Millinery Shop in Crawfordsville, 1800s

Virginia "Jennie" Cade was born in Covington, Indiana in April of 1851. She was the youngest  of six children born to David and Mary Ann Reed Cade. Jennie Cade came to Crawfordsville around age 30 after leaving the family farm in Fountain County. In an April 10, 1880 issue of Crawfordsville Weekly Review, Jennie had been to Cincinnati to buy millinery goods for the Boston store. Ms. Cade worked at Graham's Busy Store in 1901 and was the Manager of the Millinery Department where "a fine line of new styles in plain and trimmed walking and street hats, and will also sell flowers, feathers and ribbons at prices to clean up this department well for the arrival of new goods for the coming fall season." (Crawfordsville Daily Journal 30 Aug 1901 p.8). After working for Graham's Busy Store she opened a shop with Mrs. Anna M. Allison at 207 E. Main Street around 1916. Ms. Cade was also a member of Wabash Avenue Presbyterian Church and was in the Business and Professional Women's Club. At the time of her death (September 1937) Ms. Cade was the city's oldest business woman and had operated her shop for twenty-one years.

1890s.  Jennie Cade is in the middle.
Her niece, Minnie Cade (Belcher) is the petite woman.
The tall woman is unidentified.
Photo donated by Ruth Evans