Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-06
OUR CITY YEARS AGO
HOW RICHMOND APPEARED IN
DAYS BEFORE THE WAR.
WOODEN HOUSES ON MAIN STREET.
Something About the OId-Time Mer-
chants and Their Wnres-The Queer
signs-MarvelIous Changes In Re-
cent Decades.
dor the Dlspatch.)

a century ago / failed TO mention the
Methodists, whose membership then, as
| now, comes next to the Baptists. In 1913
there were but two organized churches
one on Union Hill, called Ashbury
chapel, under the Rev. Samuel T. Moore
man, with 81 members, and Centenary
church, on Grace, under Rev. Thomas
Crowder, with $50 members. Afterwards
there was erected Trinity chapel, on
Franklin, and Wesley chapel, on Twenty
fourth street. About 1850 was built the
Broad and Tenth-Street church, for the
Rev. James A. Duncan, pastor, and also
several other chapels on the outskirts Of
the city. The Broad-Street church was
the only one of this denomination 1 at
tended / still remember Dr. Duncan as
being quite a young man, and one Of the
most eloquent and impressive speakers l
ever heard. His edifce would always be
filed by large audiences, not only Of his
own people, but those Of all the denomi-
nations.
MAIN STREET YEARS AGO.
Main street in 1916 was quite thickly
built up from Ninth nearly TO Rockets,
but as l remember 1t, the houses ap-
peared squatty, being chiefly Of wood,
and but one and two stories in height;
don't think there was a four-story build
ing on the entire thoroughfare until to-
ward the fifties, when the modern style
of stone and iron fronts began. The
largest buildings then were the three
banks, the Old Bell Tavern, the county
Courthouse between Twenty-third and
Twenty-fourth, and the jail; all the rest
were placed most irregularly-a two or
three-stoTy brick building here and there,
sandwiched by wooden shanties, causing
the appearance on each side Of the
street, as viewed from the top Of the hill,
to be like huge pair of stairsteps; nut
every building, little and big, was a store
of some kind.
The first TO attract my attention, as 1t
did every small boy, were the toy stores,
with their bright array Of goods. There
were but two, which could really claim
the name, though every confectionery
store kept few. One Of these was the
little "variety-store" Of Lewis Ginter,
No. 70 Main street, which afterwards
grew into a large establishment; the
other, John Harold, No. 100 Broad. To
both of these l was a frequent patron,
especially with Mr.. Harold, who con-
tinued his store in the same place until
his death. He was a kind old gentle
man, always fond Of children, aSd won
their hearts by making many little pres
ents.
The next to attract my gaze were the
signs that adorned the street, and signi-
fed the speciality of the dealer. The big
gun over Thomas Tyrer's, 60 Main street,
was always admired by every boy ambi-
tious in hunting and fishing. Mr.. Tyrer
was the oldest gunsmith in the city,
having kept the same stand since 1880.
He was the first to introduce the old
"pepper-boX' 6-barrelled pistol, and did
a large business in changing the old flint
lock arms into percussion, which were
then just introduced 1 knew the old
gentleman well, and will state the follow
ing as an instance Of his accurate memory
and systematic work, even TO the
last years Of his life. / sent him on one
occasion a set of gun-locks TO be re-
paired, and not having an opportunity to
visit the city, they were entirely forgot
ten. Five years afterward when in the
city. | stepped into his store and called
his attention TO the fact. He Immediately
turned 10 his shelf and picked up the
locks. saying: Yes; 1 remember you
sent them; here they are. They have been
done for some time" Samuel Suth-
erland. ia Main street, was also a great
place for sportsmen. The first pair of
duelling pistols 1 ever saw came from his
establishment.
A BIG WATCH.
There was the sign Of big watch hang
ing over a watch-maker's little shop,
three doors from the corner OF Four
teenth street, kept by James r. john
ston. He had succeeded, about 1880,
foreigner named Cowan, who first intro
duced and made the fountain pen in
Virginia, as it is recorded that Mr.. Jeffer-
SON had seen one OF his pens In 1924, and
ordered one to be made for himself,
through General Bernard Peyton, who
was then living in Richmond. The pen
was gold, and the tube OF silver, the
price being only five pence! But the more
attractive and fashionable jewelry store
was that Of William Mitchell. los Main
street. Afterwards, the firm became
Mitchell & Tyler. so long and well known
nv the old residents of the city. There
vera also many other establishments
Charles Genett. opposite the Bell Tavern;
Tbomas Humphreys, near the bank; the
Messrs. LYMAN, George Kesee. and the
little stand of George Doerfiinger. on
Broad street.
VINO OF the old residents does not re-
member the sign OF the black boy and
mortar. standing at the drugstore or DIR.
samuel L. Dove, 80 Main? IL was an
amusing object TO me. and was the tarket
for MANY a SNOWFALL. DIR. Doves grand
rotns- once owned the famous "stone
house, one of the few remaining relics
~ ma Revolution. IL descended to DIR.
nove. and may be still in the family. DR..
Dove continued In the drug business at
the same stand for many years, and