Master Slave Husband Wife and Slavery in the Utah Territory

The audiobook I'm listening to right now:
Master Slave Husband Wife

For Juneteenth! 

"Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom" by Ilyon Woo recounts the amazing story of self emancipation of Ellen and William Craft who flee Georgia in 1848. The book also gives a good background on national political events of the time.

To compare to Utah's history, I find myself referring back to another book, "This Abominable Slavery: Race, Religion, and the Battle over Human Bondage in Antebellum Utah" by W. Paul Reeve, Christopher B. Rich Jr, and LaJean Purcell Carruth.

The Utah territory was a concern to North and South politicians and became a target of "The Twin Relics of Barbarism - Polygamy and Slavery."

Both books are fascinating.

Some thoughts:

In December 1848 Ellen and William Craft self-emancipated (fled slavery) from Georgia by Ellen dressing as a White gentleman (Master) traveling north with a slave (Husband).

At the same time in the Salt Lake Valley, it was the 2nd winter for the Mormon pioneers. LDS policy regarding slavery was ambiguous and territorial documents were neutral on the issue. Yet, by fall 1848, about 55 enslaved individuals lived in the Salt Lake Valley. Although slavery was outlawed in US Territories in 1862, it is unknown if Utah's enslaved people were immediately emancipated. (Refer to This Abominable Slavery for a fascinating detailed discussion).


Excerpt from "This Abominable Slavery" Chapter 3 "Utah's Juneteenth" Emphasis is mine.

On June 13, 1862, John M. Bernhisel, Utah Territory’s delegate to Congress, wrote to Brigham Young to fill him in on legislative happenings in Washington, D.C. Bernhisel informed Young of his ongoing efforts to win statehood for Utah and told him of other political matters then playing out in the nation’s capital. Sandwiched in between an update on Bernhisel’s effort to secure financial compensation for Young’s claims on his “Indian accounts” and information on newly approved U.S. mail routes in Utah, Bernhisel told Young that “Congress has passed a bill abolishing slavery in all the Territories of the United States, and only requires the sanction of the Executive to become a law.” He also let Young know that “[t]he polygamy bill has passed both Houses” of Congress. [Brigham] Young thus learned that within weeks of each other, Republicans in Congress had made good on their 1856 pledge to “prohibit in the territories, those twin relics of barbarism, polygamy and slavery.

On June 20 [1862], President Abraham Lincoln signed into law An Act to Secure Freedom to All Persons within the Territories of the United States, and in doing, so he ostensibly freed Utah’s remaining roughly 35 slaves. On July 2, the Church-owned Deseret News reported that fact without elaboration. There was no banner headline or extensive story about what the law’s passage meant to Utah’s enslavers or to those whom they enslaved. There were no instructions that accompanied the news; LDS leaders or government officials did not tell Utah’s enslavers to emancipate their slaves or in any way establish guidelines or expectations. There was no sense of relief or feelings of joy expressed over the legal end of slavery in the territory. In fact, the announcement in the Deseret News would have been easy to miss. It was published on page four, tucked into the middle of a column titled “From Washington,” with no fanfare or commentary whatsoever. Nothing drew the reader’s eye to the column and no sense of adulation accompanied the report. The paper simply informed its readers that the “President approved the bill prohibiting slavery in the Territories.” That was it.

Using a black cat to heal the sick, a Utah folklore story

Using a black cat to heal the sick is a regional folklore story.

Lyman Lafayette Woods (1833-1918) was an early Mormon settler who lived in Provo, Springville, St. George, and Clover Valley (near Barclay, Nevada).

Lyman was described as a “good Latter-day Saint and active in Church work” and a “splendid nurse using mostly nature’s remedies.”

A daughter of Lyman, Roxa, was ill with pneumonia and was not improving with his normal cold-water treatment. He and an individual described as “an old Welsh lady” known as “Grandma Jones” cured Roxa using the skin of a black cat. Grandma Jones saying “the darker the cat, the surer the cure.”

The cat was killed, and its skin removed and placed on Roxa. As told, the [static] electricity in the skin of the black cat seemed to draw out all the poison from the body of the sick girl. Roxa survived.

There are several other examples of the belief in using the skin or fur of a cat to cure various ailments. The book Popular Beliefs and Superstitions from Utah records references to cure appendicitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and various stomachaches. And the editors of the book note that as recently as the 1960s, drugstores in Paris displayed tanned cat furs in their store windows for use in various respiratory and arthritic diseases.

After a little sleuthing, I believe the old Welsh lady to be Dinah Davies Vaughn Jones (1813-1895). She was born in Wales, arrived in Salt Lake City in 1861, and is often referred to as a healer, physician, and midwife. She and her family spent a few years in Salt Lake City and then relocated to Gunlock, Utah. However, Dinah spent a lot of time away from her Gunlock home while tending to her patients, primarily women.

Her affinity to travel may not be too surprising as she had a weird home life: Dinah had four surviving children with her first husband, William Vaughan, who died in 1852 in Missouri. Dinah married her second husband, William Ellis Jones in 1856 in Missouri. Dinah, William, and their blended family made the trip across the plains to Salt Lake City in 1861. William married Dinah’s eldest daughter (William’s stepdaughter), Martha Vaughan, as a plural wife and they had six kids together.

Needless to say, it was probably weird for Dinah to visit her husband, who was also married to her own daughter. Dinah’s grandchildren were also her stepchildren.

 
This story comes from the book Our Pioneer Heritage Vol 2 by Kate Carter, 1959, “And They Were Healed” “A Black Cat” pages 105-106 and seems to have been derived from The Dora Woods and Larkin Richard Schaffer Family manuscript pgs 105-126, which is on FamilySearch.

Other sources:

• The Woods Family of Clover Valley, Nevada 1869-1979. Published by Woods Family Genealogical Committee, Boulder City, NV 1979. Available from Washington County Historical Society
• Life of Lyman Lafayette Woods of Brigham Young’s Company, by Roxa Edwards Keele, 1956.
• The Dora Woods and Larkin Richard Schaffer Family. Ch 17 Dora’s Close Ancestors. From FamilySearch
• Popular beliefs and superstitions from Utah. 1984. University of Utah Press. Edited by Anton S. Cannon, Wayland D. Hand, Jeannine Talley
• Washington County News 1941-11-20 p1. St George Woman Dies at Home
• Various genealogical data sources on FamilySearch, Ancestry, Find-a-Grave

Mountainville Academy's Failure to Incorporate STEM Principals into Actual Practice: The Demolition of the Historic Carlisle House

Architectural salvage of the brick from the Fanny and Thomas Carlisle House, May 17 2024. Mountainville Academy will demolish the house for a parking lot and STEM building.

Demolition of the Carlisle House in Alpine has begun. Mountainville Academy (@mountainvilleacademy) refused the offer by Alpine City and the Friends of the Alpine City Library to purchase the property and turn it into a children’s library. As such, Mountainville has decided to demolish the house rather than let someone else buy it to be preserved or to utilize it themselves.

I visited the Thomas and Fanny Carlisle House on Friday, May 17 2024 and took these photographs. The workers in the images were hired by Alpine City (not Mountainville Academy) to conduct architectural salvage; their focus is on recovering the ca1910 brick, which I was told will be repurposed for the Alpine Library.

FOX13's Shanti Lerner reported that Mountainville plans to use the space for a parking lot and a STEM building… both purposes I find enraging. The parking lot is clearly a shortsighted decision and something that could have been designed to easily avoid the Carlisle House.

The lack of integrating the Carlisle House into a STEM building (an addition could have been added) is yet another shortsighted decision and illustrates Mountainville’s lack of creativity and willingness to incorporate the principles of STEM/STEAM into actual practice.

The entire drive back from Alpine all I could do was think of various science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics classroom exercises that utilized or focused on the Carlisle House. Incorporating historic preservation into STEM/STEAM would have been a true example of “Excellence.”

I helped build Utah’s first standalone STEM program of K-6 grades, at M. Lynn Bennion Elementary (soon to close) a Title 1 School that serves downtown SLC families. We did amazing things with very little funding.

It is so insulting to see a fairly privileged school like Mountainville Academy squander a unique opportunity. One quick example of a potential STEM exercise: make adobe bricks (sun-dried mud) with various compositions and then test their engineering strength.

This potential STEM lesson was on my mind because the adobe brick is now exposed while the exterior fired brick is being salvaged.

DEMOLITION PENDING on Carlisle House in Alpine, Utah

UPDATE - DEMOLITION PENDING on Carlisle House in Alpine, Utah. Mountainville Academy plans to start demolition (interior first) tomorrow (Tues May 7 2024).



So many people have stories about how this property is important to them (here and here).

Mountainville has rejected an offer by the City of Alpine and the Friends of Alpine City Library to purchase the historic home. The offer met all of Mountainville's requirements but it seems Mountainville really had no intention of considering selling the historic home so it could be preserved.

See parts of their official statement on the second slide (posted below), as well as my snarky interpretation.

You can call/email Mountainville at 801-756-9805 or info@malions.org.  Their contact page is also here.

Action Alert - Help Save Alpine's Carlisle House

The Thomas and Fanny Carlisle House located in Alpine, Utah is now under threat and is planned for demolition by the adjacent Mountainville Academy 

The Carlisle House at 129 S Main St Alpine, Utah.  Photos from Carlisle House Photo Studio.

Interior images of the Carlisle House at 129 S Main St Alpine, Utah.
Photos from Carlisle House Photo Studio.

BUT, this historic home has a real chance of being saved!  There is a cash buyer for this house and no reason to lose it as the city of Alpine has said they would sell another lot for the school to build upon. Demolition of this important community place is not needed as there are alternatives available that are feasible and make sense for all involved.

The house is noteworthy because it was the first to be constructed beyond Alpine’s “Old Fort Wall,” which was expanded in 1855 from a smaller fortification called “the Wordsworth Fort.” The house stands as one of the last remaining pioneer homes in Alpine.

It was built in several stages from around 1855 to 1910 and is associated with the early settlement and development of Alpine. The various building periods are noticeable externally due to the different materials that were used.

Carlisle House construction history, from USHS, colorized by author.

Carlisle House construction history, from USHS, colorized by author.

 Fanny and Thomas were famous inhabitants of Alpine who were friendly to everyone. They were renowned for their generosity and often had indigenous people camp on their property and dry their blankets after storms passed through the area. The Carlisle house was a symbol of friendship and a community hub for those in need.

Images from familysearch.org

The house remained in the family for many years until it was recently sold and transformed into a photo studio. Hundreds of families visited the studio and had their pictures taken inside the house and on the property. 

The Carlisle house is now under threat and is planned for demolition. Help us save this important community asset – post a comment and tell us your stories and memories of the Carlisle house.

Image from Google, modified by author.

Contact the Mountainville Academy and tell them why it is important to you and the Alpine community, and ask them to accept the offer to purchase the Carlisle house.

Contact the Alpine City Council and tell them to preserve the Carlisle house.

Also, fun fact, Thomas is my 8th cousin 4 times removed. I had to trace my ancestry back to the 1500s in jolly old England but we are related!

A selection of comments posted on my Instagram:

• Thank you for sharing! I'm an Alpine resident and I love this old house!
• Thank you for sharing the story wow!
• My family’s been in Alpine for a few generations, and my grandma worked at the old Bank of American Fork that sits right next to this house. Alpine as I remember it doesn’t exist anymore! Losing another pioneer home in Alpine would be a tragedy.
• Fanny was the oldest person in Alpine at the time of her death.
• Growing up, I moved a lot and didn't have a real "hometown." But my grandparents lived in Alpine for most of my life, so the drive past this house and up the hill toward Moyle Park is forever etched in my brain. It's the only place the feels like home to me. I'd buy that house immediately if I had the cash myself! Please, please save it.

Update - 4 Jan 2024
Mountainville Academy does not want to sell the Carlisle house to the private buyer who has submitted a cash offer.  Mountainville Academy has not been listening to the community and they are demanding Alpine City initiate a land swap with stipulations as the only way they will not demolish the historic home. Which now puts the burden on the Alpine City Council to facilitate their demand or face the loss of this important community gem. 

Update - 17 May 2024
Mountainville Academy has rejected an offer by Alpine City and the Friends of the Alpine Library to purchase the house for preservation and to use it for a children's library.  Rather than easily designing around the house, Mountainville will demolish this Civil War-era home for a parking lot and STEM Building. More here. 

History of the Yardstick Building

The Yardstick Building at ~50 East 300 South, Salt Lake City, has been demolished, so let’s dive into its history... as told in three parts.

The Yardstick Building as it appeared in 2022.
52 E Broadway, Salt Lake City.

Part 1: Origin Story

This property has long ties to two early SLC Jewish families- the Brooks (Brooks Arcade Building at 268 S State) and the Auerbach family (Auerbach Department store at 324 S State) as represented by one woman: Eveline Brooks Auerbach (1860-1924).

Eveline was the daughter of Julius and Fanny Brooks, the first Jewish family to settle in SLC, in 1864. The Brooks family first lived in a small adobe house at the busy corner of 300 South and Main St. Both Julius and Fanny were entrepreneurs, both operating businesses, owning rental property, and buying more property along 300 South between Main and State St. They integrated well with LDS Church members and even attended LDS Sunday School before the first Jewish Synagogue was built in SLC in 1875.

In 1879, The Brook's daughter, Eveline, married a member of another prominent Jewish family, Samuel H Auerbach and Eveline’s parents allowed the newlyweds to build on a portion of land between Main and State streets, what is now the Yardstick (although the Brooks family retained ownership of the land).

By 1883 Eveline and Samuel built a new 2-story family home made of brick, located at 52 E 300 South. They also built 2 rental units just to the west at 48-50 E 300 South of the same style of their home, so much so that it looked to most that the family home and the 2 rental units were a single building.

 

 The home and rental units of Eveline and Samuel.
Original illustration from USHS.

Clip of the 1884 Sanborn Map showing their home and rental units.

They marketed their rentals as “elegant houses with modern improvements… suitable for dentist and doctor’s parlors.” In addition to dentists, musicians, and other professionals who rented these properties from Eveline, 2 notorious (and fraudulent) spiritualists also rented from her in 1902-1903: the Arnold-Dickson brothers (see a previous post from my #SpookySLC series).

These buildings replaced a log cabin that was previously located on the site and occupied by Alexander Pyper’s family, an early Mormon pioneer.

At the time, most of this section of 300 South was a mixture of old adobe homes originally built by early Mormon settlers and a few updated structures made of wood frame or brick, a much more rural setting. There was even a large “Chinese Vegetable Garden” located on the south side of block at about 45 E 400 South.

But the neighborhood was quickly developing into an urban district and by the 1890s their home and rentals were surrounded by large new buildings such as Freed Furniture & Carpets, the Telluride Hotel, and, of course, the Brooks Arcade building across the street (the façade still stands today). And much of this section of the 300 South was owned by the Brooks and Auerbach families.

Eveline formally inherited ownership of the property (and the Brooks Arcade and other property) when her mother Fanny died in 1901.

By 1908 Eveline and Samuel were living full time in NYC and they decided to demolish their SLC home and rental units and build a new theater and hotel in its location at 44-52 E 300 South. This is the building that became the Yardstick and is now being demolished.

Eveline Brooks Auerbach wearing a fashionable ostrich feather hat.

Eveline's husband Samuel Auerbach.

Part 2: Eveline’s Theater

In 1908 Eveline Brooks Auerbach constructed a new hotel and theater at 44-52 E 300 South at the site of her previous home (see last post), this building is what eventually became known as the Yardstick.

Eveline’s building was mixed-used with commercial on the ground floor, a rathskeller (bar/restaurant) in the basement, a hotel above (men’s bachelor quarters), and a large theater in the back. This was Eveline’s property, but she was living in NYC so she had her son George S. Auerbach oversee the construction (the location of his birth!).

Eveline’s husband Samuel H. Auerbach and her sons George and Herbert were involved with other endeavors in the area, namely Auerbach’s Department Store and other properties totaling more than 10 acres- making the Auerbach family the largest owner of commercial real estate in downtown SLC in 1909.

Eveline’s building was primarily known by the theater, as it was the largest portion of the building with the entrance and lobby of the theater being in the center of the building on the ground floor, with a large stage and auditorium occupying the back of the building. The building also included a smoking room for men, a parlor for women, and dressing rooms (individual rooms for the stars) for travel companies. The theater was decorated in ivory tones and outfitted with luxury lighting and textiles.

The front of the building featured a large sign made by Western Electric Co featuring individual lighted letters that could be swapped out to spell the current performance.

The theater was first known as the Colonial Theatre, and then became known as the Pantages Theatre (one of many) in 1913, Loew’s State Theater in 1921, and finally the Victory Theater in 1924.

Colonial Theatre with its big Western Electric Sign in 1909
Source USHS.

Eveline's theater when it was known as The Pantages Theatre, 1920.
Source USHS.

Interior of the Colonial Theatre, 1908.  Note the asbestos curtain.
Source USHS.

Victory Theatre lobby in 1924. The statue is a reproduction of the sculpture Winged Victory of Samothrace. Source USHS.

Long hallway entrance to the lobby of the Victory Theatre, 1924.
Source USHS

Victory Theatre with neon front, 1937.
Source USHS.

The Louvre Rathskiller occupied the basement, when it opened it was described as the “most novel and artistic metropolitan cafes… west of Chicago.”

The hotel was first known as the Touraine European Hotel, and was initially managed by Mrs. Ida M. Godman, described as “one of Salt Lake’s successful businesswomen.” The hotel was primarily used as a boarding house (typical of that era) rather than tourist lodging. The hotel became known as the St George Hotel in 1952.

Newspaper advertisements. The top is from The Journal Oct 7 1913; the bottom is from The Salt Lake Tribune March 20 1938.

Newspaper advertisements. The left is from The Salt Lake Tribune Nov 22 1928; The right is from The Salt Lake Tribune Oct 2 1937.

Of note, the first talkie film presented in Utah was shown at the Victory Theater on May 22 1928, and was “The Singing Fool” starring Al Jolson (in blackface!).

In 1943, one of the most devastating fires in SLC destroyed the Victory Theater. Several people were injured, and 3 firemen were killed. The fire was able to be contained to the theater building in the back and none of the adjacent buildings were burned.  See a previous post for more about that.

Detail of the Victory Theatre fire ruins, 1943. Source USHS.

After the fire only a brick shell surrounding rubble remained. The fire-ruined brick walls stood for several years; sometime after 1950 they were removed but the large concrete subterranean foundation remains.

Detail of the 1950 Sanborn Map showing the concrete ruins of the Victory Theater.

 
The property remained with the Auerbach family until 1949 when Eveline’s children sold the majority ownership to a Los Angeles real estate mogul, E. Phillip Lyon.

Part 3: Mid-Century Makeover 

Eveline Brooks Auerbach died in 1924 but the property remained part of the Auerbach holdings. After the Victory Theater fire in 1943, the property was sold in 1949 to a California group headed by E. Phillip Lyon who remodeled the building, including the new modern façade. In 1955, Lyon’s share was acquired by his partners Molly and Julius Fligelman, who became the long-time owners.

The Yardstick fabric store has been there since the beginning of the remodel. It moved into the section that was originally the hotel office, on the west side of the building (40 E). The middle section that once was the theater entrance was remodeled into a storefront with Lerner Shops as the primary occupant (44 E). The east side of the building (52 E) was generally a shoes or women’s apparel store, such as Juliette’s Intimate Apparel in 1977. And, for a time, Auerbach’s used the basement for storage.

The Yardstick in 1952. Source USHS.

 
Like many cities, SLC’s downtown family housing declined after WWII as the GI-bill-fueled suburbs expanded. For a time SLC was able to keep its downtown shopping district alive. Many people fondly remember shopping at the old ZCMI, Keith O’Brien, Auerbach’s, and others. These shops in the Yardstick building were a part of that shopping experience, with the Yardstick often being remembered as the best place to buy fabric anywhere in town.

The 1950s and early 1960s are often remembered fondly for downtown shopping. Check out the documentary film “Utah in the 50s” for a detailed view of that era.  

In 1962, the Cottonwood Mall in Holladay was built - Utah’s first large indoor shopping mall. And downtown shopping was further at risk. The big shopping days around the Holidays and Back-to-School became destination experiences and often local businesses banded together to put on events to draw people downtown.

Back to School shopping advertisement, from The Salt Lake Tribune Aug 14 1966.

Downtown Days newspaper advertisement at the Lerner Shops, from the Deseret News March 31, 1965.

The Yardstick Store closing clearance sale, from The Salt Lake Tribune Aug 30 1992.

By the 1970s, SLC was suffering…. Throw in lingering effects from redlining, racial housing policies, unequal access to education/utilities, and the new SLC RDA’s efforts to “clean up” urban “ghettos” and it was just a huge mess. More than I can talk about here.

Modern facade, Juliette's Intimate Apparel, 52 E 300 South, about 1979.  From UDSH building files.

Modern facade, Lerner Shops, 44 E 300 South, about 1979.  From UDSH building files.

Modern facade, Yardstick, 52 E 300 South, about 1979.  From UDSH building files.

The Yardstick persevered, however, as it remained at its location until 1992. The building was boarded up and became known for its ever-changing street art, until its demolition this week.

Oldest Standing Houses in Salt Lake County, Per Tax Assessor GIS Records

I found some new-to-me, publicly available GIS data showing the oldest standing buildings in Salt Lake County and made this snazzy map. I'm a bit skeptical of some of this data as I've noticed the tax data from the Salt Lake County Assessor is problematic with older homes.  Looks like a field trip to me!  Verification is definitely needed.

Tragedy at King Corner, 300 South and 600 East

Thomas G. Wimmer house at 601 E 300 S, Salt Lake City. An inverted photoshopped view to make it look more spooky. 601 E 300 S.

One of the creepy old houses I was able to explore recently was this large house at 601 East 300 South, Salt Lake City.  This post is primarily on the basement experience, which is super creepy. 

There are lots of ghost stories and unexplained events that have occurred here, one of which is the ghostly presence of an angry solitary man, sometimes inhabiting the basement. Recent happenings include burst lightbulbs and generally cold and confined feelings of people who visit the basement.

I don’t know how ghosts work; but, when researching the history of this house I came across a history of a solitary man with an unfortunate ending.

The house is formally known as the Thomas G Wimmer house (built about 1900) but that story comes later. Before the house was built it was property owned by the Charles H. and Louisa King family.

1898 Sanborn map showing King Corner
600 East and 300 South, Salt Lake City

1911 Sanborn map showing King Corner
600 East and 300 South, Salt Lake City

Modern aerial image showing King Corner
600 East and 300 South, Salt Lake City

Charles was a Mormon convert from England who crossed the plains in a wagon train and arrived in SLC in October 1852 at the age of 35. When Charles was 40 he married 18-year-old Louisa, also from England, and they immediately started their family, of which William Charles King was the 3rd of 8 kids.

William (who also went by Charles W) lived his entire life in the small adobe family home on a large corner lot on the NE side of the corner of 600 E and 300 S, known as King Corner.

He seemed to be a responsible and studious individual and was in regular employment by George M. Scott & Co (a store primarily for mining items) since he was a boy.

By the time William was 26 he was working as an accounts collector and was in high standing with his employer, his accounts were in good order. He was unmarried, which was unusual at his age but nothing too concerning. Unfortunately, William suffered from depression and his family indicated he had been despondent for many years.

After returning home in the early morning hours of Wed, Oct 8, 1890, William shot himself in the head above his right ear. His mother found his stiff body a few yards away from the family’s home as she gathered the morning paper, around 7am. William’s father recalled hearing something like a gunshot around 2am but paid no attention to it.

The coroner officially stated his cause of death was a pistol shot wound in the head inflicted by his own hand during a spell of despondency.

William Charles King (Feb 8 1864 to Oct 8 1890). Born and died in Salt Lake City on his family's plot of land, 267 South 600 East. He is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. 

Stairs to the basement at 601 E 300 S 

Storage shelf in the basement which was the primary area of ghostly encounters when I visited in Oct 2022. 601 E 300 S.

Closed off coal shaft in the basement,
with wallpapered plaster remnants,601 E 300 S.

Wallpaper in the basement, 601 E 300 S.

Spooky window, 601 E 300 S

Normal view of Thomas G. Wimmer house at 601 E 300 S. Salt Lake City. viewed from 300 South.

 

Sources:

• Records on ancestry.com
• Salt Lake Tribune, March 30 1890
• Deseret News, Oct 8 1890
• Salt Lake Herald, Oct 10 1890
• Salt Lake Times, Oct 8 1890
• Salt Lake Herald, May 9 1899