lustration: JOHN LAIRD]

[Illustration: JAMES DUNLOP, SENIOR]

His son, William Laird, Jr., who had children, but no grandchildren, was
clerk of the town for a great many years, longer than any other man. He
is said to have had no superior as an accountant in this country.

After John Laird's death in 1833, his house became the property of his
daughter, Margaret. She never married, and lived there for a great many
years with her aunt, Miss Elizabeth Dick. They were always known as
"Miss Peggy" Laird and "Miss Betsy" Dick. My mother, as a little girl,
remembered them. They used to sit by the front windows a great deal, and
the turban which Miss Betsy wore on her head was, of course, very
intriguing to a young girl in 1850. They were both almost always dressed
in Scotch gingham of such fine quality that it seemed like silk. They
were both ardent supporters of the Presbyterian Church and workers for
the Orphan Asylum. Miss Betsy Dick died first, of course. Thomas Bloomer
Balch dedicated to her one of the lectures he gave in Georgetown in the
fifties called "Reminiscences of George Town."

When Miss Peggy Laird died, she left the house to her sister, Barbara,
Mrs. James Dunlop. They had been living on the southeast corner of Gay
(N) and Greene (29th) Streets. From that time on, number 3014 was always
known as the Dunlop house.

Judge Dunlop was always very prominent. As a young man he was secretary
of the Corporation of Georgetown, which fact is recorded on the keystone
of the little bridge on High Street (Wisconsin Avenue) over the canal.
He was for some time a law partner of Francis Scott Key, and later was
appointed Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of the District of
Columbia. He was holding this office at the outbreak of the Civil War
and, being a Southerner in his sympathies, was, very naturally, removed
from office by President Lincoln. An interesting thing is that about
1915 this place was bought from the heirs of Judge Dunlop's son by
Robert Todd Lincoln, son of President Lincoln.

An anecdote is told of a dinner party long ago where Judge Dunlop was a
guest, when one of the other guests was making puns on the names of all
those present. Judge Dunlop said, "You will not be able to make one on
my name." Quick as a flash came back the rejoinder, "Just lop off the
last syllable and it is dun."

Judge Dunlop and all of his brothers, except one, were graduates of
Princeton College, he being valedictorian of his