Feel free to add comments and give suggestions. All opinions and ideas are welcome.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Starting to look at the history behind the house

As Alok mentioned, Vicki found some articles for us through the library that reference for the house. Some are more interesting the others, but it's very cool that they exist! More history to come as we figure it out (in the article, when they reference 1641 Hampshire, that is us)

A wedding was held there on November 21, 1901 ­ Wedding description

A funeral at the house. October 8, 1903. Sister of the wife of the house. ­ Funeral description

They needed a "competent girl"on March 25, 1907 ­ Classified ad

Apparently a cook was needed, at the rate of $5 a week.
­ November 11, 1907 classified ad


On October 22, 1911 they made the society page due to Weems relatives visiting from Houston, TX
­ Society page

Apparently the boards in the attic that were damaged by a fire were damaged on December 4, 1914 ­ Interesting article about the fire

Article talking about Jesse Weems (previous owners) 84th birthday on August 21, 1915 ­ Birthday announcement

On November 15, 1916 there was a funeral held for Jesse's brother-in-law at the house ­ Funeral announcement

On July 21, 1919 there was a funeral held in the home for Jesse Weems ­ Funeral announcement

I find it somewhat creepy that the owner was named Jesse (although my spelling is different), but I find the funerals more creepy. My favorite article thus far is definitely the one describing the fire. Can you imagine them carrying out the furniture in the house?

Jessica (or Jessie)

8 comments:

  1. The thing I found confusing about the newspaper articles is the 1901 wedding said it was the home of the bride "Mary Brawner." So did Jesse Weems buy the house between 1901 and 1903 when his name is mentioned in conjunction with the house, or was Mary somehow related to the Weems?I need to do some more digging.

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  2. Hi Vicki,
    It says that the bride is the daughter of Mrs. Jesse Weems, which is very interesting since it doesn't say Mr. Jesse Weems. Perhaps Mr. Weems' stepdaughter? That would be interesting, given the times.

    I also love how all women are always referred to by Mrs. husband's full name and their first name was never given.

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  3. Although, maybe she was a widower? Hmmm...

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  4. Vicki,

    This article refers to Mrs. Jesse Weems as the former Mrs. Brawner
    http://archive.quincylibrary.org/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Search&Key=QDJ/1908/07/30/5/Ar00500.xml&CollName=QDJ_APA3&DOCID=1271622&PageLabelPrint=5&skin=QPL&AW=1205417717890&sPublication=QDH&sPublication=QDJ&sPublication=QDW&sPublication=IBY&sQuery=%22Jesse%20Weems%22&sSorting=%2553%2563%256f%2572%2565%2c%2564%2565%2573%2563&sDateFrom=%2530%2534%2f%2530%2531%2f%2531%2538%2533%2535&sDateTo=%2530%2538%2f%2530%2531%2f%2532%2530%2531%2530&RefineQueryView=&StartFrom=35&ViewMode=GIF

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  5. Wow! This is such an amazing project! I think it's super great that you are researching the history of this home!

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  6. I obviously didn't read the article carefully enough. Clearly the daughter is a step-daughter of Mr. Weems, his wife being the former Mrs. Brawner. Maybe we can find the funeral notice of Mr. Brawner. Did you see that Mrs. Weems was a young lady in1858 when Lincoln dined at the Brown house at 7th and Hampshire (long since torn down) and she had made the flower arrangement for that auspicious dinner! So through your house, you have three degrees of separation to Lincoln. I love these old newspaper articles.

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  7. Well, I searched for "Mr. Brawner" and came up with a Thomas Brawner who died in 1896, but he did not have a young daughter, as he himself was 84. But an interesting fellow who had been a slave holder from Virginia, who wound up fighting for the Union, and also was involved in the Mormon War, and was present at the killing of Joseph Smith. Maybe this man was our Mrs Weems former father-in-law. She would have heard some interesting stories.

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  8. OMG! Do you think you'll have ghosts given the funerals? Your house is going to be the coolest house ever!

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