Evening star., 1946-05-12


II Court left little positive proof of
their stopping places in Wash
ington, although Chief Justice
John Marshall is believed to have
stopped at 1901 Pennsylvania avenue
during the brief period of month when
he was both Secretary of State and Chief
Justice, and has indicated that he stayed
with Tench Ringgold at 1901 F street in
the old First Ward.
Justice Marshall took the oath of Of
flee February 4, 1901, and ceased to be
Secretary of State the following March
4. 1t was not customary in those days
for justices to be accompanied by their
families during the brief period the
court was in session. Members boarded
and roomed together. Ringgold is men,
toned in early correspondence of JUS
tice Marshall.
The Ringgold residence, early known
as the Carroll house, was erected on
lots belonging to David Burnes and
decided in 1902 by John Oakley, guardian
of Burnes daughter Marcia, to William
H. Dorsey. A year later Dorsey decided
the site to Col. John Tayloe, builder of
the Octagon, headquarters for the
American Institute of Architects at
Seventeenth street and New York ave-
nue. NV, and said to have been the
wealthiest Virginian of his day. In
1906 Col. Tayloe gave Dorsey quit
claim deed and the latter Immediately
transferred title to Jacob Wagner.
Tobias Lear, secretary to President
Washington, bought the property in
1915, and his widow, Frances D. Lear,
and his son Benjamin sold it to Tench
Ringgold in 1924.
Assessment records for 1924 indicate
some kind of a structure on the land,
as it was valued at 5000 for improve
ments In 1925 Ringgold borrowed
$4,000 from his daughter. Sarah Brooke
Lee Ringgold, subsequently Mrs. John
Thomas. and gave her a mortgage on
the property as security. The amount
was not paid when due and the sale
of the property was decreed, the title
being vested in John Thomas.
Ringgold Helped Rebuild
Washington After Fire
Tench Ringgold was a well-known
man in Washington. At one time he
was influential and wealthy. He was an
early land commissioner and served sew
eral terms as marshal of the District
He was a member of Richard S. Bris-
Goes company of militia in the years
1911 and 1918, and probably at other
times. On the occasion of the burning
of the public buildings in Washington
by the British. August a. 1914, he was
with President Madison when he re
treated" from the city
He was appointed one of the three
commissioners to rebuild the public edi-
fees, the others being John P. Van Ness
and Richard Bland Lee
For the Monroe second Inauguration
Marshal Ringgold was inEusted with
Official details and arrangements and
served in a like capacity when John
Quincy Adams was inducted into office
When Gen. Jackson was inaugurated,
In 1929, he was given place at the gen.
erals side as he walked to the Capitol,
which "Old Hickory preferred to do
as he was in mourning at the time for
his wife
Peyton Boarding House
Accommodated Statesmen
Here is what Justice Marshall wrote
to Judge Story on November is, 1888
Il have just received a letter from
Mr.. Ringgold informing me that he
has moved his family out of the city
and consequently cannot accommodate
us next winter. What is to become of
us? What arrangements can be made?
Shall we go to the place selected by
our brother Johnson near the Capitol,
or what other location shall We make?
If you have held any communication
with our brother Thompson since his
last and greatest affiiction, or can hold
any with him, will you consult him
and if possible determine on something?
I will hold myself in readiness to join
you anywhere. If you fix on any place
let me know it. If you do not then
say where we shall meet"
1t would seem that Ringgold had
accommodated the members of the
court the previous winter and maybe
upon other occasions.
In October, 1881, Justice Marshall
also expresses his desire to engage i'm
mediately with Ann Eliza Peyton, who
kept boarding house on Four-and-a-
Half street (now Fourth street, between
Pennsylvania avenue and C street,
where her guests at that time were
Senator Robert Y. Hayne and Repre-
sentatives George McDufie, William T.
Nuckowls, Walter H. Overton and Ed
ward D. White
incidentally, it was John Marshall
who handed down the decision of the
Supreme Court, in 1906 that. resi-
dent OF the District of Columbia was
not a citizen of State within the
meaning of the Constitution and could
not sue citizen of Virginia in the
Circuit Court for the Virginia district.
> 1T is extraordinary" said the Chief
Justice, that courts open to aliens and
to the citizens of every State in the
Union should be closed upon them, but