USA > Washington DC > Historical sketches of the ten miles square forming the District of Columbia : with a picture of Washington, describing objects of general interest or curiosity at the metropolis of the Union. > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02269 5263
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historicalsketch00elli_0
HISTORICAL SKETCHES 1753046
THE TEN MILES SQUARE
FORMING THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA;
WITH and
A Picture of Elashington
DESCRIBING OBJECTS OF GENERAL INTEREST OR CURIOSITY AT THE METROPOLIS OF THE UNION:
ALSO, A Description of the River Potomac-its Fish and Wild Fowl; the proposed Route and Plan of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, from Georgetown to Pittsburgh; and an Account of Mount Vernon.
TOGETHER WITH .
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS AND STATISTICAL FACTS, TOUCHING THE AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT.
BY JONATHAN ELLIOT.
WASHINGTON,
Sold by all the Booksellers ir. the District c! Columbia, PRINTED BY J. ELLIOT, JR. :.
1830.
97.082
£
7
HISTORY OF The Ten Ailles Square,
THE PERMANENT SEAT OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, to wit:
Be it remembered, That on the twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the fifty-fourth, Jonathan Elliot, of the said district, hath deposited in the office of the Clerk of the District Court for the District of Columbia, the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit:
" Historical Sketches of The T'en Miles Square forming the District of Columbia; with a Picture of Washington, describing objects of general interest or curiosity at the Metropolis of the Union: also, a description of the river Potomac- it's Fish and Wild Fowl; the proposed Route and Plan of the Cheasapeake and Ohio Canal, from Georgetown to Pittsburgh; and an Ac- count of Mount Vernon. Together with Public Documents and Statistical Facts, touching the affairs of the District. By Jonathan Elliot."
In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled " An act for the encouragement of learning, by seeur- ing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned" and also to the act entitled " an act supplementary to an act en- titled, ' an act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and pro- prie:ors of such copies during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engrav- ing, and etching historical and other prints."
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affix- ed the public seal of my office, the day and year aforesaid. EDM: I. LEE, Clerk'of the District Court for the District of Columbia .::: ::
9:438W38
48:682
.
PREFACE.
From the rising destinies of this District it is evident, that a sketch of its history, and a description of the City, and the Public Buildings, may be acceptable to the citizens, as well as sojourners, at the Metropolis. In the following sheets this has been attempted, in the convenient size of a pocket volume.
As the collection of all the neccessary materials could not be completed, before the first part of the work was put to press, some important matter was obtained during its progress, and introduced, not exactly in the order at first intended, and agreeable to the original plan; however, a reference to the index, at the end, will enable the reader, at a glance, to find any topic he may desire.
Most of the historical sketches, and statistical facts, are drawn from official papers, and other well authenticated sour- ces. The intelligent reader will, occasion- ally, perceive some discrepancy in these statements, which it is very difficult, if not impossible, at this day, to correct.
.
PREFACE.
That great national work, the Chesa- peake . and Ohio Canal, has claimed particular attention, and a considerable number of pages has been devoted to give a full and satisfactory notice of an undertaking, in the successful prosecu- tion of which, an immense subscription of stock, and the hearts of all true Ameri- cans, are earnestly embarked.
The original correspondence of Gen. Washington, for the first time in print, confers additional value on this volume.
I am under particular obligations to se- veral gentlemen for much of the informa- tion embodied in this work: and I respect- fully offer to them, individually, my grate. ful acknowledgements, for their courtesy and kindness.
With these brief remarks I can only add, in the language of Wordsworth-
" Go forth, my little book-
" Go forth; and please the gentle and the good."
From the multifarious subjects embra- eed, it is impossible to avoid errors and omissions : any corrections that may be pointed out will be cheerfully made.
J. E.
City of Washington, March 21, 1850.
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1
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
District of Columbia.
The territory which embraces the District of Columbia, contains a surface of Ten Miles Square, forming an area of 100 square miles, or 64,000 acres: extends to both margins of the Potomac, and was selected by General Washington as the metropolitan site for this great and growing em- pire. He did not, we learn determine on the spot, where the city stands, until he had bestowed un- wearied pains, and made laborious and interesting reconnaissance of the country adjacent. Its situ- ation is between 38° 48' and 38º 59' north lati- tude. The Capitol is in 76° 55' 30.54" west lon- gitude, from Greenwich.
The location of the District of Columbia hav- ing been determined, the first stone to mark its boundary was set in Jones' point, the uppermost cape of Hunting Creek, on the 15th April, 1791, in presence of a large concourse of spectators.
The diagonal lines of the Ten Miles Square are North and South, and East and West. Two of the lines run in a direction from N. W. to S. E. and the two others from N. E. to S. W. so that the angles are each towards one of the cardinal
1
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10 Boundary-Proprietors-Indian History.
points. The North corner is about a mile distant from Rock Creek, Maryland; the South point is at Jones' Point, at the mouth of Hunting Creek, on the right bank of the Potomac; the Eust about two miles East of the Eastern Branch, near Bla- densburg, in Maryland, and the West corner is near Four Mile Run, in Virginia.
'The District includes, within its limits, the City of Washington, Georgetown and Alexandria. At the time of the cession of the District, the princi- pal proprietors on the eastern side of the Potomac were D. Carroll, N. Young, and D. Burns; who cultivated corn, tobaccoand wheat, where the city now stands. The selection of this site enriched these proprietors, particularly the former: who, however, from a mistaken policy, has withered the growth of that section of the city in which the most of his property lies. The heir of the latter, Gen. Van Ness, pursued a different system, and by disposing of his ground on moderate terms. has contributed to the rapid improvement of his sec- tion of the metropolis, and to the consequent in- crease of value in property.
Of the aboriginal inhabitants of the district, we have a very imperfect account. In 1608 the first attempt to explore the Chesapeake and its tribu- tary streams, was made by Smith. Forty prin- cipal and subordinate tribes, occupied the shores
11
Indian History.
of Virginia and Maryland at that time: of whom the Powhatans, the Manahoacs and Monacans were the chief. The Powhatans roamed from the shores of the Chesapeake to the Patuxent, in Ma- ryland; the Manahoacs and the Monacans, on the territory contiguous to the York and Potomac ri- vers. The Shawances probably inhabited that part of Maryland which lies between the Patuxent and the Patapsco rivers, and from the Chesapeake to the Alleghanies. The Susquehanocks, it is believed, lived on the banks of the Susquehannah in Harford county, Maryland, towards the west- ward, penetrating considerably into Pennsylvania. The Tockwocks and Nanticokes possessed Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot counties, Maryland, from the Sassafras river to the Choptank; and the latter Dorchester and Somerset counties.
The Manahoacs and Monacans were in alliance with each other, and waged a confederate and per- petual war against the Powhatans. It is probable, and is generally admitted, that they were occupiers of the territory which forms the present District of Columbia. The Manahoacs, it is asserted by Colden, afterwards assumed the name of Tusca- roras, deserted their country in Virginia about 1712, and, repairing to the west, joined the Iro- quois. In 1669, when a census was taken, it was found that in sixty-two years, one-third of their, numbers were wanting.
12
Indian History.
The valley at the foot of the Capitol Hill, wash -. ed by the Tiber Creek, the Potomac and the Eas- tern Branch, it is stated, on the authority of some of the early Maryland settlers, was periodically visited by the Indians, who named it their fishing ground, in contradistinction to their hunting ground; and that they assembled there in great numbers in the spring months, to procure fish .- Greenleaf's Point was the principal camp, and the residence of the Chiefs, where councils were held among the various tribes thus gathered together. The coincidence of the location of the National Legislature, so near the scite of the council house of an Indian nation, cannot fail to excite interest- ing reflections in the mind of the intelligent rea- der. That Gen. Washington was informed of this tradition, is quite probable.
Connected with the history of the Powhatans, mentioned above, (the most prominent red men in Virginia and on the Potomac,) the following cu- rious fragment of Capt. Smith's adventures, is well worth insertion in these sketches, from a book both rare and valuable, namely ---
" The General Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles, with the names of the Adventurers, Planters and Governours from their first beginning, An. 1584, to this present 1626, &c. By Captaine John Smith, Sometimes Governor of those Countryes, and Admiral of New-England. London Printed. 1633." [EXTRACT.]
" Before she arrived at London, Captaine Smith, to deserge her former courtesies, made her ( Pocahontas) qual-
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15
Indian History.
ities knowne to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie and her court, and writ a little booke to this effect to the Queene: An abstract whereof follows.
Te the most high and virtuous princesse Queene Anne of Great Britaine.
" Most admired Queene-The loue I beare my God, my king and countrie, hath so oft emboldened mee in the worst of extreme dangers, that now honestie doth constraine mee to presume thus farre beyond my selfe, to present your Maiestie this short discourse : if ingratitude be a deadly poy- son to all honest vertues, I must bee guiltie of that crime if I should omit any means to bee thankfull. So it is,
" That some ten yeeres agoe being in Virginia, and taken prisoner by the power of Powhatan their chiete king, I received from this great saluage exceeding great courtisie, especially from his sonne Nataquaus, the most manliest, comliest, bold- est spirit, I euer saw in a saluage, and his sister Pocahontas, the king's most dear and well beloued daughter, being but a childe of twolue or thirteene yeeres of age, whose compassion- ate pitiful heart, of my desperate estate, gane me much cause. to respect her ; I being the first Christian this proud king and his grim attendants ever saw : and thus inthralled in their bar- barous power, I cannot say I felt the least occasion of want that was in the power of those my mortal foes to prevent, not- withstanding all their threats. After some six weeks fatting amongst those saluage courtiers, at the minute of my execution, the hazarded the beating out of her owne braines to saue mine, and not only that, but so prevailed with her father, that I was safely conducted to James towne, where I found about eight and thirtie miserable poore and sicke creatures, to keep pos- session of all those large territories of Virginia, such was the weaknesse of this poor commonwealth, as had the saluages not fed us, we directly had starued.
" And this reliefe, most gracious Queene, was commonly brought vs by this lady Pocahontas, notwithstanding all these passages when inconstant Fortune turned our peace to warre, this tender virgin would still not spare to dare to uisit vs, and by her our jarres haue oft beene appeased, and our wants still supplied ; were it the policie of her father thus to employ her, or the ordinance of God thus to make her his instrument, or ber extraonlinarie affection to our nation, I know not ; but of this I am sure, when her father, with the vtmost policie and power, sought to surprize mee, having but eighteene with mec, the darke night could not affright her from comming through
14
Indian History.
the irksome woods, and with watered eies gaue mec intelli- gence, with her best aduice to escape his furie, which had hee knowne, hee had surely slaine her. James towne with her wilde traine she as freely frequented, as her fathers habitation; and during the time of two or three years, she next vnder God, was still the instrument to preserue this colonie from death, famine and vtter confusion, which if in those times had been dissolved, Virginia might have line as it was at our first arrival to this day .- Since then, this business having beene turned and uaried by many accidents from that I left it at ; it is most cer- taine, after a long and troublesome warre after my departure, betwixt ber father and our colonie, all which time she was not heard of, about two yeeres after shee her selfe was taken pri- soner, being so detained neere two yeeres longer, the colonie by that meanes was relieved, peace concluded, and at last reiveting her barbarous condition, was married to an English gentlemen, with whom at this present she is in England; the first Christian euer of that nation, the first Virginian ener spake in English, or had a childe in marriage by an Englishman, a matter surely, if my meaning bee truly considered and well understood, worthy a princess understanding.
" Thus mest gracious Lady, I haue related to your Maiestie, what at your best leasure our approved histories will account you at large, and done in the time your Maiesties life, and howeuer this might be presented you from a more worthy pen, it cannot from a more honest heart ; as yet I neuer begged any thing of the state, or any, and it is my want of abilitie and her exeerding desert, your birth. meanes and anthorite, her birth, virtue, want and simplicitie, doth make mee thus bold, to be- seech your Maiestie to take this knowledge of her, though it be from one so unworthy to be the reporter, as my self, her husbands estate not being able to make her fit to attend your Muiestie ; the most and least I can doe, is to tell you this, be- cause none so oft bath tried it as my selfe, and the rather being of so great a spirit, however her stature : if she should not be well received, seeing this kingdome mpy rightly hane a kind- done by her meanes ; her prevent loue to vs, and Christianitie, might turne to such seerne and furie, as to divert all this good to the worst of euil, where finding so great a Queene should doe her some howour more than she can imagine, for being so kind to your servants and subjects would so ranish her with content, as endeare her dearest bloud to effect that your Ma- jestic and all the kings honest subjects most earnestiy desire. And so I humbly kisse your gracious hands."
" Being about this time preparing to set saile for Vew- England, I could not stay to doe her that seruice I desired, and
15
Indian History.
shee well deserved ; but hearing shee was at Branford with diners of my friends ; I went to see her: After a modest salu- tation, without any word, she turned about, obscured her face, as not seeming well contented; and in that humour her hus- hand, with divers others, we all left her two or three houres, repenting my selfe to have writ she could speak English. But not long after, she began to talk : and remembered mee well what courtesies shee had done : saying, You did promise Pow- hatan what was yours should bee his, and he the like to you : you called him father, being in his land a stranger, and by the same reason must I doe you : which though I have excused, I durst not allow of that title, because she was a kings daughter : with a well set countenance, she said, Were you not atrakl to come into my fathers countrie, and caused feare in him and all his people (but mee) and feare you here I should call you father : { tell you then I will, and you shall call me childe, and so I will be for euer and euer your countrieman. They did tell vs alwaies you were dead, and I knew no other till I came to Plimoth ; yet Powhatan did command Fitamatokkin to sceke you, and know the truth, because your countriemen will lie much.
" This Saluage, one of Powhatans councell, being amongst them, held an understanding fellow : the king purposely sent fum, as they say, to number the people here, and informe him well what wec were and our state. Arriving at Plimoth, ac- corking to his directions, he got a long sticke, whercon by notches he did thinke to have kept the number of all the men he could see, but he was quickly wearie of that taske : Coming to London where by chance I met him, hauing renewe . our acquaintance, where Many were desirous to heare and see his behaviour, hce told mee Powhatan did bid him to finde me out, to show him our God, the king, queene and prince, I so much had told them of: Concerning God, I told him the best I could, the king I heard hee had seene, and the rest hee should see when he would : He denied eser to haue seene the king, till by circumstances hee was satisfied hee had : Then hee re- plied very sadly, You gaue Powhatan a white dog, which Powhatan fed as himself, but your king gane me nothing, and I am better than your white dog.
" The small time I staid in London, divers courties and others, my acquaintances hath gone with mee to see her, that generally concluded, they did thinke God had a great hand in her conuersion, and they have seene many Engl. sh Ladies worse fauored, proportioned and behauored, and as since I baue heard, it pleased both king and queenes Maiestic honour-
16
Indian History-Cession.
ably to esfceme her, accompanied with that honourable Lads the Lady De la Ware, and that honourable Lord her husband,. End diuers other persons, of good qualities, both publickly at the maskes and otherwise, to her great satisfaction and content, which doubtless she would have deserued, had she lived to Arrive in Virginia. "
The act of cession from the state of Maryland,. was passed on the 23d December, 1788, and is in. these words-
An act to cede to Congress a District of ten miles square in this state, [Maryland] for the seat of the Government, of the United States.
" Be it enacted by the general assembly of Ma- "yland, That the representatives of this state, in. the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, appointed to assemble at New: York, on the first Wednesday of March next, be and they are hereby authorized and required, ou the behalf of this State, to cede to the Congress of the United States, any district in this State, not exceeding ten miles square, which the Congress. may fix upon. and Accept for the seat of govern- ment of the United States.">
The act of cession from the State of Virginia, relinquishing its portion of territory, is as follows:
An aet for the cession of ten miles square, or any fesser quan- tity of Territory within this state, to the United States, in Congress assembled, for the permanent seat of the General Government.
" I. Whereas the equal and common benefits. resulting from the administration of the General Goverment, will be best diffused, and its opera- tions become more prompt and certain, by estab- Jishing such a situation for the seat of the said Go- vernment, as will be most central and convenient
1
17
Cession.
to the citizens of the United States at large; hav- ing regard as well to population, extent of terri- tory, and a free navigation to the Atlantic Ocean, through the Chesapeake Bay, as to the most direct and ready communication with our fellow citizens in the western frontier: And whereas it appears to this assembly, that a situation combining all the . considerations and advantages before recited, may be had on the banks of the river Potomac, above tide water, in a country rich and fertile in soil, healthy and salubrious in climate, and abounding in all the necessaries and conveniences of life, where, in a location of ten miles square, if the wisdom of Congress shall so direct, the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, may par- ticipate in such location:
" 11. Be it therefore enacted by the General .As- sembly, That a tract of country, not exceeding ten miles square, or any lesser quantity, to be lo- cated within the limits of this state, and in any part thereof as Congress may by law direct, shall be, and the same is hereby forever ceded and re- linquished to the Congress and Government of the United States, in full and absolute right. and ex- clusive jurisdiction, as well of soil as of persons residing or to reside thereon, pursuant to the te- nor and effect of the eighth section of the first ar- ticle of the constitution of the government of the United States.
"III. Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to vest in the United States any right of property in the soil, or to affect the rights of individuals therein, otherwise than the same shall or may be transferred by such individuals to the United States,
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Cession-Location-Votes.
" IV. And provided, also, That the jurisdic- tion of the laws of this commonwealth, over the persons and property of individuals residing within the limits of the cession aforesaid, shall not cease or determine until Congress, having accepted the said cession, shall, by law. provide for the gov- "ernment thereof, under their jurisdiction, in the manner provided by the article of the constitution before recited."
The bill for locating a District of territory not exceeding ten miles square on the Potomac, " be- tween the mouths of the Eastern Branch and Co- nogochague," originated in the U. States Senate, finally passed in the House of Representatives on the 9th, and received the executive sanction on the 16th, of July, 1790. The following is the vote on its passage in the Senate, on the 1st June, 1790-
YEAS-Messrs. Bassett, Batler, Carroll, Elmer, Gunn, Hawkins, Henry, Johnston, Langdon, Lee, Maclay, Morris, Road, and Walker .- 14.
NAYS- Mesers Dalton, Ellsworth, Few, Foster, Johnson, Izard, King, Patterson, Schuyler, Stanton, Strong and Win- gate .- 12.
In the House, four distinct propositions were made, in the shape of amendments, to change the seat of the Federal district, by motions to strike out the " Potomac," &c. and insert some other location-
Ist. To substitute the Delaware instead of the Potomac, ayes 22-1028. 39
2d. " In the state of l'ennsylvania, including Germantown" ayes 22-nocs. 59,
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19
Votes-Act of Location.
3d. " Between the Susquehannah and Potomac," &c., ayes 25 -- noes, Sû.
4th. "State of Maryland, including Baltimore," &c., aye- 26 -- noe8, 34.
The following is the vote on its final passage in the House-
AYES .- John B. Ashe, Baldwin, Bloodworth, Brown, Cadwalader, Carroll, Clymer, Coles, Contee, Fitzsimons, Gale, Griffin, Hartley, Heister, Jackson, R. B. Lee, Madison, Mathews, Moore, Muhlenberg, Page, Parker, Scott, S-vier, Sinnickson, Steele, M. J. Stone, Sumpter, Vining, White, Williamson and Wynkoop .- 32.
NOES-Fisher Ames, Benson, Boudinot, Burke, Floyd, Foster, Gerry, Gilman, Goodhue, Grout, Hathorn, Hunting- ton, Lawrence, Leonard, Livermore, Patridge, Van Reusse- laer, Schureman, Sedgwick, Seney, Sherman, Silvester, Smith of Md., Smith, of S. C., Sturges, Thatcher, Trumbull, Ths. T. Tucker and Wadsworth .- 29.
The law as it passed both Houses of Congress, and received the sanction of the President, is as follows-
AN ACT for establishing the temporary and permament seat of the government of the United States.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Con- grese assembled, That a district of territory not exceeding ten miles square, to be treated as hereafter directed, on the river Potomac, at some space between the mouths of the Eastern Branch and Conoguchicague, be, and the same is hereby ac- septed for the permament seat of the government of the Unit- ed States: Provided nevertheless, That the operation of the laws of the state within such district shall not be affected by this acceptance, until the time fixed for the removal of the govern- tient thereto, and until congress shall otherwise by law pro- vide.
See. 2. And be it further enacted, That the president of the United States be authorized to appoint, and by supplying va- cancies happening from refusals to act or other causes, to keep in appointment as long as may be necessary, three commission- ers, who, or any two of whom, shall, under the direction of the president, survey, and by proper metes and bounds define and limit a district of territory, ander the limitations above men-
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