Continuing this week with our series on the history of the house at 920 Broadway, this time we will tell of those who lived there from about 1923 until 1961. During that time, 920 Broadway saw continuous ownership and occupation by the same family — although, as we shall see, the owner’s surname did change along the way under remarkable circumstances.
Pekin city directories show that in the decade from the mid-1920s to the mid-1930s, 920 Broadway was the home of Pekin-native Carl “Hod” Heinlein (1888-1935) and his wife Mary Bryan (Whitson) Heinlein (1896-1961), a Clinton, Illinois, native whom Carl married in Peoria on 20 July 1917. For most of the years when Carl lived at 920 Broadway, he worked as a clerk in the offices of the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway in their Peoria offices. He was also a deputy working under Tazewell County Treasurer Jacob Habing, and in the last year of his life he and Ernie Becker operated a downtown Pekin tavern called the Court Buffet at 522 Court St. His wife Mary was a beautician, and starting in 1924 she operated her own beauty shop out of their house at 920 Broadway. Carl and Mary never had any children.
These are the Pekin city directory entries for Carl and Mary in the period from about 1923 until Carl’s untimely death in 1935.
- 1924 – Carl Heinlein, wife Mary, cashier
- 1926 – Ditto
- 1928 – Carl Heinlein, wife Mary B., clerk P.&P.U. and I.C.R.R.
- 1930 – Carl Heinlein, wife Mary B., clerk P.& P.U.
- 1932 – Carl Heinlein, wife Mary B., clerk
- 1934 – Carl Heinlein, wife Mary, clerk
Carl Heinlein died tragically aged only 47 as a result of injuries suffered in a automobile collision south of Pekin that occurred about 9 p.m. Sunday night, 8 Dec. 1935, at the junction of what was then called Route 24 and Insull Road [today Route 9/Route 29 and Insull Street]. The crash in which Heinlein was involved as a passenger was one of two unrelated collisions reported on the front page of the Monday, 9 Dec. 1935 Pekin Daily Times under the large banner headline, “FOG COSTS LIFE IN COUNTY.” The article about Heinlein’s accident here follows:
MANITO GIRL BADLY HURT IN FOG CRASH
Jean Smith, pretty 17-year-old senior at Manito high school, is a patient at the Pekin hospital, at the point of death, following an automobile accident last evening at 9 o’clock.
The accident occurred on route 24, a couple of miles south of Pekin, at the “Y” junction to the Insull road.
The Smith girl was riding in a Plymouth driven by Grover Gumbel, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gumbel, Manito. Their car collided with another Plymouth driven by Cecil Buckley, 620 Market street, operator of the tire shop which bears his name.
Riding with Buckley was Carl Heinlein, tavern operator, who was severely injured and is reported to be in critical condition at the Pekin hospital. Mr. Buckley was also taken to the hospital, but his condition is reported favorable.
The Gumbel youth received minor bruises but was taken to his home in Manito.
Dense Fog
Gumbel and his companion were enroute home after attending a show at Pekin and were driving south on route 24. Mr. Buckley and Mr. Heinlein had been attending a trap shoot and came from the Insull road onto the main route.
The Pekinites claimed that they stopped at the intersection and looked both ways. However, the Manito youth stated that Buckley didn’t stop and drove onto the highway without a warning. There was a dense fog at the time which is said to have blinded both drivers.
Car Turned Over
The Manito car turned over and the girl was hurled onto the pavement, according to Sheriff Ralph C. Goar who went to the scene of the pavement. The Gumbel car was badly damaged as the car landed in the ditch after turning over.
The girl was removed to a physician’s office where she received medical attention. Later she was taken to the hospital in the Kuecks company ambulance.
Miss Smith is suffering with a fractured skull and her leg is broken. Her condition is extremely critical.
Fray Fuller, South Pekin grocer, happened by at the time of the accident. He brought Heinlein and Buckley to the hospital in his automobile. At the hospital, the men were put on a cot and wheeled into the emergency operating room, where their injuries were given medical attention.
Smith Girl Popular
The Smith girl is very popular among her schoolmates and town friends. She is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Smith and a sister of “Hooker” Smith, former Manito cage star who is now student at Knox college in Galesburg.
Jean took an active part in school affairs. She is secretary-treasurer of her class. She is the associate editor of the “Orange and Black” school publication and is also a leader in her Sunday school class at the Methodist church.
Member of Team
The Gumbel youth is a member of the Manito basketball team. His father is manager of the Middle States Telephone company offices in Manito.
The accident recalls the conversation of Grover and Jean with Robert Velde, captain of the basketball team and his girl friend, Frances Clarke. Bob had asked Grover and his friend to ride in their automobile to Pekin. However, after much debating the Gumbel youth and his friend decided to go alone.
Sadly, Jeane Smith died of her injuries at Pekin Hospital four days after the accident. Her friend Grover Kreiling Gumbel (1919-2005), however, went on to serve his country in World War II as a 1st Sergeant in the U.S. Army, dying 26 Nov. 2005, and being buried in Maplewood Cemetery, New Lenox, Illinois. As for Carl Heinlein, he succumbed to complications from his injuries, chiefly pneumonia, the morning after Jeane’s death. Carl’s death was reported as a front page headline story in the Friday, 13 Dec. 1935 Pekin Daily Times, as follows:
CARL HEINLEIN IS 2ND VICTIM OF WRECK THAT ALSO COST GIRL’S LIFE
The automobile collision Sunday evening about 9 o’clock which occurred south of Pekin on Route 24 at the Super Power company junction, claimed the life of another person this morning. Carl Heinlein, 920 Broadway, age 44 (sic – 47), was the second victim. His death occurred at the Pekin hospital at 7:30 this morning, Friday the Thirteenth.
The auto crash is being probed by the Tazewell county officials Coroner Nelson A. Wright Jr. and Sheriff Ralph C. Goar.
Thursday evening at 10:15 o’clock, Jeane Smith, 17 year old Manito high school student, died from injuries received in the wreck. Last rites for the girl will be held on Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock at Johnson funeral home in Manito.
Inquest Tomorrow
The officials are checking all possible angles and have opened a rigid investigation. The inquest will be held Saturday.
It is expected that all available witnesses will be summoned to relate their stories to the coroner’s jury.Pneumonia Fatal
Heinlein was riding in the automobile driven by Cecil Buckley. Miss Smith was riding in the car driven by Grover Gumbel who was enroute to Manito and Buckley came from the junction road and drove on to Route 24. Neither driver was seriously injured.
Pneumonia attacked Heinlein in his fight for life. The first three days following the accident the Pekin man appeared to be on the road to recovery. But yesterday his condition turned for the worse and for the last 27 hours of his lifetime he suffered with pneumonia. He was also injured internally.Native of Pekin
Mr. Heinlein was a native of Pekin. He was born on July 26, 1888, the son of Conrad and Helena Gulon Heinlein. He married Miss Mary Whitson on July 20 [1917], the wedding taking place at Peoria.
For nearly 15 years he was a clerk in the offices of the Peoria and Pekin Union railway at Peoria. Later he served as an efficient deputy in the offices of County Treasurer Jacob Habing. During the past year he has been associated with Ernie Becker in the operation of the Court Buffet at 522 Court street.
Active Bowler
Carl was known to a number of his close associates as “Hod.” He was active in lodge and sport circles. He was a member of the Pekin Elks 1271, the Masons and the Shrine.
He also took a great interest in bowling. Carl was one of the strongest supporters of the bowling program in Pekin and during the past several years thru the efforts of himself a group of friends reap (sic) a harvest as the interest in the pin pastime has reached a high level. He served as an official of the Pekin Bowling association at the Recreation Center and also served on a number of important committees at the Elks club.
Leaves Widow
Mr. Heinlein is survived by his kind and pleasant widow, two brothers and two sisters. His wife conducts at their residence a beauty shoppe which bears her name.
Two brothers are Edward Heinlein, former assistant supervisor of Pekin township who resides at 609 So. 13th street, and George “Sharkey” Heinlein, 1226 Court street. The surviving sisters are Mrs. Minnie Egger, a widow, who lives at the Y. W. C. A., and Mrs. Bert Hudson, 907 Highland Ave.
Funeral Monday
Funeral services will be held at Noel’s on Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. Arno A. Zimmerman, pastor of the St. Paul’s Evangelical church will officiate. Interment will be in the Lakeside Mausoleum.
Had Been Shooting
Heinlein had been with a group of friends on a trap shooting party. His wife who was also along with the party was a couple cars behind the wreck. She was following a Ford driven by Tom Hermes who was behind the Buckley machine. However, neither Mrs. Heinlein or Hermes saw the wreck. Dewey Doren who also in the party was ahead and passed the Gumbel car down the road.
Heinlein’s devoted wife fainted when she learned that her husband was in the wreck. When she came upon the scene she asked one of the bystanders whose car it was. The man refused to tell her stating that he didn’t know. A few minutes later she learned that the car belonged to Buckley and that her husband had started to town with him.
After Carl’s death, Mary inherited full ownership of their house at 920 Broadway, where she continued to live and to operate her beauty shop. She and Carl’s friend Cecil George Buckley (1902-1986), driver of the car in the accident that claimed Carl’s life, apparently bonded over their shared trauma, and a few years later and and Cecil married. Cecil, with his brother Hector J. Buckley ran the Buckley Bros. filling station at 319 Margaret that later was a gas station and then became Buckley Bros. Sport Shop.
Mary and Cecil had no children together, and eventually their marriage broke down and they divorced in the 1950s. After their separation and divorce, the directories show Cecil moved first to 620 Market St. and later to 1008 N. Capitol. Cecil is buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.
Here is the Pekin city directory record for 920 Broadway during the period from about 1935 until Mary and Cecil’s divorce:
- 1937 – Mary Heinlein (wid Carl) beauty shop 920 Broadway h same
- 1939 – Ditto
- 1941 – Ditto
- 1943 – Cecil G. Buckley, wife Mary, Buckley Bros.
- 1946 – Cecil G. Buckley, wife Mary Buckley, beauty shop, 920 Broadway
- 1948 – Ditto
- 1940 – Ditto
- 1952 – Cecil G. Buckley, wife Mary B., 920 Broadway, Buckley Bros. Sport Shop, 319 Margaret.
After her divorce, Mary began to rent out part of her house to a series of lodgers, as the following series of Pekin city directory entries shows:
- 1955 – Mary Buckley, 920 Broadway, Frieda Groenhagen, 920 ½ Broadway
- 1956 – Mary Buckley, 920 Broadway, Woody Crafton, 920 ½ Broadway
- 1958 – Mary Buckley, beauty shop, 920 Broadway, Woody Crafton, 920 ½ Broadway
- 1959 – Ditto
- 1961 – Mary Buckley, beauty shop, 920 Broadway, Noah Goodman, 920 ½ Broadway
Mary Buckley continued to operate her beauty shop out of her home at 920 Broadway right up until her death on 23 June 1961. Mary thus continuously occupied the home at 920 Broadway for a period of 38 years, from about 1923 until 1961. She is entombed with her first husband Carl in Lakeside Mausoleum. Following in her obituary from the 23 June 1961 Pekin Daily Times, page 2, column 8:
After Mary’s death, the house at 920 Broadway passed to the Charles and Ethel Gardner family, who resided there for the next decade, until the early 1970s. We will continue the story of 920 Broadway with an account of the Gardner family next week.
