Evening star., 1950-02-12

lIllO building lOtS Dy IIldTleS CdI =
roll, jr.. before the city of Wash
ington was laid out, and, like
Hamburg, or Funkstown, over
toward Foggy Bottom, never
developed as the original owners
had expected. Carrollsburgh, o.,
what was generally known by that
name, did, however, come into
considerable prominence right af-
ter the city was laid out, when
some fine buildings were erected
there, but the city did not 60 this
way, as some had expected and
hoped.
This subdivision extended from
N street south to the Eastern
Branch, and from the James
Greek Canal, on the west. to First
street Sc. on the east. First street
SW extends almost all the way
to the river. and is lined with as
beautiful a bower of elm trees as
one would want to see or could
find anywhere.
The streets were not all ar
ranged as they are north of the
Capitol, for there is a Half street
east and a First street west. The
blocks, include, from N street
south, squares 598 to 613, 652 to
SGT, and 702 to 708. Block 745
looks as though it might extend
into the river. The plat book
shows that all these blocks are
divided into building lots.
South Washington always has
had, and always will have it's
boosters, and among these was
the late Judge Robert E. Mating
ly, who, among other things once
told the writer that he recalled
the lazy walking funeral process
sions from the old home and the
old St. Dominic's churches, and
the destructive fire that burned
the new church later.
Thomas Low House
An old building in southwest
Washington that will always at
tract attention, is generally known
as the Thomas Law-Richard
Bland Lee house, located at the
northeast corner of Sixth and N
streets. 1t was built by the syndi-
cate which lost many thousands
of dollars in an effort to build
up Washington, which they at
tempted before the coming of
Congress to the new capital. The
members of this syndicate in
cluded the we'll known f1nancier
of the American Revolution, Rob-
ert Morris, and John Nicholson
and James Greenleaf.
Besides being one of the oldest
buildings in the city. it is also
of much interest because it was
to this mansion that Thomas Law
the youngest son of the Bishop OF
Carlisle, took his bride in the
Spring of 1896, she being Eliza
beth Parke Custis, daughter OF
John Parke Gusts, and grand
daughter of Mrs. Washington, as
we'll as a descendant of Lord Balti-
more.
The Laws did not reside long
in this house, but soon moved to
a residence built by Thomas Law
on the east side Of New Jersey
avenue between B and c streets
S.W.. where they entertained such
notable persons as Louis Philippe
Count Volney, Niemcewitz, Rich
ard Parkinson and many others
and, most naturally, Gen. and Mrs
Washington were frequent guests
there.
The Law residence at Sixth
and N streets is also said to have
been occupied for some years by
Richard Bland Lee of Prince Will
liam County. Va, a Representa-
tive in the First. Second and Third
Congresses, and a man who had
considerable to do with the plac-
ing of the Capital City on its
present site.
Helped Rebuild Washington
1t is probable that he came to
Washington in 1914, for it was
in that year that he was ap-
pointed one of three commissioners
to superintend the reconstrue-
ton of the public buildings de-
stroyed by the British on August
"a. Of that year, the other mem
bers being John P. Van Ness ano
Tench Ringgold, and their meet
ings were held in the old Blodgett
Hotel Building on E street be-
tween Seventh and Eighth streets
Later, in 1915, he was appointed
by President Madison as COM
missioner to adjudicate claims
arising out Of the loss or destruc-
ton of property during the war
of 1812-1815. Subsequently, in
1919. he was appointed by Presi-
dent Monroe as judge of the Or
phans Court of the District OF
Columbia, and served as such until
his death in Washington, March
IL, 1927.
The writer is not certain if
Judge Lee died in the old Law
mansion, but if he did, additional
significance attaches to the resi-