THE PANIC OF 1893

The Panic of 1893 was a severe financial crisis and economic depression marked by bank failures, busines closures and hgh unemployment. Begining in February 1893, the effects continued to be felt in every sector of the economy until 1897. It was the most serious economic depresion in the United States until the Great Depression in the 1930s.

What effects this depression had on the Samuel Walker Booksh family are unknown but it was in early 1893 that the family moved from the Baton Rouge area to New Orleans. Great Grandpa Sam had been elected Registrar of Voters of East Baton Rouge Parish in October 1892. His term was to run until September 1894. (Baton Rouge Newsletter:East Baton Rouge Parish Elected Officials, Vol. IV No. 1 (Jan 1984), La. Genealogical & Historical Society).  

His mother-in-law, Eliza Pratt Tisdale, wrote on November 5, 1893 that she was moving to live with Sam and Belle on St. Andrew Street in New Orleans. Did The Panic of 1893 cause them to move from East Baton Rouge Parish to New Orleans? 

 The family at the time consisted of Sam and Belle and their four children:

    Samuel Walker Booksh Jr., born 4 March 1881, age 12

    Charles Leonard Booksh, born 3 January 1883, age 10

    Wilton Tisdale Booksh, born 7 February 1886, age 7

    Arabella Guinevere Booksh, born 13 August 1889 age 4    

  (The entry in the Booksh Family Bible has a note by her name saying “She will be our last.”)

Samuel Walker Booksh c 1910

Arabella Guinevere c1895
known as Belle and Vera

In a newspaper article in the Times-Picayune on  3 September 1930 Sam's picture appeared with an article titled "U.S. Watchman at Custonhouse Quits on Pension."

     "After 27 years of continuous service as a watchman for the United States customhouse, Samuel W. Booksh, 77 years old, has retired. In honor of his long service, a score of friends and employees of the customhouse assembled in the marble hall of the institution at noon Tuesday and presented him with a basket of flowers and a check...."

     "A native of Louisiana, Mr. Booksh was appointed to federal service in 1893 during President            Cleveland's administration..."

The 1894 New Orleans City Directory has Samuel W. Booksh working as a watchman at the Custom House and residing at 147 St. Andrew Street. (Soard's New Orleans City Directory, Vol. 31, p.173)  The 1895, 1897, and 1898 directories show their address as 815 St. Andrew. This doesn't necessarily mean they moved. It could have been a renumbering of the streets. In the 1899 City Directory the family is listed at 1365 Constance Street.  

The 1900 Census shows them living in the same house as as Eliza Tisdale at 1365 Constance Street.  By 1910, according to the Census, Sam and Belle were living at 1311 St. Mary Street. By 1920 they are listed at 1831 Bayou Road. This was the same house he was  living in when he died  3 November 1930.

For a complete biography of Samuel Walker Booksh see blogpost of July 2, 2019.