1889 Directory Recalls Scenes of Many Years Ago
Vivid glimpses of life in Henderson forty-five years ago are seen in glancing through a city directory of 1889 owned by J. E. Wuersch, who was in the insurance business when the book was printed and is now proprietor of the Arcade restaurant on North Elm street opposite the Gleaner and Journal building.
Phelps Sasseen was then mayor of Henderson and a daughter, Mary, later to become famous as the founder of “Mothers’ Day” a teacher in the city schools under the superintendency of Prof. E. S. Clark who died in the west a lew years ago.
Joseph B. Johnson was city clerk under Mayor Sasseen and A. S Nunn, R. C. Soaper, sr., J. J. Johnson, Ed Manion, Trice B. Staines, William J. Marshall, Jr., P. C. Kyle, and Major M. M. Kimmel, city councilmen.
City Had Lamp Lighter
John L. Dorsey, the elder, was counsel adviser; John Kreil, city marshal; E. C. Ward, police judge; R. D. Vance, city prosecutor; C. T. Starling, city treasurer; Charles W. Quinn, city engineer; John Young Brown, city physician; F. Haag, city printer, and Robert Burns, city lamp lighter.
Of the above all but Judge Ward, Mr. Haag, and Mr. Vance are dead.
George M. Atkinson was then captain of the Carlisle Rifles, the local military company; Thomas H.
Beverly and James K. Graves, were junior officers.
Henderson in 1889 had 23 lawyers of whom H. M. Stanley and R. D. Vance survive: sixteen doctors of whom W. A. Quinn now connected with the Eastern State hospital at Lexington is the lone living representative; three newspapers, the Daily and Weekly Gleaner, owned by F. Haag; the Journal by Lyne and Marshall, and the Weekly News of Ben Harrison.
Forty-five years ago the city boasted two bath houses and a salt well bathing pool on the river between Eleventh and Twelfth streets. There were 12 blacksmith shops; 12 boarding houses; 12 barber shops; 42 saloons; 17 leaf tobacco houses; 17 tobacco stemmeries; four manufacturers of plug and twist tobacco; seven wine and liquor houses; three distillers; 18 incorporated companies; two corn meal mills; six market and produce houses; one dye house; one egg tester company: one embalmer; five feed stores; two flour mills; five furniture stores; 51 groceries; one wholesale grocer; one gun powder agent; three hay dealers; a hominy mill; two horse shoers; one horse trader; seven hotels; one ice dealer; eight insurance agents; five livery stables, six milliners; tri-daily packet service between Henderson and Evansville.
James E. Rankin was president of the Henderson Cotton Mills; John H. Hodge of the tobacco company bearing his name, both still living; R. E. Cook, postmaster, who died a few months ago; Dan Holllinger, then as now in the shoe business; George H. Delvin operated a brewery. There were two brick yards:; eight carpenters; four carriage companies; six clothing stores; six coal dealers; two commission merchants; 11 confectionaries; two civil engineers; one coffee roaster; 21 boot and shoe dealers; a board of trade; two book sellers; three building and loan associations; three banks, Henderson National, Farmers and Planters.
Public Officials
M. C. Givens was then circuit judge; J. Henry Powell, commonwealth attorney: A. S. Young, circuit clerk; Joha P. Lockett, county judge; G. W. Smith, couty clerk:
George W. White, sheriff; W. P. McClain, county attorney: William Hatchett, superintendent of the county schools. There were then 22 magistrates instead of eight as now.
Among the fraternal organizations in Henderson in 1889 were the Masons; Odd Fellows, K. of P.; Order of the Iron Hall; Knights of Honor; G. A. R.; A. O. U. W.; United Brothers of Friendship; Hepsotaphs, Seven Wise Men; Sons and Daughters of Zion; and the Deutsche Order of Harnagan.
John M. Phillips was then pastor of the Baptist church; F. W. Adomeit of the Evangelical; D. O. Davies, of the First Presbyterian, and Angus McDonald, of the Second Presbyterian; Father Thomas G. Tierney, of the Catholic; Robert W. Burnwell, of the Episcopal, and F.
W. Bottomly, of the Methodist, with G. F. Hayes, presiding eldor.
