Ireland House, Corning

From the Clay County Courier:

By J. M. Oliver, Jr.

"Located on the east side of Court Square, the Ireland House was one of the pioneer hotels of Corning.  Widow Eliza Ireland was the propritress [sic] and her culinary skill is reflected by the high class Corning bon-ton who had just enjoyed a Sunday repast in her dining room and adjourned for the picture taking to the court yard, fenced at that time by a primitive plant fence that required a city ordinance against hitching there to keep intact.  To the north of the House one can see the back end of the Rosenblum store, a pioneer Corning general merchandise establishment.

Mrs. Ireland’s cooking was so delightful that a widower from Missouri succumbed to it and Eliza disposed of the inn to Joseph Dudgeon, a recent newcomer from Michigan.  A local rumor that the new husband had also been entranced by his bride’s bank account, was angrily refuted in a letter to the Courier.  Gossip in Corning evidently is not a recent importation!

Characters in the photograph are pioneer members of the Harb, Bishop, Estes, Stephens, Polk, West, Kelley, McKinney, Brown and Black families.  After the picture making, the couples probably walked to Corning Lake to wind up a delightful Sunday afternoon.  Let not this present generation think they had a dull time of it because they had no automobiles, no TV, no cinemas, [portion missing]."

Submitted by Danny Moore