Theadore’s brick

I had heard there were bricks inscribed, but until today I had not seen them with my own eyes, nor touched them on the side of the old school building. A neighbor was kind enough to take a few photos for sharing. She had seen the R. Moore brick, with the date inscribed in the next brick. I saw that, too, and entertained the possibility of who actually carved into the bricks on that school building a hundred and fifty years ago. We did look up the R. Moore possibilities.

 

I saw Wm’s and Orin’s bricks, and those of others whose names and dates have yet to be deciphered; but when I saw Theadore’s brick I knew the inscriptions deserved a post separate to the one about the building itself.  One date, 1861 was so clear, it is hard to imagine the brick is that old.

Theadore’s brick called the loudest. It seems Theadore Gibbons (also spelled Girvens and Givvens on the census sheets) lived in Madison, Indiana (and went to school) east of Ferry, as his name appears on the 1850 census under the name of a brother, James,  and a grandparent. Apparently his parents were gone.

 

Here’s Theadore’s brick. I traced over it in the bottom  photo so you could be sure to see his whole name. In the photo above you can see where this brick is in relation to the R. Moore brick.

Was Theadore someone imporant? Did he make a substantial impact on the lives of people he met? Where did he go after he left the neighborhood? Would anyone consider this building worthy of historic landmark status? Do any of the names and dates account for anything? It’s so simple sometimes.

These inscriptions are at about the same height across the side of the building.  The inscriptions made me smile as I imagined children standing next to their schoolhouse, carving their names, like many children may have done in their life journeys. Like William Brushfield did when he carved his name and some dates in the jamb of the Brushfield Manufactory building. Sometimes, a little boy’s mark in the clay or wood is enough to make his life worth mentioning,  long after he is gone.

Sometimes it is nice just to go back for a second look.

Lot Number 1

1030 Park Avenue, known as Benjamin Brushfield’s Lot Number 1, was platted and recorded in Plat Book No. 1, page 84.

 **Last updated 6-24-09**

Information I have to date, regarding deeds:

The two page links below are for the hand-written deed of John A. and Lottie Wells conveying the  annexed deed to Louis and Laura E. Rice. Mr. Benjamin Brushfield’s Lot 1 sold for $800.00 the 25^th of June, 1897. Recorded in Deed Book 66, pages 272 and 273 July 7, 1897.

 

This same property, 1030 Park Avenue, sold to Samuel Roll and Mary E. Roll, for $1,200.00, on the 26th of March, 1907. See Deed here.

 

I may have to fill in some blanks at a later date but for now, listed as deed dated October 6th, 1920, Deed Book No.91, page 212, also number 3477 when recorded, October 9, 1920, Mary E. Wolf and husband, Harvey S. Wolf, sell to the Hammonds, Lawrence and Mamie, for the sum of $1,400.00.  Reference is made that this is the same real estate conveyed to Samuel Roll, now deceased, who was the husband of Mary E. Wolf, referencing her as the single heir, and the Deed Book 79, page 185.

 

Apparently this was a purchase from one family member to another when Lawrence purchased the property from Mamie for $500.00 on  June 16th, 1924. The deed was recorded the same day, listed as number 2050.

 

Lawrence and Effie Hammond, husband and wife, sold to William  H. Potter  on September 4th, 1937, for one dollar and “good and valuable consideration”, the copy I have was difficult to read, so I won’t share it.

 

Mr. William H. Potter, in turn, sold for one dollar and other valuable consideration, to Stella Cisco, on June 4, 1938; the mortgage deed of $500.00  was dated March 18, 1938, recorded in Building Association Mortgage Record 20, page 522. (The deed was received for record the 10th of June 1942).

 

 The next sale for 1030 Park Avenue was to the Chapples, who have living relatives still in the neighborhood, residing at 1014 Park.  The Warranty Deed states that Stella Cisco , for and in consideration of One ($1.00) and other valuable considerations, sold the property to Claude B. & Mary R. Chapple.

 

The Chapples owned and operated a Service Station for a while at this address, as documented in Hoffman’s City Directory of Madison, 1942 and still in 1947. A relative (June Keller) told me there was a “dance hall” there as well. Another neighbor called it a “tavern”. I have two copies of Warranty Deeds for this property: Number 07933 has the names Charles and June Keller conveying to Genevieve Vestal, and then Number 08016 shows Frances and Freddie Graves with Charles and June Keller conveying with exception.

 

 The census tells who was in the three houses known as Lot #1, which included 2 houses at 1030 Park and Lots#2&3, now Richard Benjamin’s House and factory at 1032-1034, that shown first on the census since it is at the corporatione line.

 

 

I found it curious that descendants of the Hall family were living in the same house, with Samuel and Mary Roll (also spelled Raul); I will follow that up as I can. Of course everyone was related around here.

At this point in time, I do not currently have copies of any other deeds with respect to this property, but I do have this, copied from a book a week before the Courthouse burned, and it shows ownership of this building and the one in back, known as 1030 and 1/2. 1030 is listed on the Madison National Historic Landmark Inventory  Reconnaissance Survey Form as final site 1713, survey number 32064, when surveyed 9/25/2002.

 

This Federal-with-a past, the Brushfield’s big brick house, needs some TLC. I wish I could live there and give it some!

 

The photo below is of the cottage out back, at 1030 and 1/2 Park. Most people wouldn’t know it is there because it sits back off of Park Avenue, closer to E. First Street. It’s kind of a two-for-one thing.

 

the old schoolhouse

1011 E. First (fka 1011 High Street) is one of the few properties I looked at when I first moved to Madison. The inside was rough, having been sectioned into two separate units, (now a duplex functioning as 1011 and 1013, though 1013 was actually the back lot of 1014 Park) but I knew it could be nice with some work.  I also knew it was old, (then) a 150-year old building.

The way I read it, that brick building shows up on the 1854 map, as a public school building. This has since been clarified from a number of sources, namely as part of the abutting property’s legal description in the warranty deed  (1014 Park Avenue) wherein it is referred to as the “old school house lot.” See also Fulton School post. The building on High Street pre-dates the other building as a Fulton School, and would be the one mentioned in 1850’s Fulton School reports. It is one of the only three properties in this block on the 1854 map, two of which were brick.

When at the library I read that the Madison City Schools “are no more”; private schools springing up again” (August 18, 1857 ) Backing up a little, I also saw there was a Fulton School Report dated July 27, 1854, which is when the map would have been showing that building as the public school building. That which has been referred to as the “Fulton School” (now Madison Pilgrim Holiness Church) was circa 1876 (see Fulton School post ) having been built at the corner of Park and Ferry, but not until 22 years after that.

The Madison Jefferson County Library’s history rescue project shows the 1859 directory listing under school department, as Fulton School, east of Ferry:

 

I have yet to copy the deed, but I’ll get around to it. This is all a process. So bear with me as I work the process through. I will add to each post as I get more information.

The old schoolhouse is an interesting little building. I think it resembles the shop building somewhat, which would make sense since they are both from the same time period. Note the three chimneys and stone foundation. Photo May 2009

**Post updated July 22, 2009**

1034 Park Avenue

The Benjamin Brushfield Candle Manufactory

The Richard Brushfield Broom Manufactory

 

This circa 1850 two-floor, commercial, brick building was built into the hillside on the south side of Park Avenue (previously known as Lawrenceburg Road), level with the then High Street-now E. First Street “alley”. The building was originally used for tallow chandling and later broom making. We are unsure of the layout as to how the building was used, specifically, but the lower level originally had a dirt floor.

There is evidence of two stencils on the inside of the south doors (B. Brushfield Lard Oil No. 1, Madison, IND) indicating at least the packaging of goods. Additional access is on the north side of the building through a double wooden door. Two windows are on the north face and 3 windows are on the upper floor of the south side of the building. There was evidence of a stairway on the north side that connected the upper and lower levels, but that stairway no longer exists.

 

Built with an open floor plan. The lower level is only 2/3 the length of the overall building and full width. The eastern third never seems to have had access, it has ground sloping that conforms with the hillside outside. There was a center hewn beam running east/west that was supported with two hewn posts to support the upper floor. Two windows flanked the the lower doors; one has been rebuilt using the remnants of the existing jamb as a model.

 

The upper floor was a clear span made possible by two primary trusses holding a purlen on either side to catch the half span of the rafter system. On the southern portion of the east wall there are three joist pockets measuring roughly 3” by 6” approximately 7′ off the floor, indicating a second level in the southeast corner of the building. No evidence of a western side of support has yet been discovered for this feature. The rafters show no sign of ever having a finished ceiling. The walls are three courses of brick thick up to the eave line of the roof, the gable ends are two brick thick. The walls have a combination of white paint and whitewash on brick. There is evidence that at some point a thin finished coat of plaster was covering the walls at some point in time.

 

There are stove pipe openings in three chimney cavities on the upper floor, two on the west side halfway up either rake and one on the east side coming out the peak of the roof. The east chimney protrudes into the space one extra brick course and was placed slightly north of the center, making the chimney angle slightly to come out in the center of the roof system. All chimneys had been removed above the roof line prior to 1996.

 

The original windows were removed in 1996 because of the condition and replaced with windows that came from 1030 Park Ave. The windows matched in configuration, profile and size. The door opening may have been roughly a foot farther west at one point. The limestone sill was off-center of the current door opening. The sill was moved to center of the door opening when the door jamb was restored. The bricks on either side of the jamb were relayed at this time, and no evidence of the them being reset was discovered, leaving a question as to whether the door opening was shifted or the sill was just laid in of center. The existing doors are probably a later replacement since they do not match the lower set of doors in beading profiles. The lower floor doors do match the basement doors of 1032 Park Ave. in their profile and construction technique.

 

In addition to the stencils found on the inside of the lower doors, an inscription is found on the lower door jamb, the initials W.B.might indicate Wilberforce Brushfield marking his initials, as the dates are consistent with his living on the property.

 

The current classification for the building (Final Site No. 1715) on the Madison National Historic Landmark Inventory (9/25/2002) states the building’s historic function is that of a domestic secondary structure, but the building has almost exclusively been used as a business since it was built. The building is currently functioning as a tinner’s manufactory, so the current function would also be business.  

 

This is the building which, by name and its physical existence, marks the eastern boundary of the city’s corporation limits.

 

Please see the Brushfield-Cunningham PAGE for more information.

a Fulton School

At the corner of Ferry Street and Park Avenue in Madison, Indiana stands a brick building which was many refer to as the Fulton School. I noticed this same photo in Madison’s 175th Anniversary, 1809-1984, but unfortunately, the blurb that went with the school photos mentions 1850’s schools, and the building shown as the Fulton School was not there in the 1850’s. It is the second Fulton school building in the neighborhood east of Ferry Street.  The earlier public school building was on E. First, then High Street; that building still exists. The people in the neighborhood know the difference. The difference becomes evident when you look at the 1854 map, part of which is shown here, which clearly shows a public school building further east and south of the building at the corner of Ferry Street and Park Avenue (in the photo above).  See listing for 1011 E. First  for the older school building.

This 1911 Sanborn map shows both buildings, though the street name Filmore is incorrect. The red circled building is the older building.

I copied the 2002 Madison National Historic Landmark Inventory about this building (and the other school building as well) to do some neighborhood research. While I was getting the inventory, I also looked up the building in one of the books shown to me, The Early Architecture of Madison, Indiana (Indiana Historical Society, HMI) and saw a little more information which clarified that the building everyone refers to as the Fulton School could not have been the same one mentioned in the early Fulton School reports. According to the information in the book, which quoted the Madison Daily Courier of May 20, 1875, “Mr. B.F.Fowler has been awarded the contract and has commenced work upon the new Fulton school house, on the corner of Second and Ferry streets [now Park and Ferry]. It will be built of brick, one-story high, with galvanized iron cornice, surmounted by a cupola.”

Yes,the building most think of as the school was a Fulton school, but not the only one, nor the earliest one. I didn’t want that to be another lost neighborhood fact.

The building located at 1004 Park is currently owned by the church I attend, the Madison Pilgrim Holiness Church, with attendees coming from both sides of the river. I don’t have much information yet on this building other than that many  in the neighborhood called it the Potter House, so I’ll work on it.

I remember when the ancient tree just west of the building was hit by lightning and fell to the ground just clipping the southwest corner of the building, damaging the cornice, and now a  new copperwork cornice has replaced that which was damaged. 

**This post was updated July 21, 2009**