USA > Delaware > History of the state of Delaware, Volume II > Part 3
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The company controls one-half of the water power of the Brandywine, the other half being owned by the Du Ponts, the combined power being considered the best in the State. While the company manufactures large products of its own, much of the material that is put through the bleaching and dyeing processes is brought from New England. In 1895, the Ban- croft company absorbed the mills that for many years had been operated by James Riddle, lying to the south of the original Bancroft plant, and at once the Riddle mills were re- modeled and combined with the already large and flourishing business of its new owners. This enterprise is one of the largest and most successful of the manufactories of the State. The present officers of the Joseph Bancroft and Sons Com-
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pany are Samuel Bancroft, Jr., president ; William P. Ban- croft, vice-president ; Henry B. Thompson, treasurer ; Joseph Bancroft, assistant treasurer, and John Bancroft, secretary and superintendent.
THE DU PONT POWDER WORKS.
When Eleuthere Irenee Du Pont founded in 1802 the Du Pont powder works on the Brandywine, he truly " builded better than he knew," but he could have had no appreciation how, with the material growth and progress of the American nation, the modest business which he started would expand into the giant enterprise that it represents at the end of a cen- tury. With keen business foresight, he planned to compete with the old established powder manufactories of England, although advised that he would likely wreck his fortune in the endeavor.
His personal friend, Thomas Jefferson, then President of the United States, urged him to establish the business in Virginia, and tempting offers were made to him to settle in New Jersey, but after careful observation he chose the banks of the Brandywine, and there in the summer of 1802 he began the erection of the first mill for the manufacture of powder, known to this day as the "Eleutherian Mill." Ten years later the Upper Hagley mill was built, and sixteen years after the Lower Hagley mill was added, and prior to his death, in 1834, he had the proud satisfaction of knowing that he was the pro- prietor of the most extensive powder industry in the country.
On the death of the founder the responsibility of leadership fell upon his eldest son, Alfred du Pont, who had been under the tutelage of his father, and from whom he had inherited many admirable business traits. The business, under his direction, forged ahead. Within a year or so another mill, the Brandywine, was built, and both facilities were added and output increased under his prudent and aggressive man- agement. He retired as manager in 1850, giving way to his younger brother, Henry du Pont, who was recognized as the
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head of the concern until bis death in 1889. The continual and marvelous growth of the business made it necessary that others should be called in to co-operate, and the outcome was the formation of a partnership, known as E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., with Henry du Pont, his two sons, Henry A. and William, and his four nephews, Irenee, Lamotte, Eugene and Francis, as members of the firm.
This firm continued until 1903, when the E. I. du Pont de Nemours Powder Company was incorporated, and the general powder business passed to the control of the new company. The company controls not only the mills on the Brandywine, but it has numerous auxiliary plants throughout the United States. The products of the company are known throughout the civilized world. It is the largest and most important industry in Delaware. The present officers of the company are T. Coleman du Pont, president ; Alfred I. du Pont, vice- president ; Pierre S. du Pont, treasurer ; Alexis I. du Pont, secretary.
THE RIDDLE MILLS.
James Riddle operated, from 1838 to 1873, successful cotton spinning mills on the Brandywine, at Kentmere. His mills occupied the site of the Gilpin paper mills, and came into the control of Riddle and Lawrence in 1838. The latter retired in a few years, and in 1850 the mills were enlarged, employing at one time nearly three hundred hands. Later James Riddle associated with him in the business, his son, Leander F. Riddle, and his son-in-law, William M. Field, the firm name of Riddle, Son & Co. being adopted, and the business was con- tinued by the firm after the death of the senior partner, until 1886 when the mills were leased to C. J. Milne & Co. of Phil- adelphia, who conducted them for a few years. In 1895 the mill rights, buildings, etc., forming the old cotton-mill plant, were sold to the Joseph Bancroft & Sons Co., and by the latter company used in their business. James Riddle was an ex- emplary citizen, a man of the strictest integrity, and most
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kind and philanthropic in nature. He was a most loyal Meth- odist, being for many years a local preacher in that denomi- nation, and by his will made provision for the worn-out preachers of the Wilmington Conference. He also left a fund for the support of the Mt. Salem Church and Riddle's Chapel, the latter being named in his honor.
PAPER-MAKING.
The first paper mill on the Brandywine was built by Joshua and Thomas Gilpin in 1787. It occupied about the site of the Riddle Mills. Six years later Wm. W. Young, a Philadelphia printer, established a mill at Rockland, which was successfully conducted for several years as a paper mill, and later as a cot- ton mill. In 1860 the whole property was purchased by the firm of Jessup and Moore. The Gilpins continued in control of the mills until about 1820. In 1816 Thomas Gilpin patented a machine whereby paper was made in an endless roll. The writer has recently seen a sample of hand-made writing-paper made in 1805, and bearing the water-mark "T. Gilpin, Brandywine."
In 1843 the firm of Jessup & Moore was formed, composed of Augustus E. Jessup and his son-in-law, Bloomfield H. Moore, and two years later the firm bought the lower mill on the Brandywine, fitted it for paper-making and called it the " Augustine Mill," which name it still retains. From 1870 until 1878 Mr. Moore was the sole owner of the business. On the death of Mr. Moore in 1878, the Jessup & Moore Paper Company was incorporated, and Clarence B. Moore, son of Bloomfield H. Moore, became its president. In 1881 the com- pany built the Delaware mills on the Christiana river, west of Wilmington, when modern facilities were installed for the manufacture of wood-pulp, to be used in connection with the paper-making.
William Luke became manager for the Jessup & Moore people in 1862, and continued in charge until 1898, when he voluntarily retired. He proved himself a most capable and
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efficient manager. David Lindsay who has been the superin- tendent of the Augustine mill since 1870, is a stockholder and director of the company, and for many years has been recog- nized as one of the leading and most enterprising citizens of Wilmington. The Delaware mills were under the manage- ment of John Saunders from the time of their establishment until his death. The paper-making industry is an important one, and no business in the city has been conducted on more progressive lines, the good name and fame of the Jessup & Moore Company being world-wide.
THEATERS.
The first theatrical performance in Wilmington is claimed to have been presented in a large room of the Bayard Hotel (afterwards the Delaware House), fronting on Shipley street. That was as early as 1833. Some months later a hall was fitted up for theatrical purposes at Front and Orange streets, and the next year a charter was obtained for the Wilmington Theatrical Company, and the latter erected a building at the southwest corner of Sixth and Shipley streets with a seating capacity of 600. The new Wilmington Theater opened about Christmas of 1834 and for a time proved popular, notwith- standing the opposition of some of the more staid of the citizens of the town who looked with much disfavor upon the new enterprise. The first theater continued for five years and then failed for lack of support.
In 1869 the Masonic Hall Company was chartered with a capital of $100,000. George G. Lobdell was the first presi- dent and John P. Allmond secretary. In 1870 the company purchased a lot on the easterly side of Market street about midway between Eighth and Ninth streets, running through from Market to King street, and on the lot preparations were made at once to erect a Masonic Temple and opera house. At the time of its erection it was one of the most substantial and imposing buildings in the City of Wilmington. James H. Beggs served as chairman of the building committee and
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Jesse Sharpe as chairman of the finance committee. Thomas Dixon of Baltimore was the architect. The corner-stone was laid April 20, 1871, and the building was dedicated April 18, 1872. On its completion Wilmington possessed for the first time a thoroughly equipped and up-to-date public hall, suited for all public entertainments and with a stage capacity that afforded every facility for operatic and theatrical performances. The building also contained large and commodious rooms for the accommodation of the Masonic lodges of the City and there were apartments rented for outside purposes. Jesse K. Baylis became manager of the opera house soon after its dedication and has continued almost without interruption until the present time. He has been an unusually efficient and pop- ular manager.
In 1884 James H. Shoemaker and Lewis P. Buck erected a play house, which they called the Academy of Music, on Tenth street just east of Tatnall street. It was completed early in 1885, and gave promise of great popularity, but under the first management it proved unsuccessful and for many years was continued at a loss. It has had a varied existence, and after many ownerships came into the hands of David M. Hess, of Philadelphia. With many different lessees from year to year, in 1903 Daniel Humphries became lessee, and under his management it has become a popular play house, but caters to the sensational.
In 1893 William L. Dockstader started a small theater at No. 309 Shipley street, and two years later leased the building at the northwest corner of Seventh and Shipley streets, for- merly occupied by the Frist & Allmon carriage factory, and after entirely remodeling it opened a small theater for the presentation of vaudeville. His management proving suc- cessful, in 1902 Mr. Dockstader bought a lot on the easterly side of Market street a few doors above the Masonic Temple, and on it erected, in that year, a handsome theatre, which he called the Garrick. It was opened on November 23, 1903, and has since been successfully conducted as a vaudeville the-
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ater. Mr. Dockstader has proven to be an unusually success- ful theatrical manager in his especial line of work, and has well deserved the success which he has gained.
BURIAL PLACES.
On the completion of the Old Swedes Church in 1699 a plot of ground was laid out surrounding the church as a burial place. Interments were doubtless made there very soon after it had been established as a public burial place, and have con- tinued from that time until the present. Presumably very many of the early settlers were buried there. Doubtless but few of them had tombstones erected to mark their graves. A few tombstones remain, bearing date early in the eighteenth century. For several years the graveyard was much neglected, but within the past ten years a fund has been accumulated by the vestry of the church, and through their exertions the graveyard has been put in thorough good order, so that it presents an attractive appearance, the graves and stones hav- ing been restored, and there is every promise of its thorough maintenance for years to come.
The burying-ground adjoining the Friends' meeting-house at Fourth and West streets was one of the earliest burial places in the city, and it contains the bodies of many of the earlier residents of the city. Of late years but few interments have been made there, except of elderly people who were members of the old families.
The graveyard adjoining the First Presbyterian Church at Tenth and Market streets dates back to the erection of the first church in 1740. The names inscribed upon the tombstones there indicate the substantial character of the early residents who were identified with the Presbyterian denomination in generations gone by. Occasionally an interment is made in that graveyard now-a-days, but for many years it has fallen largely into disuse.
For many years a graveyard largely used was located in the rear of the First Baptist Church on King street above Tenth,
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but with the disintegration of the church membership, repre- senting as it did, the old school Baptists, this burial place fell into disuse, and the bodies of many of those buried there have, within the past forty years, been reinterred in other places.
The graveyard adjoining the Asbury Methodist Church was founded in 1785, and for many years was much used as a place of interment, largely by those belonging to the Metho- dist denomination. Occasionally an interment is made there, but of late years the inclination has been to bury in the more modern cemeteries.
In 1843 the first steps were taken to establish a public cemetery. The movement then started resulted in the incor- poration of the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery Com- pany, with Willard Hall as president ; Jonas Pusey, secretary, and John A. Duncan, treasurer. The company acquired about twenty acres of land on the north side of Delaware avenue, running from Madison to Adams street and from Delaware avenue to the Brandywine. The plan of the ceme- tery was made by George Read Riddle, and the first interment was made in the ground in August, 1844. For forty years the Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery was the only public burial ground in the city, except the graveyards that have been mentioned as belonging to the various churches. It has been a well-managed enterprise, over two thousand lots hav- ing been sold, and since 1844 the entire number of interments is thirteen thousand two hundred and ninety-nine.
Adjoining the Wilmington and Brandy wine Cemetery there was for many years a small plot of ground fronting on Twelfth street that was used as a burial place by the Roman Catho- lics. The space being limited it soon became filled, and since 1876 very few interments have been made there. The old plot is much neglected, although many tombstones remain and occasionally an interment is made. In 1876 the New Cathedral Cemetery was opened by the Catholic churches of Wilmington. It is located on the south side of Lancaster avenue, west of Woodlawn avenue, and has an area of forty
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acres. Since it was opened thore have been 9500 interments. The present officers ars Rt. Rev. J. J. Monaghan, president, and Bernard Keenan, superintendent.
In 1873 the Riverview Cemetery Company was incorpor- ated and the first officers of the company were John G. Baker, president, Benjamin Murgatroyd, vice-president, and Joshua Maris, secretary and treasurer. The company bought a tract of twenty acres on the easterly side of the Philadelphia and Wilmington turnpike, about two miles north of the Brandy- wine bridge, and laid out the same in convenient lots for burial purposes. The project originated with the orders of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias and has proven very popular with all classes in the community, the cemetery hav- ing been used by all religious denominations. In 1899 the company procured about twenty-five acres of land immediately across the turnpike from the original cemetery known as the West Side Section, and since that year have also plotted it into burial lots, and many interments have already been made there. The new section is known as New Riverview, but is under the control of the old company. The enlarge- ment was made necessary on account of the pressure for burial places. Since 1873, 9582 permits for interments have been made by the company. The following shows the officers that have served since the organization of the company :
Presidents.
John G. Baker,
from 1872 to 1880
Jeremiah Mahoney,
1880 to 1881
John J. Gallagher,
1881 to 1888
Charles P. Maroney,
1888 to 1890
Edwin C. Moore,
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1890 to 1895
James D. Carter,
1895 to 1902
Charles H. Simmons,
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1902 to 1905
Joshua B. Carpenter,
1905 to 1907
George M. Fisher,
1907-
Secretaries and Treasurers.
Joshua Maris,
from 1872 to 1877
Daniel T. Hawkins,
1877 to 1882
William E. Hawkins,
1882-
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The present officers are Joshua B. Carpenter, president ; James B. Tucker, vice-president ; William E. Hawkins, secre- tary and treasurer, and Charles E. Sparks, Jr., superintendent.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
THE HOME FOR AGED WOMEN.
In 1855 the " Female Society of Wilmington for the Relief and Employment of the Poor," was organized by several of the public-spirited women of the city. 'The society established headquarters at No. 509 Shipley street, where they furnished employment for worthy women, compensating them for their work, and the articles made by the women thus employed were sold. The society also looked after the deserving poor of the city, and in many ways did a benevolent work. Out of the society grew the Home for Aged Women, the latter being incorporated in January, 1866, and Sarah R. Mendinhall serving as the first president and Anne Semple as secretary. The object of the Home is to care for women who have reached the age of sixty years, and to provide for them a comfortable home for their remaining days by the payment of a small sum when admitted. The premises occupied by the original Sew- ing Society on Shipley street were occupied for a few years in combination with the adjoining house as the first Home for Aged Women, and in 1869 the latter society bought a lot at the northeast corner of Gilpin avenue and Harrison streets, on which was erected in 1872 a large and commodious brick building suited in all respects for the accommodation of the aged women who were to become its inmates. The manage- ment of the Home has always been in the hands of women and it has been supported and maintained from the beginning by individual subscriptions and bequests. In 1903 the build- ing was greatly enlarged and its capacity almost doubled. The total number of inmates at the present time is 157. The following have served as officers since its organization.
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HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES AND HUNDREDS.
Presidents.
Sarah R. Mendinhall,
from 1864 to 1875
Maria L. Chandler,
1875 to 1896
Emma Kittinger. Alice J. Rumford,
1896 to 1905
1905-
Treasurers.
Sarah A. Heald,
from 1864 to 1865
Anne Semple,
1865 to 1898
Lizzie S. Wollaston,
1898-
Secretaries.
Emily G. Wollaston,
from 1864 to 1884
A. Elizabeth Stroud,
1884-
THE HOME FOR FRIENDLESS AND DESTITUTE CHILDREN.
To Mrs. J. Taylor Gause is due the credit of founding this deserving charity. Soon after the opening of the Civil War Mrs. Gause was impressed with the need of an institution where the children of parents of insufficient means might be cared for and especially the children of soldiers who were then engaged in the Civil War. Through Mrs. Gause's efforts the first home for children was established in a dwelling house at No. 412 King street. Several kind-hearted women joined with Mrs. Gause in the movement and in less than a year from the opening of the Home fifty children had found shelter beneath its roof. A charter was obtained in March, 1863. Under it the trustees of the home were authorized to receive children voluntarily surrendered by their parents, or to admit children by the order of the courts. At first the Home was supported entirely by private subscriptions. In the course of time several bequests were made and from the latter an in- come was derived. Subsequently the General Assembly of the State provided for an annual appropriation by the Levy Court of the county. In 1865 a plot of ground was bought by the Home at the southeast corner of Ninth and Adams streets. On it was a large brick building that had been built some years before by Rev. Thomas M. Cann as a boarding school. This building was changed in minor respects and well suited the purposes of the Home. The Home continued at this location
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until 1888 when a new building was erected on a plot of ground near Riverview Cemetery, and to this location the Home was moved in 1889. Since its inception several hun- dred inmates have been admitted, and no benevolent under- taking in the city has brought forth better results than the work maintained for forty years by the managers of this Home.
HOMEOPATHIC HOSPITAL.
With the increased growth of the City of Wilmington a need had long been felt for a hospital, where any one requir- ing medical or surgical care could be skillfully treated. Mrs. J. Taylor Gause suggested its organization on the pavilion plan, where both schools of medicine might practice. This not proving feasible, a call was made on the homeopathic physicians of Wilmington to form an association for the pur- pose of establishing a hospital, immediate and substantial aid being promised. The projected hospital was to be free to all persons needing medical or surgical care without regard to age, sex, color or religious belief, if they were unable to pay for the same, and rooms and beds were to be provided also for persons able to pay.
As an outgrowth of this idea a meeting was held on No- vember 15, 1887, at which twenty-seven women selected by the physicians organized a society for the purpose of establish- ing on a permanent basis a hospital in this city. A meeting held on November 26th of the same year proved to be of especial interest, as it resulted in the acceptance of a generous offer from Mr. J. Taylor Gause, for the purchase of the Hygeian Home, situated at the corner of Shallcross avenue and Van Buren street, with the suggestion that it could be applied immediately to hospital uses. This was to be free of rent until January 1, 1889, and at the end of that time, if it was deemed desirable, the Board of Managers might purchase and perman- ently apply it to hospital purposes. It was encouraging that in seven days after the first meeting of the managers, a prop- erty was secured and sufficient funds donated to warrant the
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immediate occupation of the hospital. The enterprise was in- corporated April 24, 1888, under the name of " The Homeo- pathic Hospital of Delaware."
By June 16, 1888, the desirability of the building and its situation had become so apparent that its purchase for hospital uses was resolved upon. During the second year a training school for nurses was established. In April, 1888, a proposi- tion was received from Mr. and Mrs. J. Taylor Gause as to the enlargement of the hospital. It resulted in the presentation by them of a new pavilion entirely furnished, including an elevator, as well as improvements to the old building and grounds. Soon after the health of Mrs. Gause became im- paired to such an extent that she was unable longer to give her services to the hospital. She was the founder and pro- moter of the great enterprise, also president of its Board of Managers, so that when she passed from earth, June, 1890, the loss to the hospital was great indeed.
Elizabeth H. Capelle served one year as president, imme- diately after the death of Mrs. Gause. She declined a re- election, and Elizabeth W. Mendinhall was then chosen to fill that important office, which she held, greatly to the advantage of the hospital, until her death, in 1903. Emma L. Weldin, who had been the treasurer since the organization of the hos- pital, succeeded her, and is still serving as president to the entire satisfaction of all.
The present large building, dedicated in April, 1907, has been made possible by the generosity of Mary R. and Anna Latimer, who contributed $25,000.00 toward its erection. Each year during its existence, the hospital has been assisted by these philanthropic women, their gifts in that time amount- ing to $15,438.00. Other contributions to the building fund have amounted to $54,617.00.
J. Taylor Gause served as the first president of the board of trustees. He was succeeded by Clement B. Smyth, and he in turn by Charles W. Pusey. The present officers of the board of trustees are Charles W. Pusey, president ; Samuel
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Bancroft, Jr., vice-president ; James B. Clarkson, treasurer ; Willard A. Speakman, secretary. The officers of the board of managers are Mrs. C. Wesley Weldin, president ; Mrs. Benjamin Nields, vice-president ; Mrs. J. Morton Poole, treas- urer ; Mrs. Martin Lane, recording secretary, and Miss Mary D. Sisson, corresponding secretary.
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