Evening star., 1949-11-13


the oldest residence in
Blairs lived. No doubt Mr.. Blair
had every expectation of making
good and frequent use of this
road.
| Old District Roads
Before Alexander R. Shepherd
came into sufficient prominence
to have a road named after him,
Shepherd road was the Milk
House Ford road running as far
west as TennallytoWn. The Mill
tary road did not come into exist
ence until toward the beginning
OF the Civil War, when it was
erected to connect the forts to the
north and northwest of Washing
ton. Piney Branch road was the
only other road then running into
this country village. Old Shepherd
road, east Of Georgia avenue, and
the Military road, west of Georgia
avenue, is now Missouri avenue.
Many a bicycle enthusiast of 40
or so years ago will recall the
short, delightful run afforded by
riding out Piney Branch road to
BrightWood and returning to the
city by way of Seventh Street
road.
The Seventh Street turnpike is
now Georgia avenue, and on the
property purchased in 1900 by
Lewis White was the old tollgate
at No. 6400. During the Civil War
Mr.. White was encamped near this
spot with the Union troops, and
engaged in the Battle of Fort
Stevens. July Hip. 1854. The
beauty of the surrounding coun-
try at that time so appealed to
him that he determined to move
here when the opportunity pre-
sented itself. After a lapse Of So
years, his desire was realized, and
~ Seao lA1o SACSAt ooGlo1 az SlOll W
spend the remainder of his days
on the battlefield where he had
fought for the protection of the
Capital of the United States. The
foundation walls Of the tollgate
property still exist, but are COW
cred over in the lawn in front Of
the White residence.
Tollgate Days
This tollgate. put here many
years ago, did not meet with the
approval of those vino lived close
by and had to pass that way. A .
meeting of some to the prominent :.
residents to the north was soon
called and it was determined to
purchase a right of way in order
to detour around the tollgate. This
detour road now a section Of
Piney Branch road-had its be-
ginning at about 6400 Georgia
avenue, ran south paralleling that
avenue and ended across the street
from the Masonic Temple.
In 1858 the following are listed
as property owners along the Sew
enth Street turnpike from Rock
Creek Church road to Silver
Spring: On the right-hand side,
going north-O. B. Tayloe (prob-
ably meant for Benjamin Ogle y
,Tayloe). T. Mosher, A. White,
Matthew G. Emery, E. Ray, r.
Butt. M. P. Causin, S. Reeve, who
later sold to B. H Warner: w. H.
Morrison, DR.. Noble, Mr.. Colclazer,
A. P. c. Shoemaker and B. C. Daily.
who evidently conducted the Oak
Grove Post Office.
On the left-hand side of the
turnpike. going north, between
Rock Creek Church road and Piney
Branch road, were the properties
of j. Weinberger. j. Horner. Mr..
Sunny. w. Little. A. Ray. the
Washborne heirs, E. Osborn, j.
Saul and Mrs. H. White - the
White homestead no doubt being
the Oldest house in the Brightwood
area. Between Piney Branch road,
Rock Creek and Milk House Ford
road the farms were owned by
j. Hoyle. j. Pilling, F. Tittman,
Rev. D. Finkle, B. Jost, Mr.. Stew
art and w. King. North of Milk
House Ford road, along the turn
pike, were the tracts of A. Shoe
maker, Emory Chapel. w. B.
Beall, j. Seldom, T. Carberry. B.
Clagett's heirs and F. P. Blair.
The Beall property originally
included 338 acres and extended
along the Seventh Street pike, or
the Old Plank road, as it was
sometimes called. from Emory
Church north to about the Walter
Reed Hospital property. where it
crossed Georgia avenue, and in
cluded strip of land which is
now a part of Takoma Park. This
land once belonged to Robert
Lamar Beall, said to be a de-
scendant of Ninian Beall. patentee
of the Rock of Dumbarton, upon
which the original part of George
town was laid out before the Dis
trict Of Columbia was thought of.
Robert Lamar Bea1l left this
to his son, William
Brooke Beall. whose daughter,
Mrs. Annie G. Osborn, in turn in
herited 1t and who retained 1t up
until her death.
Tree
To the north Of the Beall tract,
facing Georgia avenue, was the
Lay farm. It was from q tree on
this farm that q sharpshooter
tried to pick of President Lincoln
during the attempted invasion of
Washington by Gen. Early In
July, 1864. but the sharpshooter
missed and did no further DAM
apn than Tn uol1nd a surgeon