ONE OF EVANSTON'S MOST ILLUSTRIOUS CITIZENS - William Henry Twiggs

When I was writing the article about former Evanston Mayor Thomas Bates, I found I needed some clarification on houses where the mayor had lived.  Whenever I run up against a brick wall, I immediately turn to my friend (and researcher nonpareil) Mike Kelly.  In a short time he (of course) got me all the information I needed and more.  When we discussed the information he gave me, he mentioned William Twiggs, who Mike said had been appointed Sealer of Weights and Measures by Mayor Bates in 1899.  He mentioned that Twiggs was so good at the job, that subsequent mayors kept him in this position.  Mike said that Twiggs' appointment by Mayor Bates was controversial at the time because Twiggs was African-American - or as they referred to him in those days - colored.  In fact, Twiggs was not appointed for the first time by Mayor Bates, he had actually been appointed Sealer of Weights and Measures by Mayor William A. Dyche in 1897 and reappointed by Mayor Bates.  

This sounded like an interesting subject for this blog and it is.  So, let me tell you the story of a multi-faceted man who contributed much to the success of Evanston but is virtually unknown today: William H. Twiggs.

William H. Twiggs

William Henry Twiggs was born on August 7, 1865 in Davenport, Iowa.  His parents were John Williamson (1835-1912) and Martha Twiggs (1838-1890).  It does not appear that John Williamson and Martha Twiggs were married when William was born.  Instead of using his father's surname "Williamson," he used his mother's surname "Twiggs."  Martha Twiggs did marry George Bremby in 1879 and stayed married to him until she died in 1890.  John Williamson was a meat-packer by trade.  William Twiggs also had a brother John R. Twiggs (1861-1911).

William makes his first appearance in the 1870 US Census.  The family is living in the 4th Ward of Davenport, Iowa.  The family consisted of:  John Williamson (32 years old), Magert (sic) Twiggs (34), John Twiggs (9), and William Twiggs (5) John indicated his Race as "Mulatto," Martha as "Black."  John and William were both listed as "Mulatto."  John listed his occupation as "Conductor," while Martha was "Keeping House."  John Williamson said he had Personal Property worth $200.00 ($5,100.00 in today's funds).  Martha indicated she could neither read nor write.

I was unable to find William H. Twiggs in the 1880 US Census.

In 1884 William Twiggs was invited to move to Evanston by the Rev. J. S. Woods, then pastor of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church.  Woods was interested in getting young people to Evanston because of its school advantages.  In those days, Evanston was known as "Athens of the West," due to its association with Northwestern University, which is known for its academic excellence and cultural contributions.  The nickname reflects the city's emphasis on education and intellectual pursuits. 

The first mention of William Twiggs in the newspapers was the Chicago Inter Ocean from February 11, 1886 that reported that Mr. William H. Twiggs was a Republican Election Judge for Chicago's Eighth Ward, Fifteenth Precinct.   

Twiggs' first appearance in the Evanston City Directory was also in 1886:

On November 4, 1887 Northwestern University listed William Henry Twiggs of Davenport, Iowa as a second-year student in the School of Pharmacy.  In the student-produced newspaper called "The North Western," it said, "The University is located at Evanston, Ill., the most beautiful suburb of Chicago.  It is unusually free from immoral influences.  The sale of intoxicating drinks is prohibited within four miles of the University."

During his time at Northwestern, William Twiggs roomed in Heck Hall.

Twiggs was listed in the Evanston City Directory for 1888:

Twiggs ran for elected office for the first time in the election of 1889.  The Evanston Index from April 13, 1889 contained the following:

Mr. J. J. Adams will certainly be elected clerk, although the colored people have put up one of their number, William H. Twiggs to test their strength.

The election results were reported in the Evanston Index from April 20, 1889:

For Village Clerk, J. J. Adams was elected, receiving 854 votes to 180 cast for William H. Twiggs.

Just twenty four years after the end of the Civil War, a Black man stood for office in Evanston.  

Here is Twiggs' listing from the Evanston City Directory of 1889:

His home address was 418 Benson Avenue in Evanston.

William Twiggs' mother, Martha Twiggs Bremby died April 3, 1890 in Davenport, Iowa.  She was fifty-seven years old.  Here is the notice of her death from the Davenport, Iowa Daily Times from April 4, 1890:

She was buried at Oakdale Memorial Gardens in Davenport, Section 28, Tier 1 S, Grave 84.  Her grave is not marked:

Photo Courtesy of Find a Grave Volunteer P. Brock

The 1892 Evanston City Directory showed that Twiggs had moved to 641 Orrington Avenue in Evanston:

On December 21, 1892, William H. Twiggs married Martha Elizabeth Jones (1872-1942) in Evanston.  The groom was twenty-seven; the bride was twenty.  Here is an article describing the wedding from the Evanston Index from December 24, 1892:

Martha Elizabeth Jones was born March 21, 1872 in Swan Pond, West Virginia to Robert E. and Gracy Jones.  Robert Jones was a farmer by trade.

William and Martha were blessed with five children:  Wilbur Jesse (1893-1949), Kathryn Elizabeth/Mrs. Samuel E. McDonald (1896-1985),  Mildred/Mrs. John L. Thomas/Mrs. Earl Andrews (1897-1963), Agnes Marguerite/Mrs. Franklin D. Smith (1899-????), and Martha Wilhelmine Henrietta/Mrs. Kenneth T. Walker, Sr. (1915-2009).  From the beginning the Twiggs were members of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Evanston:

When William Dyche was elected mayor of Evanston in April of 1897, one of the first things he did was to appoint William H. Twiggs as Sealer and Superintendent of Weights and Measures.  Here is the notice of appointment from the Chicago Inter Ocean from May 13, 1897:

Why did Mayor Dyche appoint a Black man to a city office?  Dyche was known for a more inclusive (though still paternalistic) approach to the growing Black community in Evanston's west side.  The appointment shows that the political integration of Black professionals into the Evanston municipal structure began earlier than the "progressive" era of the 1900s, rooted instead in the mid-1890s.

Here is the notice of Twiggs' reappointment from the Chicago Inter Ocean of April 26, 1899:

Twiggs' reappointment was significant because Bates was often viewed as a "litigious traditionalist" who was purging the city's legal department.  Keeping Twiggs suggests that Twiggs had already established a level of professional indispensability that Bates respected.  By 1899, Twiggs wasn't just a political appointee; he was an experienced civil servant. The fact that a "law and order" mayor like Bates reappointed him confirms Twiggs' effectiveness in managing the city's commercial standards.

The 1900 US Census shows the Twiggs family living at 1619 Sherman Avenue in Evanston:

1619 Sherman Avenue, Evanston
Credit: Evanston History Center collection

A multi-story office building occupies that space today.  

The family consisted of:  William Twiggs (34 years old), wife Martha (28), children Wilbur (6), Catharine (4), Mildred (2), and Agnes (1), and Boarders Richard Dobson (19), Benjamin Arbuckle (15), John D. Carter (27) and Eliza Flint (65).  William and Martha said they had been married for seven years, and Martha said she had given birth to four children, all of whom were still alive in 1900.  William listed his occupation as "Printer," and they said they were renting their house.  All of the adults could read and write, and all spoke English.  The three male boarders were all "Students," and Eliza Flint did "House Work."
  

In April of 1901 William Twiggs was reappointed as Sealer and Superintendent of Weights and Measures by the newly elected mayor, James A. Patten.  Had Twiggs done a poor job under Dyche, Mayor Bates would have easily used it as a pretext to oust him in 1899. Had he faltered under Bates, the wealthy and powerful grain magnate Mayor James A. Patten would have replaced him instantly in 1901. His successive reappointments proved to a skeptical, white-dominated city council that Twiggs possessed flawless administrative competence and absolute integrity. He proved he could not be removed on merit.

Patten’s choice in 1901 signaled that William H. Twiggs was no longer just an experimental appointee—he was a permanent fixture of Evanston's civic leadership.

In July of 1901, William Twiggs put together the Twiggs Entertainment Company as reported in the Evanston Index on July 6, 1901:

In November of 1902 Evanston was struck with a smallpox epidemic.  It was part of a sweeping smallpox epidemic that hit the wider United States and the Great Lakes region between 1898 and 1902.  Among those diagnosed with the illness was Olive Vaughn who was staying with the Twiggs family on Sherman.  Evanston had imposed a strict quarantine of any house where smallpox was found.  Evanston newspapers reported that one of William Twiggs' daughters was also stricken, although they did not specify which one it was.  Mayor Patten recommended that everyone be vaccinated against smallpox and strongly recommended every member of the City Council be vaccinated without delay.

Their efforts were successful, and there was actually no recorded death from smallpox reported in Evanston, Illinois in 1902.

In 1903 and 1905, William H. Twiggs was reappointed as Sealer and Superintendent of Weights and Measures by Mayor John T. Barker.

In 1907 Twiggs was again reappointed, this time by Mayor Joseph E. Paden.  Ultimately Twiggs held the position of Sealer and Superintendent of Weights and Measures for twenty years, maintaining his appointment across successive mayoral administrations.

The 1910 US Census shows the Twiggs family living at 1726 Oak Avenue in Evanston.  A mixed use building occupies that spot today.  The family consisted of:  William H. Twiggs (44 years old), wife Martha (38), son Wilbur J. (17), and daughters Katherine (13), Mildred (12), and Agnes (11).    In addition there was a lodger, Arthur Brownlee (34).  Also living with the Twiggs family was Arthur D. Butler (34), his wife Isabel Garnett (33), brother Dowell DeRooch (21) and son Arthur G. Butler (1 3/12).  William and Martha said they had been married seventeen years.  Martha said she had given birth to four children, and all four were still alive in 1910.  William Twiggs listed his occupation as "Printer," and Martha as "Hair Dresser."

Here is an ad that William Twiggs put into the 1910 yearbook for Evanston Academy:

William Twiggs' brother, John R. Twiggs died April 7, 1911 in Davenport, Iowa.  He was fifty years old.  Here is his obituary from the Davenport newspaper:

Cemetery records indicate he took his own life.  He is buried next to his mother in the Oakdale Memorial Gardens, Davenport, Iowa.  Like his mother's grave, John Twiggs' grave is not marked.

Photo Courtesy Find a Grave Volunteer P. Brock

In July of 1911, W. H. Twiggs had a grocer arrested for selling short weight potatoes, meaning that the store's scales were adjusted to make each item being weighed seem heavier than it actually was.  The heavier the item the higher the cost so the grocer was, in effect, stealing from his customers.  Here is the story from the Evanston Press from July 29, 1911:

The Evanston Index newspaper went into more detail:

Evanston Index - July 29, 1911

William Twiggs' father, John Williamson died April 28, 1912.  He is buried in the Danville National Cemetery in Danville, Illinois:

Photo Courtesy of Find a Grave Volunteer coan.net

In 1915 William Twiggs and family moved to 1315 Emerson Street in Evanston.  A municipal parking lot occupies that spot today.

In January of 1916, Mayor Harry P. Pearsons appointed William Twiggs to Head of the General Information Department of the City of Evanston: specifically, Twiggs took charge of the city's information desk at City Hall.  

The Chicago Defender - 15 Jan 1916

The appointment drew significant attention at the time due to racial pushback from white municipal clerks who objected to his placement.  It made the front page of the Evanston News-Index from January 8, 1916:

The Evanston News-Index reported that the opposition to Twiggs' appointment was not just from White workers, the Black community was opposed to Twiggs as well.  The newspaper accused Mayor Pearsons of awarding the job to Twiggs as a payback for support for Pearsons among African-Americans.  They said Twiggs was not competent to hold such an important job and that even if he were trained, he would not be able to learn the many things the holder of this position would have to know. 

A rebuttal to this was published in the News-Index four days later, on January 12, 1916 by "a colored resident of the City of Evanston":

Despite the friction, Mayor Pearsons stood his ground on hiring Twiggs.  Unfortunately Twiggs lost the job on February 29, 1916 because he couldn't pass the Civil Service Examination:

Chicago Tribune - March 1, 1916

Even though he no longer had his City job, William Twiggs still had his printing business and remained involved in civic affairs through his work as Chairman of the Management Committee of the Emerson Street Y.M.C.A. and holding several positions with the Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Evanston.

In July of 1919, Twiggs was asked to temporarily take over the position of Permit Clerk for the City of Evanston.  Many positions were unfilled due to the war, coupled with the fact that Evanston City jobs paid very low salaries.

The 1920 US Census finds the Twiggs family still living at 1315 Emerson Street in Evanston.  The family consisted of:  William (56 years old), Martha (47), Agnes (20), and Martha (4).  William Twiggs indicated that he owned the property, and it had a mortgage.  Renting space from Twiggs were John and Laura Poston and James and Martha Jackson and their two sons.  For Occupation, William Twiggs said he owned a Printing Business.  Agnes reported that she worked for the printing business.  John Poston was an Undertaker and James Jackson was a Janitor.

In the 1920s, William Twiggs' wife Martha's name was in the newspaper much more than her husband's.  Mrs. Twiggs was instrumental in raising funds for a Colored Day Nursery in Evanston so that someone would be available to watch children if their mothers were at work.  The Nursery opened in February of 1926:

Evanston (IL) Review - February 4, 1926

Mrs. Twiggs was also on the Board of the newly established Evanston Community Hospital.

Race-related issues came to the fore again in 1927 when the Evanston Review ran an editorial "Evanston's Black Tide."  William Twiggs responded with a Letter to the Editor pointing out that he was particularly qualified to address the issue, having lived and worked in Evanston for (at that time) over forty years:

Evanston Review - April 28, 1927

The 1930 US Census shows the Twiggs family still at 1315 Emerson in Evanston.  The family consisted of:  William H. Twiggs (64 years old), wife Martha (58), and daughter Martha (14).  Also roomers Arthur Holman (35), Willie Holman (39), Emma Persing (60), and Lula Thorton (44).  The Census Enumerator mistakenly put a value for Twigg's home at $150,000, which would be $2.99 million in today's funds.  Based on the values of other homes in the immediate area, it is more likely that the home was worth $15,000 ($299,000 in today's funds).  The Twiggs family did own a radio.  William Twiggs listed his occupation as "Printer in a Print Shop," Martha was "Operator of a Beauty Shop."  Arthur Holman was  Mechanic, Willie Holman was a Maid, Emma Persing was a Waiter, and Lula Thorton was a Servant in a Private Home.

In the 1930s William Twiggs maintained his printing business.  He was also very active as a Mason and was elected Vice Grand Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias of Illinois.  He ran several times for alderman of the Fifth Ward against among others Edwin B. Jourdain, but was unsuccessful.  

The 1940 US Census shows the Twiggs family still living at 1315 Emerson Street in Evanston,  The family now just consisted of William Twiggs (74 years old), and his wife Martha (68).  Living with them were boarders Conrad Nolosco (22), and George (29) and Anna (29) Dickerson.  William reported that he had completed four years of high school (nothing about his time at Northwestern); Martha had completed one year of high school.  William reported that he was "Proprietor of a Print Shop," Martha no longer reported an occupation.

Martha Jones Twiggs died April 5, 1942 in Elgin, Illinois.  She was seventy years old.  An obituary of Mrs. Twiggs was front-page news of the Evanston Newsette newspaper from April 9, 1942:

She was buried at Sunset Memorial Lawns in Northbrook, Illinois:

                                                                        Photo Courtesy of Find a Grave Volunteer L. Winslow

The Chicago Defender newspaper published an article extremely critical of Edwin Jourdain in its issue of April 19, 1943.  Among other issues, they reported how Twiggs had been treated by Jourdain when Twiggs had run for alderman:

On a more positive note, the Defender published an article on April 9, 1949 about Twiggs' life and career,  It was part of the "Salute to Oldtimers" series:

The 1950 US Census finds William H. Twiggs (84 years old) still living at 1315 Emerson Street.  The Census Enumerator (Wilma Langford) broke 1315 Emerson into sections.  1315 (1st) was occupied by James C. Jenkins (24) and his wife Lillie (20).  1315 (2nd) was occupied by William Twiggs, his daughter Mildred Andrews (51) and her husband Earl Andrews (57).  1315 (Rear) was occupied by William's daughter Martha Walker (34), Martha's husband Kenneth Walker (39), and their children Kenneth T. (15), Carole J. (12), Yvonne M. (10), Cheryl A. (4), and Kathryn (1).   There was a myriad of occupations of the people living at 1315 Emerson:  James C. Jenkins "Makes Paint in a Paint Factory," Lillie Jenkins was a "Mangel Worker in a Laundry," William Twiggs was a "Printer," Mildred Andrews was an "Upholsterer," Earl Andrews was a "Porter," Martha Walker was an "Upholsterer of Slip Covers," and Kenneth Walker was an "Upholsterer." 

The 1950s were a time of remembrance for William H. Twiggs.  He turned 90 on August 7, 1955 and was feted in several local publications.  The accolades started in 1953 when Twiggs was honored for being in business in Evanston for fifty years:

Evanston (IL) Review - 01 Oct 1953

 

On April 14, 1955 Twiggs was featured in a column entitled "The Evanston Revue:"

This is from the Evanston Review from August 4, 1955:

Also from the Evanston Review from August 11, 1955:

Twiggs was also feted in the Chicago Defender from October 1, 1955:

Unfortunately 1955 ended on a sour note for William H. Twiggs.  On Christmas Day, 1955, a devastating fire tore through his property at 1315 Emerson Street.  The fire completely destroyed his "Historical Den" office, his extensive records, and his photographic collection documenting the accomplishments of Evanston's African American community. The only item to miraculously survive the blaze was his printing press itself. Following the fire, the press was salvaged and for years was preserved as a historical artifact housed in the Evanston History Center until 2025 when it was donated to Evanston Township High School.  Luckily Twiggs was celebrating Christmas with friends and was not home when the fire struck.

The fire made the first news page of the Evanston Review of December 29, 1955:

For a time in the late 1950s into 1960, William H, Twiggs was the oldest Evanston citizen.  This is from the Evanston Review from October 13, 1960:

After the fire, Twiggs moved in with his daughter Mildred and family at 1923 Asbury Avenue in Evanston:

1923 Asbury Avenue, Evanston

William H,. Twiggs died November 10, 1960 in Chicago.  He was ninety-five years old.  Here is an Obituary from the Evanston Review from November 10, 1960:

He was buried next to his wife at Sunset Memorial Lawns in Northbrook:

                                                                      Photo Courtesy of Find a Grave Volunteer L. Winslow

William H. Twiggs was remembered in the CCC Newsette from March 9, 1978:

Twiggs Park in Evanston was dedicated in October 1986.  The nine-acre parcel along the North Shore Channel was named to honor William H. Twiggs' extensive civic and journalistic contributions to the Evanston community. 

One of the main purposes of this blog is so that the people I feature will not be forgotten.  Evanston has always been full of interesting people.  One of the articles I read about William Twiggs called him "One of Evanston's Most Illustrious Citizens."  I would certainly agree.

William H. Twiggs - a living example of Evanston's early history - may he rest in peace.

THE REST OF THE STORY:

Wilbur Jesse Twiggs (1893-1949)  was a mechanic and general contractor and remained in the Evanston area his entire life.  He died March 7, 1949 in Evanston.  He married twice:  Sarah Berger (1896-????) in 1917.  They divorced in 1937.  He then married Beatrice Robertson (1906-????) in 1937.  Wilbur Twiggs did not have any children.  He is buried in Sunset Memorial Lawns in Northbrook - his grave is not marked.

Kathryn Elizabeth Twiggs (1896-1985)  She married Dr. Samuel Ernest McDonald (1884-1976) in 1919.  They had three children. She died September 4, 1985 in Chicago and is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Skokie.  Memorial Park has no record of Kathryn McDonald.  

Mildred Twiggs (1897-1963)  She married John L. Thomas (1891-1942) August 14, 1921.  They were subsequently divorced.  She then married Earl Andrews (????-????)  Mildred Twiggs died in 1963 in Evanston.  She is buried with her parents in Sunset Memorial Lawns in Northbrook.  She shares their tombstone:

Photo Courtesy of Find a Grave Volunteer L. Winslow

Agnes Marguerite Twiggs (1899-1969) She married Franklin D. Smith-sometimes known as David F. Smith or Frank D. Smith (1897-????) in Evanston in 1920.  They were subsequently divorced and she married Joseph E. Reid (1898-1959) in 1952.  She died May 22, 1969 in Chicago.  She is buried in Sunset Memorial Lawns in Northbrook.  Here is her tombstone:

            Photo Courtesy of Find a Grave Volunteer L. Winslow

Martha Wilhelmena Henrietta Twiggs (1915-2009) She married Kenneth T. Walker (1910-1989) in 1936.  They had four children.  She died in 2009 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  I was not able to find out where she is buried.

PS - I know there are still members of the Twiggs family around.  If any of them would like to contact me to correct anything I have written, or fill in any of the missing pieces, it would be greatly appreciated.