Black Home Owners of Truxton Circle: Harry R. Adams- 135 P St NW

Welcome again to Black Home Owners of Truxton Circle from the 1920 census. This post owners are Harry R. and Mary A. Adams of 135 P St NW.

135-P-St-NW-2004
135 P is the pinkish house. Not the Baltimore brick house.

Harry Richard Adams was born in March 16, 1875 in Palatka, Florida to Margaret J. Gainswell and James Adams.  He eventually moved to DC and married Mary Anne Twine in Aug 1913 in DC. They were the owners of 135 P St NW by 1917. In his World War I registration (1917/1918) , they were at 135 P St NW, where he wrote that he worked as a stationary (?) engineer at Armstrong, across the street from his house. I’ve noticed a few other AfAm home owners who worked at Armstrong. He died on October 1, 1958.

Let’s look at the land records and see what story they tell. The on line records go back to 1921 and the earliest I can find for 135 P St NW is a July 1929 release for Harry R. Adams and unnamed wife of a 1917 debt. This is followed by a May 1935 trust (borrowing money), to borrow from Washington Loan and Trust/ Equitable Co-Operative Building Assoc. forwarded shares worth $1,200. In Aug 1945 there was a release for a April/May 1935 Washington Loan and Trust/Equitable debt.

I hope that if I look at enough of these documents I will figure out what is going on. What I haven’t really figured out are some deeds that go back and forth. Such as two February 1947 deeds where Harry and Mary transfer ownership to Louise M. Redmond, who then transfers it back to the Adams. There are more trusts and releases. The Adams’ story ends in the 1980s. The home is sold by the executioner of Mary A. Adams’ will, Gertrude Farrar to Anne Rae Gales July 1983.