The house at 1412 35th St NW, Georgetown, Washington, D.C. was the home of Mary Elizabeth Kane Thorn, daughter of Daniel and Catherine Hegarty Kane, and her husband, William Daniel A Thorn. Mary Elizabeth Kane Thorn died there on April 17, 1908; Daniel Kane died there on May 3, 1912; William Daniel A. Thorn died there on April 28, 1927. They are all buried in Holy Rood Cemetery, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
It is believed that Daniel Kane gave the money to his daughter, Mary Elizabeth Kane Thorn and her husband, William Daniel A. Thorn, to pay for their house at 1412 35th St NW, Georgetown, Washington, D.C., which they purchased in November 1902. This seems to be verified by the family history as listed in “Remembrances of the Kane and allied families” which states “… Great-Grandfather Kane gave Grandaddy Thorn the brick “row house”. Nowadays, called “townhouses”.”
The difference between “row houses” and “townhouses” is that row houses are uniformly similar in appearance and size, whereas, townhouses can differ in appearance and size.
Also, 1902 is the approximate time period that Mary Elizabeth Kane Thorn had developed tuberculosis, which contributed to her death on April 17, 1908. Their house at 1412 35th St NW, Georgetown, Washington, D.C., which they purchased in November 1902, was initially listed in the name of William D. Thorn, but as the health of Mary Elizabeth Kane Thorn continued to deteriorate, William D. Thorn transferred their house into the name of Mary E. (Kane) Thorn in August 1906. Mary Elizabeth Kane Thorn subsequently bequeathed their house back to William Daniel A. Thorn in her will, which stated “I give and devise and bequeath unto my husband William Thorn, all my estate forever the same being an equity in premises known as 1412 35th Street, N. W., Washington, District of Columbia.”
Below are newspaper articles on some of the sales of the property located at 1412 35th St NW, Georgetown, Washington, D.C. You will notice the phrase of “et vir” as listed in the real estate transfer notices; it is a legal phrase used in reference to real estate and is explained as follows:
Et Vir – Latin phrase meaning “and husband”
Et Ux or Et Uxor – Latin phrase meaning “and wife”
The Evening Star newspaper, Washington DC, edition of Thursday, December 26, 1901, page 3, column 4;
Real Estate Transfers.
No. 1412 35th street northwest – Elsie May Grosvenor et vir., Gilbert H., to George W. Slatford, parts lots 100 and 109, square 1247; $10.
Of interesting note is Elsie May (Bell) Grosvenor, wife of Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, was the daughter of Alexander Graham Bell (inventor of the telephone) and Mabel Gardiner Hubbard. Elsie May Bell married Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor on October 23, 1900 in London, England. Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor served as the editor of the National Geographic magazine from 1899-1954 and also served as President of the National Geographic Society from 1920-1954.
Elsie May Bell Grosvenor
born – 08 May 1878 London, England
died – 26 Dec 1964 Bethesda, Montgomery, Maryland
buried – Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington DC
Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor
born – 28 Oct 1875 Istanbul, Turkey
died – 04 Feb 1966 Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
buried – Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington DC
The Evening Star newspaper, Washington DC, edition of Tuesday, August 26, 1902, page 3, column 3;
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS.
Thirty-fifth street northwest between O and P streets – George W. Slatford to Hannah White, part lots 100 and 109, square 1247; $10.
The Evening Star newspaper, Washington DC, edition of Thursday, November 13, 1902, page 3, column 5;
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS.
No. 1412 35th street northwest – Hannah White et vir, Edward T., to William D. Thorn, part lots 109 and 100, square 1247; $10.
The Evening Star newspaper, Washington DC, edition of Thursday, August 16, 1906, page 3, column 6;
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS.
NO. 1412 35th STREET NORTHWEST – William D. Thorn to Mary E. Thorn, part lots 100 and 109, square 1247; $10.