Source:Fleming-lacyville
George T. Fleming. "Lacyville once a well known suburb: Home of Judge Samuel Roberts, a seminary and a hospital: Dr. Passavant's work." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Oct. 10, 1915, sec. 6, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85897846.
ROBERTS is one of the best known streets in the Hill district—extending from Reed street to Bedford avenue. Old maps so show, but residents of the original Seventh Ward, later the Eleventh, and now part of the Third, will remember that 50 years ago the street stopped at Webster avenue, and on a slight rise above Webster, there stood a ramshackle frame, with still more disreputable and tumble-down outbuildings.
This was dubbed "Fort Maloney" in Civil War days, and Yellow Row in Pipetown in its palmiest days of degredation [sic] and crime had nothing on Fort Maloney.
About 1870 Roberts street was put through as at present, which removed an eyesore and the stench arising from vileness that shocks one's moral senses.
The Reed street end of Roberts street was wholly pure and from that portion comes the most entertaining story. That was Lacyville, sometimes spelled Laceyville.
Here was the home of Judge Samuel Roberts, who sat in the Common Pleas Court of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, which included Allegheny county, from 1803 until 1820, when he died. He was the successor of Judge Alexander Addison, who was impeached and removed, most unjustly, in 1803.
Old School for Girls.
Lacyville, Pitt township, took its name from Dr. Lacy, who conducted a "Young Ladies' Seminary" prior to 1840.
Judge Roberts was commissioned April 30, 1803. He was born in Philadelphia in 1763. His ancestors came to Pennsylvania with the first immigrants. His grandfather, Owen Roberts, was sheriff in Philadelphia from 1716 to 1723. He was educated in his native city and studied law and was admitted to the bar there in 1793 at the age of 30.
He married Miss Harriet Heath of York, Pa., that year and removed to Lancaster and commenced practice, but soon after moved to Sunbury, where he remained until he was appointed judge of the district by Gov. McKean. The judiciary were appointive until 1851.
In 1818, in reapportionment, Washington, Fayette and Greene counties were taken from the Fifth District, which left the district composed of Allegheny, Beaver and Butler counties.
In the newly formed Fourteenth District, composed of Washington, Fayette, Greene and Somerset counties, Roberts was succeeded by Judge Thomas H. Baird in 1818, and in Allegheny county by Judge William Wilkins.
Judge Roberts, we are told by Judge J. W. F. White, was a good lawyer and a worthy, upright man, who had the respect and confidence of the bar. Judge White adds that "he was so indulgent to the lawyers that the business of the court was somewhat retarded."
Judge Publishes Book.
While upon the bench Judge Roberts compiled and published "A Digest of British Statutes in Force in Pennsylvania in Whole or in Part with Notes and Illustrations," which remains a standard work. The late Robert E. Wright, of Allentown, a distinguished attorney, edited and published the last edition of this book in 1847.
This digest and the Supreme Court reports of the cases Judge Roberts tried, prove he was an industrious and conscientious judge.
Judge Roberts presided at the trial of John Tierman for the murder of Patrick Campbell December 17, 1817. This defendant was tried January 12, in less than a month after, and convicted and hung at the foot of Boyd's Hill, about where the Pan Handle freight yards are now, opposite the morgue.
Campbell was a contractor on the Pittsburgh and Greensburg turnpike and Tiernan a laborer who lived in a cabin near Turtle Creek. Campbell boarded with him. Campbell was killed with an ax while asleep and robbed.
Tiernan took Campbell's horse and fled but was foolish enough to appear on the streets of Pittsburgh with the horse and was arrested.
William Wilkins and Richard Biddle appeared for the Commonwealth and Walter Forward, Charles Shaler, subsequently judge, and Samuel Kingston for the prisoner. This was a celebrated criminal case.
Samuel Kingston was one of two persons who perished in the great fire in Pittsburgh April 10, 1845.
Judge White tells us that on Roberts locating here "he built himself a fine residence a mile or two out of town, but now (1888) in the compact part of the city near Roberts street in the Eleventh Ward."
The Roberts Family.
Judge Roberts left five sons and three daughters. One daughter became the wife of Oldham Craig, brother of Neville B. Craig. Oldham Craig was for many years teller in the Bank of Pittsburgh. One daughter died young and the other removed to Michigan.
Of the five sons, Henry was a physician at Brownsville, Pa.; Edward J. served during the War of 1812 as a paymaster and was clerk of the United States Circuit Court here until his death.
The other sons were Samuel, Horatio and Morgan.
Edward J. Roberts left three sons, one being Col. Richard Biddle Roberts, who always signed himself and was known as R. Biddle Roberts, a noted attorney prior to the Civil War, then colonel of the First Pennsylvania Reserves, later on Gov. Curtin's staff and for a while military agent of the state at Washington, D. C.
The other sons were Edward J. and John H. Roberts the former once city engineer of Allegheny, the latter for many years at the old Pennsylvania Railroad transfer at Twenty-eighth street.
There is a tradition that Judge Roberts was always attended from his hotel while holding court out of Pittsburgh by an imposing retinue consisting of the sheriff and his tipstaves.
Old Real Estate Transfers.
An abstract of Roberts street property at hand discloses that Henry Baldwin "executor of the last will," etc., of Tarleton Bates, conveyed to Samuel Roberts lot No. 9 in plan of Archibald Reed's first sales, comprising four acres, 137 perches, and also part of two other lots in the same plan, containing five acres and 23 perches.
Judge Roberts died December 20, 1820. We find proceedings in foreclosure against the Judge's home property had been begun December 2, 1820, by James Ross and John McDonald, and afterwards the record changed, Roberts' executors, his son, Samuel A., James Ross, Oliver Ormsby and John McDonald, substituted as defendants.
Under these proceeding [sic] all the right, title and interest, etc., of Samuel Roberts to "one lot in Pitt township, adjoining lands of William Wilkins and others containing 10 acres, more or less," was bought in by McDonald and Ross.
McDonald's executors conveyed the property to Ross in 1834 and Ross immediately deeded it back to Stephen Colwell, one of McDonald's executors, who laid out Colwell's plan of lots.
This property is on the easterly side of Roberts street and can be seen plotted in plan book vol. 1, page 65. It is opposite the plot on which the Lacyville Academy and St. Paul's Episcopal Church stood.
The first conveyances of all premises in this vicinity are from John Penn, the elder and John Penn, the younger, to their attorney in fact, Anthony Butler, in 1792 and 1794, respectively, then from Butler to Archibald C. Reed, the property described as "a certain piece of land situate in Pitt township, being part of the proprietaries' manor of Pittsburgh and part of the farm marked on plan No. 3, the farm in all containing 242 acres and 24 perches."
Two Historic Names.
We have Reed street in commemoration of Archibald Reed and Colwell street parallel.
Reed conveyed a portion of farm No. 3 to Samuel Jones and Gen. Adamson Tannehill, their attorneys in fact, and the latter to William Earle and, after much litigation and a grant from Jones and Tannehill to William Gray, the title rested in Bates—as noted above.
Just when Dr. Lacy came on the scene and the name Lacyville arose is immaterial. It was some time prior to 1840, for in Harris' directory of that year we are informed that the "Rev. H. Dyer of the Episcopal Church conducts a seminary in the building formerly occupied by Dr. Lacy."
In the list of churches in this directory we read:
St. Paul's Church, situated in Laceyville, Pitt township, Rev. H. Dyer, rector, d. h. (dwelling house), Laceyville.
A paragraph below states:
Mr. D. C. Holmes teaches a select school in the basement story of St. Andrew's Church on Hand street. He teaches the languages and sciences together with the common and primary branches.
Hand street is now Anderson, once Ninth.
Mrs. Carrie Holmes Milnor, only child of Prof. Holmes, recites in a brief biography of her father:
In 1842 my father opened a "Young Ladies' Seminary" in Pittsburgh upon the hill in the locality then known as Lacyville, the upper end of Roberts street, later in the Eleventh Ward, in the vicinity of Passavant Hospital. In 1847 my father became the first principal of the Franklin School on Franklin street, called at that time the Sixth Ward School. He remained in charge here for 35 years.
Famous Old Teacher.
Mr. Holmes died June 1, 1887. He had taught thousands of Pittsburghers. It will be noted that he remained in charge of the Lacyville School five years.
Now came strange events that brought new uses for the old seminary buildings, and the sombre and sad beginning of an institution that stands today successful and triumphant, the work of the unselfish devotion and perseverence [sic] of a rare man, a man of great heart and mind, the Rev. Dr. William Alfred Passavant. It commemorates his name and labors, but it is not the only one.
Not only in the Lutheran Church, but in the whole Christian world, the name of Passavant stands for humanity and the uplift, and more than one institution that succors and restores bears the name.
The circumstances of the establishment of the Passavant Hospital on the hill were unprecedented. Dr. Passavant, a clergyman of the Lutheran denomination, was born in Zelienople, Pa., in 1821, graduated at old Jefferson College at Canonsburg in 1840, during the presidency of Dr. Matthew Brown; studied theology in the subsequently battle-scarred seminary at Gettysburg and was graduated there and licensed to preach in 1842.
In 1844 he came to Pittsburgh and took charge of the then feeble organization, the First English Evangelical Lutheran Church.
He made an extended trip to Europe in 1846 and was impressed with an institution at Kaiserwerth, on the Rhine, that had no counterpart in America. This was the institution of Protestant deaconesses under the charge of the celebrated pastor, Theodore Fliedner.
It was an ample establishment, consisting of an orphans' home, a hospital, an infant school, a day school, an asylum for released female prisoners, a training school for evangelical teachers and a mother house for the deaconesses.
Institution Is Planned.
Dr. Passavant returned by a sailing vessel and impatient, hurried home intent upon instituting a Kaiserwerth in Pittsburgh. A great reception awaited him, joined in by many of the churches. He was destined to become the American Fliedner, equally beloved and equally successful, but not so without a struggle.
Pastor Fliedner agreed to send him some deaconesses for a start, and in the spring of 1848 Dr. Passavant rented a house in Allegheny town before they arrived.
He fairly rushed into the undertaking, despite the chidings of his good mother. He fitted up the rented house as best he could, advertised when the house would be opened and at the time had neither a nurse nor a patient.
The Mexican War then being over, many soldiers were brought home via the river and there was much sickness among them and to the wharf went the future philanthropist and found two poor, neglected sick soldiers, feeble and dirty and suffering with ship fever.
The Infirmary, as the hospital was later named, had one nurse's room, a cook stove and table, one bed and a few chairs. Mr. Passavant and his friend and student, Asa Waters, procured a carriage and took the sick soldiers to their hospital, washed and put clean clothes on them and ministered to them with their own hands.
This was the beginning of the institution that has made Roberts street in Pittsburgh best known.
Remarkable Beginning.
It was a singular and remarkable beginning, too. Out of the way, the infirmary in Allegheny was remote from the center of population, the building could be rented for a year only and at best the enterprise was thought temporary.
Space forbids mention of the struggles that ensued and the difficulties that were overcome.
Pastor Fliedner came with four deconess [sic] nurses in July, 1850, and at the same time came the cholera. Panic ensued in the vicinity when the new hospital took in cholera cases. In their wrath the people rose up and stoned the house where the suffering lay. The Mayor and Councils ordered that no more cases be received or the building would be burned and the city would not be accountable for damages.
The house was closed and all convalescents were dismissed. The few unable to leave their beds were loaded into a wagon with the beds and the good minister went ahead of it, praying as he walked.
Their destination at the start was unknown, but Mr. Passavant knew the Lacyville district and saw that it was an admirable place for a hospital. Thither he directed his way.
This part of Pitt township had but recently been annexed to the city and was sparsely settled in the city sense. The spacious buildings of Dr. Lacy's academy and mansion stood alone on a high hill. Mr. Passavant had negotiated with Dr. Lacy previously, but had not met with success.
But the seminary building was empty now. It was summer and vacation time, but Dr. Lacy occupied one room.
Refuge for Patients.
Mr. Passavant entered and obtained an option on the property and permission to unload his patients. Asa Waters took charge of them and so began the second hospital with its habitation across from where the fine modern institution now stands.
Mr. Passavant interested some liberal friends and the seminary and its fine garden were purchased for $500, but the lease of Prof. Stevens, who then conducted the seminary, had also to be bought.
The buildings were in poor condition and many repairs were required and considerable expense incurred; but the repairs were made and funds found to pay for them.
The Rev. Asa Waters, describing the situation, said:
The location of the Institution is one of the most beautiful and commanding within the city limits with portions of Allegheny, Manchester, Birmingham and the surrounding hills in view. From the garden the course of the beautiful Ohio may be traced for many miles, while the Monongahela, with its broad breast of waters, seems like a tranquil lake sleeping in the valley below. In respect also to convenience, health and freedom from the noise and smoke, the situation is unequaled. The grounds belonging to this property consist of a front of one hundred and twenty feet running back two hundred and forty feet to another street (now Miller St.) and are laid out as a kitchen garden, affording also pleasant and suitable walks for convalescent patients.
When Father Fliedner arrived the new home was ready. Then came the consecration of the four deaconesses.
On Sunday, July 17, these impressive services were conducted. A large concourse assembled and other ministers assisted, notably the Rev. Charles Cooke from the Liberty Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church and the venerable Dr. Francis Herron of the First Presbyterian Church. Dr. Passavant also spoke and Father Fliedner and the Revs. Mr. Vogelbach and Mr. Kaehler made addresses in German.
Blessed and almost forgotten names are those mentioned by Dr. Waters, but not the vista from that high ground on Roberts street about the Mother House for the training of Christian deaconesses for hospitals, asylums and congregations. Many a reader whose childhood was spent in the vicinity can say, with just a trace of emotion:
I remember the old Mother House and the little Stone Church, St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal, and its last rector, dear old Father Crumpton, who died in 1893, in his ninety-fifth year.
The picture shown today was taken after he had passed his ninetieth year.
About 1891 the church property was sold and the congregation built the present edifice at Center avenue and Watt street.
A volume of 600 pages does honor to the works and worth of Dr. Passavant. He died of pneumonia June 3, 1894, at his home in Center avenue near Green street. His work and ministrations were taken up by his son, the Rev. W. A. Passavant, Jr., who was permitted to follow in his father's footsteps for seven years, and then the Passavant institutions were again draped in mourning, for the summons came suddenly for the son July 1, 1901.
Passing up Roberts street from Center avenue the modern hospital, the successor of the old Pittsburgh Infirmary, is before you. With its commemorative name two thoughts arise, and they are uplifting. They are expressed by the words humanity and devotion.
Lacyville, it may be added, is scarcely a memory.