(Cape Girardeau Southeast Missourian - August 1912)
GOLD BURIED IN CAPE 52 YEARS AGO PUT IN BANK TODAY
Don Grimm Paid $500 in Gold to C. M. Freeman for Pool Room. Newest Coin of 1861!
A story of buried treasure is interesting financial circles in the Cape today, as five hundred dollars in gold, in twenties, tens and fives, were paid by Don Grimm to Chris Freeman in payment for Freeman's Main street pool room, which changed hands today.
The purchase price, $500, was paid with gold coins that were buried in 1862, during the troublous times of the civil war, by the grandfather of Don Grimm, and that have lain buried for more than a half century, until Mr. Grimm recently found them buried in a pot, underneath the ground.
The oldest date on any of the coins is 1826, the most recent date is 1861. The coins are badly tarnished, but as Mr. Freeman deposited them in the Sturdivant bank today and they will be put in circulation, they will soon become "bright yellow boys" and will perform the mission for which they were made, instead of being buried, doing nothing toward the per capita wealth of our citizens.
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BUT THIS IS ONLY A PART OF IBE STORY OF
THE REYNOLDS HOUSE
623 N. Main, Cape Girardeau, MO
Actually the $500 was only part of the money found on the grounds of the Reynolds House by Don Grimm's mother, Elizabeth Grimm and her sister Julia Reynolds. The amount was nearly $1,200 face value. Exhibited in the window of the bank, the money spilling out of its container brought forth a lot of speculation about how much the age of the coins added to their value, and also how much interest the money would have earned in a bank during the 52 years. As the story was told, both of the sisters knew their father had buried the money but each thought it had been dug up years before by the father and the other sister. When they finally compared notes and found that neither had retrieved it they quickly went together and dug it up.
Their father, James Reynolds, an Englishman who had charge of a large mill in St. Louis that stood where Union Station now stands, came to Cape Girardeau in 1852 and for $3,500 bought the one-half interest of Robert Sturdivant in the undivided portion of Outlet 32. Reynolds thus went into business with Benjamin M Herrel who had operated a steam flouring mill on this property with Sturdivant. Within this property construction began on the Reymolds House in 1857. John Lansmon, a native of Alsace-Lorraine did the brickwork for the house, using 51,000 bricks, all at $5 per 1,000. According to a bill presented by Mr. Lansmon, who built many area structures including the Common Pleas Courthouse, labor was $1 a day and the man who superintended the work was paid at the rate of 10 percent of the cost of labor. The entire bill for the brickwork in the house was $475.
Edwin Branch Deane, Cape Girardeau architect and builder who had seven years of instruction in planning and building at Louisville, KY, did the woodwork. The style of architecture used by Mr. Deane in this dwelling is reminiscent of French Colonial, a style that was popular around 1800 and that is practically extinct in the city today. He used nine-light over six-light windows; there are no other examples of these remaining in the city today. He also installed carved wooden mantels surrounding the fireplaces in the two large front rooms, corner fireplaces in the two smaller rooms, and a fireplace with a large sandstone hearth in the kitchen. The house was laid up on a sandstone foundation with brick interior partitions and two deep cellar rooms floored in brick. Although several outbuildings surrounding the house are shown in an 1880 drawing of the city, the only one existing today is the smokehouse.
Also in 1857, Reynolds and Horrell had Mr. Lansrnon build for them the Union Steam Mills, which was regarded as the first of the town's manufacturing establishments of much importance. This structure was located on Water Street back from the intersection of Main and Broadway on lots purchased from Robert Sturdivant and Ignatius Wathen in 1855. Lansmon used 494,000 bricks in this building; the bill for masonry materials and labor was $6,345. This six story building stood until the 1950's.
Earlier, Mr. Reynolds had married Christiann Catherine Von Ohlhausen, who was born in Wurttemberg, Germany, in 1808, and came to this country when she was five years old. She had resided in Philadelphia where she was raised by a Quaker family. After her marriage she reared five children: Elizabeth, Victoria, Julia Ann, Texas, and California.
In 1859 James Reynolds made his will, leaving to his wife for her use during her lifetime, and then to be divided equally among the children, his half interest in the Reynolds House and Union Steam Mills; ten shares of stock in the Olive Street Plank Road in St. Louis County; 25 shares of stock in the Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties Macadamized Road; two Negro men (Hope and Aleck) purchased by him at the estate sale of Hiram L. Sloan; and an 110-acre farm in Central Township, St. Louis County, purchased in 1838 and 1840 from William and Nancy Hawkins, to be reserved as a homestead for those of his children who might remain single and have never been married.
On the 23rd of November, 1865, an "Administrator's Notice" on the estate of James Reynolds, deceased, dated November 14, appeared in the Cape Girardeau Weekly Argus. John Von Ohlhausen was appointed administrator of the estate at the request of Mrs. Reynolds. The partnership with Horrell was dissolved and the Union Steam Mills was sold at a public sale in 1866 to Lilbroun L. Phillips, Pierce Lesson, John Filbrun, and John Ivers for $27,000.
Mrs. Reynolds died Feb. 6, 1909, at the age of one hundred years, three months and nine days. The land surrounding the house was dimished by sale and the extension of Spanish street behind the house. After Don Grimm's death the property was sold to Inez James and then to Henry Steinhoff. The Burton J. Gerhardt family acquired it from Mr. Steinhoff's daughter-in-law, Ruth, just before they gave it to the Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau on March 3, 1982. It is being restored by the Historical Association as its second house museum. The Association also maintain the Glenn House,
a residence that was done by Edwin Branch Deane at 325 South Spanish Street; it was given to the Association by the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Erlbacher on December 31, 1968. It has been completely restored and furnished and is open for tours. The Reynolds house is not open.
JAMES REYNOLDS born ca 1804 England died 1865 - married CHRISTINE CATHERINE VON OHLHAUSEN born in Wurttemberg, Germany 1808, died 6 Feb. 1909 in Cape, both are buried in a St. Louis County cemetery. Parents of 5 daughters.
1. Elizabeth E. B. Reynolds born ca 1838, died 25 April 1914 married E.B. Grim
A. Don A. Grim born 1875 died 3 Oct. 1935 married Ida ___ b.1870 d.1955. She had been married before and had two daughters: Mrs. John Runnels and Mrs. C. C. James
2. Victoria Reynolds b. 1839 md 9 Oct 1860 to Joseph A. Gibson
3. Julia Ann Reynolds b ca 1843 died 18 June 1919, single
4. Texas Reynolds b ca 1845
5. California Reynolds b ca 1848. 1870 census she was California Fromsdorft. Married 31 March 1869 to Edward Townsend
A. Edward Fromsdorft
By the 1900 census Christine had had 6 children, 4 living. Julia Reynolds estate July 1920 listed nephews Don A. Grim & George Townsend; nieces Maud Townsend & Daisy Tucker.