Comparative White DC Home Owner- Capitol Hill- John Fitzpatrick- 501 3rd St SE

I haven’t done this in a while.

So just to get an idea to see if what I am seeing with the Black Homeowners of Truxton Circle is normal, or not, I am comparing them with white home owners.  I am looking at blocks that were over 90% white in 1950 but also in the same “red lined” zone, which was F1.

photo of property

The story starts in 1924 when John and his wife Mae Fitzpatrick purchased 501 3rd St SE from John J. and May Shaughnessy. As part of the purchased the Fitzpatricks borrowed the equivalent of $5000 from the American Building Association.  They also borrowed $2,000 from trustees Charles H. Kindle and Guy M.  Neely at 6% interest. The $2,000 loan was paid off in 1927. In 1931 the Fitzpatricks borrowed a small amount of money ($184.00) and paid it off in 1933. The Fitzpatricks were free and clear of their 1924 American Building Assoc. loan in 1946. They sold their home in 1952.

So who was John Fitzpatrick? He was at the same address for the 1930-1950 censuses, so I can find the right John Fitzpatrick out of all the other John Fitzpatricks. Let’s start in 1922 when John Fitzpatrick married Irish born Mae/May Quade/Quaid at St. Peter’s Church.  Two years later the newlyweds purchased 501 3rd St SE.

On the 1930 census New York born Irish-American John was a 48 year old US government auditor. He lived with his wife Mae, and their children John, Helen and William. The next census, 1940, John (58 y.o) was a government “general clerk” and Mae was Mary. The last census, 1950, two of the, then adult, children lived with John and Mary, John D. and William L. John Daniel Fitzpatrick married a Ms. Evelyn Elaine White in April of 1951. They moved out and went to live at 2115 Suitland Terrace SE.

Because John Fitzpatrick is such a common name, my research ends here.

Comparing the white Fitzpatricks with the Black Truxton Circle home owners, only one TC person also had an American Building loan. William Bowman of 20A N St NW refinanced with the American Building Association.