The Oldest House on the Block

The house at 5426 Cathedral Ave was built in 1917, and the first owner was James Price Cochran. James was born in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1863, when the Civil War was still raging. He was the eldest of ten children, born when his mother Amanda was just 17. His father William was a wheelwright and ran a grocery store. James became a policeman in 1883 and saved the lives of two people caught in a house fire in 1890.  In 1886, he married Emma Kate Gertrude Huysman in Washington, DC. and worked for the fire department here before returning to the police force. He served both in uniform and plain clothes and according to the Evening Star made many “clever captures” which included a gang of silver thieves operating near Dupont Circle.

A daughter, Merceda, was born on March 3, 1890, but by 1899 his marriage was in big trouble. Allegations of “unfaithfulness with persons of questionable character” were made by James and denied by Emma. (I wonder if James used his detective skills for domestic purposes as well.)

In any case, James resigned from the DC police force in 1899 and started a new career as a night watchman. He was instrumental in starting the NIght Watchman’s Association in 1905 and was their business agent.

During a Watchman meeting in October 1905, stories were told about the original watchmen, Fritz Stutz, “a venerable German who patrolled the warehouses on the riverfront of Georgetown” in the 1850s when there was no metropolitan police force “with his Cossack-like fuzzy cap, his heavy hickory staff, watchman’s rattle and queer-looking lantern…” Sometimes  Mr Stutz would throw in a bit of news on the hour as well. The current watchman’s association worked with the police and often guarded department stores and other private businesses and homes. 

James married again in 1906 when he was 43 years old. His new bride Mary Louise Rawlings grew up on a farm in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Mary, no spring chicken herself, was about 30 when they tied the knot. 

The Cochrans bought the large house at 5426 Cathedral Ave in 1916 when James was 54 years. He still worked as a watchman, but the five bedroom house gave them an opportunity to make extra money by taking in boarders. In the 1920 census, a boarder named Annie Phipps lived with them. She was single and a seamstress.

Meanwhile, James’ daughter Merceda had married George Isemann.  The  two lived nearby in Georgetown. Both would become champion duckpin bowlers and frequently appeared in the sports pages until George died of a throat infection in 1940. James' ex-wife Emma married two more times before she died in 1922. Her last husband was an embezzling, brawling bartender who made the papers when he assaulted a cop in 1916. I can’t help but think James probably heard about that one.

In 1925, when James was 62 and Mary about 50, a baby appeared in their lives. He was named George Michael Cochran. Here’s Mary with George on her lap from a 1926 Potomac Heights Church congregation photo. 

James and Mary attended one of the very first meetings which initiated the formation of the Potomac Heights Community Church. (Now Palisades Community Church) Mary taught Sunday school from the very beginning in 1923 until the 1950s. She was also enthusiastic about drama, and when the church was first getting organized she proposed scoping out “home talent to put on plays.” Later Mary herself participated in those plays including this one. 

Mary back row far left next to David Correll of 5414 Cathedral

In the 1930 census, Annie had left the household, but three more boarders appeared. George F Cochran was listed as an adopted son. James was still working as a watchman at 67 years old.  That same year little George was bitten by a dog. It made the Evening Star on April 24, 1935.

In the 1940 census, The Cochrans were still hosting lodgers which included Bess Custard and her two little boys, Don and Jimmie. Bess was divorced and supported herself as a stenographer.  Don and his friend Martin Kegel, who lived across the street, made the papers when both fell through the ice while playing on the canal that same January. Even though Don was in the icy water for at least a half hour, he survived the incident unscathed, and joined the Marines at 18. He was killed while serving in the Korean War. 

Evening Star Jan 16, 1940 (Don on right)

James died early in the summer of 1942 and was buried in Lynchburg. He was almost 80 years old. George joined the Navy that August and served until 1947. Mary stayed in the house until 1946 when she sold the property to James and Marguerite Schaeffer. Mary remained active in the church until her death in 1961

Mary and James congregation photo 1940

. George joined the Navy that August and served until 1947. Mary stayed in the house until 1946 when she sold the property to James and Marguerite Schaeffer. Mary remained active in the church until her death in 1961. She even manned a ceremonial shovel when the church built an addition in 1959. Here are two of her recipes from the church cookbook. (click on the photo for a larger version)

I don’t know much about the Scheaffers, who lived here for 8 years, except that they  won a prize in a beautiful house contest in 1952. This ad appeared in March 1954 when Armin and Mary Hufnagle bought the house. 

Armin was in turns an insurance salesman, a “proprietor” and a cabbie. Armin died in July 1973, and Mary sold the house to the current owner in November 1973. 

Here's one more photo of Mary hanging out with other charter members at church.