Haunted Alpena Series: Agnes Lau of the John A Lau Saloon

Probably the most notoriously haunted place in Alpena is the John A Lau Saloon.  It is reportedly haunted by John's wife, Agnes, who is said to move glasses and tip over servers' trays, among other pranks. Her tragic life is certainly befitting of a restless spirit as I came to find in my research.

Agnes (Paddock) Lau was born to Franz Patock (Americanized to Frank Paddock) and Veronika Hildebrand in Neustadt, Germany on January 21, 1873.  She traveled to the US before her parents and siblings in about 1892 at the age of 19.  Her mother and father and siblings joined her 5 years later, arriving in New York on July 11, 1897.

In 1900, Agnes is shown living with her parents Frank and Veronika and siblings Johanna, Martha, Paul, Charles, Mary, and Anton (Anthony) on 729 Riopelle St in Detroit.   Her father worked as a day laborer, and she and her siblings also took on jobs as a dressmaker, cook, servant, butcher, factory laborer, and tailorhand to help the family get by.

Meanwhile, John A Lau, who had arrived in the US from Germany in about 1885, was living in Alpena with his parents, John (Andrew) and Anne (Grozinski) Lau, and brothers Charles, August, John C, and Bernard on 732 Long Lake Ave.

By 1893 or earlier, John had opened his saloon at 414 Dock St (now 2nd Ave) at it's present location.  His brother August, a musician, worked as a bartender at the saloon. In 1897, August and his wife Mary experienced a tragedy of their own when their daughter Martha, 5, and son August, 8, both died of diptheria on September 23rd and 24th of that year.

On June 22, 1900 Agnes married John at Sacred Heart in Detroit, and they made their home in Alpena above the saloon.  They wasted no time starting a family, and their first child John A Jr was born in April of 1901.

On November 17, 1903, John's brother Bernard "Barney" was struck by a railroad train and killed at the age of 30.

The Laus continued expanding their family - Alfred came in about 1904 and Magdaline in 1907.  In February 1909, another girl arrived and was named Agnes, after her mother.  Sadly, this baby perished of gastroenteritis (inflammation of the gastro-intestinal tract usually caused by the stomach flu) less than 5 months later on July 11, 1909.  The 1910 census states that Agnes had lost another child at some point, though I have not yet found information on him or her. That's two children lost in 10 years, all the while with a hootin' hollerin' party going on nonstop beneath her home in the saloon below.  Could this be contributing to Agnes' restlessness?

Agnes herself became sick with tuberculosis and eventually went to live with her family in Detroit.  Sadly, she lost her battle on June 24, 1913 at the age of 40 and was laid to rest in Mt. Elliott Cemetery in Detroit.   Though local lore says the children were sent away to a convent upon her death, they are shown living with their father, grandfather, and Agnes' sister Mary Paddock above the saloon 7 years later on the 1920 census.  Could Mary be the second female ghost rumored to walk about the saloon conversing with Agnes?

John A Lau died in 1922 at the relatively young age of 52.  John Jr. married and removed to Detroit, where younger sister Magdalene was living with him and his wife and young daughter Joann in 1930.  John Lau Jr died in 1986, and Alfred passed away at Hubbard Lake in 1952.  I have yet to find who Magdalene married and what became of her life.

If you are interested in learning more about the haunting at the John A Lau, be sure to visit October 9 for a dinner presentation by Kat and Bev, authors of Haunted Travels of Michigan, put on by Mid Michigan Paranormal.  There are two seatings of 40 people each, one at 5:00 PM and one at 8:00 PM.  The price of $55 per person includes dinner, a ghost tour, and presentation.

For more information:          Michigan's Other Side
 Also see:                                 John A Lau Saloon
For more spooky Fall Fun:  Fall in Alpena   

John A Lau (on the left)

image from official saloon website

Funny Friday: What is Going on Here?

I'll let this photo do the talking while I ponder why this man is posing wearing a long skirt and holding what appears to be a large pumpkin in the air.  Enjoy this silly postcard from Alpena!

Biographical Series: David Daniel Hanover

This is the first of an ongoing series of biographies of some of the area's prominent residents.  Please contact me if you would like me to feature one of your ancestors or someone you're curious about.  Guest bios are welcome and will be posted!

Today's featured person is David Daniel Hanover, a prominent Alpena businessman.  He was born in Canada in June 1861 to James Hanover of Connecticut and  Hannah Brereton of Ireland. He arrived in the United States in about 1868.

By 1887, David owned a "saddle, harness, glove and mitten, and sporting goods" store on the corner of 2nd and Chisholm and lived above it.  By 1889 he had partnered with his sister Elizabeth Hanover Barlow, and together they owned a dry goods store at 118 S 2nd Ave (current location of Country Cousins) called E.H. Barlow & Co.  In 1891-2, their store had moved to 104 S 2nd (current location of Traveling Ladders.) In addition, he owned a second business at 101 S 2nd (now the JC Penney catalog store) listed as "Harness Mnfr and Dealer in Turf and Sporting Goods" in the city directory. 

 On November 5, 1891 he married Miss Clara Lehndorff, daughter of R.L. and Loretta Lehndorff, in Detroit.  They made their home together at 212 S 3rd Ave in Alpena. Their one and only daughter, Myssel Katherine Hanover, was born in Alpena on January 26, 1893. Myssel was named after David's favorite racing horse, Missile, as I found out in one of Bob Haltiner's books. Sadly, Clara passed away at the age of 33 on September 20, 1895.  David would never remarry.

 In 1900, David and his daughter Myssel were living with his sister and business partner Elizabeth Barlow, who had married Edward Fisher the previous year, at 211 S 3rd Ave across the street from his former residence. Edward died before 1910, and after that Elizabeth and David continued to live together at that house until at least 1930.

David's only child Myssel married Stanley Wilson on October 11, 1914 in Detroit. 

By 1920, David had retired comfortably at a young age.  He appears to have remained with his sister Elizabeth for the rest of his years, perhaps too saddened by the death of his young wife Clara to ever remarry - especially when the close partnership with Elizabeth already provided companionship, financial strength, and someone to do the "womanly duties" around the house. In those days many men remarried simply because they could not take care of themselves, their children, and their homes without a woman around.

David passed away on June 4, 1945 at the age of 85 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.

His daughter Myssel had at least three children with her husband Stanley in Detroit, was back in Alpena living at 730 State Street (currently the Ferguson residence) in the 1950s. She passed away in 1987 at an old age.
(According to the State Treasury, there is unclaimed property of hers transferred from Comerica Bank in their possession, so if you are a direct relative you may want to check it out.  It could be a safe deposit box containing precious family heirlooms)

If you would like to share something about David, please leave a comment!  Hope you enjoyed learning about him and his family.

Update: In September, I visited John Henry's Antiques in Alpena and found a postcard addressed to Myssel and her aunt, "Mrs. Fisher" and couldn't resist buying it after learning all about the family!

Treasure Box Thursday: Photo Postcards, Alpena People

Since there is a plethora of Alpena-related items available for purchase online, I have decided to share new finds every Thursday for "Treasure Box Thursday." This week, several new photo cards featuring Alpena people are available on eBay.

1.  Girl Mowing Grass Postcard

This postcard features the beautiful smiling Pearl Chapman "mowing the grass on the campus."  I believe this woman is Pearl (maiden name Male) Chapman who was born in 1902 to George A Male and Amelia Soper in Long Rapids Twp.  She married John L Chapman on Mackinac Island on September 21, 1921, son of A.C. Chapman and Sophie Belanger. In 1930 she is shown on the census living in Alpena with her parents and her two children Betty L, born in about 1923, and John M, born in about 1924.

Also on the postcard are Majis Skeen and Byron Broadbooks in the background with the depot? further back.  Unfortunately I cannot locate information on these two.

2.  "The Brothers" Postcard

There is no name on this photo, but perhaps someone will recognize these two very handsome brothers from Alpena.  They were cute enough to get their own postcard!


3. Alpena Baseball Team 1920s-30s Postcard

There are no names on this photo of an Alpena baseball team circa 1920s-30s. If you click on the picture you'll get a supersize image - see if you recognize anyone!


4. Moslem Temple Fraternal Card - David Hanover

This was an 1890s "calling card" of David D. Hanover, who belonged to the Moslem Temple in Detroit.  The Moslem Temple i housed within the Masonic Temple in Detroit, which is a spectacular gothic structure and the largest Masonic Temple in the world. The fraternity seems to be an early version of the Shriners.

 David was the very first owner of  what is now the Center Building on 2nd Ave in 1903.

David is quite an intriguing character, so I decided to do some research and give him his own post here.

5. 1920s "Sun Bath" at Long Lake Postcard

This fun postcard features children with their mothers sunbathing at Long Lake.  Do you recognize anyone?

Hope you all enjoyed the latest batch of fun things for your treasure box!

Wordless Wednesday: The "Alpena Flyer"

Image from American Automobiles


(Click image for full size)

Tombstone Tuesday: Daniel and Sarah Carter

Photo by Myra Herron

Daniel and Sarah Carter and their daughter Mary were the first permanent white settlers in Alpena, arriving on November 26, 1856, according to Bob Haltiner in "The Town that Wouldn't Die." This beautiful marker is a fitting tribute to these "pillars" of our community.

Alpena's Red Light District?

In searching for information about someone else I was posting on, I stumbled across Alpena's own little red light district...in 1910! I was always under the impression that such things would have been outlawed by those times in our small moral community, but apparently I was wrong.

On the 1910 census, two neighboring houses can be found in which the occupation of all the ladies is listed as "prostitute." The first home was located at 410 River St, very near the Civic Theatre. The madam was Belle A.(Salt? Sath?) She was born in about 1880 in Michigan and had previously been married for 6 years with no children born. Her "soiled doves" were Marie E Driscoll, 22, and Stella Tower, 22.

The next home on the census was 115 N 5th Ave, owned by madam Edna M Arman, 26. Her girls were Anna G Lemire, 22, Grace E Morrison, 27, Anna M (Heins?), 25, and Florence L Dawson, 21. Anna and Florence had both been previously married with no children born. This home is still lived in today.

Another place of business for the "ladies of the night" was at 202 Minor Street, which is also currently occupied. (I am so curious to see if the current owners of these homes know anything about their home's interesting past!) The madam at this house was Francis Moran, 35, of Canada. Her girls were Mildred Springs, 24, and Mabel Howard, 29.

If there were this many cathouses still in operation in Alpena in 1910, I'm very curious to know how many were around back in the town's boom-iest, in the 1880s and 90s. I'll definitely be checking that out next.

UPDATE: In scouring the 1880 and 1900 censuses for all Alpena females between the ages of 20-30 who were single, I could find no record of any soiled doves residing within city limits...or perhaps they were just better at hiding it in those days. It's also a possibility they all remained out at the lumber camps, and the practice hadn't made its way into town yet. I know they were around - any place filled with young single men who spend all day working hard in the woods and their nights getting liquored up is bound to have a few questionable ladies about.

Alpena Memorabilia on eBay

You'd be surprised at the amount of Alpena memorabilia floating around on eBay. Pages and pages of historic items in great condition, and many times at great prices. If you're like me, and love to fill your home with old treasures, maybe there's room in your house for one of these nostalgic pieces.

Glass Beer Bottle from John Beck's Brewing Company



John Beck operated a Brewery in Alpena from about 1885-1918. From 1891-1918, the brewery was known as "Beck Malting & Brewing Co" so this bottle likely dates back to pre-1891.

LaPine & Cook Cabinet Photo - Victorian Woman



eBay is a great place to look for old photos of your ancestors. Maybe somebody will recognize this pretty young lady from the Victorian era.

Red Rose Dairy (Richard Weise Farm) Milk Caps



This listing is for 20 unused vintage bottle caps from fresh milk straight from Richard Weise's farm! Richard was a lifelong Alpena resident, born in about 1896. These milk caps are likely from the 30s-50s.

J Chas Wood Druggist Bottle



J Charles Wood was a druggist from Canada who came to the United States in 1883. In 1910, he was living at 404 Chisholm Street with his wife May. This bottle likely dates sometime between the late 1880s and early 1920s.

I'll share some more cool Alpena finds again soon! Hope you enjoyed these little treasures from the past.