Category: Truxton History

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 221 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 221 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 221 Bates St NW to Beatrice W. and William C. Mitchell.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Mitchells borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 221 Bates St NW to Ethel Taylor, a widow.
  • Jan 1951 Mrs. Taylor borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1957 the Mitchells sold/transferred  their property to Pernell and Raymond R. Taylor.
  • November 1961 the Mitchells were released from their mortgage.
  • March 1962 Mrs. Taylor was released from her mortgage and she owned her half free and clear.
  • April 1966 the Taylors sold their half to Frances F. and Raymond L. Rogers.
  • December 1966 the estate of Ethel Taylor, represented by Coleman S. Holmes sold her half to the Rogers, bringing the property under one owner.
  • August 1970 the Rogers sold their half to DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
  • June 1980 the DC RLA sold/transferred the house to the Bates Street Associates as part of a larger property package.

Despite their being no foreclosures the house wound up in the hands of the DC government. Oh well.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 140 Q Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 140 Q St NW:

  • January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 140 Q NW to Harriet B. and Paul S. Goodwin.
  • Jan 1951 the Goodwins borrowed $3,150 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 140 Q St NW to George and wife Willie M. Cromer.
  • Jan 1951 the Cromers borrowed $3,150 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • November 1954 the Goodwins sold their half back to Evans, Levin, and Taube.
  • November 1954 the Cromers lost their half of the property to foreclosure. Evans, Levin, and Taube regained ownership via an auction.
  • March 1959 the Goodwins were released from their mortgage.
  • March 1959 the Colonial Investment Co partners and the Levin survivors, in a larger property package, sold their interest in the property to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • July 1970 (doc# 1970011877) Basiliko, as part of a large package, sold 140 Q and many other properties to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
  • June 1980 DC RLA entered into a contract (doc # 8000020221) with BSA (Bates Street Associates) and transferred a large number of properties to the venture (doc # 8000020294, signatories on p.5) Bates Street Associates (BSA).

I’ll end it with the BSA. So there was one foreclosure and that was the same month when the remaining owners sold the property back to Colonial Investments. Then it went to George Basiliko, known landlord of “slum” properties. And then the pattern is continued when it was sold to DC RLA who passed it on to BSA.

George Cromer in the 1950 census was living at an apartment building at 1031 8th St NW with his wife Willie and their one year old son. He repaired tracks for the transit company. Prior to that, during WW2, they were at 1241 8th St NW and he worked for what is now PEPCO. According to that description he was a dark complexioned Afro-American man who was 5’9″ and 183 lbs.

In 1950 the Goodwins were living with family at 411 1/2 Franklin St NW…. Dang those houses are tiny. Less than 1000 sq ft tiny and there were 4 adults and 5 minor children in the house. Four of the children were the Goodwins’ kids. Paul was working for a construction company and Harriet was a maid. Her father Lewis Ruffin was a carpenter. Paul died in 1954, so that could be the reason the property was sold back to Colonial Investments.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1547 3rd Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 1547 3rd St NW:

  • January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1547 3rd NW to Alfred E. and Edna M. Williams.
  • Jan 1951 the Williams borrowed $3,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1547 3rd St NW to Mary M. Fair.
  • Jan 1951 divorcee Ms. Fair borrowed $3,375 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • April 1962 Mary M. Fair was released from her mortgage and owned her half free and clear.
  • June 1964 the Williams borrowed $6,500 from United Mortgage Company Inc.
  • August 1964 the Williams were released from their United Mortgage Co Inc mortgage.
  • February 1965 the Williams were released from their Levin and Weightman mortgage.
  • March 1966 there was another United Mortgage release. I don’t understand it.
  • March 1966 the Williams got a mortgage from Security Home Mortgage Corporation of Silver Spring, MD $2,193.12.
  • November 1967 the Williams were released from their Security Home Mortgage Co mortgage.
  • September 1973 Mary M. Newton formerly Mary Fair borrowed $5,000 from trustees Harry M. Stern and Jay S. Weiss to pay Harry A. Payne.
  • November 1978 Mary Newton was released from her September 1973 mortgage.

Another good result. No foreclosures. The original 1951 buyers continued to own their halves into the 1980s.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1549 3rd Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 1549 3rd St NW:

  • January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1549 3rd St NW to Robert and Rosalie R. Moses.
  • Jan 1951 Mr. & Mrs. Moses borrowed $3,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1549 3rd St NW to Jimmie and Lucille J. Nelson.
  • Jan 1951 the Nelson borrowed $3,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • November 1952 the Nelsons transferred their half to Edith E. Matthews who transferred it to Ms. Lucille J. Davis.
  • November 1961 Ms. Davis transferred her half to Ms. Frances R. Atwood who then transferred it to Jimmie and Lucille J. Nelson.
  • December 1961 the Nelsons were released from their mortgage.
  • March 1962 Mr. & Mrs. Moses were released from their mortgage.

I will end it here because the documents get a little too recent for comfort. A 1997 document mentions that Lucille J. Nelson and Lucille J. Davis are one in the same.

This was a good story as there were no foreclosures and the properties were owned free and clear by the original buyers.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 228 Q Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 228 Q St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold the whole of 228 Q St NW to Ernestine Culpepper*.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Culpepper borrowed $6,750 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1963 Culpepper was released from the 1950 mortgage and owned the house free & clear.
  • May 1963 Culpepper transferred the house to Charles P. Muldoon to then transferred it to Ernestine and Nathan Watts.
  • December 1963 the Watts borrowed $8,000 from the Perpetual Building Association.
  • January 1972 the Watts got divorced and Ernestine got her house back.

I’m going to leave it there. Ernestine died September 27, 1994 as the owner of 228 Q St. NW. Short of the divorce, this was a pretty positive story.

*Just a side note. I noticed in the paperwork the Culpepper was described with “their” and “them”.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 216 Q Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 216 Q St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 216 Q NW to Flora M. and James L. Fisher.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Fishers borrowed $3,275 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 216 Q St NW to Catherine R. West.
  • Dec 1951 Mrs. West borrowed $3,125 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1962 the Fishers were released from their mortgage and owned their half free and clear.
  • August 1962 Ms. West was released from her mortgage.
  • July 1967, for some reason, E. M. Bros (an early lender) lost their interest, along with Evans, Levin and Taube to foreclosure and via an auction whatever part of the property they owned transferred to Ms. West. She then borrowed $1,200 from trustees Levin & Weightman.

Nothing more happens until the 1980s when Ms. West sells. I don’t know what happened to the Fishers and their half. For this house they kind of disappear after their release.

I looked up Mrs. Fisher, February 1962 she bought 5154 South Dakota Ave NE with Jeanna LaVerne Farr. Looking up James L. Fisher, he was involved in more real estate ventures than I care to count, but appears 216 Q was the start of his (and maybe his wife’s) property empire.

I am not sure about the July 1967 incident and what that was all about.

What I can say was this seemed to have worked out for the parties involved.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 226 Q Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 226 Q St NW:

  • January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 226 Q NW to Harold B. Fitzgerald.
  •  Jan 1951 Fitzgerald borrowed $3,275 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 226 Q St NW to Mattie L. and William Morgan.
  • Jan 1951 the Morgans borrowed $3,275 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • May 1951 Fitzgerald sold his half to Sarah E. and Rufus J. Jones.
  • October 1962 Fitzgerald (now the Jones) was released from his mortgage, owning that half free and clear.
  • February 1964 the Morgans were released from their mortgage.
  • March 1967 the widow Mattie Morgan sold her half to Eneas J. and Katherine R. Whelan.
  • February 1977, the heirs of Eneas Whelan sold the half of 226 Q St NW to Robert W. Ayers I & II.
  • September 1980 the property somehow got caught up in the Bates Street Associates net. (See doc #8000029035)
  • April 1987 the Ayers sold their half to Sarah Jones, bringing the property under one owner.

I’ll leave it there in a good space. No foreclosures. People were able to pass down things to a slew of family members who quickly turn around and sell it. It’s probably best to ignore the Bates Street Associates thing.

Truxton Circle WSIC Wardmans

If I had good sense I would not write this.

I hope I am providing a good warning to my friends who live in TC WSIC housing. I am not for historic districts (I can be agnostic about landmarks) and I am very aware how my research can be used to create these things. Anywho, there are Truxton Circle Wardmans as highlighted by the site Wardman’s Washington. However, I am just going to look at the WSIC TC Wardmans.

photo of property47 Bates Street NW (2 Stories brick dwelling) —Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 7/16/1901
49 Bates Street NW (2 Stories brick dwelling) —Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 7/16/1901
51 Bates Street NW (2 Stories brick dwelling) —Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 7/16/1901
53 Bates Street NW (2 Stories brick dwelling) —Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 7/16/1901
94 Bates Street NW (2 Stories brick dwelling)— Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 9/10/1901
14 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
16 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
18 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
20 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
22 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
24 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
26 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
28 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
30 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
32 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
34 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
36 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
38 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
40 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901
42 O Street NW (2 Stories brick flat) — Architect: Bayliss, Mr. Permit Date: 5/31/1901

The architect was a Mr. Bayliss. So I went looking to see if I could narrow it down to which Bayliss in Washington, DC may have been the architect. I’m guessing it was William Bayliss.

In the 1900 census there was a William Bayliss at 1410 9th St NW whose occupation was listed as “Architect Govt”. Good enough for me. There were other Bayliss men working in DC, a R. inspector, a shoe store salesman, and the like. But so far only one an architect. I looked at the 1902 city directory (the 1900 directory didn’t have occupations) Major W. Bayliss at 1410 9th St NW was a draftsman.

A little digging showed that William Bayliss died in 1919 so I hoped his obit would tell me something useful. Nope. I did locate him in the 1914 Blue Book, a social directory, page 74 reads thus:

Bayliss, Major William, architect and government official of Washington, D.C., was born Nov. 8, 1848, in Canada. Since 1882 he has been superintendent of hospital construction in the office of the surgeon-general of the army.

I’m 80% sure this is the guy.

 

 

 

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 212 Q Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 212 Q St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 212 Q St NW to Anna L. and Blanton J. Bell.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Bells borrowed $3,125 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 212 Q St NW to Miss Dorothy M. Bowles.
  • December 1950 Ms. Bowled borrowed $3,125 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • March 1961 Ms. Bowles was released from her mortgage and owned her half free and clear.
  • May 1962 the Bells were released from their mortgage and owned their half free and clear.
  • November 1971 Mr. Bell’s name was removed from the deed.
  • June 1980, for some mysterious reason, BSA (Bates Street Associates) Limited Partnership and partners Lawrence J. Brailsford (spelled Brailsforfd) , George (spelled Geroge) Holmes Jr. and Jack W. White took out a 1/2 million dollar mortgage with the John Hanson Savings & Loan using 212 Q St NW and two other properties as collateral.
  • April 1984 the DC Board for the Condemnation of Insanitary Buildings mailed a letter to Ms. Bell and Ms. Bowles at 1618 North Capitol St NW to condemn their property.
  • November 1984 Mrs. Bowles, a widow and Ms. Bell sold 212 Q to the DC government.
  • March 1985 the DC government sold the property to MANNA, Inc.

I will leave it there.  So it was a sort of good ending, except for the condemnation.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 204 Q Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 204 Q St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 204 Q NW to Margaret C. Dickson.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Mrs. Dickson borrowed $3,125 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 204 Q St NW to Margaret E. Stewart.
  • Jan 1951 Mrs. Steward borrowed $3,275 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • April 1957 Mary Dickson, her sister Elsie Dickson, Edward, Garfield and Herbert Dickson, her brothers sold Margaret Dickson’s half to P.D Witherspoon
  • March 1958 the Dickson property was foreclosed and via an auction it returned to the portfolio of Colonial Investment Co owners Evans. Taube and new partner Harry A. Badt.
  • November 1961, as part of a larger property package, Badt, Evans, Taube, their wives, and Nathan Levin’s survivors sold part of the property to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • March 1962 Margaret E. Stewart was released from her mortgage.
  • January 1963 Mrs. Stewart and the Basilikos sold the property to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
  • August 1979 (or thereabouts) the DC RLA transferred the property to the Bates Street Associates Inc.

So in conclusion, there was a foreclosure and the property did get sold to slum landlord George Basiliko. But on the plus one person managed to own the property free and clear. I feel bad for P.D. Witherspoon.