He was a Stevedore in the busy City of Pensacola. The port was a beehive of activity moving goods in and lumber out. He, his wife, Annie, and one year old James show up showed up in the 1880 census. His older brother Patrick and his family can also be found in Pensacola during that time living on main street. The picture below show 1885 Pensacola. Marked are the locations of the house and where it would be move to in 1976. The house was moved to 238 East Intendencia Street in 1976 from it’s original location of 236 West Government Street. The original site was surveyed in 1778 by the British and later surveyed in 1813 by the Spanish. Across the street was the location of the British redoubt, as seen at the top of the map (below). The First United Methodist church was built on the 238 East Intendecia lot in 1825 and was in service till 1890. The Church burned down two times. The first time in 1862 during war between the states when Union Soldiers occupied the building. 58 caliber slugs have been found on the property as recently as 2012. The First United Methodist church 1825 to 1890
The Sanborn maps back up the history showing a church at this site from 1884 to 1906. In the 1884 maps show the church with a school out back. The First United Methodist church was here from 1825 to 1890. It was listed in the 1903 Sanborn maps as the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC). The Colored church (MEC) was found listed in the 1905 Pensacola Journal under church services. I believe the building burned down, maybe torn down, sometime in 1906. A new house was built on that lot in 1906. House at 238 East Intendencia Street between 1906 to 1976
Meantime, the 236 W Government house was built between 1881 - 1884 at 236 West Government Street. In this section of the town there were several homes listed as shanties. Down at the end of the street was St Josephs Catholic Church. Michael’s formed the church in 1892 for Creole and black parishioners. The West side was very diverse with residents from Florida, Italy, Vermont, Spain, Louisiana and Virginia as neighbors. The house was moved to 238 East Intendencia Street in 1976. The house that was on this site had become run-down, abandoned, and was eventually torn down. The house next door (236 East Intendencia) was also moved onto Intendencia around the same time, but we are not sure where it came from.
236 West Government Street house moved to 238 E Intendecia in 1976
The design of the house in a four-square Victorian with 4 main rooms at the front of the house. The backside addition added 2 more bedrooms with a porch before 1884. When running water or gas became available around 1903 the maps show an additional room added on the back. We cannot be sure if it was a bathroom or a new kitchen. The grounds are full of artifacts, probably old trash. Bits of glasses, bowls, nails, bottles and buckles. We have also found hand made marbles that may have been used while the school was here.
