This coming Monday, January 1, 2024, we celebrate “Public Domain Day,” when copyright protections under U.S. law expire for books published in the year 1928. Works such as D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterly’s Lover, Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, W.E.B. Du Bois’ Dark Princess, A. A. Milne’s The House at Pooh Corner, and Wanda Gág’s Millions of Cats, among others, may be copied, shared, sampled, reinterpreted, expanded upon and otherwise adapted without the need to obtain permissions or pay fees.
Two books in our collection entering the public domain in the New Year do not appear on lists of notable works like the one above, but they are invaluable to understanding our local history and culture.
Our copies of Susan Glaspell’s novel Brook Evans (SC FIC GLA) and Charles Edward Russell’s non-fiction account A-Rafting on the Mississip’ (SC CLOSED STACKS 977.7 RUSSE) are shown below, each with their original 1928 copyright registration and 1955 copyright renewal from the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress’ Catalog of Copyright Entries.
Davenporter Glaspell needs little introduction; her literary reputation, especially as a dramatist, was secure by the time Brook Evans was written. Her fourth of nine novels, like many of her works, was set in a Midwestern farming community where idealistic characters rebelled against established social norms. In it, a child conceived out of wedlock (alongside a brook) grapples with her mother’s desire that she live her life by loving freely.
Charles Edward Russell was the son of abolitionist newspaperman Edward Russell, editor of the Davenport Gazette. He was known primarily as a muckraking journalist of the Progressive Era, a Pulitzer-prize winning biographer, and as one of the founders of the NAACP. In A-Rafting on the Mississip’ he turned his attention from national issues to steamboat pilots and the lumber industry they served in his native Mississippi River Valley.
It started as a very small and simple display during December 1937. Just a manger near a waterfall and lights on two nearby trees. It became what was thought to be the nation’s largest Christmas display with thousands of families visiting by the carload in its peak years of the 1960s.
The idea of a Christmas display in Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery belonged to office manager and grounds supervisor, Raymond Groves. Groves had been hired by Memorial Park in 1933, just two years after the cemetery had been formed. By 1937, the cemetery had paved roads, an office building, lagoon with waterfalls, and a chime tower. The park cemetery concept meant that no standing headstones were allowed which created the appearance of a vast open area. In the 1930s, the cemetery was surrounded by a mixture of farms, private residences, small businesses, and Pine Hill and Mt. Nebo cemeteries.
In a December 21, 1958 interview in The Morning Democrat, Groves reminisced that after the first year when no one complained, he just kept adding more lights to the trees around the lagoon. He thought what better place for a Christmas display than a cemetery.
The war years put an end to the lighting of the trees as no outdoor lights were allowed and later the materials used in string lights were needed for the war effort. It wasn’t until 1947 that string lights once again appeared in the cemetery’s trees and new flood lights lit the manger by the waterfall on the lagoon. String lights were added to the trees in Babyland (a special burial location for infants) and the main entrance to the cemetery. Christmas carols were also played from the chime tower at designated times in the evening.
The Democrat, November 8, 1942. Pg. 1
In 1948, a neon sign was placed on the chime tower that read “Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men”. An estimated 200 blue lights were used in the trees surrounding the manger and lagoon. 1,000 lights were used in Babyland and to decorate the entrance. The Democrat and Leader newspaper reported on December 18, 1949 that over 900 cars had visited the display so far that year. A special policeman had been assigned at night to help direct traffic and Ray Groves was requesting people keep their car headlights on when viewing the display to help prevent accidents.
The Daily Times, December 13, 1949. Pg. 13
By 1950, a new manger scene was introduced along with 5,400 lights. The display now included four scenes starting with shepherds with their flock by a campfire, then a lone shepherd tending his flock, next three Wise Men on camels, and finally the manger scene which now included a neon star above it. Figures ranged from 12 to 15 feet in height. An estimated 20,000 cars were expected to drive through between December 17, 1950 and January 1, 1951. In the end, between 25,000 – 30,000 cars went through with an estimated 90,000 people viewing the display.
The Morning Democrat, December 16, 1951. Pg. 17
In 1957, the display opened December 18th and closed January 1, 1958. It reopened for one night on January 4th for the 5th annual camera night in which visitors could stop and take pictures of the displays. Otherwise photography was prohibited as it backed up the hundreds of cars that came through each night. There were fourteen displays in 1957 with 15,000 lights, the largest neon star in the Midwest measuring 10 feet across, and 17-foot high camels.
The Daily Times, December 19, 1957. Pg. 10
The display reached its height in attendance in the 1960s. It was so popular that airline pilots would route their flights at night over the cemetery so passengers could see the lights from above. The area around the cemetery was still not largely developed which allowed the lights to stand out in the winter darkness.
The Quad-City Times, December 21, 1968. Pg. 3
Every year, employees would start decorating with lights and putting up the displays in early November for a mid-December opening. By the 1970s, it took an estimated 1500 hours to set up and dismantle the display with the work spread among five cemetery workers. The display continued uninterrupted until 1973. That year an energy crisis across the nation turned off Christmas lights and kept displays packed away in many cities including Davenport. Thankfully, the display was able to return for 1974.
The Quad-City Times, November 27, 1973. Pg. 1
By December 1980, an estimated 17,000 bulbs helped light 12 scenes from the story of Christmas. Scenes in order from that year: the prophet writing at a desk, the angel and Mary, people traveling, Joseph and Mary traveling, the City of Bethlehem, the innkeeper and the inn, Shepherds and sheep, the angels and frightened shepherds, several angels with shepherds, the nativity and waterfall, the Wise Men, and the church. Additions that year were signs placed at each scene and a pamphlet with a brief description of each scene handed out to cars.
The Quad-City Times, December 16, 1977. Pg. 49
By 1998, only about 5,000 cars visited the display with an estimated 20,000 visitors. With numbers dropping, displays beginning to need extensive repair, and new holiday traditions such as Festival of Trees gaining popularity, Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery decided to end their Christmas tradition after 2001.
While the Davenport Memorial Park display no longer exists, its memory brings many who celebrate Christmas back to a time when families packed themselves into their cars to be amazed at the lights and displays of Christmas in a most solemn location.
Postcard c. 1960s or 1970s of Three Wise Men display – Davenport Memorial Park. Image courtesy of Amy D.
(posted by Amy D.)
Resources:
The Daily Times, December 23, 1947. Pg. 6
The Daily Times, December 20, 1948. Pg. 5
The Davenport Democrat, December 13, 1949. Pg. 13
The Daily Times, December 13, 1949. Pg. 21
The Davenport Democrat, December 18, 1949. Pg. 17
The Daily Times, December 8, 1950. Pg. 37
The Democrat and Leader, December 17, 1950. Pg. 21
These fresh-faced young Davenporters were born in the month of December in the 19-teens, their images captured by portrait photographer J.B. Hostetler.
dpl17540c, vol. 276
Irene Katherine Stoltenberg was born on December 2nd, 1913, the daughter of John Marcus and Kate Oden Stoltenberg. The family lived at 305 South Lincoln Avenue; her father worked as a molder in a foundry. Below is a photograph from her marriage announcement in the Daily Times for June 17, 1939. At that time, she was employed by the Gordon Van Tine Company and her new husband, Frode Thomsen, worked as a machinist for the Rock Island Arsenal. Both were Davenport High School graduates. The couple had two children, John and Sharon, within the next decade.
dpl16660a, vol. 221
Hilda Agnes Waack was born on December 5, 1914, the daughter of Schleswig-Holstein immigrant William Waack and Agnes Kuehl. The family lived on West Fourth Street; her father was a city policeman. Hilda’s photograph in the 1932 Blackhawk (Davenport High School yearbook), below, was accompanied by the quote, “The quiet mind is richer than a crown.” She followed the Commercial Course in high school, then employed as a typist and a clerk at the Rock Island Arsenal for 37 years. She and her sister Viola were high-scorers in the Women’s Fraternal Bowling League. Hilda married Hilmore ‘Bud’ Koehnke in 1954.
dpl17710a, vol. 288
Charles Gavin Fox was born on December 10, 1917 to furniture salesman Alonzo William Fox and Florence Katherine Millar. The family lived on West Fourteenth and later Dittmer Street. They left Davenport for Alameda, California following Alonzo’s 1926 bankruptcy filing. Charles became an appliance salesman and married Evelyn Van Wy in Bakersfield, California, in 1950.
dpl17474b, vol. 271
Oscar Waspi Wilhelm was born on December 19, 1917 to Oscar and Anna Barbara Waspi Wilhelm. The family lived at 715 East Central Park Avenue. He was the editor of the 1935 Blackhawk, where the photograph below appeared. He was a Technical Sergeant in the R.O.T.C., his nickname was “Chubby” and his yearbook quote was “Man was born for two things–thinking and acting.” By the time of his marriage to Joyce Marie Smith in Davenport on November, 1948, he had attended St. Ambrose, the State University of Iowa, Ripon College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He had also served in the Navy during WWII as an engineer. The couple made their home on 2669 Ripley Street and had a son, Karl. Oscar was employed at the Rock Island Arsenal as an ordnance engineer. They divorced in 1964.
Davenport Democrat and Leader, November 24, 1948
Let us know if you are related to and/or have any further information about these December darlings from Davenport!
It is with great sadness we have learned of the passing of Dick Muller who not only gifted us with his time and talents, but also volunteered at many other organizations throughout the Quad Cities.
Richard George Muller, who went by the nickname Dick, was born on February 21, 1931 in Muscoda, Wisconsin. His parents were Leo and Frances (Snoeyenbos) Muller. Dick was the second of four children and the only boy. After high school, Dick attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison where he earned his BS and MBA.
In 1961, Dick married Suzanne Sally Schmidt on June 17, 1961 at the Outing Club in Davenport. Dick was president of the Three “I” Truck Line and Sally worked as packaging manager for Crescent Macaroni & Cracker Company.
The Morning Democrat, April 28, 1961. Pg. 31
Dick was also associated with Jenkins Truck Line, Inc. and later John Deere. Dick was manager of transportation for the John Deere Parts Distribution Center in Milan, Illinois when he retired in 1991 after 24 years with the company.
The Quad-City Times, April 22, 1991. Pg. 8A
Dick volunteered his time even before retirement. He was a member of the Scott County Iowa Genealogical Society (SCIGS) for more than forty years. He served as president for SCIGS more than once and donated countless hours in many other capacities. In 1992, Dick was recognized by the State Historical Society of Iowa for volunteering. He also spent hours donating his talents at the Bettendorf Public Library (in 2002 he was recognized for donating over 300 plus hours of volunteer time to the library) and the German American Heritage Center of Davenport where he attended the membership list and newsletter mailings.
Dick Muller, standing, at a SCIGS event.
We knew Dick through SCIGS and through his volunteer hours at our front desk in the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center of the Davenport Public Library – Main Street Branch. Even before retiring from John Deere, Dick was willing to spend his Saturdays helping others do genealogical and local history research. He was one of the original volunteers in our department starting in 1984.
Dick Muller, standing behind the table, volunteering at a SCIGS event.
We remember Dick as a dedicated volunteer, but also as a kind and generous person. His generous nature helped many over the years and we all enjoyed hearing updates on Sally, his children, and grandchildren who he loved greatly. We thank Dick for his years of support and friendship as we send our condolences to his family.
On November 26, 1857, the Right Reverend Henry Washington Lee, Bishop of the [Protestant Episcopal] Diocese of Iowa, delivered a Thanksgiving [1] sermon [2] at the recently-constructed St. Luke’s Church on 7th and Brady Streets in Davenport.
In “The True Elements of Civil Prosperty,” Lee bemoans the fact that “the tone of piety and morals in our city is far too low” and that “…people are too sordid, too much given up to mere delving for money, too little inclined to literary pursuits, too much engrossed by business, too regardless of the world to come.”
Speaking against a background of financial hardship brought upon by the Panic of 1857, he suggests that Davenporters’ economic difficulties are the result of their failure to behave according to Christian principles: “…[N]o city can be truly prosperous without maintaining a high standard of piety among the various classes and orders of its inhabitants.”
By way of a solution, Lee proposes that “[o]ur social entertainments should be more generally characterized by moderation and intellectual enjoyments rather than made occasions of ostentatious gaiety and excessive indulgence.” More importantly, he says, ministers must “elevate the tone of piety” and serve as examples to members of their congregations and Christians of every denomination should endeavor to spread the Word of the Gospel in the community. He especially hopes that the present generation will “create a moral atmosphere” in which the next may thrive, and that the the gift of religion will be passed onto Davenport’s children by their elders.
We wonder if any of the “goodly number of young fellows” who “enjoyed a pleasant hop [dance] at Bailey’s Hall on the evening of Thanksgiving Day” attended Bishop Lee’s sermon that morning? [3]
Happy Thanksgiving from the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center of the Davenport Public Library!
Please Note: All locations of the Davenport Public Library will be closed on Thursday, November 23rd and Friday, November 24th, 2023. Special Collections reopens at Main on Monday, November 26th.
(posted by Katie)
____________________
[1] Thanksgiving was first celebrated in Iowa (the Territory of) in 1844, long before President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation establishing a national holiday. See “The First Iowa Thanksgiving” by William J. Peterson in the November 1944 (Volume 25, Number 11) issue of the State Historical Society of Iowa’s publication The Palimpsest.
[2] Lee, Henry W. The True Elements of Civil Prosperity: a Sermon Delivered in St. Luke’s Church Davenport, Iowa, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1857. Davenport, Iowa: Publishing House of Luse, Lane & Co., 1857. Call Number: SC CLOSED STACKS 283.777 LEE
[3] The Daily Iowa State Democrat (Davenport, Iowa), November 28, 1857, page 1.
It’s Turkey Note time again. Our annual tribute to this uniquely Quad Cities tradition. These three- or four-line poems traditionally wrapped in colorful paper, rolled, and tied on each end with fringed edges were created for Thanksgiving. They brought laughs, kindness, and more than a few good spirited pokes at our state rivalry between the University of Iowa and Iowa State. Rumor has it a marriage proposal or two occurred with the help of Turkey Notes.
This year we would like to dedicate our Turkey Note blog to newspaper journalist and author Bill Wundram who passed away on February 14, 2023. Bill was a huge proponent of the Turkey Note tradition. Bill first explored Turkey Notes in his column in the Quad-City Times on November 27, 1991. His readers responded by mailing in their own Turkey Notes and it became a regular feature around Thanksgiving to share a few Turkey Notes in his column until his retirement in 2018 after 74 years at the Quad-City Times and its predecessors.
The Quad-City Times, November 27, 1991. Pg. A2
If you are new to the Turkey Note tradition, we encourage you to go to our original blog (written way back in 2008!) to learn about Turkey Notes, their history, and how to make them. To find other blogs written on this topic over the years, type Turkey Notes in our search bar at the top right of our blog homepage. We have had fun over the past fifteen years writing our own Turkey Notes.
The Daily Times, November 26, 1937. Pg. 2
We don’t think we will ever solve the mystery of who started this tradition, but a newspaper article we found in the Daily Times from November 22, 1940 indicates a time period the notes may originate from. Mrs. Harry Downer, who before marriage was Alice Rinaldo (born 1875), remembered living in Davenport until about 1890 without ever hearing of Turkey Notes. She stated they were being created for Thanksgiving upon her return to Davenport in about 1900. We found primary resources that Alice moved with her family about 1890 to Geneseo, Illinois, and then to Sioux City, Iowa. She returned to the area in about 1898 to work as a retoucher for the Jarvis-White Art Company. Alice married Harry Downer in 1900 and the two worked for many years at the Settlement House in Davenport.
The Daily Times, November 22, 1940. Pg. 3
Now, let us commence with this year’s Turkey Notes!
Turkey Autumn, Turkey Breeze, Turkey is tired of raking leaves.
Turkey Vibrant, Turkey Fade, Turkey asks if you are going To this year’s holiday parade?
Turkey Cow, Turkey Hog, Turkey says Thank you For reading our blog!
And one last note for Mr. Wundram.
Turkey Noos-paper, Turkey (Pumpkin) Pie, Turkey thanks you for Keeping Turkey Notes alive.
On this Veterans Day 2023, we invite you to explore our collection of interviews with local men and women who served in the United States military during World War II and the Korean War.
With support from the Riverboat Development Authority and the City of Davenport, the Davenport Public Library and the Davenport Historical Commission embarked upon the “World War II/Korean War Oral History Project” in early 2001. By November of the following year, seventy-four interviews had been conducted by the Special Collections Department’s Karen O’Connor (the project coordinator) and volunteers Susan Carlson, Gaynell Foster-Pray, Larry Maxwell, and Babs Treiber.
The interviews were recorded on audio cassette tapes using a standard tape recorder and microphone. Volunteers then typed transcriptions of the recordings to render the information more accessible. Further progress in this regard was made in 2009, and again earlier this year, when recordings were digitized.
About half of the memories shared are of service in WWII, including those with Melvin Muhs, Bernard Bailey, Vern Petersen, Willis Bishop, Bobby Hess, Dale Iverson Elliott, Manuel Soodhalter, Raldo Fonteyne, Harold Labonte, Robert Rubley, Michael Cervantes, Iris Hetzler, Glen Albert Davis, Dale Claus Heuer, Don Southwood, Lorena Seline, Ed Meyer, Donald Hebbel, R.W. “Dick” Tucker, Pershing Johnson, Francis X. “Frank” Walter, Charles C. Milnes, Alvin V. Holst, Merle J. Farley, William Hansen, Jennings L. Massery, Jeanne Sullivan Stopulos, Wayne Newport, Robert G. Ott, Florence Bates, and Jean E. (Lay) Sauls. There are also several interviews that give insight into life on the Home Front here in the Quad-Cities.
In 2005, WVIK radio produced a program titled “The Pacific in World War II” that featured selections from the project’s interviews with Dick Tucker, Willis Bishop, and Wayne Newport.
For the Korean War, there are interviews with Arnold Marolf, Ken Criger, Laurie Miller, Dwight E. Mohlenbruck, Kenneth Plumb, Bob Fitts, William Thomas Haussmann, Virgil McCollum, Fred Snyder, Don Smart, Don Simpson, and Richard Weeks. Joseph Gomez, Robert H. Lay, and members of the “Gung-ho Gang” described their service in both conflicts on tape.
Interviewees also contributed copies of photographs, military documents, letters, memoirs, manuscripts, interview notes, newspaper and magazine clippings, books, etc. as a way to futher document their experiences. These “collateral materials” are also available to view in Special Collections.
We are grateful to the veterans of these two military conflicts who entrusted the Davenport Public Library to preserve their memories. Hear their stories!
The evenings had just begun to get darker sooner due to the end of Daylight Saving Time on October 29, 1978. The darkness and colder weather of autumn had begun to take over, leaving the lighter evenings of summer just a memory for the next several months in Davenport, Iowa.
It was early evening on November 2nd when 74-year-old Martha Kistenmacher stepped out the front door of the older Victorian home where she rented apartment #3 at 1308 Main Street.
Hidden by the growing darkness, a young man rushed towards Martha to grab her purse. Martha, whose back was turned away, never saw the man face-to-face. She caught a quick glimpse as she fell to the ground of a dark jacket and a nylon over his face. The young man, most likely in his late teens, quickly ran towards Harrison Street. Martha could only call for help as she lay on the ground.
Neighbors quickly gathered and tried to assist Martha into the house. She was injured and an ambulance was called. In the Mercy Hospital (now Genesis East) emergency room, Martha was found to be badly bruised from her shoulders to her hips and had a broken shoulder. She was able to talk to the police to describe what she could see of her assailant along with a description of her brown purse that contained $25 in cash along with miscellaneous items.
A shop owner soon recovered the missing purse in a dumpster at 1313 Harrison Street, near Martha Kistenmacher’s home address. The only thing missing from inside it was the cash. The November 4, 1978 morning edition of The Quad-City Times described the purse snatching in its police beat section.
The Quad-City Times, November 4, 1978. Pg. 3
This wasn’t just another purse snatching for the residents of Main Street, but a reminder of the tragic death of Clara Schiele who lived just a block away from Martha at 1416 Main Street. Clara was fatally injured during a purse snatching in front of her house on August 3, 1978. A witness in that case could only provide a general description of a young man, most likely in his late teens, with a stocking over his face and a dark jacket who stole Clara’s purse. Clara’s purse contained only $20.
Though Martha was about 16 years younger than Clara Schiele had been at her death, both women had much in common throughout their lives.
Martha Kistenmacher was one of 11 children born to Louis and Louise (Rochau) Kistenmacher. The family farmed in Blue Grass, Scott County, Iowa with Martha and her siblings attending the No. 5 schoolhouse in Blue Grass. We do know that Martha was a member of the Sunshine Workers of Blue Grass, a sewing group.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, August 13, 1920. Pg. 4
Martha’s mother, Louise, passed away in 1910. Her father, Louis, in 1920. Shortly after his death, Martha moved from Blue Grass to Davenport and worked briefly as a maid for the Leonidas Ramsey family at 834 Marquette Street. By 1923, Martha was listed as a store clerk. Martha worked in several clothing stores until her retirement after 25 years from Newman’s Women’s Clothing store at 121 W. 2nd Street in Davenport. She started at Newman’s on February 1, 1941, and retired in early February 1966.
The Times-Democrat, February 6, 1966. Pg. 29
Like Clara Schiele, Martha had never married and remained close to her family during her lifetime. Both women upon retirement lived on Main Street and kept active with family, friends, and social organizations. The residential neighborhood, near Palmer Chiropractic College and Davenport Central High School, was within walking distance of many smaller businesses. Buses ran frequently in the neighborhood, which allowed residents the chance to shop in busier areas as needed.
In a neighborhood where residents still sat on porches and visited over fences, it was shocking that not one but two elderly residents would be victims of purse snatchings in front of their own front doors.
The Quad-City Times, November 14, 1978. Pg. 1
After a week at Mercy Hospital, Martha was transferred to recover at Americana Healthcare Center. It was there, on November 16, 1978, that Martha Kistenmacher died unexpectedly from a blood clot in her lung that the medical examiner said was a result of her injuries.
Martha was buried on November 20, 1978, in Davenport Memorial Park alongside her parents and several of her siblings.
The Daily Times, June 4, 1962.
After Martha’s death, many residents of Davenport speculated if Clara and Martha’s purse snatchings were related or if two separate horrible incidents had happened on that quiet tree-lined street.
No one has been arrested for the purse snatchings and deaths of Clara Schiele and Martha Kistenmacher.
(posted by Amy D.)
Resources:
AncestryLibrary.com
Find A Grave.com
The Daily Times, December 26, 1913. Pg. 5
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, August 13, 1920. Pg. 4
Join us in celebrating the fifth annual Quad Cities Archives Fair on Saturday, October 28th from 1-4 PM! This year’s Archives Fair will be held at the Hauberg Estate located at 1300 24th Street, Rock Island, 61201.
Quad Cities Archives Fair advocates and supports the access, preservation, and understanding of library, archives, and museum collections and materials. The QC Archives Fair promotes exploration the historical and cultural institutions of the Quad Cities region that uphold this mission. At this event, audiences can visit tables to learn about the institutions’ unique collections and services and listen to talks on historical topics to discover hidden gems of the Quad Cities.
Each year we have roughly 15-25 historical and cultural institutions attending the event. We encourage institutions and organizations with a collection of any kind to attend. The appeal and benefit for exhibitors (participating institutions) is the opportunity to educate the public about the resources and services they offer. It allows them to reach new audiences that are already interested in collections. Here is a short list of the participating organizations this year are:
Augustana College Fryxell Geology Museum Black Hawk State Historic Site Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House German American Heritage Center Iowa 80 Trucking Museum Palmer College of Chiropractic Special Collections and Archives Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center, Davenport Public Library Rock Island Public Library St. Ambrose University Archives & many more!
In addition to getting to explore all these cultural and historical institutions and organizations is attending a presentation relevant to local history and culture. This year we are pleased to have Minda Powers-Douglas speaking about “Translating Tombstones”. She will be presenting in the Tulip Room at 1:30 and 3:30 PM. She will be covering what the different symbols on gravestones mean during this lively program on cemeteries. Attend these presentations to enter in a free raffle for great prizes and enjoy free refreshments.
The location for this year’s Quad Cities Archives Fair is also a hidden historical and architectural gem of the Quad Cities. The Hauberg Estate was designed by Chicago architect Robert C. Spencer, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright. Spencer was known for blending the “modern” Prairie style with historical elements. It was constructed in two years from 1909-1911. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Using Susanne (Denkmann) Hauberg’s love of flowers as his inspiration, he included tulips throughout the home, inside and out – in the stained glass windows, the woodwork, the plastered ceilings, the fireplaces, tiles and planters. To read more about this beautifully designed home and the family who lived there, please peruse the Hauberg’s website: https://haubergestate.org/history.
The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center holds materials documenting the history of the Hauberg Estate for those interested in local historic homes and sites.
On April 28, 1957, the Hauberg Estate formally became known as the Hauberg Civic Center. A location known for its inviting spaces and welcoming atmosphere.
Ephemera- Historic Houses and Sites, Hauberg Civic Center (Rock Island, Illinois) Dedication Day April 28, 1957 Leaflet
We even have stories about the estate’s haunted history in local publications such as Eerie Quad Cities by Michael McCarty and John Brassard Jr.
SC 133.109 MCCAR
Link in Davenport Public Library’s Catalog: https://davenportlibrary-bett.na2.iiivega.com/search?query=eerie%20quad%20cities&searchType=everything&pageSize=10
SC 133.109 MCCAR
We invite you come learn about all the cultural and historical organizations that will be at the Archives Fair as well as explore the buildings and grounds of this lovely home. Here is a small sampling of our past events, which we have been doing this since 2018!
It was a mystery that shocked the state of Iowa in October 1905. Who would leave poisoned candy in the room of an elderly widowed Civil War veteran with a note saying it was for his young children? Children who he had entrusted into the care of the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home in Davenport after the death of their mother.
The children’s father, Jonathan Foulk, was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania in 1838. His family moved to Morris, Grundy County, Illinois between the 1850 and 1860 United States Census. In 1860, 20-year-old Jonathan was listed as a laborer who lived with his father John, mother Jane, and seven siblings.
In 1861, Jonathan and his older brother William joined the military at the beginning of the Civil War. Jonathan enlisted on June 15, 1861, but was discharged on September 16, 1861 after an injury to his left ankle. Jonathan enlisted again with his younger brother Warren in December 1863. All three brothers served together in the Illinois 36th Infantry Co. G. They were separated when Warren was taken prisoner and held at Andersonville until the war ended in 1865. All three brothers survived the war and returned home.
Jonathan married Abigail Jane Mean on November 21, 1863. No information could be found about this marriage beyond the marriage certificate. Abigail died in 1868 in either Grundy County, Illinois or Linn County, Iowa. No grave could be located. It is not known if children were born to this marriage.
In 1869, Jonathan married Melissa Ann Smith Wright who was widowed with two young daughters, Emma and Georgeanna. Jonathan was a laborer and farmer during these years near Marion, Linn County, Iowa. Melissa died on December 10, 1887 from consumption. Georgeanna passed in 1890 from a heart ailment. Emma married in 1879 and started a family of her own.
On February 15, 1888, Jonathan married for a third time to Ella Viola Hess. Jonathan was 27 years older than his new wife who was born in 1865. Their son Jonathan B. was born in late 1888, an unnamed infant in 1890 died soon after birth, Andrew in 1891, Mamie in 1893, and George in 1898.
Jonathan suffered the loss of his son Jonathan B. from pneumonia and wife Ella from consumption in 1900. Now, at the age of 62 he was faced with raising a 9-year-old, 7-year-old, and a 2-year-old by himself.
It is not known when Jonathan admitted his children to the Iowa Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home to be cared for. We did find a newspaper account that his health began to suffer about 1901 and he spent time at a Home for Volunteer Disabled Soldiers in Danville, Illinois starting in 1902. When he felt well, he would discharge himself and return to Marion, Iowa. He survived on a disability pension from the government for his war service of about $10 per month. The children most likely were sent to the Orphans’ Home between 1900 and 1902.
By all accounts, Jonathan Foulk loved his children. He would visit them every time he traveled to or from Danville to Marion. He did not relinquish custody, but instead asked for the children to be cared for due to his circumstances.
Jonathan also sent care packages and letters to Andrew, Mamie, and George in the Home. One such package was prepared and mailed in late September 1905. It arrived at the Home on Sunday, October 1st. As was the custom, the package was opened and everything was examined by staff before a football, picture book, and doll were given to the two younger children Mamie and George. About a dozen chocolate candies were found in the package as well.
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, October 1, 1905. Pg. 16
The candy was chocolate on the outside with a crème filling on the inside. Those were kept by staff until after dinner when they were given as treats to the younger two children. Smaller portions were given to their friends as well.
George became ill soon after eating the candy. Newspapers reported he went into convulsions. Dr. J. C. Murphy was summoned and he felt the symptoms were similar to strychnine poisoning. He quickly began to pump the boy’s stomach. Reports went out that little George was deathly ill. Staff found Mamie to be in a similar condition, although not as ill as George. Their little friends at the orphanage also experienced symptoms as well. The children all said the chocolate candy had a bitter taste. Mamie and George’s older brother, Andrew, had not yet been offered the candy and was not taken ill.
The Daily Times, October 2, Pg. 6
Mamie and the other children quickly recovered from the effects of the candy. George took longer, but eventually regained his health. The Davenport Police Department was brought in to try to figure out if the candy was poisoned and by whom.
After testing, strychnine was found in the crème and it was determined the poison most likely was added into the chocolates before they were mailed. The orphanage staff was in disbelief at the thought Jonathan Foulk might have poisoned his children.
The Marion Police Department quickly took over investigating in their town. They spoke with Jonathan who seemed shocked that the candy was poisoned. He said he had gone out to buy the football, doll, and picture book for the younger children. It appeared to be no secret that Mr. Foulk mailed packages to his children when he could afford to do so. For this package, he had asked a neighbor to make a doll dress to be sent along with the new doll he was going to purchase.
The Daily Times, October 6, 1905. Pg. 2
Jonathan stated he had gone to work and returned to the room he rented with the intention of preparing and mailing the package. When he entered his room there was a little paper sack filled with chocolate candies. On the outside of the paper bag was written “For the children, from a friend”. He looked inside and saw the chocolates. He thought it was a simple kindness from a neighbor. Mr. Foulk added the chocolates to the package and mailed it.
Perhaps the most shocking thing was that Jonathan stated this was the third attempt to poison his children. A few years before, the children had been sent popcorn. The popcorn was deemed suspicious by the Orphans’ Home staff and thrown away. Another package was received after that in which there were popcorn balls. The children were given the treat, but immediately said the popcorn balls tasted bitter and they were thrown out. Jonathan claimed not to be the sender of those packages. He stated he had an idea who it was, but would not say the name or names. The newspapers reported that Jonathan and the Hess family, the family of his third deceased wife, were not on good terms.
On October 20, 1905, Jonathan Foulk traveled from Marion to Davenport for a visit with his children and to meet with officials to discuss the case. On October 30, 1905, the Daily Times newspaper printed an article stating another box of candy had been left for Jonathan at his room in Marion indicating, once again, it was for the children. A chemist tested the candy and determined the pieces had strychnine in them.
The Daily Times, October 30, 1905. Pg. 4
After the occurrence at the end of October, the story faded from the newspapers until 1906. It was in early March that Mr. Foulk found a paper bag containing nine chocolate crème candies on his doorstep early one morning. All contained strychnine. In this case, Mrs. Burris from whom Jonathan rented basement rooms, saw an unknown man walking away from her yard shortly after 10:00 p.m. It was too dark to identify the person.
Once again, the Foulk family fell from newspaper headlines. No more candy is known to have been sent to Mr. Foulk or the children.
Upon aging out of the Orphans’ Home, Andrew Foulk returned to Marion to live with his father. He died at the age of 20 from tuberculosis. His younger brother George would die at the age of 20 as well. He died on May 26, 1918 in France becoming the first young man of Marion to be killed in World War I.
The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, November 2, 1918. Pg. 15
Mamie became Jonathan Foulk’s only surviving child. She married William J. Martinez in Los Angeles, California on June 13, 1917. Jonathan remained close to Mamie and moved to Los Angeles to live with Mamie and her husband around 1918.
We did find something unusual related to Mr. Foulk later in his life. We noticed in the 1910 United States Census, Jonathan’s birth year was 1827 instead of 1838 as we had found on all previous documents. In 1910, his age is listed as 82 indicating a birth year of 1827 or 1828. By the U. S. Census of 1920, Jonathan claimed to be 102 and born in 1814. We were able to find census records in 1850 and 1860 for his father and mother showing their birth years listed as 1806 and 1811 and Jonathan as 1838. Mr. Foulk’s 1814 birth year appears to be more than a slight exaggeration on his part.
By 1925, Los Angeles and nearby newspapers celebrated the 108-year-old Jonathan Foulk. He became a local newspaper favorite with his witty advice on long-life and his involvement with the local GAR. With official documents being scarce, no one realized he was actually only 88-years-old. In September of 1925 he was named Los Angeles’ oldest living citizen and oldest living member of the local GAR.
Los Angeles Evening Express, September 4, 1925. Pg. 9
Mr. Foulk eventually settled in the Soldiers’ Home in Danville, Illinois where he passed away on March 15, 1929 aged 90 or 110 years old. He is buried in Oak Shade Cemetery in Marion, Linn County, Iowa with his second and third wives, stepdaughter Georgeanna, and four of his five children. Daughter Mamie is buried in Los Angeles.
The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, March 15, 1929. Pg. 30
No one was ever caught for leaving the poisoned candy that Mr. Foulk mailed in a package to his children on late September 1905. If it is true that poisoned popcorn and popcorn balls were mailed previously to the orphanage and then more poisoned candy was left for Jonathan later; why would someone want to fatally harm the Foulk family?
Was the perpetrator angry with Mr. Foulk for unknown reasons and wanted to punish him by hurting his children? Was it the Hess family who had opposed the marriage of the young Ella Viola Hess to the much older Jonathan and now grieved her death?
Or was the perpetrator closer to home? Could Jonathan Foulk have poisoned his own children for unknown reasons?
It appears this is a mystery that will never be solved.
As for Jonathan Foulk’s advice on living a long life. His usual advice was work hard, don’t drink, don’t smoke, eat plenty of cornbread, and avoid sweets.
(posted by Amy D.)
Resources:
Ancestry.com
The Daily Times, May 2, 1900. Pg. 1
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, October 1, 1905. Pg. 16
The Daily Times, October 2, 1905. Pg. 6
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, October 2, 1905. Pg. 10
The Daily Times, October 3, 1905. Pg. 6
The Daily Times, October 6, 1905. Pg. 2
The Daily Times, October 6, 1905. Pg. 7
The Daily Times, October 20, 1905. Pg. 6
The Daily Times, October 30, 1905. Pg. 4
The Daily Times, March 7, 1906. Pg. 6
The Davenport Democrat and Leader, April 11, 1906. Pg. 12
The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), October 29, 1918. Pg. 11
Los Angeles Record (Los Angeles, California), September 4, 1925. Pg. 11
The Chico Enterprise (Chico, California), September 17, 1925. Pg. 4
The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), March 15, 1929. Pg. 30
