Adventures in Bookselling II

 

One of my nephews asked about what I was reading now. Of course, I always have a stack of books nearby. Some novels, art history, books on art and antiques, and, of course, Galveston history are all in the current pile.

But I thought I would share something that happened several weeks ago. I happened to come upon a collection of books being offered for sale. At first glance, there was nothing special about it. No leather bound classics, no first edition fiction, no coffee-table books. There was no self-help books, no cookbooks, and not a single NY Times bestseller in the bunch.

But to a old book dealer like me, it was a goldmine. Books on trains, WWII airplanes, tanks, riverboats, logging, and canals. CANALS! Hell, in forty years of slinging books, I'd never had ONE book on canals. And here were a dozen or more. And lots more subjects, most of which you'd be hard pressed to find in your mall bookstore.

Whoever had built this collection had to special order half of the titles. The other half had been shopped from used book stores around the country over many years. Many of the books were maybe ten or twenty years old. Some were a hundred and fifty years old. There were books I could quickly sell for twenty bucks, and then there were some worth a grand or more. Just a terrific selection of titles that I would give my right foot for, if I still had an open shop. Or if I had the space to store them.

The books were in 500 banker boxes, totaling about 10,000 books. I was ready to rent a moving truck, drive half way across the country, and hire some local strong backs to load the boxes. I WAS READY!!!

But then reality set in. I'm supposed to be retired. I don't have the space for 500 boxes. And then there's this damn pandemic thing going on. So I passed on them. It killed me to give them up. I hate myself.

So I had a couple shots of Makers Mark (well, maybe more...) and have been moping for the last few weeks. I'm over it now. I survived. Life will go on. But, I gotta tell you, I did look into some store fronts for rent.

Come to find out, I miss the book biz.

Adventures in Bookselling I

So, sometime in the late 1970's, I was working in my first bookselling job in Kerrville, Texas. I had been living at Quiet Valley Ranch where they hold the Kerrville Folk Festival, but had taken the job in town so I could afford a place with real walls, insulation, and HEAT, because winter was coming. 

The bookstore was a really-really small WaldenBooks (a company that later evolved into Borders.) The store had a table in the back displaying publisher markdowns, damaged books, cheap reprints, and other oddments of published folly and/or mistakes. Every couple of weeks, the store would get a shipment of books to restock the table. The shipment might include a solitary copy of a title or as much as five copies of a book. A real hodgepodge. 

One of my first jobs was to unpack one of those shipments which contained five copies of S. Morgenstern's (William Goldman) Princess Bride in first edition hardcover. I guess the publisher was dumping their stock of a non-performing title to free up warehouse space for the next Great Gatsby. Well, I was young and stupid back then, but was getting better all the time. I bought those five copies the next week when I got my paycheck, paying a whole ninety-nine cents a piece. I can't remember if I got an employee's discount. 

Now remember, this was long before the movie came out in 1987. I have no idea why I "invested" five bucks in these books. I wasn't into the 'collectible books' market, yet. I had no clear plan as to what exactly I was going to do with those copies, but I must had had an inkling of an idea. I stashed those books, along with other foundlings I acquired over the next few years. Most of them came from the same 'bargain' tables that every bookstore in the nation has. I bought a stack of Cormac McCarthy's early novel Suttree. This was back when he was still relatively unknown. But I was buying a lot of Texas novelists back then, looking for the next Larry McMurtry. 

WaldenBooks had a fully stocked store in the old Gulfgate Mall that had been closed for five or more years. I was able to get inside and buy boxes of miscellaneous books for something like five bucks each. I ended up with signed copies of old bestsellers, art and photo books, and Texas history (including John Grave's Goodbye to a River, signed, first edition, that went into my personal collection!) I even snagged a handful of Ancel Adams' Yosemite and the Range of Light (all signed, first editions) for about a buck-a-book. I must have bought fifty boxes of CHEAP books, leaving the rest behind because I couldn't fit more in my truck. 

Sometime after this windfall, I started selling bits and pieces of my horde at regional book collector shows in Dallas, Austin and Houston. By then, the movie of The Princess Bride had been released, and demand for my copies were great. I can't remember what I sold them for. Certainly a great deal more than I paid for them. But not near what they're worth today. Those Goldman's were my first foray into the wild and wooley field of used and rare books, so I remember them fondly.

Philippe Auguste, King of France

Let us consider... my 23rd great-grandfather King Philip II, or as the French remember him, Philippe Auguste. He was born in 1165, and crowned King of France in 1179, succeeding his ailing father, Louis VII.

Philippe Auguste transformed France from a small feudal state into the most prosperous and powerful country in Europe and checked the power of the French nobles. He re-organized the French government and brought financial stability to his country.

Philippe succeeded, after a twelve year struggle, in depriving England its rule over French lands, most notably Normandy, Brittany, Gascony and Aquitane.

With Paris as his capital, he had the main thoroughfares paved, built a great wall around the city, continued the construction begun in 1163 of Notre-Dame de Paris, constructed the Louvre as a fortress, and gave a charter to the University of Paris in 1200.

Philippe Auguste died at age 57 in 1223, and was succeeded by his son, Louis VIII.

Randolph Cornell Newton (1888-1954)

Last night, Mary asked for some family history bites. I've been contemplating the same for a while, but just couldn't get started. So let's see what happens.

Today, let us consider... Randolph Cornell Newton. Or as we called him back in our youth, Great Uncle Randolph. Daddy Andre' couldn't (or wouldn't) tell us kiddos much about him, just that he had "disappeared" from the family scene, sometime in the 1920's. In my youthful mind, I had him high-tailing it off to the Dark Continent, 'cause, where else do you go to disappear than deepest, darkest Africa. His true story, while not as mysterious as his legend, none-the-less ended up being quite a surprise.

Randy, as I think of him, was born back in 1888 In Little Rock. He was the last of six children born to Edward C. Newton and Mollie Hutt. He grew up at 609 Scott Street, a residential neighborhood about six blocks south of downtown Little Rock, where his daddy managed the local Western Union telegraph office, as well as the newfangled telephone system. Randy attended the local public schools and, along with the other family members, worshiped at the Christ Church Episcopal church, one block away at 509 Scott. 

While the Newton family could not be considered 'rich' they certainly were comfortable. I haven't been able to find a picture of the house on Scott street, but the home at 1814 Spring Street that Ed and Mollie retired to after the kids were gone was (and still is) a handsome edifice in a very nice neighborhood near the Governor's Mansion. I imagine that Randy, as the baby of the family, was probably spoiled, but I have no first hand knowledge of that. His latter life path certainly showed signs of self centered behavior, which may have been tolerated in his youth. He must have been a handsome lad, so it seems, as he became quite the 'chick-magnet' in his prime. 

Randolph married his first wife, Olive Merton of Saint Louis, Missouri, on August 19, 1909. Randy was 21, and Olive was two months shy of her 20th birthday. I haven't heard how they met, but I suspect it was in some dance hall or saloon, as both were musicians. According to Marin family tradition, this marriage was opposed by Olive's mother Elfreda (Elfie) Merton, who "apparently detested Randolph Cornell Newton." Effie probably didn't think that her daughter should marry a lowly musician, especially one that played that devil's music, Jazz.

Randy and Olive settled down in Saint Louis in a small house at 2747 Arlington, just one block away from the in-laws house. The 1910 census lists Randolph as a travelling salesmen of teas and coffees. When he was in Saint Louis, he and Olive would often play music in various jazz clubs around Saint Louis. Olive's daughter by her second husband, Olive Marin, told me that both Randolph and Olive were accomplished musicians. Olive had a wonderful voice and Randolph was a talented musician. She also related to me that Randy was a very handsome man, and that the girls couldn't keep their eyes off him. 

In August of 1911, just before the birth of their first son, the couple bought a house at 1609 Semple Street, on a narrow, 42 foot wide lot. The house was bought from Olive's aunt, Helen (nee Kahlert) Fahle. The neighborhood, in its day, might have been considered middle-class, but has aged badly. Many of the houses have been razed, including the Newton manse, but its neighbor is a handsome two-story brick craftsman-style home.

Olive and Randy had three son, all born in Saint Louis: Randolph Cornell, Jr. (b. October 29, 1911); David Arthur (b. August 2, 1913); and Merton Field (b. February 7, 1916).

On March 23, 1915, the house at 1609 Semple Street was sold by the couple to Olive's mother, Elfie M. [now] Giles. Apparently, the family moved to Little Rock around 1913. Olive filed for divorce there on March 19, 1917, on the grounds of Randolph's failure to support the family.

By the time of the 1920 census (enumerated January 2), Olive and her children had moved back to Saint Louis and were living with her mother at 2826 Semple Street. Boarding there was Gaston Marin, who later married Olive in 1924. The three boys unofficially took the surname Marin, which later caused some legal problems.

Long after the break-up, around 1948, a piece of silverware with an 'N' on it was found by Olive's daughter Olive Marin. It was revealed to her for the first time, by her Grandmother Elfie, that her older brothers were from that first marriage to Randolph Newton. 

Sharon Southerland, the step-daughter of Randolph Newton-Marin, wrote to me that her "stepfather often agonized about the breakup of his parents. marriage, as he was an adolescent at the time. He did not like Gaston Marin, his stepfather.... Effie Giles, the grandmother, apparently detested Randolph Cornell Newton and my stepfather directly blamed her for the breakup."

"The offspring from the Newton branch and the Marin branch," writes Southerland, "could not be more disparate. The Newton's were good-looking; the Marin's definitely were not. The Newton's were gifted. The Marin's not especially."

Randolph wrote in 1916 or before, in collabroration with Will Skidmore, a piano rag-time tune "Bug-House Rag." [Bug-House Rag. Randolph C. Newton & Will E. Skidmore. Kansas City, MO: Skidmore Music Company, 1916.] A copy of the sheet music was sold online sometime in 2006, before I was unaware of the tune, much less its existence in printed form. "The Bug House Rag," wrote Sharon Southerland in a 2010 e-mail to me, "was cheaply printed, black and white, with a picture of an inmate looking out through jailhouse bars." The sheet music was found in Mert (Newton) Marin's effects after his death, but Sharon had no idea what happened to all that music.

Randolph's co-writer, Will E. Skidmore was also a Little Rock native, born eight years before Randolph. He was most likely a classmate with one of Randolph's older siblings. As the Skidmore's and Newton's lived only three blocks apart, the two families probably knew each other. The two young men were possibly playing music together in Little Rock, and perhaps they even went on tours together. Skidmore moved to Kansas City for a while, which might explain why the song was published in Kansas City. 

We next find Randolph living in Tulsa, Oklahoma in September, 1918. He was a Credit Adjuster for the Continental Supply Co., whatever that might be. He was living at the Cordova Hotel with his nearest relative, Lillian Newton. Nothing more has been found about her, so I can only guess that she was a short-term wife.

On a Draft Registration Card dated September 12, 1918, Randolph Cornell Newton birth date was recorded as January 20, 1886, with his age 32. While this might have been an honest mistake, I suspect there was deceit by Randolph to make himself older in order to avoid the draft. By the guidelines set down by the Selective Service Act, all males aged 18 to 30 were required to register for military service.

Randolph Newton has not been found on the 1920 US census.

A postcard signed by the three sons, Randolph, David and Merton, living at 2826 Semple Ave. in Saint Louis, was sent to the Beaumont Newton's at Christmas-time 1921. Even though Randolph had divorced Olive, she was still keeping in contact with the Newton family.

In the April 1922 obituary notice for his mother Mollie Hutt Newton, Randolph is said to be at Indianapolis, Indiana. In the 1923 obituary notice of his father Edward C. Newton, Randolph is mentioned as being in Kentucky. Whether he is at Frankfort with his Uncle Charlie is unknown. When the family sold the parents handsome house on Spring Street in Little Rock, there was a deposition from Randolph, who was then living in New Orleans, Louisiana, approving the sale.

All these different locations suggest that Randolph was travelling a great deal, either as a salesman, or perhaps as a musician.

Family tradition finds him in Beaumont soon after 1923, where he married his third wife, Mary Durham of Port Arthur. Again, tradition says that he married her for her money. It is unknown to me when and where this marriage took place. 

In the 1930 census for Port Arthur, Jefferson Co., Texas, Mary Newton is listed as the head of household at 314 Sixth St, age 41, and widowed. She is running a boarding house at that address. Is is unknown when or if Mary and Randolph were ever officially divorced. 

We found the widow Mary, age 50, living in Lake Charles, Louisiana at the time of the 1940 census, owning a bar there. By 1941 Mary Newton is found owning the Newton Hotel on Pearl Street in Beaumont, Texas. Later on she was a owner of a bar on Railroad Avenue in Beaumont. In 1953 she is running Mary's Cafe at 605 Pine Street. She died in 1955 in Beaumont, still going by the last name of Newton, with one daughter, Mrs. Myrtle Harris, listed. 

While Randolph was in Beaumont, he and his brother Andre' went into business together selling paint spray guns, a new thing at the time. Around the same time, the sale of the parents Little Rock home took place, and the proceedings were split amongst the children. I seem to remember being told that each child received something like $1,000. 

According to family legend, Randolph somehow got hold of his brother Andre's share as well as the money for the spray gun business, and left town. In my conversations with my father Andre' and my Aunt Elizabeth, both pass on the legend of Randolph that, in his brief time down in Beaumont, stole the family fortune, and disappeared, with no further contact with the family. I have found no mention of any contact after that time.

I have no record of Randolph after 1923 and before 1930. By the time of the 1930 Federal census, Randolph Newton was living in Kansas City, Missouri with a fourth wife, Adele C. (last name unknown.) I have not found a official record for this marriage. Randolph, age 44 and Adele, age 48, are living at the Family Hotel, 601 East Armour Blvd. Randolph is a sales manager, selling paint and plaster.

Randolph married for a fifth time, on March 18, 1942 in Clay County, Missouri (which is just north of Kansas City), to Sallie E. Allen (nee Watson) who was born in 1889 and died in 1963. On the record, Randolph was "of Dallas, Dallas Co., Texas" and Sallie was of Houston, Harris Co., Texas. 

In his brother Andre' Hutt Newton's 1944 obituary, there was no mention of Randolph's whereabouts, but family rumor had it that he had moved to Massachussetts with his three sons. Family rumor obviously had it wrong. 

Randolph Newton was found in the Kansas City City Directory for 1945/47, listed as an Interviewer for The Palace (men's clothing) on Grand Ave and 12th. He was then residing at 3019 Montgall. A Mrs. Sally Newton was listed as living at 3017 Montgall, Apt. 7. Was this his last known wife?

On July 26, 1954 "Cornell R. Newton" (as written on the death certificate) died at 3403-1/2 Independence Ave., in Kansas City, Missouri. He was working in the credit department at Jenkins Music Co. His birth date was listed as January 20, 1888 in Richmond, Virginia. I think that his wife, Sallie Allen Newton, listed as the informant on the death certificate, may have been confused, or misinformed of his birthplace, as well as his parents, whom she listed as George Newton (not Edward C.) and Molly Hutt, both of who were of Little Rock at the time of Randolph's birth. Perhaps Randolph had mentioned to Sallie that the Newton's had come to Arkansas from Richmond. This is worth investigating.

Also of interest, the medical certification was listed as "Cause of Death unknown" and no autopsy was performed. In the box marked 'Accident, Suicide, Homicide' was listed "Natural?"

Randolph was buried in the Walnut Ridge Cemetery in Fayette, Howard Co., Missouri by his last wife, Sallie, who was also buried there in 1963. Sallie's family was from the area, which explains why they were buried so far from Kansas City.

Please send me corrections or additional information if you have it. Thanks!

(Copyright March 21, 2020)

Paul Gruetzmacher & Co. Storefront

Reece sent me some photos from Aunty Grace's scrapbooks this past week. Among the portraits of a bunch of Gruetzmacher's [What is the collective term for this? A Gaggle of Geese. A Pride of Lions. A Grinch of Gruetzmacher's, maybe?] was a cabinet photograph of Paul Gruetzmacher & Co.'s storefront in Galveston. Grace's notes place the print shop on Mechanic, above the stationers. I date the picture from before 1900 for two reasons. As far as I know, Paul never re-opened his printing business after the 1900 Storm. And, looking at the picture, it appears to have gone through the storm with some rather heavy water damage.

In the Galveston City Directories for 1872 through 1878, Paul was in business with A. Stein & Co. (whose name is below Paul's on the storefront sign). The location of this store is not in my notes. From 1880 to about 1882 "Paul Gruetzmacher & Co., Books and Stationery" was located at 125 Strand between 22nd and Tremont (23rd) streets. From 1882 to 1885, Paul worked for another printing outfit, but soon went independent again in 1886 as "Paul Gruetzmacher & Bro., Book, Job & Comm. Printing" at 171 Strand (later re-numbered 2109) between 21st and 22nd. He is listed at that location to about 1895-95, and until 1900 simply as a printer, with no location provided. After the 1900 Storm, Paul is mentioned in the 1903 Directory as a City Solicitor with Hatch, Millis & Co.

From this information, I suspect that the photograph above was taken from 1872 to 1878, when Paul was partners with Stein. I believe Aunt Grace was in error as to the location, as the city directories never locate Paul's (or Louis') print shops on Mechanic.




In researching the location, I dug out my copy of "The Galveston That Was" by Howard Barnstone (1966), and found the picture above (and several more) of the "Willard Richardson Building" that was built in 1858. Located at 2217 Market Street, it was demolished around 1964. Upon close comparison of architectural details, especially the windows, I believe that this building was in fact the true location of Paul's first print shop in Galveston.

The building later was utilized by a series of bookstore's, first as Bacon's (with a job printer as co-tenant), next as Purdy's, from 1909 until 1930, and lastly as Henry's Bookstore from 1945 to 1963.

Barnstone describes the building as "One of the most luscious of the iron fronts to be built anywhere...." The iron front for Richardson's building came from the Philadelphia foundry owned by Sanson & Farrand.

Richard Henry Lee Villard (ca. 1792-1849), Georgetown Silversmith

Richard Henry Lee Villard was born about 1792/1794 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, to André Joseph Villard and Noelle Agathe Sophia DeMeaux. He died  on 5 March 1849 in Georgetown, District of Columbia (aged 55 years).  The cause of death was Dyspepsia. He was buried  on 7 March 1849 in Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, District of Columbia.

Richard Henry Lee Villard was born in Westmoreland Co., Virginia. He was named for the American Statesman Richard Henry Lee (20 January 1732 - 19 June 1794). Richard's father, André was employed in 1793 to renovate Stratford Hall in Westmoreland Co., resulting in a lifelong friendship between these two families.

 In 1819 Richard Villard was in partnership with Cherubin Dufief with their silversmith workshop located on Jefferson Street in Georgetown, opposite J. Peabody's Auction Rooms. (Jefferson [now Thomas Jefferson NW] was a narrow street between Bridge [now M Street] and Wapping [now Whitehurst Freeway NW].)

In the 1820 Georgetown, District of Columbia census, Richard is listed with his un-named wife, as well as an un-named female, aged 45 and older, possibly his widowed mother, Sophia Demeaux Villard.

During the 1820s, Richard was named as an agent for several rental properties in Georgetown, one on Jefferson Street and another on 1oth Street (which may be located in the northwest section of Georgetown). 

In 1830, Richard, now located on Bridge [M Street] is the agent selling a 2-story brick house and lot on 10th St. "within a few steps of the (un-named) avenue, & now under a rent of $200 per annum." This same house is listed for unpaid taxes in 1830 through 1835, with the owner listed as Adam Villard. Perhaps this Adam was in fact his father, André.

Richard H. L. Villard is listed as the head of household in the 1830 Georgetown, District of Columbia census. The family includes 1 male under 5 (son Thomas J.); 1 male 30-40 (Richard); 2 females 5-10 (daughters Mary Ann and Sophia Louise); 2 females 30-40 (wife Mary Ann, and an unknown female).

In the book 'A Portrait of Old Georgetown' by Grace Dunlop Peter, there is a mention that "Another silversmith who had a shop on Bridge (M) Street in 1833 was R. H. L. Villard." In 'Marks of American Silversmiths' by Louise Conway Belden, she states that Richard is mentioned in the 1833-35 Washington City Directory as silversmith and jeweler, and in the 1834 directory with E. J. Cohen & Co., jeweler. 

An article in the Peoples Press, The Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, dated Friday, September 25, 1835 reprints the following story which probably takes place on the farm originally owned by Richard's father, André. 

"From the Georgetown Metropolitan. BEAUTIFUL CURIOSITY. There has been left in our office, for the inspection of the curious, a small enamel miniature of the most exquisite finish, which was turned up with a hoe by a negro slave, on the farm of Mr. Villard, Westmoreland Co. Virginia. Our high curiosity was raised when we were confidently assured by the owner that good judges had pronounced it an undoubted original of Sir Walter Raleigh, a supposition, which a moment's inspection of the style and features served us to disprove.

"It is a portrait of a man of quality of the last century, in the prime of life. The features are fair, and exceedingly handsome; the hair dressed "a la peruke," and highly powdered, with a bag. There is on the head, a French grenadier cap, trimmed with gold and point lace, and the figure it enveloped in a rich manteau of yellow satin lied in front with a black velvet bow, and splendidly embroidered with black satin and pearls, as heralds would say "enchollope."


"The miniature is about the size of half a dollar, oval, and as a work of art is of high value, the painting, enamelling and finish, being of the rarest beauty. The colors are delicate, and as fresh as if painted yesterday We take it to be the portrait of a French nobleman in his state robes, and notwithstanding its small size, there is an expression of character in the features which is altogether illimitable, and argues the hand of a first rate artist. It was probably lost by an officer of the army during the revolutionary war. It was found without sitting of any kind in forest land, which was then for the first time put under cultivation."

The 1840 Washington, District of Columbia census lists R.H.L. Villard and the following members of the household: 1 male 10-15 (son Thomas J.); 1 male 40-50 (Richard); 2 female 15-20 (daughters Mary Ann and Sophia Louisa); 1 female 40-50 (wife Mary Ann); 1 male slave 10-24.

Richard died on 5 March 1849, with his funeral on 7 March 1849, at 4 o'clock, from his late residence on Bridge Street, Georgetown.

The is a record of "RHL Villard" purchasing a walnut and cherry coffin from the cabinetmaker William King, dated 7 March 1849. The casket was probably bought by his widow, Mary Ann Villard. (William King's Mortality Books:, Volume 2, 1833-1863, transcribed by Jane Donovan, and Carlton Fletcher, Heritage Books, 2004.) 


The will of Richard H. L. Villard, of Georgetown, D.C., was dated 4 Mar 1849, and probated 13 Mar 1849. He bequeathed to his son Thomas J. Villard, all his property. He mentions that the children not provided for in the will are loved, but the small estate does not allow for provisions and that if the estate is kept together it will aid in support of his wife. He gave to his daughter Mary Hedges, a gold watch with suitable chain and key for a ladies wear. To his daughter Sophia L. Delany, he gifted 1 dozen silver table spoons, 1 dozen dessert silver spoons, and 1 dozen tea silver spoons. He named as Executor his son, Thomas J. Villard. The witnesses were Otho M. Linthicum, Thomas A. Lazenby, and John Marbury. 

Richard married Mary Ann Mulhollen on 13 Sep 1815 at Greenleaf's Point, by the Rev. O. B. Brown, in Washington, District of Columbia. Mary was born about 1798 in Philadelphia, Philadephia County, Pennsylvania. I have been unable to track down her parents. She died on 30 April 1851 in Georgetown, District of Columbia  (age 53). She was buried  in Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, District of Columbia.

The widow Villard, aged 53, was found in the 1850 Washington City, District of Columbia census living with her son-in-law Michael Delany and family.

Mary Ann's obituary was posted in the 1 May 1851 issue of the Daily National Intelligencer, Washington, District of Columbia:

In Washington, on Wednesday, 30th April, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Louisa Delany, on Missouri avenue, at half-past 12 o'clock A. M., Mrs. Mary Ann Villard, widow of the late R.H.L. Villard, of Georgetown, D.C., in the 53rd year of her age. Her funeral will take place this (Thursday) morning, at 11 o'clock, from Trinity Church, (corner of Third and C streets,) at which time and place her friends and acquaintances are requested to attend.

Richard and Mary had the following children:

• (unknown) Villard was born about 1820 in Georgetown, District of Columbia. The child died on or about 27 July 1820 in Georgetown, District of Columbia. 

• Mary Ann Villard was born about 1825 in Washington, District of Columbia. She died on 20 September 1889 in (aged 64 years). She was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, District of Columbia. Mary married  John Hedges son of Samuel Hedges and Jane Thompson on 17 May 1843 in Washington, District of Columbia. John was born on 27 August 1817 in Tullisses Branch, Berkeley County, Virginia. He died on 27 September 1886 in Fernandina, Nassau County, Florida. He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Georgetown, District of Columbia.

• Sophia Louisa Villard was born about 1823 in Washington, District of Columbia. She died on 4 May 1895 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. She was buried in Mount Saint Mary's Cemetery, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Sophia married Michael Delaney son of Thomas Delaney and Margaret Keyne on 28 December 1841 in Washington, District of Columbia. Michael was born on 12 April 1819 in Washington, District of Columbia. He died on 9 October 1896 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. He was buried in Mount Saint Mary's Cemetery, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri.

• Doctor Thomas Jefferson Villard was born about 1825 in Washington, District of Columbia. No record of his death has been found. Thomas married Caroline Columbia Bryan on 25 Oct 1848 in Washington, District of Columbia. Caroline was born about 1827 in Washington, District of Columbia. No record of her death has been found.

The Coming of the Telegraph to Arkansas, by Edward C. Newton, 1919

[Edward C. Newton was born May 4, 1844, probably at New Madrid, Missouri. He died at Little Rock, Arkansas January 11, 1923. His brothers were also telegraphers, Jeremiah L. Newton (1846 - 1917) pounding the brass at Houston and San Antonio, Texas, and Charles Newton (1853 - 1901) at Frankfort, Kentucky. GMN]

The Coming of the Telegraph to Arkansas

by Edward C. Newton (from The Arkansas Gazette, Little Rock, November 20, 1919)

The most rapid means of communication, previous to the year 1860, between Little Rock and the outside world was by stage coaches and stern wheel steamboats plying between Little Rock and Memphis, the former having the advantage in making a little faster time between these points. This stage line was operated by the firm of Hanger, Rapley & Gaines, and was equipped with large six-horse coaches which arrived and departed daily on a 24-hour schedule, which schedule, however, depended on the condition of the roads, rivers, and bayous. The stage coaches carried the United States mail and also as many passengers as could be accommodated, that is, nine on the three seats inside and two with the driver outside.

But in 1859 H. A. Montgomery of Memphis came to Little Rock and proceeded to organize the Arkansas Telegraph Company for the purpose of building a telegraph line between Little Rock and Memphis, with Chas. P. Bertrand president, and James A. Henry secretary, both of Little Rock, and H. A. Montgomery superintendent. Some stock in this company was placed locally, but Mr. Montgomery retained a majority.

The railroad between Little Rock and Memphis was projected, but not constructed, and the Arkansas Telegraph Company had to find a way for its lines through the primeval forests and swamps, which, in many instances, offered many obstacles not easily overcome. But the promoter was a forceful man of indefatigable energy, and as soon as it was possible to get the wire and material distributed by wagons along the route through the wilderness he proceeded with the work in the then primitive way of building telegraph lines. Brackets, designed to carry square glass insulators, were nailed to trees, and where there were no trees available, post-oak and cypress poles were used. The wire was of plain iron (not galvanized as now) of No. 9 gauge, and was placed in an open slot on receptacles in the top of the square glass insulator, which arrangement allowed it to slide back and forth through the insulator to prevent breakage of the wire by the swaying of the trees in high winds and storms.

The most difficult part of the route was through the forty miles of low country between the St. Francis river and Memphis. In some places the region was at that time almost impenetrable, and it was, besides, the habitat of every wild animal and reptile indigenous to Arkansas. I have heard Mr. Montgomery tell of his adventures in building the telegraph line in this region, which were both thrilling and laughable.

The wire, however, was finally erected and completed in the year 1860 with offices at Little Rock, Brownsville, Des Arc, Clarendon, Madison and Memphis. The office at Little Rock was located on the second floor of an old brick building on the northeast corner of East Markham and Scott streets, which had formerly been the residence of W. E. Woodruff, founder of the Gazette.

It was now demonstrated that a steamboat could announce its departure on the very day of its leaving Memphis, and orders for merchandise could be placed by telegraph for shipment by that boat and also a
telegram might be sent to New York and an answer received the same day. Furthermore, a telegraph news report, of perhaps 200 words, was appearing in the Gazette, which was considered both remarkable and very enterprising on the part of the paper.

The building of this telegraph line was not only and event in the history of Arkansas, but greatly appreciated by the people, especially just at the inception of the Civil War.

The second telegraph line was built between Little Rock and Pine Bluff in1861 by the Pine Bluff Telegraph Co., which was organized at Pine Bluff by Snow & Ketchum, and which also had its office at Little Rock in the old Woodruff Building. David O. Dodd, the young Confederate martyr, who had learned the rudiments of telegraphy, was the operator on that line in 1862 for a brief period. His knowledge of the telegraph alphabet proved his undoing, for he used it as a code in an attempt to conceal the information about the Federal forces he had obtained on a later visit to Little Rock, resulting in his capture and execution as a spy in 1864. This unfortunate boy, modest and unassuming in his manner and appearance, showed the qualities of a hero at his trial when, on an offer of clemency, he refused, even to the last minute on the scaffold, to disclose the name of the person who furnished the important military information found in his possession.

When the Confederate troops evacuated Little Rock in September, 1863, the Arkansas Telegraph Company, with which I was then associated, retreated also, saving as much wire and material as possible for the purpose of extending its line from Arkdelphia via Camden to Shreveport. The United States Military Telegraph controlled the wires running out of Little Rock during the occupation of the city by the Federal forces, which wires were returned to the companies six months after the close of the Civil War.

H. A. Montgomery, the pioneer of the telegraph in Arkansas, disposed of his telegraph interests to a larger company soon after the war. He became a prominent and wealthy citizen of Memphis. The celebrated Montgomery Park was named for him. He died in that city and a life-like marble statue of heroic size was erected to his memory at his tomb, in Elmwood cemetery.