Evening Star Newspaper, April 10, 1932, Page 74

6 THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGYON, D. C., APRIL 10, 1932 _osoames s — —— Cleveland’s Home 1n District Suburb Oak View, or Red Top, as it appeared in 1886, when purchased by President Cleveland as a Summer residence for himself and his bride. Purchase of “Oak View” or “Red Top” and Development of Area Bearing His Name. Settlers on Old Tennallytown Road. BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. HAT will be the appearance eof the District of Collumbia, 50 years hence? This would, in- deed, be a difficult question for any one to answer, and yet, those who have seen the city grow, and who recall its appearance 50 years ago, have something at least upon which to form an idea. In 1882, the population of the District was probably not over 175,000 and possibly eme- third of the area of the Capital as designed by L’Enfant was as yet not built wpon. Today the city, at some points, has extended right to the Maryland line and many Washingtonians are making their homes in nearby Maryland and Virginia. And so # can be safely said that, In less than half a century from now, the entire area of the District will be solidly built up and it is quite probable that the United States by that time will have taken back that part of the original 10 miles square retroceded to Virginia in 1846, and we will find the Capital City of the Nation a metropo- Hs with & population of a million and a half or more of people. In 1886, less than 50 years ago, when Presi- dent Cleveland bought “Forrest Hill,” later known as “Oak View” or “Red Top,” Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase, and the other subdivisions lying to the northwest of the city proper, bad not come into existence, and all this territory was farm land, with the exception, of course, of Tenleytown, which had its beginning at a2 remote period. President Cleveland had the habit of doing many things right, and the purchase eof “Forrest Hill” showed excellent judgment for @ man about to be married and seeking a home where his honeymoon would not be interrupted by curious visitors and office seekers. He was a wealthy man. Naturally he had laid by few dollars for a rainy day, but he still had spend his money with care, and for this he sought to purchase a home through . Wilson, whom he had appointed United marshal for the District of Columbia , most likely, was a very close friend. ILSON proceeded with eaution, and not divuige the name of the one for e property was being purchased wuntil was recorded in his own name as secured there were 26'; acres, and a roomy stone dwelling of no particular historic interest, Porrest, a close friend of Gen. Washington’s and who assisted him in negotiating for the Jand comprising the Nation's Capital. Urish Forrest was born near Leonardtown, 8t. Marys County, Md., in 1756, where we find his brother, Zachariah Forrest, still living n 1790 with his wife and 2 sons over 16 years of age, 1 under 16, 6 daughters and 15 slaves. Uriah at that time was Mving in Georgetown, a part then of Montgomery County, Md., and had, besides his wife, 1 son over 16, 1 son under 16, 2 daughters and 5 slaves. He was a soldier of the American Revolution, was wounded in the Battle of Brandywine and lost a leg in the Battle of Germantown, and resigned from the service February 23, 1781, when the State of Maryland advanced him a sum of money equal to 7 years' half pay of a Heutenant. He served as a Delegate to the Continental Congress from Maryland, and later served from that State in the Third United States Congress, taking his seat March 4, 1793, and resigning therefrom November 8, 1794, and as Thomas Jefferson was the only President the disfranchised people of the District of Columbia ever voted for, it is quite likely that Gen. Forrest was its only Representative in Congress, since, although the District of Columbia was then Federal territory, it was at that time still operating under the laws and privileges of Maryland. .The highest rank that Gen. Forrest received during the Revolutionary War was that of Meutenant colonel, the title of general being derived from his appointment as major gemeral of Maryland Militia, in 1785. After the elose of the American Revolution, Gen. Ferrest engaged im the ecommission businsss in Georgetown with Benjamin Stoddert, later the first Secretary of the Navy in the cabinet of John Adams and continued for a brief perfod into the administration of Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Stoddert is buried in Addisen Chapel graveyard, in Prioxee Georges County, Md. N 1790 Stoddert and Forrest purchased a tract of Jand containing 990 acres lying to the north of Georgetown, between Wisconsin avenue and Rock Creek. Four years later Gen. Forrest bought out Mr. Stoddest’s interest, and was about this time that he built the large frame house on the north side of Ordway street, a short distance east of Wisconsin avenue, as we are told by Wilhelmus Bogart Bryan, who some years ago gave the matter careful consideration, saying: “In 1794 Mr. Forrest acquired Mr. Stoddert’s side of Ordway street a short distance east of Wisconsin avenue, which is still standing and still in the possession of his descendants. Here he was living when he received the appoint- ment as clerk. A short time before, he sold to his brother-in-law, Philip Barton Key, 250 acres of the Rosedale tract, which Mr. Key named Woodley. Mr. Key, who practiced law in the District up to the year 1806, when he transferred his business in the District to his nephew, Prancis Scott Key, built a house on the south side of Woodley road, still standing and between Thirtieth and Thirty-first streets, in honor of whom a bronze iablet was some years ago placed in the yard in front of St. Jobn's Episcopal Church in Georgetown, by the Society of Colonial Wars in the District of Columbia, through the instrumentality of Caleb Clarke Magruder, jr. EN. PORREST, like a number of others, invested heavily in Washington real estate at a time when everybody thought it to be the one and only way to get rich quick, and, Hke the rest, too, he suffered heavily. When the Circuit Court of the District was formed in 1801, he felt complimented at being made the clerk for Washington County; George Deneale being appointed to serve in a like capacity for Alexandria County. This was in the days when the District was divided into two counties, Washington Ceunty being to the north of the Potomac River and Alexandria County lying to the south. It was while Gen. Forrest was filling this position that he died in 1805 and was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Georgetown, but later, on June 21, 1883, his remains were transferred to Oak Hill. Many of the early Georgetown families were related through intermarriage; and so we find Col. Forrest and Philip Barton Key (uncle of Prancis Scott Key) brothers-in-law, both having married daughters of Hon. George Plater, sixth Governor of Maryland. Col Plater's wife was the sister of Gen. James Macubbin Lingan, and one of his daughters, Ann, was the first wife of Maj. George Peter, son of Robert Oak View or Red Top, after being remodeled. Now no longer standing. where he lived, except during the Summer, until his death, in the year 1817. Mr. Key was acting as the legal representative of the commissioners, when in PFebruary, 1801, he was appointed by President Adams chief judge of the United States Circuit Coeurt in Maryland, which office Congress at the following session sbolished when the new system of courts was done away with.” The Woodley mansion, which has quite a his- tory attached $o it, was sold in 1929 to Secre- tary Stimson, who makes it his home. However, before this tract became the Peter, whose brother Thomas married Martha Twenty-sixth and Twency-seventh streets have been pebble-dashed snd remodeled. Aneother intercsting connection of o Georgetown families took place when Cel. George Corbin Washington, great-nephew of Gen. Washington, married as his first wife Elisabeth, daughter of Thomas Beall, and whese son was Lewis W. Washington. Col. George C. Washingion's second wife, Ann Thomas Peter, was a dcscend2nt of Ninian Beall and sister of John Pete~, maycr cf Georgetown frem 1813 to 1813. T s fascinating to turn back the pages of time and see the District of Columbia as it was in our fathers’ day. According to the map there were few landowners before the Oivil War in the area east of the Tenleytown road and west of Rock Creek and between George- town and Tenleytewn. Beginning at the sscuthern part of this section we find such names as William M. Boyce, E. Linthicum, W. H. Dougal, M. Adler, C. Ellet, R. Barnard's heirs, M. Barber, W. Morton's heirs, C. Schwar(z, J. Causten, Mount St. Alban’s Church, Dr. Busey, Gen. Larenso Thomas, Mrs. A. E. Kervand, E. French heirs, J. Peirce, Mrs. M. and R. Nourse, J. O'Harry, H. H. Dent, Pierce Shoemaker, Mrs. A. Lyles and Mrs. P. Green, owner cf Forest Hill and descendant of Gen. Forrest, who built the old residence still standing, and which in 1878 was occupied by Nancy Green and the property to the south by George Green. It was the latter's property which later be- came the Summer home of President Cleve- land. It was bought shortly before his mar- riage, and was then considered quite an item of interest. Among the many interesting accounts of the property given at the time was the following taken from The Star: “One of the pleasantest drives in this vicinity is out over the fine Military road from Georgetown to Tenleytown and by the wind- ing county roads through the beautiful scenery of Rock Creek Valley to Brightwood and the Fourteenth street road in the retum to the city. Any pleasant evening carriage after carriage may be seen rolling along these roads, the occupants enjoying the fresh, cool air and the picturesque views which came in sight at every turn. The beauty of the scenery and the healthfulness of the locality are not a recent discovery, as any one can see who glances at the fine old houses which may be seen along the road, surrounded with fine lawns ang forest trees. In fact, as soon as Washington was located these sights were taken up by people, in some cases of wealth, who preferred a residence in the country to one in the ecity. “It is in this paradise of suburban homes that the President has selected his country resi- dence, and the people who drive out.along the Tenleytown road may see the two-story stome house with its old-fashioned hip roof, nestled among the old forest trees where the Woodley lane intersects with the Tenleytown rodd. The house is now occupied by Mr. A. R. Green, and it has come to him from his grandfather, Uriah Forrest, who, in 1781, purchased a large tract of land known as Pretty Prospect. This tract extended down n=arly to the city limits, and has sin®e be~n - ruch subdivided. " R PORRES: wa, a resident of George- town, and when the City of Washing- ton was laid out he became a large speculator in city lots. During the Revolutionary War he served on Washingten's staff and kept up an acquaintance with the President in after years. At the close ol the war he went to to his large fortune. On his return he be- came interested with Robert Morris, the financier of the Revolution, in his extensive real estate transactions in this city, and when that daring speculator went down, Mr. Porrest was submerged in the crash. He managed %0 a portion ef Pretty Prospect, which he Rosedale. The rest he disposed of %o brother-in-law, Philip Berton Key, who was unele of Francis Scott Key, the author of Spangled Banner.’ “Philip Barton Key calied his piace Weodley and erected there in 1805 an eclegant while frame house, which eost in *“~~e davs the of $100,000. is stil standing, and may be