This is just a short blog about Truxton Circle, not only as a place where working people lived, but also a place where people worked. Though now the neighborhood is primarily residential, with the exception of North Cap, the area held commercial spaces, schools, a firehouse and a hospital.
Where the New York Ave park sits, a hospital with nurses and doctors was once.
Baist’s real estate atlas of surveys of Washington, District of Columbia, 1919. Source-Library of CongressNational Homeopathic Hospital, ca. 1910
Where the Northwest Co-op sits was an industrial area around the 1920s. People worked in the dairy and garages.
1924 Baist map of Sq. 551
Lastly were the schools, where teachers worked.
[Untitled photo, possibly related to: Washington, D.C. Schoolteacher] Library of CongressTeacher showing students, 1942. Source: Library of Congress
So for all who labored in Truxton Circle, Happy Labor Day.
John Lewis Bladen was born in Washington, DC to parents John Jacob Bladen and Elizabeth Bentine Berry June 6, 1897. The family showed up in the 1900 census living at 1518 North Capitol Street NW. John’s father was a 37 year old German-American engineer. His mother, 31, was an Irish-American house wife and his sister Berry Mary was 5. The family was still on North Cap in 1910. John Lewis was 12.
During the WWI draft he described himself as self employed. He was living with his parents on North Cap. At some point he married Evelyn Viola Stark. In 1920 he was then the head of 1518 North Capitol. He lived there with his wife, his mother and 20 year old niece Mildred Norton. John worked as an auto mechanic and his niece a telephone operator.
He was in Truxton Circle WSIC housing for the 1940 census. The 1930 census? He was a garage manager in Arlington, VA. So he was back in the neighborhood living at 41 Bates Street NW. He was there as early as 1934 as a foreman for Jacobs Transfer Co. He lived with his wife and their three sons, John Jr (18), Robert (17) and Richard (10). John Sr. continued to work as an auto mechanic, his wife worked as a counter clerk and their eldest was a new worker.
John Sr, Evelyn Viola, and Frank Bladen. Date unknown. Source- Ancestry by PFiers3 Jun 2012
In his last census, the 1950 census, John L., Viola, sons Richard and 10 year old Frank. John was still a mechanic and Viola a sales lady. When the WSIC homes were sold in late 1950, the family had to move. It seemed they moved to New York. John died January 20, 1955.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
Pauline Artes was born September 10, 1860 in Georgetown, DC to Sophia Gramler and Daniel Artes, two German immigrants.
Pauline Artes. Source- Ancestry. Credit: Caroe_S
Looking at the the description from a photo of a young Ms. Artes it reads, “This little girl grew up to be a beloved caretaker in the Artes family. She is listed in the household of her parents as they became elderly. After their death she managed a boarding house where her cooking was renown. My mother met my dad there. Mom’s diary is full of visits to Aunt Lena’s with her parents. She recalled this tiny women wresting huge roasting pans from the oven and still making time to share special treats with her nieces. I have a picture of two of her boarders, Swedish carpenters who made Aunt Lena’s their home in DC.”
“Aunt Lena” had made her home and place of work in Truxton Circle. The 1905 and 1909 city directories listed her as a grocer at 61 P St NW. A little earlier, an article celebrating parents Sophia and Daniel’s golden wedding anniversary in 1904, mentioned their home was 61 P St NW.
By 1910 her mother was a widow and the 41 year old never married daughter was listed in the census as a business woman running a grocery on her own account. Lena lived in the house with her mother, two adult nieces and a 14 year old nephew with a Kennelly surname.
1915 she had gone from a grocer to a confectioner, a seller of sweets at 61 P St. And the 1920 census showed that she switched to being the mistress of a boarding house. At the time of the census she only had two roomers. She also housed her 85 year old mother, a 34- year old cousin, and an 11 year old niece.
Pauline Artes. Date unkn. Source- Ancestry. Credit: Caroe_S
Despite running a business out of 61 P St, the family did not own it. They were renters.
According to the 1921 city directory, her home was 25 Q St NW. The 1922 directory has her running a boarding house there. Then in 1923, she relocated to 1619 1st St NW taking up her former grocer profession.
She was out of Truxton by the 1930 census, scooted up the road to 1829 1st St NW in Bloomingdale. She was 72 years old and running a rooming house of sorts. She only had two roomers at the time of the census. She was also housing a 28 year old nephew and her 54 year old widowed sister.
Lena died January 1940. The funeral was held at her home at 74 T St NW, also in Bloomingdale. She was 82 years old.
At this point I’m going to pontificate about single women like Pauline. She is one of many women, who as single women were able to make a way for herself over 100 years ago, before Suffrage and other rights. My annoyance with Women’s history is that it gets boiled down to that, Suffrage and Rights. The same way Black History is just Slavery and Civil Rights, as if we didn’t do other things. Anyway, misery sells and I’m not selling misery. I’m telling the history of Truxton Circle, which was formed by a variety of people, including Miss Artes. She served people with groceries, candy, and a place to rest their heads. She didn’t need to be a teacher or a nurse, she was a business woman. She didn’t need a man to handle her business. Nor did she need to work for someone else while she was in Truxton Circle and Bloomingdale (she worked as a cook earlier). Scroll up and see a strong independent woman who took care of her loved ones.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
Helen Williams is too common of a name, so we’ll make this quick.
The Helen Williams found in the 1920-1940 census in Truxton Circle was an African America girl, born in North Carolina, who lived on 3rd St NW.
In the 1920 census she was the 3 year old daughter of Joseph Williams and Ollie Rhyne. She was one of three young children living in the home of a government laborer. Also living in the house was their father’s uncle and 6 lodgers. They lived at 1621 3rd St NW.
By 1930 the family had seven children living at 1635 3rd St NW. The father managed to support the whole family still working as a government laborer. Somehow they managed to live without lodgers.
Helen was still at 1635 3rd St NW for the 1940 census. Her mother was a widow and she lived with her two brothers, three sisters and one lodger. She worked as a maid, whereas one of her brothers worked as a messenger boy and a sister worked as a clerk for the W.P.A.
Then the trail goes cold.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
This is an update because I accidentally wrote James Adams’ bio twice. The first one is here. Looking at the second copy, it had property info so I will have it below:
James Adams first showed up in Truxton Circle in the 1930 census at 1421 New Jersey Ave NW as the owner. Looking at the DC Recorder of Deeds, the Adams owned a property at Square 553W lot S. A cursory look revealed they borrowed from Nathan Levin of the WSIC sale.
James and wife Matilda F. Adams purchased 1421 NJ Ave NW in 1928 from Laura Lee Beck. They borrowed $1,470 from trustees at a 7% interest rate. Then late that year they took out a 2nd mortgage to pay a debt to Mabel Butler. Why? No idea. They borrowed quite frequently. They sold the home in August 1937 to Ralph P. Gibson.
Let’s return to the census. In 1930, James is working as a railroad porter. His wife listed as Florence, worked as a maid for a private family and his 22 year old son Charles worked as an elevator operator for the rail road station. Prior to this they were on a farm in White Plains, MD. James was farming, Matilda Florence was a farm wife, and Charles was in school.
Despite selling the house in 1937, they were still at 1421 NJ Av NW, but as renters in the 1940 census. James’ birth year shifted to approx. 1884. He still worked as a porter. Matilda Florence went back to being a housewife. Their son did not live with them, instead they had a husband and wife lodger couple from South Carolina.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
There were Black doctors who lived in the same neighborhood as Black laborers and maids. Dr. Charles A. Allen was one of them. He was born in the British West Indies. Before he came to Truxton Circle, he lived over at 1525 5th St NW, as a lodger of a porter. He also liked to write letters to the Editor regarding matters of health.
Washington Post, January 08, 1926
He showed up in Shaw in the 1920 census. He was the sole lodger of Nelson and Sadie Harvey at 1525 5th St NW. They also lived with their 6 year old son and Sadies’ widowed mother. The house no longer exists and is part of the KIPP campus.
1217 NJ Ave NW. Taken May 24, 2012
In the 1930 census Dr. Allen lived in 1217 New Jersey Ave NW as a homeowner. Looking at the DC Recorder of Deeds records, he didn’t become the official owner until 1940. In July of 1940 the heirs of Lena Rohr sold the property to Moses H. Dade, who in the next document sold it to Dr. Charles A. and wife Cora Allen.
It may be safe to assume that the 42-ish old Dr. Allen married the 40 year old Cora Elexzenia Cupid between 1930 and 1940. Cora shows up in the 1930 census as a single woman. She resided at 422 Florida Ave heading the household living with her brother, 2 sisters, a nephew and a sister in law. She was a 40 year old hairdresser. Prior to that she was a dressmaker. After snagging a doctor husband she made homemaking her occupation.
In 1940 and 1950 Dr. Allen and his wife were the only occupants of 1217 New Jersey Ave NW.
Dr. Allen was 70 years old when he died at the hospital in 1955. He served at the Freedmens Hospital for more than 30 years. He was survived by his wife, a sister, Irene St. Luce and a niece Muriel Pierson. The funeral was held at Galbraith AME Zion Church His wife joined him in death in February 1964.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
Charles Matthews Clague was born in Rochester, NY on April 27, 1880 to Fanny Matthews and William Henry Harrison Clague. At some point around 1899 William HH Clague moved the family to Washington, DC.
The patriarch of the family worked as a pressman for the Government Printing Office (GPO). In 1900 the Clagues lived at 59 New York Ave NE. The father worked as a pressman, as did his some William and son-in-law Johnathan Barnes. Charles, who was 20 at the time, worked as a private secretary. Charles’ mom and sisters Nellie (22), Florence (17), and Mary (15) did not work outside of the home.
William Clague died in 1904. The youngest daughter Mary married a year later. She and her husband George N. Scriven had Charles in their home in 1910. The Scriven household was headed by George a policeman (35), with wife Mary (25). They were raising their four year old William with the help of Mary’s mother, the widow Fannie Clague (63) and sister Florence (27). However, Florence worked as a clerk at the GPO so, maybe not her.
Charles married Mary H.A. Smallwood in 1911 inn DC. And from Charles’ WWI draft registration we find him at 131A Bates St NW in 1917. This address placed him in the White segregated Washington Sanitary Improvement Co. housing for working class families. He worked as a gas fitter. By 1920 he became an electrician.
131 Bates St NW, 2004
He was able to provide a place for his widowed mother, who was 82 in 1930, and his sister Florence and his wife’s brother William Smallwood. But this was one of two units and it is currently 1,810 square feet for the whole structure. Charles and Mary had no children so there were 5 adults sharing less than 1,000 square feet of space.
From Kober, George “The history and development of the housing movement in the city of Washington, D.C” 1907
In 1940 he worked for the same company he worked for in 1917, but he was a repair worker. In his last census in 1950 he and his wife were listed as unemployed. I should note that unlike other wives, Mary kept working during their marriage. In 1910, before she married she was a saleslady at a packing store. 1920 she was a saleswoman at an electric supply company. 1930, a clerk at a department store. She was not working in 1940.
The couple died in 1950. Charles went first on May 12th at his home. Mary followed a month later on June 10th. In a way it was a blessing. They didn’t have to suffer through the sale of their home and scramble at their age to seek new housing.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
Garland Carr (center) arrested for trying to blow up Veterans Bureau, 6/21/22 SOURCE: Library of Congress. National Photo Company Collection.
He was a property owner, but apparently not a resident. So let’s call him a Truxton “character”. Using Ancestry to pin his ID down, I used his mother’s and sister’s first names from the deed for 1520 1st St NW. There was a family tree, where his sister Genevieve or Geneva Ruth Carr was married to a William Taft Patrick. Hoping the family tree wasn’t complete fiction (as some are), here goes.
Garland Eugene Carr was born on December 29, 1887, in Raleigh, North Carolina to Nathaniel Carr and Elizabeth Blakely. He showed up twice in the 1900 census. First he was with his father and brother Henry living in Asheville, NC. working as a laborer. Then with his mother and eight brothers and sisters in Raleigh, NC.
June 1917 Garland filled out his registration card for World War I and noted he was 30 and had been wearing glasses for 20. He was enlisted in the Army in 1918 and was discharged in 1919, one whole year. In June of 1919 he traveled from France on the USS Ed Luckenbach with the Medical Detachment 340th Service Battalion (Colored). He was to return to his father in Charlotte, NC.
His one year military adventure is why he had his photo taken. He was apparently unhappy with the VA.
It seems like attempted arson, but other news outlets accused him of bombing.
Bombing used to be a destructive form of protest favored by anarchists.
According the the VA’s records he died in 1972.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
Sometimes people have the same name. In 1940 there were two, two William Youngs in Truxton Circle. The first lived as a lodger at 1619 3rd St NW. The other was also a lodger at 1633 4th St NW. Both men were laborers. They both were African American men. Third St William was from South Carolina, whereas 4th St William was from neighboring Maryland.
Let’s start with 3rd St William. He was born July 8, 1906 in Fairfield, South Carolina. He moved around because by October 1940, he had moved to 715 6th St NE where he lived with his wife Ethel, if this is the correct William Young.
The 4th St William Young, William Esmond Young was born May 26, 1905 in St. Mary’s County, MD to John and Cassie (?) Young. In 1928 he married Emma Johnson. So he is the same William Young who lived at 1626 4th St NW in 1930. Yes, this is a different house number than 1633 4th St NW.
In 1930 this William Young, married to Emma, was 25 years old working as a porter in a drug store. His wife, Emma, was 32, and she worked as a domestic for a private family. They shared the household with Lula King, a lodger, a 35 year old domestic servant.
By 1940, he and Emma are the lodgers as they moved across the street and over a few houses to 1633 4th St NW. The couple moved in with Sarah and her daughter Mamie Coles. Emma somehow became 19 years older than her husband. William worked as laborer for a private company. His draft card revealed it was E P Noyland Construction. Emma still worked as a domestic.
They remained on the 1600 block of 4th Street relocating to 1615 4th St NW. William and Emily were two of five roomers in the house of Ella Pearson, a domestic servant. Their old landlady, moved to 1617 4th St, Sara C. Coles was then living with her widowed father and her brother. Emma, then Emily, was still 19 years her husband’s senior and even in her 60s worked as a domestic servant.
And there is no more after that for the Youngs.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
Because the 1880 census was the first to have addresses, one of the few things the 1870 census could tell us about Horace Dyer, was that he was a 29 year old married illiterate Black man who worked as a porter in a store and lived in Washington, DC. He was born in Maryland around 1841, so there is a possibly that he was not born free.
He lived at 1402 1st St NW in 1880. His job was listed as 40 year old laborer. His wife Emily worked as a laundress, a kind of work a woman could do from home while caring for their 3 sons, Joseph (6), Phillip (3) and Theodore (1).
An 1890 city directory had him living at 119 O St NW. He also was listed as a fireman and had a middle initial “J”.
Something interesting happened between the 1870 and the 1900 census. According to the Ancestry family tree (take with a grain of salt) Emily/Emilia Galloway Dyer died in April 1886. November 1887, more than a whole year, he married Mary Jane Simmons, another laundress. He gained three daughters, Ida (19) from Emily and Lucinda (11) and Mary (7) from Mary Jane. He was a homeowner. He could read but he could not write. The census clarified he was a fireman for a store.
When he was 69 during the 1910 census he lived with his wife, who remained a laundress, even at the age of 55, two unmarried adult children and his 95 year old mother. Horace worked as a government fireman. The son under his roof, Phillip Augustus Dyer (32) worked as laborer. With the exception of his wife, all the other women in the household were not employed.
1402 1st St NW does not exist anymore. Armstrong sits and sat there. By 1917 he had moved to 1420 5th St NW, so his ownership would not show up in the online records of the Recorder of Deeds. But his ownership can be confirmed in the DC General Assessment 1902-1903. He owned a lot on Square 553, lot 4, West 19. If I am understanding it correctly, the home was 2,565 square feet and the lot was 770 sq. ft.
He died March 30, 1927. According to his obituary in the Evening Star, May Jane had already passed away. He was survived by his three sons, Joseph H., Phillip A., and Edward T. and three dollars Ida C. Duvall, and Lucinda C. and Cora E. Dyer. He was Roman Catholic and his requiem mass was at St. Augustine’s.
Thousands of people have lived in the Truxton Circle neighborhood for over 100 years and they have thousands of stories. The goal of the Truxton Circle History Project is to find every man, woman, and child who lived in the neighborhood using every available source. The Project uses the 1880-1950 censuses, the power of Ancestry and every other online resource to discover and uncover neighborhood history.
