Читать книгу History of Jacksonville, Florida and Vicinity, 1513 to 1924 - T. Frederick Davis - Страница 13

The built-up portion of the town was bounded by Washington Street on the east, Laura on the west, Duval on the north, and the river on the south.

Bay Street, South Side

There were neither wharves nor stores on the south side of Bay Street between Ocean and Laura, except a long one-story, wooden building near Laura, called the "government building", built by the United States government during the Seminole Indian war as a commissary for supplies. Just west of Pine (Main), on the river front stood a saw mill operated by J. B. Barbee. Fire destroyed it at an early date, consuming with it a human being, one of the sorrowful events of those early times.

Across Ocean Street on the south side of Bay, east, Thomas Ledwith had a store and a wharf; he was succeeded by Alsop & Bours. Several other stores occupied this block, among them Gunby & Fernandez, later Fernandez & Bisbee, and later still Bisbee & Canova. East of this store was that of S. N. Williams, and near the corner of Newnan was McRory's book store. The first brick building built in Jacksonville adjoined the Ledwith store and was occupied by C. D. Oak, jeweler and watchmaker; this was about 1850.

A building stood on the southeast corner of Newnan and Bay and was occupied from the earliest times, by different parties. Finegan & Bel chasse are among the first recalled; later Dr. T. Hartridge. Next to this store was that of Bellows; then Santo. Next to Santo was Morris Keil, a small store, tailoring done by husband and the store kept by the wife. Captain Charles Willey had a dwelling on the corner of Market, and a wharf from which he ran a line of sailing vessels to Charleston and another to Key West. These names are remembered in connection with this dwelling: Mrs. Libby, mother of Mrs. Willey; Frances Yale, daughter of Captain Willey. Afterward Columbus Drew, Sr., occupied this house and issued from here a Whig paper called the "Republican". At the foot of Market Street a fish market stood over the water. This was the first market in the town.

East of Market Street the entire block was vacant. At the foot of Liberty Street there was a ferry to cross the river, operated to connect with the road to St. Augustine. A garrison was kept at Fort Marion at that time and cattle were forded at this ferry and driven to St. Augustine to furnish beef for the soldiers. Lighters conveyed passengers, vehicles, and freight across.

The block east of Liberty Street contained a fine grove of trees. Public, out-of-door functions, such as barbecues, Fourth of July celebrations, etc., were generally held here. There was only one small building on the block – a carpenter's shop near the water's edge.

East of Washington Street, the river bank was very much higher, affording a steep sand hill that the children of the neighborhood used as an amusement place, rolling and jumping in the soft, white sand. Beyond this hill E. A. DeCottes had a dwelling, and on the corner of Bay and Catherine, Stephen Vandergrift and family lived.

The next block was vacant, except a small machine shop near the middle of the block. John Clark's sawmill was near Hogans Creek. Finegan's sawmill was on the river front on the east side of the creek, and his family resided there, including Constantia, Dora, and Martha Travis, daughters of Mrs. Finegan by a former marriage.

Bay Street, North Side

On the north side of Bay Street, westward from Hogans Creek to Catherine Street was a corn field until the early 1850s, when a grist mill was built near the creek. From Catherine to Washington was unoccupied until Tony Canova built a residence at the northeast corner of Washington.

At the northwest corner of Washington Street stood the Merrick House, famous as the "haunted house". Peculiar noises were often heard within, yet no ghosts appeared. Some of the less superstitious said there was an underground river at that point that caused the noises. All was vacant thence to Liberty Street until 1851 or 1852, when J. C. Hemming built a residence on the northeast corner of Liberty.

A store house stood on the northwest corner of Bay and Liberty Streets, used for storing freight awaiting ferriage across the river, and later as a school house. The Burritt homestead stood near the northeast corner of Bay and Market, and it was the most pretentious house in the town. There were large grounds, with stables, servants' quarters, and Mr. Burritt's law offices. The vacant lot on the river front, also Burritt property, abounding in shrubbery and shade trees, gave beautiful surroundings.

At the northwest corner of Bay and Market Streets, I. D. Hart owned a boarding house, which was kept successively by Mrs. Hatch, Mrs. Flotard, Mrs. Maxey, and Mrs. Taylor, the ownership passing to Mrs. Taylor's daughter, Mrs. Hedrick, in 1853. West of this building was enclosed, but unoccupied – owned by Mrs. Philip Frazer, inherited from her first husband, Captain Zeb Willey. Dr. Byrne built two stores between this enclosure and the corner, probably in 1852.

Across Newnan Street, the entire block to Ocean was occupied by business houses. On the northwest corner of Newnan and Bay, names not remembered until occupied by Paul Canova. Next to the corner was the firm of Miller & Blackwood, wines and liquors; thence west in order were: Dr. Foreman, general merchandise, afterward Gunby; Barnard & Farrar, general store, later Moss & Ambler, later still, Ambler & Hoeg; Rosenthal, the first Hebrew merchant in town; Goff, tailor; and on the corner of Ocean, Mr. Cutter, afterward Morris Keil. The three last stores were owned by Thomas W. Jones.

On the northwest corner of Ocean and Bay Streets, A. M. Reed had a store-groceries and dry goods. West of this was Calvin Oak, gunsmith. From here to Pine Street was unoccupied, in fact Bay Street was almost impassible at this point. A pond of water north of Duval Street drained downward through Pine Street, making a quagmire at its lower end, over which bridges were built across Pine at Bay and at Forsyth Streets. An attempt was made to improve the approaches to the bridges by laying logs lengthways across the street; this "corduroy" construction was very rough.

Across Pine Street Dr. Baldwin owned two lots, the corner being a garden very much in need of drainage. Dr. Baldwin's dwelling was on the next lot; also his office. West of that was a dwelling occupied successively by A. M. Reed, Walter Kipp, Mrs. Herbert, Captain L'Engle, George Powers, and finally by Judge Rodney Dorman. Cyrus Bisbee owned a dwelling on the northeast corner of Bay and Laura, where he lived many years. This was the western boundary of the town for a long time. Later Mr. Kipp built a residence on the northwest corner of Bay and Laura. Captain L'Engle then lived close to the river across from the Kipps.

Beyond Laura Street there was nothing more until a small creek was crossed where Julia Street is now. Mr. Boulter owned a mill and a dwelling on the west side of this creek; the mill was burned, and – the dwelling was afterward occupied by Hal Sadler. Thence to McCoys Creek every. thing was woods. A rude bridge crossed McCoys Creek near the foot of the present Broad Street, and to the west of this bridge, on the creek was a small house occupied by the Curry family. Across the creek was P. Moody's saw mill and dwelling, and beyond was the Lancaster place, called Lancaster's Point". Then the plantation of Elias Jaudon, and across McGirts Creek, now Ortega, was the Sadler plantation.

Forsyth Street, South Side

At the southeast corner of Laura and Forsyth, I. D. Hart lived in a large two-story house. Thence to Pine Street was vacant, until Dr. Foreman built on the corner of Pine.

The southeast corner of Pine and Forsyth was owned by the Douglas and Reed families. Stables occupied the corner, with a garden beyond, and a dwelling on the corner of Forsyth and Ocean, where A. M. Reed lived, then Thomas Douglas.

On the southeast corner of Forsyth and Ocean was a very old dwelling, known as the Mills house; it was occupied by different families, among others, Mrs. Bowman, and then J. W. Bryant. Between Forsyth and Bay, on Ocean Street, Thomas W. Jones and family lived on the east side of the street. Next to the Mills house, east on Forsyth, William Douglas lived as early as 1847, and afterward a Ross family. This yard was large and here, under a tent, a traveling daguerreotypist took some fine pictures. This was probably the first artist to come to Jacksonville. Captain Armstrong lived on the southwest corner of Forsyth and Newman; he had no family. Between Forsyth and Bay on Newnan there were a few small shops. On the west side were: Captain John Middleton, small store; Dr. Rex, an office; and Henry Houston, colored, barber shop. On the opposite side of the street was a large building used for offices.

On the southeast corner of Forsyth and Newnan, Judge J. C. Cooper lived. East of this was the Zeb Willey property, known afterward as the Philip Frazer house. Dr. J. D. Mitchell bought here later. Then Mr. Harrison built on the southwest corner of Forsyth and Market, where the law exchange now stands. Across Market Street were S. L. Burritt's office and grounds, occupying half the block. The Doggett family owned the other, or east half of this block, on which were two houses. The Doggett residence was near the southwest corner of Forsyth and Liberty.

In the middle of the block between Liberty and Washington, the Watermans lived, afterward the Hickmans, and later Dr. Murdock. This was one of the oldest houses in the town. On the southeast corner of Forsyth and Washington was another old house in which Mr. Adams lived, afterward Mr. Gillett, and later the Mooneys. For a long time nothing but a corn field was east of here to Hogans Creek.

Forsyth Street, North Side

On the north side of Forsyth Street, west from Hogans Creek, there was nothing to Washington Street, until Felix Livingston built on the northeast corner of Washington about 1850.

At the northeast corner of Forsyth and Liberty Streets was a very old house of peculiar construction. The foundation was of stone, perhaps six feet high, and on top of this wall was a one-story wooden structure with a piazza on three sides. It was said it was the abode of a sea captain, a buccaneer, who, being too old to follow the sea, amused himself with a spy-glass watching the river above and below. Dr. Theodore Hartridge built on this corner in 1853, at the same time building a smaller house on the northwest corner of Forsyth and Washington for his mother, Mrs. Hobby.

Across Liberty Street Mr. Barbee owned and lived many years. The next lot was owned by John Pons, where also lived his son-in-law, Jack Butler, a lively jovial Irishman so pleasantly remembered by many. A small house west of this was occupied by different ones, the first remembered being Mrs. Herbert, a school teacher. On the northeast corner of Forsyth and Market stood the court house, and in the court house yard, back from the street, was the jail. The jail was enclosed by a high brick wall, on top of which was a barbette of broken glass.

Across Market Street, on the northwest corner, was the Clerk's Office. Next was the dwelling of Mrs. Maxey. On the northeast corner of Forsyth and Newnan was a small building used by William Grothe as a jewelry shop. The post office was in this building for a long time also.

Dr. H. D. Holland's residence was on the opposite corner, stables on the Forsyth Street side and his office on Newnan. A small house stood on the lot west of Dr. Holland's residence, where William Grothe lived, and next to this was a large two-story house occupied at different times by the Barnards, Crabtrees, Gregorys, Allisons, Hearns, Suttons, and Crespos. On the corner was a dwelling house occupied successively by the Kipps, Flotards, Traceys, Hallidays, and Sandersons.

On the northwest corner of Forsyth and Ocean Mrs. Dewees lived in a large two-story house, and back of her, between Forsyth and Adams, her daughter, Mrs. Poinsett lived, afterward the Kipps, and later the Keils. There were no other houses on Forsyth to Pine Street.

On the northwest corner of Forsyth and Pine was a house occupied by the Donaldsons, later the Thebauts. A small house stood in the middle of the block back from the street, were Jane and Dick, servants of Mrs. Douglas, lived. West of here was a fine grove of trees, where barbecues and celebrations of different kinds were sometimes held. Near the northwest corner of Forsyth and the present Hogan Streets was the site of the old Hogans house.

Adams Street, South Side

Thomas W. Jones built a two-story dwelling on the southeast corner of Adams and Laura in 1850. In 1851, Judge F. Bethune moved from his plantation a few miles up the river and bought this house for a residence. East of this, in the middle of the block, was the Myers dwelling. The southwest corner of Adams and Pine was vacant many years.

The Turknetts lived on the southeast corner of Adams and Pine. A small house, used principally as a servants' house, stood on the next lot. There was nothing on the southwest corner until 1854.

The southeast corner of Adams and Ocean was vacant a long time, the Crespos later building a boarding house at that point. Two houses owned by Mr. Crespo stood here; the first was burned. In the middle of the block were out – buildings used by the Buffington House, which occupied the southwest corner facing Newnan.

Across Newnan, Stephen Fernandez and family lived; afterward Dr. R. P. Daniel. Next was the dwelling of S. N. Williams. There was nothing on the southwest corner of Market for many years.

The Odd Fellows owned the southeast corner of Adams and Market, but the lodge building was on the inside of the lot facing Market. The lower story of this building was used as a school room, the upper story for the lodge. The corner was enclosed and was used by the children as a playground. Thence to the southwest corner of Adams and Washington was vacant; here Mr. Pons built at an early date. There was nothing east of this to Hogans Creek.

Adams Street, North Side

Returning west on Adams Street there was nothing between Hogans Creek and the northeast corner of Market, where Mr. Fennimore lived. Mrs. Fennimore was the dressmaker for all the belles of that day.

Across Market were the Flemings; next Captain William Ross, and on the corner of Newnan was a boarding house.

On the northwest corner of Adams and Newnan were the Buffington House stables, afterward converted into a boarding house, called the California House. The weatherboarding on this building was placed up and down – an innovation at that day. Next, the Gibsons, man and wife, lived. An unfortunate mistake disrupted this family. A large boarding house in the town burned and Mr. Gibson was accused of setting it on fire. He was threatened with a coat of tar and feathers unless he left the town. He left and never returned. In later years it developed that a careless servant had placed hot ashes too near the building, causing it to catch on fire. Mr. Congar lived on the northeast corner of Ocean and Adams.

The Ledwiths lived across from the Congars, on the northwest corner, not quite on the corner, as that was a fine plum orchard. Next to the Ledwiths was a Spanish family by the name of Ximanes, whose income was derived from fishing, and the sale of mocking birds to the northern tourists that came here during the winter. The corner of Pine was not occupied, as the land was low and damp.

Monroe Street

Columbus Drew, Sr., was really a pioneer when he built his house at the corner of Monroe and Laura in 1851. East of this there were no buildings to the northeast corner of Ocean, the site of the old block house. Here stood a large building used as a hotel, and conducted successively by Mrs. Coy, Creighton, and Mattair. In the opposite block, south side of Monroe Street, inside from the corner, the Presbyterians had a small meeting house, where weekly prayer meetings were held. Judge Lancaster resided on the southwest corner of Monroe and Market, afterwards the Hearns, Suttons, and Garnies.

Duval Street

The Episcopal church occupied its present site at the head of Market Street. One of the early residences was built at the southeast corner of Duval and Market, and was occupied at different times by J. W. Bryant, Judge Daniel and Judge Pearson. There were two other churches on Duval Street, one near the northeast corner of Newnan, and the other across the street on the northwest corner. Back of this, north, were the homes of the free negroes, mostly west of Ocean Street. These negroes occupied land belonging to I. D. Hart; this quarter was called "Negro Hill".