| Acacia Mutual Built on Historic Terrain a Soldier's Idea of a Soldier

| Acacia Mutual Built on Historic Terrain f» ®y John Clagett Proctor. the foregoing correspondence served In the Continental Corfgress and afterward There ni t tendency in the early days | In the House of Representatives In the w the Nation’s Capital to build private First United States Congress as a mem- tones, boarding houses and taverns as ber from Virginia, being a native of the Capitol Building as possible, Rappahannock County. It was he who to1- therefore, much of the original con- voted for the Residence Act of July 16, struction work in the city was carried on 1790, which resulted in placing the Fed- in this vicinity. eral Capital on Its present site—though 'President Washington himself mani- he did so much against his will and fested a preference for of the t£ls pert “with a revulsion of stomach almost Federal city when he decided to tifW convulsive,” It is stated. Later, In 1795, in this two houses Ifilld neighborhood he was appointed one of the commis- v®on a lot he had from the bought sioners to carry on the work of prepar- Commissioners on the west of North side ing the new Federal seat for the recep- street between B and C streets. <mpltol tion of the Government, and proved to as'is well known, after coming to be quite an active and valuable member he soon conclusion, selected his of the group appointed for this and d, Dr. William Thornton—the man other purposes. designed the original Capitol—to The Mr. Laws referred to was Thomas be his private architect, and he also Laws, who married the granddaughter ;d In his hands much of the details of Martha Washington and who made of££ the construction work. And to such an his home In and died Washington here. etont was this done that through him As every one knows, or should know, tony of the bills for the work were paid, George Washington died at Mount Ver- a|ijpe °f which may not have been non December 14,1799, before the build- Ugulda-ted until after Gen. Washington’s ings on North Capitol street were com- dlath. pleted. However, on August 14 of that * Indeed, evidence of the discharging of year we find him writing to John tills Important trust is to be found in Francis, who, It would appear, was con- Mrs. Thornton's diary under date of sidering renting the houses for hotel January 20, 1800, where she states: or boarding house purposes, and, so far as “Wrote out the account of the money known, he mav have been the first received and paid for Gen. Washington’s tenant after they were completed, houses.” though a statement that makes this seem doubtful Is the one that when Lot 16, in square 634, upon Which these Congress met here In 1800 these houses buildings once stood, was bought by were rented for boarding house pur- Washington on September 21, 1798, and poses by a Mr. Frost, who continued to even before that date we find that he do so for some years afterward. anticipated doing so, as he stated in his If, however, Mr. Frost was hot the letter 1798, addressed to of*September 12, first tenant of these houses he did Alexander White, in which he said: occupy them at an date, and what "Dear Sir: early particularly lends color to this conclu- "Your letter of the 8th inst. with the sion Is the fact that John T. Frost and s. plan of the squares in the vicinity of the The first home office the Acacia Mutual Insurance at 101 Indiana avenue, Birch endeavored, in 1814, to save the Houses formerly on North Capitol street, between B and C btUUUng of Life Co., Capitol came to me on the 10th, and for archives of the House of Representa- streets, built but not until which was taken over by the HOLC in 1934 and which the company later replaced by its present the trouble you have been at in designat- tives for George Washiniton completed by storing them in “the house at 51 Louisiana avenue. such as his death. The was scene headquarters ing lots you think would answer commonly called General Washington.” after Kenmore (center building) the my purpose I feel much obliged. It would, indeed, seem quite logical that of a celebrated tragedy. be proud of, just as proud. Indeed, as they The society’s business years ago was William Montgomery's Both anniver- "Ftorn what have said you and from Frost would have taken the records of also can be of William who Montgomery, conducted In a office over Brodt's finds him Imbued with tha same the recollection I have of the I tiny sary year ground, his own home for safekeeping. Inci- took over the management of this com- a decided to lot No. hat store on Eleventh street. Its activ- remarkable vigor, tireless energy and un- gife preference 16, dentally, John T. Frost remained for pany in 1893, when it was a benefit so- but the fear Inf square 634, price, I many yean as a clerk In the office of ciety with assets less t"han $10,000 and ities were confined to Washington—a swerving devotion to Acacia’s welfare of will sink too into (upward $1,200), deep the House of Representatives, and his its insurance force less than $300,000. Washington which was then only on its that have characterised hhn from the the fund which must be to appropriated name appears In the city directory at Mr. Montgomery was bom in County way to its present greatness. beginning. Despite the long hours he thi buildings, and, therefore, if the fol- least until 1843, when he was residing Tyrone, North Ireland, in 1869, and it Today the Nation-wide affairs of puts in as the active directing head of lot in on lowing queries respecting No. 2, the east side of New Jersey avenue, was in this same year, in the District Acacia are directed from a modem, effi- the company which he has built Airing square 731, are satisfactorily answered I between A and B streets south; of Columbia, that Congress chartered a cient home office building across from the past live decades, Mr. Montgomery mist content myself with that, as it is small local and finds time to devote to civic Sale of benefit society, and 24 years the United States Capitol Building, many not with a view to accumulate property Property in Mr. became the has branches 'in 60 activities. In 1817 the ruins of the Washington later, 1893, Montgomery company prin- In the city—but merely to contribute a the society’s sole and from that cities. He is a member of the executive Com- houses were sold by George C. Washing- employe, cipal mite to the accommodation of Congress day to this the of William Mont- To make certain that Acacia would mittee of the Community War Fund, and ton, a grandnephew of the first Presi- story that I purchase at all. is the of Acacia Mutual. always be owned and operated by the a member of the Boards of Directors of dent, as trustee, to David English and gomery story "The facts I wish to ascertain first: Under Mr. and to make sure that it the 7MCA, Garfield Hospital, Metro- are, W. 8. Nichols, and soon afterward the Montgomery’s leadership, policyholders that little a never owned individual politan Police Boys’ Club and the Pubtto *Ts the high part of No. 2, in square farmer sold his Interest to Peter Marts, society has grown into great might be by any life Insurance The of or for their Mr. Library. 731, upon a level with the ground on who used the same walls In rebuilding company.. $10,000 group personal profit, assets have more on 1922, He also is a director of the American which the road runs from the Capitol to the houses. In 1819, the tax assessment grown to than $100,000,- Montgomery September $2, 000. A half there was and obtained from Congress an Security A Trust Co. He is a member the upper ferry over the Eastern Branch? was made In the name of Nichols alone, century ago only sought a handful of members with Insurance amendment to the charter which pro- of the life Insurance Presidents’Associa- Second, is there any higher ground be- and the assessment for 1824 appears less than there vides “* * * That the dull tion, the American life Convention, and tween it and the Eastern Branch to In th£ same name. totaling $300,000; today company is an of from coast forever be conducted for the mutual many other organisations. He holds obstruct the view thereof? And, third, is From this fact it would appear that army policyholders to coast with more than of benefit of its and their membership in the National Press Chib there much fall between the east and when Capt. Charles Le Compte Nevitte, $468,000,000 policyholders beneficiaries and not for and in the Congressional Country Club. west comer of the front on Pennsylvania father of Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth, insurance in force. profit.” avenue? lived in one of these houses, where the "Answers to these questions will enable celebrated novelist was bom December 28, ms to choose without further delay. 1819, that be was boarding there, al- As Z never require much time to execute though the captain may have been a swr Soldier■ A Soldier’s Idea of ... any measure after Z have resolved upon running the boarding house himself.

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