Winston Fifty Years Ago
(By Henry W. Foltz, 1926)
On the 26th of November, 1875, there stopped in front of the Merchants Hotel in Winston, a one-horse wagon, and a slender boy took from the
wagon and placed on the porch a small paper covered trunk, which was about half full of plain clothing. Such as one extra suit, some calico shirts
and celluloid collars.
The boy had been engaged the week before to work here, at a wage of twelve dollars per month, and board.
Everything being quite different to what the country lad had previously been accustomed to, a vivid impression was made upon his mind as to
how everything appeared here, at that time, and now, after fifty years have passed by, perhaps a brief sketch of conditions, as they were at that
time, may be of interest to some of our people.
As I remember, there were suppose to be about three hundred white people living in Winston at that date, and, beginning at the northeast
corner of Main and First streets, I will try to give locations of buildings as they appeared. Going east on the north side of First street (which was
then the line between Winston and Salem) and just beyond what is now Church street, was the new brick residence of Sylvester Miller, which is still
standing, and on the next block was the woodworking plant of Miller Brothers, contractors, and then came the small frame station of the Richmond
and Danville Railway, which served as passenger, freight and baggage depot, and express and telegraph office, all combined, and was presided
over by Black Brooks and a Mr. Brown.
There was one mixed train daily, each way, between here and Greensboro, and the mail was delivered from the station to the Salem postoffice,
on the west side of Main street, opposite the Salem square, Felix Crutchfield was conductor, and John D. Hollister, engineer.
Now, going back to Main street, on the east side, where the new city hall is now being erected, was the home of Judge D.H. Starbuck, which
was regarded as the finest residence in Winston, at that time, and at the northwest corner of his lot, near Main street, was his small brick law office.
The only other house on this block, was the small frame dwelling of Harrison Pitts, which faced on Second street, where the Orinoco warehouse
now stands, and just beyond Church street, was the blacksmith shop of Ed Spach, while on the east side of Chestnut street, near the middle of the
block, was a small frame building, the first unit of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.
Going east, beyond Chestnut street, on the south side of Second street, were the two new four-room cottages of J. W. and D. S. Reid, and on
the corner of Second and Depot streets, facing eastward, was the store of Reid Brothers.
On the north side of Second street, opposite Messrs. Reid, was a small frame dwelling occupied by a Mr. Dunnagan, who had lately moved
here from Virginia. Mr. Dunnagan said that before coming here someone had told him that in Winston times were so prosperous that roast pigs
were running around the streets with a knife and fork sticking in their backs, and a placard attached, inviting the hungry to come and eat. He
immediately moved to Winston, but said he had failed to find the roast pigs.
Returning west on the north side of Second street, the first unit of the Baptist church was in course of construction, and was opened for
worship the next year and on the east side of Church street, between Second and Third, was a small frame livery stable, operated by George Beck.
As far as I remember, the remaining ground east of Church street, and from First to Third, was all in woods, as was also the southern part of
the block north of Second, and between Main and Church streets, where was located the town camping ground often filled at night with covered
wagons, horses, men and dogs. Wood fires burned brightly, while the music of fiddles and banjos was often
heard until late at night.
Just north of where the Interurban Bus Station is now located, was the frame store of J. E. Gilmer, whose clerks were Frank Mickle and John
Burton, both of whom I think are still living, and both still in the mercantile business. Upstairs over the Gilmer store was the office and press rooms
of The Western Sentinel, George M. Mathes, editor, and the next house adjoining, was the home of Mr. Gilmer’s family.
Next, to the north, was the Merchants Hotel, which consisted of a substantial eight-room brick building, two story and basement, and to which
had recently been added, on the south side, a four-story frame addition having on the first floor - an office, two private rooms, a kitchen and a
large dining room, tables extended clear across the dining room, and wooden stools were provided for the guests, the stools being pushed under
the table when not in use. I still have one of these stools at my home.
The upper floors of the new part of the hotel were divided into twenty-four small guest rooms, each heated by a small wood stove, and lighted
with kerosene lamps, water being carried from a well in the back yard. The property was owned by Pfohl and Stockton and was in charge of E. A.
Pfohl and his wife, two of the kindest people I ever knew. I was supposed to be in charge of the office, but very often there was nothing for me to
do, and I was always glad when I was sent on errands to the bank, at corner of South Main and Bank streets, to the Salem postoffice, railway
station and elsewhere.
Beyond the hotel and extending to Third street, was a low, rambling wooden store building, owned and occupied by Pfohl and Stockton, as a
general store, and after they returned from the Centennial Exposition, in the summer of 1876, they decided to erect on this corner, a large brick
store three story, and full basement, and preparations for the building were begun at once. I was delegated to keep account of all the brick,
lumber and other material, as it was delivered on the lot. A Mr. Brown, from Salisbury, did the construction work, and the store was finished and
occupied early in 1877. This was the first real store building ever erected in Winston, and was a great attraction to everybody.
The first telephone line I ever saw was a waxed string stretched from our store to J.E. Mickey’s store, at the big Coffee Pot, with an empty
tomato can at each end, which was used both as transmitter and receiver, and it was actually possible to understand some words over this
distance of three blocks. Two years later, however, a real telephone was installed from our store to the depot.
The firm of Pfohl and Stockton carried in stock practically every article of merchandise that might be called for. They sold both wholesale and
retail, and handled everything in the way of barter, which could be disposed of anywhere. Winston being at that time the nearest railroad station
into northwestern North Carolina, there were ten or twelve counties in this State and Virginia, that did most of their trading here.
The business of my employers grew very rapidly, especially in the handling of dried fruits and produce. A large brick warehouse was erected
in rear of the store, extending to Church street, and a large covered platform provided, where, very soon an almost constant stream of wagons
were being loaded and unloaded, with goods and merchandise of every description.
The clerks who were employed by the firm during the eight years of their greatest activity were J.B. Stockton, E.L. Hege, F.M. Bohannon, E.C.
Clinard, H.W. Foltz and S. H. Taylor, while perhaps a score of others served for shorter periods of time.
I was put in charge of the platform and warehouse department, my special work being to grade, weigh and furnish statements of all the produce
bought, including every kind of dried fruits and berries, all kinds of grain, peas, buckwheat, flax-seed, hides, furs, butter, honey, apple butter, eggs,
bees-wax, rags, sassafras, and pennyroyal oils. Ginseng, seneca, snakeroot, etc. Then all this produce had to be prepared and packed for
shipment, and from two to twenty men, both white and colored, were employed practically all the time, loading and unloading and packing in
barrels, boxes, bags, crates and bales and then shipping to markets all over the country.
The value of merchandise handled in this department, in the years 1883, 1884 and 1885, amounted to $100,000 per annum, while the total
sales of the firm aggregated more than $300,000 per year. But, there came a time in 1885, when canned goods were put on the market and very
soon took the place of dried fruits. The prices of all kinds of dried fruits and berries slumped on the market to less than one-half of their former
value, and the great loss in value of the stock on hand compelled my employers to make an assignment early in 1888, and the great firm ceased
to be.
Going east on Third street, beyond Church street, were several small prize houses, where local leaf dealers packed tobacco in hogsheads by
man power, and shipped it to other markets, and on the east side of Chestnut street, near Third, was the first factory of the P. H. Hanes Tobacco
Company, which was destroyed by fire during the next year. At this fire the original Salem fire engine was used, a double line of men and women
was extended to Tise’s well near the corner of Main and Fourth streets and buckets of water were passed down on one side, while the empty
buckets were returned along the other line. And where the present passenger station now is, was the railroad warehouse of Pfohl and Stockton,
where fertilizers, rags and hides were stored.
Coming back to the northeast corner of Church and Third streets was located the first tobacco sales warehouse, which extended along the
east side of Church street from the Third to Fourth. Major T. J. Brown was proprietor, and James A. Gray, bookkeeper.
On the northeast corner of Main and Third streets was a two-story frame store building known as “Croslands” and was operated by John
Campbell and Nath Stockton. Next on the north side was the first Jew clothing store in town, it was run by Sol Rosenthal and his brother Charley.
Then came the old Tise hall, with a furniture store downstairs, and next was a small Polish Jew, named Levy, who employed John Beard, a local
boy, to help in his store. One Saturday afternoon John asked permission to go to Salisbury to see his relatives. “Huh,” said Levy, “you dink dey
want to see you?” “Well,” said John, “I would like to go, and I don’t think there will be any more trade today.” “Vell, go long.” So John went, but
when he returned on Monday morning Levy met him half way from the station, and shaking his finger in John’s face, he said: “Yes, you tell me
there be no more trade Saturday evening, and Henry Rose, he sell a pair of britches before you git to Salisbury.”
Next door north was the Winston postoffice, with Rev. W. W. Albea, a retired Methodist preacher, as postmaster, and W. A. Walker as
assistant. The mail from here to Walnut Cove was carried on the back on an old colored man, who walked to Walnut Cove one day, and back the
next, making three round trips each week.
The postmaster at Walnut Cove was Col. J. W. Bailey, who was also a Methodist, and, having a high regard for Rev. Mr. Albea, he on one
occasion sent him as a present, a nice country ham, by this colored mail carrier, and when he arrived in Winston he walked into the little back room
of the postoffice, where Uncle Albea was seated at a table, and throwing first his mail bag from one shoulder, he next dropped a sack from the
other to the floor, and Uncle Albea peering over his glasses, asked: “Well, what’s in there?” To which the colored man replied, as he emptied the
sack: “Dat’s a ham what Kurnel Bailey sent you.” “I don’t want to buy any hams,” answered Uncle Albea. “You tell John Bailey I got plenty of meat
in my smokehouse without buying any.” “But,” said the colored man, “Colonel Bailey he done give you dat ham, he no charge you for it..” “Oh!”
said Mr. Albea, “how is Colonel Bailey, and how are his family? Nice people those Baileys are, nice people, and this is a mighty fine ham.”
The next building on the corner of Main and Fourth streets was owned and operated as a general store by Jacob Tise and family for many
years, and just across from Tise’s store, on the north side of Fourth street was the first milinary [sic] store in town, which was owned by Miss Lou
Kirkman, now Mrs. Stanton.
A little farther north on Main street was the dwelling and then the blacksmith and wagon shop of Simeon White. It was here that I witnessed the
most terrific struggle between man and beast that I have ever seen. A band of Gypsies had a very large Cinnamon Bear, which was led by a chain
attached to a ring in his nose, and the ring being about to pull out, it was decided to burn a new hole thru the cartilage between his nostrils, and
weld in a new ring. There must have been five or six men who matched their strength against that of the bear, pressing him to the ground and
holding him there until the patriarch of the clan successfully burned a new hole and welded a new ring in the bear’s nose, but I think the cries and
groans of that bear were the most agonizing that I have ever heard.
The remainder of this block was all in woods, and a deep gully ran across the block about where the north wall of the old Brown’s warehouse
now stands.
Across Fifth street, where the offices of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company are now located, was the home of Col. Joe Masten, and further
north was the dwelling of O.C. Smith -- then Nels Cook -- and on the corner the home of William Beard, which is still standing, and the only house
between Sixth and Seventh streets was that of Alex Gates, a colored barber, who lived near the corner of Seventh street.
Starting again at First street and going north on the west side of Main, we find first the brick house of Henry Barrow, and next that of Levine
Hine, both of which are still standing. And next the two-story brick residence of Hon. Thomas J. Wilson, where the Carolina Cadillac Company is
now located (Second street now being opened until many years later), and about where you now find Cornatzer’s store, was Judge Wilson’s law
office.
At the corner of Main and Third was a brick store building owned by Robert Gray; this structure was rented to S.E. Allen in 1876 for Winston’s
first hardware store. Adjoining this building and to the west was the drugstore of Gray and Martin. In the middle of the block was the Gray family
homestead. On the corner, next to Liberty Street, was a frame building soon to be occupied by Joe Jacob’s clothing business.
Now to the courthouse, which was surrounded by a dilapidated paling fence whose gates were always open. Through these gates at night
came numerous animals--cattle, hogs, and sheep. The sheep spent their night under the south portico of the building.
The Miller family home was located on the north side of Fourth Street, next to Main, and beside it, Chesley Hamlen, and the “old Hay building”
operated by the Norwoods as a boardinghouse. Another store, that of Mr. Hall, was located next to Liberty Street.
As one proceeded North back to Main Street, and walked on the westside of the street, he came to the small frame dwelling occupied by a Mrs.
Kester and her two sons. Then, between Fifth and Sixth streets there were several tenant houses. Jacob Tise’s blacksmith and wagon shop was
then encountered on Seventh Street; his family lived on the southeast corner of Liberty and Main.
Returning to First Street-- at the corner of Salt (now Liberty) Street-- and turning northward, there were no houses facing the east side of
Liberty until one reached the county j ail which was just north of Wall and Huske’s store. The jail was two stories high, constructed of brick, and
boasting of a large basement. Joe Masten, the jailer, and his family lived on the first floor while the prisoners were kept on the second. On beyond
the jail was the wagon and blacksmith shop of Al Bevel, and on the corner, next to Fifth Street, was a two-story frame building, the first floor of
which was occupied by a tailor and a magistrate, and the upper by Walter Johnson’s family.
Four private homes were seen as one passed the northeast corner of Fifth and Liberty streets. First, on the corner, was Dr. V. O. Thompson’s
ample brick dwelling, and beyond that, the home of Mrs. Emily Webb. Beyond Mrs. Webb was William Nelson, and beyond him, Webster Nading.
Mrs. Wheeler, a widow, lived on the corner lot in a brick dwelling.
As one proceeded beyond Sixth street he did not encounter any buildings until he came to the hone of T.T. Best, a local magistrate. Next, on
the corner of Liberty and Seventy, was the dwelling of J. Madison Grogan, and on the northeast corner, John H. Masten’s brick residence.
Returning again to First Street, on the west side and traveling north, one came to the “free schoolhouse” which was used as a union Sunday
school, with John Chitty as superintendent. Then, still going north, was J. Calvin Miller’s home. On the northwest corner of Liberty and Second,
one found two small houses that belonged to a Mrs. Allen. After the second of these two was passed the homes of Christian Reed and of Dietrick
Tavis were seen. At the corner of Third Street was the Wilson Hotel with the little offices of a magistrate attached to the southeast corner; this
hotel was a most popular resort for card players. On Liberty Street, beyond the hotel, and to the south, was the home of a contractor, another Mr.
Tavis.
Next, crossing Third Street, was M. H. Langfeld’s store which was the first to feature ladies’ goods in the town; it was appropriately called the
“Temple of Fashion.” To the north as one proceeded on were the stores of S. D. Franklin (clothing) and V. O. Thompson (drugs). On the corner
of Fourth Street was the two-story frame building which housed the general store of Hodgin and Sullivan. On across Fourth Street, where the O’
Hanlon Building now stands, was another two-story frame store which was to be occupied by Winston’s first shoe business, in 1876, that of W. S.
Martin. Next was the “Holland House”, a frame dwelling, and near the corner of Fifth Street, the home of Mr. Sussdorf.
Across Fifth Street, in the area now occupied by Centenary Methodist Church, was its small brick predecessor and three flanking buildings. On
down, and beyond Sixth Street, was Samuel Farabee’s blacksmith and wagon shop, and also his dwelling. Then came the “old Miller house” and
two more buildings. On the corner of Seventh was the Methodist Protestant Church--a small frame building--and in the next block, near Eight
Street, was the Reverend John Henry White’s home, store and shoeshop. On the north side of Eight Street were the dwellings of Melvina White,
Alex Rights and Henry Holder; on Trade Street, a short distance west, was Granville Blackburn’s home.
Now from Eight street, east and north along Liberty (then Germanton Road) were the homes of the Reverend Howard Pegram, Dr. Bynum, a Mr.
Boner, Colonel John White, Zan White, Mr. Nading, and others. Farther up, in what was then called “Blumtown,” between Thirteenth and
Fourteenth streets, was the residence of Sanford Byerly.
Now, back to First Street again, a few houses are noted on Elm between Second and Fourth, and some on Cherry Street, but the only residents
recalled were Stephen Hodgin and William Miller. Then, on the site of the Nissen (First Union) Building was a small frame Presbyterian church.
From Fourth Street along Trade, and traveling north, were the original Piedmont Warehouse, a two-story frame boardinghouse, an old barn,
and a few small tenant houses on the west side of the road. Back to the block between Elm, Cherry, Third and Fourth, was the “Male Academy,”
the only building in the entire block. Now, on Cherry, one found the home of the Reverend W. W. Albea and several other residences north of
Fourth. West of Cherry were but a few scattered homes, as no street had been opened up, except Fourth, which was then known as Shallowford
Road. On the east side of Cherry Street, between Fourth and Fifth, the first tobacco factory of the Brown brothers was being built, while the next
block, to the north, was Major Ham Scales’ factory, and at the corner of Sixth and Cherry the factory of Ogburn, Hill and Company. From here we
come back to the north side of First Street and the beginning point of our tour.
Winston Fifty Years Ago
by Henry W. Foltz-1926
|