In this series of looking at the odd numbered side of the 1700 block of New Jersey Ave NW from 1920 to 1930, I decided to look at the other end of the block. The change from 1920 to 1930 for most of the block was from white renters to black home owners. My post The sell off of the 1700 block of New Jersey Ave NW pretty much explains the why.
White Renters
1719 New Jersey Ave had two households living in the town home in 1920. One was a single person, 72 year old widow Harriett A. Gray. The other was the Hessler family.
Harriett Gray was born in 1848, possibly in the District of Columbia. Unfortunately, there was more than one woman named Harriett A. Gray born in 1848. The other one was born in Maine, another in Illinois. She was living alone and did not have an occupation. If she was related to the Gray family living at 1723 New Jersey Av NW, then she is Harriet Ann (nee Abbott) Gray who died in 1929.
The Hesslers or Heslars were a 29 year old father, 31 year old mother and their 7 year old son Earl. James Kelly Heslar was born February 16, 1891 in Brown, Ohio. In 1910 he was a single teacher in Ohio. He married Mollie Caldwell in 1911. At some point he moved to Washington, DC and worked as a clerk for the War Department. By 1930 the family was back in Ohio where they owned their home.
Black Homeowners
William H. and Katie Randall bought 1719 NJ Ave NW from M. Harvey Chiswell around October 1920. Katie and William Herbert Randall were the owners up until 1960. Between 1922 to 1960 the Randalls took out 9 mortgages. In a 1970 loan with the Perpetual Building Association, the borrowers were William E. and Janice B. Randall. Those Randalls lost the home to foreclosure in 1973.
William Randall was born February 2, 1888 in Washington, DC. He married Katie Pauline Thomas September 4, 1920. In the 1930 census William was an independent ice dealer. They lived there with adopted daughters Lillian N. (9) and Audrey V. (7). They also had a lodger, 26 year old Lewis Chase who worked as a government messenger. In 1940, William, but this time W. Herbert, was working as a ‘delivery boy’. He died in 1949. In the 1950 census Katie was living at 820 L St NE with 29 year old niece and former foster daughter Lillian M. James, and 5 & 4 year old nephews William E. Thomas and Kenneth I. James. It’s unclear to me who William E. Randall was to the couple.