Our Twin Cities of the nineteenth century: Norfolk and Portsmouth, their past, present and future. R. W. Lamb, editor

Front matter

MAIN STREET.— From Purcell House PUBLISHER'S NOTICE. Additional copies of this Book will be mailed on receipt of Si .OO and IO cents for Postage. Bound in cloth, gilt lettering, SI.50 and IO cts. for Postage. Address PUBLISHER TWIN CITIES, II9 Main St., Norfolk, Va. Our Twin Cities THGS. D. flu VV LAND, NORFOLK, VA. OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY : (NORFOLK AND PORTSMOUTH) THEIR PAST, PRESENT AND EUTURE. Robert W. Lamb, Editor <K NORFOLK, VA. 3 BARCROFT, PUBLISHER. 1887-8. NORFOLK LANDMARK STEAM PRESSES. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1888, by Henry C. Percy, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. JOHN W. BARCROFT. I MEMORIAL PAGE. IN MEMORY OF JOHN W BARCROFT. BORN AT NORFOLK, VA., JUNE 20, 1860. DIED AT NORFOLK, VA., DECEMBER 26, 1887 To some men it is given to fulfill life's plans, and live to realize bright hopes aud the rich rewards of a well-spent life ; while others, unable to stem the tide of adverse for tune, go out of life leaving but a memory and the sad record of honest but unavailing endeavor.

To this latter class belonged our young friend Mr. Bar croft ; and it is fitting that one page of this book, the last work of his brief but energetic life, should bear his name and record. Why his early removal from these scenes of his active usefulness was best, is a question beyond the answer of us all. May the lesson of his honest life prove a rich inheri tance to those who knew him, and to all wbo shall read his book. " God's ways seem dark, but soon or late They touch the shining hills of day." PREFATORY. y |YmE conception and producbion of this idea is wholly the work of Xkji the publisher, and to him belongs the credit of its handsome si-^"^ execution. He is also responsible for its title, which we regard ittfli as a misnomer, though a popular one, which of course covers a 7j*r multitude of sins. -W^ Norfolk and Portsmouth cannot be regarded as twins.

"Ye 2*£ towne" on the north side of the Elizabeth was seventy years the A '• senior of its southern sister, and in fact was a flourishing borough of nearly sixteen years before the incorporation of the latter, and was thirteen years a city before her younger sister attained to that dignity. Sisters they are, bound by the closest and tenderest ties of affection, as well as of material interests. Sufferers together in the fearful scourge of 1855, and walking hand in hand through the bloody four years of civil strife, they came out each rich in honor but equally denuded in material wealth to start the race anew together and aid one another in attaining to the high destiny that awaits them. But we hope soon to see the time when the union between them, complete as it is, shall have be come so perfect that, all jealousy and rivalry buried forever, we shall have one corporation with absolute identity of interests covering the shores of our beautiful harbor.

Chapter 1

Jg T is said that nearly five hundred years before that venturesome ll mariner wrhose exploits in crossing the ocean blue always tickle the fancy of the youthful student of history and make so lasting an impression that Christopher Columbus never ceases to be one of the ideal heroes of our American youth, the North-men — the old-time sailors of the world— had discovered our American continent, and at different periods through the intervening centuries other navigators present their claims, as stoutly maintained by faithful adherents, for the first honors of discovery. But these questions of the past centuries are really of little practical value to us, though sometimes their solution may gratify a curiosity not altogether idle. In this connection we may be permitted to say that even so far back as the primeval days of the happy Garden of the Old World in which our first parents reigned supreme, even here on the shores of our New World could be found "a big swell pitching into a little cove " — the veritable first inhabitants.

But far be it from us to detract from our old-school friend Christopher Columbus, and to him we would award the palm of discovery as we "hail Columbia, happy land." Nearly a century later, in 1585, Raleigh fitted out an expedition, com manded by Sir Richard Grenville, which reached Roanoke Island, in Albemarle Sound, and Capt. Ralph Lane, of this expedition — who ex- : tended his investigations and discoveries northward about 130 miles to the Indian town of Chesapeakes, on what is now called the Elizabeth Rjver — is the first white man of whom history speaks that visited the present location of our sister cities. These Chesapeakes were a brave warlike people, and a thorn in the side, it is said, of the subsequent white settlers. We can hardly believe, therefore, that the inhabitants of our peaceful city of Norfolk are their descendants — nor even the good neighbors of the South Side, which the records of the day make rather more belligerent — but following Mr. Jeff erson's notes, locate the site of the old town of Chesapeakes in what is now called Princess Anne County, on a branch of the River of Chesa peakes, now known as Lynn Haven River.

And in this we give but honor where honor is due, nor cast any reflection on our worthy neighbors in this county of so many natural advantages. Another century, however, had nearly rolled by before, on the 16th of August, 1682, the site of Norfolk Towne was selected on the land of Nicholas Wise, in Lower Norfolk County, on the entrance of the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River. This land was purchased from the son of the original Nicholas Wise, who was also a Nicholas and displayed his hereditary wisdom by reserving his father's shipyard, which occupied the present location of Atlantic City. That portion of the Wise tract purchased for the site of the town only consisted of 50 acres, but subsequently an additional 150 acres were in cluded in the limits of the town and owned by Anthony Walke.

That portion of it from Bermuda street to Plume's Cove, including Fenchurch street and the whole of Briggs's Point, remained in the Walke family for over a century. Twenty years after the purchase from Wise the favorable location of Norfolk for trade and commerce had attracted such a considerable popu lation that in October, 1705, an Act of Assembly regularly established a town. This town continued to make rapid strides in prosperity, and in 1728 it had attained no mean eminence as a port, its extensive commerce being principally with the West Indies. Not only were the merchants busy and prosperous, but improvements were being rapidly made giving steady and remunerative employment to mechanics and laborers. Col. Byrd writes of Norfolk at this date as follows : "The two cardinal virtues that make a place thrive, industry and fru gality, are seen here in perfection ; and so long as they can banish luxury and idleness the town will remain in a happy and flourishing condition."

And such indeed appears to have been the case when, on September 15, 17336, the existence of the town of Norfolk came to an end and by Royal charter Norfolk Borough began its existence. PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURF. 7 "A rare place " was our old borough, so historians tell us, with exten sive commerce, that kept its harbor filled with vessels, not a few of a large size, while money was plentiful. No grumblings in those days about " hard times." All were too busy CUMBERLAND-STREET BAPTIST CHURCH. and prosperous to leave room for grumblers, and yet there was always time enough to spare for amusements and recreation. And by the way, we think it a noticeable fact that this is always the case with the truly prosperous, whether individuals or communities. The harbor was pretty well monopolized by the heavy trade with the West Indies, out of which many fortunes were realized.

The markets were held on Tuesdays and Saturdays in the Market Place ; and here also, on October 3, began an annual fair, lasting four days ex clusive of Sunday, the middle of the Square on these occasions being appropriated to fun and frolic, and was open to all who chose to take part in the amusements, which were of a character to suit every taste, though generally full of hilarity and boisterousness. Apropos of the commerce of the old Borough, we find an entry in 1769 stating that the imports of the State of Virginia, principally received through the port of Norfolk, amounted to 851,000 pounds sterling. The Virginia Gazette, published in 1776, speaks of Norfolk on the eve of a great crisis in its history, which well-nigh put a finishing stroke to its existence, as follows : ' It is the most flourishing and richest town in the colony.

Its happy site, combining all those natural advantages which invite and promote navigation and commerce, have been actively seconded by the industry and enterprise of its inhabitants. In the two years from 1773 to 1775 the rents of the houses increased from £8,000 to £10,000 a year. Its population exceeds 6,000 citizens, many of whom possess a3ffluent fortunes." And this brings us, in our brief outline of Norlolk's history, to the war of the Revolution, in which she occupied a very con spicuous position and out of which grew the calamity to which we have before alluded. But we have so far neglected our sister city, and must now take a step backward to begin with that period in which she made her debut into the arena of the world's history. And here we may take occasion to say that there is one aspect in which our sister city always most favorably impresses the stranger, especially in comparison with Norfolk, and that is the beauty and regularity in the laying off of her streets; but whether attributable to a better natural taste on the part of our South-Side friends, or whether they profited by the mistakes of the elder sister, we leave it for others to decide.

It was in February, 1752, just sixteen years subsequent to the Borough charter and twenty-three before the outbreak of the Revolution, that the town of Portsmouth was established on the land of William Crawford, and to these limits were added, eleven years later, the lands of Mr. Veale. History tells us little specifically of its growth and progress during the intervening years up to the Revolution ; but, enjoying in common with Norfolk a magnificent harbor, which appears to have been almost constantly filled with vessels, and being peopled by the same thrifty class of settlers, Scotch and Irish, principally engaged in mercantile pursuits, there is little doubt that it shared largely in the prosperity of its sister town, still too young and struggling to advance any pretensions to rivalry, and there fore the more ready to recognize the identity of interests and work for the mutual good.

It was on the first of January, 1776, that the first sad blow fell on Norfolk Borough — its complete destruction by the fleet of Lord Dunmore who bombarded the town in the spirit of revenge for his recent defeat at the battle of Great Bridge. The actual loss on this unfortunate occasion was computed at over UNITED STATES CUSTOM-HOUSE AND POST OFFICE. NORFOLK. 300,000 pounds sterling, to say nothing of the incalculable distress which was a necessary consequence. The Old Parish church, built three years i after the chartering of the borough, and now known as Old St. Paul's, is said to have been the only building of any consequence that escaped destruction. The town of Suffolk, whose doors had been thrown open with a humanity and hospitality still characteristic of its people, was crowded with houseless and distressed refugees from Norfolk, who there found home and comfort.

For nearly seven years the old borough remained in this deplorable state before she majestically arose from her ashes ; and it seems truly remarkable that Portsmouth should not have taken advantage of this state of affairs and gain and hold an ascendancy which seemed so easily within her reach. Unfortunately, however, the patriotic spirit in the breasts of her most influential citizens then, as now, burned so brightly that they opposed bitterly the settlement in their midst of the commission mer chants and mercantile agents from England, Scotland and Ireland, who had been living in Norfolk when it was destroyed and wished to recom mence business in Portsmouth, and in fact carried their intolerance so far as not only to treat repulsively some of the Scotch and English factors and traders visiting the town with a view to settlement there, but even required them to leave at short notice.

This fact was taken advantage of by the property owners on the Norfolk side, where a more liberal spirit prevailed, and the result was the town was not only soon rebuilt but regained in a short space an ascendancy in wealth, population and commercial facilities over her sister town, which she has ever since maintained. We note, however, a very handsome increase shown by the statistics of Portsmouth from 1796, when she contained 300 houses and 1,700 people, to 1806, when over 400 new houses had been built during the decade and the population had reached 3,000 inhabitants. During that period, in 1801, the establishment of the United States Navy Yard on the southern branch of the Elizabeth River at Gosport, the removal of the County Court to the town, and the opening of the Dismal Swamp Canal added no little to her prosperity.

And we find several square-rigged and other vessels owned by her merchants, and no inconsiderable trade, chiefly to the Antilles, carried on. Turning our attention once again to the old borough, we find her popu lation had reached, in 1800, nearly 7,000, or an increase in ten years of 4,000, while the value of exports during that year exceeded $4,000,000. There were not only scores of vessels at the wharves receiving and dis charging cargoes and the streets and lanes from Main street to the river thronged with a heterogeneous mass of human beings of all nations and tongues, but there were also four shipyards in Norfolk and two in Ports mouth kept as busy as they could be, and with no questions asked as to prices, only " How soon can the work be done ?" Such were the prosperity and brilliant prospects of our flourishing sister towns at the dawn of the nineteenth century.

From 1804 to 1807 we find the exports of the borough varying from $5,000,000 to $7,000,000, but the imports were not equal to the demand. The annual entries of vessels from foreign ports during the same period was from 350 to 480. The population at the last date approximated 10,000. This commercial prosperity of our towns was suddenly brought to an end by the Embargo Act of December 22, 1807, which then became the law of the land and seriously interrupted the business of the towns on the coast, reducing it to a mere interstate trade. We must pass over rapidly the history of the next succeeding years, leaving to a more graphic pen the pictures of the war of 1812, in which our townsmen took an active part, and the never-to-be-forgotten glories of Craney Island, with its brilliant defense, resulting in the signal dis comfiture of the enemy.

With peace came prosperity, and the citizens of both communities were not slow to avail themselves of it and to take such steps as would develop and improve their respective towns. In Norfolk we note that the first Council under the renewed order of things ordered the construction of what was so long known as Stone Bridge on Granby street, the erection of a tobacco warehouse on Town Point and other improvements, besides effecting many healthful changes in the police arrangements of the borough. About this period, 1816, the Mayor of the borough became for the first time a salaried officer, and Granby and Catharine (now Bank) streets were extended to their present limits. We can find no specific statement of the improvements in the South Side sister during this period, but we know that the same spirit of progress was prevalent among its good people, and in 1819 the records show the passage of an Act of the Assembly making the trustees a body cor porate and politic, with power to pass by-laws, etc., which power they were not slow to make judicious use of.

Unfavorable legislation in May, 1820, again gave a serious check to our commercial prosperity. The passage of the " Navigation Law," re stricting vessels from bringing the produce of the British colonies to our ports and taking ours in return, had a most disastrous effect, as was shown by the rapid falling off in our West Indies trade and consequent suspen sion of many of our principal merchants, who had been able to do a very heavy business through the liberal accommodations of the branch of the United States Bank located here, carrying with them in their downfall many of the smaller traders to actual poverty. The following year was deeply marked with gloom, and everything seemed to conspire to retard the growth of our sister corporations on the Elizabeth. Business was dull, our foreign trade still rapidly declining and money growing tighter and tighter.

In the month of August a malignant sick ness, fortunately, however, confined to one portion of the town, was in troduced by a vessel from a foreign and infected port ; and as a finale, on September 3, the great gale, surpassing anything in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, swept over the two towns and demolished or unrooled many houses. The drawbridge over the Eastern Branch was swept away and the shipping in the harbor met with very serious damage. Despite these serious discouragements, however, we find enterprise enough left in our citizens to rebuild the drawbridge in the next year 1822, and to supplant the old "teamboat," which had done the ferry ser vice for many a year, on the 19th of January by a real steamboat— the old blind horses, which had furnished the motive power, being transferred to the "mud machine," we presume to conciliate the "mud turtles," who then as now, no doubt, were willing and anxious to have our communities stuck fast in their native element, while progress and general prosperity sr. VINCENT HOSPITAL, WOOD STKEET. were scattered to the winds.

At this early date it was certainly an evidence of a spirit of progressiveness that might now be imitated much to the comfort and convenience of passengers between our cities. There was little to mark the year 1823 in either community, except the great fire in February, the month noted for numerous conflagrations, on Market Square of the borough, a location which seems to be particularly unfortunate in its many visitations of a similar character, which resulted in some loss of life and considerable destruction by fire. The next year is marked with a white stone in our history by the visit of La Fayette, when our people were able to evince their gratitude for his noble self-sacrifice in our behalf, as the tried and true friend and associate of our own Washington iu the bloody struggle of the first Revolution, and right nobly did they do their part, and the gallant Frenchman felt and appreciated it.

Such a gala season in the two communities had not been seen, and its joyous festivities were unrivalled even by the pristine days of the old borough, when mad fun and frolic ran rampant. The violent storm of 1825, with its high tide inundating the lower por tions of our towns and doing great damage to the sugar, salt and tobacco and other merchandise stored on our water front, was the only remarka ble event of that year. In 1826 the Non-intercourse Laws and commercial restrictive system between the United States and Great Britain were most seriously felt in respect to our West Indies trade by our port in common with our South ern sisters generally, and the disastrous consequences predicted by Mr. Tazewell were fully realized. As we recall these numerous drawbacks to our commercial prosperity, scattered almost like milestones through our business history, it seems a wonder that the project of making a great port out of our harbor had not long ago been abandoned to the visionary ; but nature has done so well for us that we cannot give up the hope that as more enlightened and progressive views of inter-commerce with all the nations of the globe take possession of the universal mind these natural advantages of our port must make themselves felt and be the means of attracting capital and enterprise to our shores.

But let us remember that we must neither supinely wait for them nor meet them when they come with that pre scriptive and illiberal spirit which in other days drove enterprising strangers away and left us in such a languishing condition that no sub sequent efforts, though arduous and earnest, have enabled us to recover the lost ground. We have now to record an event which we know for over a quarter of a century was the town talk of our people and seemed to have made a last ing impression on the youngest inhabitant of the borough at the time it occurred. We refer to the fire which started in a frame workshop that occupied the present site of the Purcell House, in the early morning of March 9, 1827. The workshop and adjacent buildings were not only rap idly consumed but a strong gale from the southwest blew thesparks far up Church street and along the western part of Mariner street, entailing an immense loss.

Among the prominent buildings destroyed by this fire was the original Episcopal church built by the congregation who followed Parson White head in the division of the congregation which had occupied the Old NORFOLK COUNTY FERRIES. Church (now known as St. Paul's). This church stood immediately across the street from the Old Church, where the First Presbyterian Church now stands. The embers from the burning church were in turn wafted on the gale over half a mile, until they ignited the large and elegant wooden mansion of Walter Herron, built by Mr. Plume and situated in the beautiful en closure on the corner of Wood and Church streets, now occupied by the Hospital St. Vincent de Paul. Every part of the town was brilliantly illuminated, and the heat was so intense that the citizens generally were : filled with alarm, while many families were entirely deprived of shelter.

In fact, for miles around the light of this immense conflagration was so bright that the country people coming to town in their market carts, turned back at the sight and reported that the whole town was consumed — no doubt regarding it as a just visitation for the sins of the old borough. The actual loss amounted to over sixty houses destroyed, and upon the next night the Council promptly passed an ordinance prohibiting the erection of wooden buildings within certain limits under a severe penalty. The year 1828 opened more auspiciously for our communities by the beginning on the first day of January of that splendid work the Dry Dock, at our Navy Yard, which for many years was justly a source of pride and pleasure to our people. It is still useful as well as ornamental, though not now quite up to all the requirements of modern progress in naval architecture.

This year (1828) Christ church was erected on its present location by the congregation who had lost their sheltering fold in the conflagration of the preceding year. The closing event of the year was equally favorable to our joint com mercial interests — the completion and opening for vessels, on the very last day, of the Dismal Swamp Canal, which ever since has played no un important part in bringing to our markets the numerous products of the adjoining counties of Virginia and North Carolina. The building of the Naval Hospital, in close proximity to the site of old Fort Nelson, on the Portsmouth side of our river, marks the year 1829. Its handsome appearance continues to elicit the admiration of all visitors to our harbor, and it is justly one of the landmarks in which we all take pride.

We now pass over several years of the existence of our sister cities in which nothing worthy of note can be found, and take up the thread of our narrative in January, 1832, when the supreme privilege of electing their Chief Magistrate was vouchsafed to the freeholders and qualified voters of the borough by an act of the General Assembly. Whether from this cause or other more potent reasons we will not un dertake to decide, but it is certain that this year (1832) is noted as one in which trade and commerce seemed to take a fresh start. For despite the depressing influences of the cholera, which raged through the summer of this year, our old borough and her sister town began a sure though slow march, it may be, on the road to prosperity. It was in this year the lum ber trade, for which this section had long been noted, began once more to revive, and its revival was followed by a healthy reaction in all branches of business.

In tracing the outlines of the history of our sister cities it is of course impossible to dwell long upon any one point, or in fact to do more than to bring to notice the more salient ones. Thus far we fail to find in the ROANOKE DOCK records on either side of the river any attempt to construct a park for the health and enjoyment of the citizens. The Act of Assembly of February 27, 1833, which authorized the filling up of that portion of Back Creek which was east of Bank street, to establish a public square iu the old borough, is the nearest approach to it. This square was subsequently established, and has proved both useful and ornamental as the site of our City Hall and other public buildings. The first step towards building a railroad from our common harbor was taken this year, and though Portsmouth was to have the honor of being its terminus, on the 3d day of April an ordinance was passed by the Coun cils of Norfolk subscribing $60,000 for 1,200 shares of the Portsmouth aud Roanoke Railroad Company, and December 4 an additional $40,000 for 800 shares more, making a total of $100,000.

This amount, though apparently sunk in the "subsequent disaster of the scheme, was doubtless good seed sown, from which an abundant crop has been reaped in the shape of a remunerative trade from the Roanoke and other sections of the Old North State. It was on the 19th of January, 1834, that the passage of the bill char tering this road was announced ; and though it was the Sabbath, so great was the joy of our people both in Norfolk and Portsmouth over the victory won, that was to bring a brighter future, full of the most cheering anticipations of prosperity, wealth and commercial greatness, that the bells all rang out a merry peal, while the booming of cannon announced the glad tidings for miles around, the news having been actually conveyed to Suffolk in this way within a few minutes after its receipt at Ports mouth.

Bonfires blazed on all the wharves and principal streets, and rockets illuminated the air, and for more than two hours the towns were almost wild in their exhibitions of joy. Unfortunately, however, the result proved that the rejoicings were pre mature; for despite its brilliant auspices, the difficulties subsequently en countered proved insurmountable, the road had to be abandoned, and our most sanguine hopes were all blasted. In 1834 we find the trustees of Portsmouth were granted the power of prohibitiug the erection of wooden buildings within a certain area — a very important step, which marked its transition into a real town. The year 1835 opened very encouragingly, there being more square rigged vessels in port than at any time since 1820. Quite a number of them were British vessels engaged in the West Indies trade.

In 1836 we note another progressive step in Portsmouth, the authority being vested in the trustees to pave, grade and light the streets, regulate the construction of wharves, erect town hall and purchase land for public squares. While on the Norfolk side future interments in the old burying-ground (St. Paul's Church) were prohibited after February 29, and June 8 an or- ■■', : 18 dinance was passed to provide for the payment of the contract for the new almshouse. The crowning act of the year, however, occurred on September 15, when the good people of the old borough celebrated her first centennial. The Egyptian, doubtless, in the shadow of his ancient pyramids and the light of a civilization of twenty centuries and more, would look with supreme condescension upon our single century; while the hoosier, with just pride glancing at his magic city of scarcely a hundred months, would PURCELL HOUSE, Ben.

R. Brown, Proprietor. wonder at our great rejoicing over a century evincing to his progressive spirit so little of real advance — such small return for arduous and con tinuous labor. But this September 15, 1836, was a great and never-to-be forgotten day in the old borough. She had passed through the fire; war and pestilence had done their work of havoc and destruction ; but phœnix-like she had risen from the flames, and, wounded and battle scarred, she had come forth from all her trials with renewed strength and beauty to take no mean place in the great struggle for position among the commercial rivals of our great and growing country, with the bright hope of realizing the brilliant suture which our own Jefferson had foretold for her. And so, right royally, 'midst the ringing of bells and the booming of cannon, did our people, young and old, rejoice over our existence of a hundred years, and earnest resolves were taken that the next century's close should show such progress and advance as would well repay the children for all the labor and toil expended by their parents and secure the position for our coming city that nature had designed for.