"Capital 'D'-e"
{pause} "Capital 'L,'-a-w-d-e-r." I can still hear my
grandmother Frances spelling out her last name to persons unfamiliar with
the surname. "DeLawder is two words," she said, always
ending the spelling with this explanation. Frances clung to the name in honor
of her beloved John and his family decades after his departure.
In keeping with her Victorian upbringing, she remained faithful to her first love. I have said "John DeLawder lived a long and prosperous life after he died in 1924," Frances never allowed his memory to fade. John was the epitome of the knight-in-shinning-armor; or, at least he morphed into this over the years. His thick dark hair, blue eyes, and chiseled features where not outdone by his unabashed tenderness and ambition.
John Adam DeLawder and Rosa
Alice Glotfelty married on September 3, 1889 in Deep Creek, Garret MD. John
Lurman followed sisters Rebecca Ruth, Martha May, and brother Kingsbury. The DeLawder family settled in
nearby Washington DC, where John Adam worked in the government printing office.
Like the Davis family, the DeLawders where middle class Americans. Both heads of households held long-term government positions, Albert as a clerk for the Pension Department and John Adam DeLawder as Assistant Foreman in the Printing Office.
High school provided an outlet for Frances' outgoing nature and enthusiasm. At home she was expected to be quiet and reserved. Her passion for life flourished in the public high school she attended. She received the praises and accolades of her instructors. At Business High School in Washington DC, she learned typewriting and stenography, she danced, played basketball, played tennis, and swam. Her undeniable charm made her a natural leader, being elected Vice President of the student body government. In her senior year she competed with the rifle team, and dabbled in the theater arts.
In that same year the Davis
family moved from 214 "A" St SE, Washington DC to Takoma Park MD, on the outskirts of the
city. Frances' determination to graduate entailed a daily commute on the street
cars arriving home barely in time for the evening meal. Frances completed
her public schooling in June 1914.
Before graduation, Frances attracted the attention of a boy. He was a prize. George, Frances' younger brother by two years, also liked John DeLawder very much and approved of the match. Mutual friends introduced them. John attended the McKinley Manual Training School across the street from Business High School in Congress Heights of Washington DC. From their first meeting, John displayed only his best manners to the girl he intended to court, never engaging in degrading conversation about the "weaker sex." Frances and John shared lunch hours and so began a great love affair.
Canoeing on the Potomac River, walks along the towpath, and secret passions was everything a girl could want in a boy. With John she was free from her distant father, who never tired of believing that Frances "should have been a boy" and her somber mother who believed that girls were "shedding their femininity."
John graduated from
McKinley in 1916 where he had studied science. He
aspired to be a bacteriologist. He found his way into the Bureau of Standards
(the Federal Governments first physical science research laboratory),
where he was appointed apprentice later that same year. It may have been John's abilities that landed him the position in the Bureau of Standards from instructors at his high school as implied by this note in a closed case FBI file. John understood
higher education was the way up and applied himself to study with as much vigor
as he worked.
John would spend his weekends with his sweetheart in rural Takoma Park and travel back to the city for weekdays. She mourned his absence those days but John could not be persuaded to marry before he could provide for a wife and eventual children.
Copyright ©amanofamily.com 2012
edited by Donora Hillard
link below to a blog reciting the highlights of Washington DC
Streets of Washington
In keeping with her Victorian upbringing, she remained faithful to her first love. I have said "John DeLawder lived a long and prosperous life after he died in 1924," Frances never allowed his memory to fade. John was the epitome of the knight-in-shinning-armor; or, at least he morphed into this over the years. His thick dark hair, blue eyes, and chiseled features where not outdone by his unabashed tenderness and ambition.
 |
from top left: Rebecca Ruth (b. 1894), Martha May (b. 1897)
Kingsbury (b. 1892), and John Lurman (b. 1898.)
|
Like the Davis family, the DeLawders where middle class Americans. Both heads of households held long-term government positions, Albert as a clerk for the Pension Department and John Adam DeLawder as Assistant Foreman in the Printing Office.
High school provided an outlet for Frances' outgoing nature and enthusiasm. At home she was expected to be quiet and reserved. Her passion for life flourished in the public high school she attended. She received the praises and accolades of her instructors. At Business High School in Washington DC, she learned typewriting and stenography, she danced, played basketball, played tennis, and swam. Her undeniable charm made her a natural leader, being elected Vice President of the student body government. In her senior year she competed with the rifle team, and dabbled in the theater arts.
 |
| Girls Rifle Team Business High School 1914 Washington DC (Frances is bottom row, left) |
Before graduation, Frances attracted the attention of a boy. He was a prize. George, Frances' younger brother by two years, also liked John DeLawder very much and approved of the match. Mutual friends introduced them. John attended the McKinley Manual Training School across the street from Business High School in Congress Heights of Washington DC. From their first meeting, John displayed only his best manners to the girl he intended to court, never engaging in degrading conversation about the "weaker sex." Frances and John shared lunch hours and so began a great love affair.
Canoeing on the Potomac River, walks along the towpath, and secret passions was everything a girl could want in a boy. With John she was free from her distant father, who never tired of believing that Frances "should have been a boy" and her somber mother who believed that girls were "shedding their femininity."
 |
| John Lurman DeLawder (1898 - 1924) |
John would spend his weekends with his sweetheart in rural Takoma Park and travel back to the city for weekdays. She mourned his absence those days but John could not be persuaded to marry before he could provide for a wife and eventual children.
The nation’s capital was
abuzz with the talk of war as the United States failed to negotiate
neutrality in the European conflict. Young John may have viewed the war
as an opportunity to advance his career. At the age of 19 years, John and close friend Francis "Fran" Clarke enlisted in the Army
at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C as part of the National Guard.
He and Clarke where immediately sent to Long Island, NY for training at Camp Mills. They were assigned to the Medical Corps. The two friends departed for distant France soon after.
He and Clarke where immediately sent to Long Island, NY for training at Camp Mills. They were assigned to the Medical Corps. The two friends departed for distant France soon after.
Copyright ©amanofamily.com 2012
edited by Donora Hillard
link below to a blog reciting the highlights of Washington DC
Streets of Washington
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