A Portrait of Old George Town Part 28

Across High Street (Wisconsin Avenue), the house sitting high on the bank was for many years the home of Mr. William Dougal and his family of one son and four lovely daughters. His wife was Miss Adler, and this house was built on part of her father's property. The old brick house, which was back of it some distance north, was the home of Morris Adler.

A small frame house nearer Road (R) Street was where his son, Morris J.

Adler, lived, until he built a house on West (P) Street.

A little way eastward on the same side of Road (R) Street is the famous Dumbarton Oaks. The land was first bought from Thomas Beall in 1800 by William H. Dorsey, first judge of our Orphan's Court, who was appointed by President Jefferson. Mr. Dorsey had previously been living in the old part of the town, for I find an advertis.e.m.e.nt of the sale of his property before he came up here, and from the minutes of a meeting of the Corporation of Georgetown on October 24th, 1801, we find the following: "William H. Dorsey writes to ask if his removal to his present place of residence will disqualify him from serving on the Corporation. They are of opinion it does not disqualify him as a member thereof."

He built this house, named it The Oaks, and lived in it for four years.

His first wife was Ann Brooke, the daughter of Colonel Richard Brooke, of Oak Hill, Sandy Spring, whose wife was Jane Lynn, the daughter of David Lynn. In 1802 Mr. Dorsey married Rosetta Lynn, who was the aunt of his first wife.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WILLIAM HAMMOND DORSEY]

William Hammond Dorsey was born at Oakland, in Howard County, and died at Oakley, near Brookeville, in 1818. He was a very handsome man and was nicknamed "Pretty Billy" by his Quaker neighbors of Sandy Spring.

In 1805 the place was bought by Robert Beverley of Ess.e.x County, Virginia. His wife was Jane Tayloe, a sister of Colonel John Tayloe, who built the famous Octagon House. Mr. and Mrs. Beverley owned the place until 1822. During that time their son James was married to Jane Peter, the daughter of David Peter of nearby "Peter's Grove," and this place became their home. They did not remain here long, but went back to Virginia and established themselves near The Plains.

The next owner was James E. Calhoun, of South Carolina. He loaned it to his distinguished brother, John C. Calhoun, who made it his home for some of the time he spent at the capital in the various offices he held.

He was Secretary of War in the cabinet of President Monroe; Vice-President with John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson, and Senator from South Carolina. From here he wrote that the leisure of the office of Vice-President gave him a good opportunity to study the fundamental questions of the day called "The American System." At this time the place was known as _Acrolophos_ (Grove on the Hill), a most descriptive name. Later it became Monterey, after the war with Mexico made that battle so famous.

It was in 1846 that the estate was bought by Edward M. Linthic.u.m, and I think it must have been during the time he owned it that the mansard roof was added which, fortunately, has been removed by the present owners. In Mr. Linthic.u.m's day it is described thus:

The house which has been changed, but not improved in appearance, by the addition of a mansard roof and other alterations, was a large, two-story brick, with hall from front to rear "wide enough for a hay wagon to pa.s.s through," on either side of which were great parlors beautifully proportioned. The east parlor opened into a bright, sunny dining room, which in turn looked out upon a well-filled greenhouse, with flower gardens on the east, wooded lawn in front, grove of forest trees on the west, and gently sloping well-sodded hills in the rear, all of which were kept in perfect order. During the life of Mr. Linthic.u.m, "The Oaks" was the show place of the District.

Mr. and Mrs. Linthic.u.m had no children so they adopted a daughter, Miss Kate Mitch.e.l.l, of Lower Maryland, who became the wife of Mr. Josiah Dent. Their son, Edward Linthic.u.m Dent, inherited the place. In those days it was known as "The Oaks," the name I always heard it called by in my girlhood.

In 1891 it was bought by Mr. Henry F. Blount, who had made a fortune and came to Washington. In 1920 it was purchased by the Honorable Robert Woods Bliss, Amba.s.sador to the Argentine. He and Mrs. Bliss remodeled the house and created the gardens, which comprise over thirty acres and are marvels of beauty. Many more acres at the back were allowed to remain in a delightfully wild condition.

The place was renamed Dumbarton Oaks, a museum was built as a wing on the west to house a library and a collection of Byzantine and pre-Christian material, and in 1940 the estate was given by Mr. and Mrs.

Bliss to Harvard University, with the exception of the part along the stream at the back, which was donated to the District of Columbia as a park. The Dumbarton Oaks Conference which led to the formation of the United Nations was held here, beginning August 21, 1944.

Part of the land at the back is where the Home for Incurables was until it was moved farther out of town. I used to go there to visit some of the patients who were my friends, and for the simple Sunday evening services.

Lover's Lane, at the east of Dumbarton Oaks, separates it from Montrose Park. It is still, as it has always been, I am glad to say, completely unimproved, unspoiled, sweet and rambling and quiet, wending its way along the brook that empties into Rock Creek at the beginning of Oak Hill. I suppose there is hardly a soul of middle-age living in Georgetown who has not fond memories of Lover's Lane, for in the days of our youth we did walk with our lovers; no automobiles or movies filled our Sat.u.r.day or Sunday afternoons, and very little golf.

Through Lover's Lane we went to Normanstone, the home of the two Misses Barnards and their sister, Mrs. Talcott. It was a quaint little house, which stood just about where the British Emba.s.sy now is. The name is commemorated by Normanstone Drive. Mr. Robert Barnard built Normanstone in 1830. It was a Devonshire cottage of clay, straw, and pebbles, with walls four feet thick.

The turreted stone mansion nearby was built by Mr. Elverson of Philadelphia. His daughter, Nelly, became the wife of Monsieur Patrenotre, the French Minister. This was in the days before our foreign envoys became Amba.s.sadors.

Our first knowledge of the present Montrose Park was as Parrott's Woods.

Richard Parrott conducted there a "rope walk." It seems that when they made rope it was necessary to have a long, even stretch where the rope-makers walked up and down manufacturing the hemp into rope. And, of course, in this town with all its ships, the making of rope was a lucrative business.

Mr. Parrott evidently was kind in loaning his property for picnics too, for again Mr. Gordon gives us vivid pictures of the Fourth of July annual picnic of all the Protestant Sunday schools. It seems to have been a huge affair, with flags and banners and rosettes of various colors adorning the scholars of the different schools.

In 1822 the property was bought by Clement Smith, of whom I have spoken before as being the first cashier of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank, afterwards becoming its president. He called the place Elderslie. In 1837 he sold it to Mrs. Mary McEwen Boyce, whose daughter, Jane, married George Washington Peter, son of Thomas Peter of Tudor Place. In a railroad accident, both Captain Boyce and another daughter were killed.

Mrs. Boyce continued to live here the rest of her life.

It was a very sweet, homelike house, but not a particularly handsome one. There was a conservatory opening off of one of the rooms, for Mrs.

Boyce seems to have been especially fond of flowers. A sweet little story was told me the other day about her. A friend paused one day to admire the roses blooming in front of the house, saying, "How lovely your roses are, Mrs. Boyce!" "They are not my roses," said she. At the surprised look on her friend's face she continued, "I plant them there for the public." And still, today, there are lovely roses blooming at Montrose for "the public," for after many, many years a movement was set on foot to buy this place with its marvelous old trees of numerous varieties for a park for the people of Georgetown.

Two historic events have taken place in Montrose Park. The first was long ago, on September 1, 1812, when the funeral services were held here for General James Maccubbin Lingan, after his tragic death in Baltimore.

No church could be found large enough to accommodate the crowds which wished to attend. There were representatives from three cities and five counties, in those days of travel by foot, by saddle, by rowboat and by coach. General Washington's tent was spread over the stand on which were four clergymen, other dignitaries, and George Washington Parke Custis of Arlington, who delivered the oration.

The funeral cortege was escorted by Major George Peter's company. The General's horse was led behind the hea.r.s.e, where his son walked as chief mourner, followed by two heroes of the Revolution, Major Benjamin Stoddert and Colonel Philip Stuart. Light Horse Harry Lee, who had been wounded at the time General Lingan was killed, was still too ill to be present.

General Lingan's widow was not able to be present because of a very unfortunate occurrence. While she was sitting by her window waiting for her carriage, a rough man, carrying a pike, stopped under her window and, thrusting up the weapon covered either with blood or rust, which had the same appearance, he let forth a torrent of brutal words. She was so overcome with an agony of shock and grief that she was obliged to remain at home.

The other historic event took place on the fifth of June, 1918, the day on which was inaugurated the draft for the soldiers of the World War I.

All over this land that evening speeches were delivered on the subject, but I think none could have been more effective or impressive than the one staged in Montrose Park at sunset. Then Newton D. Baker, as Secretary of War, in charge of the whole operation, "elected to speak to his neighbors." A wonderful speech it was, and I shall never forget the sight as he stood outlined against the glow of the western sky.

Of Oak Hill Cemetery I have spoken again and again. It is almost like a refrain. It seems to be the natural resting place for Georgetonians when their work is done.

Its terraces leading steeply down the hill to Rock Creek are shaded by many stately oak trees and numerous gorgeous copper beeches, and are adorned in the spring by flowering shrubs.

There is the little ivy-covered chapel which can be seen from the street, and farther back is the little white Greek temple where Oak Hill's donor, Mr. Corcoran, rests. Also the larger circular mausoleum where Marcia Burns Van Ness is interred.

Many besides Georgetonians have been laid to rest within its borders, for there are Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War for President Lincoln; James G. Blaine, and many more, all prominent in their days. There, too, lies Peggy O'Neale, who, as the wife of Andrew Jackson's Secretary of War, Eaton, kept the social life of the Capital in an uproar for many a year and, it is said, also greatly influenced political matters.

Her very first triumph took place in Georgetown, when, at a school exhibition at the Union Hotel, the little girl with dark brown curly hair and pert red lips was crowned the "Queen of Beauty" by Mrs. Dolly Madison. Peggy was the daughter of the Irish landlord of a hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, and was married at sixteen to Mr. Timberlake, an officer in the United States Navy. He committed suicide in 1828.

After that began her career, when she was defended and supported in all that she did by Andrew Jackson, who had suffered bitterly from criticism of his own wife.

But the most famous person who lies buried in Oak Hill is the man whose song is known in every hamlet of this broad land: John Howard Payne, the author of "Home, Sweet Home." He had been in Georgetown in his youth, you remember, for he accompanied General Lingan on that trip to Baltimore from which the General never returned but to his funeral. Mr.

Payne was then a young man of twenty-one and excited over the adventure, I suppose, like any one of that age. He was sent in later life as a consul to one of those little states on the northern coast of Africa which in those days made so much trouble for the United States. There he died and was buried. Years later his body was brought back by Mr.

Corcoran, and there was quite a ceremony for his re-interment.

The stone placed over him in that distant land and brought back with his body has the seal of the United States carved at the top and reads:

IN MEMORY OF COL. JOHN HOWARD PAYNE TWICE CONSUL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE CITY AND KINGDOM OF TUNIS THIS STONE IS PLACED BY A GRATEFUL COUNTRY HE DIED AT THE AMERICAN CONSULATE IN THIS CITY AFTER A TEDIOUS ILLNESS APRIL 1, 1852 HE WAS BORN AT THE CITY OF BOSTON STATE OF Ma.s.sACHUSETTS JUNE 8, 1792 HIS FAME AS A POET AND DRAMATIST IS WELL KNOWN WHEREVER THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS SPOKEN THROUGH HIS CELEBRATED BALLAD OF HOME, SWEET HOME AND HIS POPULAR TRAGEDY OF BRUTUS AND OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTIONS

This slab lies flat upon the ground. Adjoining it is a circle in the center of which is a monument bearing a bust of Colonel Payne, and on it is the following inscription:

IN MEMORY OF JOHN HOWARD PAYNE AUTHOR OF HOME, SWEET HOME BORN JUNE 9, 1791 DIED APRIL 9, 1852 ERECTED ANNO DOMINI 1883

"Sure when thy gentle spirit fled To realms beyond the azure dome With arms outstretched, G.o.d's angel said 'Welcome to Heaven's Home, Sweet Home.'"

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BALCH, THOMAS BLOOMER: _Reminiscences of Georgetown_.

BRYAN, W. B.: _A History of the National Capital_.

BUSEY, SAMUEL C.: _Pictures of the City of Washington in the Past_.

CAEMMERER, H. PAUL, Ph.D.: _The Life of Pierre Charles L'Enfant_.

CLARK, ALLEN C.: _Life and Letters of Dolly Madison_.