24 Sep 2018

History:

Lost Capitol Hill: Louis A. Cornish

I was recently asked about the house at 312 Independence Avenue SE. Apparently, it has been shown on tours as having been built by slaves. While it is likely that any number of the pre-Civil War buildings were built, at least partially, with slave labor, the evidence for this is spotty, so having one building that one could point to as being this for sure would add a real dimension to any tour of Capitol Hill.

The building itself is a bit different from the others in that it has a pitched roof, with a brick facade. It is likely that the facade was added in 1904, the date that the city records give for the building’s erection. The rest of the building seems to be wood, however, which would date it to the 1870s or earlier. The best source of data on antebellum houses in D.C. is a map made in 1857 by Albert Boschke. There is no sign on the map of anything at the location of 312 Independence. The first time it appears is on a map is in 1887, where it stands out in being wood instead of brick.

With this line of inquiry proving fruitless, it seemed more sensible to turn to the question of the house’s inhabitants. It turned out that there really was only one of interest: Louis Alexander Cornish. Born in Washington D.C., he attended school here as well as in Massachusetts and then served in the Army during the Civil War before returning to his home city. On September 24, 1869, Cornish was made the janitor of Howard University Medical school – as well as matriculating there. For the next five years, during which he also a barber – he studied medicine, but never completed his studies. By then, he seemed to be living at 312 B (as Independence was called at the time). The City Directory of 1870 lists his address as “B nr 3d se” i.e. B Street near the corner of 3rd Southeast, which is exactly where 312 is to be found. By 1876, the directory lists him under this street number. In spite of the fact that Cornish had studied at Howard, he is listed as a ‘messenger’ in this directory, and the 1880 census indicates that he was engaged at the Treasury. By now, however, Cornish had found a new field of endeavor – running Sunday schools, not only at his church, the Israel Bethel church but across Capitol Hill. This was hardly the only way that he was engaged, working also to run the Columbian Harmony Cemetery, the local chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic, and in local Republican party politics – and a Mason.

The Howard University Medical School. From Howard University Medical Department: A Historical, Biographical and Statistical Souvenir (Harvard Library via Google Books)

Eventually, however, Cornish moved up to working in the 6th Auditor’s office of the Post Office. Outside of work, he became a member of the school board. When he died, the “employes of the inspection division of the office of the auditor for the Post Office Department” (so the November 14, 1902, Washington Evening Star) ensured that “appropriate action was taken as a recognition of his long and faithful services.” One of those who came to pay his respects was Milton M. Holland (pictured), who had won the Medal of Honor while serving in the 5th United States Colored Infantry during the Civil War.

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