Week 18: Crime & Punishment – Ludwig Wollenweber Goes to Court

Not all people who end up in court commit crimes and experience punishment. Here’s a short tale of my husband’s great-great-grandfather who lived either in Jeffersonville, Indiana, or Louisville, Kentucky, which was just across the Ohio River.

Ludwig “Louis” Wollenweber, my husband’s 2x-great-grandfather, was a saloon owner in Louisville, Kentucky in the 1860s and 70s. In 1861, he appeared in the local city directory on four pages, where he was really covering his bases on his cliental:

• selling wines and liquors on 520 E. Market Street
• manufacturing bitters at n.s. Market between Jackson and Hancock
• sirup manufacturer at 520 E. Market
• and wines and liquors wholesales at 520 E. Market.[1]

Four years later his saloon was at 90 Market near 3^rd and lived at the same address.[2]

Running an establishment dealing with liquor or tobacco involved regulations. Licenses and special taxes had to be paid. It turns out that if one is late in paying, the court gets involved. This happened to Louis several times while running his business in Louisville.

In 1866, the internal revenue bill to support the government and pay interest on the public debt was enacted by the federal government. The Louisville Daily Courier printed the requirements and distillers of spirits needed to pay a license fee of $100. Also, wholesale dealer’s license was $100 and a retail liquor dealer’s license was $25.[3]

In June 1866, he was indicted on an ordinance warrant, but the fine was set aside and the warrant dismissed.[4]

In October 1868, Louis was arrested and charged with the unlawfully carrying on the business of a retail liquor and tobacco dealer. This was caused because he had not paid his special tax. He argued that he had been away from town. His case was dismissed.[5]

Later that year, it appears he filed bankruptcy.[6] I have not yet found the location of the bankruptcy records and hopefully when archives open again, I can make a request. The 1870 census, though shows he was still a saloon keeper.[7] In 1872 he sold his business to A.A. Fouts.[8]

When I have access to the court records, I'll finish the story.  

This is my fourth year working on this year-long 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow. I will write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

---

[1] "U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995." digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com), Tanner's Directory of the City of Louisville, Henry Tanner, 1861, p. 267, p. 275, p. 314, & p. 319, Louis W Wollenweber. 

[2] Ibid, Edwards' Annual Directory to the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms, etc, in the City of Louisville, Southern Publishing Co, 1865, p. 601& 682, Louis W. Wollenweber.

[3] “Taxation,” The Louisville Daily Courier, 14 Jul 1866, p. 1, col 7.

[4] "Ordinance Warrants," Daily Courier (Louisville, KY), 12 Jun 1866, p 2. See also Louisville Police Court, Jefferson Co, Kentucky, v. 44, p. 349, L.W. Wollenweber, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org), image 181 of 675, citing FHL film 963916.

[5] "Court Matters: Commissioners' Court,” The Louisville Daily Journal, 27 Oct 1868, p 4. See also Louisville Police Court, v. 53, p. 447, Commonwealth v. L. Wollenweber; citing FHL film 963919.

[6] “Bankrupts in Kentucky,” Louisville Daily Courier, 25 Jul 1868, p. 1, col. 5.

[7] 1870 U.S. federal census, Clark County, Indiana, pop. sched., 3rd Ward, Jeffersonville, 464 (stamped), 46, L.W. Woolenweber; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 30 January 2012); National Archives M593.

[8] "Sale of Wollenweber's Restaurant and Saloon," Jeffersonville (Indiana) National Democrat, 15 Aug 1872, p. 4.

Copyright © 2021 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.