The Haab, Cunningham, and the Boyle Families.
The Haabs
On this site, in the spring of 1851, George Frederick Haab, a German immigrant, purchased a lot and had a house built. This was one of the first homes built on this block. By 1853 his growing family moved into the small one-story wooden home at the back of 48 Prieur Street. He then built a larger double shotgun at 361 Bienville Street as a rental property. Mr. Haab worked several jobs, delivering beer, in a warehouse, and as a porter. His family included grown children and their families who lived in both houses for over 60 years until 1914. The Haab family left behind broken bits of a tea service, including a tea pot and teacups. Did the Haabs start their day off with tea?
The Haabs appeared to enjoy setting a colorful table. Many of the plates that were associated with their homes had bright floral designs.
Courtesy of Coastal Environments, Inc.
The Haabs brought German cooking techniques with them to New Orleans. Archaeologists found a ceramic saucepan that was commonly used in Germany at the time. This versatile pan, or poëlon, can be used on top of a stove or in the oven.
The Cunninghams
The Haabs were not alone on the block for long. In 1853, just after the Haabs moved in, the Irish immigrant John Birmingham Cunningham purchased the lot next door and built a home. The Cunningham family had four children at their 363 Bienville Street home. Archaeologists found a remarkably high concentration of artifacts in the Cunningham’s property, such as this porcelain figurine. In all, archaeologists found 4,218 artifacts dating from this family’s occupancy.
The Cunningham’s home was listed for auction in the 1860 newspaper. Their home is described as “…a choice Frame Cottage, with gallery in front, having three rooms. A one-story frame kitchen with two rooms, store and washroom, cistern, yard paved, garden in front and on side; the cottage is raised on brick pillars, the whole slate roof…”. The Cunninghams eventually lost their home to creditors after living in it for 13 years.
The Cunninghams favored blue and white tableware, especially English transferware. Particularly, archaeologists found many toys. The four Cunningham children left broken dolls and parts of a gilt-decorated cup and saucer behind. The Cunninghams left significantly more items than the other families at this site. Did they buy and discard more items than their neighbors, or were they overwhelmed because of their eviction, and had to leave more behind than they had wished. Archaeologists also found a flask, a pressed glass mug and dip molded bottles manufactured by Irish companies, likely familiar items in a place far away from home.
Courtesy of Coastal Environments, Inc.
Shifting Households: The Boyles, Coussirats, and Cranbats
Next door to the Cunninghams lived another Irish immigrant family. Around 1855, Thomas Boyle, built a house at 365 Bienville Street. Thomas and his wife only lived there a few years before they died, and the house was auctioned. A French immigrant, Pierre Coussirat, bought the home and flipped it less than a year later to a Greek immigrant, Sotiri Caranbat. Mr. Caranbat sold fruit from his new home for many years. After his death, his widow, Francesca, continued to run the fruit business together with her new husband, Felix Apple. Francesca ran that fruit stand for decades. After her death just before 1910, the property was rented.
Unlike the households from the Haabs and the Cunninghams, this property yielded less artifacts. Additionally, with such high turn-over, it was difficult to ascribe certain artifacts to certain households. At some point, someone threw these keys in the hearth, where they were found by archaeologists. Why were they thrown there? We may never know, but we now have more of an idea of who may have done it.
