10 replies to this topic

[AndyN]

Gounah Street

Phonetic variation of the surname of early occasional settler Adolphus Gouhenant.

Adolphus F. Gouhenant
1804 - 1871
Painter & Daguerreotypist
Adolphus F. Gouhenant, a French exile, immigrated to Texas in 1848. He was a member of the short-lived Icarian colony that settled in Denton County. After the colony disbanded, he came to Fort Worth, where he became friends with Major Ripley Arnold and his wife, Kate. Gouhenant also developed friendships with other early settlers, including Ephraim M. Daggett. A renaissance man, Gouhenant's knowledge of art, music, languages, and wine making made him a popular figure in the pioneer communities of Tarrant and Dallas Counties.
Gouhenant patented land in Tarrant County under a Peters Colony grant. Major Arnold's two small children, Sophie and Willis, died in 1850 and were buried on Gouhenant's property. After their father's death in 1853, Gouhenant arranged for Major Arnold's body to be re-interred near their graves in what is now known as Pioneer Rest Cemetery.
In the early 1850's, Gouhenant opened a studio in Dallas called "The Art Saloon Gallery." There, he displayed his paintings and entertained his friends and neighbors. In addition to this, he occasionally rented the space for various functions. Gouhenant became an American citizen on May 17, 1853, in Dallas County, Texas. The spelling of his name is often recorded as "Adolph Gounah," reflecting its pronunciation. During the time he lived in Fort Worth and Dallas, he was politically active. He was also involved in a number of lawsuits. One of them was in regard to his Dallas homestead, which was repossessed while he was residing in Fort Worth. In his winning appeal, Adolphe F. Gouhenant vs. Alexander Cockrell, evidence was given that Gouhenant "was a daguerreotypist, a wanderer by vocation; and it was proved that in pursuit of his business, he had been absent on former occasions."

The State of Texas }
Denton Land District }

Survey for Adolphus Gohenant
for 160 acres of land in Tarrant lying in Tarrant County on the West and Clear forks of Trinity River at Fort Worth by virtue of his certificate No. 189 Vol. 2 issued by Thos Wm Ward Comr Peters Colony the 15th day of April AD 185_

Beginning at the S.E. corner of Hiram Allens 640 acre survey at a stake in prairie Bur Oak 20 inches bears S19½ W 14½ varas & a __ 24 inches bears S16W 147 v.

Thence South 950 varas to a stake in timber

Thence East crossing Clear Fork 950 varas to a mound of rocks, elm 14 inches bears S16E 13 3/10 varas.

Thence North 950 varas to a stake

Thence West 950 varas to the beginning.

Surveyed April 20th 1855

R.H. King } A.M. Keen Deputy
_ Allen }C.C. Sur Denton Land Dist

I A.M. Keen Deputy Surveyor of the Denton Land District do hereby solemnly swear under my official oath that the survey designated by the foregoing plot & field notes was made by me on the Date above mentioned and that the lines boundaries and evidence together with the marks both natural and artificial are truly described. Witness my hand this the 10th July 1855. A.M. Keen
Deputy Surveyor

I R.H. Allen do hereby certify that I have examined the foregoing plot and field notes and find them correct and ___ they are recorded in my office in Book C Page ___
Given under my hand at Alton
This the 14th day of August AD 1855
RH Allen District Surveyor
DL Dist

Prior to 1870, Gouhenant married Elizabeth Martin, a well-educated young woman from a prominent family. Gouhenant and his wife made their home in Pilot Point. His profession is listed on the 1870 Denton County census as "Doctor of Medicine" and his personal assets recorded as $10,000 in addition to $5,000 worth of property.

Gouhenant's untimely death in 1871 was foreshadowed by a dream, which he recorded in his diary. Gouhenant had been appointed State Geologist of Texas and, in that capacity, he was his way to Washington, D.C., when his train had a stopover in Springfield, Missouri. He got off the train and went to a hotel to eat. When he realized the train was leaving the station without him, he apparently ran and attempted to jump on it. He fell and was severely injured when the train wheels ran over and crushed his left foot. He died a week later, on April 30, 1871. He was buried in Springfield's Hazelwood Cemetery.

Dr. Gounah was a Swedenborgian in faith, a mystic, who believed, according to this cult, that the next world is all about and that we step out from this mortal coil into the astral body which is a complete duplicate of our natural self while on earth. This faith was regularly verified in a degree at his death, at a town in Missouri by a railroad accident. He had just been installed as State Geologist for the State of Texas and while sleeping at the Kelly House in Sherman, he dreamed that he met with a railroad accident while boarding the cars at some Missouri town on the way of his journey north in the interest of his new office which resulted in his death. That, after being injured he was taken charge of by the brothers of the "mystic Tie," a branch of Masonry of which he was a member, of the highest standing, and was carried to the third story of some building there and was cared for and tenderly unrsed [sic] by Sisters of Charity till his death, or, as he noted in his diary, "till he went up in light."

So impressed was he with this vision that he arose in the night, lighted a lamp and noted it in full in his diary, which he kept for years before his death. He also noted that his wife came to his body as it laid in that room and wept over his remains the next day after his death. Dr. Gounah met his death while on his way north during this trip after leaving the Sherman house, at the place stated. Was cared for by the Mystic Tie fraternity and Sisters of Charity as noted by him in his diary. His wife came, as stated, and he was buried there by request of his will and his remains yet rest there. The Sisters of Charity is a feature the least likely of any to occur in verification, of no such order resided there then, but they happened to be there temporarily on a visit for some ulterior purpose of locating their order there. The notes of this incident was [sic] found in his diary after his death. Verily, "there are more mysteries in heaven, Horatio, than are dreamed of in our philosophy."

Apparently Elizabeth Gouhenant developed the remaining land into a subdivision just south of the current location of LaGrave Field. The original land grant from the State of Texas includes the confluence of the Trinity River north of downtown as well as a chunk of the industrial/redevlopment area along the first half mile of North Main Street including the power plant. Not necessarily prime real estate before the development of the levees, but the location of the road and the cemetery donations suggest land holdings beyond (east of) the original land grant. For what it's worth, the Pioneer's Rest Cemetery actually straddles the Felix G. Mulliken & Mitchell Baugh land grants.

[TexasPacific52]

I saw a book at Half Price Books several years ago that described the origins of most of Fort Worth's street names. I could kick myself for not getting it and I dont remember the name of it. Anybody have a copy or know what the name of the book is?

[AndyN]

This is just some compiled research I have run across while working on a survey. I think I used to have a copy of Mrs. Gouhenant's plat somewhere.

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

Who Was Hulen? An Attempt to Find the Origin of Fort Worth's Street Names by Werner Magnus. Amazon has three copies from $89.99, Alibris one at $99.99. Incredibly, the Fort Worth Public Library seems to have none.

[gdvanc]

UTA's library has a copy. 4th floor, Central Library. Not currently checked out. They have another copy in Special Collections up on 6.

[gdvanc]

Interesting story, Andy. Wonder if an Art Saloon Gallery would go over well these days?

[Buck]

Caution: Many of the origins in Magnus' book are simply his guesses.

It's a good book, bot not the last word on street names.

[bhudson]

The Fort Worth libraries do have copies. Many are permanent and not available for checkout, but I have a copy from the central library. I put in an online request late november and got the book late december.

As previously noted, it is largely a compilation of guesses, though many are definitive and listed as the only explanation, like Hulen, Gounah, or Lancaster. It is not so much a book as it is a large alpha list of street names with numbered possible origins. I wanted to purchase a copy of the book upon hearing about it, but am glad now that I didn't. It is a good book, and certainly worthy of inclusion into your local history library, but perhaps not for $90.

I remain on the lookout for a (reasonably priced) copy from Half-Price books etc.

[cherokeehippie]

Bailey Avenue is named for William J. Bailey, the founder of Greenwood Cemetery and Funeral home! He came to Fort Worth 1882--at one time he was the largest landowner in Fort Worth..He is my great-grandfather!! I hope sometime in the future to post more info on him here....He owned the whole area on White Settlement Rd, Bailey Avenue..as far west as General dynamics...The Elks Lodge that used to be on White Settlement Road, and Bailey Avenue, used to be the Bailey mansion...I think my great-grandmother Susa C. helped design it...it had a mediteranean look( When the Elks Lodge took over, they made additions to it, etc...my mom told me that there used to be a beautiful garden with flowers, etc, nothing like the way the elks lodge did things..)...Susa C. Carpenter was my gr-grandfather's wife...she studied opera over in Italy and my gr-grandfather made several trips over to Italy to court her...they married and came back home on ship in 1910--same year as Halley's comet being viewable in the sky.. Before he met and courted my gr-grandm. Susa, he was married to a lady named Stella Wooten..they lived in a home in the spot where the Crestwood Place Apartments are now..on White Settlement Rd...One day, Stella heard that some business associates of my gr-grandfather, were planning on developing a cemetery across the street from their home...
"Will, I don't like the thought of a cemetery being built across the street!" She replied.
My great-grandfather didn't like it, either!! He looked into the rumor, and sure enough, some business friends of his were in on the deal to develop a cemetery in that area...so he decided to do a scheme, and pretend that he was developing a cemetery down the street (the area of the present day Greenwood Cemetery!) so to get the others back out on their plans...He really wanted to make the area into a residental area.

THis plan took a few years to take in effect...during that time, Stella died, and he would make trips to Colorado (those who could afford it back in those days, would take trips to Colorado in the summertime to get away from the heat...in pre-air conditioner days)..He met Susa on the steps of the Antler Hotel in Colorado Springs and would began to court her.
One day, he came home after one of his trips to Italy, and heard that his scheme worked...the business associates decided to back out of their plan of building a cemetery..and so he rode on horseback to tell the workmen to halt their work..for the plan worked....He arrived at the area, and there...before his eyes, were 2 fresh mounds of dirt!
"Mr. Bailey, some hobos died and needed burying...You got yerself a cemetery now!"

Gr-grandfather said some choice words I won't repeat here, then yanked his horse around and pulled his hat over his eyes.
"Well, if this isn't fate!" He replied.

Yes, that's how Greenwood began!! In 1909! and in !910, he married my great-grandmother Susa, and yet...he still round up living across the street from the cemetery!! LOL

[Roger_H]

Who Was Hulen? An Attempt to Find the Origin of Fort Worth's Street Names by Werner Magnus. Amazon has three copies from $89.99, Alibris one at $99.99. Incredibly, the Fort Worth Public Library seems to have none.

Isn't Hulen named after the general in charge of Camp Bowie?

[John Cirillo]

I find it appalling that the asking price for that book is so high. There are more rare books that I want that are going for less. Wonder why. But I notice in the front, Werner Magnus beseeches the readers to send in more facts so that a more accurate second edition can be published. Does anyone here know him? Is he still around? Seems like a second edition is in order.
I remember getting a copy at Taylor's Books on Camp Bowie around 1991 maybe? It was $9.95.
Ninety dollars indeed. Hold out for cheaper copies, don't let scalpers dictate the value.

John