Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-05-08

~ t''NlotA VI 1890 "
r.ascd more stiri.nE struggles Tor
@olitlcal s~uprcinacy hctwcm hiac'k
and whit" Itepvbiictra than jacobson
Ward during nHd after the Gays OF
reconstruction. y, sccts"A az CTR
city has 40 completely CHANGED it's
complexion and population as this
historic territory. which FOR many
yeats after the war Between tn"
states was pcoplcl largely by SON"
Of the ~staunchest and best citizens of
the city.
7 do not know that | ever traced
out on the ci,y's map tho boundaries
ot this ward. hu; tho boys Of my
time ana the politicians measured
jackson Ward a~nywhcra from about
Third street wcstwardly to Hr"uH
Nvcnue and NORTH ward,y from Leigh
street to Eacon's Quarter I!rauch.
Their" may have been other and
larger boundaries. but hts took in
the real Jackson ward %: those days.
As his was an outlying section. II
at FIRST consisted OF fine ana sthstan-
tial country homes. ana "a tn" land
was sold and built upnn by foreign
crs. mostly Gcrina and Irish PEG.
pic, thcs" older residents continued
10 live In thcir comfortable homes
for many years after tho war. when
it was more closely hui!t up with
houses suitable FOR the newly en-
fra nchiscd blacks. who swarmctl into
this land OF promise.
SotabIes Of All Cnlors.
There wtr" notHblcs 90 all colors
md Municipalities. whose homes Were
IN this section. I remember that the
iignilcd clerk Of Hastings Court.
Andrew jenkins. lived at tn" family
HON" about First and puval Streets.
! |hink he died there. CAPTAIN
Thomas i:pps had a horn" ON the cor
there mntIl the children grew NJ ana
married. aud moved elsewhere. on 81.
James Street. between Duval and
Baker. a Mrs. Gaskins had a pretty
ZONE. which occupied nearly the
whole block. with lllacs. snowhaIls.
wister'a and climbing roses almost
hiding tn" house. She was the
mother of Dr. u. Fuller Gaskins. .
Kind hearted physician. now long
since dead. ON Baker street. near
l'rook Avenue, was the large and
imposing home OF Colonel \. G.. Rob
%crtson. a wealthy cattle broke whose
home loomcd IN iik. a rcudal castle
surrounded by ample grounds.
Another power in the land was
Captain William English. who rcsii.
ed on Leigh street between Second
ana Third and who conducted "A large
grocery and liquor store on the cor.
n"- of Second and Leigh. lie was a
intive of Ireland. "A handsome. portlv
'"'"' "h" han many friends. both
"hltc ar! colorcd. all through the
ward. He was AN ,,sv wi,,or :, 49,.
| political r,co bo -,, ~ 49,
''''''"' race ne ran u" was the
Erandfnthcr Of our virilc and nrcom.
plishcd attorney. I:I-nr u r,n,i,h
OF this CIV who h.. .. 80
49,. Nv nus i"heritcd ms
S""h I"okS, MS wit. and his, fuhtiu.
grit.
Ah"thrr inflncntinI Class.
There was another class Of MON
a.n,.ornI All 49,, ' W "'n
b,n :. H., -.. ' ""'"' WIN"
,~it5c,i ,,t,,... 49," =" an p"-
''"''S'S' Tor th"H held pow
h'hds IN the deal at the polls
They were the farm,, III,
Italian r-.r,r,-s,,.u """
h,, 49,, 1900" keepers, u"
""" P'''"S oi business on ncnrlv
every corner in the ward mn -,
not nnly ro, m.,. 90, WIZ
,. '"' c"iortd Vot-
49, '"lir"d them in the
they should 20 vho,
their hnIot, ''S''hS
s,- r WY candidates
~ """iu Know their strength
ny Inc num1cr OF yard Lz..
they could ,nl:a. q, ,n., 1865
on. -. -, ~ '"''' nchait.
whn 80 ~ most unique characters
whDs, 800" IN ckS Ward and
nniii; -, i'a.uen't was sought after hv
innn "H't'"h's' was Il Young Irish
nn,r ~" I'VE" on Jackson Street.
49,, ~, c'f'ct. III. was n dare.
ma ~ fellow. IA native wit
"a fniIov, "S IN. trains. He had quite
Jonnra" III inc ward. and cUli,, be
80, mon 10 turn the tide very
So n '1Nor OF MS candidate. Mi,r r..
yo 49,, ..E'IIilatr b~uildozing and
wns c.hnan,hs ""nii count. Ills narn,
mnn $40. s'iSh, as game an Irish
n,,,"h 'N"' ,i'"d ana one who tid as
ms NJ m'h' jackson Ward whit"
tt,o.a nT'" VINO ever lived through
~ ""''h' tunes.
'"i"rrhs No.nbirs nrscrIbcd.
Among III. rrIn-,1
ward. were ANAL Ir,'"''S ni IN"
.Iky black negro 49, an
military - m'"'n nir' u
Guards. ~. ,'.,i - Nl'H'NS