Tag: neighborhood history

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 137 Bates Street NW- It’s a foursome

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

I see that two couples (four people) bought this house. Instead of doing my usual format, I will tell the story of these Black homeowners differently.

January 26, 1951 George A. and Gladys L. Watson, along with Lizzie M. and Clayton Williams purchased 137 Bates Street NW from Colonial Investment. Like other buyers they used the only lenders allowed in these transactions, trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman. They borrowed $5,050 and paid it off in February 1963. That same year the property was sold/transferred to the Williams. In 1964, the Williams got a new mortgage with Republic Savings and Loan Association, which was paid off in 1981. Clayton died July 25, 1971 and Lizzie died July 13, 1997 and her estate sold the home in 2018 for $805.5K.

I could not find a lot of information about Clayton Williams, but I was able to find things about Lizzie. In the 1950 census she was living at 95 Fenton Place NE with her four children. Clayton was not there. She was listed as the head and working as a servant for a private household.

Negro tenement house. Fenton Place, N.E. near the Capitol building. Washington, D.C

George Albert Watson was born March 15, 1904 in Meriwether, Georgia. He married Gladys Elizabeth Littles in 1941 in Washington, DC. During WWII, he was working for the Zabans Mattress Company. Zabans seems to have been a Richmond company but possibly had a location in DC.

During the 1950 Census, George and Gladys were living at 4409 Falls Terrace SE, Apartment 4 with 7 year old daughter Jeresal F. and 4 year old son George Jr. George worked as a box spring maker and Gladys was a clerk typist for the Federal government. When she was single in 1940, she worked as a secretary’s assistant for the N.Y.A. Project. George died in 1967.

From Gladys’ obit: On Saturday, September 15, 2007 at Doctors Hospital of Lanham, MD. The beloved mother of Jearsel F. Watson and George A. (Lee Audrey) Watson, Jr.. Also survived by four grandchildren, three great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

I could not find an obvious connection between the Williams and the Watsons.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1521 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 1521 3rd St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1521 3rd St NW to Agnes C. and George O. Faison.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Faisons borrowed $3,750 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 1521 3rd St NW to Widow Wardell White (nee Fletcher).
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) Mrs. White borrowed $3,750 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1963 Mrs. White paid off her mortgage.
  • November 1967, the property was included in a larger package that was sold/transferred to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • November 1967, a few days after the Basiliko package, the Faisons paid off their mortgage.

This is a decent story. No foreclosures but Basiliko shows up for no reason.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1517 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 1517 3rd St NW:

  • February 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1517 3rd NW to Louis W. and Lucille H. Williams.
  • February 1951 the Williams borrowed $3,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1517 3rd St NW to Mrs. Ethel W. Stanley.
  • Feb 1951 Stanley borrowed $3,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • May 1962 Stanley paid off her mortgage.
  • May 1962 Mr. and Mrs. Williams paid off their mortgage.

Another good ending. No foreclosure and mortgages paid off in 11 years.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off-1515 3rd Street NW

It’s been a while but, I’m back with the goal of getting every WSIC house.

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 1515 3rd St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1515 3rd St NW to Edna B. and William N. Dean.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Deans borrowed $3,375 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • April 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1515 3rd St NW to Harvey L. and Sadie B. Christian.
  • April 1951 the Christians borrowed $3,425 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • November 1952 the Christians were thrown to the lions and lost their half of the property to foreclosure. Evans, Levin and Taube regained ownership via an auction.
  • February 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube turned around and sold the foreclosed half to Ederson R. and Tiney Willis.
  • February 1953 the Willis’ borrowed $4,211.05 from Levin and Weightman.
  • February 1962 the Deans paid off their mortgage.
  • September 1967 Tiney Willis and her son Ederson paid off their mortgage.

And that’s the end. Only one foreclosure and the property did not wind up in the hands of a slum lord or the city government.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 19 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.

Okay, let’s get back to some depressing local history.

Why depressing? The WSIC properties tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold by business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. 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). And doing this over and over again, is depressing.

photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 19 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Feb 14, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 19 Bates St NW to Miss Elsie M. Mitchell.
  • December 1950 (recorded Feb 14, 1951) Mitchell borrowed $1,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 19 Bates St NW to Theodora and Thomas Ferguson.
  • Jan 1951 Fergusons borrowed $1,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • March 9, 1953 Thomas Ferguson borrowed $965.83 from trustees Roland Brown Jr and Jacob Sandler in order to pay for work done by Consolidated Eng. & Dist. Co. Inc.
  • September 1954 Thomas Ferguson borrowed $575.65 from the Irving Trust Company.
  • April 1958 the Fergusons lost their half of 19 Bates St NW to foreclosure.
  • July 1958, as part of larger property package, new Colonial partner Harry A. Badt transferred their interest in the foreclosed half to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
  • June 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.
  • January 1962 Mitchell was released from her mortgage, thus owning her half free and clear.
  • December 1969 Elsie Mitchell Traylor and her husband Melvyn H. Traylor sold their half to notorious landlord George Basiliko.
  • November 1981 Sophia and George Basiliko sold 19 Bates St NW, along with two other WSIC properties to the Bates Street Ventures, Gerald Diaz and Edward A. Kassoff.

There was a foreclosure. But on the other hand the other buyer, Elsie Mitchell, was able to pay off her mortgage, thus one success. But she and the Colonial Investment Co wound up selling their halves of the house to George Basiliko. Despite owning it prior to 1970 Basiliko did not sell the property to the DC RLA. I’m not sure if Bates Street Ventures is pretty much the same as Bates Street Associates (BSA) and all that mess.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1551 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 1551 3rd St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1551 3rd St NW to John D. and Susie M. Scott.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Scotts borrowed $4,250 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 1551 3rd St NW to Mary Annette Brewer and J. Bernard Strawder.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Brewer and Strawder borrowed $4,250 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • March 1958 Brewer and Strawder lost their half to foreclosure. The Colonial Investment Co. partners regained ownership via an auction.
  • May 1961 the Scotts sold their half of 1551 3rd St from Evans, Taube and Nathan Levin’s survivors.
  • November 1961 the Colonial Investor Co. parties sold 1551 3rd St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • May 1978 George Basiliko sold the property to Ohal, Isaac & Associates, Inc.

So this fit the usual and unfortunate pattern of foreclosure (the Scotts managed to avoid that) then the property being sold to Basiliko.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1545 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 1545 3rd St NW:

  • January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1545 3rd NW to Carrie B. and Robert L. Andrews.
  • January 1951 the Andrews 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 1545 3rd St NW to Jimmie Batts and Queen E. Coles.
  • Jan 1951 Batts and Coles borrowed $3,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • October 1952 the Andrews lost their half to foreclosure. Through an auction the property returned to Evans, Levin and Taube.
  • October 1952 Evans, Levin and Taube sold the foreclosed half to Mrs. Elizabeth W. Banks.
  • October 1952 Mrs. Banks borrowed $4,164.38 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • September 1954 Batts and Coles lost their half to foreclosure. Evans, Levin and Taube got the property back via an auction.
  • October 1955 Banks lost her half to foreclosure. Evans, Levin and Taube got the property back via an auction.
  • November 1961, the Colonial Investment Co. parties, as part of a larger property package, sold 1545 3rd St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • July 1970, as part of a larger property package (document 1970011877) , George Basiko sold 1545 3rd St NW to the District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).

So the sad story and pattern apply here. The next set of documents after the RLA got their hands on it were from 2004 with BSA Limited Partnership. BSA- I will assume are the Bates Street Associates, which were a problematic organization.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 1541 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 1541 3rd St NW:

  •  January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 1541 3rd St NW to Essie G. and James W. Balthrop.
  • January 1951 the Balthrops borrowed $3,375 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 1541 3rd St NW to Mrs. Floretta L. Williams and Mrs. Mary M. Woody.
  • Jan 1951 Williams and Woody borrowed $3,375 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • April 1960, Williams and Woody lost their half of 1541 3rd to foreclosure. Through an auction the property returned to Colonial Investments Co owners, Taube, Evans and Harry A. Badt.
  • April 1960, as part of a larger property package, Badt and his wife transferred their interest in the property to Nathan Levin’s survivors.
  • March 1961, the Balthrops owned their half free and clear.
  • November 1961, as part of  larger property package, Levin’s survivors and the owners of the Colonial Investment Company sold their half of 1541 to George Basiliko.
  • September 1967, widow Essie Balthrop borrowed $1,287.60 from trustees Ralph O. Weed and A. J. Mascetta.

Despite the half of the property being sold to Basiliko it did not wind up in the hands of the city.

Who were the Balthrops? I have no idea where the G. came from but Emma Jane Royal married James Westly Balthrop in 1908 in Richmond, VA. When their first son, William was one years old in 1910, Emma worked as a servant and James a butler. By 1920 the family was in Washington, DC with two more sons. In 1930, they had 6 sons and housed a nephew. According to the census they owned 631 Gresham Pl NW, which has less than 1000 sq. ft.

Looking into 631 Gresham Place NW (Sq. 3056, lot 57) I found one of those weird real estate things. This is not in my area of interest, but when you see weird stuff, you write about it. So you know about racially restricted covenants, how about reverse UNO card covenants?

See close up here- 3056-57

It appears the Balthrops and their neighbors signed an agreement to be able to sell their properties to African Americans. Okay moving on.

In 1940 the family, sans James, was renting a house at 611 Morton St. NW. At that point, Essie was the head and she had 5 sons, 1 daughter and one renter living in the home.

When James W. Balthrope died October 8, 1962, he died at home on Third Street. He was survived by many relatives. He had 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. His funeral was at the Vermont Baptist Church.

Redlining and Truxton Circle teaser

I’d been quite busy with preparing for the DC History Conference and while writing up my presentation I discovered redlining in Truxton Circle.

I had previously thought red lining did not apply to Truxton Circle. Black homeowners bought and sold homes and used institutional and private lenders to get mortgages. The definition I had heard was the complete lack of financial sources.

As I was rewriting my script for the conference, I put two separate ideas together and the scales fell from my eyes. I saw it as clear as day. Which then meant I had to rewrite my whole pitch.

I do plan to share this revelation but it needs to be a several part series. This is my teaser.

Some Post DC Conference Notes- Resources and Sources

There was a great turn out for the Neighborhood History and Housing session for the DC History Conference at the MLK Library. I ran into the amazing Scott Roberts. I had a handout, I’m not sure he got a copy. And for those of you who want to know what resources you can tap into to do similar histories take a look below:

DC Public Library– https://www.dclibrary.org/
Under Research & Learn (DCPL library card required)

Ancestry (AncestryLibrary)- https://www.dclibrary.org/research-and-learn/ancestry-library-edition

Historical Washington Post (ProQuest)- https://www.dclibrary.org/research-and-learn/washington-post

Library of Congress– https://www.loc.gov/
Chronicling America/ Evening Star – https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for DC (volume 2)- https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn01227_003/

 

 

 

 

DC Recorder of Deeds (online land records)- https://countyfusion4.kofiletech.us/countyweb/loginDisplay.action?countyname=WashingtonDC

Find A Grave– https://www.findagrave.com/

National Archives & Records Administration– https://www.archives.gov
Map No. 2 Neighborhood Convenience Stores; Records Relating to Urban Renewal, 1934–1998, entry A1 13, Records of the National Capital Planning Commission Record Group 328, National Archives Building, Washington, DC.  (NAID 784266)

Washington DC Map 1936Map of the Metropolitan District of Washington DC, 1936; file Housing Market Analysis Washington, D.C. July 1937; Records Relating to Housing Market Analyses, 1940–1942, entry A1-6; Records of the Federal Housing Administration, Record Group 31; National Archives Building, College Park, MD. (NAID 122213881)

..and I managed to leave this one off- also from the National Archives. AND I gave the wrong citation. oops.

General Assessment 1902-1903, Volume I, Squares 459 to 555, Page 320; General Land Assessment Files, 1902–1938; Records of the Government of the District of Columbia Record Group 351; National Archives Building, Washington, DC.  (NAID 145723973)