Buildings – Page 2 – Jacksonville Blogger

First Woman Funeral Business Owner, First Black Funeral Director, First Hearse(Well Second)

Jacksonville celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2022. The beginning of the city was documented as being platted in 1822 only a year following Spain releasing Florida to the United States. The Sesquicentennial booklet of 1972 indicates there were “ fully 250 people up and down the river in 1821”. They were called “Inhabitants of the St. Johns”. The land of Cowford, on the Northside where Jacksonville was to grow was owned by Lewis Z. Hogans, John Brady and Isaiah D. Hart.

A town was laid out at the insistence of Isaiah David Hart. “They came by covered wagon and boxcar, bumping along the Kings Road from Georgia, filtering down from the Carolinas and Virginia. They came too by sailboat or sloop, or simply in a jammed-packed canoe” writes the author of the booklet.

With 250 people along the St Johns River, there was a need for caring for the lost, dying and the dead. That ’s where the hearse was established. The hearse would carry the dead through the stages of loss to their resting place. The word hearse is a “middle English word and became associated with a horse and carriage transporting the deceased”. Early on, the horse-drawn carriage was used to carry the sick and the dead from place to place. Doctors traveled with a flat-back buckboard used to carry patients and people when needed. Over time, it was customised to meet the need and eventually was specific to funeral home use.

The Florida Morticians Association indicates that the first Black-owned funeral director and home in Jacksonville was run by Japhus M. Baker in 1895. It was located at 767 W. Beaver Street in Jacksonville according to reports. Wyatt Geter, his nephew was born in 1883, is said to have become the first Black man to become a licensed undertaker. His home was at 441 Beaver Street was occupied by his wife, Alice, Mother, Fannie Presley and brother Frank. Geter is listed in the 1940 census as being 83.

Wooden pews were used in many of the early funeral homes. Hillman-Pratt Walton Funeral home where one of the first Black licensed funeral directors once served still has those pews according to Anthony Walton who runs the business. It began in 1900 and has the original curtains and Bible from the days of Pratt. Pratt, according to Walton built his own caskets and had a factory on the 2nd floor of the funeral home. The Pratt family, according to Florida Memory, also lived on the 2nd floor. According to the Daily Record the business began in 1900 by Pratt and “operated in the 400 block Broad Street until moving into the building at 527 W. Beaver street in 1915” . It closed in 2019. The new owner, Eric Adler wishes to preserve the history. Pratt is also the founder of the Florida Negro Embalmers and Mortician’s Association Dan McDonald reported.

Early on, Jacksonvillians used wagons of sorts for carrying the deceased. By 1909, H. D. Ludlow of Chicago was credited as having used a “rebooted Cunningham horse-drawn hearse body remounted on a Thomas bus chassis by Coey’s Livery Company” for an actual funeral procession; the first of its kind. There is believed to be the birth of the funeral carriage.

According to the Begg’s Museum in Madison, Florida, Jacksonville’s Samuel Allen Kyle of Moulton- Kyle Funeral Home, a Jacksonville undertaker ordered, along with T. J. Beggs, Sr. the first two Dodge hearses in Florida. The first one was delivered by train to Beggs in Madison, Florida distinguishing him as the “first” to own a motorized Hearst in Florida. S.A. Kyle’s motorized hearse was delivered to Jacksonville second being the first in Jacksonville but the second in Florida. The Begg’s hearse has been remodelled and is on the floor in their museums. Seeing it, we can get an idea of what was used in our city by S. A. Kyle Funeral Home in 1919.

Beggs Hearse ordered along with one by S. A. Kyle of Jacksonville, Fl-Photo-Beggs Museum

Looking back at the first funeral homes in Jacksonville, one is documented to 1851, when Calvin Oak, known as a “gunsmith, funeral director and watchmaker” moved his family from Vermont to Jacksonville for health reasons. He would live some 30 years building several businesses in the city including a gun factory which manufactured barrels, cartridges and all things related to guns. He owned and operated a jewellery store on Bay Street. In 1856, he and his son Byron Edgar, opened a funeral home business which was eventually was owned by Harry S. Moulton and S. A. Kyle and of the Moulton and Kyle Funeral Services. Calvin’s son, Byron and brother would continue with his businesses even adding tomb stones being a “marble cutter” at 25 Laura Street by 1870. Oak who died July 26, 1881 and was carried by horse and wagon to the Old Cemetery for burial. Byron died October 28, 1889 and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

Oak family-Mortuary and Stone business-Florida Memory

The Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission documents a sketch of the early design of the Moulton-Kyle funeral home. It was located west of Main Street and on the north side of Union Street.The 1914 drawing by architects Earl Mark and Leroy Sheftall would come to fruition over time. In 1976, the First Baptist of Jacksonville, Florida would have a block-size parking lot built across from it.

Entrance of the funeral home- Video grab- Channel 4

Over the years there were several owners until it closed in A brick garage was added in 1926. Harry Moulton died in 1936. The business fell to different businesses and finally closed in the 1960’s. It fell into disrepair and burned in 2022. The most recent owner of the building was Peeples Funeral Services, J. Robert Peeples, President, now operating a funeral home on Main Street of Jacksonville. A 1976 hearse was said to have been removed.

Moulton-Kyle hearse removed 2021- Credit-AbandonedFl S.E.

Moulton- Kyle Funeral Home: Library of Congress

Moulton & Kyle Funeral Record- AbandonedFl-SE

An interesting document found by “Abandoned Southeast”, an urban explorer in the defunct Moulton-Kyle funeral home was the information for the wife of William W. Adams who died on March 2 1914. It seems her body was prepared and she was shipped or sent by train to her hometown in Steuben County, New York. Her husband, William W. Adams would also be buried in NY beside her in 1931.

Both William and his wife Francis were buried in NY.

In 2009, Navy pilot Scott Speicher and graduate of Forrest High School and FSU was stationed at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Fl. when he was the first American commit casualty of the Persian war. His plane was shot down in Iraq and when his remains were found 18 years was later met with crowds of people lining the streets to welcome him home in a bittersweet tribute.

Nancy Scott Speicher carried in closed hearse with Navy Seal on side-(US. Military Photo-Chief Specialist A. C Casullo)

Jacksonville Memory Gardens now has a fleet of hearses . Ramey

In February 2019, the following was posted about Sarah L. Carter with Sarah L. Carter Funeral Home: “Ms. Carter is the first African American woman in the state of Florida to open a funeral home from start-up and has marked her 17th year in the business as an independent owner.” Ms. Carter has a degree in Mortuary Science and a bachelor’s in Biblical studies.

Photo Credit: Sarah L. Carter Funeral Service website

Sarah L. Carter Funeral Home- New Kings Road

Sarah. L. Carter Funeral Home Fleet of hearses

Different hearses are used by various funeral homes. The services for police officer Jimmy Judge was honoured in 2023.

There are those who provide horse and buggy services even today. When I went to give my support and regards to the family of Queen Elizabeth II, a horse and carriage carried her to a hearse where she was taken to Windsor Castle to be buried. “God Save The Queen” was sung by her people as the coffin rode past. It was quite moving.

Queen Elizabeth II honors in London-2022- Photo:Ramey

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Category: Buildings, Cemeteries, History | Comments Off

February 7

The Value of a Jacob’s Jeweler’s Coin

The 1890 Store Jacob’s Jewelers Closed the last day of January 2023.

On the day following the closure of Jacob’s Jewelers, a store that has been in Jacksonville since 1890, I received from a person I did not even know, a bronze-looking “Jacob’s” token. On the front, it has an engraved diamond symbol with the words, “Jacobs” at the top and at the bottom in circular fashion, “Fine Jewelers since 1890”. On the back it has the logo and words, “Member of the Fine Jewelers Guild” and in circular fashion, “Redeemable against any purchase of over $100* Twenty Five Dollars”. So, my new friend, who sent this, gave me a token now worth far more than $25 since it now is certainly a collector’s item. Thank you new friend, Sandra J. D.

I had been online reviewing items people collect in Jacksonville and a person posted that she had some coins and willing to give them to interested people. People can be nice. She mailed one to me free of charge and I even asked to pay. When she wrote “No need to pay me, I’d rather see them go to someone whom likes these, I promised to “pay it forward” and I will.

The envelope was sent with her name at top on the left and the coin tucked into a nice plastic, clear-faced coin container. Grateful. At the moment it sits prominently in my den so I can see it.

I visited Jacobs Jewelers last month after learning they were relocating and talked with Roy and Delores Thomas who bought Jacobs Jewelers in 1968. The building where Jacobs Jewelers is located at the corner of Laura and Adams is where our now-famed Jacksonville clock sits. The Greenleaf Building was bought by JWB Real Estate. Apparently, the old clock which had once sat at the old Jacob’s Bay Street location would remain a Jacksonville landmark and icon since the Thomases donated it to the city some years ago. It is a 15 foot tall Seth Thomas clock and supposedly only one of the two left in the world. It is iconic in that people still “meet at the clock” and taken photos at that Laura and Adams location. That’s a story for another day.

The Thomases initial thought was they would relocate Jacobs Jewelers but as time went on, they changed their thinking and decided to “retire”. I think that both with beautiful grey hair, will find that their kids and grandkids will probably love the time they will be able to spend with them. The current signs in the windows say “Retirement Sale”. They moved the “Moving Sale” signs after their wrestling with moving the location vs retiring to a new life after over fifty-five years.

Looking from the outside of the store, it’s difficult to see if the business is open. It’s dark-looking going in but when inside, the beauty of the merchandise was stunningly brilliant. There was in all of the glass cases beautiful jewerly of every kind including, watches, rings, bracelets and throughout the store their were other items on shelves and tucked in corners and cabinets. I went during the Christmas season and found it full of seasonal decorations including at least 2 Christmas trees.

The 132 year old store has had a great run in Jacksonville. There are a lot of different stories telling of it’s great beginning on Bay Street and now it comes to a close leaving the 208 N. Laura Street address at the corner of Adams Street.

It will be missed as will Roy and Deloris Thomas but they will be cashing in their tokens for full value in a new life.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

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January 1

San Marco Theatre Closed Today

Talking about some history! On the inside lobby of the San Marco Theatre stands a gazillion-ton masterpiece. (It’s huge!) (It’s heavy!). (It’s solid!) That is to say also, there is what some call one of the best film projectors ever made. It has been called a “cinographic treasure” and was used to project the movie to the screen. One can be purchased on eBay for upwards $3995. But the shipping fee? Hummmmmm.

Here is a quote from an almost 4 decade experienced projectionist about the Brenkert Light Projector:

“I am a retired projectionist (39 years experience) and prior to that, in the late 1940’s I was briefly employed at the Brenkert Light Projection Company (Or “Brenkert Light” or “BLPC” as we called it) in my hometown of Detroit (275 miles southeast of Petoskey!).

Yes (in my prejudiced opinion) the Brenkerts were possibly the BEST 35mm projector heads ever made in the U.S.A.”

The San Marco Theatre was built in 1938 about the time this piece of equipment was becoming well-known, loved and used in the movie industry. Today, the one in the lobby stands as a testament to progress as the Brenkert was once the famed projector where now, a small computer along with a small boxed-size projector is used.

Over the years, the theatre has served Jacksonville well. The Brenkert projector was the equipment that the famed Civil War movie, Gone With The Wind was shown using at its premier in Atlanta. I wonder how many times it was shown at the San Marco Theatre in Jacksonville?

The last movies shown at the San Marco was Love Actually and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. While I was there yesterday, people were just walking in, looking around and talking about the loss of this iconic movie theatre. One man said that he found it interesting that he moved back home to care for his ailing and ageing father who was the “ultimate Grinch” so he was a believer in the character of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

TSG bought the San Marco property in 2022 for $3.35 million from businessmen, Ryan and Jonathan Davis, Frank Sanchez and Andrew Oetjen. The new owners indicated that they would leave the outside facade as is-Iconic. I just wonder if the deal came with the Brenkert projector?

See you tomorrow,

Sources: film-tech. Com , Jaxdailyrecord, Robert Sprague- 1-1-23

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December 6

Basilica Christmas Tree- Day 6-

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine has a simple Christmas tree with tags offering those with tender hearts to donate. While I was there, besides the tree was a large, brown bag of snacks and crackers apparently left by a parishioner for the less fortunate.

The Cathedral is a monumental building with tall ceilings, beautiful beams and incredible decor. The room was completely empty of people when I walked in. Before leaving, no more than 4 people came and went. It was open at 11:00 am and I was met at the St George Street entrance (side door) with a very sweet and friendly lady encouraging me to enjoy my time.

Martin Luther caused quite a stir in the Catholic Church in the 16th-century causing the Reformation with “Christ Alone”. He also is believed to be the first to add lights (by candle) to the Christmas tree. The Catholic Church resisted use of Christmas trees which was a Lutheran Church tradition. In 1982, the Catholic Church set up a Vatican Christmas tree for the first time in Vatican City.

Fast forward, 2022 and the Cathedral Bascilia has a tree in the sanctuary.

Merry Christmas to All and to all a good night.

See you tomorrow,

Sources: Wikicommons (Luther photo), History . com, Ramey, [Idea about a tree a day came from the editor of the Daily Record, Karen Mathis].

St. Augustine Basilica Location: 38 Cathedral Place, St. Augustine, Fl 32084. Go visit.12-6-22

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December 5

CASTLE OTTTIS: Remembering Christ

The name of the castle was unusual to me. I have ridden past it for years and years on my way to and from St. Augustine, Florida. It was named after Otttis (yes, three t’s), one of the two builders; the other being named Rusty Ickes.

On their website it is clear that it was built “In remembrance of Jesus Christ” and built for the purpose of”beauty and as a landscape-sculpture”. So the builder himself indicated that the castle was built as an art piece such as the Eiffel Tower or The Washington Monument in Washington, DC not as a business or residence. The tour guide today said it was in the design of an Irish Abbey (Christian Church) and going inside it sure appears so. There are 88 open windows and the structure is taller than 50 feet. At the top it has a castle look with stones affixed. On this day, we met one of the two builders of this structure, Randy.

Our trip began with a friend setting up the visit “by appointment”. When driving in we were met by a man about 6 feet with a flowing beard and brown hair with a hat and sunglasses. Who knew it would be Randy Ickes a man who once had a vision for a castle and enacted on the task to actually follow through and build it.

The castle is located about 3 miles North of St. Augustine, Florida on 3rd Street St. just outside of the Nation’s Oldest City, St. Augustine. Construction began May 1, 1984. The masonry was completed in full by Ottis Sadler and Rusty Ickes and by 1998 the exterior was complete. In the span of 3 years, (1988-1991) Lee Carpenter completed the interior portion with primarily “cypress wood and some southern-pine”. There are 8”elaborate stair cases, an alter, pulpit, series of pews, choir loft and Bishop’s chair” wrote one person describing it. In 1992 it was recognized by the American Institute of Architects.

Sources: Atlasobscura, CastleOttis, Personal visit and observation…

If you choose to go, contact randy @ castleotttis.com

See you tomorrow,

Category: Buildings, Churches, Travel, Visit This | 1 Comment

August 31

The Jacob’s Jeweler Clock

This photograph hangs in the Brandenberg Room of the Oaklawn Cemetery. You should go see it if you have some time. There are other Jacksonville photos in that room and it would be worth a 30 minute stop.

Time Union writer Sandy Strickland wrote of the clock “Once dubbed the handsomest of its kind in the South” that it was later designated “local landmark status”. When I was a kid growing up and we would ride the bus from the Woodstock area, and would say at some point, “I’ll meet you at the clock at certain time” and a time would bring us there. I was about 7 or 8 when we spent a good deal of our lives in downtown Jacksonville. Some of that time was definitely spent near that landmark.

It was by that clock that our little red Simca stick shift wouldn’t crank and my Dad could be seen popping the clutch and with all 4 doors open, each of us hopping on one leg trying to push it for a crank. My Mother ended up almost falling as we were yelling to her, “Jump in!” Oh, that was a day and it occurred right there at the corner of Laura Street and the clock.

The clock dates back to the rebuilding of Jacksonville after the Great Fire of 1901. At the top of the clock it reads “Jacob’s” and is located outside of the Greenleaf building. Jacob Crosby and D. Greenleaf had a jewelry store and the clock, a Seth Thomas was placed on the corner of Laura and Adams.

Over the years it has had its own tragedy including being hit by a city bus in 1974 and clock parts stolen causing it to be out of commission for a time. In 1996, the clock was refurbished again as voted on by the City Council. According to theFlorida Times Union, the restoration was paid for by city and private funds. It was also renovated in 2011 and in 2022, it still sits there as Jacob’s Jewelers move from that location where they have been for over 132 years. Jacob’s gave the clock to the city so it will remain. What are your memories about this clock?

See you tomorrow,

Nan

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August 17

Our Old Country Barn

We could not save the barn of our childhood. It was built about 1963 using railroad cross ties and tin. My Father had a way with putting things together, using the old and creating a new look. The old barn held up until about 2001 when it began to show serious disrepair. At that time, my Father, in his 90’s, was not going out to the barn area much and no attention was being paid to the lagging sides and caving-in roof.

In 2021, we finally came to the realization that it could not be pulled, pushed or braced enough to save it so, we took it down with an excavator, burned the wood, and removed the brick flooring. We are now in the process of repurposing the camper barn instead.

Many memories are attached to that old barn even though it is gone and almost no evidence of it once being on the 10 acre property. We spent many days playing on the 75 bales of hay that would be delivered for our horse and cows. While we only had one horse, Smokey, and 2 cows, Betsy and Lambert. It was still a farm; a small one, but a farm. We milked Betsy, rode Smokey and Lambert was a prize cow so that was our animal fix.

Over the years, we had chickens, geese and of course, dogs and cats. We once had a weasel and certainly saw snakes a-plenty.

Those were the days. 8-16-22

See you tomorrow,

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August 13

The Seminole Hotel

The ole’ Seminole Hotel once sat at the SE corner of Hogan and Forsyth Streets. Complete with three elevators and 10 stories high, it was quite the structure. The hotel was a beauty and the “place to be” and the place to be seen. With the theme of Indian lore, it had a dining area decorated and called “The Indian Room”; canoe and all. If you look carefully at the postcard, you can see the hanging canoe in the front of the room.

If you go to the Ed Ball building at 214 North Hogan Street, you can see and even touch the huge terracotta decorations that once were on the building’s structure. There are two pieces at that location; the Seminole Indian and the eagle flanked with a flag.

The building was built in 1909 by architect, Henry John Klutho and demolished in 1974.In its hey day, people took sightseeing tours to the building, had grand parties and events there and it was quite the show piece for the city of Jacksonville.

After it was demolished, it was used for a parking lot. Now the Bank of America Tower is located in the space. Gee, things change. I wonder if they’re hot in those clothes?

See you tomorrow,

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August 1

Southern Baptist Convention Lore

This week, I visited the First Baptist Church of Augusta. It was the site of the founding church of the Southern Baptist Convention. Also visited was the first Baptist Church in Georgia which is in Appling.The interesting thing about both is that they tie to Jacksonville; sort of….

The First Baptist Church of Augusta, located at 802 Greene Street began in 1817 with a “Praying Society”. It expanded and in 1821 a brick building was dedicated . The fellowship continued and in 1845, the Southern Baptist Convention was established. A historical marker is outside of the church with this inscription:

In March 1817, eight men and two women meeting in an Augusta home formed “The Baptist Praying Society of Augusta” – the forerunner of the First Baptist Church. Two months later the society was constituted a church under the leadership of the first minister, Wm. T. Brantley, this property was purchased in 1870. A church on this site was dedicated May 26, 1821. In 1845, after serious friction arose in the national Triennial Convention, 327 delegates from eight southern states and the District of Columbia met here to form the Southern Baptist Convention. This building was erected in 1902.

The first Baptist Church of Georgia, Kioke Baptist Church, is located in Appllng, outside of Augusta. It began with a meeting house in 1772 with the Rev. Daniel Marshall as pastor. It held church meetings at least 45 years before the First Baptist Church of Augusta

In Jacksonville, Florida, there is a historic building at 218 West Church Street less than a block from the Historic Hobson, the First Baptist Church, built after the Great Fire of Jacksonville. The “Florida Baptist Building” was designed by the Jacksonville famous, Henry John Klutho. In January of 1984, it was designation a U. S. National Register of Historic Places. It is now being repurposed to have apartments and living quarters for residents. It was there that Southern Baptist Convention business was conducted, newspapers for the Southern Baptist Convention were written and more.The photo below is the original rendering by Klutho.(credit:unknown).

When Kioke Church, the oldest Baptist church in Georgia, built its beautiful current facility, it asked the Southern Baptist Convention founding Church, the First Baptist Church of Augusta which was in disrepair since they changed their facility to another location, to give them some of the stained class windows from their former church in downtown Augusta. They did and today, those beautiful windows can be seen in their lovely facility in Appling, Georgia. The former church where the Southern Baptist Church was formed is in total disrepair but their former windows are seen in beautiful display in Appling.

In Jacksonville, The building once used by the Southern Baptist Convention in Jacksonville, which through the years has moved to another location in Duval County, is being repurposed to house others and create living and retail space.

In all, the Church is alive and well although the facilities have changed, God remains The I AM.

See you tomorrow,

Sources: Wikipedia, Baptist Press, Waymarkers, Southern Baptist Convention, Markers at Kioke, FBC Augusta, Fl Memory.

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July 25

Cows Are “Long” Gone…

8705 Old Kings Road

Raising Cattle in Florida. Florida Memory.com

Old Kings Road travels long North and South all of the way from Georgia to below St. Augustine. It has been less than a long and winding road but instead a long, fairly straight and meaningful path for so many including my own family.

On our trips to see family in Hampton, South Carolina, we often took the Kings Road through Georgia and then over to South Carolina so I feel as if I know some of the road’s ins-and outs.

Recently, I was traveling Old Kings Road and saw an old but fancy farm house so I dropped by to photograph it and then later find out some of its history.

The house is vacant as of the summer of 2022 but the land to the left is being used as a car, truck and dumpster park. I asked a guy walking across the street for permission to photograph the house. He told me he knew nothing about the old house but to click away; he was only there to get his parked 18 wheeler.

And so, with his permission, I parked and photographed the home that I later found out was built on 13 acres and constructed in 1901. The owners at that time appear to be Charles Henry Long (September 3, 1907- May 16, 1971)and Lavaughn Riggs Long(1910-1995). The two married on June 7, 1925. They had 2 children: Charles Jr. who died at 18 in service to his country and Eva Bernice who was born in 1929.

The Long’s were cattle buyers and had a meat processing farm often called an abattoir or slaughterhouse. Meat was processed for human consumption.It has been written that they also provided food for the Jacksonville Zoo animals on occasion.

The meat processing barn and other out-buildings including the fences for keeping livestock are not in view but you might can imagine a life of cattle and livestock. There was also, on Beaver Street, a meat processing house for packing and distribution.While I’m not sure of its owner, it is still located there and is known as being owned by a demolition business. It looked abandoned except for a newer model car in the yard in 2022.

Over the years, the property was used by others including businesses associated with the American Forest, Famous Historic Trees, Johnny Appleseed, Florida LLC and Leaf Me Along, Llc. As mentioned, it is most recently used as a parking facility for large trucks and equipment.

Meeting a driver gave me opportunity to photograph the place. I can imagine already the fine events held in the sun room or at the pool out back. It must have been a beauty back-in-tha’-day. One thing for sure, someone will have to take care of the hundreds and hundreds of wasp nests hanging on the old stucco siding which was probably put there when remodeled in 1920.

Oh, and my Mother’s maiden name is Long. I could be kin to these folks.. (More research needed here). Ha!

(Sources: S. Strickland of Call Box, Google Books, T. Gilmore, Florida Memory, Ramey Collection)

See you tomorrow,

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