USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > History of the city of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48
73
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
Evansville was kept by an Englishman named J. D. Dobell. There were many rumors about Mr. Dobell, as to his being a son of some high English- man. He dressed well but confined himself to corduroy and velveteen, while his wife dressed as did the other English women of that day, or for that matter, of this day, and he seemed to have a great deal of money, bought a beautiful place on String Town road and up to the time of his death, so secretive was he that no one ever knew why he selected Evans- ville as the point in which to live. I merely speak of this to show how many different styles of people went to make up our town. Further up Water was the old store of Robert Barnes. The old brick which still stands, has braved the storms of all these years. In this old building David J. Mackey, E. A. Cooke, E. D. Ballinger and others were taught their first business lessons. The old Green river house next to it is another building of antiquity.
Coming around towards First, the home of Francis Link stood on the hill, which was on the back part of the lot where the Orpheum Theatre now stands. Across the street on the same side was the handsome resi- dence of John Shanklin, and next to it the residence of Dr. Morgan, one of the pioneer physicians who lived here at the same time as Dr. Bray, whose old family residence is next to the Chandler block. Above the Mor- gan home was the residence of Mr. James Laughlin who came here from Pittsburg, quite a wealthy man. This old home was the scene of much hospitality and will never be forgotten by old citizens. His wife, Mrs. Madeline Laughlin, was a charming hostess and at times was assisted by her sister, formerly Mrs. John Hurley and now Mrs. Bement. Back toward the river on the opposite side of the street was a little box of a tin-shop in which James Scantlin, also a pioneer, conducted his business, while facing the river where are now the residences of Mrs. Stevens, Mr. Edward Sonntag, Mrs. Scantlin and Mr. Cy Scantlin, were a row of little one-story frame houses with a porch extending along the entire front. It was in front of these first houses that the old ferry bell stood. It was held in place by huge rocks at the base and it was here that the ringing of the bell brought over the ferrymen who lived on the opposite side. On the upper corner was a vacant lot, which was afterwards utilized by Mr. J. D. Car- mody when he first went into the greenhouse business. The next corner above was vacant, the house that had been on it having fallen down, al- though the old brick smoke-house remained for some years. This was a part of the Chandler estate and in the division of the property it fell to Mrs. Louise Peelar who sold it to Mr. Richard Dawes. The frame house above it was occupied for years by Mr. Henry Wheeler and the home on the corner now known as the Beltz home was built by C. R. Dement and afterwards sold to Samuel E. Gilbert. Before this Mr. Charles Viele had built his beautiful home on the corner across the street and back of it was the old John Ingle property which, through some mistake of the surveyor, extended out into First street. This building was finally condemned by
74
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
the city and torn down and the residence of Hon. Alex. Gilchrist now stands on its site. In all this time Sunset park had been neglected. The old Barnes residence which still stands had been built but no attempt had been made to care for the back yard and at each succeeding rise in the river, the logs would wash almost to the back door. The next house above it was the beautiful Morgan home still one of the best built houses in Evansville. This was put up by John Stockwell who afterwards sold it to Mr. Crane. Near this was a two-story frame which had been moved from the lower part of the city and next to it was the saw mill which resisted for many years the efforts of the citizens to have it condemned. This was known as the Ahlering mill and the home in which Judge Foster now lives and which is said to contain the best lumber in the city of Evansville, is filled with lumber sawed in this old mill. Next to it, where I live at pres- ent, was the Oakley home. James Oakley came here long before the war and built this house about the year 1850. He brought his slaves with him from Tennessee and at the rear of the house was what was known as the negro quarters. This had the great open fireplaces in which the old col- ored aunty loved so well to cook. This made the house so long and was of so little use in these days, that it was torn down. Above this, reaching to where stands the handsome residence of W. H. McCurdy was a row of old shacks belonging to the Amory estate. Mr. Amory lived in the corner house but after he went back east the property was almost uncared for until it was finally ordered torn down by the chief of the fire department. Some of these buildings were directly on the street and were on a sort of hill, being approached by rickety steps. They became infested with a low class of negroes and their tearing down was hailed with delight by the whole neighborhood. Diagonally across was the brick house built by Charles Wells of the old firm of Wells, Kellogg & Company. There seems to have been another mistake on the part of the surveyor, for this building set out into the street and there was much question afterwards as to whether the house should be torn down and the street widened to conform with its width below, or whether the people should accept a narrow street reaching from the Wells corner to the Boulevard, and this was finally decided upon as the best way out of the trouble. All through this period it was nothing unusual for the river to come up every spring and flood that entire part of the city and it was not until the Boulevard was built that this state of affairs was averted. Where the building erected by Mr. Will Sonntag now stands and also the buildings on the corner, was an old lumber pile which for many years was an eye sore. This was finally bought by Mr. M. J. Bray who cleared it and it is now filled with beautiful homes. An old slough cut across this part of the city and to the best of my recollection it took in where now stands the old Kellogg home, now occupied by Mr. Maley, Haynie's drug store and most of the street lying southwest of that. It laid on the south side of Washington avenue which was then Blackford's grove. Just by Blackford's grove on what is now Washington avenue was
75
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
what was known as Orr's meadow, belonging to Mr. Samuel Orr, and it was here that I used to go morning and evening with the family cow. I have spoken elsewhere of killing wild pigeons on Washington avenue and ducks this side of there, and my remembrance of this is due to the fact that I took the cow there, as, living at that time below Main street, I had little business in the upper part of the city.
Coming down Fourth street through this part of the city there was very little to interest one. The houses were mostly small and badly scat- tered. At the corner of Chestnut and Fourth was an old building which I believe still stands. A block further the original market began, the first market house ever put up in Evansville. This was a one-story building and the part lying between Locust and Walnut was devoted exclusively to butchers. Above that the market wagons, that is the wagons of the farmers ยท in this section, were driven up. But differently from now, the wagons were backed up to a center aisle or passageway, and one could do the mar- keting by passing along the center from as far up as Chestnut street down to Locust, but it seemed to be the way with every one to buy the meat first and then go on, stopping at the various stands to get vegetables, etc. In those days dressed poultry was almost unheard of. One bought chickens alive. These farmers who kept the upper part of the market were nine-tenths of them Germans, and some of them came from so far out in the country that they would drive in the night before, and, leaving their produce cov- ered with quilts, etc., would make little fires, cook their meals along Fourth street and then sleep under the wagons until daylight. As is the case now, the early bird caught the worm, and the one first on the spot caught the best of everything. This was long before the days when those keeping family groceries sold vegetables, and such a thing as a grocer coming to market for anything except vegetables for his own family was unknown. It will be remembered that even in late years an attempt was made to stop the grocers from forestalling the market. Even in those days there was a regular hour at which the market opened. This hour was announced by the market master in a loud voice, and before that time no butcher dared sell a steak or any countryman dare to sell any produce of any kind. In later years the matter has been reversed, and the wagons are backed up to , the walks on either side of the market space, so that people going along the walks can purchase their goods, whereas before they took the aisle down the center. I have referred to the large building owned by the Single Cen- ter Spring Company. This was built for a tobacco warehouse during the canal times for at that time and for some years afterwards Evansville bid fair to be a great tobacco center. Out Locust street there were but few houses. Across from the big tobacco warehouse was the Igleheart mill and then coming down the square we reached Main street which was spanned by a wooden bridge on one side of which stood De Gaormo's livery stable. About where the old Marlett hall stands at Main and Fourth there was a little one-story frame, occupied by a man named Spaulding. I have
76
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
never forgotten this place, as he had a most unique way of dressing his show windows; a way that I have never seen practiced by any other men. He would take a piece of paper and cut it into a shape of half a diamond, paste it against the front glass, leaving a little space in the center. Into this he would pour a little sugar, tea, coffee, rice and other articles of that kind, so that one stopping to look at the window could see samples of everything he had to sell. Chandler block, in which this work is being written, was then unknown. On the corner where Saunder's Transfer Company is now located, was a two-story frame in which a widow, Mrs. Haff, kept a little store. One of her daughters was a remarkably beauti- ful woman and was one of the first teachers in the public school. At that time or soon afterwards, Mr. John Jay Chandler, father of Jack Chandler, built the house now occupied by Ed. Morris in the rear of the Saunder's Transfer Company, and soon decided to build Chandler Block, which, in its early day, was considered one of the finest pieces of architecture in the city. Back on Second street, where the beautiful Masonic building stands, was a row of cottages and in one of these lived Charles Martin, who by some means, was called Charles Fox. He was one of the first policemen and detectives in the city. It is thought that the name Fox was given him on account of his ability to ferret out crimes in those early days. He was succeeded by Ed. Morris, a man with only one eye, who was quite a character in his day. He was a brave and fearless officer and served for many years. It was where A. L. Swanson Electric Supply Company now stands that Mr. Adank opened the second ice cream saloon ever started here. The first one was opened by two Italians whose names I have for- forgotten, in a small frame building where now stands the House of Crane. These Italians remained only a short time and not long enough to make much impression on our people, but Mr. Adank, through the merits of his goods, soon became quite a caterer. Of course in those days a woman who had her trained waitresses who could take charge of an entertainment, was a thing entirely unknown. The hostess at all little social gatherings staid in the parlor, of course, but it was safe to say that her nearest family relatives were hard at work in the kitchen seeing that everything went right, and ready to announce the big supper which was always a part of those enter- tainments. I remember that Mr. Adank introduced a great many novel- ties here. In the first place, his ices and cakes were of the very best ma- terial but it was in decoration, that is, in early day decoration, that he ex- celled. I remember that his greatest work of art was what he called his Orange Pyramid. This was made by peeling oranges and separating the slices. When a sufficient number had been separated to form a pyramid, say three feet high, they were taken out doors, generally to a cold porch for they could not be manufactured in a warm room. Here the first foun- dation row of orange slices were placed around an enormous dish, with the points turned up and some kind of a very sticky syrup was quickly sprin- kled around them with a small broom. This cooled rapidly in the open air
77
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
and then the next layer was put on top with the points turned up and so on until the top of the pyramid was reached. This of course was kept out doors until the very last moment, for the reason that on being taken into a room, the syrup very quickly became soft and the pyramid fell of its own weight, so that almost the first duty of the hostess was to see that the pyra- mid was demolished as soon as the guests were seated.
Coming down the canal, reaching Sycamore street, we came to another bridge and on the left side of it was the old Union brewery. This was an old landmark and one of the first breweries ever started here, but yet for some reason it was not successful. The building was amply large. It stood on the bank of the canal where water was easily obtained, but the output was never large. I do not remember who the owners were, but I do remember that it was where nearly everyone went for yeast. This could be had on certain days, and great strings of boys and girls could be seen go- ing there to get the family yeast. I have a vague recollection that this yeast had something to do with buckwheat cakes but it is so long ago that I have forgotten.
Speaking of the Union brewery, I wish to recall the most ludicrous in- stance that ever happened in the history of the city. After the old German who had failed in making a success of this plant had sold it, the building was occupied for quite a time by a low class of white people, many of them almost refugees, until it became such a public nuisance that the town board ordered it cleaned out. About this time the Evansville Medical So- ciety, which was then in its infancy, agreed with the city to look over the old building and put it into good shape, provided they might be allowed to use it, rent free. The contract was made and while no particular changes were made as to the exterior, several new rooms were built on the inside and an era of dissection which has probably never been surpassed in this city, began. While no one has ever charged that graves were robbed to furnish specimens for the numerous young students that flocked there, yet it is a fact as it was atferwards found out that the crop of "stiffs," as they termed them, was always exceedingly large. A rumor soon got out in the neighborhood and people began to shun the old building, but this had no effect on the students and the older doctors, who found that the secluded place was a good place in which to practice. The crop of disinte- grated bones soon became so large that getting rid of them became a mat- ter of much moment. Finally it was decided to bury them in the cellar.
About this time the war having sprung up, and having few buildings which could be utilized as hospitals, the city was called on and asked to do- nate the use of this college for a hospital. Prior to their using it for this purpose, the city being full of negroes who had come across the river, quite a quantity of them were housed there. It is hard to remember the ex- act condition of affairs but it seems that some of these negroes went into the cellar for firewood' perhaps and came across these bones. It is a matter of record that the exodus of the scared coons, male and female, large
78
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
and small, of this building was worse than a stampede or a herd of Texas cattle. The gruesome story of the finding of these bones spread among all the negroes who were then here, and it soon became a fact that after dark one might walk through any portion of Evansville and never meet a negro, it being understood among them that any coon caught out after six o'clock would be taken by the medical students and worked on in this hospital.
It is a little late to tell this story, but there are today hundreds and hundreds of people in this city who when they read this story will remem- ber how easy it was to drive off a colored man from a place where he was not wanted, by simply saying "medical student."
Coming out Sycamore the old house in which the Cook Brewery Com- pany started was a landmark. The old firm was Cook and Rice and was a very small affair, but the beer they made was first-class and plenty good for our citizens until Cincinnati for a time made desperate struggles to in- troduce Cincinnati beer and for some reason it was supposed to be better than the home material. But there were brains and business sagacity be- hind the old Cook and Rice concern, as can be seen by the enormous F. W. Cook Brewery plant of today, a firm that sends its goods almost all over the world and the beer of which has no superior anywhere. It is hard to believe that in these few years, for they seem few, that little two-story brick could be transformed into the present enormous plant. Down the canal on the right side coming down was the pottery of A. & L. Uhl. This was a small plant operated by horse power. It stood a little below the level of the canal. The business soon grew to such proportions that the concern moved out on Main street, where the Uhl brothers built houses side by side and those who have noticed that these houses do not stand parallel with the street proper, can understand that it was because as in many other instances, the streets were not properly laid out in those days. Out near the beauti- ful residential part of the town where are the Heilman homestead, Mr. Boetticher's, Mrs. Reis's and others, was nothing but commons, the house of Henry D. Allis which some time ago was ordered torn down, being the only one in that neighborhood. This house was considered almost out of town and I remember that when a dance was given by the daughters of the house, it was looked upon as quite a distance to travel to get there. Fulton avenue was then not up to its level. From Fulton avenue reaching clear to Cook's park, there was an enormous gully which it then seemed would be an impossible task to fill up. West of the gully was nothing but pas- ture ground fenced up with the old rail fences. Pigeon creek was crossed by an old-fashioned covered bridge and the water at that time was clear as crystal and the fishing just above the bridge was splendid. The next bridge above was at the Stringtown road and this was just below the old Negley mill, possibly the second mill ever built in this section and which even then had fallen into decay. In after years a new dam was built and the fall utilized and a new mill put up, modern in all of its appointments and far different from the old Negley mill, to which the old pioneers used
79
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
to go on horseback or in ox wagons and sometimes have to camp out over night and wait until their corn could be ground. Out Stringtown road on the crest of the hill was the pioneer residence of Judge Silas Stevens, one of the first settlers. This house remained for many long years and when a young man I often passed it. It seemed to stand the ravages of time per- haps better than any house in that section. Those who see the Evansville of the present day with its beautiful level, can hardly realize how much filling has been done. At the time the first street car company was organ- ized, we were able to announce to the world that we had a city whose level was so perfect that a street car could be driven within its entire boundaries without ever striking an ascent or descent and this is correct, for the natural level of Evansville is better than any other city of America, except those built on prairie lands. But in the old days the Ohio river and Pigeon creek went on rampages and cut gullies as they chose. The great hollow of which I have spoken at the corner of Fulton avenne near Cook's park was cut through by waste water which cut across from Garvin's park and over great strips of land where are now the ball park and that section of the country all of which water took the most direct way of geting to Pig- eon creek and thence into the Ohio.
Reverting to the Boulevard, the city has to thank Captain Alf. H. Ed- wards, long deceased, for the work he did in showing how easily a Boule- vard could do away with all danger of flooding the upper part of the city. It will be remember that a great gully had formed near the house occu- pied by Mr. Will Foster and that it reached clear across below Mr. Charles Hartmetz's residence and up to the high ground of what is now Second street. As late as 30 years ago this gulley was still there and was crossed on Parrett street by a long bridge which was made of the gunwales of old flatboats which had been transformed into a bridge. It will be noted that the south side of upper Second street is being rapidly filled up and as soon as the filling of the upper part of Sunset park is completed, thousands of loads of dirt will go on to the low lands which lie back of the houses which are now on the above named street. This will raise that entire tract to the level of the Boulevard and it will be only a short time until it will be platted and lots meet a ready sale, for the reason that the view is a beautiful one and that on most summer evenings a lovely breeze plays over the rich corn- fields that lie between the Boulevard and the river.
One of the old land marks was the saloon and house of Captain Elles on Second street near where the Appolic garden existed. This was a meet- ing place for the first military organization ever started in Evansville. The members of this company were all Germans, and nearly all had served in the German army before emigrating to this country. They held their meetings once a week and for some strange reason did not announce them in the only paper here, but on the evening of the meeting a drummer who had also served in the army would go over the principal street beating a snare drum and using certain calls which at that time I did not understand,
80
HISTORY OF VANDERBURG COUNTY
but it probably means a call for them to meet on that night. The uniform of this company was gorgeous and about once a year they would have a horseback parade but I remember well that many of the members were not good riders and this added to the fact that good saddle horses were very rare in Evansville, made the parade rather ludicrous at times. There may have been another military organization in the city at that time, but if so, I do not remember it and I am certain that it did not meet with the regularity of our German friends.
Speaking of parades, although the fire department will be taken up later on, I cannot help telling of the great gala day in Evansville, which was Fireman's day. As stated elsewhere, there were two engines in Evans- ville, at that time, the Neptune and the Young America, though another non-describable one, dignified by the name of Little Sis was kept in the same engine house with the Neptune. This was a little hand engine that could be worked by four men and it put out many fires where the big en- gines would have been almost useless. This was even before the day when there were any fire cisterns in Evansville, though afterwards they were built in great numbers, and the engines had to rely on water supply from the cisterns of the houses near where the fire occurred. In many cases it was impossible to get the larger engines so that their suction hose could be used. It used to be the boast of the wild spirits who always claimed the Little Sis as their own, that they could run her into any front gate and into any back yard in Evansville, so whenever there was a fire, about the first thing we saw was the falling of the front fence and in would come the Little Sis right to the cistern in the back yard, the suction hose would be put down and four husky citizens would be throwing a stream about as large as a garden hose before the other two engines got into commission. But to return to Fireman's day. On that day every fireman wore a red shirt, a pair of black pants and a helmet. The proper tie was a loose black cravat and they certainly made a fine looking body of men. The engines would be decorated with flowers and sometimes there would be a proces- sion of school children and after marching through the streets all would repair to the big dock at the basin of the canal. Here the engines would be placed in position and throwing water for a prize was indulged in. It was not what engine could throw the farthest but what engine could throw the highest and the one that threw the highest stream and kept it there for a stated length of time won the prize, which was usually a silver cup. One can easily imagine how hard these husky fellows worked. Not for one instant were these brakes allowed to stop but the moment one husky fireman showed any signs of becoming short-winded, another jumped into his place immediately and so on until it was finally decided who had won the prize.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.