Evening star., 1950-10-08
The Days Of John Tyler
Texas Admitted, Morse Telegraph Started,
And FotoI Ship BIost All During His Term
By John CIogett Proctor

Historic buildings OF WaShlng-
ton are fast disappearing and in
some instances even their locali-
ties have been obliterated.
Take, for instance, Missouri
avenue between Third and Sixth
streets, once lined on the north
side with dwellings where many
persons Of Importance made their
homes, including John Tyler, who
later became President of the
United States.
Being close to the Capitol, some
members of Congress boarded and
resided on this avenue. and in
1843-1846 we find Representative
Henry S. Clarke of North Caro-
lima boarding with Matthias JET
fries, between what was then
Third and Four and = a Halt
streets, Missouri avenue then
being known as Missouri street.
Representative John r. j. Daniel
of North Carolina also lived there,
and on Four-and-a-Half street be-
tween Missouri and Pennsylvania
avenues, at William Duvalrs. lived
Representatives j. H. Harmanson
of Louisiana, Orlando B. Ficklin
of Illinois and j. H. Lumpkin OF
Georgia.
In the block between Four-and-
a-Half and Sixth street, Repre-
sentative B. G. Thilbodeaux OF
Louisiana lived at Daniel Wilson's
and nearby at 467 Missouri ave-
nue., lived John Tyler.
Building Dated to 1885
All this area. between Missouri
and Pennsylvania avenues. was
cleared of It's buildings by the
Government, in connection with
its great public buildings plan
and the Tyler house-like sc
many historic buildings-was also
removed. Some day. maybe. Con.
gress will pass a law to restore
the Washington residences OF the
Presidents-just as the people are
now trying to restore old build
ines at Williamsburg. Va.
The Tyler residence was prob
ably erected around 1885, wher
Mr.. Tyler was serving in the Sen.
ate. From the fact that the frs
Mrs. Tyler spent but one wintel
| in Washington. the chances art
that Mr.. Tyler did not own th'
property, but rather made hi
home in a boarding house.
President Tyler was one OF man!
DISTINGUISHED Southerners whit
espoused the cause Of the South
and joined the Confederacy. MI
Tyler was noted for having al
opinion Of his own. which HI
rarely ever surrendered, and wa
man Of intellectual accomp
lishments and force. He was
native son Of Virginia and wa
descended from the highest typ
Of Colonial ancestry, his fathe'
having been Governor Of th'
State Of Virginia, and he havini
been q graduate Of William ant
Mary College, Williamsburg. Va
After serving In the State Legis'
lature, he entered the United
States House Of Representative
when 81 and remained there un.
til March 8. 1921. having declined
to be a candidate. From 1925 tt
1927 he served as Governor o1
Virginia and In the latter year
was elected to the United States
Senate, where he remained until
February 30, 1886, when he re-
signed.
Became President lS41 Is
On March 4, 1s41. he was in
augurated Vice President. with
Gen. William Henry Harrison al
President. When the latter died
on April 4-one month after being
inaugurated-from the relentless
and incessant demands of Office
seekers, it is said-Mr. Tyler sue.
ceeded him in Office, taking the
oath on April 6. 184l, he being the
first Vice President to succeed tt
the higher Office.
Perhaps the most notable piec,
of legislation in President Tyler.
administration was the joint reso.
luton consenting, under certain
conditions. to the admission o.
Texas into the Union. which wa!
approved March l, 1845. The golc
pen with which the bill was signed
was given by the President to Mrs
Tyler, who afterward proudly wore
it suspended from her neck.
The Morse telegraph not only
got a good start during his ad-
ministration, when the first for.
NAL test was made on May "a
1874, but the first public tele.
graph Office in the world was
opened that autumn in a build
ing on the west side of Seventh
| street between E and F streets