#twelfthstreet

[rocketwerks]

E. T. Pilkinton

AKA, W. W. Russell, Chas. Millhiser’s Cigar Factory #135

514 North Twelfth Street

[IOR] — E. T. Pilkington — 514 North Twelfth Street, circa 1886 — three years after the death of its founder

Another tobacco factory that changed hands many times.

(Antique Tobacco) — Fruits and Flowers Mixture Tin

Manufacturers of all styles and grades of Smoking Tobacco, No. 514 North Twelfth street. This is the oldest and the largest factory engaged exclusively in the manufacture of smoking tobacco in the city, and for twenty-six years has "Fruits and Flowers" been upon the market as their leading brand. 

(VCU) — 1889 Baist Atlas Map of Richmond — Plate 5

Its reputation is known to the lovers of a good smoke on two Continents, and no brand made in this city is better known to the local trade The capacity of the factory is 1,200,000 pounds per annum. They employ forty hands; have three commercial salesmen on the road: local agents all over the United States, and sell to the trade throughout America, Australia, and England.

(Find A Grave) — William Walden Russell

This business was founded by the late E. T. Pilkinton in 1860, who managed the concern until his death in January, 1883, since which time Mr. W. W. Russell has been the proprietor. Mr. Russell has had many years experience in tobacco, and was connected with this house for years prior to becoming the owner of the business. He is a native of Virginia, and a former resident of Petersburg. [IOR]

[RVCJ93] — W. W. Russell’s Tobacco Factory, circa 1893

Eventually, respect for the previous ownership and branding faded. 

W. W. Russell, manufacturer of fine smoking tobaccos at 514 North Twelfth street, has been established in that line of business since 1882; for the first eight years of this period under the firm name of E. T. Pilkinton & Co., though he was sole proprietor. Two years ago he discontinued the use of that name, as well as the manufacture of their brands, and has since been devoting his attention to fine and fancy smoking tobaccos.

(Antique Advertising) — Virginia Creeper Granulated Mixture Tin

His leading brands are the “Virginia Creeper,” “Topaz,” and “Queen of Virgina.” He manufactures more granulated smoking tobacco than any other house here, and he covers a larger trade territory than any other here also. He has four men on the road in his interest, and his fancy smoking mixtures are sold all over the United States. His factory has a capacity of a million pounds a year.

Mr. Russell is a Virginian, twenty-one years resident of Richmond. A cut accompanying this notice shows the outward appearance of his establishment. [RVCJ93]

(Library of Congress) — Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Richmond (1905) — Plate 74 — showing the former E. T. Pilkington location now as Chas. Milhiser’s (sic) Cigar Factory #135

By 1905, the property had been taken over by Charles Millhiser, another well-established tobacco man, for his cigar manufacturing operations.

The “Virginia Star” cheroot factory, Mr. Charles Millhiser’s establishment, which is shown in the cut accompanying this matter, is one of the representative and most notable concerns of its line at Richmond. It has 150 Mr. Millhiser first embarked in the trade in 1885, and he is one of the most substantial manufacturers of his line. He has resources and property to back him, and the enterprise to maintain the lead he has gained over competing concerns.

[RVCJ93] — “Virginia Star” Cheroot Factory, location unidentified, circa 1893

He has five men on the road selling for him. They cover nearly the entire United States, and he sells besides, largely, through brokers and others, in all the principal cities. The “Virginia Star” cheroot is his specialty, although he makes also a number of other brands. It forms—such is the demand for it—nine-tenths at least of his output. It is made of superior stock, and is of the best workmanship. It is produced from the best New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Havana leaf, under the close inspection of competent heads of departments.

[RVCJ93] — Charles Millhiser, circa 1893

Mr. Millhiser gives the business personal supervision. He brings to his labors a long and varied experience, not merely of tobacco in its divers commercial forms, but of business generally. He is a native of the city, and was in general mercantile pursuits from 1866 until 1879.

In that year he went into the manufacture of cigars, and afterwards included the trade in leaf tobacco; and after spending six or seven years profitably in that line became one of the pioneers of cheroot manufacture here, by establishing the “Virginia Star” factory and brand. He is, as we have said, a man of solid resources and high character, and is well known and highly esteemed here. [RVCJ93]

December 2019 — looking towards 514 North Twelfth Street today

And so was it true in 1893. By the time of the 1903 edition of Richmond, Virginia: The City on the James, Millhiser is no longer a darling of the Chamber of Commerce, or perhaps didn’t pay to be in the book, and is unmentioned.

Today, the corner on the alley where E. T. Pilkington stood is now completely consumed by the Harry Lyons Building of the VCU Health School of Dentistry.

[IOR] [RVCJ93] — side-by-side comparison of the 1886 (left) and 1893 (right) depictions of 514 North Twelfth Street

It’s interesting to note that while the 1893 edition of Richmond, Virginia: The City on the James reused some illustrations from Industries of Richmond, that is not the case here. It is clearly not a reworking of a previous photo; the street scenes and cloud patterns are completely different.

(E. T. Pilkington is part of the Atlas RVA! Project)

Print Sources

[IOR] Industries of Richmond. James P. Wood. 1886.

[RVCJ93] Richmond, Virginia: The City on the James: The Book of Its Chamber of Commerce and Principal Business Interests. G. W. Engelhardt. 1893.

[sparksearcher]

twelfthstreet replied to your post “twelfthstreet replied to your post “I think I just made a plan to knit...”

that is so cute! are you doing it in the pattern colorways? I can't knit colorwork flat either; not sure why! I love it in the round though. good luck steeking! I've never finished a colorwork sweater so I've not done it.

Yeah, I picked up the Cadmium and the Tiger Lily at a yarn store on a whim a while ago, and then I got the Azul Profundo, Fluo, and Very Berry at the store I work at.  I think I might practice steeking with a baby sweater first before I do anything with my own sweater.  And do it at work so if I really screw it up someone can hopefully rescue it.

[howling--fantods]

twelfthstreet said: on fuckin point! looks like the clash themselves put it out. A+ would visit this exhibit and buy this logo on merchandise <3

OMG THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! wow, thanks so much, that was totally the goal :D

[wintergaydar]

3, 7, 15

3. A song that reminds you of summertime. 

“Troubleman” by Electric Guest -- not a cover of Marvin Gaye, just to clarify. 

7. A song to drive to

“Carrizo Plain” by Gardens & Villa -- preferably at night. 

15. A song that is a cover by another artist

“Who Is It” by Christine & the Queens -- covering, of course MJ. 

[friedesgreatscythe]

twelfthstreet replied to your photoset:I’m not rich enough to buy glare-resistant lenses,...

you’re SO gorgeous! and damn, I know the glasses struggle. but omg is that a little twelvey? <3

;w; daww, thank you, duckie.

it’s a little malcolm tucker, actually! i got it as a gift from a friend, whose other friend made it and... i should really know the etsy link, but i don’t. alas 8c i’m pretty sure she does make little amigurumi 12th doctors, though!

[escapaldi]

Reply to previous vent-post

not sure which piece of shit plague you’re speaking of, because whouffaldi seems to have so many (SO MANY), but the wings and tigers today? just…fuck this shit I’m out *tableflip*

The piece of trash that writes Spun/Don’t Stand So, who, according to the tag, is working on DARKFIC. She can’t even write a romantic fic without it being a mire of poor characterization, flawed rationale, and rapey over/undertones. She needs to go away permanently, but I don’t know if there’s any humane way to do that so instead I’m sitting here shitposting in a petty, passive-aggressive manner that does not reflect how I normally am at all.

(No, seriously, my writing blog is filled with positivity and even when I’m shooting someone down I’m not vicious; I even take criticism graciously there too.)

UGH. the fucking twat

At least the series the Tigers and Wings are in can guarantee that they won’t get swept? That’s the way I’m looking at things right now. It’s also April for the Tigers, so they’ve got plenty of season left, and the Wings ARE sitting pretty on their twenty-fourth consecutive playoff appearance. I just wish it wouldn’t be the LIGHTNING that totally demolishes them. FUCKING TAMPA BAY. The only reason there is any hockey in Tampa Bay to BEGIN WITH is because of snow birds/northerners that resettled down there creating a market.

[rocketwerks]

Medical College of Virginia Office of the Treasurer

North Twelfth Street

December 2017

[sparksearcher]

twelfthstreet replied to your post “I think I just made a plan to knit and then take a pair of scissors to...”

fun!! what pattern?

It’s Pinebank from Malabrigo Book 8.  My tension for colorwork knit flat sucks, but I can rock 2-color stranded knitting in the round, so I’m going the steeked version.  Thankfully the pattern is written so I don’t have to worry about cutting holes for sleeves.

I found a great video on YouTube about how to do a crocheted steek, which seems less heart-attack-inducing than some of the other methods I’ve heard of.

[howling--fantods]

twelfthstreet replied to your photo:twelfthstreet I felt sad that I didn’t use my... AHHHHHHHHHH SO LOVELY!! I have a teeny sample of Kon Peki that I’ve been hoarding but maybe I should ink up one of my pens…

You should!!! It looks really good in a thicker nib, the color variation is stunning! Do you get samples from gouletpens? I love that site! I got a bunch of the Pilot Iroshizuku samples before I got a bottle, (although actually my bottle was a birthday present, so that was nice! I have used it for all my school notes all year and I still have only used less than a quarter of the bottle, so definitely worth the investment) All of the ink in that line is so beautiful! sigh...

[friedesgreatscythe]

twelfthstreet replied to your post:also posting the obituary of a celebrity’s mother...

SRSLY SO FUCKIN WEIRD DNW

i get that it's done with some kinda good intention.......... but it's not like the family's on tumblr. so ... they're not seeing that. and i don't want to be a cynic but i'm willing to bet that most of those people aren't donating a thing as per the request, they're just reblogging and posting about it. which is also kinda gross.

so it's all coming off as a way to create some false collective unified spirit that's doing little more than taking a tragic event that's not theirs and making it theirs. and the effort of typing all that up (or even copy-pasting it), plus tagging it, plus assigning a "fandom title" to the end of the post is just so fucking tasteless.

people kinda need to realize that just because something awful happens to a face you recognize, whose body of work you appreciate, doesn't mean you get to chime in about it as if it affected your life in any conceivable way. expressing sympathy is one thing, but going all out like THAT is just garbage.

[captryanclark]

twelfthstreet replied to your post: twelfthstreet replied to your post: is...

I know the struggle!!

urgh

[rocketwerks]

Ratification of the Constitution

On this site the Virginia Convention ratified the United States Constitution June 25, 1788

In the ratifying Convention were  Edmund Randolph - James Madison George Wythe - Henry Lee John Marshall - Patrick Henry George Mason and James Monroe

The Virginia delegates to the Federal Convention were George Washington - James Madison Edmund Randolph - George Mason George Wythe - James McClurg and John Blair

Twelfth Street between Marshall & Broad Streets, facing east

August 2017

[friedesgreatscythe]

twelfthstreet replied to your post:mrscartoon replied to your post “i’m bored and a...

omg omg clarasexual yes good

it's basically just about canon with him anyway, so it's not like i'm reachin too far either

granted going from "i'll hold clara's hand but that's it" to clarasexual is a stretch but i couldn't give less of a damn

[captryanclark]

twelfthstreet replied to your post: is it wrong if i yelled “EAT ME YOU BA...

no, no. I think it’s quite normal, actually ;D

i just cant... can not...