Saloons: A Magnet for Troublemakers?

Several of the family members I have researched have owned saloons. Two in particular are:
**Martin Colmann of Calaveras County and San Francisco, California.
**Ludwig (Louis) W. Wollenweber, of Louisville, Kentucky.

Martin Colmann
Ida Marie Hork’s husband, Martin J. Colmann’s father, Martin Colmann owned businesses that catered to the drinking man, first in Calaveras County town of Chili Gulch where he ran a hotel. One such newspaper article gave an account of a Thanksgiving Ball with a social dance. Tickets that included supper were $3.00.[1]

Later, he moved the family to San Francisco and he was involved in selling of liquor and managing a saloon. An ad in the San Francisco Abend Post, a German-language newspaper, about his move from Calaveras and that he would have a saloon at Pine and Kearney Streets.[2] Another article from the same newspaper gave this account (as translated by author):

Martin Colmann, since the last six years known as a beloved innkeeper, serving in his saloon on the north corner of Pine and Kearney street fine guests the best beer of the national brewery for 5 cents per glass or two flasks for 25 cents. There is also billiards for the guests.[3]

I found no articles about disturbances specifically at his saloon, but likely there were bar fights and such. I did find an article in an 1896 issue of The San Francisco Call that described a meeting at the corner of Pine and Kearny streets under “the auspices of the Forty-fifth District Club of the Socialist Labor party.” The men mentioned were of German nationality. It went on to say, “There was no attempt at interference on the part of the police. . .”[4]

Ludwig (Louis) W. Wollenweber
Louis lived in Louisville, Kentucky, and was my husband’s great-great-grandfather on his father’s side. Another German-born immigrant, he sold wine and liquor at 520 E. Market Street. He was also listed in the business section under the manufacturer of Bitters, under Sirup Manufacturer, and under Wines and Liquors, Retail.[5] He received a patent for his bitters.[6]

There were many newspaper articles in the Louisville newspaper. Some about his applications for licenses,[7] some for meetings of the Democratic Club,[8] and one for a bar fight.[9] He was also arrested in 1868 for unlawfully carrying on the business of a retail liquor and tobacco dealer. However, when he was called before the Commission, he was able to show he had been away from town and had not had a chance to pay his special tax.[10]

He had troubles earlier in the year as an announcement was in the paper about the auction of his wine house, that the wine house, the fixtures, and household and kitchen furniture would be auctioned off. The house and lease would be sold separately if desired.[11] Perhaps he did sell, as he was living across the Ohio River from Louisville in Jeffersonville, Clark Co, Indiana, in 1870. He was listed as a saloonkeeper and had $1500 in personal estate but no real estate.[12] Maybe he just worked in a saloon at this point.

Conclusion|
Although these two men were not troublemakers, likely troublemakers partook in what they sold and caused fights and other mayhem due to their drinking.

Perkins Harnly "Bar" (1935/1942, from National Gallery of Art, https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.28932.html, public domain.

#52 Ancestors: Week 48: Troublemakers

This is my sixth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

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[1] “Thanksgiving Ball,” Calaveras Chronicle, 24 Nov 1866, p. 2, col. 5. Also “Thanksgiving Ball,” Weekly Calaveras Journal, 24 Nov 1866, p. 3, col. 1.

[2] “Umzug des Calaveras,” San Francisco Abend Post, 3 Sept 1873, p. 1.

[3] “Calaveras Saloon,” San Francisco Abend Post, 11 Sept 1873, p. 2.

[4] “Socialists Undisturbed,” The San Francisco Call, 15 Sep 1896, p. 7, col. 7.

[5] Tanner's Directory of the City of Louisville  (Louisville: Henry Tanner, 1861), pp. 267, 275, 314, & 319, Louis W Wollenweber; imaged "U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/) > Kentucky > Louisville > 1861 > Louisville, Kentucky, City Directory, 1861 > images 175, 179, 203, and 205.

[6] "Western Patents," Marshall County Republican (Plymouth, Indiana), 28 Nov 1872, p. 6, digital image, Chronicling America (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov).

[7] "Board of Common Council," Louisville Daily Democrat, 13 May 1865, p. 1, col. 6. And "Board of Common Council," Louisville Daily Democrat, 10 June 1865, p. 1, col. 7.

[8] “Meetings. Second Ward Democratic Club,” The Courier-Journal (Louisville Kent.), 6 Feb 1868, p. 2, col. 7.

[9] “A Bloody Fight,” The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kent.), 14 Sep 1868, p. 4.

[10] “Court Matters. Commissioner’s Court,” The Louisville Daily Journal, 27 Oct 1868, p. 4.

[11] “Auction Sale,” The Louisville Daily Courier, 8 Jan 1868, p. 3.

[12] 1870 US census, Clark Co, Indiana, pop sched, 3^rd ward Jeffersonville, p. 464 (stamped), household 48, L.W. Woolenweber; NARA M593, roll 303. 

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