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
There were three households living in 1721 New Jersey Ave NW in 1920. There were the Burgess family, the Matthews family and the Burtons.
Let’s start with the Burgess family. It was headed by William F. Burgess, a 33 year old chauffeur. He lived with his wife Annie and their three children, Della (10), William E (8) and baby Boyd R. Prior to living on New Jersey Avenue the family lived at 723 Morton St. NW during World War I.
The Matthews were headed by 30 year old unemployed ex-soldier Harry H. Matthews. He lived at 1721 with his wife Ella (nee Thomas), also 30, and their 4 year old daughter Frances. He was born May 27, 1889 in Leesburg, VA under the name Benjamin Harold Mathers. In 1912 he married Ellen Thomas in Rockville, MD under the name Harry Matthews. When he entered the military in 1918, he was going by the name Harry Mathews. He was mostly a laborer for most of his life.
The last family was headed by 44 year old widow Eliza B. Burton. She lived at 1721 with her two adult daughters. Ebeth was 21 years old and she worked as a clerk for Treasury. The other daughter, was the married 18 year old Laura L. Marshall, who also worked as a clerk, but in the Navy Building. Laura was married to Joseph J. Marshall in 1918.
Eliza B. Hayes married William S. Burton in 1897. Her husband died in 1906 in Hume, VA of “Nicotine Poison”. I cannot locate 1910’s census, but in 1900 the family of William, Eliza and 1 year old Elizabeth lived at 625 I St with several boarders. William was a clerk and Eliza was at home.
As we know in the families were removed from the home in 1920 to be fixed up and resold to African American buyers. So the renters had to leave and get on with their lives.
The Burgess family had moved to Alexandria, VA by the time of the 1930 census. Their children Della and William were not in the home. Della married Carroll T. Jones in 1927. Boyd was 10 years old and the couple had a third son, seven year old Eugene. Father William F. was working as a laborer for the USDA.
The Mathews family encountered tragedy after leaving NJ Avenue. In 1928 father Harry Mathews was killed in a car accident, along with another man, on the Columbia Turnpike. According to the December 3rd newspaper account, the car Mathews and the other occupant, William T. Merchant, were in had its front tire blow out. The car overturned and Merchant died on the scene. Mathews was taken to the Emergency Hospital and died there.
After his death, his widow Ella moved back to DC. In the 1930 census she worked as a washerwoman and lived with her 14 year old daughter at 417 A St SE.
Eliza Burton died in 1926 at her home 915 16th St NW. By the 1930 census daughter Ebeth was the wife of restaurateur Harry Sperling. Laura Marshall, divorced her husband in 1926, and later remarried in 1942 to become Mrs. Danzi. She did have the surname Irvine at one point but I can’t explain that.
Black Homeowners
From previous research Mary L. Tancil purchased the property September 25, 1920.
March 5, 1931 Mary Tancil Latimore/ Lattimore borrowed $1,250 from the People’s Life Insurance Company, whose trustees were W.W. Chiswell, from whom she’s borrowed before, and W.S. Hall. She paid off that loan in 1933. She borrowed again, this time from the Perpetual Building Association, $3,000 in 1937. That loan was paid off in 1941 and that is the last she shows up. The property was sold in 1965 to the Diamond Housing Corporation by Thelma G. and husband Leonard G. Hyman, Edward J. and Jessica Iris Austin, and widow Ellen J. Contee survivors of Raymond J. Contee. Raymond was Mary T. Lattimore’s heir. Mr. Contee died August 23, 1964 and Lattimore died June 28, 1952 at her home at 323 T St NW.
In 1919, according to the city directory, Mary Tancil was the principal at the Anthony Bowen School, and she lived at 1514 S St NW. Looking at the 1930 census it does not appear that she lived on New Jersey Avenue. It was occupied by renters. Instead she lived with her husband, railroad porter George W. Lattimore at 323 T St NW. She was 59 at that time and he, 54 years old. They lived at the home they owned in LeDroit Park with their nephews John W. Contee and John Toomer. As noted she died in 1952, her husband followed soon after dying in May 1954.