RETRESPECTIVE GLANCE AT

CONNEAUT’S MAIN STREET IN 1861

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Highly Interesting Paper Prepared
By Mrs. J.P. Reig
And Read Before the 19th Century Club.

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Copied from the

CONNEAUT NEWS-HERALD

Of

Saturday, February 1, 1908




From Baker's Map of Ashtabula Co., 1856


I propose to exhibit to you Conneaut’s Main street and some of its residents as I found them on my arrival in June 1861. I will begin at the east end and on the north side and go step by step as far west as the residence of the late John Brown, and make my way back on the south side of said street. On the east corner of Main and Harbor Sts. Was, and is still there, practically unchanged the brick building occupied as a laundry. E.A. Keyes was there keeping a grocery store. Old Gen. Keyes, blind and led about the streets by a small yellow dog, was often seen there. On the west corner stood the old Mansion house, now a part of the building on the corner of Harbor and State Sts. It was occupied by Phillips and Cathcart, shoemakers, and Judson & Higgins, grocers. The same year these gentlemen went into the oil regions of Pennsylvania and became prominent operators. Uncle David was a most gentleman. I remember well seeing him one day with a piece of paper pinned on his coat sleeve, and on inquiry he said it meant stovepipe. I occasionally adopt the same method of reminding my husband of errands. Next came a wooden building occupied by Isaac Judson as a harness shop. Next came the drug store of Guthrie and Matson. Mr. Guthrie was a tall man with a Daniel Webster forehead. Next came the store of D.N. Webster, dealer in general merchandise. In the next building was the drugstore of L. Lyon with his wife as assistant, and a handsomer face was never seen behind a counter than that of Mrs. Lyon. The Cleveland block was that year in the process of construction, yet Uncle Cyrus was doing business in an old wooden shell underneath the roof of the block. Joseph Douglas occupied the next building as a general shoe store. Then came a small brick building occupied by S.B. Wheeler, grocer. Next Martin Collins kept a meat market. He killed a beef about once a week. You can imagine the meat we had at that time. On the corner of Main and Washington Sts., stood a wooden building. It was occupied by Miss. Burgess, milliner. You had your pick and paid her price; it was the post office after D.C. Allen had succeeded T.J. Carlin. The structure was owned by Otis Burgess. Mr. B. was a Democrat, yet for years he held the office of mayor and also that of Justice of the Peace. The building now stands on State Street, between Harbor and Washington. On the corner was the store of Hall and Winship. Mr. Hall was a man of peculiar temperament. Gruff and glum in one minute and smiling in another. Judge Wilder had his law office on the second floor. Mr. Wilder was small, always wore a swallowtail coat and carried a cane. When he would talk his false teeth would almost fall from his mouth. A good story about the Judge, Mr. Hall and a Mr. Harmon was current at that time. Messr. Hall and Harmon had a dispute over an account. Mr. Wilder became the attorney of both parties. He made arrangements so that both would be at his office at the same time to make plans for trial. The litigants appeared, and no sooner had they come in when Mr. Wilder arose and walked to the door, say you settle your dispute now, and when you come to an agreement I will open it, but not before. Having delivered himself of this speech he left the room and locked the door. It was not long before he had the pleasure of releasing his prisoners. Hall and Harmon were the best of friends afterwards. Next was the Conneaut Reporter printing office. Sidney Kelsey and J.P. Rieg were the editors. Mr. K. was not only a good printer, but also a man of literary ability. His greatest delight was a pen duel with Jas. Reed of the Ashtabula Telegraph. Next was Mrs. Judd’s millinery store. Next C.F. Matson’s tin shop. Next N.J. Smith’s law office. Next Mr. Lorel Gould’s office. Grand old man. I can see him picking his way over the muddy sidewalks with a gray shawl over his shoulders and a smile on his face.

By way of parenthesis let me here say that the sidewalks were mud for four months of the year, frozen four months, and sand and fleas for four months. Hogs and cattle were then as numerous as dogs are today and more of a nuisance.

Then came Fenton’s drug shop. D.K. Carter also had a law office some where there. And of him going to Chicago, Mr. Fenton said the young man wanted to go to hell faster than the wheels of time will carry him there, and so he goes to Chicago. Mr. Fentons’s prediction was verified. Next was the residence of James Cummins and family. The building on the corner of Main and Broad was occupied by C.O. Caughlan as a restaurant. It was burned to the ground years ago. We now come to the Tremont House, now known as the Dorman Block. H. Blakely was the landlord, Geo. Sharp the barber, and Asa Blakely the bus driver. The third floor was used as a ballroom. My first advent in Conneaut was my attendance at President Lincoln’s inaugural ball given at this hotel. The floor had a peculiar motion and in my mind I can still feel it. I also have in my possession the dress I wore on that occasion just as it was at that time. I stopped at the Lake House and there and then I formed the acquaintance of friends who have ever been true to me. The young ladies I met at this time were Anna, Olive, and Libby Burgess, Jessie Gould, Lide Innis, Lucy Brown, and Mary Gray. Only Miss Burgess, now Mrs. Raymond, Miss Innis, now Mrs. A.L. Webster, Minn Gould, now Mrs. W.C. Olds, and myself are alive. The gentlemen I met were Messrs. E. Phillips, H. Harper, Aug. Beach, E.A. Higgins, and Con. Gansevoort. The first four named are now sleeping under sod. The post office was also located in this structure. Next is the Dr. Ward house, it was then occupied by Mrs. Carter with a number of daughters. Where the city hall now stands were two buildings – one was used by W.W. Hawke, the photographer and dealer in notions, etc. He had a fine wife and three handsome boys. The other was occupied by a Mr. Smith as a shoe shop. It was he who made my husband’s patent leather wedding boots. This building was moved to Chestnut street and was converted into a Catholic Church. Were the Congregational Church now stands was an old structure, part wood and part brick, occupied by Mrs. Martin Keyes. Where Dr. Warner now lives was the Gregg house. The family had a daughter named Flavia. She was the local poet. Where the Richardson house now stands was the Chas. Hall home. Where the Stanley house stands where two wooden structures, one occupied by Phillip Hart, who is still living in California at the advanced age of 98 years, and the other was occupied by the Fisk sisters. Two families lived in what is now the Bennett house, named Mack and Bonney. Where the Baldwin Block now stands was the D.C. Allen homestead. On the opposite corner Uncle James and Aunt Betsey Gifford lived. West of this house was the E.A. Stone wagon and blacksmith shop, and it was a busy place. This shop was years ago changed into a dwelling and about five years ago moved onto Whitney Road. The Lake Home was occupied by Elder Bartlett, the Presbyterian preacher, and Professor R.M. Merrill, wife and children and sister, now Mrs. D. Cummins. There were the teachers of the Conneaut Academy. The H.L. Smith house was occupied by a Mr. Shepard and later on by H.A. Blood. On the corner of Chestnut Street stood the Dr. Bean home. This was destroyed by fire. Where the Sam Jones house now stands was an old building and this now stands on State Street. Next comes the Carter home. This was moved onto the south side of Main Street and is now the home of Conductor Tiffany. Then came the Dr. Venen house. Dr. Venen was then a practicing physician, a refined gentleman. So polite that his answers were always yes sir, and yes ma’am.

Then came the Thurber place, now owned by B.S. Snyder. Next comes the house for so many years occupied by J. Allyn and about a year ago moved off. At this time it was occupied by Deacon Briggs. Next is the house owned by Mrs. Alex Brewer. Then comes the Kilborn house now occupied by Wm. Blood. Next the old house west of the Fortune property, it was occupied by Oliver Cleveland. Where Mr. Huntley built a house two summers ago, lived the widow Steele and Sidney Boughton. Mr. Boughton was a freight agent of the Lake Shore Railway. He could and did ride a horse like a French Hussar. West of Whitney Road was Joseph Whitney’s home. Then came the house for some years owned by Newel Putnam at the time occupied by F.A. Rowe. It was brick and was torn down some years ago. Next comes the Wyman house now standing on north Center St. It was then occupied by a man named Fish, a dealer in fruit trees. Next is the old D. Cummins house. It was then owned by Erastus Hullet, the richest man in Conneaut. Where the J.D. Cummins house now stands was an inferior structure owned by Isaac Truax. The J.P. Rieg house was also an old structure occupied by the Widow Allen. Next comes the brick house also owned by Mr. Reig. It was occupied by Mr. Carhcart. Then comes the Fifield farm with two houses. One was occupied by Deacon Bejamin Fifield and the other by Josiah Fifield. Both of these have been destroyed. Next comes the Oak Grove school house, so called from the row of oak trees in the middle of the road. Here my children began their schooling. With the exception of the small house occupied by Mr. Leavitt, I reach my westward bound limit, the John Brown home. At that time it was a fine wooden structure, which now stands on the Mill Street extension. My first visit to the hospitable mansion was a meeting of the Ladies Aid Society.

I am now winding my way eastward on the south side of Main Street. The first house is on the Ruben brown farm, now owned by Mr. Connell. It looks as it did then. Next is the W. Lillie house and blacksmith shop. The shop has disappeared and the house is occupied by his son. Next is the Center Cemetery. For years it had but few patrons, but of late years it is booming. Then comes the old fair grounds, on which the annual fairs were held. In the fair of 1861 I was awarded a first premium. In looking over the report of that year I find that Miss Alice Jacobs, buried last Tuesday, was one of the successful competitors. The James Fifield place comes next. It now forms the nucleus of the D. Cummins Co. plant. The Mode Brown place is next. At that time it was occupied by Seymour Boughton. The Ellis foundry property is next. Nothing is left of the old buildings. East of that on a hill is a house, but its occupant I do not remember. Then comes the Edward Fifield place, now known as the Olmstead property. Next is the old house of Mrs. Goddard. From there on east there was not a building until you reached the school house. There stood the old Dennison home, one of the fashionable resorts of the day. Then comes the old Academy. Next the E.V. Fenton house, now located on the on the rear end of the same lot. Next was the John Hall place. The house still stands on the same lot but faces Wright’s avenue. It has of late been remodeled. Next is the old Woodworth place, now owned by G.C. Hewitt. Where the S.J. Smith house now stands was a frame building occupied by E.A. Stone. The brick house was built in 1863. Capt. Appleby lived on the next corner. The house has been moved and now faces Mill St.Next was the Dr. Fifield home, and is now owned by C.W. Pelton. Next comes the Burgess home, and here you must give me permission to become personal again. With Uncle and Aunty Burgess, Anna, Olive, and Libby, Ed Page, Fred Kelly, Lewis Page, H. Sherman, Con Gansevoot, and Mary Gray, it was the center of sociability. It was to me the next home of my parents. Next is the Kneeland house. The old house is somewhere on Sandusky Street and Dr. Upson is the owner of the property. The Hirum Lake house is next, it then had blue blinds, the same as today. Hirum Lake, wife, sister, S.J. Smith and wife lived there at that time. Where the Hayward and Pelton building was an old frame building, now forms a part pf Mrs. Kate Palmer’s home. The Robt. Lyon house is next, and of late has been made into Dr. Cole’s hospital. T.B. Rice was that summer engaged in building what is now the Miles Dorman home. On the east corner of Buffalo Street was the Atkins Fenton house, it is now occupied by J.F. Lane. Where the bakery now stands was a two roomed building occupied by Fred Lampman, keeper of a livery stable. In the next building Dr. Innis has his office. The next building was used as a wagon shop by Mr. Fenton and the next by Oliver Phillips as a shoe shop. Then comes the Appleby block. In it was the grocery of Albert Stage and Chapman’s law office. The building on the corner where Jackson’s store is, was known as the Judge Dart home. It was then occupied by Mr. & Mrs. L. Lyon. On the other corner was an old shack occupied by John Venen as a jewelry store and John Hathaway as a carpenter shop. If I am not mistaken Dr. Raymond was building the brick house that summer. Next to this was his office and pharmacy. In it, D.H.F. Gilman also had his dental office. Now we come to the Central House. It was known at that time as the Randolph House. It had for regular boarders, Al. Webster and family, and Capt. Blood and daughter, and a Mr. Duke, a native of Kentucky, leaders of society. Just when Mr. Duke left Conneaut, I do not remember. Then came a wooden building on the side of the Palmer and Post Office buildings, occupied by John Judd, grocer, and Chas. Fenton and Anthony Kline, tailors. Where the Conneaut M.L. & T. Co. building now stands was McKenzies’s clothing store. Next was an old building occupied by Miss Wing, agent for sewing machines. The building now stands on Liberty St. Next was the notion store of Mrs. Petty. Here the children spent their pennies for sweets and trinkets. Next the hardware store of T.W. Tyler. He married the widow Middleton and took charge of her business. Next D.P. Venen’s jewelry store. At that time Mr. Venen was deacon in the Presbyterian church and township treasurer. Next was S.B. Atwood’s harness shop. At that time he was a collector of customs at Conneaut harbor. Mr. Atwood was one of the fortunate Democrats who held a Republican village office during the greater part of his life. Next comes Mrs. Baker’s store. Mrs. Baker had two sons and three daughters. At that time Joseph and the girls were touring the country as a concert troupe. Next comes the harness shop of D. Cummins and on the corner was the store of Rice and Gansevoort. On the opposite corner was a wooden building and it S.J. Smith started his business career. Further down were two buildings. One was occupied by Almon Woodworth and the other by Mr. Gilman, the tailor. And at the extreme end was Sayer Beach’s cabinet shop, where the coffins were made for those who needed them. This ends my story. Yet I remember two names, Sylvanus Matson and J. Martin, whose places of resort I cannot locate. The changes on this thoroughfare have been many, and still more pronounced are the changes of the residence. About fifteen of the old buildings remain, but of the men that were then active I can recall but three, D. Cummins, C.F. Matson, and J.P. Reig. F.A. Keyes lives in Columbus, Mr. Dart of California, L. Lyon in Ashtabula, and C. Gansevoort in Bath, N.Y., but others are sleeping in the city of the dead.

From 1861 to 1883 but few changes were made in buildings. The brick block on the corner of Main and Washinton streets, the City Hall, the Congregational church and the Samuel Hayward house, the Smith & Lake-block are the only structures that come to my mind at this time as having been built during the dates named.