Charles Rice Cardwell 1854-1927

Charles Rice Cardwell was born July 28, 1852 in Manitou, Hopkins County, Kentucky. He was married first to Emily Clay Graham on March 15, 1876 at the home of the bride's parents, Colonel Harvey Graham and Mary Ann Baker Graham. His marriage was witnessed by brother Joseph Cardwell and William Bailey. See B050.

They had their only child, Elizabeth, the following year in 1877. Emily died before "Lizzie" was 3, and Lizzie was placed in the Graham grandparent's home, according to the 1880 Census. She was married 11 years later. Thus, Emily Graham would have died between May 1877 (Lizzie is born) and June 1880 (time of the Census when she is in Grandparent's home and father Charles is married to Fanny Baker, see below).

He appears in the 1880 Census as 26 years old, that is, born in 1854, and married to Fanny E. Baker (1860- 1936) , who is age 20. Fanny is a first cousin of first wife Emily. He is a whiskey dealer, living in the Kitchen Voting District, Page 6, ED 197, Line 43 in Madisonville. His marriage to Fannie occurred on March 25, 1880 and was signed by the Clerk of Hopkins County Court, Clarence Speed. He claims on the marriage application, B123, that this is his first marriage and he is a farmer. Her brother Columbus B. Baker posted the surety bond for the marriage.

His grandson Earl Bourland says that during this period Charlie Rice ran a gambling operation out of the Lottie (?) Hotel. He stopped gambling for a while and joined the church; but later stood up to say he missed the lifestyle and was returning to gambling. He never returned to church after that.

Earl called his stepgrandmother, Fannie Baker, "Mammy Fannie". He remembers well her packing his book bag with apples and good things to eat. He also remembers that Falcon Baker, who owned the Baker and Hickman Department Store, and was a nephew of Fannie's, did not permit his family to associate with the Bourland family because of the Cardwell gambling association.

Sometime between 1880 and 1888 he left Madisonville and moved to Springfield, Missouri with some stops along the way in St. Louis, which will be seen later. The compiler assumes he wanted more action than Madisonville offered and the family pushed some. Why Springfield? The compiler assumes it was because it was "west" where everyone was going; and because of the type of people who were there - hard driving miners from the lead mines nearby who needed to relax in a good sized town and Springfield was it. The attractions to St. Louis would be obvious.

In 1888-89 he had an office at 300 College Street in Springfield, Missouri and boarded at the Denton Hotel. The Denton was owned by H.P. Cummings. In 1892-93 he resided at 428 St. Louis Street in Springfield, Missouri. In 1896 he had rooms at The Ullman, which was on College Street at the southwest corner of Campbell Arcade. In 1898 he had a saloon named Cardwell and Carter at 316 College, and continued rooming at the Ullman.

He appears in Springfield, Missouri in the 1900, 1910 and 1920 Census. (See B073-B075). It is possible he had homes or lodging in both St. Louis and Springfield. It is also possible he was in St. Louis but for a brief time. The latter statement is most likely true since grandson C. R. Bourland does not mention him in his autobiography when he lived in St. Louis in 1913, yet grandson Earl Bourland does say he was there in about 1912.

In the 1900 Census he was living at 203 South Campbell Street, Campbell Township, in Springfield, Missouri. He roomed with Lou E. Yates, with his wife Fannie. He says he was born June 1852. This birthdate appears to be inaccurate as are other dates which he relates to the Census takers. He indicates he was married in about 1890. This date of marriage is clearly off as he is shown in the 1880 Census as being married. His occupation is listed as saloon-keeper. He is able to read, write and speak English, (but not remember dates well). B073.

In 1900 he is listed with a Cardwell and Burks saloon at 129-130 Kirby Arcade, and rooms at the Ullman. These saloons were obviously gambling halls.

In 1903 he returns home from Springfield to Madisonville with wife Fannie to attend the 80th birthday celebration of his mother. See B115. The 1907 City Directory for Madisonville reflects he and his family (Fannie) living in town, but with no address. Other family members are given with a street or street and number. See B118.

In 1910 he and wife Fannie were living in Springfield, he is employed as a saloon-keeper and seems to own a mortgaged home. Living with him is niece Mary Graham (age 21) and nephew William Graham (age 20), who is a house painter. B074. They are the children of Cyrus Rufus Graham, brother to his first wife Emily Clay Graham.

He lived, or was staying, in 1914 and 1915 at 3710 Olive Avenue, and then 6223A Easton Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri. The City Directories associate him with a saloon. There he had what seemed to his grandson Earl Bourland a "most spacious apartment". He left the house at 7 o'clock each night to work, by crossing into East St. Louis where he was a gambler. He was asked if he had ever caught anyone cheating, to which he replied he could tell by the way they shuffled the deck, upon which event that man was dismissed from the game. See B022 and B085 and B086.

While grandson Earl was visiting in St. Louis, Charlie Rice was stopped by the Police early in the morning upon returning from work, carrying a briefcase. When told to open the case, they found it to be full of money . "Ah ha, you have robbed someone", they said. He replied it was gambling money. As they started to arrest him for gambling, he said his operation was in East St. Louis in Illinois. They were forced to let him go as they did not have jurisdiction.

The picture nearby was taken at the Rosselli Studio, located at 720 Olive Street, St. Louis, Missouri, only several blocks from his apartment at 3710. The studio is no longer in business; the apartment is dilapidated but next to the modern day campus of St. Louis University. It is assumed the picture was taken in about 1915 when he would have been in St. Louis for certain (see above) and would have been 63 years old.

According to an interview with Earl Bourland, about this time it is thought he either owned a hotel called the "Charles R" in Dawson Springs just south of Madisonville or may have merely operated the gambling room in a hotel of another name. When Earl ran out of money while in Lexington, his brother Charles suggested he go wait tables at the hotel, which Earl did. The hotel failed, Earl said.

In 1917 he does not appear in the St. Louis Directory and hence must have returned to Springfield, Missouri. In 1920 he and Fannie are again in Springfield, living at 313 1/2 College Street as a lodger with Rosco E. Hilliard. He is a real estate agent. B075. In 1926 he had rooms at the Ullman.

The date of this anecdote is not clear, though it would have been shortly after grandson Earl was able to remember. On one winning streak he returned to Madisonville and bought his daughter "Liz" a house with cash, for $1,200. He spoke with considerable pride of this action. The writer believes the family move into the city of Madisonville in 1904 to 435 N. Seminary was probably financed by Charlie Rice.

There came from the home of Sue Ferguson Cardwell Major of Providence, Kentucky the nearby picture of Fannie and Charlie and their two poodles. (His great grandson with his second wife also later owned two poodles).

He was admitted to the Alms House in Springfield in April 1927, and died May 5, 1927. His obituary in the May 6, 1927 Springfield Daily News, page 3, reads as follows: C. R. Cardwell. Funeral services for C. R. Cardwell, 80, a resident of Greene County for the past 30 years, who died yesterday morning in a hospital here, will be conducted at the Starne Mortuary at 2:00 o'clock Saturday afternoon. Burial will be in Hazelwood Cemetery. Mr. Cardwell is survived by his wife, a brother Frank Cardwell and a sister (sic) , Mrs. Elmer Bourland, both of Madisonville, Kentucky.

His obituary in the Leader May 5, 1927, page 4, reads as follows: C. R. Cardwell, 80 years old, a resident of Greene County for the past 35 years, died this morning at 11:00 o'clock in a local hospital following a brief illness. He is survived by his widow, one brother, Frank Cardwell, and one sister (sic), Mrs. Elmer Bourland, both of Madisonville, Kentucky. Pending word from distant relatives, funeral arrangements are incomplete, but probably will be held at the Starne Mortuary, with interment in Hazelwood Cemetery.

He is buried in Lot 371, which is owned by Ms. Mary J. Sarver, who is buried there as well with probably her sister. He is listed on their records as being 80, white, male and died and buried on May 7, 1927. This is a city-owned cemetery but not a potter's field.

Fannie probably returned to Madisonville, but with no one to care for her was placed in Louisville, Kentucky in the Parr's Rest Home, where she died. This home was for indigent women, who needed $200 and a black dress to be admitted. It was a well run facility and well endowed.

The compiler has the benefit of research and personal conversations with both of Charlie Rice's grandsons as well as their written word on how they felt about their grandfather. It is clear both grandsons suffered some at the diminished reputation the gambling brought. It is also clear they thought he was quite a fellow - good, honest, fun, entrepreurial, generous, outgoing and easily admired.

Further, he appears to have been attentive to his extended family. He returned in 1897 and 1903 for the birthday celebrations of his parents when a trip from Springfield, Missouri could not have been easy or a great deal of fun. He housed his niece and nephew in Springfield for a time, probably giving them a chance to see the world other than Madisonville. He bought his daughter a home.

I believe his picture speaks to all of this.