Jacob Erion had Red Hair! Who knew? Part IV (and now his whiskers are on fire!)

Jacob B. Erion

Mary Leonard Erion

My grandfather once told me he would like to know more about his grandfather.  However, it was during a time when I was having my own children and the days were filled with raising the next generation.  There was no time to look back.  But now there is.  My Granddad passed away in 1983 but I have always remembered his words to me and this blog is a result of that remembering.   I have sourced my information.  These are my own words except where indicated. 

* * * * * * * * * *

Things did not always go smoothly during Jacob’s time as Deputy Labor Commissioner as revealed by the following newspaper articles, beginning with this article that appeared in the 1893 (Omaha) Morning World-Herald.  Jacob must have grown back his beard.

“ERION’S WHISKERS ON FIRE

Lincoln, Neb., July 25 – The publication in the World-Herald of the decided frigidity between the labor commissioner and his clerk is said to have crystallized a feeling that heretofore lay dormant about two inches below Mr. Erion’s wealth of whiskers.  At any rate, he is quoted as having told several intimates that as soon as Governor Crounse returns from his summer vacation, he proposes to lay the matter before the executive and give him an ultimatum, either that Mrs. Packard must go or his resignation will be forthcoming.  It is anticipated that this dire contingency will have the effect of indefinitely extending the governor’s absence.”

 Who was Mrs. Packard and how had she inflamed Jacob‘s whiskers? Apparently Mrs. Augusta L. Packard had also been appointed by Governor Crounse to be the clerk of the Nebraska Labor Bureau.  Augusta Lovilla Packard, nee Cady, was the older sister of the chairman of the Republican State Central Committee, A. E. Cady.  Five years younger than Jacob Benjamin Erion, Augustus L. Cady Packard was born on 23 Sep 1847 in Wisconsin.  She was the daughter of August Fling Cady, a relatively well-off merchant from Vermont, and his wife Lydia (or Lovilla). (Source: 1860 US Census)   The 1880 US Census shows that Augustus L. Cady married Kennedy Packard.  Living in Red Oak, Iowa, together they had four children and Mr. Packard had a livery stable.  By 1900, living in St. Paul, Howard County, Nebraska, Mr. Packard is not living with Mrs. Packard but the census does not indicate her as widowed; it states that she has been married 30 years and it indicates her as being the head of the household. By the 1910 US Census, Mr. and Mrs. Packard are living together again . . . in Idaho!

But back to Mrs. Packard and Jacob Erion.   Mrs. Packard’s appointment to be clerk of the Nebraska Labor Bureau was done at the request of her brother, A. E. Cady.  When the Republicans won the State House, Mr. Cady was asked what he wanted, in repayment for being the chairman of the Committee.  Mr. Cady declined anything for himself, but he did request the appointment of his sister as clerk of the Labor Bureau.  (Source: [Omaha] Morning World-Herald, 26 Aug 1893)

“Mrs. Packard is a woman of culture and has made for herself a reputation in a literary way by writing for some of the leading magazines and papers.  She is highly educated and has large experience in a clerical capacity, being for some time assistant bookkeeper in Mr. Cady’s bank at St. Paul.”  (Source: [Omaha] Morning World-Herald, 26 Aug 1893)

Why didn’t Jacob Erion like her?  Jacob Erion didn’t like Mrs. Packard because he had someone else in mind for the position, a young man from South Omaha.  Because of this, there was friction in the office.  Hearing of the friction and having read articles referring to the trouble in the newspaper, Mrs. Packard’s brother, Mr. Cady, while in Lincoln on other business, visited the State House hoping to see Jacob.  Jacob was out of the office at the time so he didn’t get a chance to visit with Mr. Cady.  However, Jacob did read about the attempted visit by Mr. Cady in the next day’s newspaper. When Jacob saw the newspaper, he wrote a note and left it on Mrs. Packard’s desk:

“Mrs. Augusta L. Packard – Madam: This is to notify you that your services as clerk are no longer required in the labor bureau.  Yours truly, J. B. Erion, Deputy Com. of Labor Statistics.’” 

Mrs. Packard read the note of dismissal and laying it to one side prepared to go on with her work.

“You can read, can’t you?” asked Mr. Erion.

“I can,” was the quiet reply.

“That note means exactly what it says,” said Mr. Erion.

“If it makes no difference to you,” said Mrs. Packard, “I prefer to take my directions from the one who appointed me.”

(Source: [Omaha] Morning World-Herald, 26 Aug 1893)

 Mrs. Packard’s response to Jacob’s request that she should leave the office upset him greatly.  The article reported that “Erion grew warm.”  Mrs. Packard did leave the office so she could consult with the attorney general.  Mrs. Packard’s acquaintances said that Jacob treated her with disrespect, telling her that she was incompetent and too ignorant to handle a clerk’s position.   Those who knew Mrs. Packard “know that she is thoroughly competent, not only to act as clerk but to act as deputy labor commissioner.  She alone tabulated the last mortgage statistical report, and that report was the best arranged, neatest and most prompt of all reports tabulated in that office.”  (Source: [Omaha] Morning World-Herald, 26 Aug 1893)

Jacob had, at one point, come out of his office and swooped all the mortgage returns off of Mrs. Packard’s desk and put them in his own desk, locking the drawer.  On another occasion, the mail carrier came in to pick up the mail and Mrs. Packard gave the carrier several of her private letters.  Jacob told Mrs. Packard that she should put them in the mail box provided for that purpose rather than giving them to the mail carrier.  The newspaper article did concede that there were two sides to every story and that Mr. Erion denied treating Mrs. Packard with disrespect.  So, like squabbling children, Mrs. Packard and Jacob had to wait for Governor Crounse to return from his trip to settle the conflict.

 The conflict was settled according to a September 1, 1893 article in the [Omaha] Morning World-Herald which said that Deputy Labor Commissioner Erion’s decision to dismiss Mrs. Packard had been reversed by Governor Crounse.  Jacob Erion did not seem any worse for the wear.  His response:  “Everything has been settled to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.”  Then the article (remember it is in the [Omaha] Morning World-Herald) editorialized by saying, “Mr. Erion is mistaken.  The people are somewhat concerned in this matter, and they would be more ‘entirely satisfied’ if the affair had been settled by his resignation.” 

(Remember that these newspaper reports came from the World-Herald.  There was no love lost between the editors and reporters of the World-Herald and the Omaha Bee with which Jacob was associated since the sale of the Daily Stockman in late 1888. Bleu)  [Source: Bristow, D. (1999) “Hard Hitting Journalism” A Dirty Wicked Town: Tales of 19th Century Omaha and South Omaha Biographical Sketch circa 1895])