This month in Gonzales history

Posted

1829:

  • Jan. 10, first brand recorded, JP, by Green DeWitt

1839:

  • Jan. 25, first post office opened

1853:

  • Jan. 25, City Council declared lot on northeast quarter of Church Square (Block 32) be set aside for Cumberland Presbyterian Church

1854:

  • Jan. 21, fire reported at Gonzales College
  • Jan. 28, jail completed, Market Square (Block 4) cost $5800.

1857:

  • Jan. 27, City Council passed tree ordinance stating “the cutting of full living trees growing along public avenues within two miles of the courthouse” banned

1858:

  • Jan. 9, City Council declared that everyone should be entitled to a trial by jury when filed upon for an offense

1879:

  • Jan. 31, citizens first saw and heard Edison’s new invention, the phonograph, in Kleine Hall
  • January & February, the river banks at the upper and lower “wash” places graded down to permit easier access to the river. These were at the north and south ends of Block 2 (St. Louis and St. Lawrence streets) on Water Street in inner town.

1883:

  • Jan. 6, ad from Inquirer office “wanted at this office, two pigs to fatten.”
  • Jan. 13, Saddlery, Harnesses and repairing done at J.T. Mathieu Jr.’s stand
  • Jan. 20, T.L. Marsh advertises that he does carpentry work, while John Fauth advertises that he has taken charge of J.W. Ramsay’s blacksmith business and will add that to his existing Carriage and Wagon Shop.
  • Jan. 20, Inquirer editorial: “It is time for the contractors to take up the dead trees on Courthouse Square and substitute live ones. If delayed longer miserable failure will result.” The article goes on to blame the incorrect planting of the trees by the contractor who won the bid to do the work. Apparently, the trees were planted “too shallow.”

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