Isabella's building has a diverse history

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent 
With Leonard Cash
 
In this week’s installment of “History on Main,” historian Leonard Cash pulls out his records on the Isabella’s building (which he said was built around 1913) on Block 10, Lots 1 through 3.
The following information was pulled from the Sanborn Fire Insurance maps and courthouse files to provide an overview of the land, before diving into more details next week. 
While Isabella’s sits on all three lots, these lots were formerly used separately. According to Warranty Deed Record Book 1, page 334, the Lincoln Land Co. granted Lot 1 to Charles Deetken in 1891. The Sanborn files report that the front half contained a vacant building, and halfway down the lot was a photo gallery. 
In 1896, the building was empty again, Cash said. However, in 1901, the Quitclaim Deed Record Book 2, page 38, says the land was given to Bernhard Albert Deetken, and in 1903, Eva T. Deetken became the next grantee. The Sanborn files report that the back lot 60 feet was used as a millinery in 1903. 
In 1910, the land was sold to A.M. Nichols, and in 1911, his son started a mortuary in the front section of the building and the back was used a warehouse. In 1912, the back lot was converted into an office. According to Warranty Deed Record Book 11, page 276, Nichols and his wife, Orpha, granted Lot 1 to the Nichols’ Supply Co. in April of 1913 (his old store burned down in 1910, according to Cash).
The records on Lots 2 and 3 are scant, but in 1891, there was a building occupying Lot 2, but Cash is unsure what it was used for. There was a Chinese laundromat on Lot 3 during that time. 
“There used to be quite a few Chinese here in town,” Cash said. 
Warranty Deed Record Book 11, page 319, reported that the Lincoln Land Co. granted Lots 2 and 3 to the A.M. Nichols Supply Co. (also called Weston County Supply Co.) in 1913, which was a “general mercantile business and meat market.”
Miscellaneous Record Book 4, Page 405 (dated Nov. 5, 1923 and filed April 18, 1924) reported that the Nichols Supply Co. ran into some financial instability and accumulated a pile of debt, so the business was put in the hands of Nichols’ son Lloyd Nichols. 
“The business went bankrupt,” Cash said. “Nichols fell on some hard times.”
According to records from the Newcastle mortuary, in 1924, Nichols sold the undertaking business to W.R. Fox in Gillette, and P.S. Jackson was going to be the residential manager in Newcastle. 
That same year, Nichols Supply Co. was changed to the Newcastle Building Co., which according to the 1920 certificate of incorporation, its purpose was “to build, rent, erect, contract for, buy, lease, sell, etc. and encumber dwelling houses, office buildings, store buildings, hotels, garages and buildings of all kinds.” 
“It’s a different company, but it’s still run under the Nicholses,” Cash said. 
In 1925, Cash said, M.C. Roberts bought the local undertaking business from Fox, and according to Warranty Deed Record Book 22, page 391, the three lots were sold to M.C. Roberts and P.S. Jackson in December of 1928, and “includes wagon scales.” They ran Roberts and Jackson Undertakers. 
Roberts and Jackson announced in the Jan. 24, 1929, newspaper that they were bringing in farm machinery from John Deere Plow Co. to the Nichols warehouse, “east of the Nichols block.” 
In 1930, Roberts and Jackson sold  the north 80 feet of the three lots (the front section of the building) to Midwest Refining Oil Co. (which is a branch of Standard Oil Co., Cash said, and built a service station there). The same year, Midwest sold its interest to Standard Oil. 
Near the end of 1960, the land was granted to American Oil Co. (also known as Amoco Oil Co.), which sold it to John Fordyce in 1976, according to the courthouse files. In 1980, Fordyce granted the land to Robert Martens.
As for the 60 feet of the southern portion, on May 22, 1930, according to records from the Newcastle Mortuary, Roberts and Jackson moved their business to the back lot of the second floor.
“The Roberts and Jackson building has been remodeled with a large double entry and a stairway leading to the splendid undertaking room on the second floor, which consists of a large chapel room, slumber room, operating room and display room, all done in plain white and beautifully furnished and lighted,” the Newcastle Mortuary records state. 
In 1931, a furniture store was opening up on the first floor, so “the firm name will be the Newcastle Mortuary and Furniture Company.” 
According to Warranty Deed Record Book 26, page 21, Jackson and his wife granted the southern portion of the land to Roberts in 1936, as an “undivided ½ interest.” 
When Roberts died, the land was divided among several people in 1944, and possession bounced around. One-third interest was granted to Elizabeth Mary Roberts, and the remaining interests were granted to Mary Spence Ostlund, Clyde D. Roberts and Elizabeth Lucile Culver in equal portions of 2/9 interests each.  
According to Warranty Deed Record Book 28, page 455, Clyde and Culver split their interests to Elizabeth Roberts and Ostlund. An undivided 1/6 interest was granted to Elizabeth Roberts, and Ostlund received an undivided 5/18 interest. 
In 1950, Roberts (who was widowed) and Ostlund sold the south 60 feet of Lots 1 through 3 to Elmer Rogers and his wife, Mary. 
Around 1969, Photo Record Book 62, page 485, shows that Elmer Rogers and his wife granted the land to George and Mary Butler. 
Next week, Cash will continue his series on Isabella’s by providing more details on the building’s diverse history — starting with the history of the mortuary.
 
Look for Part II next week.