More City Directory Research (1902 - 1906)

Putting in some more research into the Fort Worth City Directories, I traced the years George Blue lived in the house, and watched the Baird family move from home to home.

City Directory 1902-1903

Blue George W., plastering contr, r. 1015 Cactus cor Washington ave. 3.

By 1902, George Blue didn't list himself as working with M. Penewell anymore.

Baird Ninnie (Mrs. W. A.), propr Santa Fe restaurant, 1514 Jones, r. same
Baird William A., mgr Mrs. N. Baird's restaurant, r. 1514 Jones, 7.

The Star-Telegram article, "Mother's Legacy Lives On" says, "But the older Baird had always been interested in the restaurant business, and to this he turned his attention next, buying, operating and then selling out several in different parts of town." But this entry lists Ninnie as the proprietor and William as the manager, with the restaurant being named after Ninnie.

City Directory 1904-1905

Blue George W., contg plasterer, r. 1015 Cactus ave cor Washington. 3. Sw. Ph. 1845
Baird Ninnie (Mrs. W.A.), proprss Jennings ave bakery, 204 S. Jennings ave, Ft. W. ph. 1980 r. 418 W. Daggett ave.
Baird William A., mgr Jennings ave bakery, r. 418 W. Daggett ave. 7.

Ninnie is again listed this time as the proprietress of a bakery and William as the manager. She was evidently baking a few years before Mrs. Baird's Bread is said to be established in 1908.

City Directory 1905-1906

Blue George W., contg plasterer, r. 1015 Cactus. 3. Sw. ph. 1845.
BAIRD NINNIE (MRS. W.A.), restaurant, 1113 1/2 Main, r. 1315 E. Bluff. Ft. W. ph 1087
BAIRD WILLIAM A., Mgr Mrs. N. Baird, 1113 1/2 Main. r. 1315 E. Bluff. 5.

This year, the Bairds have their entries in the City Directory in large bold capital letters.

City Directory Research

I managed to get some more time at the library to go through a few more city directories and while not much showed up about the Bairds, I did find other residents of the home and possibly the builder.

City Directory 1901-1902

Baird William A., popcorn stand, r. 512 E. 2d. 6

I'm not sure what the 512 E. 2d. 6 is.

Blue George W. (Blue & Penewell), r. 1015 Cactus cor Washington Ave 3.
Blue & Penewell (George W. Blue, Melvin E. Penewell), contg plasterers, 1015 Cactus
...
Penewell M. Edgar (Blue & Penewell), plasterer, r. 1306 College ave. 3.

As you can see, George Blue not only lived in the Cactus house around 1901-1902, but also ran a plastering business from the home. If my memory is correct from glancing at the 1899-1900 City Directory, George Blue moved from College Ave over to Cactus, and probably lived nearer to Melvin Penewell before the move.

Yarbrough Frank G., carp, contr, bldr, r. 1319 5th ave. 6.

Frank Yarbrough is interesting to me because F. G. Yarbrough owned the home and sold it to the Blue family. Notes from the previous owner of the Cactus home show that Yarbrough must have built it. The City Directory lists him as a carpenter, contractor, and builder and substantiates that he may have built it.

City Directory 1920

Tuck Elizab (wid. T E), res 1015 Cactus
Tuck Jas O, clk La Beaume & Terrell, h 1015 Cactus

Research from the 1920 Census (I'll post more about this research later) shows the Tuck family lived in the Cactus home at that time. To help validate this, I checked the City Directory and found them. I haven't been able to find any other references to "La Beaume & Terrell". It would be interesting to know what type of business this was.

City Directory 1922

Tuck Jas O, clk La Beaume & Terrell, h 1800 College Ave
Tuck Mary E (wid Thos E), r 1800 College

The next available City Directory from the Fort Worth Library was 1922. Checking it, I found they moved, staying on the same block, to 1800 College. A home must have been there before the gas station that is shown in the 1927 Sanborn Fire Map. Currently, this building is part of Old Home Supply.

If you have a connection to any of the above people or businesses, please contact us. It might help us find an older photograph of this home.