The Central Junior High School Fire of 1949

Posted on December 13, 2024 by SCblogger

It was an unusually warm, but windy evening on Sunday, December 11, 1949. It was shortly before 7:00 p.m. when Ruth Ann Brasnar and Merline Frost were walking near Central Junior High (607-611 21st Street) in Rock Island, Illinois. The two eleven-year-olds were on their way to a youth social at a nearby church when they noticed an orange flickering glow coming from three second-floor windows of the junior high. Stopping, they watched and then realized what they were seeing was a fire inside the building.

Ruth Ann and Merline ran to a nearby grocery store and asked the owner to call the fire department. When the fire trucks arrived minutes later, the fire was shooting out of the building. Calls soon went out to Davenport Fire Department and all other local city and volunteer fire departments to assist. Central Junior High was located in the middle of a neighborhood filled with homes, churches, and small businesses. The fire put all other buildings in danger as well.

The Rock Island Argus, December 12, 1949. Pg. 13

Central Junior High School originally started as the fourth Rock Island High School building. It opened in September 1902 and served as the high school until the new (and current) Rock Island High School building opened in 1937. After updating and remodeling, the old high school reopened as Central Junior High.

The Daily Times, December 12, 1949. Pg. 6

The junior high building sat in a school district complex with Lincoln Elementary School next to Central. A walkway ran from the junior high to the Manual Arts building across the street. School district offices were also located next to the Manual Arts building. As more fire trucks arrived, firefighters were pulled off the Central fire to continuously spray water on the nearby school buildings and houses. Homeowners and people from the growing crowd attempted to hose off nearby homes as sparks flew with 50-mile-per-hour wind. Young boys were tasked with climbing on roofs to pull off shingles if they caught fire. Homeowners tried to remove belongings from their homes, but had nowhere to take the items as the crowds swelled to an estimated 20,000 people and traffic jams began to occur. The fire was easily seen across the Mississippi River in Davenport. Centennial Bridge officials would later report an additional 3,000 cars used the bridge during the fire. The Arsenal bridge and Sylvan Island viaduct were so busy it took nearly 30 minutes to cross the structures during the peak of the fire.

The Rock Island Argus, December 12, 1949. Pg. 10

The fire was largely extinguished by 10:00 p.m. Fire departments stayed on scene throughout the night to put out flare-ups. Only the outer shell of the building remained and that was in fragile condition. The next morning, crews were brought in to tear down the remaining walls. There was nothing left of Central Junior High.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 12, 1949. Pg. 1

Classes were not held for Central, Lincoln, or Manual Arts students as Lincoln and the Manual Arts buildings had suffered water and small fire damage that needed to be fixed before students could return. Then it needed to be decided where the 500 hundred 7, 8, & 9 graders from Central would go. There were an additional 200 junior high students from nearby Franklin Junior High who had been attending Central as Franklin was closed due to a building addition and other improvements being made to the structure. Two-thirds of Franklin students had been placed for the school year at Central.

The Daily Times, December 12, 1949. Pg. 1

About 500 hundred of the Central and Franklin students were sent to Rock Island High School while the remaining 200 students were sent to Lincoln Elementary School and the Manual Arts building. Plans immediately began to clear the debris and start design sketches and blueprints for a new school building to be built on the site of Central Junior High.

The Rock Island Argus, December 13, 1949. Pg. 19

The estimated loss of the building was $325,000. the cost of building a new structure of similar size was estimated at $1,000,000. The school would receive a little over $300,000 from insurance money.

As for the cause of the fire, the Rock Island Fire Department and the State of Illinois joined forces to try to find a cause for the fire. The building had a brick exterior, but contained wood throughout the interior of the building. As the building was completely gutted and the walls were torn down the next morning for safety; the investigation started with many setbacks. It was known the building had painting going on in the school by workers that Saturday and there had been an event in the auditorium on Friday night.

The Daily Times, December 12, 1949. Pg. 20

Maintenance had walked through the building Saturday after the painters left and again on Sunday to make sure everything was ready for school on Monday. At no time were any problems noted. The first assumption was an electrical or wiring issue started the fire around 5:00 p.m. on December 11th and quickly spread through the open spaces between the walls and ceilings. The intense outside wind pushed the fire into the center of the building as windows broke due to the heat. Newly painted walls and stacks of paint cans helped the fire catch hold and spread as well. It all seemed like an unfortunate accident. The only fortunate part of the event was that classes were not in session and no one was hurt during the fire or after.

The Central Junior High fire soon fell from the headlines only weeks later as the tragedy of the St. Elizabeth’s fire in Davenport on January 7, 1950 took over headlines. The two buildings shared many common features that allowed the fire to catch and spread quickly. Both were built with non-flammable materials on the outside (brick for Central and stone for St. Elizabeth’s), but contained wooden materials throughout the interior. Space between the exterior walls and interior wood lathing, space between ceilings and the floors above, and full open attics helped the fire in both buildings spread quickly.

The Daily Times, January 7, 1950. Pg. 16

Both buildings had recent work done on the interiors that included painting of the walls. St. Elizabeth’s had also had varnish applied to woodwork the summer before the fire. Central had paint stored in the building as well for upcoming improvement projects. Both events were also hampered by weather. The Central fire was spread by 50-mile-per-hour winds while St. Elizabeth’s fire was hampered by freezing temperatures that caused ice to form while the firemen applied water to the building.

By April, work continued clearing debris from the Central site while the school administration worked to secure funding for a new junior high school. In 1950, Easter Sunday fell on April 9, 1950 with Rock Island school children expecting to have Friday and Monday off for a long weekend.

It was late afternoon of Wednesday, April 5, 1950, that Bryon Mason, 13, and Jack Viviana, 12, were outside playing with two girls from their neighborhood, Patricia (nicknamed Pat) Flaherty and Gay Jean Grant, both 14 years old. As they were playing, the girls told the boys that they were going to start a fire in Lincoln School. Byron later told police that he thought it was a joke so he bet the girls a quarter they would not do it.

The girls soon left the boys indicating they were going to start the fire. The boys ignored them and continued to play until they heard glass breaking near the Lincoln Elementary School. Jack went to the school and saw the girls outside the building. Seeing Pat holding a box of matches, Jack took them from her and the girls ran away. The girls later admitted to going to Gay’s house. While Pat waited outside, Gay went in and took more matches. The two then returned to the school. Gay admitted to breaking the glass of a door earlier with a rock as Pat insisted she do it this time as Pat had broken the glass to get into Central to set the fires. The girls went to the second floor of Lincoln School to Miss Kinsey’s 4th grade room. Pat then lit a wall calendar and wall map on fire. The girls quickly ran out of the building.

The boys in the meantime had decided to try to find the girls again. They saw flames in a second-floor window just as the girls ran out of the building. The girls were heard saying “We did it.” to each other.

The boys ran nine blocks to the police station to report the incident. The fire department was dispatched and they were able to put out a small fire in the second-floor classroom. The damage was estimated to be about $100.

The Daily Times, April 6, 1950. Pg. 32

The police went to the girls’ homes and brought them in for questioning. They later brought in 14-year-old Arlene Horsley who lived in the neighborhood for questioning as well.

The Rock Island Argus, April 6, 1950. Pg. 3

Pat and Gay quickly admitted to setting the fire at Lincoln Elementary School and also Central Junior High. Their main motive for the Central fire was a desire not to go to school the next day. They figured a small fire would give them an extra day or two off of school. Arlene was with them as they broke into Central through a cafeteria window. They initially tried to flood the school using showers in the boys’ locker room, but not enough water came out to do so. Pat and Gay then suggested starting a fire and Arlene quickly became scared and left before the fires were started. After Arlene left, Pat set fire to items in two classrooms while Gay set fire to things in one of the classrooms. After setting the fires, the girls returned to Gay’s home where Arlene waited for them to listen to records. Once the sound of fire trucks was heard, they joined the crowd to watch the fire.

The Daily Times, April 6, 1950. Pg. 32

No reason for setting the fire at Lincoln was mentioned in the newspaper reports, but being so close to a holiday weekend, one wonders if they were once again looking for an extended holiday by causing fire damage. The three-story school was opened in 1893 and would have had many of the same building features as the 1902 Central Junior High.

Pat and Gay were found guilty of delinquency on temporary orders and were to be held at the Illinois State Training School for Girls in Geneva, Illinois pending their charges and were to receive psychological testing there. Arlene was committed to the Bethany home in Rock Island on a temporary delinquency count.

All three girls were released in a few months to their parents on probation until 1952. Arlene’s family relocated soon after to Salt Lake City, Utah. Arlene would marry four times. Her final years were spent in Indiana with her fourth husband Leonard Huking. Arlene passed away on May 14, 2000 in Indiana.

Gay’s family moved to Galesburg, Illinois. After the training school, Gay was placed into a church home in Joliet, Illinois until 1951. Once released, she joined her family and went on to graduate from Galesburg High School. She married and divorced three times before her death in 1964 at the age of 28 under mysterious circumstances in Tijuana, Mexico. She left behind three children when she passed.

Pat’s family moved just outside Rock Island to Port Byron, Illinois. After the move, Pat can be found under her step-father’s last name of Heberle. In October 1953, Pat was nominated and crowned Homecoming Queen at Port Byron High School. She later graduated from that school. Pat was married twice before passing away in 2011.

The new Central Junior High School opened in 1954. In the 1980s, Central closed and the building was adapted to be used as an elementary school. It was renamed Lincoln Elementary School after the original Lincoln School which had been closed in 1980 and torn down in 2012. It later became Rock Island Intermediate School in the early 2000s. The school closed in 2010 and the building was again repurposed to be part of the central food production kitchen for the district. That closed in 2021 and the building was torn down in 2023.

The Rock Argus, January 13, 1954. Pg. 13

Today, on the site of the old Lincoln Elementary School is the new district building with administration offices and a distribution kitchen. The Central Junior High School site remains empty.

The block with the old Lincoln Elementary School and the Central Junior High School has a long history with Rock Island School District, now called Rock Island-Milan School District #41. In 1856, five separate school districts merged into the Rock Island School District and work began on a new high school at 7th Avenue and 22nd Street. The building was completed in the summer of 1858 and furniture was being moved in preparation for fall term. During 4th of July fireworks celebrations, crowds noticed the new high school was on fire. Sadly, the building burnt down before it even opened to students.

The Rock Island Argus, December 12, 1949. Pg. 4. 1st Rock Island High School

The school district quickly began work on building a second high school on the same site. The second building was ready by 1859 and was eventually torn down in 1892 to make way for P. S. 4 which became Lincoln Elementary School (which was featured in this blog). In 1887, a new (third) high school was built on the same block next to the old high school. It opened in 1888, was enlarged in 1898, and burnt down under mysterious circumstances on February 15, 1901. Work soon began on the fourth high school which was built on the same spot as the third high school and opened in 1902. It too would be destroyed by fire on December 11, 1949 as Central Junior High School.

The Rock Island Argus, December 12, 1949. Pg. 4. Third Rock Island High School.

Our attention was caught with the Central Junior High School fire occurring so closely to the tragic St. Elizabeth’s fire. Both were public structures serving their respective communities with similar building design materials that would later be fire hazards.

We would like to share links to our St. Elizabeth’s blogs Part I and Part II along with our blog on St. Elizabeth’s Nurse Anna Neal as we approach its 75th anniversary.

(posted by Amy D.)

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Victor Animatograph Company of America

Posted on December 6, 2024 by SCblogger

Davenport and the other Quad Cities have a robust and vibrant industrial history. This region saw the development of many new technologies that have impacted the rest of the country and the world. One such example is the Victor Animatograph Company.

The Victor Animatograph Co., according to an article published in the Davenport Democrat and Leader on February 6, 1910, filed with the “County Recorder Frank Holm by Lane & Waterman in which the capitalization of the firm is placed at $100,000 and the place of business at Davenport.” The first officers of the business were A.F. Victor, as president, Wilson McClelland, as vice president, W.R. Weir, as Secretary, Dick R. Lane, as treasurer, and the board of directors including A.F. Victor, Wilson McClelland, W.R. Weir, Dick Lane, C.J. Von Maur, Charles Shuler, and Sam T. White.  It was located at 1545 ½ Rockingham Road in Davenport, Iowa according to the 1910 Davenport City Directory.  

The Davenport Democrat and Leader (Davenport, IA), Feb. 6, 1910, page 13.

In an article published in The Daily Times on June 17, 1910, the Victor Animatograph Company outlines the creation of their machine known as the “Animato-graph, promises to revolutionize the moving picture machine business, as it will enable the purchase of such machines for the home and enable any person to take the moving pictures, develop and print them, and reproduce them on a screen in a simple manner and at small cost.” Additionally, the company highlighted toy machines designed for children to show lithograph pictures. It also confirmed the company’s officers published in the February 1910 article.

The company established a strong presence in the film and picture industry. They developed many different products for people of all ages. According to the Davenport city directories, the location of the Victor Animatograph Company moved from 314-316 East 2nd Street to 527 West Fourth Street and then finally to an office and plant on Hickory Grove Road.

“In the early 1900s, they printed the world’s first catalogue of visual education subjects—thousands of slides on subjects from the Holy City to the solar system.” The featherweight slides are an example of this ubiquitous content that was tailored to the education field.   In an interview with Sam Rose and Bill Wundram, they discuss that “in 1913, the first marketed product of young Victor company was the Stereotrope, a new and greatly-improved development in the stereopticon field. About this time, Victor invented the self-centering arc lamp and used it in the stereopticon.” (Wundram)

According to his obituary in The Rock Island Argus, “in 1923, Mr. Victor announced for the first time the availability to the world of 16 mm projectors, cameras and corresponding width film.” (“Alexander Victor”)

The Daily Times (Davenport, IA), Aug. 11, 1923, page 16.

Alexander and the Victor Animatograph Company were credited with beginning “the 16mm industry and helping it reach its present important status in the economy, education and culture of the nation. He was the first to design, produce and market 16 millimeter projectors and cameras, and also initiated the struggle to establish a new standard of film, made from non-flammable materials and narrower in width than the theatrical size.” (“16 Millimeter Motion Picture”)

Alexander was president of the company until 1947-48. After he resigned, he was elected honorary chairman of the board of the Victor Animatograph Company. His successor as president was Samuel G. Rose. Samuel Rose had been with the company since 1910 when he started as its sales manager.

In July 1946, “The Curtiss-Wright Co. bought Victor Corp. and built a new Davenport plant on Hickory Grove Road.” Unfortunately, the management of the two companies did not agree on the future of the company’s growth which led to a buyout by Samuel Rose and a group of Davenporters. They purchased the patent rights, dies, and other equipment except for the physical plant. According to Sam Rose, “Production of Victor equipment was resumed from a plant in Chicago and continued under this arrangement—with Rose at the helm—until [May] 1956.” (Wundram) They sold out to Kalart Company and the firm produced Victor equipment in Plainville, Connecticut. The Victor Animatograph Company from 1953 until its selling in 1956 had executive offices in the Davenport Bank Building and a Services department located at either 518 West 4th or its last location at 318 Pershing Avenue. In 1958, Don Greet was the service manager of the company. The Victor Animatograph Company was not listed in the Davenport city directories after 1960.

The Daily Times (Davenport, IA), Aug. 12, 1944, page 6.

The man behind the company, Alexander F. Victor, was interested in many creative and innovative avenues. Alexander Ferdinand Victor (né Victor F. Lagerstam) was born on June 22, 1878 to Joh. (John) Alfred Lagerstam and Emilie Sofia Klar in Bollnäs, Gävleborg, Sweden. He immigrated to the United States with his parents and his brother around 1894-1895 when he was 16 years old.

He married Alphrilda Hanvass on August 26, 1903 in Pine City, New York. They had one daughter, Victoria Astrid, on January 19, 1905 in Davenport, Iowa. Alexander and Alphrilda divorced sometime after this. Victoria passed away on February 16, 1928 in Vermont.

Around 1903, he lived in Toledo, Ohio where he worked as a salesman and later the Eastern Representative of the White Lily Manufacturing Company. He became a stockholder in June 1909 in the company. He is credited with inventing the first washing machine developed for White Lily. While he worked for the manufacturing company, he continued to develop his passion for delighting audiences with his performances as a magician and early projectionist. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when a fire destroyed a magic show he was conducting in Toledo. This incident was noted in several articles and seems to have been another reason for Alexander’s later move to Davenport.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader (Davenport, IA), Jun. 4, 1909, page 7.

According to an article published in the Davenport Morning Star on January 25, 1905, during a visit to Davenport, he was the entertainment at the Davenport Letter Carrier Annual Ball. In the 1910 city directory, he officially moved to Davenport and was noted as living at 31 Edgehill Terrace with his wife Lenore. They married between 1909 and 1910. They later separated either through divorce or death between 1925 and 1945. Unfortunately, there are no records to document the end of this relationship.  He was naturalized on June 6, 1924 while living in Davenport at the Blackhawk Hotel.

Alexander lived between Davenport, Chicago, Illinois, and New York City, New York. When he resided in Davenport, he mainly stayed at the Blackhawk Hotel.

On April 5, 1945, Alexander married Nora Marie Ostgaard in Chihuahua, Mexico. After retiring, Victor moved from Davenport to Carmel, California, in 1949. He died at the age of 84 on March 29, 1961 in Monterey Hospital. He was a resident of Pebble Beach, California.

Morning Democrat (Davenport, IA), Mar. 31, 1961, page 23.

Another associated with the Victor Animatograph Company since its beginning was Sam Rose. Samuel Gleason Rose was born on July 26, 1887 to John W. Rose and Mary Blanchard in Wyoming. According to the 1910 United States Federal Census, Samuel was listed as a bookkeeper in an office and lived as a lodger in Davenport, Iowa. He worked for the Victor Animatograph Company from 1910 until its final sale where he was listed as the president.

In his personal life, he married Kathleen M. McCluer in 1920. She was born in 1889 in Kansas City, Missouri. According to her birth certificate, they had one daughter, Mary Frances, born at St. Luke’s Hospital on November 2, 1926. He passed away on March 24, 1966.

In Special Collections, we have several collections related to the Victor Animatograph Company and its products.

Bibliography

“16 Millimeter Motion Picture Industry to Observe Its 21st.” The Davenport Democrat and Leader (Davenport, IA), Aug. 10, 1944.  

“A.F. Victor, Davenport Inventor, Dies in West.” Morning Democrat (Davenport, IA), Mar. 31, 1961.

“A.F. Victor, Inventor, Dies at Monterey.” Oakland Tribune (Oakland, CA), Mar. 31, 1961.

“A.F. Victor Named Chairman Victor Animatograph Board.” The Davenport Democrat and Leader (Davenport, IA), Feb. 28, 1947.

“Alexander Victor, Once Head of Davenport Firm, Dies at Age 84.” The Rock Island Argus (Rock Island, IL), Mar. 30, 1961.

Arpy, Jim. “Davenport’s genius of film: And you’ve probably never even heard of him.” Quad-City Times (Davenport, IA), Jan. 27, 1985

Certificate of Death for the State of Iowa. Samuel G. Rose. 1966.

Department of Commerce and Labor-Bureau of the Census. 1910 Census.

 “Growth of One of Local Industries.” The Daily Times (Davenport, IA), May 29, 1909.

“Incorporates with Big Capitalization” The Davenport Democrat and Leader (Davenport, IA), Feb. 6, 1910.

Iowa State Department of Health. Standard Certificate of Birth. Mary Frances Rose. 1926.

 “Letter Carriers Have a Fine Time at Annual Ball.” Morning Star (Davenport, IA), Jan. 25, 1905.

New York State Birth Index 1881-1942.

“To Manufacture An Animato-Graph.” The Daily Times (Davenport, IA), Jun. 17, 1910.

U.S. Department of Labor, Immigration and Naturalization Service. V236

Vermont Death Records. Victoria Victor. 1928.

“Victor Services.” Santa Barbara News (Davenport, IA), Apr. 2, 1961.

Wundram, Bill. “He Met a Magician, and From It Came A Great Industry.” The Times-Democrat (Davenport, IA), Nov. 11, 1962.

(posted by Kathryn)

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The Claus Groth Gilde Jahrmarkt

Posted on November 27, 2024 by SCblogger

“Thanksgiving tide” in turn-of-the-twentienth-century Davenport brought not only family turkey meals and church services, but a popular event known as the “Jahrmarkt.” This fair was a fundraiser for the Claus Groth Gilde, a local benevolent society named in honor of the Holsteiner Plattdeutsch (Low German) poet Klaus Groth.

Claus Groth Hall, on the corner of 3rd and Taylor Streets, was expressly built by the Gilde in 1891 for events of this kind.

Daily Times, January 16, 1925, page 2

The Jahrmarkt or “Kirmess” (“fair” in German) typically began on Thanksgiving day and lasted for four or five days, often longer. It featured musical and theatrical performances, speeches, and contests. Booths decorated as German stores and houses were set up for exhibits, games of chance, raffles, the sale of “needlework and feminine handicraft,” other “fancy goods,” jewelry, flowers, cigars, candy, cakes, sandwiches, Wienerwurst, oysters, wine, and of course, beer.

In addition to the above, the Jahrmarkt usually included ladies’ and mens’ shooting galleries, dice throwing, roulette, a wheel of fortune, a knife and cane rack (a game?), a fishing game, fortune-telling, and a puppet show for children. In 1902, attendees could pay to guess the weight of a giant squash grown by Mr. A. Meiburg.

Decorations could be elaborate: a profusion of bunting, branches of arbor vitae woven through the booths, colored paper cutouts, flags hanging from the ceiling. A Grecian palace was erected at the center of Claus Groth Hall in 1900.

Despite being its being very well-attended and earning good money for the Gilde, the Jahrmarkt is not mentioned in the Davenport newspapers after 1907. Another local history mystery to solve!

(posted by Katie)

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Turkey Notes: Our 2024 edition

Posted on November 22, 2024 by SCblogger

Since we began this blog in 2008, we have revisited the unique local tradition of the Turkey Note many times over the years. This short poem using three- or four-lines along with the word “Turkey” in the first two lines has been a Davenport and Scott County tradition since about 1890.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, November 27, 1934. Pg. 7

Turkey Notes are easy to make. Purists insist a color must follow the word “Turkey”, but others disagree. As mentioned above, the Turkey Note is usually three- or four-lines. The most common example is “Turkey Red, Turkey Blue, Turkey says I love you”. Once finished, the paper is rolled and then wrapped with tissue or construction paper that is longer than the rolled paper inside. The ends are tied with ribbon, yarn, or string and the edges of the outer paper are cut to make fringe. Then write the name of the person who is to receive the note on the outside and your Turkey Note is done!

We even found Turkey Notes in local business advertisements when researching for this year’s blog. The ad below does not follow the purists form of using a color after the word “Turkey”, but they get high marks from us for their creativity!

The Times-Democrat, November 22, 1966. Pg. 7

Over the years, in some schools children would create Turkey Notes in the same spirit as May Day baskets. They would be hung in secret on the doorknobs of elderly neighbors or given to hospitals to pass out to pediatric patients with their Thanksgiving meal. Other classrooms would spend time before Thanksgiving making Turkey Notes to pass out in school or to take home to family members.

The Daily Times, November 19, 1956. Pg. 27

There are still families who create Turkey Notes for Thanksgiving. Parents and children work hard creating these individual rhymes for each person at the table. Once finished, they may be used as place cards or placed in a basket at the table. From loving messages to jesting about sports rivalries or long-standing family jokes; these gaily wrapped messages are read at the table to the amusement of all.

The Daily Times, November 25, 1959. Pg. 4

The wonderful thing about Turkey Notes is their connection over the years to family members and friends. These short poems may be passed out at your Thanksgiving meal or texted in group chats in this modern era. However they are delivered, they bring back wonderful memories and connect you once again to past Thanksgivings. The joyful spirit of Turkey Notes still exists after 130 years. We hope you find a way to include this tradition into your holiday.

Our original Turkey Note blog: https://blogs.davenportlibrary.com/sc/2008/11/21/turkey-notes/. Thank you Sarah W. for starting this blog tradition!

For more Turkey Note blogs, please type Turkey Notes into our search box on the upper right side and enjoy!

Turkey Red,

Turkey Blue,

Turkey Says Thank you for Turkey Note memories,

This one’s for you!

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QC Architecture: The Chicago Connection

Posted on November 14, 2024 by SCblogger

Join the Scott County Historic Preservation Society (https://www.scottcountyiowa.gov/history/historic-preservation-society) for their November meeting featuring Ellen Shapley, an Iowa native, architectural historian, and a former guide for the Chicago Architecture Center and the Architectural Heritage Center in Portland, OR. She will be speaking about the connections between Quad Cities and Chicago architecture.

For over 150 years, celebrated Chicago architects brought their vision and creativity to our downtowns and neighborhoods. The architectural styles and trends that started in that city of big shoulders and spread across America are reflected in our cityscapes. Theatres, banks, office towers, department stores, churches, civic buildings, homes, clubs, and a cemetery are the legacies of the Chicago connection that helped create our sense of place.

Credit: Ellen Shapley


With loads of photos and many intriguing “untold” stories, Ellen Shapley will share the discoveries she’s made about her hometown area since returning six years ago.

They include a renowned Mid-Century modernist who, early in his career, designed a home in the QC; a versatile designer who created both houses of worship and churches of baseball; sibling architects who “saw the future” for the 1933-34 Chicago World’s Fair and later designed two QC homes; and a couple of 1950s Central High grads who “made it” in the lofty world of Chicago architecture.

You can find more QC stories at her Facebook page “ArchiTouring the Quad-Cities.” In the summer, sign-up for downtown Davenport walking tours with Ellen sponsored by the City of Davenport’s Historic Preservation Commission and the the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center at Davenport Public Library.


Credit: Ellen Shapley

This program is sponsored by the Scott County Historic Preservation Society in partnership with the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center, and the German American Heritage Museum and Center.

This program is for all adults and teens.

Event details:

https://davenportlibrary.libcal.com/event/13301116

Date: Thursday, November 14, 2024

Time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Location: Meeting Room A, Eastern Branch, 6000 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA 52807

(posted by Kathryn)

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Hostetler’s Houses: West 8th and Vine Streets

Posted on November 9, 2024 by SCblogger

In addition its large number of portrait photographs, the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center’s J.B. Hostetler Studio Collection includes many panoramic images of Davenport and the surrounding area. A few of these feature houses. While Oak Knoll and the World War I housing projects were easily identifiable, understanding the location of the residences shown in the image below (#dplpanoramic074, volume 503, c. 1915) was more of a challenge.

Clearly the photograph was taken from the bluffs with a view out over the Mississippi River, but where in the city, exactly?

To find out, I focused first on the most unique buildings in the image: an institutional building and a steepled church on the far right side. Here they are shown in close-up:

I then consulted a map of Davenport with a date close to 1915 (Melchior Huebinger’s 1918 map of the city) to see what structures to the south of the bluffs these could be. Thinking the photographer must have been standing in the area where the Fejervary or Riverview Terrace parks are now, I identified a few schools that might be the institutional building, but none paired with a church. Looking to the east, I saw that both St. Mary’s and St. Joseph’s churches also had associated schools close by.

For a closer look at the shape of these buildings, I brought out the 1910-1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for Davenport (Vol. 1, also available online from the Library of Congress) from the RSSC Center’s map collection. Comparing the protruding ell at the back of the institutional building and the semi-circular church apse visible in the photograph to the drawings on the map, I concluded it had to be St. Joseph’s.

I then scanned the Sanborn map sheets to the northeast of the St. Joseph’s complex and found dwellings with shapes similar to those in the photograph at the corner of West 8th and Vine Streets. The photographer was likely positioned on the spot identified below on Sheet 40 as the “STEEP HILL SIDE” to capture the image of these residences.

Here is each house appearing in the panoramic (from right to left) side-by-side with its representation on the Sanborn map sheet (shown east to west and turned upside down for better comparison).

728 Vine Street identifying features: Square shape, porch and outbuilding on west side, 1-story wraparound structure on east side.

1015-1013 West 8th Street: Square shape overall, 1-story features on both sides.

1019/1023 West Eighth Street: 1-story porch on the east-side at the meeting of two 2-story structures, 1-story porch in front. The rectangular building visible in the background is likely 722 Vine Street.

1025/1031 West Eighth Street: Protrusion on the east side, 1-story porch in front.

Of the three houses shown in the panoramic, 1031 West Eighth Street is the only one still standing. This recent image of the property from the Scott County Parcel Search makes clear that I’ve identified it correctly…just look at the roofline!

Stay tuned for more information about the people who lived in these houses!

(posted by Katie)

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The Steenbock – Pohlers Affair: Part II

Posted on October 31, 2024 by SCblogger

If you haven’t read part I of this series we invite you to do so now.

When we ended Part I of this blog series, Adolph and Lottie Steenbock had their divorce finalized on October 26, 1933. Lottie had received all the household furnishings, was allowed to keep the $1500 in savings she had, and was given back her maiden name of Nickelson. She returned to their home at 1940 West First Street in Davenport to continue the boarding house she had been running. William F. Pohlers, her “star boarder” as he was referred to during the divorce trial, still lived in the house as well. Adolph Steenbock found a room to rent with a family on Claussen Street, not far from his old home on West First Street. All he received from the divorce was $193.85 from the $1,000 he had hidden in the basement that Lottie had taken and given to the court to use as payment for court services.

Many were struggling in 1933 finding work during the Great Depression. Adolph struggled to make ends meet as a gardener while William Pohlers had changed jobs from Ralston Purina to a job with the Peoples’ Light Company laying a pipe line in west Davenport. By early December he left the pipe line job to began work with the Civil Works Administration (CWA) on local labor projects. Lottie Steenbock still supported herself by taking in boarders at 1940 West First Street.

The Steenbock divorce quickly fell from the newspaper headlines as October turned into November and early December. The accusations of abuse, theft, and adulatory forgotten as everyone went back to the struggles of the depression and other interests took over the headlines.

But it wasn’t over for one of the three. Adolph Steenbock was angry over the money Lottie had taken from him. While she retained the $1,500 she had stashed away in the house, he only had $193.85. Adolph had stated in divorce court that he struggled to support himself on his gardener’s salary and he needed the $1,000 to survive. He also indicated in court his anger at William Pohlers who he felt caused the break-up of his marriage to Lottie.

On December 5, 1933, Adolph Steenbock finally let his anger overwhelm him. That morning he left the house where he was renting a room with his luggage and went to see his sister, Mrs. Fritz Ebendorf, at her home at 307 Lincoln Avenue in Davenport. He visited with her before departing in the late afternoon, leaving his luggage with his sister.

His destination soon became clear. He approached 1940 West First Street slightly before 4:00 p.m. and walked in the back kitchen door. His ex-wife was in the kitchen and William Pohlers was in the dining room near a radio.

As soon as he walked in, Adolph began demanding the return of his money and a key to his trunk he insisted Lottie had kept from him. Lottie would later tell police that Adolph acted like he had been drinking. As he was shouting at her, Lottie ran into the dining room where William Pohlers stood. Adolph followed her. Upon seeing William, Adolph pulled two revolvers from his coat. He shouted for Pohlers to put up his hands and began to walk towards the dining room table that separated the two men. Lottie, near a hallway, ran for the front door. As she opened the door, she would tell the police she heard a gun shot and William Pohlers say “Oh, that hurts”.

The Daily Times, December 6, 1933. Pg. 1

Lottie ran to a neighbor’s house. They called the police who quickly responded. Inside, the police found William Pohlers collapsed in a rocking chair he had been standing in front of when Adolph Steenbock entered the room. He was dead from a gunshot wound near the heart. Adolph Steenbock was dead on the floor near the dining room table. He had shot himself. The police found his coat pockets full of bullets.

Sadly, William Pohlers was not normally home at that time of day. His job transfer from the Peoples’ Light Company pipe line to the CWA project meant he now got home before 4:00 p.m. and not after 5:00 p.m. like his previous job. The job change occurred only a few days before December 5, 1933. It is not known if he was an original target of Adolph Steenbock or a victim of circumstance.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, December 6, 1933. Pg. 1

Both bodies were sent to the Hill & Fredericks Mortuary. The Scott County, Iowa Coroner reviewed the police and witness statements and did not call for an inquest as the information provided was conclusive that Adolph Steenbock had shot William Pohlers and then himself.

Both men were buried at Fairmount Cemetery on the same day. Adolph Steenbock in the Public Grounds and William Pohlers in a plot that was purchased by Lottie Steenbock. Lottie not only had William buried there, but interred the cremains of her stepson, Walter, as well. Lottie arranged everything without including William Pohlers’ family in the planning. There were also rumors that Lottie had William take out a life insurance policy with her as the beneficiary, but that was never confirmed.

The Daily Times, December 8, 1933. Pg. 6

The funerals were held on December 8, 1933. Lottie attended William’s funeral at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. While the Pohlers family may have attended, they were not listed in the funeral notice. The newspapers noted that Lottie did not attend Adolph’s funeral which was held at 2:00 p.m. from the Hill & Fredericks Mortuary. Nephews and friends served as Adolph’s pall bearers.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, Der 8, 1933. Pg. 13

After the funeral, Lottie asked William’s recently widowed mother, Anna Pohlers of Amana, to help pay for the burial plot and headstone. William’s two uncles visited the grave to see the headstone and found a large expensive stone monument with Lottie, Walter, and William’s names all engraved on it. William’s name not only had the wrong middle initial, but used the last name Steenbock instead of Pohlers. The family refused to pay for the plot or headstone and the two uncles purchased a small cement headstone with William’s correct name and information that was placed over his resting spot.

www.Findagrave.com, Photo by Tom and Carol C.
www.Findagrave.com, Photo by Tom and Carol C.

After the deaths of Adolph and William, Lottie continued her boarding house. She married widower Thure Carlson of Cambridge, Illinois on November 4, 1934. She was married under her restored maiden name of Nickelsen. Thure died in Davenport on August 6, 1936 of tuberculosis after a two year illness. He was survived by Lottie and three sons by his first marriage along with other relatives.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, November 7, 1934. Pg. 7

Lottie worked as a housekeeper until she married for a third time to widower Charles Verniest of Rock Island, Illinois on July 8, 1939. Lottie put down that this marriage was her second instead of third with her maiden name of Necklesen. She would become a naturalized citizen in 1941. One of her complaints during her divorce from Adolph was her desire to become a citizen, but Adolph refused she had said.

The Daily Times, July 8, 1939, Pg. 14

Through the 1940s into the 1950s, Lottie and Charles appeared in local newspapers related to church and club activities while living in Rock island. That all changed on October 5, 1954 when The Daily Times and other newspapers ran an article on Lottie finding her long lost older brother only 25 miles from Rock Island.

The article tells how Hans Henningsen had immigrated to the United States from Germany when he was 32 years old and eventually lost contact with his younger sister who was 19 years old when he left. Hans eventually settled in Grand Mound, Iowa while Lottie settled in Davenport and Rock Island. Lottie one day told Herman Johansen who she bought eggs from about her long lost brother. Herman’s sister, Catherine, was married to Hans and the two were happily reunited.

The Daily Times, October 5, 1954. Pg. 1

In the newspaper article, Lottie keeps some facts as we know them through primary resources. She was born in Germany, was a nurse in World War I, married a patient, then immigrated to Davenport in 1926. In this article, there was no Adolph Steenbock or Thure Carlson, but only Charles Verniest as her World War I husband who she married in Germany and moved to Davenport with. Records indicate Charles was born in Belgium and immigrated to the United States in 1900 with no mention of being in World War I in his obituary. We can guess that Lottie wanted to remove any connection to Adolph, their divorce, and the tragedy that followed.

As for the connection to Hans Henningsen, we only have guesses as we have not found evidence in German records currently online. Two theories, one is the records, as many records all over the world, are just not online. The second theory, we know Lottie lived near or in Hamburg which sustained heavy bombing in World War II resulting in a loss of documents. So for now, we can only use knowledge we have from genealogical research over the years.

We found that Lottie’s parents names were Johann/John and Maria/Margaretha/Mary Nickelson (or various spellings of the last name). Hans Henningsen’s father’s name was also Johann/John, but his mother’s name was Roth Jensen. It may be a possibility that John Nickelson and Roth Henningsen both passed away and Hans and Maria married making Hans and Lottie stepbrother and stepsister. The “step” may just not have seemed important to the reporting of the story.

Charles Verniest passed away on May 9, 1955 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Rock Island, Illinois.

Lottie Nickelson Steenbock Carlson Verniest passed away on March 29, 1958. In her obituary, her maiden name was no longer Nickelson, but Henningsen. The only husband mentioned was Charles Verniest. Lottie was buried in Calvary Cemetery with Charles and his first wife, Pelagie. Her estate at the time of her death was $12,500 (slightly over $136,000 in present day currency) and bequeathed to four nephews and two nieces.

www.Findagrave.com, Photo by Tom Carlson

We don’t know if it was intentional, but Lottie had dissolved any connection from the events of 1933 over the years. She was not buried with Walter and William in the same cemetery as her ex-husband. Instead, choosing to embrace her new life and identity even in death.

(posted by Amy D.)

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2024 Quad Cities Archives Fair

Posted on October 21, 2024 by SCblogger

October 26th, 2024, marks the sixth annual Quad Cities Archives Fair! The Fair will be held at the Credit Island Lodge on Credit Island in Davenport, Iowa, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. We are happy to announce the attendance of 26 cultural and historical institutions and societies that will showcase their unique collections and services! Our goal is to connect our citizens with these keepers of our history and their valuable resources during this fun event?

We are thrilled to highlight the island’s history as part of this year’s program. Kevin Braafladt will speak about the island’s historical ties to the War of 1812 and the battle for the Upper Mississippi Valley and Rock Rapids region.

In addition to celebrating the history and culture of our region, we will also offer archival-themed gift basket drawings after each talk! If one gets parched or famished, we will have refreshments available to satiate.

To learn more about this event, please visit https://sites.google.com/view/qcarchivesfair/home!

See you at the QC Archives Fair this Saturday!

(posted by Kathryn)

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Hostetler’s Houses: 1002 Brady Street

Posted on October 18, 2024 by SCblogger

Here at the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center we are fortunate to have not just one but three photographs of the house at 1002 Brady Street in our collection of images from the J. B. Hostetler Studio (click side arrows to view slideshow):

  • dplx529-1, volume 32
  • dplx529-6, volume 32
  • dplx529-7, volume 32

The photographs were taken about 1908 or after, when the house was occupied by its second owner, Julius Casper Hasler and his wife Josephine Gertrude Nahlen. We are also fortunate to have these images of the couple (and possibly Josephine’s niece Mayme Leonardy) enjoying the home’s porch as part of the same set (dplx529, volume 32):

Julius C. Hasler was Cashier at the Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank at the time; he later became its president.

This caricature from A Portfolio of Cartoons as Published by the Davenport Times 1912-13 (SC 741.5 POR) shows Julius Hasler in his role at the bank. The accompanying verse makes his occupation clear: “The rustle of a greenback or the mellow clink of gold / Is music to the ears of many men…” And it goes on: “… let me tell you of the tune that Hasler likes to hear / When starting on an outing, full of hope; / ‘Tis the deeply basso murmur and the highly powered throb / Of the engine of his new and nifty Pope!” These lines refer to the high-end Pope touring car we believe is pictured in the above photographs of the house.

One fact we know about the care of 1002 Brady Street was that its carpets were cleaned with the newfangled Electric Suction Sweeper, precursor to the vacuum later manufactured by the Hoover Company.

Democrat and Leader, June 13, 1909, page 16

The first owner of the house, and its builder, was John Hoyt. He was the president of a successful piano dealership on West 3rd Street and very active in both the local business and music communities.

Democrat and Leader, October 9, 1901, page 5

Construction of the residence was nearly complete in October 1900, mere months after the 71-year-old widower took Laura G. Campbell as his second wife. [1]

Some features of the home’s interior (including a music room, of course!) are mentioned in this article from the Daily Times for June 3, 1903 (page 11) describing the wedding of Laura’s daughter, Amy Campbell, to A. C. Tobias:

The Hoyts were only to enjoy the home for a few years. John passed away in December, 1904; Laura in March 1906. The house went to Amy Campbell Tobias, who sold it to the Haslers for an estimated $12,000 in April 1908. [2]

In March of 1919, the Haslers purchased a new home near Vander Veer Park and sold 1002 Brady Street to B. J. Palmer for $16,000. [3] The house served as a Palmer School of Chiropractic Health Home for a time, as Palmer was apparently unable to find a buyer willing to remove the house:

Daily Times, March 27, 1919, page 18

The house was razed in 1920 to make way for the Palmer School of Chiropractic Classroom building. Images of its construction from Palmer’s collection, as well the RSSCC’s images of the Hasler house, may be viewed online on the Upper Mississippi Digital Image Archive. Take advantage of this excellent resource, a database of digitized images from multiple organizations in the QCA, to find out more about local history!

(Posted by Katie)

Sources: [1] Daily Times, October 8, 1900, page 2; [2] Daily Times, April 10, 1908, page 6; [3] Daily Times, March 21, 1919, page 8.

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The Steenbock – Pohlers Affair: Part I

Posted on October 11, 2024 by SCblogger

The first soap operas began as radio programs in 1930. People soon became absorbed in the lives, and scandals, of these fictional radio characters. It was a welcome break from life in the Great Depression. In 1933, the citizens of Davenport found the lives of three ordinary residents began to resemble an almost fictional storyline that could have been part of a radio soap opera.

Adolph and Lottie Steenbock were a middle-aged married couple who had immigrated to Davenport from the Hamburg region of Germany in 1926. They arrived on December 9, 1926 to New York. The records from Ellis Island state that Adolph was 46 in 1926. He was 5’9″ with brown hair and eyes. Lotte (as it was spelled) was 43 years old, 5’7″ with blonde hair and brown eyes. Both stated Davenport, Iowa as their final destination and they both planned to become citizens.

We were able to locate their marriage record on Ancestry.com. The couple married in Hamburg, Germany on June 22, 1915. Any previous marriages were not found in our online search.

We do know that Adolph had a son named Walter who was born in July 1907 in Hamburg. Walter had immigrated to the Seattle, Washington area with a cousin in 1923. He joined his father and stepmother in Davenport after their immigration and they lived in a house at 1936 Dixwell Street.

Tragedy struck the family less than a year later when Walter and his friend, William Reese, were killed in an auto accident on their way home from work on September 9, 1927. The two young men were driving home from Frank Foundries when Walter’s car collided with the car of James H. Barner at an intersection. The collision caused Walter’s car to flip over. Steenbock died instantly while Reese survived only a few hours. The Coroner’s Inquest would find the incident an accident. Walter and William Reese had been friends in Hamburg and Reese had recently immigrated to work with his friend in Davenport.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, September 11, 1927. Pg. 16

Walter Steenbock was cremated at the Fairmount Cemetery crematorium. The newspapers listed Walter as the only child of his father and stepmother. William Reese was buried at Fairmount Cemetery. He left behind an uncle and aunt he had been living with in Davenport and his parents and siblings in Germany.

By 1933, Adolph and Lottie lived at 1940 W. 1st Street in Davenport. Adolph was listed in the Davenport City Directory that year as a pipefitter. Lottie ran the household and took in boarders to supplement the family income.

It was in July 1933 that the couple made local news. On the evening of July 17, 1933, Adolph went to the Davenport Police Department to report his wife and $1,000 the couple had hidden in the basement missing. Adolph said he had returned home after work, greeted his wife, and went to the basement to hide money in a crock the couple kept hidden there. Upon finding the crock empty, Adolph went to his wife who said the $1,500 she kept hidden (obtained from rent money and doing people’s laundry) was missing as well. Adolph returned to the basement to search again. When he came upstairs, Lottie was gone.

Local newspapers reported that Lottie returned the next day to hand Adolph divorce papers and a decree from a judge that he was not allowed to be in the house. The $1,000 had been turned over to the courts who immediately took $300 from it to pay the attorneys the couple hired to represent them.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, July 18, 1933. Pg. 11

During the time Lottie was missing, a boarder named William Pohlers was brought to the police station for questioning as Adolph felt Pohlers may know about the money and Lottie. He was known to be Lottie’s “Star Boarder”.

William Pohlers was born in 1905 in the Amana Colonies in Iowa. He moved to Davenport about 1928 and had boarded at 106 Division Street with Mrs. Dorothea Ebel, a widow with four sons. Mrs. Ebel died on December 18, 1932, and it appears that William became a boarder of Lottie Steenbock after Mrs. Ebel’s passing.

Mr. Pohlers had made his own news headlines in Davenport. On August 15, 1928, William was arrested in Davenport for having improper relations with a 14-year-old girl. He was 23 years old. Her father had discovered their interactions and contacted the police. No charges were pursued when Pohlers married the girl, Mary (or Maria) Solbrig, on August 20, 1928, in Davenport with her parents’ permission.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, August 15, 1928. Pg. 13
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, August 21, 1928. Pg. 15

On April 7, 1930, The Daily Times wrote that Mary had been granted a divorce on grounds of cruelty and had her maiden name restored. Her legal status had become an adult when she married. Upon divorce, the 15-year-old was once again viewed as a minor.

The Daily Times, April 7, 1930. Pg. 6

By 1933, William Pohlers was working for Ralston Purina, single, and boarding with Adolph and Lottie Steenbock.

After Lottie reappeared on July 18, 1933, the police apologized to William Pohlers for holding him in Lottie’s disappearance and the missing money. Adolph Steenbock was not allowed back in his house though he claimed to not make enough money to support himself without living in the home. Adolph turned to family and friends for support.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, August 13, 1933 Pg. 13

The couple resurfaced in August of 1933 as Lottie sent petitions to court and Adolph responded with cross-petitions. The divorce was acrimonious and soon made the news once again.

Lottie charged that she suffered cruel and inhuman treatment during the marriage. Adolph had never held a job in three or four years, was physically abusive, and that she was forced to take in boarders to help her family survive. She also accused him of being pro-German. Refusing to become a United States citizen and constantly talking about the greatness of Germany compared to the United States. Lottie claimed she wanted to become a naturalized citizen, but could not because of Adolph. She was a broken person by all his actions.

Adolph responded that he had always been employed, but some jobs had not paid well. He never struck Lottie, but treated her well despite her nagging and demands that he buy her luxury items he could not afford. It was her idea to take in boarders and then she invited the boarders’ friends over for loud parties that lasted all night. He had to leave to try to sleep at night. What was worse, she had taken up with a man to humiliate Adolph. Then she had stolen his money and removed him from his own house. This had reduced him to an anxious person unable to do anything.

The Daily Times, August 14, 1933. Pg. 4

Lottie responded in her next petition that she invited boarders’ friends over so they would feel at home. That Adolph encouraged the parties and enjoyed them. The household items and furniture were all purchased by Lottie. She needed them to support herself. And if Adolph thought she had another man then he should name him!

The Daily Times, August 17, 1933. Pg. 4

Adolph responded that his income had purchased household items and furniture while Lottie hid her boarders’ money from him. He never wanted parties at his house. He couldn’t sleep and went to relatives in the hope of a quiet night’s rest. And if Lottie wanted a name then Adolph would supply it. It was star boarder William Pohlers!

With every petition and cross-petition, the newspapers printed every lurid detail. The accusations ran into September and then October.

As the trial started on October 16, 1933, spectators and newspaper writers were prepared for continuing drama between the couple and they were not disappointed. Mrs. Steenbock was brought to the stand to testify about her marriage to Mr. Steenbock in Germany and in Davenport. On October 17th, William Pohlers, who attended the trial and sat near Lottie Steenbock, was reprimanded by the judge for continuously coaching Lottie with her answers.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, October 17, 1933. Pg. 19

Lottie testified she worked as a nurse in Germany, in fact, that was how she met Adolph. She was a nurse in World War I and treated an injured soldier, Adolph Steenbock. They married while on furlough in June of 1915.

It was she who continued to earn money for the family as a nurse. Adolph, though he came from money she claimed, never held jobs. She sold some of their furniture in Germany for $300 and that money was used to purchase second-hand furniture in Davenport when they moved here. The $1500 she had saved and hidden was her work as was the $1,000 hidden in the crock in the basement. Adolph contributed nothing.

It was on Friday, October 20, 1933, that Lottie was once again called to the stand. This being her third time being questioned. It was during this session as she was describing the enormous appetite of her husband in which he could eat a dozen eggs at once, that she began to feel ill and was taken home where it was thought she had suffered either a heart attack or collapse from stress. Court was adjourned until the following Tuesday.

The Daily Times, October 20, 1933. Pg. 6

Adolph took the stand when the trial resumed on the following Tuesday. He reported that Lottie had three children of her own when he met her in 1915. The newspapers did not report what had happened to them, but they did not immigrate with the couple in 1926.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, October 25, 33. Pg. 13

Under questioning, Adolph talked of a wife who had become unhappy with what he could earn. She wanted unending amounts of luxuries and berated him when he could not buy them. Lottie had insisted on bringing in boarders so she could buy whatever she wanted. Adolph had worked hard to buy household items and furniture, but it was never enough. His breaking point was the humiliation he felt when Lottie took up with William Pohlers in his own house. His concern was for the $1,000 he had saved and felt Lottie had stolen. Without that money, he would be unable to start over.

In the final days of the trial, William Pohlers was brought to the stand to testify. He denied any romantic involvement with Lottie. He simply viewed her as a friend who needed help.

On October 26, 1933, Judge W. R. Maines finalized the divorce of Adolph and Lottie Steenbock in favor of Lottie’s petition of inhuman treatment. Lottie received all household goods and furniture plus the $1500 she had saved. She returned to 1940 W. 1st Street to resume her boarding house with William Pohlers as her “Star Boarder”.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, October 26, 1933. Pg. 9

Adolph received what remained of the $1,000 he had saved that had been held by the court. After all court costs were taken from it, Adolph received $193.85. His cross-petition charging Lottie with indiscretions with William Pohler was dismissed. Adolph was heard to say, despite everything, it was worth it to finally be divorced.

As with most soap opera storylines, there is usually something unexpected that arises when everything seems to be settled. The story of Adolph, Lottie, and William is not done. Part II of their story will continue on October 31, 2024.

(posted by Amy D.)

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