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Archiver > RICHMOND > 2001-02 > 0982223469


From: "Karl T. and Wendy Mayfield" <>
Subject: [RICHMOND] [Fwd: A bit of RICHMOND in Chicago, Cook Co., IL]
Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2001 08:51:09 +0100


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Hi Everyone,

A very knowledgeable man from the The Cook County RW list
forwarded this to me. I dare say this is pretty
interesting.

Colleen, I know that the Richmond family is rather huge, but
had wondered if there were a Richmond Surname Website that
accompany this list. If so that link might help someone out
there.
Hugs Wendy

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From: "Jim Ryan" <>
To: "Karl T. and Wendy Mayfield" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re: A bit of RICHMOND in Chicago, Cook Co., IL
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2001 11:05:14 -0800
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Hi Wendy: Go to: http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/wadley/wadley.html . Use your
browser's "FIND" option to search for "Richmond" or scroll down to page 11 &
12.

I also found this:
HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO
MODERN CHICAGO AND ITS SETTLEMENT
EARLY CHICAGO, AND THE NORTHWEST BY ALBERT D. HAGER
page 231
>From this time up to 1859 the hotels of minor importance multiplied rapidly.
Those of any prominence or worthy of mention, erected during this period,
were: The Audubon House, Nos. 68 and 70 West Lake Street; the Boardman
House, corner Clark and Harrison; the Briggs House, Randolph and Wells,
built in 1854 by William Briggs and kept by John Floyd & George H. French,
who were still its proprietors in 1857; the Cleveland House, also new, kept
by A. Cleveland, at Nos. 46, 48, 50 and 52 West Lake; the Richmond House,
corner South Water and Michigan Avenue; and the Young America, which stood
on the southeast corner of Randolph and Dearborn, near Rice's theater. Of
perhaps a score, the names of which have not been mentioned, it is only
necessary to say that they were boarding houses, transitory, many of them,
in their character, and not living long enough to become fixed or permanent
houses of public entertainment.

page 453
RICHARD SOMERS, deceased, was born in Frome, Somer-setshire, England, June
11. 1821. In 1834 he came to the United States with his father, Joseph
Somers, who settled in Utica, N. Y. One year later he preceded the family to
Big Rock, Kane Co., Ill., where he was engaged in farming until his death.
While in the East the subject of this sketch worked in Bagg's Hotel, Utica,
where he gained his first experience in hotel life. In 1841 he came to
Chicago from Big Rock, and was first in the employ of Mark Beaubien,
proprietor of the Illinois Exchange, and afterward was connected with the
Saug-inash Hotel. He then entered the employ of Captain Blake, on the lakes.
and from 1849 until 1857 sailed with Captain E, B. Ward as steward. While
thus engaged he purchased a home for himself and family in Chicago. In 1857
Mr. Somers went to New York. and was engaged for two years on vessels owned
by Harrison Morgan, sailing from New Orleans down the coast to the Rio
Grande. In 1859 he returned 76 Chicago. and again took up hotel life,
accepting a position at the old Tremont House. He then bought the old City
Hotel, and remained its proprietor until 1867, when he sold it to Mr. Town.
A year previous to this he had purchased the Richmond House, and here he
remained until about a year before the great fire, when he took the
stewardship of the old Sherman House, under Gage Brothers & Rice. While
Chicago was vet in flames Mr. Somers secured the building that is now the
Gault House, where the Sherman House was located for years after the fire.
In 1872 he took charge of the Grand Union Hotel, in New York. City. In 1873
he returned to Chicago, as steward at the Palmer House. In 1876, in company
with John A. Rice, he had charge of the Globe Hotel, the temporary hotel
erected opposite the Centennial buildings, Philadelphia. Soon after he
returned to the Palmer, then went to the Gardner House. He was manager of
the Tremont House, in Galveston, Texas, three months, and in 1879 went to
the Plankinton House, Milwaukee, as steward. October 1, 1883, he became
general superintendent of the commissary department; of the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad. While organizing this department he was
instantly killed in a railroad accident on the road, near Gladstone, Ill.,
December 20, 1883. Mr. Somers married Miss Mary Whalen, of Illinois, who
died of cholera in 1857, leaving one son, William H. His widow was Miss
Lo-rinda Church, of Syracuse County, N. Y. They had four children Charles
D., Joseph, Ada (now Mrs. John E. McWade, of Chicago), and Adele (now Mrs.
W. T. Hall, of Chicago).
Jim Ryan, CA

----- Original Message -----
From: "Karl T. and Wendy Mayfield" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 8:04 AM
Subject: A bit of RICHMOND in Chicago, Cook Co., IL


> Hello Folks,
>
> I have been patiently transcribing the 1860/1 Cooke City
> Directory for the area of Chicago and Cook County Illinois,
> when I ran across these two intriguing bits of information:
>
> DODGE, David L. treas Chicago type foundry bds. Richmond
> House
> FRINK, John B., (H. G. Perrin & Co.,) bds. Richmond House
>
> Of course what struck my eye was the surname, (pretty common
> one at that) and that I have it in my family tree. However
> not in Chicago land. Does anyone know about this Richmond
> House?? It's history??
> Hugs Wendy





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