John Gadsby

John [1st] married ___ (Smelt) Gadsby in England. Her brother was an officer in the British Army in America from 1775-1783. She was the niece of Rev. John Smelt, who was born in England and a graduate of Oxford. In 1852, Rev. Smelt was the Rector of St. Ann's Parish, Essex County, Virginia.

John and his wife emigrated to the United States. Soon after their arrival, their son, John, was born in Virginia.

John owned a tavern in Alexandria, Virginia, from 1796 until 1808. The tavern had been built in 1785 on Royal and Cameron Streets. It became known as the City Hotel during John's tenure there.

In July 1808, John offered his lease for sale on the City Hotel and moved to the Indian Queen Hotel in Baltimore City, Maryland. In 1813, he was the largest slaveholder in Baltimore, and his 36 slaves waited on the guests of his Indian Queen Hotel.

John Gadsby [2nd] married Margaret (McLaughlin) Gadsby (1779 - 10 Feb 1812), of Ellicott Mills (now City), Howard County, Maryland. Margaret was buried on 11 Feb 1812.

John Gadsby [3rd] married Providence (Norris) Langworthy Gadsby ["Provey"] (Nov 1786 - 9 Feb 1858) on 12 Jan 1813 in First Methodist Episcopal Church, Baltimore City, Maryland, as her second husband.

About 1819, John moved to Washington, DC. In the 1834 Washington, DC, Directory, he lived at the National Hotel. In 1836, John purchased the Decatur House on Lafayette Square in Washington, DC. John's wife, Providence, owned the Decatur House until her death.

Obituary for John - "On Wednesday evening, May 15, at half past 6 o'clock, Mr. John Gadsby long known as a respectable and useful citizen of this place. His funeral will take place on Friday afternoon at 4 o'clock from his late residence, President's square to which the friends and acquaintances of the family are respectfully invited to attend without further notice."
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Feist, Christian F., "Lucas Vischer in Washington: A Swiss View of the District of Columbia in 1825," Records of the Columbian Historical Society, 1973-74, pp. 90-91
Second visit May 29-June 7, 1825

Gadsby's Hotel

This inn passes for the foremost in the metropolis. Gadsby formerly kept the Indian Queen Hotel in Baltimore and at that time his house is said to have been the best in the United States. Nevertheless he went bankrupt, and now truly starveling conditions reign in his house. All is aimed at pretence. Five chafing-dishes permanently decorate the table; butter and occasionally radish is put upon them. ‘The lunch consisted of a poor soup and two main dishes, roast beef and ham, roast veal and fish, and so on; vegetables scarcely sufficient for two or three persons, almost every day fried chicken which in fact are parched cocks with really not the least to gnaw off. What I liked best were the strawberries for dessert; they are eaten in this country with cream or milk. Gadsby is a scoundrel who wants to do it right by making empty compliments, his bar keeper is a rude, jovial Irishman, his servants are an unruly mob of Negroes. Since I had met with much ado about this house, I found it in reality even more miserable. They were impudent enough to charge me $2 for the room, the same as the Count who had one of the best rooms, but I insisted on lowering it to the fixed price of $1 1/2. Another inconvenience of this inn is its location so far up in the town, closer to Germantown than to the busy part of Washington. I had to hurry to get in three quarters of an hour from the Capitol to this place."
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The Will of John Gadsby, of Washington, DC, is dated 11 Mar 1844 and probated on 28 May 1844.

To Exrs. And trustees, all real estate and all right, title and interest in any land, with buildings, improvements, rights, ways, privileges, with confidence that trustees of Exrs. will permit wife (third) Provey Gadsby, during her lifetime, to use, occupy and possess, all lots and real estate in City of Washington, in Square 167, with all buildings, improvements, etc.: after death of wife to two daughters, Augusta McBlair and Julia Gadsby.

To wife, all the following negro slaves: man Nace, or Ignatius Newton, aged about 50 yrs.; man Henry King, aged about 40 yrs.; woman Maria King, aged about 35 yrs.; girl Celia King, aged about 16 yrs.; boy Charles King, aged about 9 yrs.; girl Sarah Jane King, aged about 4 yrs.; boy George King, aged about 18 mos.; woman Maria Williams, aged about 30 yrs.; girl Martha Ann Williams, aged about 6 yrs.; girl Mary Ellen Williams, aged about 4 yrs.; boy James Williams, aged about 18 mos.; woman Keziah Williams, aged about 28 yrs.; Mary Frances Williams, aged about 7 yrs.; boy William Williams, aged about 5 yrs.; woman Rosa Marks, aged about 48 yrs.; Nancy Fairfax, aged about 45 yrs.; James Long, aged about 25 yrs.

Also to wife, all household furniture, plate, pictures, library, groceries, liquors, linen, garden and other implements and utensils, horses and carriage, hay, grain, harness; all rents due and owing; subject to Exrs. allowing daughters Augusta McBlair and Julia Gadsby to receive rents and issues of real estate devised for their use, and after 12 mos. From my decease, rents and profits of following property: Lots 8 through 19 in Square 76, so as the same shall be used, occupied by said daughters Augusta and Julia.

Trustees to hold west half of Lot 15 in Square 491, with buildings and improvements, in City of Washington, in trust for daughter Margaret S. Chapman during her natural life, to possess and occupy the same; at her death to daughter-in-law Mary Augusta Gadsby in fee simple without any control of her husband.

Trustees to hold east half of Lot 15 in Square 491, as above, for use of daughter Ann Sophia Newton, during her natural life, that she use, possess and occupy the same; at her death to Margaret C. Newton, Maria Cooke Newton, Virginia Ann Newton, and Ann Augusta Newton, daughters of Ann Sophia Newton.

Exrs. to sell remaining real property, and proceeds equally divided among my five children: Augusta McBlair, Julia Gadsby, Margaret S. Chapman, Ann Sophia Newton, and William Gadsby.

Executors: Provey Gadsby, wife; friends James Eakin and Alexander McIntire, trustees and Exrs. of will

Witnesses: James Adams, William Noyes, S.B. Boarman
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The other known children of John were:

1) Anna Sophia (Gadsby) Newton (1790 - 26 July 1868) was born in England. She was the daughter of John and his first wife. Anna married Augustine Newton (2 June 1788 - 2 May 1844) on 17 Mar 1808 in Alexandria, Virginia. Their son, Chapman F. Newton (1817 - 20 Mar 1840), is buried in the Gadsby Vault. Ann died in Washington, DC.

2) Margaret Sarah (Gadsby) Chapman (1791 - 1880) was born in England. She was the daughter of John and his first wife. Margaret married Charles Thomas Chapman (born 1775). Charles and Margaret were the parents of artist John Gadsby Chapman (1808-1889). John painted the picture of the 'Baptism of Pocahontas' in the Rotunda of the Capitol in Washington, DC. Margaret is possibly related to the John Linton Chapman (died Aug 1837) who is buried in the Gadsby Vault.

3) Charles Gadsby (20 Nov 1810 - 22 Nov 1810) was baptized on 21 Nov 1810 in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Baltimore City, Maryland. He was the son of John and Margaret. Charles was buried on 22 Nov 1810, so he may have actually died prior to that day. Charles is #19914624.

4) Augusta (Gadsby) McBlair (28 Jan 1816 - 7 June 1903) was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the daughter of John and Provey. Augusta was baptized on 2 Mar 1816 in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Baltimore City, Maryland. Augusta married Maj. John Hollins McBlair, Sr., (12 Mar 1812 - 2 Aug 1891) on 20 Oct 1835 in Washington, DC. John is #81032119 and Augusta is #49403283.