Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-06-11
TnE REcroRY, pELAwARg ON,
EouIrABLE,s 1NTECEDENrs.
The buildings That stood Mt Ninth and
Market Streets During Two Centuries.

Market Streets During Two Centuries.
Gazing at the big block of demolished
buildings at the northwest corner of
Ninth and Market streets, where the
new Equitable Building is TO beerected,
one Of Wilmington's antiquarians felt
disposed on Monday to draw as follows
from his large stock Of old-time memo.
ries: Old landmarks are passing away.
One might suppose If Christina Stall
coppe should be permitted to come back
TO Wilmington after the lapse of near
200 years and find all the trees dug up
and fine houses built in her woods, or
even Mathew Grips, one of her descend
ants, who built house on her lands
about 1870 years ago, either one Of them
would be surprised with the change in
the looks of the ground. Soon after the
Kings broad road from Philadelphia
down the Peninsula was built in 1865
Market street was continued from the
Christina to or near the Brandywinc
creek and made part of the road.
Mr.. Grips, who was now the owner
of Christina Stalcoppe's woods. laid ont
small street which was called Wood
street, and on the north corner built his
brick house, at present known as corner
the new banking house is being dug out
and the cellar wall Of the Grips house
is being torn down, and short distance
up Market street, about near where the
old Christiana hundred or Kennett road,
as it was afterwards known, crossed
Market street (some years afterwards
was built what was known rs the Mon.
umental Tavern. 1t was afterwards
known as ClaytOn's, which stood there
until 1914. Now 10 give some account
of what was done in the Grips house,
About 70 years ago William Rankin, an
Irish gentleman and u school teacher,
who had married Priscilla Grips, started
a select school in the house and taught
large and small children any branches
they wished. He also used some tough
branches of hickory to brighten the
ideas of the unnlly boys, which Will
mlngton had in that time as well as we
have at the present, Mr.. Rankin ncca.
sionally would 20 up to the Monu-
mental Tavern to gel some Pennsyl-
vania Patron saint rye whisky, which
was the general spirit rcstorer Of that
day.
Down Market street just below
Fourth, James Gardiner, Il rich dry
goods merchant lived. lie had his
country home on Felton's Hill, near
where the Rodney street basin now is
(Alr Howland's)
Mr.. Gardiner had several sons some
of them rather unruly, and by what
have from an eyewitness, one of them
was unruly when he went to Rankin S
school. One morning In school young
Mr.. Gardiner took il into his head that
he would show Mr. Rankin how to con-
duct a school. But Rankin with good
many well directed motions of his
hickory stick brought Gardiner to
terms. My informant said at the time
he was but small boy, but was always
afraid TO meet Mr. Ranhins afterwards.
Young Gardiner went home at noon
and reported to his father what a whip
ping the teacher had given him. In the
afternoon after school had opened old
Mr.. Gardiner walked into the school
house. After clearing his throat and in a
hoarse voice he said: "Mr Rankin un-
derstand you gave my boy very severe
whipping this morning." "Yes by G.
and will give his father one also this
afternoon ii he does not behave him
self.
About 25 years after Mr.. Rankin, the
Rev George Chambers, an Episcopalian
minister, lived in the old Grips house
and kept select school for young ladies
until about 1913. Since that time the
place has had many owners and been
rebuilt and repaired James RICHTER
made and sold cigars there for some
years, But the banking firm will put
up large seven-story building to take
the shine out Of all the other banking
houses in Wilmington,
The Old Monumental tavern went
down about 1915 to make room for
modern private dwellings. William
| Bright became the owner Of one Of the
houses and put in new front to it, lie
afterwards sold to Mr.. Condor, who
keeps shoe store there.