Tag: WSIC

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.

Yet some nearby houses like 116 Q St NW looked like they might have been WSIC. Looking at the land records, this house is not.

The records for lot 814 go back to 1941, but the recorder of deeds go back to the 1920s. One of the owners name on the 1941 document is James I. Medley. Using that name, records from 1927 to 1939 were located for lot 26.

• January 1927 William Adams sold lot 26 to James I. Medley.
• February 1927 Dewey Washington sold lot 26 to James I. Medley.
• March 1927 James and Mildred F. Medley borrowed $4,500 from trustees C. Frances Owens and Eugene A. Smith.

In 1927 James Medley purchased several lot 26 portions, particularly from the Nash family. They also took out a loan but none I can attach particularly to 116 Q St NW.

• March 1941 the Medleys sold lots 813 & 814 to Hubbert R. Quinter and sister in-law Mary B. Zetelle.
• January 1946 Hubbert and Gladys Z. Quinter and Mary Zetelle transferred several properties, including 814 to Nannie D. Carr. Carr transferred it back to the Quinters.
• January 1961 the Quinters sold lots 813 & 814 to Mercedes B. and Norman F. Manders.
• January 1961 the Manders borrowed $7,000 from trustees Williams S. Green and Arthur J. Sherwin.
• October 1964 the Manders sold lots 813 and 814 to the Diamond Housing Corporation. The Diamond Housing Corp. borrowed $8,500 from the Franklin Federal Savings and Loan Association.
• March 1965 the Manders were released from their January 1961 loan.

I’m deciding to end it there.

Edit 11/26/2024- changed Mary from sister in law to general in-law. She may have been Gladys’ aunt but I am not sure.

So I thought this was a WSIC house. It wasn’t built as one.From the picture above of 127 Bates from 2004, the lot number is 0821.

Cool.

Whelp. The record for that lot goes back to 2013. So to the 1919 map

127 Bates Street NW appears to have been Lot 804. The record for that lot end in 1929.

Mmmkay. So the alternative lot number is 25, but that covers a lot that stretches from Q St to Bates. And there was a lot going on with lot 25, but I am going to follow Frank and Frances Hild who owned lot 804. In 1928 they sold to Leon S. Oppenheimer and Elmer B. Young. But Oppenheimer and Young also bought portions of lot 25 from Consiglia and Frank Frazzano. And it remains confusing and messy.

Then I jump to the 1950s and the Washington Sanitary Improvement Co buyers Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans of the Colonial Investment Co. They are selling lot 805, which is 125 Bates; lot 811 which is on Q St; lot 819 & 820 which appears to also be 125 Bates.

Working from the other end, the earlier name attached to lot 821 is Dorothy L. Clemons, she seems to have owned 127 from 1981-2014. A 1981 financing statement has 127 Bates associated with lots 819 and 782. We never see lot 782 again. Clemons purchased 127 Bates, as lots 819 & 820, from the Bates Street Associates Limited Partnership. The Bates Street Assoc. Ltd. got the property from the Dc Redevelopment Land Agency.

The title information is a little messy. What I can tell is that it was owned by the Colonial Investment Co., DC RLA and the Bates Street Associates.

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).

Let’s see what happens with 129 Bates St NW:

Well. When I look at lot 822 I don’t see anything that goes back to the 1950s. When I look at a 1919 map and see that it is lot 803. I don’t see anything past 1931.

The name associated with the property in 1931 are Beatrice W. and Leon S. Oppenheimer and Elmer B. Young. They sold it to General Realties Inc. And they sold it to the Washington Loan and Trust Company on behalf of the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC). WSIC then sold to Evans, Levin and Taube.

I see sales of 1/4 of lots 819 and 820, which is lot 805, now 822. But I can’t narrow  So let’s go backwards. Start with lot 822 and trace it to Delores S. McDaniels who was the first person to own lot 822 in the system. Her ownership ranges from 1981-2006 and the records show lots 25, 820, and 822. In 1981 she got the property from the Bates Street Associates Limited Partnership. That hints that it may have been owned by slum landlord George Basiliko and maybe the DC RLA.

So let’s look back at lots 819 and 820. A 1971 condemnation order has those combined lots for 129 Bates St NW. The problem I have associating those combined lots with 129 Bates is that I see 1/4th portions, which makes sense for 125 Bates Street which is currently the four unit Truxton Condominium. Also 125 Bates is in the right spot, west of 123 Bates which is lot 818.

The titles are too messy for me to do a decent tracking for this address. I give up.

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.

Let’s see what happens with 121 Bates St NW:

• April 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 121 Bates NW to Horace R. and Mary F. Jones.
• April 1951 the Jones borrowed $1,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• April 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 121 Bates St NW to Arthur and Elizabeth Little.
• April 1951 the Littles borrowed $1,900 at 6% interest from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• March 1953 the Littles of 121A Bates got a rare 2nd mortgage from trustees Roland Brown Jr and Jacob Sandler for $1,038.97 to pay Consolidated Eng. & Dist. Co. Inc.
• July 1954 the Jones lost their half to foreclosure. Evans, Levin, and Taube regained possession of the property via an auction.
• June 1959 as part of a larger property package, new owner Badt, Evans, Taube, their wives and Levin’s survivors sold the foreclosed half of 121 Bates St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• September 1967 the Littles were released from their mortgage with Levin and Weightman.
• June 1974 the Littles sold their half to George Basiliko.
• August 1978 Sophia and George Basiliko sold 121 Bates to Bates Street Ventures Partnership.

I’ll end this with 1978. There was one foreclosure and it wound up in the hands of Basiliko but not the DC RLA.

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.

Let’s see what happens with 119 Bates St NW:

• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 119 Bates St NW to Mazine W. and William N. Jackson.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Jacksons borrowed $2,150 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 119 Bates St NW to Lois L. and Lorenzo Hobbs.
• December 1950 Mr. & Mrs. Hobbs borrowed $2,150 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• April 1953 the Hobbs lost their half to foreclosure. Evans, Levin and Taube got the property back via an auction.
• April 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosed property to Bernice R. and Romus Smith.
• April 1953 the Smiths borrowed $2,672.55 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
• August 1953 the Jacksons lost their half of the house to foreclosure. Evans, Levin and Taube got the property back via an auction.
• August 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosure to Ellen N. and Stuart G. Johnson.
• August 1953 the Johnsons borrowed $2,918.26 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
• May 1955 the Johnsons lost their half of the house to foreclosure. And once again Evans, Levin and Taube get it back via an auction.
• November 1961, as part of a larger property package, new owner Harry A. Badt, Evan, Taube, their wives, and Nathan Levin’s survivors sold part of the property to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• June 1971 the Smiths sold their half to George Basiliko.
• Between 1971 and 1978 the property was transferred to the Bates Street Ventures Partnership from Basiliko.

I am not sure if there is any relationship between the Bates Street Ventures and Bates Street Associates. Anywho, there were several foreclosures and it wound up the the hands of Basiliko.

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.

Let’s see what happens with 34 O St NW:

• May 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 34 O St NW to Pearle E. and Thelma L. Staggers.
• May 1951 the Staggers borrowed $3,125 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• May 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 34 O St NW to Angie O. and Edward M. Smith.
• May 1951 the Smiths (not the band) borrowed $3,125 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• February 1953 the Staggers lost their half of the house to foreclosure. Evans, Levin and Taube regained ownership.
• April 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosed half to George E. and his wife Willie Strother.
• April 1953 the Strothers borrowed $3,797.55 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• September 1956 the Smiths lost their half to foreclosure. Newer Colonial partner Harry A. Badt, Evans and Taube regained ownership via an auction.
• November 1961 the Colonial partners, their wives and the Levin survivors, as part of a larger property package, sold half of the property to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• April 1969 the Strothers were released from their mortgage and owned their half of the home free and clear for many years.
• July 1971 Basiliko sold his half, as part of a larger property package, to the Housing System Development and Construction Corp.  It seems.
• April 1978 Basiliko was able to sell this and other properties to Freeman Home Improvement, Inc.

I’m to end this in the 1970s because tracing ownership gets messy.  This story includes two foreclosures and Basiliko ownership. It does not wind up in the hands of the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

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.

Let’s see what happens with 30 O St NW:

• February 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 30 O St NW to Nathelma A. and William L. Ewell.
• Feb 1951 the Ewells borrowed $3,025 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• February 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 30 O St NW to Lewis E. and Maggie K. Harris.
• February 1951 Mr. and Mrs. Harris borrowed $3,125 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• February 1953 Mr. & Mrs. Harris lost their home to foreclosure and the ownership their half returned to Evans, Levin and Taube via an auction.
• April 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube sold the foreclosed half to Mary E. and John B. Thomas.
• April 1953 mother and son, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas borrowed $3,807.24 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
• September 1954 the Ewells sold their home back to Evans, Levin and Taube.
• June 1959 as part of a larger property package, new owner Harry A. Badt, Evans, Taube, their wives and Levin’s survivors sold the half of 30 O St NW to Sophia and George Basiliko.
• September 1967 John B. Thomas are released from their mortgage. Mary Thomas had died March 27, 1955.

So it gets confusing after that. Either Basiliko sold his half to Housing System Dev. and Construction Corporation in 1972 or to the Freedman Home Improvement Co. in 1978. Thomas sold his half in 1981. There was one foreclosure.

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.

Let’s see what happens with 32 O St NW:

• February 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 32 O St NW to widow Roxie A. Jackson.
• Feb 1951 Mrs. Jackson borrowed $3,125 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• February 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 32 O St NW to Bermeda S. and Carl N. Pierce.
• Feb 1951 Mr. & Mrs. Pierce borrowed $3,025 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
• June 1952 Mrs. Jackson sold/transferred her half, via Ruth and Charles Rodgers Hawkins, to Mrs. Helena Isabel Ash.
• February 1963 the Pierces paid off their mortgage.
• February 1964 the Jackson loan was paid off.
• October 7, 1959 Carl Nathaniel Pierce died.
• January 1966 Mrs. Pierce, Helena Ash and her husband Charles Ash Jr. sold the whole of 32 O St NW to Anne and Irving Furash.
• February 1966 the Furashes sold the property to the Diamond Housing Corporation.

No foreclosures. I was pleasantly surprised that when Roxie Jackson sold her home that it wasn’t foreclosed upon. I sometimes see that when that happens a foreclosure will follow. It all worked out for everyone. Yay.