But it seems quite a leap to extrapolate from an 1838 newspaper clipping to the 1883 Sanborn map that was used above. A lot can happen in 45 years. The Orchard House would burn to the ground just five years later, in 1888.
There was a Temperance Hotel referred to by Mrs. Cornelius Pering in her letter of 1833-where the Perings stayed when they first arrived in town. It was owned by Mr Orchard. So I believe a hotel of theirs was largely sitting in the same location for many years.
1) Generally, 45 years is a long time in building history in these United States and a lot will change at the center of an urban area, quickly
2) Bloomington in 1828 was a rough and ready frontier town that was very remote and not well developed. Building resources were scarce. An account of the Maxwell-Howe house notes that bricks were imported from Louisville (this account was written 70 years after the fact, but still...). Fire was a constant hazard both because wood, being plentiful and cheap, was the default construction material and because heat and light were generated via open flames.
3) The structure that you have identified on the 1883 map is a brick structure. Further, it is annotated as "new." and 'vac.". 1883 is the first year for with there is a Sanborn map for Bloomington, so it is hard to know what the building is new in relation to. 'vac.' stands for vacant. Putting the two together, though, one gets the impression that the structure had never been occupied at the time the map was made.
4) There is is an 1876 map of Bloomington published by Cunningham and Twitchell at the Monroe County History Center. The brick structure that you have identified as a barber shop/liquor store doesn't appear on the map, so apparently the structure is new relative to 1876, at least.
Megan MacDonald and I took a look at the map together and I have alerted her to the possibility that you will want to take a look at the map yourself.
I am so excited that you wrote about Knolly Baker! It's so great that you were able to find the locations, too. I had no idea!
I have a few questions about Knolly. Maybe you have some ideas.
It is possible Knolly was freed with intent by Mr Howe once they came to Indiana, but I wonder if maybe "Ole Knolly" successfully sued for his freedom based on the ruling that indentured servitude is slavery.
Precedent was set by two famous self-emancipators: Mary Bateman Clark (1920) and Jacob "Ole Jake" Hawkins (1823). It is the same Hawkins whose son went on to marry Sarah Ann Baker. Hawkins is the very first name in the "slave book" in Vincennes Indiana. The story of Hawkins is incredible, we visited his grave in Washington, Daviess County. https://edibleindy.ediblecommunities.com/food-thought/foraging-through-history
In the same sources which you sited, it mentions two "Marias" as well as Mrs Myrears (specifically mentioned in Henry Lester Smith's Underground Railroad). One Maria was brought from Kentucky, I'm guessing Knolly's wife who came with the Howe household, and the second Maria who was brought from Maryland by Mr Rawlins.
I've started to wonder if Mrs Myrears might be Maria from Maryland. I understand she lived at the site of the electric light plant (1917) on S Rogers. by the "Monon Yards". This makes sense because her farm would have been located on the way out of town towards Sam Gordon's House; he was a collaborator in the Underground Railroad; and heading East, past the Faris House on Hillside and the Smith House on Pickwick. She must have been working with the Covenanter Families. She's also called Aunty Myrears, which could mean that Myrears is a first and not a last name. Maria can also be pronounced two different ways: mah-ree-ah and mah-ri-yah. Knolly's wife's name is also spelled Moreah in the 1850.
Knolly's name also experienced extreme spelling variations.
These are my humble theories, but I would love to see if you can make sense of this, too.
If you check the 1820 census for Joshua O Howe, you get this:
TOTAL FREE WHITE PERSONS: 5
TOTAL ALL PERSONS - WHITE, SLAVES, COLORED, OTHER: 5
So there are no additional colored persons or slaves. Howe and Baker seemed to have a good relationship. Baker sold land to Howe. Howe took care of Baker's widow after his death. I really can't see his trying to indenture him or his wife. Knotley and his wife didn't have children until 1830 (Sarah Ann), so my guess is that they married in Bloomington, as he likely first came with Joshua Howe in 1819. Moreah or Murriah also came from Kentucky, so he could have known her before. Since Notley came from Nicholas County and Big Maria came with Maxwells from Garrard County, Ky, I don't think they likely they met until Bloomington.
I don't know anything about Mrs. Myrear. Where do you get the location for her?
Big Maria was brought from Kentucky by David Maxwell. She chose to "go back to her own people", according to Martha Maxwell Howard, Big Maria chose to go south to be with "colored people" although she was around and helped the family at first. The Maxwells had freed their slaves before coming to Indiana in 1809, but several stayed with the family out of devotion and also for security sake. Louise Maxwell, granddaughter of David, cleared up the confusion of Martha's in identifying "big Maria" as the one they brought from Kentucky. "Mr Rawlins" is most likely Daniel Rawlins or Rawlings who was the first resident of the Howe Maxwell House on South college. If it was, indeed, this family that brought "little Maria" from Maryland, then she lived on South College with the Rawlinses or nearby. I will be doing a blog on Daniel Rawlins in the near future. Possibly, next week. Little Maria came from Maryland, but Notley's wife was from Kentucky.The Rawlinses were among the founders of the Methodist church along with the Howes. You might look at my earlier post on Notley or Knotley Baker (#4). He couldn't read or wrrite nor could his wife, so there is no wonder that their names were spelled so many ways. So are you mostly interested in the Underground Railroad or African Americans?
I have done two recent posts on Aaron Wallace, who came with the Maxwells. My third post on him is coming out in a day or two. There is no indication he was involved in the Underground Railroad, but he did live for many years in Jennings County not far form Madison, which would have seen a lot of runaway slaves form Kentucky.
I just looked up the census for 1820 for David Maxwell. He had one free colored person in his household-I would guess, "Big MariaTotal Free Colored Persons: 1
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 7
Thank you for your very detailed response. Yes, I just devoured the rest of your page after I left you the comment, and I think I understand better now, especially regarding Mr Howe. I am really grateful you have documented this history in a very detailed and comprehensible way. It is so fascinating. I am glad that it was not a case of indentured servitude after all.
Mrs Myrears is mentioned in Thomas Lester Smith's Article "The Underground Railroad in Monroe County". Smith is a descendent of the Smiths on Pickwick. The article describes Mrs Myrears collaborating with Mr Blair (another Covenanter) to steal a freedom seeking slave across the Monon Yard. It describes in 1917 the site of a electrical plant which now stands where her cabin once stood. I believe it is the old building by the Duke Energy Plant on South Rogers next to the entrance of the current Switchyard Park.
I am interested in the buildings and spaces in Bloomington which might have played a part in the Underground Railroad in Indiana. I am also interested in the Covenanters who came here because they were anti-slavery. I am also after the possible origin of the word Hoosier (I have my theories, of course).
My husband and I visited the Levi Coffin House in Fountain City, Indiana, last summer. There we were surprised to find a small, modest portrait of the famous Underground Railroad conductor Levi Coffin painted by Bloomington's Marion Blair.
I look forward to your next newsletters! Thank you so much again for your time. :)
"At another time Mr. Blair was passing Aunty Myrears’ residence on the site of the present electric light plant. Aunty Myrears’ was the place in town that negroes were run in for safety. She saw Mr. Blair passing, and according to previous understanding sent a negro to follow him. The negro was so anxious that he kept gaining ground and getting too close for Mr. Blair’s comfort. Walk as fast as he could, however, he could not keep in the lead and was finally overtaken by the time he reached the present site of the Monon Stock Yards. By that time the negro could contain himself no longer and cried out, "Massy, Massy, how far is it to Canada?" Mr. Blair directed him to the Robinson farm where John Russell met him and later took him to Ewing’s."
Auntie Maria's makes far more sense than Auntie Myrears. This must be one of the most unfortunate transcription errors or cases of illegible handwriting in Monroe County history.
A few years ago I looked into the 'electric light plant'. Smith wrote the above passage in 1917. In 1913 Mary Burke sold a part of Section 8 in Township 8 North Range 1 West to the Southern Indiana Power Company. That property is now known as Duke Energy Bloomington Rogers Street Substation and is located near the Rogers Street entrance to Switchyard Park (where the Monon yards used to be). There is still a brick building on the site that looks like it dates back to Smith's time.
Samuel Gordon and W.W. Roddy bought the property that would eventually become the sub-station in 1852. Roddy sold his interest to Gordon in 1854 and Gordon sold the property to George Johnson in February of1858. While Gordon owned the land there was a small tax assessment for improvements. This may have been a barn or perhaps a small house; it's impossible at this point to know.
Gordon's house no longer stands, but was at the southeast corner of Walnut Street and Hillside Drive, if memory serves.
Thank you for your comment, I also believe this might have been where Mrs Myrears cabin was located. I did know that Gordon owned the property later, but it would make sense! There must be more to find out about the Duke substation on Rogers and the property. I really wish we could find some sort of physical evidence which attests to Mrs Myrears living there. It would be so amazing if we could recognize the history of this space.
Quite fascinating.
But it seems quite a leap to extrapolate from an 1838 newspaper clipping to the 1883 Sanborn map that was used above. A lot can happen in 45 years. The Orchard House would burn to the ground just five years later, in 1888.
There was a Temperance Hotel referred to by Mrs. Cornelius Pering in her letter of 1833-where the Perings stayed when they first arrived in town. It was owned by Mr Orchard. So I believe a hotel of theirs was largely sitting in the same location for many years.
So are you saying that the location Orchard Hotel changed over time?
What I'm saying is that...
1) Generally, 45 years is a long time in building history in these United States and a lot will change at the center of an urban area, quickly
2) Bloomington in 1828 was a rough and ready frontier town that was very remote and not well developed. Building resources were scarce. An account of the Maxwell-Howe house notes that bricks were imported from Louisville (this account was written 70 years after the fact, but still...). Fire was a constant hazard both because wood, being plentiful and cheap, was the default construction material and because heat and light were generated via open flames.
3) The structure that you have identified on the 1883 map is a brick structure. Further, it is annotated as "new." and 'vac.". 1883 is the first year for with there is a Sanborn map for Bloomington, so it is hard to know what the building is new in relation to. 'vac.' stands for vacant. Putting the two together, though, one gets the impression that the structure had never been occupied at the time the map was made.
4) There is is an 1876 map of Bloomington published by Cunningham and Twitchell at the Monroe County History Center. The brick structure that you have identified as a barber shop/liquor store doesn't appear on the map, so apparently the structure is new relative to 1876, at least.
Megan MacDonald and I took a look at the map together and I have alerted her to the possibility that you will want to take a look at the map yourself.
I am so excited that you wrote about Knolly Baker! It's so great that you were able to find the locations, too. I had no idea!
I have a few questions about Knolly. Maybe you have some ideas.
It is possible Knolly was freed with intent by Mr Howe once they came to Indiana, but I wonder if maybe "Ole Knolly" successfully sued for his freedom based on the ruling that indentured servitude is slavery.
Precedent was set by two famous self-emancipators: Mary Bateman Clark (1920) and Jacob "Ole Jake" Hawkins (1823). It is the same Hawkins whose son went on to marry Sarah Ann Baker. Hawkins is the very first name in the "slave book" in Vincennes Indiana. The story of Hawkins is incredible, we visited his grave in Washington, Daviess County. https://edibleindy.ediblecommunities.com/food-thought/foraging-through-history
In the same sources which you sited, it mentions two "Marias" as well as Mrs Myrears (specifically mentioned in Henry Lester Smith's Underground Railroad). One Maria was brought from Kentucky, I'm guessing Knolly's wife who came with the Howe household, and the second Maria who was brought from Maryland by Mr Rawlins.
I've started to wonder if Mrs Myrears might be Maria from Maryland. I understand she lived at the site of the electric light plant (1917) on S Rogers. by the "Monon Yards". This makes sense because her farm would have been located on the way out of town towards Sam Gordon's House; he was a collaborator in the Underground Railroad; and heading East, past the Faris House on Hillside and the Smith House on Pickwick. She must have been working with the Covenanter Families. She's also called Aunty Myrears, which could mean that Myrears is a first and not a last name. Maria can also be pronounced two different ways: mah-ree-ah and mah-ri-yah. Knolly's wife's name is also spelled Moreah in the 1850.
Knolly's name also experienced extreme spelling variations.
These are my humble theories, but I would love to see if you can make sense of this, too.
Wonderful post!
If you check the 1820 census for Joshua O Howe, you get this:
TOTAL FREE WHITE PERSONS: 5
TOTAL ALL PERSONS - WHITE, SLAVES, COLORED, OTHER: 5
So there are no additional colored persons or slaves. Howe and Baker seemed to have a good relationship. Baker sold land to Howe. Howe took care of Baker's widow after his death. I really can't see his trying to indenture him or his wife. Knotley and his wife didn't have children until 1830 (Sarah Ann), so my guess is that they married in Bloomington, as he likely first came with Joshua Howe in 1819. Moreah or Murriah also came from Kentucky, so he could have known her before. Since Notley came from Nicholas County and Big Maria came with Maxwells from Garrard County, Ky, I don't think they likely they met until Bloomington.
I don't know anything about Mrs. Myrear. Where do you get the location for her?
Big Maria was brought from Kentucky by David Maxwell. She chose to "go back to her own people", according to Martha Maxwell Howard, Big Maria chose to go south to be with "colored people" although she was around and helped the family at first. The Maxwells had freed their slaves before coming to Indiana in 1809, but several stayed with the family out of devotion and also for security sake. Louise Maxwell, granddaughter of David, cleared up the confusion of Martha's in identifying "big Maria" as the one they brought from Kentucky. "Mr Rawlins" is most likely Daniel Rawlins or Rawlings who was the first resident of the Howe Maxwell House on South college. If it was, indeed, this family that brought "little Maria" from Maryland, then she lived on South College with the Rawlinses or nearby. I will be doing a blog on Daniel Rawlins in the near future. Possibly, next week. Little Maria came from Maryland, but Notley's wife was from Kentucky.The Rawlinses were among the founders of the Methodist church along with the Howes. You might look at my earlier post on Notley or Knotley Baker (#4). He couldn't read or wrrite nor could his wife, so there is no wonder that their names were spelled so many ways. So are you mostly interested in the Underground Railroad or African Americans?
I have done two recent posts on Aaron Wallace, who came with the Maxwells. My third post on him is coming out in a day or two. There is no indication he was involved in the Underground Railroad, but he did live for many years in Jennings County not far form Madison, which would have seen a lot of runaway slaves form Kentucky.
I just looked up the census for 1820 for David Maxwell. He had one free colored person in his household-I would guess, "Big MariaTotal Free Colored Persons: 1
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 7
Thank you for your very detailed response. Yes, I just devoured the rest of your page after I left you the comment, and I think I understand better now, especially regarding Mr Howe. I am really grateful you have documented this history in a very detailed and comprehensible way. It is so fascinating. I am glad that it was not a case of indentured servitude after all.
Mrs Myrears is mentioned in Thomas Lester Smith's Article "The Underground Railroad in Monroe County". Smith is a descendent of the Smiths on Pickwick. The article describes Mrs Myrears collaborating with Mr Blair (another Covenanter) to steal a freedom seeking slave across the Monon Yard. It describes in 1917 the site of a electrical plant which now stands where her cabin once stood. I believe it is the old building by the Duke Energy Plant on South Rogers next to the entrance of the current Switchyard Park.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/27785822?seq=6
I am interested in the buildings and spaces in Bloomington which might have played a part in the Underground Railroad in Indiana. I am also interested in the Covenanters who came here because they were anti-slavery. I am also after the possible origin of the word Hoosier (I have my theories, of course).
My husband and I visited the Levi Coffin House in Fountain City, Indiana, last summer. There we were surprised to find a small, modest portrait of the famous Underground Railroad conductor Levi Coffin painted by Bloomington's Marion Blair.
I look forward to your next newsletters! Thank you so much again for your time. :)
RE: hoosier see http://www.bloomingpedia.org/wiki/Hoosiers
"At another time Mr. Blair was passing Aunty Myrears’ residence on the site of the present electric light plant. Aunty Myrears’ was the place in town that negroes were run in for safety. She saw Mr. Blair passing, and according to previous understanding sent a negro to follow him. The negro was so anxious that he kept gaining ground and getting too close for Mr. Blair’s comfort. Walk as fast as he could, however, he could not keep in the lead and was finally overtaken by the time he reached the present site of the Monon Stock Yards. By that time the negro could contain himself no longer and cried out, "Massy, Massy, how far is it to Canada?" Mr. Blair directed him to the Robinson farm where John Russell met him and later took him to Ewing’s."
Auntie Maria's makes far more sense than Auntie Myrears. This must be one of the most unfortunate transcription errors or cases of illegible handwriting in Monroe County history.
A few years ago I looked into the 'electric light plant'. Smith wrote the above passage in 1917. In 1913 Mary Burke sold a part of Section 8 in Township 8 North Range 1 West to the Southern Indiana Power Company. That property is now known as Duke Energy Bloomington Rogers Street Substation and is located near the Rogers Street entrance to Switchyard Park (where the Monon yards used to be). There is still a brick building on the site that looks like it dates back to Smith's time.
Samuel Gordon and W.W. Roddy bought the property that would eventually become the sub-station in 1852. Roddy sold his interest to Gordon in 1854 and Gordon sold the property to George Johnson in February of1858. While Gordon owned the land there was a small tax assessment for improvements. This may have been a barn or perhaps a small house; it's impossible at this point to know.
Gordon's house no longer stands, but was at the southeast corner of Walnut Street and Hillside Drive, if memory serves.
Really interesting. Thank you.
Thank you for your comment, I also believe this might have been where Mrs Myrears cabin was located. I did know that Gordon owned the property later, but it would make sense! There must be more to find out about the Duke substation on Rogers and the property. I really wish we could find some sort of physical evidence which attests to Mrs Myrears living there. It would be so amazing if we could recognize the history of this space.