Evening star. [volume], February 14, 1932, Page 7, Image 79

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
brought to the house and treated for weeks
with a broken leg. A newcomer in father’s
family was named ‘Bryan* after that officer,
and forever after the two families were staneta
friends. During those anxious years many
boys-in-blue sought and obtained assistance
in various ways at Hopeton.
“While President Lincoln occupied the Riggs
OOttage at the Soldiers' Hotne he drove from
the White House out Fourteenth street, cross
ing a large ‘common’ that stretches to Seventh
street Mr. Lincoln was often attended by
Cavalry, and many times had with him hu
son Tad. From an adjoining place two of my
father's children would stand an the lawn
and watch for the President. Our lifted caps
and bows from the girls were always noticed
by the President who raised his ’stove-pipe’ ill
recognition."
Mr. Stickney’s children, the majority of
whom were bom at Hopeton. were Frank Lewis,
Mary Kinsford. who married A. Mellin Rice,
now deceased: Bryan Harding, Kate Aiethea,
Julia Hall, married Henry Park Cochrane, both
being retired missionaries from Burns; Mabel.
Who married Prof. Louts D. Bliss, and Rosa
mond Knowles SUckney.
THE Whitney Avenue Union Mission, as the
present church on Paik road, east of
Georgia avenue, was once called, was founded
and promoted in the early days by the Smiths.
Hie Stickneys. the Prescotts and Gaileys (later
comers, who lived to the south*, the Tingles,
Stuart J. Gass, on whose land the chapel was
built, and by others.
The Lewis-Stickney hotne. about 18*7, be
came the property of two members of Congress,
and here George Field resided from ISM an.
It was this gentleman and his brother Thomas
who assisted in developing the American beauty
pose, brought to this country as La Madame
Ferdinand Jamin. a French rose which had
been transplanted to Germany and for a con
siderable time had been cultivated there. It
languished in Germany, so the story goes, and
b prominent rose grower in Hamburg gave the
last specimen of its kind to the historian and
diplomat. George Bancroft Bancroft's gar
dener, John Brady, tried his hand at developing
It and succeeded in interesting the Field
brothers, whose green houses occupied a part
Of the site of the Interior Department Building.
During President Grant's administration
George Field was in charge of the White House
green bouses.
Adjoining Hopeiou on the north was the resi
dence of Mr. Lewis' oldest son. Joseph Knowles
Lewis, and a portion of his. property he later
Sold to Charles E. Ebel. the butcher, whose
home is still standing
At the southeast corner of Rock Creek Church
poad and Georgia avenue was the truck garden
•f John and Edmund Cammaek. their plate
extending along Rock Creek Church road to
tAwe Sokliers' Home- property. John Cammaek.
so the writer understands, was married twice,
and the second Mrs. Cammaek and a son
survive. He died June 16. 1908. and was buried
from the Church of tte Sacred Heart. He was
•n active member of the Association of Oldest
Inhabitants and his pallbearers included Dr.
Benjamin Sunimy. T. Edward Clark and Lieut.
Johnson from the association, and Robert D.
Weaver. William M Weaver. Henry E. Weaver,
Charles B, Edmonston. William E. Edmonston,
Upton Edmonston Arthur J May and Leo C
May.
North of Rock Creek Church road on the east
■tde of Georgia avenue, the writer finds re
aorded the following owners and residents
prior to and during the Civil War. First, the
Tayloe farm, now the large subdivision of
Betworth; then the Marshall Brown property,
listed as belonging to T. Mosher: A. White,
now Bright wood Park, and then Emery place,
tbe beautiful estate of the last mayor of Wash
ington. Matthew G. Emery, bounded on the
north by Concord avenue, which at this point
■M originally a part of Rock Creek B»rd road,
later called Magnolia avenue, and still later
Shepherd road. The question is what It will
bo called next
rtE ava Ray farm was some dataace east
at Georgia avenue, being to the south of
Shepherd road and near the Blair road. He
was the grandfather of J. Enos Ray of Chillum
and Charles W. Ray of Sandy Spring and John
May. and has other descendants. He was the
pioneer member of this branch of the family
in the District of Columbia. The oid home
Still stands, though somewhat the worse for
Wear.
Just to the north of Concord avenue was the
home of R. Butt, and then came the residence
M W. M. Morrison, which stood back from the
Pood. M. P. Causln's home was a little farther
«p the road from the Reeves farm, to the back
Of which was the property of Mrs. 8. A.
Sreeves. Then came S. Reeve's place. D. Ool
Maaer. A. P. C. Shoemaker, father of the late
fcowis P. Shoemaker, and the estate of C. G.
Gr* miner which bordered the Piney Branch
road to the rear of tlie Colclaser property.
A settlement known as Oak Grove was to
(he north of Mr. Shoemaker's place, and here
trwa a post office of that name, nearby which
liwd E. G. Dudley, and this was the tost home
On the east side of the road before reaching
Me District line
On the west side of Georgia avenue during
End prior to the Civil War. beginning at Florida
hvsnue. was first a stopping place for fanners—
fight on the corner. The next was the resi
dence of J. Holmead. which was probaWy at a
feter date the Purner home. Wineberger's was
toorth of Rock Creek Church road.
In 1852 a company of 12 families was organ
toed in Buffalo. N. Y. as the Erie Company,
End purchased along this road, opposite Pet
leorth, 137 acres of land. It extended north
la tor as Piney Branch Park, from the first
as Saul’s subdivision: the selection of
e being made by Benjamin Summy and
EfUliam Little. For many years, as though a
Monument to the industry of these Mew York
tenners, Mere stood at the top of the hill
noosed by Randolph street an octagon house,
erected prior to the Cirfl War. B was last
occupied by William Miller, who bought tt in
18M, and removed it in 1922 to make why for
his new home which occupies the site. Speak
ing of this unique old residence in his story of
the Octagon Houses of Washington for the
K.*-ix-_- ' "'fin mini '
Emory V. E. Church South, completed 1870, removed 1922. near site of the
original church, built in 18.12.
Columbia Historical Society. Itank J. Metcalf
says:
“Mr. Summy put up. in 1853. a small house
on the site where the octagon house was later
built, and lived in it until 1855, when it was
burned. He then moved into a house across
the street on the Pet worth (arm, and proceeded
to rebuild. This was at a time when eight
sided bouses were a popular form of archi
tecture. There was one such house in Vir
ginia. not far from Fort Myer, and as its ar
rangements suited Mr. Summy be adopted that
style for his new home.
“This new building was tile first concrete
house in Washington. Its sides were each 16
feet long and the walls 15 inches thick for
the first story, and about a foot for the second.
Boards were set up at the proper distance
apart and the space filled in with concrete,
consisting of lime, sand and broken stone.
When this layer had sufficiently set the boards
were raised and another layer put in place.
The chimneys of this house are three in num
ber. and the middle one is a little to one side
of the center. There is one near the front and
one at the back
iiTOON after the colony had willed the ever
essential question of a school arose, and
this being before the days of the public school.
Mr. Summy built a small room near the road,
and those whose children were to be benefited
United in the support of a teacher. This ar
rangement continued only for a short period;
then the school house was moved up to the
back of the octagon, and became the kitchen
of the house. The portion between the square
room and the slanting side of the main build
ing was roofed, and the post which supported
one aide of the piazza is now within this tri
angular room. There is a piazza entirely around
the house, and above the roof is an octagonal
cupola, with windows on the four sides facing
the points of the compass and mock windows
on tile four other sides.
“After Mr. Summy moved from the house it
was purchased and occupied by Henry Con
radis, a native of Germany, but a resident
of the District of Columbia for over 58 years,
or from 1850 till his death in 1901. He was a
prominent contractor, and superintended the
construction of the original buildings of Ken
dall Green. He was a member of Stansbury
Lodge of Masons at Brightwood and a mem
ber of tne Grand Army of the Republic. Sev
eral of his children are still residents of the
city, among whom may be mentioned William
Oonradis. a plumber, and Mrs. Louis Hartig.
“The house is now owned and occupied by
William Miller, who has for more than 40 years
lived either in or near this house. His wife
is a daughter of William Heine, who lived on
the estate joining it on the north for over 50
years. Mr. Heine bought out Mr. Little, one
of the original colonists, who returned to Buf
falo about 1868 '
Among the names of these early settlers men
tioned by Mr. Metcalf are. Benjamin Suratny,
William C. Avery. William Little, E. C. Hub
bard. Mr. Long. William Horner. J. P. Dickin
son. J. M. Taylor and Daniel Strickler.
NOTHING is mure fascinating than geneal
ogy. Here we have William C. Avery, com
ing from a part of New York not far from the
cradle of the Averys and Rockefellers. John
D Rockefeller* father was William Avery
Rockefeller, son of Godfrey Rockefeller who
married Lucy Avery. Just what became of the
William C. Avery, who settled in the District
of Columbia at this time, the writer does not
know. Indeed, he may have returned to New
York. At least it is quite probable that there
is some connection between this pioneer and
time venerable oil baron.
The Heine home still stands on the south
side of Shepherd street, a little east of Georgia
avenue.
The property now occupied by the new Busi
ness High School and other school buildings
was the Alfred Ray tract, and later the farm
of John Ruppert. butcher. Mr. Ray moved to
bB farm at Forest Glen. He was a son of
the original Enos Ray.
Then came the farm and nurseries of John
Saul, purchased by him in May, 1854. from
Richard Wallach. The property contained in
all 80 acres, and was known as Maple Grove
Farm. To the east of this was a tract recorded
ja the name of the W. Osborn heirs, which ex
tended to Piney Branch road. The car bam
is on this farm, and not far off. in the ravine
to the southeast, was the Osborn home. Mr.
Saul had another farm of 35 acres at Bright
wood, called Girl's Portion, purchased from
John H. McChesney in 1872, and later ln
creaaed to 40 acres.
Capt. James White's farm, originally con
stating of 000 acres, came next, and the old
borne still stands at the corner of Longfellow
and Thirteenth streets. James White, as has
been said, “was well known as a gentleman of
the Southern scliool. who was a great lover
of sports and patron of the chase, good horses,
good wine and the old-time pastime of watch
ing game cocks contest for the championship
a la Sullivan.
“Be had three wives, and his will, following
three sets of heirs, divided the estate. The part
at Bright wood, comprising 280 acres, was
owned, op to his death, by the captain's son
Archibald, whose widow and children still hold
it, too* 88 acres, lately sold by them to the
Brightwood Park syndicate for $100,000.”
Stnoe this Item was published. In 1882,
Archibald White, his wife and three sons,
Robert E. L„ George and James, have passed
to the great beyond, but the old homestead
is still occupied by members of the family,
whose fond recollections of the past makes
the place of their birth very dear to them.
The James White spring, noted on the
L"Enfant map. was on this farm.
The Piney Branch. Hotel at the old Brightwood Trotting Park, east side of
Colorado avenue, south of Kennedy street.
TO the west of the White property, and west
of Piney Branch road, lived B. Jast, Rev.
Dr. Finkel, W. King and a Mr. Stewart, and
nearby was al*o the Piney Branch race track.
A. Shoemaker lived on the northwest corner
of Georgia avenue and Milk bo use Ford road
and to the west of this house was the home of
L. Brunett. Later the first Brightwood public
school was on the Military road west of Georgia
avenue.
North of Shoemaker’s was the old Emory
Chapel, which stood just a few yards to the
south of the present Emory M. E. Church
South. It was at first a modest log and frame
building and was called a meeting house—a
popular name for a house of worship in the
early days—for this church had its beginning
just 100 years ago. when, in 1832, A G. Pierce
deeded to the church half on acre of ground
"for the purpose of a school room and a church
for tlie convenience of the neighborhood.”
Later. December 17, 1850, this land was con
veyed to Enos Ray, Levi M. Osborn, Charles
Davis, George T. McGlue. Alfred Ray. Henry
Hoyle and Thomas N. Wilson, as trustees.
The original building was a two-story affair,
located where is now the Brightwood Junior
High School, the first story being a semi-baae
ment built of logs, and it was here that school
was conducted for several years by John
Pickett. • The second story of the building,
where worship was held, was of frame, entered
from the outside, and a gallery was here pro
vided for colored worshipers.
It was named ''Emory” for John Emory, who
was bom in Queen Anne County. Md.. in 1789,
of wealthy and influential parents, and who
was made a bishop in 1832.
Among those who were organizers of the
church, we are told, were “Levi M. Osborn,
rlas6 leader; Enos Ray. William B Beall. Alfred
Ray. Anthony L. Ray. Hamilton Cashell,
Octavius Cashell. Franklin Jones, Christopher
Brashears. William Osbourn. John Thomas,
Henry Hoyle, James and Thomas Lundon and
R. S. Jones, and. of course, the faithful wives
of these men played a large part in the
organization.’’
In 1846. the record shows; “ • * * it was
considered advisable and proper that the con
cerns of the church and school should be
separate and distinct, and each be managed by
separate boards of trustees, independent of
each other. The trustees of the school elected
by the church assembled were: Enos Ray.
chairman; Levi M. Osborn. Enoch Moreland,
Thomas Brown and Henry Ould.
From time to time additional purchases of
land were made, and in 1856 a red brick build
ing was erected on the present site of the
church, which we are told was “a very neat
and commodious buiiding. splendidly equipped
and furnished for its day. Emory had at this
time 59 white and 13 colored members. It
should be said here that Hamilton Cashell. one
of the original members of Emory, was a man
gifted in music. He conducted a large singing
class in the log-frame and brick churches, also
had charge of the music at tlte preaching serw
kfs, using thf* old-time tuning fork.
THROUGH the necessities of the Civil War,
the brick church was tom down when It
was decided to erect Fort Stevens, and the old
log-frame building was “used to incarcerate
unruly soldiers, and some of the bricks from
the church were used in building the fort.”
After the war. we are told. “Samuel Griffith
. preached at Emory, and. in 1867, William H. D.
Harper came as the preacher on the circuit.
Mr. Harper was a great preacher and well
liked, and, in about a year after his arrival on
the work, Emory planned to build a stone
chapel, elegant in style. The Building Com
mittee members were: Alexander R. Shepherd,
Governor of the District of Columbia: Enos
Ray, John McChesney, M. G. Emery. Alfred
Ray! J. W. Barker and Archibald White. "Hie
stone chapel was built by Charles Vance «d
was completed in 1870.
The comer stone of the present beautiful
building was laid in June, 1922, and it was
dedicated October 12. 1924. It cost around
$100,000. and the Building Committee included
Charles W. Ray. chairman; W. L. F. King,
Albert S. Gatley, J. Edward Fowler and J.
Enos Ray. For many years Prof. Joseph R.
Keene was superintendent of the Sunday
school, and was succeeded by Benjamin C. King
and later Alfred G. Osborn, until his death
in 1907. The present pastor is Rev. Harry V.
Wheeler.
West of Emory Church, around 70 years ago,
was the McChesney farm, and north of the
church was the toll gate; then came the prop
erty of W. B. BeU. J. Sekien, T. Carbery. D.
Clagett heirs, and. at the District line, the
estate of F. P. Blair.
. The Mill Pail Full
r[E malignant spread of economic depression
when human foresight is lacking or human
selfishness prevails is well demonstrated by a
development of the past year or two in the
dairy Industry.
The precipitate drop in grain prices made
grain fanning unprofitable for the small fanner
who could buy grain at prices so low that he
found little advantage in putting in the labor
Involved in raising his own. He found tho
less trying and exhausting activities of his
dairy more profitable and instead of continuing
the growing practice of culling out cows of low
productivity, maintained his herds on an even
more extensive scale, thus increasing the total
milk production.
In the meantime, the grain farmer, with lit
tle money to spend because of his low income,
was unable to buy manufactured goods and in
dustrial workers suffered a loss of income as
a result. The industrial worker, in turn, was
forced to buy less milk so that as a result
the dairy farmer, until now probably the moat
prosperous husbandman, is threatened with a
surplus which may bring about a serious drop
in prices paid for dairy products.
The Department of Agriculture Is stressing
the wisdom of suiting all unprofitable cowa
from tbs dairy herds and calling upon the
dairymen to watch market conditions closely
to avoid disastrous surpluses. It Is human
nature, perhaps, to expect some one else to do
the reducing, but if such an attitude is general
among dairy farmers the Nation’s milk pall
may run over. «