The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-21
LOCAL MATTERS.


DEMOLITION OF THE OLD FRAMED BUILDING
NEAR OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES RE-
| CALLED, &c.
The demolition Gust now being consllm-
matcd) OF rickety old framed building To-
Gated on the south side Of Main between
Twenty-sccond and Twenty-thrd streets,
and within the precincts of what Is known
as "Bird-in- Hand " in the local divisions Of
our city, and which has been used for al
most all the years within the memories Of
the present generation OF our citizens as
ck-making yard, recalls to an octogena-
rian number OF "reminiscences which may
not be uninteresting to our readers.
The old house in question was the less
pretending survivor Of two old wooden
buildings which nave for years been prom
inently isolated some fifteen feet above
Main street by the utlitarian abors OF the
manufacturing conductors OF the clay soil
surrounding them-the larger house, OF two
stories and an attic, went some years ago;
the lesser. Of one story with two rooms
and loft, now being eradicated, has
more eventful history. 1t formed constl-
tuent part OF the property OF Isaiah lsaacS
L. Co., a prominent mercantile hrm OF
the final decade OF the last century.
Jacob Israel Cohen, Il noted citizen OF the
period, OF the Jewish faith, as his name
would Indicate, was the Junior partner, and
formed the Co. The firm owned the pro-
pertv which forms the subject OF our arti-
Gle: much other OF value in the immediate
ncighborhood-wa water-rights property at the
head OF the HaXall-Crenshaw Company's
mill-race--and lot at the southwest corner
Of Twenty-first and Franklin streets, upon
which was Jewish cemetery, which even
now contains the tombs OF Jacob l. and Es-
ther Cohen.
A deed of partition Of the property was
made in 1892, and, singular for this section,
it was written in the Hebrew language. A
translated copy was admitted to record in
the Hastings Court Of the city in 1915. A
descendant OF Mr.. Cohen, to whom was
allotted the lot composing the cemetery.
offered Just before our late war to sell 1t for
n nominal price to the Society OF Friends
in this city il they would purchase enough
ground adjacent requisite for house OF
worship and grounds, preserving his family
tombs within the enclosure.
Jacob Israel Cohen held many places OF
trust at the hands OF his fcllow-citizens in
his day. He was for years magistrate, one
of the first directors Of the now venerable
Mutual Assurance Society, which was
originated by William F. Ast, Prussian,
in 1890, and later the Mayor OF the city
|
, BILE citizens of Baltimore, and our Edward
Cohen, broker, is OF his blood.
+ The solitary and insignificant old house
, now under review, and destined to pass
E away from our sight forever, was an old
house in 1892, and its erection is supposed
by our octoscnarian friend, from trust
worthy tradition, to date back some fifty
years, and Immediately succeeding the er;
of wooden, perchance log, buildings ant
,c0oden chi1nneyS, which were replaced by
houses OF the character OF the old relit
with chmneys of brich. Upon division i
, became the property of Mrs. Nancy Hayes,
who was a sister OF Isaiah Isaacs, who dice
! about twenty years ago. Her known traits
. induced a search OF the premises, which
yielded hoards OF coin and pecuniary pelf
. Her daughter, an antiquatcd virgin bear
, ing the same name, with an idiot brother
succeeded her in the preprietorshlp OF tht
old house fast losing its comliness. She
, died about three years ago, and our daily
press chronlcled her death amidst want
squalor, filth, and companions of the brute
creation-a dog, pig, calf. and cat occupy
ing the same apartment with her. She hat
for years led the life OF a mendicant.
Her brother. resident OF Philadelphia
uron her death, allowed the premises
rent-free, to an old woman, who ha:
kept them as an asylum for female unfor
tunates, and in consideration Of the ten
, antry giving attention to the idiot Hayes,
who occupied the loft. They are all nov
gone, and the old house will soon be oblite
rated, too; the last of its compeers in thi
section-an old framed two-story, rectangu
lar building, with porch its full length
which was Immediately opposite the count!
courthouse, and was known as the Court
house Tavern, preceding 1t in the marcl
OF Improvement, having been demolished
about two years ago to make place for
block Of substantial brick tenements. An
: other similar building in the neighborhoot
was removed from the northwest corner o.
= Main and Twentieth streets some little be
: fore it.