1885

Berney National Bank in 1887

1885 was the 14th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

• The community of Calera organized its first high school.
• The town of Morris was incorporated.
• Construction of the Highland Avenue Railroad began.
• Powell School graduated its first senior class.

Business

• March 26: Central Bank of Birmingham was founded by William Berney.
• J. Blach & Sons was founded by Julius Blach.
• The City Market was developed by George Raps.
• The Sloss Furnace Company was sold to investors by Colonel James Withers Sloss and became the Sloss Iron & Steel Company.
• William Walker, Jr served 10 months as president of the First National Bank of Birmingham.

Religion

• April: The congregation of First Christian Church reorganized.
• Isaac Hochstadter became president of Temple Emanu-El.
• David Purser became pastor of First Baptist Church of Birmingham.
• Warrior Baptist Church and West End Baptist Church were founded.

Sports

• The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs was formed.

Works

Buildings

• Avondale Brewing Company building
• Berney National Bank building
• Cowart Drug Company Building
• McLester & Van Hoose warehouse

Individuals

Mary Cahalan

• January 15: Samuel R. Truss became Jefferson County Sheriff.
• Isaac Beatty, Jr and his parents moved to Birmingham.
• Mary Cahalan became principal of the Free School.
• Russell Cunningham was hired by TCI to serve a physician and surgeon for the Ensley Works.
• Jabez Curry became the U.S. Ambassador to Spain.
• Charles Drennen and his family moved to Birmingham.
• F. A. Gafford became chief of the Birmingham Fire Department.
• John Inman became director of the L & N Mineral Railroad.
• Brothers L. Y., S. W. and H. P. Lipscomb settled in the area that would later bear their name.
• Photographer A. C. Oxford retired to Blount Springs.
• Attorney John Terry resigned from the practice of law.
• Architect W. W. Rose moved to Birmingham.
• William Weston and his immediate family emigrated to the United States.

Births

Gus Jebeles

• May 27: Gus Jebeles, Birmingham Barons owner
• June 22: Martha Fort Anderson, artist
• August 10: Lonnie Noojin, coach
• December 1: Paul Pim, cartoonist
• Hugh A. Locke, attorney
• Newton Price, principal of West End High School
• Alburto Throckmorton

Graduations

• Brother Bryan from University of North Carolina
• C. Travis Drennen from Rush Medical College
• Robert Thach from Alabama Polytechnic Institute

Marriages

• December 31: Businessman Tom Ashford to Susie Swoope.

Deaths

• Elizabeth Oliver

Context

In 1885, the first successful appendectomy was performed by Dr. William W. Grant on Mary Gartside. L.A. Thompson patented the roller coaster. The Washington Monument was dedicated. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company was incorporated. Grover Cleveland succeeded Chester A. Arthur as President of the United States. Good Housekeeping Magazine first went on sale. Louis Pasteur successfully tested his vaccine against rabies. Niagara Falls opened to the public. Dr Pepper was first served.

Notable births in 1885 included composer Jerome Kern, writer Sinclair Lewis, actor Wallace Beery, baseball pitcher Vean Gregg, columnist Hedda Hopper, actor Gabby Hayes, film producer Louis B. Mayer, writer D. H. Lawrence, physicist Niels Bohr, poet Ezra Pound, writer Will Durant, and General George S. Patton. Deaths included writer Victor Hugo, former president Ulysses S. Grant, Jumbo the elephant, Civil War general George B. McClellan, scientist Thomas Andrews, and businessman William Henry Vanderbilt.

1880s

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