It has been said that "If Al Chase doesn't know about your real estate deal, it's not worth knowing about." Al's Find a Grave memorial page says,
Al Chase, real estate editor of THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE for almost 35 years until his retirement last January, died yesterday in San Antonio, Tex. Mr. Chase, who went to work on THE TRIBUNE in 1912, was probably the most widely known newspaper real estate editor in the country.
Before we take a look at the real estate writings of Al Chase, Let's see what we can "dig up" about him.
Albert Winslow Chase was born January 7, 1880 in Riverside, Illinois to David Franklin Chase (1831-1891) and Emily Frances "Emma" Taber (1839-1906). Some sources spell Emma's last name "Tabor."
Al's mother had been previously married to James C. Woodbury (1831-1859). They had been married on June 17, 1857 in LaSalle County, Illinois. James and Emily had one son: Frederick (1859-1932). James Woodbury died in 1859 in LaSalle County, Illinois. He was 28 years old.
Emily Taber Woodbury married David Franklin Chase on October 11, 1864 in Kane County, Illinois. The groom was 33; the bride was 25.
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| Emily Frances Taber Woodbury Chase |
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| David Franklin Chase |
David Chase was a lumber merchant by trade. He had served in the Civil War, having enlisted on July 16, 1861. He served as a Sergeant in Battery B (Taylor's Battery), the 1st Illinois Light Artillery and Company K of the 8th Illinois Infantry. He was severely wounded in battle, and as such received a Disability Pension from the US Government from the time he was discharged on June 19, 1862 until he died.
In addition to their son Al, there was also an older brother, Franklin David Chase (1878-1937).
Here is Al Chase's birth record from January 7, 1880:
Al also appears in the 1880 US Census. The Chase family was living in the Village of Riverside, Illinois. The family consisted of: David Chase (48 years old), Emily (41), Frankie (2) and Albert (5/12). David listed his occupation as "Retired Lumber Merchant." Emily was "Keeping House" and the boys were too young for occupations.
The 1890 US Census record for this area is lost.
Here is a photo of Al Chase in 1890 at age 10:
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| Al Chase - age 10 |
Al's father, David F. Chase died on February 9, 1891 in Saginaw, Michigan. He was fifty-nine years old. Here is his obituary from the Chicago Inter Ocean from February 19, 1891:
His body was returned to Chicago and he was buried in Oak Woods Cemetery:
For a time in the late 1800s Al and his mother Emma moved to Malden, Massachusetts. I don't know specifically why they moved there. Emma had been born in Massachusetts so perhaps she returned to relatives there since she was a widow.
By 1900 Al and his mother parted company. The Malden city directory for 1900 reported that Emma had moved to Boston and Al had moved to New York.
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| 1900 City Directory for Malden, Massachusetts |
I was unable to find Al Chase in the 1900 US Census.
On November 19, 1906, Al's mother, Emma Frances Taber Chase died in Chicago. She was sixty-seven years old. Here is her Obituary and Death Notice from the Chicago Tribune of November 21, 1906:
She was buried next to her second husband at Chicago's Oak Woods Cemetery:
In 1908 Al Chase was living in Boston and working as a stockbroker, a position he had held for several years. He gave that up in 1909 and went on a European tour for six months. He returned June 1, 1909 from Antwerp, Belgium aboard the SS Marquette.
Upon his return from Europe he moved in with his brother in Chicago and got a job as a cub reported with the Chicago Inter Ocean newspaper. He was twenty-nine years old.
Chase took to the newspaper business and eventually worked his way up to Night City Editor of the Inter Ocean.
The 1910 US Census finds Chase living with his brother at 1655 East 55th Street in Chicago:
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| 1655 East 55th Street, Chicago |
The family consisted of Frank B. Chase (31 years old), wife Louise C. (26), brother Albert W. (30) and servant Alma Samnetson from Sweden (30). Frank and Louise had been married five years, and Louise reported she had not given birth to any children. Frank listed his occupation as Architect for an Industrial Company, and Al said he was a Newspaper Reporter. All of them could read, write and speak English.
In 1912 Al Chase made the move to the Chicago Tribune. He held a myriad of jobs with the Tribune in his early days there. He was a reporter, copyreader, feature page editor, and market page editor.
While Al was the feature page editor at the Tribune, he met Audrie Alspaugh (1886-1965). Audrie was a graduate of the University of Iowa (Class of 1910) and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Upon graduation, Audrie started working for the Chicago Tribune, first as a reviewer of new books, ultimately becoming the first full time motion picture critic in the country, who wrote under the name Kitty Kelly.
Audrie Arle Alspaugh was born October 24, 1886 in Kansas to Daniel W. Alspaugh (1862-1931) and Mary Frances Willford (1868-1954). Audrie's parents had married January 5, 1887 in Lucas County, Ohio. The groom was 25 years old; the bride was 19. Audrie was their only child. Throughout his career, Daniel Alspaugh had various back-office jobs with the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad.
Albert Winslow Chase married Audrie Arle Alspaugh on October 30, 1915 at the home of her parents in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The groom was 35 years old; the bride was 29. Here is the announcement of their marriage from the Chicago Tribune of November 2, 1915:
Here is the announcement of their marriage created by their coworkers at the Tribune and published October 31, 1915:
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| 5123 N. Winthrop Avenue, Chicago |
When the United States became involved in World War I, Al Chase enlisted in the Aviation Service of the US Navy. During the war, he was stationed at the Navy Gas Engine School at Columbia University in New York. By the time he left the Navy on June 16, 1919 he had achieved the rank of Ensign.
When Al enlisted, his wife Audrie moved back in with her parents in Glen Ellyn. By the time of the 1920 US Census Al and Audrie were still living with her parents at 503 Hillside in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The Glen Ellyn Bible Church occupies that plot today. The family consisted of: Daniel Alspaugh (55 years old) as head, wife May (50), son-in-law Albert Chase (40), daughter Audrey (sic) (32), ward Patricia Collins (15) and maid Linda Krunze (18). Daniel said he owned his home, and had a mortgage. Daniel was Audit Clerk for a Railroad, May had no occupation, Al and Audrey were both Editors for a Newspaper, Patricia reported no occupation and Linda Kunze was a General Maid in a Private Home. Everyone could read, write and speak English.
Al Chase's first byline as Real Estate Editor for the Chicago Tribune was on January 28, 1920. Here it is:
Chase took up this role at an ideal time. It was the Roaring Twenties - a time of tremendous growth. Not only was the economy booming, construction was at an all-time high. New buildings were going up everywhere - residential and commercial - and properties were changing hands as never before. From his first column on January 28, 1920, to his last on March 1, 1954, if it was real estate related, and was in Chicagoland, Al Chase knew about it and reported on it. In all the years I have written stories for this blog, I have often related to you what Al Chase reported to Tribune readers. Let's take a look at some of Chase's most interesting stories.
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| January 28, 1920 |
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| April 2, 1922 |
Almost one hundred years later we used this page as part of the documentation we submitted to gain approval for the Oakton Historic District in Evanston, Illinois. Even though Al is long gone, his name still influences people today.
When Al Chase started writing about Chicago-area real estate news, it took up just one column. As the market grew, the real estate news graduated to a full page. By 1926 the real estate news took up an entire section of the Tribune. This is from May 23, 1926:
These were exciting times to be involved in real estate in Chicago.
The 1930 US Census shows Al and Audrie Chase still living with her parents in Glen Ellyn at 503 Hillside Avenue. The family consisted of: Daniel W. Alspaugh (66 years old), wife Mary W. Alspaugh (60), son-in-law Albert W. Chase (47) and his wife Audrie A. (42). They told the census enumerator that Daniel and Albert owned the house together ("Joint Deed"), and that it was worth $13,000.00 ($246,000 in today's funds). The family did own a radio. Al was the only one to list an occupation - Real Estate Editor for a Newspaper. I guess "Kitty Kelly" had retired from reviewing movies.
By 1931 the Great Depression was in full flower. The Real Estate section of the Tribune was gone, and Al Chase's column had been relegated to the Finance Section of the paper. This is from January 8, 1931:
Al Chase's half-brother Frederick Woodbury Chase died August 23, 1932 in Seahurst Park, Washington. He was seventy-three years old. Here is his obituary from the Butte (MT) Daily Post from August 27, 1932:
The location of his grave is unknown.
Al Chase's Tribune columns were so important they were often reprinted verbatim in other publications. This is from the National Hotel Reporter from February 18, 1932:
Chase was often cited by the National Hotel Reporter during the 1920s and 1930s - the "boom and bust" era for Chicago area hotels.
Unfortunately during the Great Depression Chase had to report on foreclosures of commercial properties.
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| November 16, 1933 |
Of course, Chase had to report on the activities of Franklin Roosevelt's Public Works Administration as the country attempted to spend its way out of the Depression:
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| January 12, 1935 |
Al Chase reported on the bankruptcy of noted Evanston developer Victor Carlson, who watched as his vast real estate empire slowly fall apart:
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| August 24, 1935 |
Al Chase's brother Franklin D. Chase died July 23, 1937 in Evanston, Illinois. He was fifty eight years old. Here are his Death Notice and Obituary from the Chicago Tribune, July 24, 1937:
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The 1940 US Census shows Al and Audrie Chase still living in Glen Ellyn with one change. Audrie's father, Daniel W. Alspaugh had died in 1931. So now the census listed his widow Mary Alspaugh as Head of Household. She was 71 years old. Son in law Albert Chase was 56 and daughter Audrey (sic) was 50. They owned their home but the property that was worth $13,000.00 in 1930 was worth only half that, $6,500.00 in 1940 ($147,000 in today's funds). The Great Depression decimated real estate values - both residential and commercial. Al still reported his occupation as Real Estate Editor for a Newspaper.
War was good for real estate, and for getting us out of the Great Depression. Here is Al's column from December 6, 1941, the day before the day that will live in infamy:
Hard to believe Sears is gone. I bought my parents' tombstone from Sears.
Like everyone else, Al Chase had to register for the Draft during World War II. Here is his registration card:
Of course his name is Albert and not Al and he had a middle name: "Winslow." He was a little guy: only 5' 5 1/2" and 124 lbs.
Yes, war was good for business. But peace is also good for business - and the real estate market in Chicago was happy to join in the post-war construction boom:
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| October 13, 1945 |
By 1946 real estate news was back to being a full page in the Sunday Tribune:
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| May 19, 1946 |
In 1947 Al decided to try his hand at reviewing books, like his wife Audrie did way back in 1912:
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| August 10, 1947 |
Short and to the point - just like his real estate columns.
Then he tried his hand at reviewing books about home building:
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| December 7, 1947 |
By 1950 Al Chase had been writing for the Tribune for thirty years. In the February 26, 1950 edition, readers got two offerings from Al Chase. His Real Estate column on page 26:
and his Book Review on Page 108:
All good things must come to an end. Here is Al Chase's last Real Estate column for the Chicago Tribune from March 1, 1954:
His actual retirement date was January 7, 1955. Al's retirement was long overdue. In an age when most people were forced to retire at 65, Al Chase was 75 when he hung up his pen.
After he retired, Al and Audrie Chase wisely decided to avoid the horrendous Chicago winters and spent their winters in San Antonio, Texas.
Al Chase died January 20, 1956 at 703 Rose Hill Drive in San Antonio after suffering a stroke.
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| 703 Rose Hill Drive, San Antonio, Texas |
He was 76 years old. Here is his Death Certificate:
Here is his obituary from the Tribune of January 21, 1956:
He was cremated at the Mission Crematory in San Antonio. His cremains were returned to Chicago for final disposition. He was buried in the Alspaugh family plot in the Allerton Ridge Cemetery in Lombard, Illinois. Here is his tombstone:
Surprisingly his Year of Birth is listed as "1912." Al was born in 1880. 1912 was the year he started with the Tribune. Is he trying to say that's when his life actually began?
Al Chase - proud employee of the once great Chicago Tribune newspaper - may he rest in peace.
The Rest of the Story
Al and Audrie Chase inherited a farm from Audrie's parents, D.W. and Mary Alspaugh. The farm was called Willow Brook Farm and was on Park Boulevard, 1/2 mile south of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. It consisted of 43 acres. It was said to be one of the most beautiful wooded showplaces in the county, traversed by a small stream and containing a small cottage. The farm had been in the Alspaugh family for years and was especially known for its everbearing strawberries.
Al and Audrie had no children, and Audrie was the last of the Alspaugh line. After Al's death in 1956, Audrie Alspaugh Chase donated the farm to the DuPage County Forest Preserve District to be used as a wild animal refuge.
Audrie Alspaugh Chase died in San Antonio, Texas on November 19, 1965. She was seventy-nine years old. Here is her Death Certificate:
Here is her obituary from the Chicago Tribune from November 22, 1965:
She was cremated at the Sunset Crematory in Dallas, but the ultimate resting place for her remains is unknown. If she is buried next to her husband Al in the Alspaugh family plot in the Allerton Ridge Cemetery in Lombard, Illinois, her grave is unmarked.
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