Truxton Is In Shaw

In lieu of a February Black History post, WSIC continues, because it is Black History.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 68 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold the whole of 68 Bates NW Clara B. and Edward Hazel.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Hazels borrowed $6,050 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• April 1958 the Hazels sold the house back to Badt, Evans and Taube.
• March 1959 the Hazels were released from their mortgage.
• March 1959 (doc# 1959019387) Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold 68 Bates St NW and other properties on the block to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• Between 1970-1972 Basiliko was released from a couple of mortgages and the next document has the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA) as the owner, so we are left to assume around 1970 Basiliko sold the property to RLA.
• Around 1978 the DC RLA sold/transferred this and other properties to the Bates Street Associates. A contract (doc #7800024140) DC RLA and Bates Street Associates, Inc hints to a deed not listed.

So this was a bit unusual. After about seven years the original buyers sell the property back to the Colonial Investment Company, which then sold it to slum landlord George Basiliko, who then sold it (as far as I can tell) to the DC RLA who then passed it on to the BSA.

In lieu of a February Black History post, WSIC continues, because it is Black History.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 70 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold all of 70 Bates NW to Beatrice B. William D. Hunter.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Hunters borrowed $6,050 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• January 1958 the Hunters sold the other half of 70 Bates St NW to Badt, Evans, and Taube.
• November 1961, as part of a large property package (doc 1962000416),  Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold half of 70 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• December 1961 the Hunters borrowed $1,768.53 from Telsyndicate with trustees Martin J. Quigley and Robert G. Weightman.
• May 1962 the Hunters were released from their January 1951 mortgage.
• January 1975 the Hunters were released from their Telsyndicate mortgage.
• April 1978 George Basiliko Inc sold half of the house to the widowed Beatrice Hunter.

So this was a mix. No foreclosures. Slum landlord Basiliko did own the property from 1961 to 1978. The family that was the original buyer managed to hold on and buy the other half back. Skimming the deed records, it appears the house remained in the Hunter family until 2010.

In lieu of a February Black History post, WSIC continues, because it is Black History.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 24 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 24 Bates NW to Emma E. and Robert C. Rose.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Roses borrowed $2,875 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 24 Bates St NW to Joseph L. and Myrtle E. Terrell.
• Dec 1950 the Terrells borrowed $2,875 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1959 the Terrells were released from their mortgage and owned their half free and clear.
• October 1961 the Roses were released from their mortgage owning their half free and clear.
• May 1969 Robert C. Rose died.
• September 1970 widow Emma Rose and the Terrells sold 24 Bates to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency for $10,800.
• June 1980 the DC RLA (doc #8000020294) transferred many properties, including 24 Bates, to the BSA Limited Partnership (Bates Street Associates). There is an associated contract (doc 8000020221, looks complete) stating BSA’s responsibilities.

No foreclosures. Both original buyers were able to pay off their mortgages. But for some reason they sold their halves to the city.

In lieu of a February Black History post, WSIC continues, because it is Black History.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 26 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded July 11, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold 26 Bates St NW to Leon and Lucy M. Owens.
• Dec 1950 the Owens borrowed $6,250 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• September 1967 the Owens were released their mortgage.

The house remained in the Owens family until the mid 1990s. This is a pretty good story. No foreclosures or any of the other stuff that follows.

In lieu of a February Black History post, WSIC continues, because it is Black History.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 72 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 72 Bates St NW to Gladys M. and Leon W. Lucas.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Mr. and Mrs. Lucas borrowed $3,025 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 72 Bates St NW to Elizabeth and Robert Anderson.
• December 1950 the Andersons borrowed $3,025 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• July 1954 the Lucas lost their half to foreclosure and via an auction it returned to Evans, Levin and Taube.
• June 1959 in a larger property package the foreclosed have was sold by Badt, Evans, Taube, Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold 72 Bates to to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• September 1961 the Andersons were released from their mortgage.
• November 1971 the Andersons and the Basilikos sold 72 Bates to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
• July 1978 there is a contract (doc 7800024140) between the DC RLA and the Bates Street Associates, Incorporated (BSA) There is no corresponding deed located, but the property was transferred to BSA.

One foreclosure which was sold to slum landlord Basiliko. One of the original buyers with the Basilikos sold it to DC RLA who then passed it on to the BSA.

In lieu of a February Black History post, WSIC continues, because it is Black History.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 74 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 74 Bates St NW to Elsie R. and Ernest P. Ellis.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Mr. and Mrs. Ellis borrowed $3,025 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 74 Bates St NW to Lillian Craig and Lithia Wilson.
• December 1950 Craig and Wilson borrowed $3,025 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• June 1952 Mr. and Mrs. Ellis sold their half to Joseph L. Francis.
• November 1961 Craig and Wilson were released from their mortgage.
• October 1963 Francis and his wife, Lithia Wilson, now Lithia Wilson Andrews, husband Calvin Andrews, through trustee Margaret E. Hartung put the property in the name of Lithia and Calvin Andrews.
• October 1963 the Andrews borrowed $6,000 from trustees Eugene P. Alexander and Earl M. Lapin, to pay Monarch Construction Corp.
• November 1963 the Andrews borrowed $6,000 from the Montgomery Savings Association, Inc. with trustees Peter T. and S. Thomas Stathes.
• December 1963 the Andrews sold half of 74 Bates to Joseph L. and wife Lou D. Francis.
• December 1963 the Andrews through Margaret E. Hartung sold/ transferred the property to Lithia Wilson Andrews. (It feels like there was a divorce or something.)
• January 1964 Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, and by extension Joseph Francis, were released from the December 1950 mortgage.
• August 1970 the Mr. and Mrs. Francis and the Andrews sold 74 Bates St to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.
• June 1980 the DC RLA (doc #8000020294) transferred many properties, including 74 Bates, to the BSA Limited Partnership (Bates Street Associates). There is an associated contract (doc 8000020221) stating BSA’s responsibilities.

This was a good, but confusing. No foreclosures.  No Basiliko. However, the RLA did get their hands on the property. But on the bright side, it is how we got the lovely Mary Ann Wilmer who was very involved in BACA. She bought the home from the District of Columbia after the city got it back from BSA.

In lieu of a February Black History post, WSIC continues, because it is Black History.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 76 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 76 Bates Street NW to Frances C. and Kenneth J. Allen.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Allens borrowed $3,150 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 76 Bates St NW to Bessie M. and Elbert Walker.
• Jan 1951 the Walkers borrowed $3,150 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• February 1962 the Allens were released from their mortgage.
• June 1963 the Walkers were released from their mortgage.
• October 1984 Frances C. Williams, formerly Frances Allen, and the Walkers sold 76 Bates to Edward A. and Elesa J. Kassoff.

This worked well. No foreclosures, the original buyers owned the home free and clear in the 1960s. The owners then sold the home in the 1980s.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 22 Bates St NW:

• January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 22 Bates NW to Rollie W. and Rosalee V. Moore.
• Jan 1951 Moores borrowed $3,125 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 22 Bates St NW to Ernest D. and Mary M. Peeples.
• Jan 1951 the Peeples borrowed $3,125 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• August 1958 the Moores lost their half to foreclosure and it was repossessed by Badt, Evans, and Taube through an auction.
• August 1958 Harry and Jennie Badt sold/ transferred their interest in this and other properties to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
• June 1959 (doc #1959024641), as part of a large property package, Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors, and their spouses sold half of 22 Bates to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• April 1960 the Peeples lost their half to foreclosure and via an auction it was returned to Badt, Evans, and Taube.
• April 1960 Harry and Jennie Badt sold/ transferred their interest in this and other properties to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
• August 1960 the Evans, Taube, the N. Levin survivors and their spouses sold their half of 22 Bates to George Basiliko.
• Between 1970-1973, when Basiliko paid off four loans, there is no document located but ownership went from Basiliko to the DC Redevelopment Agency (RLA).
• July 1980 DC RLA entered into a contract (doc # 7800024140) with Bates Street Associates (BSA), Incorporated and usually this is paired with a deed that was not listed.

There were two foreclosures, they were not resold to home owners, but instead slum landlord Geo. Basiliko. The documentation is not great but I see that it went from Basiliko to the DC RLA and then BSA.

In lieu of a February Black History post, WSIC continues, because it is Black History.

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. In 1956 Nathan Levin died and Colonial Inv. Co. vice president Harry A. Badt took his place in the foreclosure paperwork. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 20 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 20 Bates St NW to Goldie Mae and Jesse W. Campbell Jr.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Campbells borrowed $3,125 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 20 Bates St NW to King D. and Martha J. Ash.
• Jan 1951 the Ashes borrowed $3,125 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• April 1955 Mr. and Mrs. Ash sold their half to Ellsworth Gray and his mother Irene Gray.
• June 1955 the Campbells sold their half to the Grays, bringing the home under one owner.
• October 1955 the Grays borrowed $1,513 from trustees Abraham Chaifetz and Bernard Platshon in order to pay ALERT Engineering and Home Improvement Co. Inc.
• October 1955 the Campbells, and by extension the Grays, lost their home to foreclosure and it was repossessed by Evans, Levin and Taube due to an auction.
• November 1961, as part of a large property package (doc 1962000416),  Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold half of 20 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• Between 1971-1972 Basiliko was released from three mortgages and the next document has the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA) as the owner, so we are left to assume around 1970 Basiliko sold the property to RLA.
• June 1980 (doc #8000020294) the DC RLA sold/transferred this and other properties to BSA Limited Partnership. BSA is possibly short for Bates Street Associates. It is paired with doc #8000020221 a contract between DC RLA and BSA Ltd Partnership.
• April 1982, BSA Limited Partnership, signed by general partners Lawrence J.  Brailsford, George Holmes Jr and Jack W. White, returned the property to the government of the District of Columbia.

I have no idea what happened with the Grays. It’s like they lost one half to foreclosure and gave up the other. I tried to track what happened as the Colonial Investment Co only sold Basiliko half of 20 Bates. By the time the DC RLA handed it over to BSA there is no distinction between halves and wholes.