NORTH SIDE OF THIRD FROM ST. CLAIR
by Charles F. Sullivan
J. S. Frizzell had a drug store on Third near St Clair, was the father of William G Frizell a lawyer and two daughters Lamme and Helen. He first lived in the last house on the north side of the street next to the Levee. It had a fine yard and a game of croquet was going all summer, young folks in the day and old folks in the evening. He then built a brick house a few doors toward the city and moved in this shutting off croquet. Will and I started to Perry street school at the same time and kept together into high school. That whole family was very active in Grace church.
J. K McIntire had a wholesale grocery on N Main north of 2nd but later moved to E Third near Frizell and was there for years but closed out there and was elected President of the Third Natl Bank.
He lived on Monument ave next to the 1st Baptist church.
Patterson Tool & Supply started with Father and son W. B. Patterson. They lived almost across the street from us and I got acquainted with a younger son Harry, and as their 2nd story was vacant Harry got them to set him up in a nickle plating set, and he got me to help him with it. We did not stick to it in summer and so that business died.
The Tool Co is still in operation but W B is now an old man but is still around.
A.W. Gump started a bicycle store with a repair shop in the rear. He sold to William G. Hass who had just learned his trade as machinist at the Buckeye. By that time I was a bicycle man never going anywhere except on my wheel, so I went to him for repairs. Late one night a fire started and was a bad fire but Haas repaired and went on with business. When the auto came in it took much of his business and he quit, going into the real estate business.
The Ohio Insurance Co used a small building just east of Jefferson for their fire insurance business with W. H. Gillespie secy. Father went there every forenoon to O K risks taken. Later they sold out and quit business.
Then Beckel building was built by the Beckels and about that time the 4th National was organized and used the front room but latter they merged and quit business. Now a Building Assn has taken that room.
Across Jefferson is the Beckel House which was the high priced hotel of this city and at that time it was full all the time. The Third National used the corner room. McIntire modeled a room about half way down the block and the bank moved in. This was an improvement but when Chas Moore was elected President he saw the need of more and better office room and bought all the property from the alley between 2nd and 3rd street and the Mutual Home Bldg now the Winters bank and built the present 3rd National building. This gave the bank a fine banking room and a fine renting building. Formerly I knew every employee but now not a one is there.
Next in the Beckel house was another bank which flourished for a while but I do not remember the name and they soon merged. A. Pretzinger had a drug store in the next room. Then the American Express Co used the next for its uptown office. Now all express companies are the Railways express Co.
There was a large wire boot advertising a shoe store and in it was a wire wheel with a squirrel that would get in it and exercise.
Then Loomis Barnett and Pritz had a hardware store.
Next D. L. Rike made his start in the business world. Then he took in S E Kumler both U B and Kumler was quite musical, leading the singing at many places and times. Then Fred Rike got into it and built the large store at Main and 2nd and is doing much business. After Rike had vacated that room, a paint store took over a half.
The Bijou Theatre (Movie) the other. They asked Elmer Kemp to get up an orchestra to play every night from 7 to 10 pM. and I was one playing the violin cello. From here to Main there were three mens furnishing stores one owned by Kent & DeBra.
The old Courthouse was built in 1849 out of Dayton stone, some times called Dayton Marble. There was plenty of lime close by but that would not do. At that time there was no portland cement made in this country, we had to get it from Germany. It was shipped in wooden barrels to New York transferred to Hudson rivers boats to Troy N.Y. then by canal to Dayton. This has made a very strong building and it is fire proof and will last forever if not torn down. Further on was a frame residence used by a widow Harry Stout and her son who was attending the Perry street school, and a third further back used by a veterany Doctor with his family, and all of these probably never had any paint upon them, making them look very old.
Orion Stout one of the heirs decided to build a hotel upon this ground and did so buying the brick through me for it. It was named Atlas for another heir Atlas Stout, who was very active in manufacturing in early days.
On the N W corner was the home of Miss Belle Eaker a large brick with flowers all around it. She gave this to the Y.M.C.A. together with the Winters home next door. This building was used by the boys and like all the boys they were noisy. Mr Kern was in charge of them and they would do anything for him. Upon her property was built the Y.M.C.A.
The old Loomis home, I think is now used by the bicycle club. Daniel Kiefer lived in a nice brick home where the Y.M.C.A. is now. In the middle of the next square, O P Boyer had his undertaking establishment but it is now in charge of a younger generation at the north end of the Daytonview bridge. On the N W corner of Perry and 3rd W.H. Hyers had a drug store and in the room next west was the voting booth and after the Australian system came in, Frank Conover was appointed to teach the people how to do it in a tent on the lawn of the courthouse and no doubt did a good job.
However when he came there to vote, he spoiled his ballot and had to get another ballot and he was the only one that had that experience that day.
When acting as register one day W.R. S Ayres came in to register and when he gave his age as 40 years, I questioned him and he said, “I am over 21 and that is nobodys business but mine” and as my democratic registrar said nothing, I put it down that way.
Chas F. Sullivan
317 Brown
