Evening Star Newspaper, November 29, 1931, Page 89

STAR, THE SUNDAY Telegraph & Telephcne Co., New York, where he and his wife, formerly Miss Juliette Cecelia gost son, Henry Aloysius of McKinley High ier, also graduated He is now Getz, is als School and, li from the Call v. manager of the motal de tment of the Hoyt Metal & Lead Co. of Toronto, Canada. His wife, Ella Cawthorn Ceotz, is the daughter of Mrs. Martha Browning of Fa:t Riverdale, Md. HE progress toward success with Anton Rup- pert was but characilorisiic of many of the German emigrants who settled in Washington at an early date. B:ginning first as a partner of his cousin Henry, they engaged as pork butchers on the rite of the present American League base ball rarlx shortly before the Civil War, occupying the M~ryland House, which was removed only a few years ago. This partner- ship was dissolved about 1360, and Anton Rup- pert then moved to Eleventh and U streets northwest, and subseoucntly, about 1861, to the Bladensburg road residence, where his business grew to large prooortions. At the time the Northern Liberty Market was demolished, and it occupied the sile of th> Public Library until 1872, Mr. Ruppeit oz unicd a stand there, and also one in the Cent:r Market at Seventh and the Avenue. When the writ>r visit>2d Mrs. Getz recently, she showed him throvgh tie old home once occupied by her parcnts, and over the extensive grounds which for years were used in conncc- tion with her father's business. There are still standing two l2rg= brick ice houses, rows of sheds for thz smocking and curing of meat, and for the stabiing of cattle and horses. In the rear of the cli hom> was the greenhouse where the elder Mrs Getz raised flowers for her own pleasure. Indced, it must have been a very large business in its time. No one knew just how old the old home is, though tradition puts it at about 150 years. The rear part has unde the l1:ast improve- ment, and perhaps eccntains the oviginal clap- boards. The front, to», chows its age, but here weatherboarding has b substituted for the earlier type of siding, probably within the past 50 years. The intericr shcws its age by the old-style doors, 4rimming, mantels and hard- ware used, and the ct°p-up and step-down so common in cld dw ngs. The earliest history of the place has gone. Mr. Ruppert bought this part of h's farm from a Mr. Diehl, and the imvressicn prewvails that Col. William Hickey lived here before he built his mansion nearby. Before the Rupperts moved in Dr. Nichols of the Government Hospital for the Insane resided here. RIGINALLY the Rubppert property was carved out of a tract of 300 acres or more known as “Haddocks Hills" and “Enclosure,” derived by Richard Queen as a grant from the Lord Proprietor of Maryland. The Queen’s Chanel road, nearby, takes its name from this family, which settled hereabout at an early daie. After tne death of Richard Queen, in 1794, the property was divided among his children, being surveyed for this purpose by George Fenwick Through a suit in equity, instituted in recent years, Richard Queen’s issue is given as follows: James, Mary, who married a Mr. Gardner; Joseph, Marsham, Elender (or Eleanor), who married a Mr. Boone; Elizabeth and Samuel. Joseph’s widow, in this connection, is given as having children, Richard T., Charles J., Louisa, Catherine F. (intermarried with Robert Boone), and Mary Ann, who married John Jamison. Mary (Queen) Jamison had a daughter known in religion as Sister Xavier, who in 1928 was a nun in the Convent of the Visitation of Washington, and then residing in that convent near Bethesda, Md., and perhaps other chil- dren. A daughter ¢f Richard T. Queen mar- ried a man named Schley and left at her death a son, Henry Schley, who resided for many years in Frederick, Md., and who was prchably a conneciicn of the Admiral Schlev family of that cily Charles J. Queon wad wuie, vuria A. Queen, had as issue Edward F., ries J., Eugcnia M. (married a Brook:), Olivia M., Julius B. A,, Felix D, Charles J., Ellen Rose (married Mr. Kilgeur) and H'nry P Tre writer recalls Felix D. Queen as a waichman at the National Museum, who died January 14, 1905 An adjoining picce of land, purc Anton Rupport in 1857, was first conveyed in 1860 by William Hizkey to W. W. Corcoran, and by him in turn conveyed to Mr. Ruppert. A short distance southeast of this property is what is commonly called “Mount Hamilton” but at an earlier date as “Corcoran Hill,” from the name of its owner. Accompanied by Mrs. Getz, who knows every fnch of grcund in this neigiborhood, the writer visited the ruins of the old Hickey resi- dence, which is recched by way of the brick yards and which can hardly be seen from the main road. Just wren this once important residence was erected th: writer does not know. Col. William Hickey, as the owner was usually called, wos the clerk of the United States Senate in 1343 and received for his services $1,500 a year—and this was a lot of money in those d In 1846 he_ was the executive clerk of the sam: b>dy, receiving the same salary. In 18590 he was a clerk of the Senate and resided in tre “county of Wash- S Richard Queen, whose land at one time included that of Csl. Hickey, did not die unti' 1794, and since his propcriy was not divided among his heirs until 1800 or later, it is evident that C»l. Hickey did not own property in this neighborhocd for scme years later, and it is quite probable that this build- ing does not date back pricr to 1830. Just about three years ago it was badly daraged by fire, and The Stor ca the following de- scripdion of it at that tim “Located on Mount east of Bl District 1 , nearly a mile d just inside the s one of the e old before founia‘ion stone of the house was placed, the Hick mansi‘'n, or, as it was WASHINGTON, D. C, Rear view of the old Anton Ruppert home, Bladensburg road. formerly called, Greenvale, has furnished ma- terial for many les of ghosts and eerie midnigkt ha s “It norily after 1800 by Col. Williamm Hicl tary of the Senate in Presid:nt Tyler's istretion. Col. Hickey was descendeld frem an old Meryland family, which came to this country from England in 1634. “It was the show plece of northeast Wash- ington in the early part of the ceatury and was frequently visited by su-h dignitaries as Henry Clay, Danicl Wersier and John C. Cal- hcun. “Some years after the Civil War the house was vacated and stcod empty for a long time. f'For no apparent reason it became known as a haunted house, and weird tales of ghostly happening: within its stately walls were manu- factured by colorei residents in the vicinity.” Near the Hickey ruins we also visited a modest dwelling onc> the Fome of a Mr. Fred- erick and later that cf John Boyle, who died there some time back, at the advanced age of ninety or more years. His daughter, Miss Katic Boyle, and a son, Thomas, are still living. The place can be easily identified by the fact that the present occupant has four or five dogs, of as many different brceds, and one cow, and he guaraniees that the dogs will not bite and cow will not butt. The late Com- missioner John W. Ross once owned property in this vicinity, as did a Col. Alexander, and Mary E. Harkness once owned 40!, acres ad- joining the Ruppert tract. From the Boyle house we visited the Frank- lin Rives residence, which stands high on a bluff not far from the McQueeney gasoline Early residence of George Dorr, 2530 Bladensburg road. the Bladensburg road, was performed yester- day afternoon, under the direction of Rev. Dr. White of St. Matihew's parish, assisted by a number cf the Catholic clergy. Some 5,000 spectators were present during the cere- mony of the occasion, inciuding the Catholic Total Abstinence Eociety, the Society of St. Vincent of Paul and the Young Catholic Bene- ficial Society, wh> marched to the spot, pre- ceded by Withers' Band. We are compelled to make this notice thus brief for want of de- tails.”. y ’ As in all other cemeteries, the high, the low, the rich and th:> poor are interred in Mount Olivet. James Hoban, who twice built the White House, and who was its architect, lies buried here, as do the remains of Capt. Benjamin Burch and Col. Constant Freeman, patriots of the Ameiicoan Revolution, and Daniel Car- roll and others of distinction, and many who were just plain folks. North of the cemetery was the Megegan property, and then came William Hoover, the butcher. A Stubener and F. August had their homes to the north of Mr. Hoover. C Kieng, another buicher, was located just this side of the Queens Chapel road, and the Clark Mills property of 100 acres was to the north. The writer visiled the spot where the first Mills home stood. It was burned down nearly 50 years ago. Another building now occupies the site, which is numbered 2530 Bladensburg road. George Dorr lives in the adjoining house to the south, and his father, George Dorr, sr., bought the Mills property at this point 45 vears ago. The old original Mills barn is still standing. The senior Mrs. Dorr was a sister to Nicholas Auth. Site of the original Clark Mills home. station. This is an old landmark, and was first known as the Coombes residence, before it was occupied by Mr. Rives, who was a son of John C. Rives, and who succeeded his father about the beginning of the Civil War as pro- prietor of the Congressional Globe. The Nicholas Auth home, to the south a bit, was first occupied—before it was improved— by a butcher named Lauer, whose wife was a sister to Henry Ruppert, who many years ago had his slaughter house and buildings at the corner of Grant and Sherman avenues. N 1878 those who cwned property between the Bladensburg road and the Baltimore & Ohijo Railroad tracks, or who at that time re- sided there, were The Wash ngion Brick Ma- chine Co., near the northwesi corner of Bladensburg road and Filorida avenue; George- town College, Gceorge N. Hcelland, Margaret King, Mrs. Jcshua Siraus, and then came Mount Olivet Cemelery, whichh was purchased by the Catholic cle of the city in 1857 and shortly afterward laid ont. On June 4, 1860, it was conscer: d by the follow- ing item appe: ar of that date: “The Consecration of NMMount Olivet Yester- day.—The cercmionv of coasecrating the grounds of Mount Clivet Catholic Cemetery, on ABOVE the Mills foundry lived Col. Wright Rives, then came Matilda Cox and Tobias Talbert, and at the District line, the noted editor of the Globe, John C. Rives, had his palatial residence, which is still standing, and it was here that he passzd away, June 10, 1864. Mr. Rives was a fine citizen and a wonderful character and what The Star had to say of him at the time of his death is well worth again repeating, so here it is: “Death of John C. Rives, Esq.—The death of Mr. Rives took the community by surprise, though it was known amongst his friends that e had been il! in health for some time. He died at his residence, near Bladensburg, yester- day morning oi rheumatic gout. Since January he has been confined by rheumatic gout, which, by prevening locomoticn, has operated to heat up his system, and his life was finally termi- natzd early yesterday morning by congestion of the lungs. Mr, Rives was 69 years of age. He was a native of Kentucky, and his first connection with Washington society dates oack to about 1824, when he came hither from rardsville, Iil. (where he was cashier of a , to testify before a committee of Con- gress in relation to some operations of the Bank of the United States. He was for a while a clerk in the Fourth Auditor’s Office of the Treasury Dop . and subscquently a clerk in Duff Gree elezraph establishment, but early in Gen. Jackson’s administration he founded with Mr. Blair the Globe. After Mr. Ritchie purchased the Globe, and changed its title to the Union, Mecsrs. Blair & Rives re- established the Globe, principally for the publi- cation of debates in Congress, and it is now held to be the, official record of proceedings. Some three years since Mr. Rives bought out Mr. Blair’s interest. “Mr. Rives was & man of remarkable sense and judgment in political affairs, and in regard to election results he was for many years an oracle in this latitude. “Mr. Rives has been distinguished by his patriotic liberality in behalf of the Union cause, and it is estabiished that amongst other con- tributions by him in this District, he has ex- pended not less than $20.000 for the support of families of District soldiers. In his treat- ment of his employees he was characterized by the same large-minded spirit, and he retained many persons in his extensive printing house by his just and liberal appreciation of their services. It is known that in one instance, which occurred a few years since, he gave about $5,000 to a single individual as a reward of his fidelity during something like the third of a century, and this benefaction was but one of many by him to the same individual. “In another instance he gave $2,000 to an employee who had served him faithfully for some years. But his acts of genercsity, especially to members of the craft, were not confined to his own establishment. “A gentleman taking a subscription paper to Mr. Rives in aid of a sick printer received a refusal of his signature by Mr. Rives, who went on to say, however, in his characteristic way, that after it had been carried to other employees and printers he would agree to give as much as was subscribed by all othérs. He not only redecmed his promise, but, the amount nct satisfying him, he doubled what had been subscribed. These were but single incidents of many told of him amongst those who knew him best. “His loss will be deeply felt by the com- munity; but especially by the printers’ craft. Elsewhere will be seen a call for a meeting of the Typographical Scciety to take measures to show proper marks of respect for their de- ceased friend.” N the succeeding day, as appears by The Star, the printers of the city did meet to show their respect for the deceased, and the following worthy tribute was adopted: “The Death of Mr. Rives—At a mmeeting of the Columbia Typograptical Society of Wash- ington, held last evening, April 11, the follow- ing premable and resolutions were adopted: “Whereas the unerring will of Almighty God has stricken down the noble form and stilled the goncrous heart of him who has ever been the printers’ kindest and most faithful friend; “And whereas in the death of John C. Rives his country must meurn a severe loss, this com- munily laments the fall of one of its most worthy ornaments, and our society be deprived of its firmest supporter, whose life furnishes a bright example of sterling worth, of the sue- cess of industry, enterprise and virtue, an§ wkose ennobling disinterested acts of publi® and private munificence present all ‘the char=- acteristics of a man worthy of our study and imitation; Therefore be it “Resolved, That this socicty, while submis- sively yielding to the decree of Omnipotence, feels with unfeigned sorrow the sad necessity which has bereft us cf our old and well-tried benefactor. “Resolved furtter, That as an humble testi- monial of esteem, we will assemble at the Gov- ernment Printing Office Square, at 1 o’clock, on the thirteenth instant, to attend his funeral; and also that a copy of these resolutions be cormunicated to the family of the deceased. “WILLIAM R. McLEAN, President, “J. & PROCTOR, Recording Secretary.” The J. C. Proctor, here mentioned, was the writer's father, who at that time had tem- porarily returned to the ‘“case.” The writer received some very nice lettcrs regarding his story dealing with the old Force School. Lack of space prevents him from using all; but he feels the public will be especially glad to read the one written by Mr. Norman W. Oyster, a worthy son of the latec Commis- sioner James F. Oyster. This is what Mr, Opyster had to say: “Dear Mr. Proctor: I have oiten thought of dropping you a line to tell you how much I en- joy reading your ‘special articles in The Sunday Continued on Nincteenth Page