Truxton Is In Shaw – The InShaw Blog

Black Homeowners of TC- William H. Despert (1875-1956) 139 P St NW

William Henry Despert was born April 1st, 1875 in Washington, DC. He managed to avoid the 1880 census so he first shows up in the 1900 census living in Shaw at 456 N St NW with his wife Bertha and 4 year old daughter Beatrice. He worked as a huckster supporting his family.

In the 1910 census there was a divorced William H. Despert living over on Oakdale Pl living with alone with an unemployed woman lodger, Emma Green. At this point in his life he was a Pullman porter.

According to Land Transfer Books, 1900-1962 held at the DC Public Library he purchased 139 P St NW with wife Emma Green Despert April 24, 1918. When the census came around two years later, 45 year old William the porter was living with wife Emma and her son/ his step-son Herbert G. Green, a 22 year old chauffeur. The 39 year old Emma worked as a hair dresser.

The Desperts borrowed money to purchase their home. In 1933 they paid off that mortgage, but picked up a few mortgages in the meantime. One of those was a 1935 $3,000 mortgage with the Perpetual Building Association. Then they refinanced in 1939 with a $3,800 mortgage with Perpetual,

1930 the residents at 139 P St NW expanded. Herbert, the driver, continued to live there, along with William Henry’s mother-in-law Annie Green, who was 69.

William Despert continued to work into his 60s and 70s. In the 1940 and 1950 censuses he was still working as a porter.

Emma died March 31, 1948. He was alone in 1950, the only resident of 139 P. A few years after her death, William removed his departed wife and added the name of his daughter from his first marriage to the deed in 1952. Beatrice had married and living with her second husband Jordan Johnson over on K St NW.

At the age of 76 he died at home. He was survived by his daughter Beatrice E. Johnson, his brother Walter Despert, two grandchildren, Mrs. Margaret Smith and Jordon Johnson Jr. and five great-grandchildren.

The property remained with Beatrice Johnson until she lost it to foreclosure in 1974. Real estate character George Basiliko picked it up for a little over $4K who immediately sold it.

Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.

Labor Day- For those who labored in Truxton Circle

This is just a short blog about Truxton Circle, not only as a place where working people lived, but also a place where people worked. Though now the neighborhood is primarily residential, with the exception of North Cap, the area held commercial spaces, schools, a firehouse and a hospital.

Where the New York Ave park sits, a hospital with nurses and doctors was once.

Baist’s real estate atlas of surveys of Washington, District of Columbia, 1919. Source-Library of Congress

Where the Northwest Co-op sits was an industrial area around the 1920s. People worked in the dairy and garages.

Lastly were the schools, where teachers worked.

[Untitled photo, possibly related to: Washington, D.C. Schoolteacher] Library of Congress

Teacher showing students, 1942. Source: Library of Congress

So for all who labored in Truxton Circle, Happy Labor Day.

Truxton Resident- John L. Bladen (1897-1955) North Cap, Bates

John Lewis Bladen was born in Washington, DC to parents John Jacob Bladen and Elizabeth Bentine Berry June 6, 1897. The family showed up in the 1900 census living at 1518 North Capitol Street NW. John’s father was a 37 year old German-American engineer. His mother, 31, was an Irish-American house wife and his sister Berry Mary was 5. The family was still on North Cap in 1910. John Lewis was 12.

During the WWI draft he described himself as self employed. He was living with his parents on North Cap. At some point he married Evelyn Viola Stark. In 1920 he was then the head of 1518 North Capitol. He lived there with his wife, his mother and 20 year old niece Mildred Norton. John worked as an auto mechanic and his niece a telephone operator.

He was in Truxton Circle WSIC housing for the 1940 census. The 1930 census? He was a garage manager in Arlington, VA. So he was back in the neighborhood living at 41 Bates Street NW. He was there as early as 1934 as a foreman for Jacobs Transfer Co. He lived with his wife and their three sons, John Jr (18), Robert (17) and Richard (10). John Sr. continued to work as an auto mechanic, his wife worked as a counter clerk and their eldest was a new worker.

John Sr, Evelyn Viola, and Frank Bladen. Date unknown. Source- Ancestry by PFiers3 Jun 2012

In his last census, the 1950 census, John L., Viola, sons Richard and 10 year old Frank. John was still a mechanic and Viola a sales lady. When the WSIC homes were sold in late 1950, the family had to move. It seemed they moved to New York. John died January 20, 1955.

Truxton Resident- Pauline Artes (1860-1940) 1st, Q & P St NW

Pauline Artes was born September 10, 1860 in Georgetown, DC to Sophia Gramler and Daniel Artes, two German immigrants.

phot of young girl leaning — Pauline Artes. Source- Ancestry. Credit: Caroe_S

Looking at the the description from a photo of a young Ms. Artes it reads, “This little girl grew up to be a beloved caretaker in the Artes family. She is listed in the household of her parents as they became elderly. After their death she managed a boarding house where her cooking was renown. My mother met my dad there. Mom’s diary is full of visits to Aunt Lena’s with her parents. She recalled this tiny women wresting huge roasting pans from the oven and still making time to share special treats with her nieces. I have a picture of two of her boarders, Swedish carpenters who made Aunt Lena’s their home in DC.”

“Aunt Lena” had made her home and place of work in Truxton Circle. The 1905 and 1909 city directories listed her as a grocer at 61 P St NW. A little earlier, an article celebrating parents Sophia and Daniel’s golden wedding anniversary in 1904, mentioned their home was 61 P St NW.

By 1910 her mother was a widow and the 41 year old never married daughter was listed in the census as a business woman running a grocery on her own account. Lena lived in the house with her mother, two adult nieces and a 14 year old nephew with a Kennelly surname.

1915 she had gone from a grocer to a confectioner, a seller of sweets at 61 P St. And the 1920 census showed that she switched to being the mistress of a boarding house. At the time of the census she only had two roomers. She also housed her 85 year old mother, a 34- year old cousin, and an 11 year old niece.

Pauline Artes. Date unkn. Source- Ancestry. Credit: Caroe_S

Despite running a business out of 61 P St, the family did not own it. They were renters.

According to the 1921 city directory, her home was 25 Q St NW. The 1922 directory has her running a boarding house there. Then in 1923, she relocated to 1619 1st St NW taking up her former grocer profession.

She was out of Truxton by the 1930 census, scooted up the road to 1829 1st St NW in Bloomingdale. She was 72 years old and running a rooming house of sorts. She only had two roomers at the time of the census. She was also housing a 28 year old nephew and her 54 year old widowed sister.

Lena died January 1940. The funeral was held at her home at 74 T St NW, also in Bloomingdale. She was 82 years old.

At this point I’m going to pontificate about single women like Pauline. She is one of many women, who as single women were able to make a way for herself over 100 years ago, before Suffrage and other rights. My annoyance with Women’s history is that it gets boiled down to that, Suffrage and Rights. The same way Black History is just Slavery and Civil Rights, as if we didn’t do other things. Anyway, misery sells and I’m not selling misery. I’m telling the history of Truxton Circle, which was formed by a variety of people, including Miss Artes. She served people with groceries, candy, and a place to rest their heads. She didn’t need to be a teacher or a nurse, she was a business woman. She didn’t need a man to handle her business. Nor did she need to work for someone else while she was in Truxton Circle and Bloomingdale (she worked as a cook earlier). Scroll up and see a strong independent woman who took care of her loved ones.

Truxton Resident- Helen Williams (1917-unk) 3rd St NW

Helen Williams is too common of a name, so we’ll make this quick.

The Helen Williams found in the 1920-1940 census in Truxton Circle was an African America girl, born in North Carolina, who lived on 3rd St NW.

In the 1920 census she was the 3 year old daughter of Joseph Williams and Ollie Rhyne. She was one of three young children living in the home of a government laborer. Also living in the house was their father’s uncle and 6 lodgers. They lived at 1621 3rd St NW.

By 1930 the family had seven children living at 1635 3rd St NW. The father managed to support the whole family still working as a government laborer. Somehow they managed to live without lodgers.

Helen was still at 1635 3rd St NW for the 1940 census. Her mother was a widow and she lived with her two brothers, three sisters and one lodger. She worked as a maid, whereas one of her brothers worked as a messenger boy and a sister worked as a clerk for the W.P.A.

Then the trail goes cold.

Truxton Circle History Substack

I didn’t mean to start a Substack.

I was looking for places where my essay “Ethnic Divides in a DC Neighborhood” on line. It has been referenced a few times and sometimes it shows up in the dodgiest of places on the internet. Then that wasn’t providing the results I wanted, so I threw in my whole legal name and “Truxton Circle” and came across someone’s Substack.

It was John Cass‘ “Neighbor History” Substack, in his article Neighbors in the Records. I’m simply flattered and honored by what he has to say about about my research.

As there are a billion things going on with me as a mom, wife, church archivist, paid archivist, and this blog, I’ll keep it short and end now. You can subscribe now, or wait until I have something special. And when I do, I’ll post it here to let you know.

no Twitter with current id

Truxton Resident- James Adams (1882-1948) 1421 NJ Avenue NW (property info)

This is an update because I accidentally wrote James Adams’ bio twice. The first one is here. Looking at the second copy, it had property info so I will have it below:

James Adams first showed up in Truxton Circle in the 1930 census at 1421 New Jersey Ave NW as the owner. Looking at the DC Recorder of Deeds, the Adams owned a property at Square 553W lot S. A cursory look revealed they borrowed from Nathan Levin of the WSIC sale.

James and wife Matilda F. Adams purchased 1421 NJ Ave NW in 1928 from Laura Lee Beck. They borrowed $1,470 from trustees at a 7% interest rate. Then late that year they took out a 2nd mortgage to pay a debt to Mabel Butler. Why? No idea. They borrowed quite frequently. They sold the home in August 1937 to Ralph P. Gibson.

Let’s return to the census. In 1930, James is working as a railroad porter. His wife listed as Florence, worked as a maid for a private family and his 22 year old son Charles worked as an elevator operator for the rail road station. Prior to this they were on a farm in White Plains, MD. James was farming, Matilda Florence was a farm wife, and Charles was in school.

Despite selling the house in 1937, they were still at 1421 NJ Av NW, but as renters in the 1940 census. James’ birth year shifted to approx. 1884. He still worked as a porter. Matilda Florence went back to being a housewife. Their son did not live with them, instead they had a husband and wife lodger couple from South Carolina.

Truxton Resident- Charles A. Allen (1888-1955) 1217 New Jersey Ave NW

There were Black doctors who lived in the same neighborhood as Black laborers and maids. Dr. Charles A. Allen was one of them. He was born in the British West Indies. Before he came to Truxton Circle, he lived over at 1525 5th St NW, as a lodger of a porter. He also liked to write letters to the Editor regarding matters of health.

He showed up in Shaw in the 1920 census. He was the sole lodger of Nelson and Sadie Harvey at 1525 5th St NW. They also lived with their 6 year old son and Sadies’ widowed mother. The house no longer exists and is part of the KIPP campus.

In the 1930 census Dr. Allen lived in 1217 New Jersey Ave NW as a homeowner. Looking at the DC Recorder of Deeds records, he didn’t become the official owner until 1940. In July of 1940 the heirs of Lena Rohr sold the property to Moses H. Dade, who in the next document sold it to Dr. Charles A. and wife Cora Allen.

It may be safe to assume that the 42-ish old Dr. Allen married the 40 year old Cora Elexzenia Cupid between 1930 and 1940. Cora shows up in the 1930 census as a single woman. She resided at 422 Florida Ave heading the household living with her brother, 2 sisters, a nephew and a sister in law. She was a 40 year old hairdresser. Prior to that she was a dressmaker. After snagging a doctor husband she made homemaking her occupation.

In 1940 and 1950 Dr. Allen and his wife were the only occupants of 1217 New Jersey Ave NW.

Dr. Allen was 70 years old when he died at the hospital in 1955. He served at the Freedmens Hospital for more than 30 years. He was survived by his wife, a sister, Irene St. Luce and a niece Muriel Pierson. The funeral was held at Galbraith AME Zion Church His wife joined him in death in February 1964.

Truxton Resident- Charles M. Clague (1880-1950) 131A Bates Street

Charles Matthews Clague was born in Rochester, NY on April 27, 1880 to Fanny Matthews and William Henry Harrison Clague. At some point around 1899 William HH Clague moved the family to Washington, DC.

The patriarch of the family worked as a pressman for the Government Printing Office (GPO). In 1900 the Clagues lived at 59 New York Ave NE. The father worked as a pressman, as did his some William and son-in-law Johnathan Barnes. Charles, who was 20 at the time, worked as a private secretary. Charles’ mom and sisters Nellie (22), Florence (17), and Mary (15) did not work outside of the home.

William Clague died in 1904. The youngest daughter Mary married a year later. She and her husband George N. Scriven had Charles in their home in 1910. The Scriven household was headed by George a policeman (35), with wife Mary (25). They were raising their four year old William with the help of Mary’s mother, the widow Fannie Clague (63) and sister Florence (27). However, Florence worked as a clerk at the GPO so, maybe not her.

Charles married Mary H.A. Smallwood in 1911 inn DC. And from Charles’ WWI draft registration we find him at 131A Bates St NW in 1917. This address placed him in the White segregated Washington Sanitary Improvement Co. housing for working class families. He worked as a gas fitter. By 1920 he became an electrician.

He was able to provide a place for his widowed mother, who was 82 in 1930, and his sister Florence and his wife’s brother William Smallwood. But this was one of two units and it is currently 1,810 square feet for the whole structure. Charles and Mary had no children so there were 5 adults sharing less than 1,000 square feet of space.

From Kober, George “The history and development of the housing movement in the city of Washington, D.C” 1907

In 1940 he worked for the same company he worked for in 1917, but he was a repair worker. In his last census in 1950 he and his wife were listed as unemployed. I should note that unlike other wives, Mary kept working during their marriage. In 1910, before she married she was a saleslady at a packing store. 1920 she was a saleswoman at an electric supply company. 1930, a clerk at a department store. She was not working in 1940.

The couple died in 1950. Charles went first on May 12th at his home. Mary followed a month later on June 10th. In a way it was a blessing. They didn’t have to suffer through the sale of their home and scramble at their age to seek new housing.

Truxton Character- Garland E. Carr(1887-1972) 1520 1st St NW

I’ve featured Mr. Carr before in Black Home Owners of Truxton Circle: Garland E. Carr pt.1 and pt. 2. This will be an attempt to look into more information about the man.

Garland Carr (center) arrested for trying to blow up Veterans Bureau, 6/21/22 SOURCE: Library of Congress. National Photo Company Collection.

He was a property owner, but apparently not a resident. So let’s call him a Truxton “character”. Using Ancestry to pin his ID down, I used his mother’s and sister’s first names from the deed for 1520 1st St NW. There was a family tree, where his sister Genevieve or Geneva Ruth Carr was married to a William Taft Patrick. Hoping the family tree wasn’t complete fiction (as some are), here goes.

Garland Eugene Carr was born on December 29, 1887, in Raleigh, North Carolina to Nathaniel Carr and Elizabeth Blakely. He showed up twice in the 1900 census. First he was with his father and brother Henry living in Asheville, NC. working as a laborer. Then with his mother and eight brothers and sisters in Raleigh, NC.

June 1917 Garland filled out his registration card for World War I and noted he was 30 and had been wearing glasses for 20. He was enlisted in the Army in 1918 and was discharged in 1919, one whole year. In June of 1919 he traveled from France on the USS Ed Luckenbach with the Medical Detachment 340th Service Battalion (Colored). He was to return to his father in Charlotte, NC.

His one year military adventure is why he had his photo taken. He was apparently unhappy with the VA.

It seems like attempted arson, but other news outlets accused him of bombing.

Bombing used to be a destructive form of protest favored by anarchists.

According the the VA’s records he died in 1972.