The African-American Mo-So-Lit Club in Washington, DC

Continuing the fascinating history of 1327 R Street that we posted yesterday, in 1925 the house was sold to an organization called the Mu-So-Lit Club, who used it as a meeting house until 1961.  A steward of the Club named Charles Elzey resided in the house that year, according to the City Directory.  

The Mu-So-Lit Club was organized by representatives of the educated class of blacks in Washington, D.C. in 1905.  Some of its members were Kelly Miller, George William Cook, F. Morris Murray, G. Smith Wormley, Thomas H. R. Clarke, Robert H. Terrell, James A. Cobb and A. Mercer Daniel. The club's first president was Francis F. Cardoza, of which Cardoza High School is named.

Very little remains of the history and operations of the club and its activities.  The archives at UMass Amherst contains a letter the Mu-So-Lit Club to W. E. B. Du Bois (William Edward Burghardt), written in 1930 from 1327 R Street signed by Carrie W. Clifford (1862-1934) informing him that he will soon receive a formal invitation to attend the next meeting of the Mu-So-Lit Club.

A 1945 rooster of the 12^th Special Boxcar Battalion published on January 7, 1945 documenting the World War II activities of the military unit on Peary, Hueneme, and Banika in the South Pacific listed Isaac Sherman Taylor as an occupant of the house, likely a steward of the Mo-So-Lit Club.    

The club was mentioned in the October 3, 1932 Washington Star, above left, in the February 5, 1940 Washington Star, above center, and the February 18, 1950 Washington Post, above right.   

Several images of activities of the club were captured by noted local photographer Adison Scurlock, and are housed at the National Museum of American History.  Seen below are images of the Mu So Lit Club Lincoln-Douglas Dinner held in 1940. 

On September 25, 1961, the Mo-So-Lit Club sold the house to the trustees of the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, who would continue to own it until 2019. 

Copyright Paul K. Williams

Hidden History: The Famous Photographer who Built 1327 R Street NW

The house at 1327 R Street, NW has an interesting history that we recently uncovered: it was built by and home to a notable photographer George Prince and was later the location of the African American Mo-So-Lit Club.  This post will focus on Prince (get it?), and one tomorrow will develop the the latter (get it?).  

It was built immediately after the issuance of building permit number 2249 which was issued by the city on June 14, 1888.  Photographer George Prince hired well known architect Thomas Franklin Schneider to design the residence, which was built at a cost of $12,000, a substantial sum for the time.  

George Prince and his family moved into 1327 R Street after it was completed, likely in the late fall of 1888.  He had been born in Washington, DC in March of 1846, according to the 1900 census (above).  He married Mary Ann McCormick on January 20, 1871 in this city.  Together, they had six children that included John A. (b. 1872), George Loren (b. 1876), Arthur Clare (1879-1950), Maria (b. 1880), Ethel Veronica (1881-1953), and Leslie Edgar Francis (b. 1886).

George Prince was one several prominent photographers in Washington, DC, and according to the 1891 City Directory, maintained a studio at 403 11^th Street, NW.  More than twenty of his photographs are archived at the Library of Congress, including his images of the McKinley inauguration in 1899, and the 1912 inauguration of President Roosevelt.  He signed his portrait photographs as “George Prince, fotographer.”  His portrait of President Roosevelt taken in 1900 appears at right. 

    

One of Prince’s competitor’s in the portrait photography business in Washington, DC was none other than noted Civil War photographer Mathew Brady.  While his thousands of images from the conflict are famous today, in the 1880s and 1890s, they were virtually worthless and not yet part of the federal government’s collection.

Meanwhile, Brady had more menial photographic duties such as taking a group portrait of the members of the Patent Convention on the steps of the Patent Office in April of 1891.  The April 12, 1891 Washington Post reported that George Prince appeared on the scene at the same time, and began to set up his own photographic equipment – Brady promptly positioned himself in front of Prince’s camera (left).  A skirmish ensued, and Prince pushed Brady.  Brady complained and eventually a $25 fine was incurred by Prince.  Just four years later, Brady, blind from his exposure to developing chemicals, died and was interred in Congressional Cemetery on Capitol Hill.        

Carl Steiger posted the only known photograph of George Prince on the website Find-A-Grave, seen at right.

  

George and Mary Prince divorced on October 5, 1899, an unusual event for the time.  Mary was awarded a monthly alimony of $100, also an unusually high figure for the time when a modest brick house could have been built in the city for $2,000.  On May 18, 1909, the Washington Post reported that Mary had George arrested when she learned that he was removing furniture from his own house and planned a move to Seattle.  The courts awarded her with a $3,000 bond to ensure future alimony payments. 

Beginning in 1908, other married couples began to be listed as occupants at 1327 R Street along with Mary Prince; the 1910 census confirmed that Mary and two of her children (Leslie and Maria) were listed as tenants.  George Prince later married a woman named Clara.

 Mary Prince died on November 14, 1927, and her ex-husband George Prince died on November 13, 1929; both are interred in Rock Creek Cemetery. 

Copyright Paul K. Williams 

Houses with Style and Characters: 1329 R Street NW

I had walked past the unusual house at 1329 R Street N.W. for years, always wondering about two aspects: the unusual copper bay window, and the old sign above the lower door that read "Dr. W.O.I. Byrom, Dentist." Imagine my delight when the owner years ago hired me to do a facade easement to the L'Enfant Trust, which we include a full house history! 

On June 22, 1892, builder Ernest Heisley applied for and was granted Permit No. 2787 to build a brick home for owner Thomas Whyte at 1329 R Street, N.W. 

Heisley indicated on the permit (below) that Joseph Johnson would serve as the architect for the home.  Unfortunately, relatively little is known about Johnson.  He was first listed in the City Directory in 1888 as a partner in a firm coined “Johnson and Gibbs” in the Corcoran Building.  It was the only year that the firm was listed, the other partner being Charles E. Gibbs, who had first been listed in the City Directory in 1881 as a draftsman.  Johnson became an architect in 1882, but following the economic depression of 1893, worked as a cashier at the Ebbitt House restaurant.  From 1889 to 1890, Johnson had a listing of “Johnson and Company” continuing to be located in the Corcoran building.  Johnson was listed as a sole architect there from 1891 to 1901, the last year he was listed in the City Directory.  He then resided at 407 T Street, N.W.    

As mentioned earlier, builder Ernest Heisley built 1329 R Street, N.W., beginning in June of 1892 for owner Thomas Whyte, who lived at 1340 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.  Whyte was the co-owner of National Cornice Works with his brother.  The company was located at 300-304 13^th St., N.W., and was a manufacturer of galvanized iron and copper cornices.  The mystery of the unusual copper bay window was solved!  They also held their own patent on a ventilating skylight. An advertisement in a City Directory for the Whytes’ business is seen below. 

The first recordation of Whyte living at 1329 R Street, N.W., comes via the 1894 City Directory, while the first details of the Whyte family at 1329 R Street, N.W., come via the 1900 census.  In the census, Whyte is listed as head of household, although the census taker misspelled his name as “White.”  The census indicates that Whyte was 40 years old, was born in Indiana and had been married for 15 years to his wife, Rose, originally from Michigan.  Rose’s father was born in Scotland, while her mother was born in Canada.  Also living in the home were the Whyte’s two sons, Clifford and Russell, Thomas Whyte’s sister-in-law, Florence McMillan, and his brother-in-law, George McMillan. 

Several owners and renters occupied the house for a few decades until January 29, 1946, when the house was sold to Mrs. Westanna Byrom.  A 1948 City Directory listing reveals at Byrom was a dentist with an office at 1451 U Street, N.W. 

Dr. Byrom (seen here) was a trailblazer in the field of dentistry.  Her father was a physician, and she was born in East Tennessee where she attended elementary and high school.  She later attended Tennessee State College in Nashville, Tennessee, and — with the urging of her stepfather — she pursued a career in dentistry by enrolling in Howard University’s College of Dentistry in 1929.  She received her degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1933. 

Dr. Byrom opened dental offices in Cleveland, Tennessee and later in Chattanooga, Tennessee where she later worked with indigent children in the public school system.  In 1942, Dr. Byrom became the first African-American woman to open a dental office in Washington, D.C.  In 1944, she became associated with the District of Columbia Public Health Department.  She contributed greatly during World War II by collecting funds and selling bonds. 

On April 7, 1963, Dr. Byrom was one of three women to receive a citation from the Gamma Chapter of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority.  She received the “Outstanding Woman of the Year Award” for years of service as the only African-American woman dentist in Washington, D.C., and for her work to help improve the health of Washington’s children.

By 1954, the home was also occupied by Dr. Byrom’s husband, Harold G. Covington, an employee of the State Department.  The couple had one child, Bettye.  A sign at 1329 R Street, N.W. in reference to Dr. Byrom’s dental practice is seen here.

Byrom and Covington would reside at 1329 R Street, N.W., for many years until January 17, 1982, when Byrom passed away, leaving the home to Bettye B. Allen, her sole heir. 

Copyright Paul K. Williams