USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > History of the city of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 26
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A most beautiful park is Bayard park, running from Igleheart avenue to Powell avenue and from Kentucky avenue to Bedford avenue. This was a gift to the city from that most estimable lady, Mrs. Mattie Bayard, and it will remain forever as a monument to one of the best women who ever claimed Evansville as her home. The trees in this park are also the old original growth which stood there when the writer was a boy. There has been no particular attempt to beautify this park in the matter of flowers, but the trees are enough to make it beautiful forever.
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Fourth street park is a little park on Fourth street between Cherry and Oak. When the town was laid out, it was arranged that this should be a continuation of the market space but it was never used for that purpose, as the ground between Chestnut street and Locust was fully ample for all de- mands. This little park was planted with trees and a fountain placed in the center but through city neglect it was allowed to go down. Hoodlum boys took delight in destroying the best trees in it, stopping up the fountain and indulging in all sorts of acts of that kind. It was almost impossible to have them arrested for this vandalism and I am happy to say that there were some citizens who were not afraid to take the law into their own hands, and many a young hoodlum found himself caught by the collar and soundly thrashed by some one who lived near there and the word was given to him that if he did not like it, he had better go home and tell his father and get his father to come back with him, when he would also receive what the boy did not get, if necessary, and to the best of my recollection, no father ever came. After- wards the ruined trees were reset and the park, while of small extent, is really a beautiful little place. 'Almost the same history can be given of the Seventh street park, a little spot that by some means was left out when the city was laid off. It is on Seventh street between Walnut and Chestnut. At one time the custodian of this park, who was a custodian only in name, (as he had no police power), stated to the writer that they had no hope of ever making it a park because the boys were too bad, but he afterwards was elected to the position of councilman and as he lived there by the park, there was a very sudden stopping of hoodlumism around that part and it has since been constantly improving.
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Mesker's park, a beautiful spot capable of great possibilties, lies on St. Joseph avenue, one mile north of West Maryland street. This was presented to the city by Geo. L. Mesker. It will not be long until the city will take hold of this and transform it into a beautiful spot. Oak Summit park lies just across from it and is the property of the Street Railway Company. It was during the administration of Mr. Herbert D. Moran that he saw that what people needed during the summer was a chance to get on the cars and ride to some stopping place on the hills where they could breathe good, cool evening air for a time and be amused before returning to the heat of the city for the night. To him is due the credit for the purchase of this beautiful spot which will be constantly improved. It is a valuable piece of property and will grow more and more valuable with every year.
The only other park is the West Heights Cave park which is on the New Harmony road, three-quarters of a mile north of West Maryland street. This belongs to private parties and they are gradually improving it and its location is everything that could be desired.
But the one park which is now a matter of great discussion is what is known as Garvin's Grove. This place of some sixty acres, lies at the end of Main street. In fact, Main street terminates at the park. For many years this has been the property of Honorable Thomas E. Garvin, one of
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our oldest citizens. At various times in the past he has offered to sell this park to the city but has never been able to secure what he deemed the proper price for it. Some 15 years ago it was offered at $1,000 per acre and there was some talk of buying it, but it died out. Just at present there seems to be a deal on between Mr. Garvin and the city but whether or not it will materialize remains to be seen. There are many beautiful trees in this park and about the only objection to it is that the back part is flooded during high water by Pigeon creek, but this could be remedied by building a wall and filling up the low places where necessary. The land thus taken ont would leave what might be turned into a large artificial lake. All over the country these lakes are being made in parks that have existed for years and there certainly could be no objection to a large one at this point. Where the government is so willing to stock lakes at all times with game fish there would be no trouble in filling it soon with thousands of black bass and it would be a splendid fishing resort for those who like to fish a day or two of a season but cannot afford to take long trips away. If thought best, a small sum could be charged each one who fished and this could go to the keeping up of the park and it would be astonishing to the city fathers, to see how willingly hundreds of our population would be willing to pay for a little enjoyment.
Another park is now being talked of but it lies across the river. This, however, would not prevent it from being used by our public, as from what has been learned, the intent of the proprietors of the new White City is to run a large ferry boat between our wharf and the point. Our people could thus not only enjoy the fresh air of the park, but a delightful ride on one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. It should be remembered that it will not be long until a uniform stage of water will exist in the river in front of Evansville and it will then be more appreciated by our citizens than it has ever been in the past, as so many have been afraid of the treacherous currents and the sandbars that are continually forming.
Parks are the great breathing places for the toilers. The citizen who has accumulated wealth can have his own beautiful yard or a shady back yard kept scrupulously clean, where he and his family can go at any time, but the poor toiler too often has to spend his hot summer evenings trying to get a breath of air in front of his home, which may be only one of a long line of tenament cottages. Let the man of wealth go down from his front porch or walk out of his front yard and sit for a little while at the edge of an asphalt street on a brick or artificial stone sidewalk and feel the hot, evil-smelling air rise up into his face and he can then realize what it means to these poor people to have plenty of parks.
As stated in the beginning of this chapter, it seemed to take a long time for Evansville to wake up on the park question, but now that most of the old fogies who opposed anything of this kind, have either gone to their reward or are too old to make speeches, it is safe to say that the progressive citizens of Evansville will see to it that we have plenty of breathing spots for the poor.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE HOSPITABLE CITY-SO KNOWN EVEN IN THE LONG AGO-HALF NORTH AND HALF SOUTH AND REALLY A SOUTHERN CITY-OPEN ARMS AND OPEN HEARTS-NO ISOLATION HERE-VIEWS OF MISS RUNCIE-MY ANGEL MOTHER.
A HOSPITABLE CITY.
From the time that Evansville became a town of any size it has always been noted for and has been quoted as being one of the most hospitable cities in the United States. The very early settlers were really from south- ern states, as Virginia and North Carolina seemed to have been the birth- places of their progenitors. Then came some from Tennessee and while I do not claim that the fact that they came from the south had very much effect at that time, I think that they were a more warm-hearted people taken as a whole, than if they had all come from the cold New England states, which at that time had hardly gotten over early puritanism. Be this as it may, it is a fact that the stranger was always welcomed in Evans- ville with open arms. As the years passed on, it became more and more spoken of all over the country as the place where the stranger was made to feel perfectly at home, as soon as he or she reached here. Along in the '50s and '6os, when social affairs began to be common, Evansville was visited by a great many strangers and they were at once taken up and treated with so much courtesy that it became an old saying, "If you visit Evansville once, you will always want to go back again."
In the early days of the social clubs it was the rule adhered to most strictly by every one of the male members, that no visiting young lady should ever fail to have company to attend anything that might be going on. In fact, these things were fully arranged some time before the affair would come off. It was no unusual thing for a young lady to receive sev- eral invitations to any one affair. She was never forgotten and if the affair was a dance, the young men vied with each other in seeing that her card was filled first. The home girls could wait and such was their idea of perfect hospitality that they would willingly become wallflowers for the time being, in order that some stranger might receive proper attention. It was the same way with the older people. There was no hesitation in making calls. Let it be known that a family were good people, and by this I do not mean that it was necessary for them to be rich, and they were speedily called on by all the neighbors and entertained in such a manner as
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to soon make them feel perfectly at home. This was not done for effect or with the feeling that anything might be gained by it. It was just the out- pouring of the genial hospitality of Evansville people, which seemed born in them. It is no more than right to dwell on this subject, because the old citizens prided themselves so greatly on the fact that Evansville richly deserved the good name that had been bestowed upon it.
Just before and after the war we received a large influx of southern people. They brought with them the good old idea of southern hospitality which had been imbued in them and had been a part of their social educa- tion. After the war there were many traveling men, fine manly young fel- lows, who came here and at once became a part of our society. So many old families have come here that through inter-marriage and through their taking such an active part in our local affairs, Evansville today can almost be called a Southern city. With no desire to single out any particular ones, I might speak of Judge Azro Dyer and Dr. C. P. Bacon, who both came from Kentucky and who have been very prominent here in many ways. W. F. Nisbet and Fred and E. G. Ragon, at one time among the very best of our wholesale merchants, were from Kentucky. The late A. G. Torian and W. W. Ireland and Mr. Dickey of the old firm of Ragon, Dickey & Carson, and Captain Carson himself, though many supposed him to be a northern man. Dr. P. Y. McCoy is a native Kentuckian, while Mr. Wiley D. Hinkle and his brother, who formerly resided here, came from Tennes- see. Judge Wood was from Alabama. And who does not remember the genial Mathew Lyon, whom everybody called "Matt" Lyon, one of the most polished and genial men who was ever in business in Evansville. His son-in-law, Mr. J. R. Furgeson, came from Mississippi. Rev. W. J. Darby is from Tennessee, while Geo. L. Dixon, Dr. Geo. P. Cosby and the late Dr. Rose were from our sister state of Kentucky. Kentucky also sent three young men who each made names here. They were three brothers- Dr. A. M. Owen, Dr. John E. Owen, and Frank A. Owen, who I now be- lieve lives in the south. Dr. Ed. Linthicum is a native Kentuckian and N. M. Booth, the father of telegraphy in Evansville, also came from that state. Mr. John Hubbard, who for so many years has been in the seed busi- ness here, is a native Kentuckian, as was Mr. E. C. Roach who lost his life in the Belmont catastrophe. Henry D. Posey, who while a farmer by profession, has many interests here, is also from our sister state. D. C. Givens, one of the very brightest lawyers in Evansville, is from Tennessee and Col. "Billie" Thomas, who every body knows and loves for his great kind heart, is a native Virginian. D. Machen and Chit Lyon, who at one time composed one of the most pushing firms in Evansville, were both from Kentucky. And the genial and dashing Col. Bob Martin, who for years was in the tobacco business here, was a southerner, and what was my sur- prise on having a little talk with Mr. Harry Ogden, a leading banker, to find that his father, Billy Ogden, was one of my oldtime drummer friends with whom I had made many a trip. Most of these whom I have men-
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tioned came here in the early day, and their sons and daughters have mar- ried and inter-married with out people and it is but just to say that there could be no union between the people of southern Indiana and those of Kentucky that would not produce descendants to whom the word hospital- ity means so much.
It is well for our citizens to recognize that Evansville's reputation in this particular is one of her great assets. We hear so often of those who leave here, on whom fortune seems not to smile, who go to seek something better in other cities. But they invariably return and this is so much the case that it is a matter of common knowledge to everybody. Those who come back into the fold usually say, "I don't like such and such a place. The people are cold. I could not get acquainted with anybody so I have come back where I know the people care something about me and I am going to stay here the rest of my life even if I don't make as much money." Many people have moved away from Evansville for the time being, but it is safe to say that 90 per cent of them returned here to live. In fact, those who have not returned were nearly all of the transitory class whose busi- ness takes them into various parts of the United States, such as is the case of railroad men and who therefore really have no place that might be called home. And to the credit of Evansville let it be said that there is very little of what is termed "shoddyism" here. There is no Blue Book and while there are social distinctions, any man or woman who comes here with an untainted name, will be received by good people no matter whether they have means or not. It is a fact that in a great many places it is pos- sible for a family to live for years next to another, neither having anything to do with the other. The argument is sometimes used that this is a nice way to live because no one prys into your affairs. However, it would strike the average person, especially one bred in this section of the coun- try, as a very lonesome way of getting along. It is this fact noted above, that has been so often quoted by the people who move away from here and then come back. People naturally love society. A family cooped up by themselves in a house soon grow weary of the monotonous life they must lead, and the desire to have a little knot of friends is almost universal. All over Evansville are clubs of one kind or another which people of various tastes attend, and where they meet those of similar tastes. In fact, hardly any city of the size of Evansville has so many clubs of this kind and they range from little card clubs where evenings are devoted to cards and other enjoyments, up to the meetings where topics of great depth are discussed and where an attendance is almost an education. And it is this wide range of clubs and societies, among which latter might be mentioned societies that belong to almost every church, that make it possible for strangers to come here and in a very few days feel as if they were among friends.
Miss Anna Runcie, who is one of the best society editresses in the West, contributed a paper on this subject to the Courier recently. She says : "Evansville society has passed through many phases of development
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since its primitive state in 1845, yet in all its essential elements it is still marked by the same distinctive features as at that early period.
"Crude and unformed as was the social organism of that day, yet it was then as now imbued with the true spirit of hospitality which regards society as the social enjoyment of one's friends, rather than the mere business of returning social obligations, into which much of social life elsewhere has degenerated.
"Many have been the transformations of Evansville social life since that early date in 1836 when the first formal written invitation was sent out by an Evansville hostess, whose frequent entertainments have since become a part of its valued traditions.
"One of these invitations, yellow with age, an interesting memento of that time, has been preserved in the family of the lady by whom it was received, Miss Mary Willson, afterwards Mrs. William Reilly.
" It was an evening party that inaugurated in Evansville the elusive some- thing called society, for the day of the 'social function' and the afternoon tea were as yet far distant, and a social affair without the presence of gentlemen was unthought of.
"'There were always plenty of men in those days,' said a granddame of today, Mrs. Crawford Bell, who as Miss Mary Negley had been a belle and beauty of that early time. 'We should not have thought it a party at all, where there were no men,' she said with fine scorn for those one-sided afternoon teas where men are not expected. 'If we had been invited to an affair where men were omitted we should not have cared to go, for what society could there be worth the name with only women?'
"Did you dance in those days?" was asked.
"'Of course we danced,' she quickly replied. 'We always danced. Our parents did not always approve, when they were of the stricter sort, but there was little else for young people to do in the way of entertainment. Cards were not played then in a social way as they are now and everyone in society could dance, so everyone did dance.'
"Popular places for dancing in those days, it is said, were the old Exchange Hotel on First and Vine streets, and Marble hall, still standing on Main street between Water and First, and there and elsewhere dancing in season and out of season was the popular pastime whenever young people came together.
"It was at the Exchange Hotel, the earliest Evansville hostelry, that there took place the famous Carpenter ball, given by Hon. Willard Carpenter to celebrate the projected building of the Straight Line railroad.
"This fashionable event of the time was illuminated, we are told, with the pale light of tallow candles; gas or even coal oil as an illuminant being as yet undreamed of.
"However, the ball ranked as the most brilliant social event that had as yet taken place in the embryo city of Evansville and was attended by every- body of any social pretensions whatever.
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"Another favorite meeting place of society in early days was the old Sherwood house, built at an early date by Marcus Sherwood and occupying the present site of the Elks' club. In the parlors of this old time hotel it was the custom to hold many of the social affairs of the period, among them the church socials which were somewhat new in church and social lines in those days, and where strangers coming to the city to reside usu- ally received their introduction to the social circles of the town.
"The fashionable center of the city at that time was below Main street, on First, Second and Water streets as far down as Division, where the early homes of many of the present day families of the upper part of the city were first located.
"On the present site of the Mackey-Nisbet building was located the homestead of Edward Hopkins, one of the prominent citizens of the early Evansville and great-grandfather of the younger members of the Hopkins, Viele and Babcock families of today.
"The Hopkins home was a popular social center for the young people of the time and around it were located the homes of other well known fam- ilies in the social life of the primitive Evansville, the Lewises, Carpenters, Ladds, Wheelers, Armstrongs, the Griffith home at the corner of Second and Sycamore, occupying the present site of the Waverly building, the former Samuel Orr residence still standing at the corner of Second and Vine streets, the residence of Dr. Bray in Upper First street near Locust, built nearly seventy years ago, which was the scene of many hospitalities and is still occupied by members of the family.
"At the fine old Shanklin homestead, which occupied the present site of the St. George hotel, a notable wedding in 1856 claimed the attention of Evansville society when Miss Malvina French, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Shanklin, pioneer residents of Evansville, became the bride of Mr. John Maynard Harlan, then a young attorney of Frankfort, Ky., but widely known later as Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
"Six bridesmaids and as many groomsmen composed the wedding group which was arranged as a tableau affair in rainbow effects, the gowns of the bridesmaids being each of a complementary tint. Among the brides- maids from this city were Miss Ella Lister, now Mrs. Wymond of Chi- cago; Miss Mattie Orr, the late Mrs. Samuel Bayard, and Miss Lizzie Mc- Cutcheon of Pittsburg, now Mrs. James M. Shanklin; Miss Laura Har- lan of Frankfort, Ky., the sister of the groom; Miss Charlotte French of Cincinnati, and Miss Mary Jones. Among the groomsmen were Mr. James M. Shanklin, Mr. William Harlan, the groom's brother; Mr. Osborn Reilly, a popular society man of the time, and others.
"Among the earliest homes above Main street to become prominent as the scene of frequent entertainment was that of John H. Maghee, later oc- cupied by his brother, Gillison Maghee, at the corner of Chestnut and Third streets. The house had been erected by Rev. Mr. Barnes for a school about
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1837, and there later taught Professor Myron Safford, whose wife and her sisters, the Misses Morton, were sisters of the ex-Vice-President Levi P. Morton of New York.
"The former Maghee house remodeled which is now the residence of Dr. J. R. Mitchell, was occupied by members of the Maghee family until a decade or more ago.
"As occupied successively by the brothers John and Gillison Maghee, prominent Evansville merchants, it was throughout its entire existence the scene of noted and lavish hospitalities even before the date of that first written invitation sent out which read, 'Mr. and Mrs. Maghee request the pleasure of Miss Willson's company on Tuesday evening, January fourth.'
"It will be noted that Evansville society even at this early date had set- tled the matter of social precedence so long a vexed question even in New York between Mrs. Astor and Mrs. William Astor, as leaders of the 400, with or without the prefix William, to distinguish it. The Evansville card bears simply Mr. and Mrs. Maghee, Mr. John Maghee having been the elder brother.
"In the Evansville of an early day no less than in later times, weddings were preeminent as social events and claimed the interest of the entire com- munity.
"A brilliant wedding of 1845 recalled by one of those who was a leading figure in the ceremony was the marriage of the beautiful Miss Mary Neg- ley, the youngest of the eight daughters of David Negley, a prominent citi- zen of the early Evansville, to Mr. Crawford Bell, also a leading business man of the town.
"The wedding, which was a fashionable event of the time, took place at the Negley homestead which with the Negley flouring and saw mills, widely known throughout this section, were at that time situated on Pig- eon creek.
"The primitive condition of the city lighting of the period was responsi- ble for a change in the date of the wedding which had been set for early in June. Shortly after the plans for the ceremony had been arranged some member of the family in consulting the almanac discovered that the date chosen fell in the dark of the moon. That a change of date was at once found necessary may be readily imagined as without the light of Luna none could venture abroad after nightfall, unless he carried a lantern.
"So, instead of the June bridal that had been planned a date was chosen when the moon was at the full to light the wedding guests on their way. And so it was that the 12th of May was the wedding day.
"Of the wedding company of that May day in 1847, few remain to grace the Evansville of 1910, but among them is the stately and gracious presence of the May bride herself, now in her eighty-sixth year. Hon. Thomas E. Garvin is probably the only one remaining of all that assembly of wedding guests.
COLUMBIA SCHOOL BUILDING
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"Included among the attendants of the couple was the bride's sister, Miss Lucy Negley, afterward Mrs. Rudd, with Mr. Brown Butler, Dr. Stockwell and Judge Battelle, popular figures in the society of the time. The house erected later by Mr. Crawford Bell for their home is now the Charles Babcock residence in South First street.
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