“From the Archives” — Duke Street Houses

Next door to the rectory (310 Duke Street), going west on Duke Street, are three similar, federal-style houses. The house at 314 was built in the late 18th century by local builder William Busby. It was later Victorianized, slightly changing its exterior and interior. By 1805, it was owned by a gentleman named Samuel Adams, a house painter. Then, for many years, the house changed owners repeatedly and was often a rental property. In the late 1930s, Father Thomas A. Rankin, pastor at Saint Mary, wanted to cut windows on the side of the rectory facing the house at 314 and needed the owner’s permission to do so. Chester Pierce, a banker, then sold 314 to Father Rankin for a token $10, basically a gift to him. Father Rankin left the house to the parish in his will. It has been used by the church for a number of years for storage, offices, meetings, small receptions, and housing for priests in residence, seminarians and other visitors. Father Hathaway recently had the house remodeled and updated.

The house at 316 was built in 1802 by John Horner, who sold it and a smaller building at 318, to John Zepherine Javier de PoinceyGeneres, an aristocratic French emigree who had escaped the French Revolution. He and his family lived in 316, and he operatedan academy at 318 where he taught young Alexandrians to speak French, dance the minuet and behave with good manners. TheGeneres family was very active in Saint Mary parish. They eventually all moved to New Orleans, attracted to its strong Frenchculture. In 1833, Generes sold 316 to the Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church. In 2020, 316 was purchased by Saint Mary toprovide additional living space for visiting priests and seminarians and, occasionally, apostolate group meetings and other evetns.According to city tax records, 318 was initially a one-story building. A later owner added the second story, similar to 314 and 316,but lacking a third-story dormer window. Today, 318 is privately owned.