Have you ever visited a church where your ancestors got married? Many people have. You may even attend the same church? But, how about one where they married more than 200 years earlier?
The Wedding
On September 14, 1784, Stephen Stackhouse and Amy Vandyke (Rod’s 6th great grandparents) said their wedding vows at the Presbyterian Church in Newtown, Pennsylvania. We had the opportunity to visit this church in 2014 although we were not able to go inside.
Founded in 1734, the church, session house, and graveyard sit above Sycamore St. in a beautiful setting. The first Presbyterian Church built in Newtown had been replaced in 1769 with the current church. It had been remodeled two years before their marriage, which was likely required due to the building being used by George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Since, it was one of the largest buildings in the small town, Washington used it as a hospital, jail and housing for P.O.W.s from the Battle of Trenton. It is said that several hundred P.O.W.s were kept in the church, but it seems that was likely an exaggeration. Although large for its day, the church was limited in size. See the end of this article for links to additional information about the church.
Who Were They?
Stephen’s Background
Having been born August 12, 1761 in Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Stephen was 23 when he married. He is believed to have been the son of John Stackhouse and Elizabeth Hendricks Buckingham.
Stephen descended from John Stackhouse, who had come with his uncle and brother to Pennsylvania from England in 1682. They had located in Falls Township in Bucks County near the Neshaminy Creek. Read more about their early days in America.
Amy’s Background
Less information is known about Amy’s background. She may have been born in Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. There is some belief that she was a couple of years younger than Stephen. However, the 1800 census would imply that Amy was older than Stephen, assuming the woman in the household is Amy.
I also know of possible birth parents. However, I have not been able to confirm any specific details about Amy’s parents or her birth.
Their Life Together
Stephen and Amy set up housekeeping in Bucks County. However, it appears that Stephen owned no real estate at the time. However, by 1801, he had acquired 12 acres. By the end of the decade his acreage had grown to 22. In the next decade it nearly doubled. The property size is interesting as Stephen primarily worked as a weaver and not as a farmer.
Over the years, Amy gave birth to at least nine children. All but one child, a daughter, lived to adulthood. And, at least two of their sons followed in Stephen’s footsteps.
On September 20, 1804, only a few days after Stephen and Amy’s 20th wedding anniversary, Amy died. She left Stephen with eight children, four under the age of ten. Her youngest, Elizabeth, was only 2 1/2 years old. Read more about Elizabeth.
Life Without Amy
In 1810, Stephen is found with a man and a woman, both close in age to Stephen, living in the household. This could be siblings of Stephen or Amy, a sibling and their spouse, or hired hands. By 1820, a man close to Stephen’s age is no longer in the household. A woman still resides at the home. As far as it is known, he never remarried. Thus, she is likely a sister or servant.
Stephen died May 1, 1834. He is buried in Bristol Township in Bucks County at the Bristol Friends Cemetery. This is a bit confusing. Although he came from Quaker heritage, Stephen married Amy in the Presbyterian Church. It was not uncommon for early Quakers to join with the Presbyterians. However, it is a bit surprising that he is buried with the Friends. Amy’s burial location is unknown.
Session House at Newtown Presbyterian Church.
Old Newtown Presbyterian Church Today
The church changed in small ways over the years. The session house that sits apart from the church on the same grounds was built in 1798 as a place to conduct church business. Then in 1842, it was repaired. Over 200 years after Stephen and Amy married at the church, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (1987).
Today, this church is known as the Old Newtown Presbyterian Church. Worship services are still held in the church, but only in the summer.
How often is it that a train coming through town is a reason for a family reunion? That was the case for the Thomson family.
Story of The Thomson Family & The Liberty Bell, The Lincoln Star, Lincoln, NE, July 9, 1915 via newspapers.com
1915 Liberty Bell Tour
Trains played a big part in the history of the Thomson family, as Blanche Thomson, a city girl from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had met her future husband Herbert Thomson on a train platform in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1905.
So, it seemed appropriate that the family would visit any trains that related to their family. The first significant visit to a train was in 1915.
The Request
Blanche (Klinefelter) Thomson, Rod’s great-grandmother, heard that the Liberty Bell was going to be loaded on a train for travel across the county to an exposition in San Francisco. She was very interested in this happening. She had seen the famous bell when she visited Philadelphia as a child and it remained a special memory. Moreover, she heard that it was going to make a stop in Lincoln, Nebraska, a few miles from their home near Palmyra. So, she did what any descendant of the most famous bell ringer in the country would do when the most famous bell in the country came to town. She put in a request for her family to attend the festivities.
Blanche wrote to the Lincoln Commercial Club asking if they could reserve seats for her family. She explained her connection to the Liberty Bell and said that “[S]he wanted her children to see the world-famous emblem, this sacred relic which their direct ancestor had rung.”
William Hurrie Lineage
Blanche and family’s viewing of the Liberty Bell was nearly 140 years in the making. It all started on July 8,1776 when Andrew NcNair was away from his role as doorkeeper to Congress for the day. William Hurrie, who would later hold that position, substituted for Andrew. And, it was on that day that Congress asked for the people of Philadelphia to be called together to hear the first official public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
As a result of Blanche’s request, Blanche, her husband Herbert Thomson, and their children were guests of honor at the Commercial Club Luncheon. The date of the event in Lincoln was 139 years and 1 day after Blanche’s ancestor rang the 2080 pound bell declaring independence.
They were guest of the president of the Commercial Club and were also greeted by the mayor and the secretary of the Commercial Club. After the luncheon, the family was taken to the site of the Liberty Bell program and were seated on the platform where speeches were given.
The Program
Security was tight with National Guard and police in charge, but that didn’t stop people from pushing past others for their chance to see the famous bell. The time allotted in Lincoln simply could not accommodate everyone who wanted an up-close view. However, the number of people that got within a half-a-block from the bell and who were considered close enough to get a glimpse of it, range from 25,000 to 40,000.
The program that day was cut a bit short mostly because people simply could not hear over the crowd. Of course, it was also 88 degrees and several people fainted or had heat-related issues. No one was afforded the opportunity to hear the sound of the bell. However, it had been rung the previous February to proclaim liberty throughout the land. This time it wasn’t just heard in Philadelphia, instead, the tones of the bell were sent over the transcontinental telephone line, which had just been completed. As the bell was struck with a mallet, the sound of the bell was heard in San Francisco. It was also recorded. Note: In 1944, they rang the Liberty Bell again for D-Day. It rang out seven times – once for each letter in the word “Liberty.”
The Crowd In Lincoln, NE at the Liberty Bell Source: Nebraska State Journal, July 10, 1915 via Newspapers.com
Liberty Bell 1915
Liberty Bell 2003
Photo taken in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during our visit in 2003.
1948 Freedom Train Tour
Thomson family at the Freedom Train in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1948.
Having been honored guests when the Liberty Bell had come to town in 1915, many people were aware that the Thomson family had a connection to the days of the American Revolution. So, when in 1948 the Freedom Train put Lincoln, Nebraska on their list of scheduled stops, it only seemed fitting that the Thomson family again be honored guests. However, Blanche and Herbert’s children were now grown with families of their own. Thus, it an opportunity for a family reunion.
Why An Exhibit
In 1948, the Attorney General of the United States “became concerned with the complacency of the American people, their lack of appreciation of the freedoms that have been won for them during the last 160 years…” Thus, an exhibit traveling by rail called the Freedom Train was born. It was to travel to 300 cities across the nation.
The train consisted of seven cars. Three held exhibits, one was for baggage and equipment, and the other three were for the crew. Thirty or forty men traveled on the train, with a significant majority of them being Marines that guarded the train 24 hours a day/7 days of the week.
Ad for a commemorative book about the documents on the Freedom Train.
The Museum
The Freedom Train was a “moving symbol of America’s year of rededication to the ideals and practices of democracy.” This train carried 127 exhibits including many documents of American’s heritage: such as,
The Declaration of Independence (Jefferson’s rough draft with changes marked on it)
The Constitution (George Washington’s personal copy of the draft of Constitution with his corrections marked on it)
The Bill of rights (original copy)
The Gettsburg Address (actual copy he read when he gave the address)
A letter Christopher Columbus wrote about discovery of America
WWI & WWII documents
A flag that flew at Iwo Jima
To protect the precious artifacts, the train and everything on it was fireproof with the exception of the artifacts themselves. To ensure that the documents remained safe, they were put in envelopes that were waterproof, fireproof, and shatterproof. Then they were placed in steel cases with multiple layers of glass that protected them from damage from light.
Rededication Week
Each city held its own activities focused on rededication to the principals on which this country was founded. They held Rededication Week in the days leading up to the arrival of the Freedom Train at their location. The goal was to remind everyone of the value of their heritage and their own responsibility in preserving those freedoms.
Daily Theme
In Lincoln, Nebraska each day had a specific focus with rallies, speeches, music, and other events planned around the specific topic. The focus areas were:
Sunday – Freedom of Religion
Monday – American Justice
Tuesday – Veterans
Wednesday – Women
Thursday – Labor and Industry
Friday – Schools (Including both teachers and students)
Saturday – Municipal
Sunday – I am an American Day. Dedicated to those 21 and over that had been naturalized within the previous year.
The Pledge
Everybody got into associating with the Freedom Train. Even Kellogg’s cereals.
During the weeks leading up to the arrival of the Freedom Train and for some time after, films were shown at clubs, organizations, etc. about the documents and history of the founding of the country. There also were radio programs on the subject. Additionally, the newspaper ran articles, not only about the event, but also focused on some of the key documents aboard the Freedom Train. During the week, people were also encouraged to take the following pledge:
I am an American.
Free to speak – without fear.
Free to worship God in my own way.
Free to stand for what I think right.
Free to oppose what I believe wrong.
Free to choose those who govern my country.
This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold.
For myself and all mankind
After the week of rededication, the red, white, and blue Freedom Train was to be parked at the Missouri Pacific railroad station on Sunday. The public could view the document from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., but could only accommodate approximately 10,000 people. Therefore, it was recommended that families only bring children age twelve and up as the documents would not be meaningful to youngsters and both time and space for viewing the exhibit were limited.
Viewing The Exhibit
Special Showing
Judge Klinefelter signs the register at the Freedom Train in 1948
A special showing between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. before the doors opened to the public was held for by-invitation-only guests. Most of the guests were city, county, and state officials, and the press. However there were a few special guests. Among them were Blanche, her father Judge Sharpless Klinefelter, and 24 of her descendants. The only other guest with the distinction of having a connection to the documents on the train was a woman whose grandfather worked on the original draft of the 14th Amendment.
As the family exited the exhibit, they were invited to sign the rededication scroll.
The chairman in charge of the train said, “A family rich in American tradition as this one, certainly deserves a little special treatment.” It was mentioned by someone present, however, that a history researcher claimed that Andrew McNair was the bellringer who called together the citizens of Philadelphia to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. To which, Judge scoffed and replied, “Andrew McNair, eh? Hump!” Following the viewing of the exhibits on the Freedom Train, Judge and his descendants enjoyed a picnic dinner at Antelope Park.
The General Public
At 10 a.m. the public started boarding the train. The first ones on had been in line since 5:45 a.m. The line varied from two to three blocks in length. However, with every Lincoln police office on duty and the fire department assisting, the crowd remained orderly.
High school bands played to entertain the people waiting. Meanwhile veteran groups sold refreshments. However, no peddlers or others who followed the train were allowed to sell their wares as it was considered a serious subject and the people organizing the events did not want a circus environment.
By the end of the day, 8,241 people would board the train and view the exhibits. And, a half-hour after the last person exited the exhibit, the train was on its way to its next destination.
People waiting to see the exhibits on the Freedom Train. Adapted from The Lincoln Star, Lincoln, NE, May 17, 1948, via Newspapers.com
One More Freedom Train
The Bicentennial brought about another Freedom Train. It was bigger. Since it stayed longer at many locations, the train traveled in both 1975 and 1976. This time, they charged admission ($2 for adults, $1 for children) to defray costs.
The Thomson family didn’t hold a big reunion for the Bicentennial Freedom Train. This is likely because Judge and Blanche, who seemed to be the biggest voices for the family’s history in Philadelphia, had all died prior to this date. Still, when the train came through Omaha, my husband’s mother took him and his siblings to see the Freedom Train.
Charles F.Peelle, a businessman and a fourth cousin to my great-grandfather William Johnson Peelle, got involved with the local safety gate company. When the owner sold out, Charles and his business partner purchased the company. Charles would file for the company’s first patent. This led to a family business that would exist across three centuries.
Who was Charles?
Charles F. Peelle was born to Henry and Mary (Morris) Peelle in 1857 at their home northeast of Cambridge City, Indiana, which was twenty miles west of Richmond. He was one of twelve or thirteen children (a source says there were 13, but I have only found 12).
The large family belonged to the Society of Friends. They were very active within the organization and at least a portion of the family, including Charles, continued throughout their adulthood. Charles belonged to the South Eighth Street Friends Church and was clerk of the Richmond Preparative Meeting of Orthodox Friends.
Charles was a business man. His primary business at his office at 901 Main St. was selling real estate and insurance. Additionally, he became involved in various businesses in the area. For example, he was one of the directors of the Diamond Roller-Skate Company, which had $100,000 in capital stock in 1884. He would not have yet been 30 years of age.
Charles was also active in the community in other ways and was said to be a “hardworking, energetic, and upright man.”
Safety Gates
John G. Zeller, a member of a prominent local family, started a business in 1880 to manufacture safety gates. These gates enclosed elevators and pre-dated elevator doors. He received a patent on his design and ran the business until 1890 when he accepted a position at the American Biscuit Company. As such, he sold his safety gate business at 914 Main St. to Charles and George H. Knollenberg. At the time the company had 4 employees.
In Business
George became the president of the small company with Charles as vice-president. Immediately, Charles and George grew the business. In 1892, the business moved to a new building at North 15th St. near the Pennsylvania Railroad.
With a larger facility, the company was able to accommodate a larger staff. They began establishing agencies in major cities coast to coast. Then the Panic of 1893, an economic depression, hit in February. In May, a major company went bankrupt and the Dow Jones dropped 24% in one day.
Still, Charles and George’s company pressed on. But, by the end of September, they didn’t have steady work. Orders were few and those that they were getting were small. After a few weeks, they were half-time. By mid-December they were working 12 men 9 hours a day for 1/3 of the days; whereas, full time was 16 men. They shut down on December 23 and were unsure when they would reopen.
Fortunately, the depression was short lived and the company was able to continue in business.
An image from Patent 542,348.
The First Patent
Charles was busy at work with ideas for improvements to the safety gates. On October 17, 1894, Charles filed a patent with the U.S. Patent Office for his invention that provided a
“means by which a safety-gate may be held rigidly in a raised position while the elevator is flush with the floor and is made to descend automatically by the elevator-platform ascending or descending from its position, the elevator platform being permitted to ascend through the successive floors without disturbing the safety-gates in their positions closing the said openings in the floors.” (Source: Patent 542,348, July 9, 1895)
His design included a pulley, a wheel, a tooth bar and more.
The patent and the process show me two things: 1) Patents in the late 1800s were just as confusing as patents today. 2) The patent process took a lot less time in the 1800s than it has in recent years. None of Rod or my patents went through in such a short interval.
An image from Patent 683,102.
Incorporation
Three years later, the company added fire doors to their product offerings. And, in April 1899, Charles and George incorporated their business as Richmond Safety Gate Company with capital stock of $40,000. At the same time that they incorporated their safety gate business, they also incorporated Eureka Fence Manufacturing Company with capital stock of $10,000 with a share price of $100.
At the end of the next year, Charles filed another invention with the U.S. Patent Office. With Clarence L. Colby, he had invented a door operating device for “doors adapted to be raised and lowered by counterbalancing-weights and to be entirely out of the way when not in use.” Their invention included “a novel construction and arrangement by means of which doors might be operated to open and close doors easily and quickly” Pulleys were again involved.
Charles venture with the Richmond Safety Gate Company ended abruptly just over two months later. He died on December 9, 1901. He was only 45.
The newspaper reported that his death was due to pleuro-pneumonia. However, his death certificate states that the pneumonia was only a contributing factor. It states that the primary cause of death was cerebral neurasthenia.
Businessmen were said to be particularly prone to this condition if they were stressed and overworked. It was said that America’s competitive culture led to this disease and it was referred to as “Americanitis.” The sufferers were said to have fatigue, upset stomach, spinal irritation, weakness, dizziness, and more. It is no longer a diagnosis in the United States.
I do not know the symptoms Charles experienced. However, I think a reasonable theory is that he simply died from exhaustion, having put so much energy into business.
The Company Lives On
Although the company had lost their vice-president and manager, they announced that no changes would be made to leadership until the following year. Despite multiple of Charles’ brothers being involved in the company, it was his business partner George who bought Charles’ share in the company. He also took on the manager responsibility, devoting a portion of his time to that role.
The Philadelphia Lawsuit
The following year, the Richmond Safety Gate Company sued the city of Philadelphia. They claimed that they were being discriminated against and not being allowed to do business in the city. They had been selling their safety gates in Philadelphia for eight years when they suddenly couldn’t sell their product anymore.
They alleged conspiracy between individuals in the local government and certain providers of competing products. The city had notified them not to install any more fully automatic safety gates and had informed businesses to not purchase any automatic safety gates in favor of semi-automatic gates.
The claim was that the fully automatic safety gates were less safe. Furthermore, the city said that they would condemn any fully automatic safety gates that they found. Of course, the Richmond Safety Gate product was fully automatic. And, according to the company fully automatic safety gates were safer than semi-automatic gates. Furthermore, they claimed that the defendants willfully conspired to injure or eliminate their business in Philadelphia.
The lawsuit simply asked for two things. They wanted the defendants to be forbidden from favoring or requiring one type of safety gate over another. And, they wanted the defendants to not be allowed to use their official positions in any way that denied the Richmond Safety Gate Company the ability to freely compete for business in the Philadelphia market.
The judge refused to issue an injunction so the the company could continue business while the case was heard by the court. But, the court did agree to handle it in an expedited manner. So, a year and a half later, the judge handed down his opinion in favor of the Richmond Safety Gate Company.
Ready To Move On
By 1908, George started exploring options for selling the business. He was ready to get out of the manufacturing business. He was nearing retirement and he still had significant other business interests. There was talk of selling the business to C.L. Colby, who previously patented an idea with Charles Peelle. In 1909, it appeared the company ($50,000 capital) would be moving to Marshalltown, Iowa with some of the staff also moving. The deal seemed so close that the company closed down in anticipation of the sale and move. However, the sale fell through at the last minute.
So, George, who had opened his first business in 1866, did what came natural. He opened the factory back up and went back into business. By 1913, the company had expanded to include fire retardant doors and freight elevator enclosures. They now had between 30 and 35 employees on the payroll.
The Union
With World War I, came a demand for workers, which translated into higher wages. At the end of July 1918, the employees of the Richmond Safety Gate Company demanded a wage of 40¢ per hour for all workers, skilled and unskilled, effective immediately. The company had already instituted a bonus system and a 2 1/2¢ per hour pay raise. The company stated that they could not pay all employees 40¢ per hour or they would lose money on their current contract with the U.S. government for tin-clad fire-doors.
Thus, around 50 men went on strike the following Monday. Within a few days, they met with the Sheet-Metal Worker’s Union about joining the union. After the decision to join was made, the union convinced the workers to go back to work and provide the company their grievances in a businesslike manner. Then, the union could fight for them.
The issues stated by employees were wages, the current bonus system, and a disagreement over the actual profits of the company. The current wage for employees of the company depended on who you asked. Clearly, management did not want to pay unskilled workers the same as what they paid skilled workers.
The bonus system, which the company offered was believed by the employees (or the union) to be unfair. They offered a 10 percent bonus if an employee was on time and worked 55 hours in a week without any absences. The employees did not feel it was fair as one minute late or one missed hour could cost you your entire bonus. They much preferred an increased wage.
The union took up their cause and there were many union-company clashes that fall. However, the exact agreement reached is undetermined.
The Buyout
Near the end of December, George died. The following May, his widow sold the company to the Peelle Company that was located in New York. That company was owned by Charles F. Peelle’s brother Caleb M. Peelle. Caleb had been working in New York for Richmond Safety Gate Company at the time of his brother Charles’ death.
By 1905, Caleb decided to form his own elevator company, which he simply name Peelle Company. His company, one might say, was a spin-off of the Richmond Safety Gate Company. And, now the child was purchasing the parent!
The decision was to have the Richmond Safety Gate Company as a wholly owned subsidiary and to have it remain in Richmond, Indiana. The only difference would be that one of the Peelle brothers, who had joined Caleb in his business in New York, would relocate to Richmond and run the company.
Doors, Doors, Doors
With new ownership came a push to expand and grow. In 1921, the Richmond Safety Gate Company moved to a new location. A name change followed the next year when they petitioned to change it from Richmond Safety Gate Company to the Richmond Fireproof Door Company.
Over the coming years, the company continued to focus on various types of doors and related fixtures. In 1924, they stated that they were the makers of the “Richmond Standard Automatic Tin Clad Fire Doors and Fixtures.” It was Underwriter Laboratories approved and the company was recognized for their quality and workmanship. They were seen as setting the standard for fireproof doors.
The company came under the leadership of James F. Peelle in 1926 when he was named president and general manager. The following year, the company reported that they were able to manufacture approximately 100 doors per day. The company made various types and styles of doors, including: swinging, sliding, folding, telescoping, and more. They advertised that they had a single order for 242 doors.
$50,000 in improvements were made to the factory. They employed approximately 125 people and planned to further expand the staffing.
It was at this time that the company held their first company picnic with an estimated crowd of 200 to 300. Each person got coupons good for hot dogs, ice cream, and other goodies. The day was filled with races, other competitions, and general enjoyment.
Expansion
Then it was back to work as 1928 brought a major expansion. The floor space was expanded by a third by adding a new 140 ft.by 40 ft. addition to their current 260 ft. by 120 ft. building. The new addition was to house the manufacturing of steel door trim for doors in industry called “Roll Steel Combination Buck and Trim Frames.” To go along with their product and image, the new addition was brick with steel window frames.
At the same time, an additional story was added to the office building.
Custom Doors
The company became known through out the country for problem solving and unique solutions to customer problems. They made custom doors for a local company when the elevator shaft only had 4 feet of clearance below the first floor and the customer required a 10 ft. high door to accommodate automobiles and trucks on the elevator. Typical construction would require at least 5 feet of clearance underneath the elevator. The company’s solution was to create special doors where the bottom section of the door was two parts with one “telescoping” behind the other.
A challenging problem arose when the U.S. government asked for them to create doors for a military installation where the doors had to continue to operate smoothly at -100 degrees. They were created on a tight timeline with complications even in the shipping. However, creative solutions prevailed and the doors arrived at their destination on schedule.
Challenges also came in the way of size. The Power Authority of New York, for example, required two doors for their power plant on the Niagara River that measured 76 ft. by 80 ft. Each door weighed 54 tons. I have no idea how they transported them from Richmond, Indiana to upstate New York.
Motorstairs
Meanwhile, in Coffeyville, Kansas, a small company named Multiscope was born. Incorporated in 1941, Multiscope focused on military projects during World War II.
They had secret gun directors for Navy ships. It was a highly secretive project with 20 to 30 sub-contractors making components, which were assembled at Multiscope. Even the head of the companies didn’t see the finished product. In the third year of production, some of the employees were allowed to see the final product minus several secret components that were removed for the showing.
After the war, the factory was converted for civilian product development. Their first post-war product was moving stairs. Now, I have no idea how or why they chose this for their product. I would assume that somehow escalators were a good match for the type of equipment that they had.
Purchase By the Peelle Company
The Peelle Company became an Eastern sales representative for Multiscope. Then, in 1949, the Peelle Company bought Multiscope, naming the new subsidiary Peelle Motor Stairs, Inc. Their plan from the onset was to move the company to their facility in Richmond, Indiana.
To facilitate the move, they built a new 30,000 sq. ft. building and a new office building on the same site as the Richmond Fireproof Door Company. Co-location was critical as the president of Richmond Fireproof Door Company was also the executive vice-president of Peelle Motor Stairs, Inc. Likewise, others held positions in both companies or moved from one to the other.
Big Contracts
Almost immediately, after the purchase, the company landed a contract for $650,000 to build escalators for the new Union Bus Terminal in New York City. It required a significant increase in staff over the number that had been working in Coffeyville. To ensure a good transition, they moved about 25 previous Multiscope employees and their families from to Richmond while also hiring additional staff.
Although I referred to the product as an escalator, it is said that the term “escalator” was never used at the company. The term had been trademarked by Peelle’s competitor Otis Elevator Company. And, although they had dropped the trademark and it was in the public domain, the Peelle companies did not see fit to use the term.
In 1960, the company got another contract for the Union Bus Terminal, when it expanded. Eighteen of the original thirty one escalators were removed and twenty-eight new escalators were installed. The longest of the escalators was 79 ft. and had 150 steps. They estimated that in the 10 years that the escalators had been in place that they had carried the equivalent of two times the entire population of the United States. So, it is no wonder that some of them needed to be updated.
They installed motorstairs with heated handrails to warm hands in the winter. Oddly that wasn’t in Alaska, where they installed what they believed to be the first ever escalators in Alaska. They carried shoppers at the Northern Lights Shopping Mall in Anchorage.
In 1965, Peelle, exited the escalator business when they sold their escalator company to Haughton.
The Closure
The Richmond Fireproof Door Company manufacturing offices closed in October 1983. They along with their predecessor company, Richmond Safety Gate Company, had been in business there for nearly 100 years. At the time, they were down to 25 manufacturing employees at the Richmond location. The remainder of the manufacturing for the Peelle Company taking place at their plant in Ontario, Canada.
The employees were given 30-day notice that the plant was closing. The following August, they auctioned off all of the remaining equipment.
Spanning Parts of 3 Centuries
The family’s venture into elevators and manufacturing, however, continues. The Peelle Company, which is now 120 years old, has offices in New York and Ontario, Canada with installations worldwide. The company is still owned and operated by the family. JT Peelle, is the current president and CEO of the company and a member of the 5th generation of Peelle family members to serve in the company.
According to the Peelle Company website, “Peelle [is] known for premium quality design and manufacturing of specialist lift and elevator entrance doors. Not only are we known for build quality, more importantly, we are known by all of our customers for product longevity. This results in Peelle being the industry leader in the markets we serve, and the biggest provider of Horizontal and Vertical Sliding Doors for demanding commercial / industrial applications world wide.”
The Peelle Company believes their advantage comes from “continuing to install freight elevator doors on a worldwide basis. This gives Peelle an in-depth and first-hand understanding of what the building owner/manager values in freight elevator door equipment and what is important from an elevator contractor’s perspective.”
They go on to say, “Being family-owned and operated since 1905 has allowed Peelle’s founding traditions and core values to continue on today.”
Genealogical Connection
Company material says that the company is a 5-generation company. My assumption is that it has been led by men in five generations.
Based on this assumption and the fact that Caleb and Charles were my great-grandfather’s 4th cousins. That would make JT my 7th cousin once removed. I am still researching to verify this relationship.
We are much closer connections on LinkedIn as he is a 3rd level connection to me. And, in an interesting coincidence, both JT Peelle and my sons studied at the University of Denver (DU). Both JT Peelle and my oldest son got their MBA at DU.
Mystery Girl
The photograph shown was taken in New York. The photo was among photos that we inherited and which appear to be tied to the Peelle family. Who is she? Is she a descendant of one of the brothers in this Peelle family? If so, why did my family have the photo?
Being a Children’s Librarian was a second career, but one that Aunt Inez loved. It ended far too soon.
Becoming A Librarian
Background
Inez Linda Pellett, my namesake, was the oldest daughter of Clifford Claney and Dessie May (Thomas) Pellett. She was born near Moundville, Missouri on April 8, 1928. A couple of years later, the family moved to Redfield, Kansas before settling down near Garland, Kansas.
While she was still going to grammar school, her father ended up in a veteran’s hospital hundreds of miles away. Still, her mother managed to send all the kids to high school.
First Career
Inez’s first job after completing high school a semester early was at the business that became the Western Casualty and Surety Company & The Western Fire Insurance Company (The Western Insurance Companies). The company was known locally simply as “The Western.” She started working in February 1946 while also taking a full course load at Fort Scott Junior College (FSJC, now Fort Scott Community College [FSCC]). She was only 17 at the time.
She completed her course work at FSJC, taking a mix of general classes and business office classes. She had eight credit hours of shorthand and she was really good at it. When she was working at the library, she still wrote notes in shorthand. I wasn’t sure if she wanted to keep up her skill level, if it was just natural after 25 years in a office, or if it was her way of keeping her notes private as most people didn’t know shorthand.
When Inez completed 25 years with The Western, she retired. She was only 42. Inez took a year off work. When she was ready to go back to work, she chose a field which was a bit less stressful than supervising the issuance of payroll checks for a large company. The company had approximately $226,000,000 in premiums per year, which with inflation would be nearly a billion dollars today. She traded that for being the “assistant librarian” at Fort Scott Public Library.
Inez with me on my first Christmas Day
Love of Children
Although Inez’s official title was Assistant Librarian, her primary role was working in the children’s library. I couldn’t think of anyone better for this role. She loved children and children loved her. They could sense her true intent to connect with them. However, she had never married and had no children of her own.
So, she enjoyed other people’s children. She loved Halloween as she loved interacting with each and every Trick or Treater. It wasn’t simply a “Trick or Treat,” get candy, and be on your way. Instead, each child that came to her home could expect to be invited in for a conversation about their costume.
The closest she had of children of her own were my sister and me. We spent many Saturday nights at her house. When I was five, she took me with her on a trip to California to see her brother and other relatives. Both of us later went with her and Mom on another trip to California. Later, I went with her to Savannah, Georgia when the Greyhounds played in the Shrine Bowl for the National Championship.
However, how close she was to me can be summed up with one story. When I was a toddler, Mom and I (and possibly others) met up with her and had lunch downtown. When she walked away to go back to the office, I started fussing and making a ruckus. Mom figured that everyone on the street thought that my mom leaving to go back to work. But, it was my mom holding me. It was my buddy that was going back to work.
Library Work
Coming from a demanding, high stress job, Inez found the responsibilities of a small-town librarian to be easy. Her day consisted of reviewing books, ordering books, prepping books for checkout, checking them out/in, taking in occasional fines, and other library tasks.
She enjoyed the work and did it with the utmost professionalism. She kept the library well organized even with little hands pulling books out to see if they wanted to check them out. That said, she had an incredible talent of getting children to behave while they enjoyed the visit. And, needless to say, she enjoyed each and every visit from a child.
The Lunch Break
Inez was quick with her work. She was a fast typist and fast at taking shorthand. Additionally, she was very fast on her feet. I don’t know if that came from her childhood or if it was something that she became accustomed to in her previous job. However, I know that as a child I had to run to keep up with her. Inez had an hour lunch break and she would make the most of it. Occasionally, she would walk from the library to Pizza Hut, eat their buffet lunch, and walk back to the library all within the hour. It was 1.5 miles each way and Google estimates it will take a little over an hour for a person to walk there and back. However, Inez made the walk AND ate lunch. And, she walked it in heels!
Story Hour
One of the events of the week that Inez looked forward to was Story Hour. When she started working at the library, Inez held one Story Hour a week for half a dozen preschool children. Within a year, Story Hour had grown to three sessions per week with approximately 60 children attending each week.
Story Hour was held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. It started with the children playing an age-appropriate game. Once they settled down, Inez read them a book, making sure to show them the pictures and answer any questions. She read many different books to them, but like all kids, they had their favorites. Curious George and Dr. Seuss were among those most often requested.
Afterward, they checked in the books they had taken home the week before and checked out books for the coming week. Afterward, they could talk quietly with their friends or sit and look at their books.
Inez went all out for her little readers (or maybe I should say listeners). She would have treats for holidays including Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Christmas. At Christmas, she made little gifts for each child. One year she made toy soldiers out of clothes pins for all the children. Another year, I remember helping her make little bear ornaments that the kids could put on their Christmas tree. It also seems like she might have made some ghosts for Halloween and/or some angels for the kids.
She was amazing with the kids and did so much for them. The kids adored her, and she was pretty popular with the older crowd, too.
Summer Reading
Each year there was a theme for the Summer Reading Program. This is where I got into the act. I am not sure what the exact theme was one year, but it must have been related to the Old West as I made a fort, steamboat, and stagecoach. Each one was made out of cardboard and other household supplies. They were large enough to be a significant display, but small enough that they could sit on top of the bookcases.
Filling In
When I was in college, I worked in the library on Saturdays and if I was available when either librarian was on vacation. It was a great opportunity for me as I worked in both the Children’s Library and the adult library. I learned a lot about research, which was useful in school and, of course, in genealogy. On cold, snowy days, I had the opportunity to read local books that did not circulate. The patrons were few and far between on those days and I didn’t usually have enough work to keep me busy all day.
The Side Job
As a side job Inez did work for the lawyers in town. She typed up materials for them and did other tasks. She liked typing on the old manual typewriters and was quite fast on the keys. Those “a’s” that were so hard for most people were a breeze for her
Although called to serve on a jury, Inez never had to serve. She not only knew all the lawyers in town, but she worked for them. So, you could say that she was denied her civic duty or you could look at it as a benefit of the job.
A portion of a letter from the secretary at the church.
Her Illness
Inez had already started having health issues before she went to work at the library. It was probably the reason behind her leaving the Western. I vaguely remember her telling me that she had some issue, but she believed she wasn’t going to die from it.
She had always had cold feet. When she put them against you, it was like you were touching an iceberg. She also had a lot of pain in her feet and legs. At the time, I assumed that it might have been from walking all those miles in high heels. However, it seems that both the cold and pain came from her medical issues.
After Inez went to work at the library, she lost a lot of weight. She craved ice and would request soda or orange juice be served poured over a glass full of ice. She got a few calories from that. However, she didn’t seem to be able to eat much food. By May 1983, Inez became so weak that she was hospitalized at Mercy Hospital in Ft. Scott. They transferred her to St. Luke’s in Kansas City, where she remained for some time.
While at St. Luke’s, Inez got cards from people young and old. Some cards came from a group of people and others were hand drawn or had extra art from a youngster. Everyone was missing her presence in their life.
A letter from one of the older children.
A drawing one of the kids sent Inez while she was in the hospital.
From one of her young library patrons
Tribute to Inez by Dick Hedges, Fort Scott Tribune, 1983
It Ends Too Soon
Eventually, the doctors sent Inez back to the hospital in Ft. Scott. I think it had become clear that they didn’t have a cure for her. When she was released from the hospital, she went to stay with Mom and Dad. She died September 24, 1983. She was only 55.
Photos from the Library are from Inez Pellett’s personal collection.
Many people over the years have spent their later days in a retirement home. However, few have lived in a retirement home as many years as Elizabeth Mason (Stackhouse) Brooks lived at the Home for Aged Protestant Women.
Elizabeth’s History
Elizabeth Mason Stackhouse, Rod’s 5th great-grandmother, was born March 19, 1802 to Stephen and Amy (Vandyke) Stackhouse. Note: Vandyke has many different spellings in records with Van Dyke and Vandike being common. Her birth likely took place in Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania where the Stackhouse family had lived since they arrived in America in 1682.
In February 1822, Elizabeth married Joshua Brooks in Tulleytown, Bucks, Pennsylvania. In that year, he is listed in Falls Township. However, previously, he was listed in Newtown, Bucks, Pennsylvania. He is listed in tax records with William Brooks and John Brooks. William is believed to have been his father and the likely owner of the Brooks House in Newtown, which we visited.
Elizabeth and Joshua became the parents of Ann Rue, Emma Vandyke, Stephen S., Henry G., Sarah C. and Samuel S. Ann Rue married Jesse Klinefelter. They are Rod’s 4th great-grandparents. Ann married James Hendrickson after Jesse died.
In 1828, Joshua, Elizabeth, and their oldest four children moved west to the bustling city of Pittsburgh, where Joshua was in business with a member of Elizabeth’s family. They built stationary engines. Joshua was a skilled blacksmith.
Joshua died unexpectedly in 1869 while visiting his daughter Ann R. (Brooks) Klinefelter Hendrickson.
Home for Aged Protestant Women
In 1870, Elizabeth can be found in her daughter Sarah’s household. It is unclear if Elizabeth lived there the entire time between when Joshua died in July 1869 and March 3, 1874 when she moved to the Home for Aged Protestant Women (HAPW).
Why?
The obvious question is why did Elizabeth go to live at the facility? Even if she didn’t want to remarry or had no prospects for marriage, why didn’t she continue to live with Sarah or go live with one of her other children?
Sarah had a husband and two growing children at the time Elizabeth moved into the HAPW. Perhaps, the family needed the space Elizabeth had been occupying. There also could have been conflicts with three generations in the same space. It wouldn’t be the first time a family found multiple generations to be a challenge. So, for whatever reason, Elizabeth did not stay in Sarah’s home.
When considering Elizabeth’s other children, her oldest daughter, Rod’s 4th great grandmother, Ann Rue (Brooks) Klinefelter Hendricks, was a two-time widow. She had lost her second husband only a couple of months before her father died. By the time her mother entered the Home for Aged Protestant Woman, Ann was working as the Matron of the Poor House. So, she wouldn’t have had a place to house her mother.
Elizabeth and Joshua’s second daughter Emma Vandyke Brooks has been a bit difficult to trace. She was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Muscogee County, Georgia with her brother Stephen; and later is in Missouri. Stephen, as mentioned, was in Georgia. Moving in with his family would have required traveling south, but it was post-Civil War so it was definitely doable. Yet, Elizabeth stayed in Pittsburgh.
Her son Samuel had drown while he was working as an steamboat engineer when he fell overboard on a run between Louisville, Kentucky and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And, Elizabeth’s son Henry was also said to have died before 1870. The circumstances and exact date are unknown.
So, Elizabeth moved to the Home for Aged Protestant Women.
The Home
The Home for Aged Protestant Women, situated on five well-groomed acres near the Pennsylvania Line on Rebecca Avenue, had opened its doors only two and a half years before Elizabeth moved in. It had been founded by Jane Holmes on land donated by James Kelly. Oversight was performed by the Board of Managers and was an auxiliary of the Women’s Christian Organization.
The Application
Entry to the home required that the applicants lived in Pittsburgh/Allegheny for ten years, be over sixty years of age, and an application/acceptance fee. The women paid the $200 fee when they moved into the facility unless it was not practical or feasible for them to make the payment. Then an exception or alternative was arranged.
The payment wasn’t really for care as the cost over their stay far exceeded this amount. Instead, it was to “guarantee the respectability and good behavior of the inmates.” Additionally, they wanted the women to consider themselves paupers. Note: In this era, the word inmate simply referred to anyone in an institution of any type.
The Rules
In addition to being required to be respectable and have good behavior, the women were also prohibited from using tobacco or any stimulants. The facility was very strict about behavioral rules. The year after Elizabeth moved in, the managers evicted a woman for repeated violations.
To move in applicants had to sign the following:
In consideration of my admission into the Home for Aged Protestant Women, Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, as an inmate, subject to its rules and regulations. I, the undersigned, do hereby assign and transfer to the said Home for Aged Protestant Women, Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County, Pa., to and for its absolute use, all my property and effects, and with the same legal effect as if delivered into its actual possession; and I do further agree to and with the said corporation that if I shall hereafter receive or become entitled to any money or property of any kind, real or personal, I will at once give information thereof to the managers of said corporation, and will assign and transfer the same to the said corporation if I remain at the home. And I do also hereby engage and promise that I will comply with all the rules of the institution.
Witness my hand and seal this . . . day of . . . . A. D. 19…
(Seal)
Witness present.
Pledge from early 1900s
Source: Pittsburgh Press, August 11, 1901
After the women entered the HAPW, their room, board, care, and funerals were all free of charge. Funding was provided by charity subscriptions, donations, and interest on the endowment fund.
The part that is unclear is how the “property and effects” portion was carried out or exactly what it covered. Clearly, if a woman inherited land, the implication would be that the Home for Aged Protestant Women would be entitled to it. However, Elizabeth did have spending money. So, they didn’t seem to take that from the women. It is also unclear what happened to their personal effects upon their death.
Source: Pittsburgh Press, August 11, 1901
Living At The Home For Aged Protestant Women
The Home Itself
On March 3, 1874, Elizabeth moved into the HAPW. It was a one hundred feet by forty feet brick building, which contained three floors and a basement. Elizabeth could enjoy the common spaces that included the parlor, chapel, sitting room, and dining room. Her bedroom was one of thirty-seven bedrooms in the facility, although when she moved in under twenty were in use. Additional rooms included the kitchen, a room for baking, two pantries, four rooms for provisions, a laundry, a drying-ironing room, two rooms for clothes, and two bathrooms.
The home even had an elevator and fire escapes. The large solid fire escapes were designed to make exiting in as emergency as easy as using a regular staircase. This was critical given many of the residents’ step wasn’t what it had once been.
The rooms in the home were large and spacious. The thick carpets, paintings on the wall, furniture, and knickknacks would still be in use years later. The bedrooms were beautifully furnished with churches in the area donating money for many of the furnishings. By the 1900s, the rooms in the house were described as “old-fashioned comfort.”
Daily Routine
The women spent their days entertaining each other, napping, or pursuing personal interests. Elizabeth definitely kept busy. She went out a lot, but also spent a good deal of time in her room. She wrote letters daily and spent a good amount of time reading.
However, she was often found in her rocking chair making various items including: pin cushion covers, silk stockings which she knitted, lace ties, and wash cloths. Some she used, such as, the silk purse that she carried. Some gifted to friends and family. Others she sold. In her later years, she shared that “she never has been able to get along without plenty of spending money and never will.”
If bored of other activities, the women could just take in the sights of the property: the huge shade trees, manicured lawns, and gardens. The live-in gardener and his crew could be seen tending to the property to keep it looking proper. Other times they could watch workmen on the property, such as, in 1882 when a significant expansion was undertaken.
When it was mealtime, she joined the other ladies of the house in the dining room. It was an elegant affair. Tables were adorned with perfectly white cloths, china, silver, and flowers. Sparkling water was provided from the facility’s private spring.
A Christian facility would be amiss if it did not provide Sunday services in the Chapel. Thus, ministers in the area took turns bringing the word to the women of the HAPW. Occasionally, the women were graced by entertainment. And, of course, there were visitors to the facility.
Kept on Going!
On Elizabeth’s 98th birthday, family and friends called upon her with the youngest two visitors being Carolyn and Hortense Klinefelter, her great-grandson Judge Klinefelter’s (Rod’s great-great grandfather) youngest children. Family, friends, and observers thought she just might make one hundred since she seemed as strong as ever and didn’t seem to slow down. Read more about Judge Klinefelter.
In the fall of 1900, Elizabeth was described as looking like a well-kept seventy-year-old. According to a reporter, she had “bright eyes and rosy cheeks and nimble fingers.” He went on to say, “She has a face so serene and a heart so contented that they are sort of magnets to attract all bright things her way.”
Elizabeth still took care of herself. And, although she wore glasses, she was known for always looking over the top of them. She said that he needed glasses no more now than when she was young. And, the article said that she still had her second sight. I am suspecting that they meant that she still had her women’s intuition.
Her door was almost always open during the day. Inside the sunny room, Elizabeth could be seen busy knitting, reading, or writing. On the wall, was a 5-generation photograph. It seems very possible that it was of Elizabeth, her daughter Ann Rue (Brooks) Klinefelter Hendrickson, her grandson Joseph Gazzan Klinefelter, great-grandson Judge Sharpless Klinefelter, and one or more of Judge’s daughters. There are other possibilities, but for various reasons this option seems to rise above some of the others.
Change In Routine
Still, Elizabeth’s routine had changed a little over the years. She didn’t get around as easily as in the past as one of her knees gave her trouble. Thus, going out was no longer part of her regular routine. Elizabeth’s visiting was mostly limited to the ladies near her room on the first floor.
The facility had also changed over the years. For instance, it now had electric lights. Additionally, a large addition of bedrooms was added in the 1880s and the addition of a second dining room. It now was home to over fifty women. Likely other rooms had also been added in the addition to support the daily routine and care of the inmates at the HAPW.
In the summer of 1901, Elizabeth was unwell to the point that she took to her bed. It was the first time she had done so in the many years that she had lived at the home. They thought for a moment that this might be the end, but she rallied and became her bright, cheerful, industrious self, once again.
Keys to A Long Life
Elizabeth’s keys to a long life seem to be not working too hard, having a strong constitution, and avoiding too much worry. She said that she never had to watch what she ate or drank. And, she always stopped working when she was tired. Read about it in her own words in the adjacent newspaper image. This was printed August 11, 1901, less than a month before she died. Notice: At 99 she got her own byline.
The only odd thing in the article is that it says she raised a family of nine children. Records have only been found for six children and I suspect this is a typo or misunderstanding of what Elizabeth said. She was raised in a family of nine children, but appears to have had raised six children. Being the youngest of her siblings and marrying at age 20, it seems that she wouldn’t likely have been the cook in the family, but you never know.
Through it All
Born shortly after Washington D.C. became the Nation’s capital, Elizabeth lived through the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abe Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ullysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland (twice), Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley.
Those years were a time of great invention. During Elizabeth’s life, some of the major inventions include: gas and electric lighting, tin cans, the steam locomotive, photographs, the typewriter, stethoscopes, the sewing machine, the revolver, the telegraph, Morse Code, the internal combustion engine, dynamite, traffic lights, barbed wire, the telephone, the vacuum, motor vehicles. All of these are important to our lives today.
At the time that Elizabeth died, she was only six months shy of her hundredth birthday! Quite a feat in days when so many did not survive childhood. She had lived through the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War. See had also experienced people heading west during the Gold Rush. Additionally, she had lived through the loss of her parents, all her siblings, her husband, and at least two children.
Afterward
The name of the facility was later changed to Rebecca Residence. However, it appears to have continued the same vision. While doing the research for this story, I discovered a Finding Aid for the records for Rebecca Residence. The records are housed at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Interestingly, the records go back to the founding of the facility and even include applications for admission and visitor logs. This is another of many reasons to make a trip to the Pittsburgh area.
The Rebecca Residence moved to a new facility in 1999. According to the History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the original building became 3 Rivers Center for Independent Living. Today, Google Maps shows a sign in front of the building at 900 Rebecca Avenue that says, “Community Psychiatric Centers.”
I think Jane Holmes would be impressed that her vision was realized and that although in use in different ways, the facility she helped open is still in use after 150 years.
The Wedding
The Wedding
Who was Charles?
Doors, Doors, Doors
The company came under the leadership of James F. Peelle in 1926 when he was
First Career
Library Work
Story Hour
A drawing one of the kids sent Inez while she was in the hospital.
