded retreat the couple hoped
to elude friends and foes alike. The
lady in the case, an accomplished artist,
afterward became widow, and was al
ways a respected resident of Washington.
In 1891 the property belonged to A.
j. Curtis, who gave the place the name
of Villa May, in honor of his wife. 1t
is large two-story structure, with
porch or balcony extending along its
entire front and contains about 20
rooms.
Mr.. Scaggs came here in 1880 from
Frederick County, Va. where he was
born in August 1903. He was, therefore,
a contemporary of william Benning.
He bought TOO acres of ground, paying
81 an acre for it. Mr.. Seaggs died in
1880, leaving his estate, which then con-
sisted of 214 acres of the original tract
and number of houses, including the
old mansion, to his widow, who later
resided in the annex to the southern
end of the house, the building itself be-
ing rented and occupied at that time
by Dr. Keenan,.
Noted Churchman
Mr.. Scraggs was an enthusiastic
Methodist, being the leading spirit. in
this section in church work Piney
Grove Church, long since demolished,
was maintained and supported by him
almost solely up to the year 1877. He
paid all the running expenses, including
the preachers salary.
In the days Of slavery he owned quite
number of slaves, and this church was
originally built by him as place of
worship for them. In 1885 the white
Methodists took possession Of it, and