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Description: Sixty Years Ago - A Glance at the First Directory Issued in Washington
Date: August 5 1883Newspaper published in: Washington, DC
Page/Column: Page 1
Sixty Years Ago - A Glance at the First Directory Issued in Washington
The first general directory of Washington was issued in 1822. A well preserved copy is in the possession of Mr. James W. BARKER, of this city. It is an unpretentious volume of 150 pages, and was compiled by Judah DELANO. It is entitled "The Washington Directory," and, as indicated by its title page, showed "the name, occupation and residence of each head of a family and person in business; the names of members of Congress and where they board, together with other useful information." It was printed by William DUNCAN, whose office was situated on Twelfth street, between E and F streets northwest.
The population of Washington, according to the census of 1820 was only 13,247. It may, therefore, be easily imagined that the representation in the directory would not be numerous. As a matter of fact, the total number of names, including the "list of omissions, corrections and removals, ascertained too late to be inserted in their proper places," is only about 1,860. Of this number, names commencing with the letter U have the smallest representation, John UNDERWOOD, a clerk in the first auditor's office, and a Mr. UNDERHILL, a carpenter, being the only two. The letter I has five names and the Q six. Names commencing with the letters B, S, and M occupy the greatest amount of space, numbering 194, 182 and 177 respectively. There were only thirteen BROWNS, twelve JOHNSONS and three JONESES in the directory. This is somewhat of a contrast to the directory of Washington for 1883. A careful estimate shows that it contains about 40,000 names, while the commoner titles occupy page after page of timely printed matter.
The advertisement or preface to the book begins as follows: "The first general directory for the city of Washington is herewith presented to the public in the hope that it will be found, what the compiler has spared no pains in endeavoring to make it, worthy of their patronage." Then follows a few short paragraphs explaining the plan of the city and the contractions used in the book. It is somewhat interesting, as showing the primitive state of the city, that not a single house seems to have been numbered. A man's residence is given approximately. The street on which he lived, with the nearest intersecting street of public place being given, the problem was to find his house. In those days this was, doubtless, an easy matter, and yet it seems strange that "Seventeenth street between H and I," or "Sixth street between D and E," were sufficiently accurate to be of use in searching for the location of a resident.
At the time this directory was published James MONROE was President of the United States, and his name appears, but no distinction is attached to it. "Monroe, James, President of the United States, at the President's house," is sandwiched in between Philip MOHUN, a laborer, and James MONROE, an engineer at Dyer's steam mill. The names of the Cabinet officers are to be found after considerable search. John Quincy ADAMS, Secretary of State, was located in room No. 1, second floor, State department, his dwelling being on the north side of F street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets. The house now occupied by Dr. BLISS, on F street, is said to have been the home of Mr. ADAMS. John C. CALHOUN, Secretary of War, had his office on the first floor of the War department, and dwelt on the south side of E street, between Sixth and Seventh streets northwest. The house is now owned by Mr. James C. MAGUIRE. William WIRT, Attorney General, was located on the second floor of the War department, and lived on the south side of G street, between Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets. This house is also standing, and is well known as the former residence of WIRT. Return J. MEIGS, Jr., is mentioned in the directory as Postmaster General, although at that time this was not a Cabinet office. His name, Return Jonathan, has been steadily kept in the family. His son, now an old man, his grandson and his great grandson are all to be found in the clerk's office at the city hall. The British legation was located on the north side of Pennsylvania avenue between Twentieth and Twenty-first streets, Statford CANNING being the minister. Count MENOU, the French charge d'affaires, dwelt on the west side of the President's square.
A most casual glance through the old directory shows the infantile state of the national government even two generations ago. A statement of the entire executive machinery occupies only one page, as follows:
The State and Treasury departments are situated near each other, a little east of the President's house, and the War and Navy departments to the west. The heads of these departments hold their offices respectively on the second floor of the building, the name of which corresponds with that of the department over which they preside, and other parts are promiscuously occupied by the subordinate branches of the Treasury and War departments, as follows:
Offices - Heads - Where Situated:
1st Comptroller - Jos. ANDERSON - 2d floor Treas.
2nd Comp. - Richard CUTTS - 2d floor, Navy.
1st Auditor - R. HARRISON - 1st floor, Treas.
2d Auditor - William LEE - 1st floor War.
3rd Auditor - Peter HAGNER - 1st floor Navy.
4th Auditor - C. Freeman - 1st floor Navy.
5th Auditor - S. PLEASANTON - 2nd floor State.
Treasurer T. T. TUCKER - 1st floor Treas.
Register - Jos. NOURSE - 1st floor Treas.
Com. Gen. Land - John McLEAN - 1st floor State
Major General - Jacob BROWN - 1st floor State
Adjt. General - C. J. NOURSE - 1st floor State
Engineer - Alex. MACOMB - 1st floor War.
Ordnance - G. BOMFORD - 2d floor War.
Com. Gen Sub. - G. GIBSON - 1st floor War.
Surg. General - Jos. LOVELL - 1st floor War.
Pay M. Gen. - N. TOWSON - 1st floor War.
Qr. M. Gen. - T. S. JESUP - 1st floor War
Top. Engineer - I. ROBERDEAU - 2d floor War.
(John RODGERS)
Navy Coms. - (David PORTER) - 2d floor Navy
(I. CHAUNCEY)
Att'y General - William WIRT - 2d floor War.
The whole clerical force of the departments, as far as the directory indicates, was only 230 (280?). Not only is this interesting in itself, but it shows what a small proportion of the residents of Washington in 1822 were Government clerks.
Of the citizens whose names are given in the directory, Seraphim MASI, then a jeweler on Pennsylvania avenue, between Ninth and Tenth streets and Benjamin F. RITTENPOUSE, then a clerk in the register's office, are still living in this city. Many of the names are familiar. Nicholas CALLAN, father of the gentleman of that name, is mentioned in the directory, and Samuel BACON kept a grocery story at the southeast corner of Pennsylvania avenue and Seventh street, where his son, Peter BACON still continues the same business. The name of Daniel CARROLL, of "Duddington," recalls the old estate situated southeast of the Capitol. Thomas COOKENDORFER was the proprietor of the Baltimore stages. The "City Assembly Rooms" of which Samuel CARUSI was proprietor, and which were located on the south side of Pennsylvania avenue, between Tenth and Eleventh streets, are still familiar in the memory of the oldest inhabitants. The house of General John P. VAN NESS, whose name is in the directory, is still standing at the foot of Seventeenth street.
Many of the place mentioned have disappeared. STROTHER's Hotel, frequently referred to stood on the corner of Pennsylvania avenue and Fourteenth street, where Willard's Hotel is now situated. A few doors above it, adjoining the alley, was the Washington Hotel, kept by Alexander SANFORD. The site of the Franklin Hotel, on Pennsylvania avenue between Twentieth and Twenty-first streets, of which William O'NEALE was the proprietor, is now marked by the residence of Dr. J. H. McBLAIR. QUEEN's Hotel, which fronted Capitol Square between East Capitol and A streets, has disappeared. Mrs. PEYTON's boarding house, where several Senators and Representatives resided, was situated at the northwest corner of Pennsylvania avenue and Four-and-a-half street, and was occupied until recently as police headquarters. BROWN's Hotel is now the Metropolitan. Mr. Alfred R. DOWSON kept the boarding house on A street north, near the Capitol, where the famous Tom BENTON, then Senator from Missouri, resided. Mrs. QUEEN kept another well patronized hostelry on Pennsylvania near the Center Market. Several of the members of Congress, including Senator Martin VAN BUREN, of New York boarded at PECK's Hotel, in Georgetown, which afterwards became the Union Hotel.
Three papers are mentioned in the directory: The National Intelligencer, published by Gales & Seaton; the Washington GAZETTE, of which Jonathan ELLIOT was the proprietor; and the Washington Republican, which was printed by James C. DUNN at the corner of Twenty-first street and Pennsylvania avenue. In a list of public places occurs the following, n, s, e and w, standing for the cardinal points:
Western Burying Ground, square 109, between S and T n and Nineteenth and Twentieth w.
Eastern Burying Ground, square 1026, between H and I n and Thirteenth and Fourteenth e.
Episcopalian Burying Ground, near the Eastern branch upper bridge.
Episcopalian (new) Burying Ground, square 276, between Twelfth and Thirteenth w and R and S n.
Catholic Burying Ground, near the north end of Third w, outside the city limits.
St John's church (Mr. HAWLEY's) corner H n and Sixteenth w, opposite President's house.
Christ Church (Mr. McCORMICK's) square 877, Navy Yard.
First Presbyterian Church (Mr. POST's), South Capitol Street, near the Capitol.
Second Presbyterian church (Mr. BAKER's), New York avenue between Thirteenth and Fourteenth w.
Dr. LAURIE's church (Presbyterian) s. side F n. between Fourteenth and Fifteenth w.
Fist Baptist church (Mr. BROWN's) cor. I n. and Nineteenth w.
Baptist church at Navy Yard (Mr. BARTON's).
Methodist Foundry chapel (Mr. BEAR's) cor. G n. and Fourteenth w.
Methodist church at Navy Yard (Mr. PEYTON's).
Unitarian church (Mr. LITTLE's), n.e. cor. D n. and Sixth w.
St. Patrick's church (Mr. MATTHEW's) n. side F n. between Ninth and Tenth w.
St. Peter's church (Mr. LUCAS') Second e. between C and D s.
Friends' meeting house, n. side I n. between Eighteenth and Nineteenth w.
African church at Navy Yard (Mr. SMITH's), Fourth e., between Virginia avenue and G s.
Of the burying grounds above named the Eastern, the Western, and the Episcopalian have disappeared before the march of improvement. Of the churches, Dr. LAURIE's is now known as Willard's hall and Mr. LITTLE's is occupied by the Police court. The old St. Patrick's church no longer remains, but Foundry church stands where the chapel was located.
The "useful information" at the conclusion of the directory proper gives the officers of the corporation of Washington, including coal measurers, hay weighers, chimney sweeps, etc. Thomas H. GILLIS, president; Andrew WAY William BRENT, Daniel RAPINE and John DAVIDSON were the managers of the city lotteries. Under the old character of the city the corporation was empowered to "authorize, with the approbation of the President of the United States, the drawing of lotteries for making those improvements in the city, which the ordinary revenue will not accomplish, for ten years, provided the amount so raised shall not exceed $10,000 in any one year clear of expenses." Consequently, these managers "were appointed by the mayor in conformity to the act of the corporation for the purpose of agreeing on a scheme of a lottery, and managing the same, in order to raise a fund for building and establishing two public schools, a penitentiary and a city hall." Before proceeding to dispose of the tickets the managers were required to give bond in the sum of $10,000 for the faithful performance of their duty.
They were authorized to fill up vacancies in their own body and to elect a president, whose duty it was to sign all contracts and lottery tickets. They received a compensation of $3 each for every day they were employed, provided the whole expense of drawing any one scheme did not exceed an average of $1,000.
The names of the corporation officers are followed by a detailed account of their duties and responsibilities. The boundaries of the wards are given. The rate of taxes on real and personal property is stated as one half of one per cent per annum on the estimated value thereof. The following were subject to a specific tax:
-- Male slaves between 15 and 45, owned by residents - $2 per ann.
-- Female slaves, between 15 and 45, owned by residents - $1 per ann.
-- Male slaves, between 15 and 18, owned by non-residents - $2 per ann.
-- Male slaves over 18 owned by non-residents - $5 per ann.
-- Female slaves over 15 owned by non residents - $2 per ann.
-- Coach - $15 per ann.
-- Chariot, post chariot and post chaise, $12 per ann.
-- Phaeton ` and coachee, with panel work in upper part - $9 per ann.
-- Coachee with framed posts and top - $6 per ann.
-- Curricle, chaise, chair, sulkey, or any two wheeled carriage on iron or steel springs - $3 per ann.
-- Four wheeled carriages with frame posts and top, and on wooden spars - $2 per ann.
-- Hacks of resident owners - $10 per ann.
-- Hacks owned within the District, but without the city limits - $13 per ann.
-- Hacks owned without the District - $20 per ann.
-- Wagons owned by residents - $5 per ann.
-- Carts and draws owned by residents - $2 per ann.
-- Wagons owned by non-residents - $15 per ann.
-- Carts and drays owned by non-residents - $6 per ann.
-- Male dogs - $1 per ann.
-- Female dogs - $5 per ann.
-- Licenses to tavern keepers - $60 per ann.
-- Licenses to retailers (of less than a pint) - $50 per ann.
-- Licenses to retailers (of not less than a pint) - $10 per ann.
-- Licenses for selling porter, ale, beer, and cider - $30 per ann.
-- Licenses to auctioneers - $100 per ann.
-- Licenses to billiard tables - $100 per ann.
-- Licenses to theatrical and other amusements per day - $5 per ann.
-- Licenses to confectioners - $10 per ann.
The rates of rare for the conveyance of persons in hackney carriages show that hackmen were entitled to charge twenty-five cents for conveying each person to and from the following places: From the Capitol square to the Navy yard; south end of New Jersey avenue; south end of South Capitol street; Greenleaf's point and President's square; from the latter square to Greenleaf's point; Hamburg wharf and the western limits of the city; from Greenleaf's point to the Navy Yard and from the navy Yard to Eastern Branch bridge. From the Capitol square to the Eastern Branch bridge the fare was thirty-once cents. Greenleaf's point is the present arsenal and Hamburg wharf was situated at the south end of Twentieth street. Van Ness' wharf was at the termination of Seventeenth street. Today a broad expense of flats extends out for a half a mile from the point where these wharves were situated. A few years more and the place where vessels were loaded with tobacco will be marked by dwelling houses.
The charter of Washington, an interesting old document, is next published in the directory. Then follows the judiciary, and a list of the justices of the peace and the constables. Among the members of the levy court, who are appointed by the President, is the name of Thomas CORCORAN, father of W. W. CORCORAN.
The financial, literary and charitable institutions mentioned in the old directory afford a basis for a glance at the changes wrought in sixty years. The "branch of the United States bank" is gone. The Bank of the Metropolis is now the National Metropolitan; the Bank of Washington still remains; the Patriotic Bank, then on Pennsylvania avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets northwest, is now the National Bank of the Republic; the Franklin Insurance company is still flourishing. Georgetown and Columbian colleges exist today. But the Washington Catholic Seminary, the Education Society for the District of Columbia, the Female Cent Society of Washington (an institution in which 52 cents a year was contributed for the education of pious
young men to the Episcopal ministry), and the Washington Library have gone. The American Colonization society still lives. The Orphan Asylum, which was then on Seventh street, between H and I northwest, has its home now at the corner of Fourteenth and S streets. St John's Church Sunday School is the only institution of that character mentioned.
The advertisements of the directory are ten in number, including one of William DUNCAN, the printer. Colonel Joseph WATSON advertises his claim agency and land office, Pishey THOMPSON his books and stationery and Henry GUEGAN his classical and scientific foreign books. Solomon DREW's advertisement is as follows:
"Columbian Tavern, Seventh street, near the Center market. SOLOMON DREW informs gentlemen travelers that he can accommodate them with good Beds and Boarding and with a variety of Liquors. A share of public patronage respectfully solicited. Dinners dressed at the shortest notice."
The remaining cards are engraved with many flourishes, the advertisers being a follows: Benjamin CHAMBERS, engraver; C. H. WILTBERGER, clock and watch maker; Seraphim MASI, watchmaker and jeweler; Robert KEYWORTH, watches and clocks; and W. I. STONE, engraver and copperplate printer. Mr. John KEYWORTH, grocer, at the corner of Ninth and D streets, is the descendant of Robert KEYWORTH, and J.W. DREW, the well-known druggist, of Solomon DREW.