The Columbia evening Missourian., 1921-08-24
IRVING KEEPS
NAME SECRET
IN COLUMBIA
People Did Not Recognize the
Noted Writer Until After
He Left-Was Then
40 Years Old.
DAYS LODGING so CENTS
Charles Dickens Says He Count
ed ID Dishes at One Time
on Table at Planters
Hotel.

As early as 1882 Missouri was noted
for its hospitality among men Of letters.
According TO Walter b. Stevens in the
Missouri Historical Review. Charles
Dickens wrote of the Planters Hotel in
ST. Louis: 1T is an excellent house and
the proprieiors have mos, bountiful no.
lions Of providing creature comforts
Dining along with my wifc.in her own
room one day. counted fourteen dishes
upon the table al once"
Washington Irving visited the old Van
Horn Tavern on the Boonc's Lick Road
in 1882. The quaint old building with its
square paned windows near the peak
still stands in the rear of modern res
idencc belonging 10 DIR. LLOYD Simpson
on the way TO Rochcport. The site is
marked BY the Daughters Of the Amer
lean Revolution.
]. c. Evans. Christian College avenue,
is a grandson Of ]. !. Van Horn. Mr..
Evans remembers that his grandfather
told of lrving's arrival on horseback at
the old Iiiching block. lshmael Van
Horns home was more of q stage stand
- ii :, ra., !, .,, ,,,,s,o,,,,,.
:, a., - tt. - -, ,.;s;,r,s
- IL, - a.. I;,,I. ,;,
w. IL - H., Ln.;r,.- g ,i,a
stranger who had ridden up 10 his door
IL r,a,,.aI :, -, g. H. IL,
am d "r''ei' "as ii'ins ans"Gf'
is''it'd'' van mon" 'iiu no, i.'dsi'' ine
I'i'' y, - vas "'', ,''a'''' w '''
,r.'s'''"'S "'s',i's''h ii'i,iE' "'o' upon
MS ie'U,h !" america ai,cl seventeen
Sodis a"Se"'e II, E.E'd"' anu ',Pa'''
i'au oee' ne,d'ueu III N'" io'A WIN IN,
p'"s''' ~. '"''o'1 '''"' "',e ios'u VI
even iH hissouii' iio"e'ef' ne JoNlhsH
asNe,i. iia'e YOU any re'a'i"'slhp !"
Ill h., ,Lara ~. san,o,l,;nr ;n ,i,a,
- Ii, -, Al. w.. IL, IL
~, a.. - Iii \. II HI
g :. ~, nI,l,1I.aa
IN ialc wears j. l. van Ii"rh move" l"
co'ufnp'a' "nefe ne was a neihper "'
the ffcNpylerian 'hurch- lie represent
cd bo"he county IN ihe legislature ana
was seia'ef IN inc MORMON Maf' MANY
"i MS urscehaaf's sun i've IN Colum
Ii rs - NJ
u = S,aa.. - -.I
NJ. -" - - NJ II
n 49, -, - - I..,"L.. IL WI.
81 = So '. s-DI,'",PJ +.,si 80 -, - H.. Iis;
- -.
= NJ, " ". IL - - r.
- n ", n r. e n,
grocery is descendant of Isbmael's
cousin Iudre Iobp Van Horn who was
one of the frs, men 10 sell buildinr lois
in Rocbeport and was later residcn,
of Columbia
Ii, " IL l.. laIu.
r L''.,,; - -. I US a.,I -
" -, nun lug " r'I 80, poO',1"', el.I a.u a. ~
-" L.i 4 III VI Il III NJ" % T
n, ,,,a,;, ,o;.ht,.,s - ,,IIoi :,
fr,,, ia, .,,r,,,,,,J;,,, ,.o,,,,,r,. ,a Jr,.;nr
.n,or,,inoJ ,l,or, h., ro.J;nn LID fror,
he ,orls IIrdorh,.dI,, ,he ,rc,I s.ryoJ
H., 80 ,,ay a.a IL aan,,od
Ir,.;,,. I,s..;,,,;,, n ,b. ", T,ssoI
IL, fo.s,
:,
H'hie Journegeu vi 10 N"iu'''pid anu
made ms next sop AZ tne Ieniry ia'-
era WHICH $1,000 Mhere tie ne" boone
Ccuh'y ltust Co. bniiains Is now peihs
erected. iiere ne KEPT ms iden'i'y uh,
kno"n' and IL was mol until aiter ne hao
leit That Columbia people found oui Inc
truth.
Washington Irving was about 10 wears
old at this time. He had Just published
"The Alhambra" and his desire 10 know
America better had drawn him away
from the applaudinr crowds 10 the back
woods settlements OF Missouri. His trip
was made for the purpose ct procuring
material from the wild, untamcd country
beyond the Mississippi.
George W. Curtis thus sketches the
great American writer: Irving was as
quaint a figure as Diedrich Knicker-
booker in the preliminary advertisement
of the History of New York. He might
have been seen on an autumn afternoon.
trimming with an elastic step along Broad.
way with low-uuarrered shoes neatly tied
and TaIma cloak-a short garment