Adelaide’s by Jean Stamper

Mrs. Crouch is on my mind this morning, probably because I will be ‘introducing’ her at my book talk this afternoon. I’ve actually invited her to come along – “Adelaide’s in Ocean Park, 3:00” I’ve told her – but Mrs. C. has never shown herself to be cooperative. Quite the opposite. She is a ghost with a mind of her own.

I thought that the mention of Adelaide’s might be tempting to her.   Not because it’s a bookstore and coffee house, but because it is named in honor of Adelaide Taylor who long ago owned and operated the building as the Taylor Hotel. I think it’s entirely possible that Sarah Tedden Crouch and Adelaide Stuart Taylor once knew each other – at least in passing.

The Taylor Hotel and Annex c, 1900

Before her Taylor Hotel days, Adelaide lived in Oysterville. It was the early 1880s and her husband William was working as a stagecoach driver for Lewis Loomis. They lived in the house now owned by our neighbor Bradley, and Adelaide was the village midwife. In 1886 they moved into Ocean Park and built the Taylor Hotel. It was already a going concern by 1892 when the new Baptist preacher, Josiah Crouch, and his wife arrived in Oysterville.

According to all reports, Mrs. Crouch was quite shy and didn’t leave the house much except to attend services at the church across the street. Meanwhile, Mrs. Taylor was undoubtedly busy with her hotel and restaurant, to say nothing of her growing family of nine children. So, perhaps their paths never crossed. Still… the communities were small and, presumably, the former mid-wife still had friends in Oysterville.

Baptist Church and Parsonage

So, on the off-chance that Mrs. Crouch might want to go visiting, I’ve invited her along today. I’ve told her that shop owners Katie and Joel Uram will be playing Larry Murante’s “Ballad of Mrs. Crouch” written in her honor. And I’ve said that there will undoubtedly be people at the book talk who will be interested in meeting her. However… she’s probably still shy, even after more than 100 years. Some things don’t change.