Source:Fleming-reisville/content
IT TAKES a real old-timer to locate Reisville—one who can go back to the halcyon days of that suburb "befoh the wah." Two quite prominent newspaper men candidly confessed that they had never heard of such a place.
Today's story will endeavor to put the history of Reisville in proper form to hand down to posterity.
It will never do to omit consideration of Reisville in the annals of Pittsburgh. It was quite a nice suburb, too, and one of its chief landmarks was "Billy" Price's round house, well enough known to locate his residence in the directories of 60, and even 75 years ago.
Thus, verbatim, in Isaac Harris' General Business Directory of 1840–41:
Price William, maleable iron founder, Roundhouse, Fourth Street Road.
Hence when one crossed Price street or Stevenson street opposite Price street, on that road, he was in the part of old Pittsburgh which took the name Reisville from George Reis and his family. Mr. Reis was familiarly known as "Daddy Rice," most people giving the name the English spelling.
Old Name Disappears.
"Daddy" Reis died before the Civil War, as directories published immediately preceding the war give the line:
Margaret Reis, widow of George, house, Vine near Colwell.
This was in 1858, but in 1864—both George H. Thurston's directories—the wording becomes more polite and appears in this way:
Reis, Margaret, lady, 11 Vine.
This was on the lower side of Vine street, on the site of the burned laundry.
The name Reisville lasted until late in the '70s, when it disappeared and became a memory like Lacyville, Arthursville, Pipetown, Bayardstown and other towns and villes equally as well known in their day.
Reisville had an advantage over its neighbors—Lacyville and Arthursville. It lay along the pike, a much traveled thoroughfare. First called the Farmers' and Mechanics' Turnpike, or the Fourth street road, it later became Pennsylvania avenue, and is now Fifth avenue.
Reisville was the settlement along the Fourth street road extending from Price's, at what is now Stevenson street, to Lippincott's Lane, now Dinwiddie street.
George Reis at one time owned much land in the neighborhood of Vine street and was one of the prominent men of the vicinity.
At the upper end of Reisville, at the corner of Miltenberger street, there was a tavern with extensive grounds, called the Hatfield Garden, which was a popular resort in the days of Reisville's prominence.
The Hatfield grounds extended to the bluff overlooking the Monongahela. Gardens of this kind were common in those days and long after, but few had the attractions of the Hatfield.
Real Tavern Garden.
It was a real garden, and of course beer was sold and no record exists of a failure of the supply. It was old-fashioned beer, "made in Pittsburgh."
The Hatfield Garden was a great pleasure resort on Sundays. People came in crowds and strolled through the spacious grounds admiring the flowers and the fine fruit and beautiful shrubbery.
George Miltenberger owned this plot and once lived on it. The family name has been preserved in the street at the west end of the Fifth Avenue High School, which stands on part of the Miltenberger holdings. Before the High School was erected the Fifth avenue market house occupied the site. It was a long, one-story building, and previous to its erection the lots were vacant—a playground for children and called "Goosetown Park."
Down at the corner of Stevenson street was the celebrated Blue Bell Tavern. It was on the southwest corner. The tavern building, or what was left of it, was torn down to erect the present large building on the site, originally occupied by an installment house. When the Fourth Street road was widened five feet were lopped off the house on that side, the street then called Pennsylvania avenue.
Bartimeus Acker was one of the early proprietors of the Blue Bell, the name originating from the old style sign—a blue bell on a white background. The last of this English style of designation of public houses will be remembered as the Bull's Head on Second avenue, opposite Scotch Hill market, the plot later becoming Second Avenue Park until it was merged into the widened street.
Isaac Harris notes in 1840 in his directory:
Acker, 13, Blue Bell Tavern, Fourth St. Road.
Public House Owners.
George Reis owned the property where the Blue Bell saloon and subsequent tenants to Acker were Daniel Shearen, sometimes spelled Sherran, John Hansel and John Thiers. Hansel kept for some years after the war and for many years previously.
Directly across Stevenson street was the chandlery and soap factory of the Sawyers; "B. C. & J. H. Sawyer" the sign read. B. C. Sawyer was mayor of Pittsburgh in 1862–63.
Diagonally across was the round house.
Directly across Fourth Street road was an elevation of five or six feet on which stood two brick mansions of the old time construction, in which lived the William B. Scaife and Lauriston Livingston families, and later the Atwood family. Steps led from the sidewalk, and these dwellings had nice lawns and porches. They were torn down in the seventies to erect the present buildings, the Fifth Avenue Bank at the corner. That end of Stevenson street was then and for many years previously, called Price street.
Back of the chandlery was the Oregon brewery of Pier and Dannals.
Stevenson street took its name from a pioneer land holder in the neighborhood, his property line extending to the Watson holdings, below Magee street. George Stevenson was the owner of Outlot No. 9 in Woods' survey, and the George Stevenson plan of lots, made from this plot, is well known to title searchers.
One of the Stevensons is said to have been "the great engineer who built the canal," referring possibly to the Pennsylvania Canal. However, the history of that waterway shows that Solomon W. Roberts, W. Milnor Roberts and Sylvester Welsh were engineers on the western division and that James S. Stevenson was one of the canal commissioners in 1830.
Old Land Holders.
Whether he was of our Stevenson street family the writer hereof knows not, but presumes he was, as the directory of 1815 gives the name:
James S. Stevenson, white lead factory, Water, between Redoubt Alley and Ferry street.
Stevenson street was named for the Stevenson land owner who laid it out; Price street, for William Price; Magee street, for the father of the late Judge Christopher Magee; Watson street, for 'Squire Andrew Watson, etc.
Judge Magee's father, of the same name as he, married Jane Watson, daughter of 'Squire Watson, and she became the mother of the judge.
George Miltenberger had his street, James Tustin his, the Pride family theirs, and "Billy" Price was once commemorated likewise. But poor old "Daddy" Reis had no commemoration except in Reisville.
Reisville was essentially a butchering neighborhood. There were so engaged Jacob Tomer, George Gumbert, John Aiken and his brother William. Then there was Fred Michan, who called himself Mehow so persistently that no one knew who was meant unless this pronunciation was used.
Christ Seitz and his sons Daniel and George, the Reises, Adam Weaver, John Andregg, "Barney" Flanagan, "Matt" McGinn and John Henry Miller were butchers also. Then there was John S. Shoffer [sic], "way out in Shoffers [sic] lane," which was also called Lippencotts lane. Mr. Shoffer [sic] was also "way out in the country" and "on the edge of Lacyville."
Well-Known Butcher.
Charles Kent, who married a daughter of George Gumbert, was one of the best-known butchers in the neighborhood. After his defeat for sheriff of Allegheny county in 1852 and his failure to procure the appointment of United States marshal for Western Pennsylvania from President Pierce the next year, he emigrated to California and was prominent in politics there, but as a Republican. Here he was a Democrat and his defeat by "Billy" Magill, the Whig candidate, sat hard with him.
The old Fourth street road was a lively thoroughfare. The Bell Tavern was a much-frequented house and had a good repute for years after the section was incorporated into the city.
"Sooks Run"—properly "Sukes"—which came down the "lane" and meandered along the base of Boyds Hill, formerly called Ayres Hill, entered the Monongahela at the present Panhandle Bridge. Its upper portion was precipitous. The "lane" was a dirt wagon road through a ravine.
The run is shown on all the old maps of Pittsburgh and flowed first on the north side of the Fourth street road, crossing to the other above Magee street.
In 1863 the run was not sewered below Magee street and flowed through the Watson property between the Fourth street road, then Pennsylvania avenue, and the present Watson street.
Sukes Run, coming from the highland about the present Central Park on Bedford avenue, was somewhat torrential after a big rain and this was an incentive for butchers to locate their slaughter houses along it, the run being thoroughly flushed after a rain.
Good Meat Common.
Pittsburgh had good meat in those days—fresh killed and "home dressed." The butchers had their own ice hauled from the Monongahela, or else they killed just what their trade demanded. All these butchers mentioned prospered.
Another consideration for the butchers to take into account was the ample facilities for the keeping of their animals. Even pasture was to be had near by.
Reisville was a butchers' community, but all of the above family names are gone save one—which still adorns a sign in the old neighborhood, the business carried on by the sons of the original proprietor.
In 1850 John Aiken lived on Marion street and William on Pride street. John Miller, Matthew McGinn and "Barney" Flanagan lived on Pride street; the Sietz family on Stevenson street, the others mentioned on Pennsylvania avenue, except Jacob Tomer who lived at the corner of Miller and Colwell. The old home, still standing, now occupied by ex-Coroner Heber McDowell, was for many years the home of the late Rev. Dr. James M. Wallace.
There were other taverns in Reisville on the Fourth street road. Harris' Directory for 1839 gives—
Freivogal Conrad tavern, Riceville.
Freivogal, Francis, Social Garden, Riceville.
These were brothers.
Both the persons and the name of the place are misspelled. Freyvogel it was properly, and good German at that.
In the same directory Robert Seitz is down as a butcher, residing on Harriet street, Riceville, and John Aiken in the same business and on the same settlement—"near the Fourth street road."
It will be seen that Reisville was a recognized suburb of Pittsburgh.
"Philip Gumbard, laborer," is recorded as living in Riceville near Lacyville," and here we have another recognized suburb. The boundaries of these suburbs, one may say, were indeterminate.
Memories of Price.
The name Gumbert is misspelled above, but Mr. Harris' locates Adam Weaver in Riceville, also in the butcher business and spells his name correctly.
Naturally memories of Riceville call up stories of "Billy" Price, and these were said to have been numerous in the years subsequent to his passing away. The "boys" of 80 years ago—the few left—allege that Mr. Price had a parrot trained to say: "Boys in the orchard, boys in the orchard," whenever the pilferers in the neighborhood put into effect the dictum—"What is the other fellow's is yours if you can get it when he ain't looking."
But Price's Polly had a keen eye and kept it on her business and many a would-be trespasser had to make tracks expeditiously. Polly's vocabulary was limited, but it was practical.
What's the use of a parrot that is not practical? "Billy" Price was eminently so and the parrot sentry was in line with his practicality.
In quiet, rural Reisville people died occasionally. There were a number of small burying grounds in the vicinity. One was where the lawn of the Forbes School is and also on the other side of Forbes street, which was filled in here about eight feet. This was just in the rear of the Blue Bell Tavern and stood for years after the war in a neglected state. Originally it was the burying ground of the Rev. Dr. Robert Bruce's Church—the Seceeders—originally on Seventh street, at Cherry alley. Now Seventh avenue and Cherry way.
"Billy" Price's Practices.
In early days it was customary for tradesmen and manufacturers to deliver their goods. Most often this was done in person. "Billy" Price always delivered what he could carry.
At funerals it was the custom for the attending physician to head the funeral procession of the "late departed" as an especial mark of respect. Neither hearses nor carriages were common; such a burial would have been a wonder in Reisville and vicinity.
The method employed in disposing of the deceased was for four chosen pallbearers to take the coffin if there was one, or the box, and carry it on their shoulders in solemn mien and slow march. The doctor marched immediately behind the pall, of undisguised solemnity, a marked and consequential personage.
Mr. Price met such a procession one day and was struck with an idea.
The doctor's name has not been handed down to us. Possibly the doctor Mr. Price hailed was Dr. Simpson of Soho or Dr. Gazzam of the same locality, or it may have been Dr. Agnew; the mere identity does not matter. The redoubtable "Billy" called out:
"Ah, Doctor; I see that, like myself, you are delivering your work."
Immediately back of the Berlin Foundry of Mr. Price was Colwell street extending from the "point" at Clark street to Dinwiddie, and now laid out to De Rouaud street on the slope of "Yost Ruch's hill."
Street Honors Virginian.
Colwell street was named for Stephen Colwell, a lawyer, who was born in Brooke county, Va. now a part of West Virginia, in 1800. Eloping couples will have fond memories of the county seat, Wellsburg, and intending elopers may look it up on the map.
Stephen Colwell graduated from old Jefferson College at Canonsburg and was admitted to the bar of Ohio county at Wheeling in 1824.
Soon after he moved to Pittsburgh, but relinquished his profession and engaged in the iron business. He became noted as an author and student of political economy and was soon regarded as an authority in that science.
Mr. Colwell possessed an extensive library for his years, which he bequeathed to the University of Pennsylvania.
He removed to Philadelphia and became prominent there by sheer force of talent. He was justly esteemed as an author and a man. Some of his works are "Ways and Means of Commercial Payments," "Hints to a Layman," "New Themes for Protestant Clergy," "Charity and the Clergy" and "Politics for American Christians."
His style was clear and forcible and was remarkable for clearness of expression and boldness of thought. He remained but a few years in Pittsburgh and his legal career here was brief.
He was interested while here in land speculations. Title searchers are familiar with his plan of lots on the upper side of Roberts street between Clark and Reed, being part of outlots 14 and 15 of original plan of a portion of farm No. 3 of the Proprietories' Manor of Pittsburgh.
Colwell's plan, being part of Judge Samuel Roberts homestead, was laid out in 1835. It was in that portion of Pitt township known as Lacyville.
Roberts Lands Sold.
Senator James Ross and John McDonald purchased the interest of Judge Roberts at sheriff's sale shortly after the Judge's death in March, 1823. There were 10 acres in the tract.
Mr. McDonald died about 1831 and empowered his executors to sell any of his lands as they saw proper. Hence Joseph Patterson and Mr. Colwell, as executors, conveyed the land embodied in Colwell's plan to Senator Ross, who conveyed to Colwell as stated.
John Aiken afterwards owned much of the Colwell plan. Lacyville Church and the mother house of the original Passavant Hospital were across the street, being the original Dr. Lacy holdings in that neighborhood.
Colwell street passed through Reisville, it must be observed.
It was pretty cold this week, hence the oldest inhabitant of Reisville was not disturbed. What has been printed here is what could be dug up from other writers, some old newspaper stuff and from recollections of well-part of 100 years' acquaintance with the locality. Perhaps after the custom of marking certain accounts rendered, this story should be stamped "E. & O. E.," which is to say, "Errors and Omissions Excepted."
Perhaps it will be better to interview the O. I. after he has read the story. He exists.
The picture of the round house is reproduced by request. The other pictures tell their own stories.
