Day: April 27, 2026

Property Owners of 401 R St NW

Corner of 4th and R. Taken October 14, 2007

Let’s Run down the ownership of 401 R St NW  (lot 1 or 800)

Square 507, 1909 map

There were several transactions for Lot 1 but it seems that the property for lot 800 did not change hands until the estate of Louise Gordon sold it.

1933-1934 General Assessment. Source: National Archives RG 351
  • January 1952 Chapin B. Bauman and John R. Fletcher, trustees for Louise Gordon, “surviving” tenant after the death of John H. Gordon (d. 2/13/1914) sold the property to Sophie Comert who immediately sold the property to Robert H. and Marguerite Ellis.
  • November 1959 Robert H. and wife Marguerite T. Ellis sold/transferred the property to Eftehia and John Swagart, who immediately sold the property to A. Samuel Feldman.
  • March 1978 A. Samuel and wife Sara Feldman sold the property to Connie and his wife Gertrude A. Mason.

I was feeling lazy and was going to let Ancestry tell me who Louisa Gordon was. She was born in Germany June 1856. And then I discovered a mystery and I couldn’t pass up a good detective adventure.

I discovered that John H. Gordon was her third husband. Their 1902 marriage license had a 33 year old John with no previous marriages and a 45 year old Louise Voegler with two previous marriages. Prior to John H. Gordon, she was married to German born John A. Voegler. Prior to him, she (nee Steinmann??) was married to Frank York in 1885, who died at the age of 45 on September 6, 1890. Francis York was a bartender/ restaurateur. June 1892, Widow L. York married John Adam Voegler. Mr. Voegler died at the age of 44 on October 19, 1900 at his home at 407 Q St NW. John Gordon died in 1914 at the age of 45. The funeral was held at his home at 1601 New Jersey Ave NW.

I think I see a pattern. The three husbands die at the age of 44 or 45 and two years later she remarries (except after Gordon’s death). They all seemed to be in the saloon/ bar/ restaurant business. Was she a black widow? It is a little suspicious that in John Gordon’s will, which he wrote in 1902, he leaves everything to his wife.

Just briefly on Eftehia and John Swagart. Efethia was born Efethia Mary Basiliko. Yes, her brother was George Basiliko.