![]() ![]() Hill and McCoslin also continued in-home service to “visit ladies at their residences, and curl and dress hair in the latest and most approved styles.” Since barbering was considered a servile job (even though it was one of the best job opportunities for African Americans at this time), it was not unheard of for a Black, male barber going to a woman’s home to fix her hair for a special occasion. Hill and McCoslin partnered together and announced their services, which included laundry “cleansed in the best possible manner, on terms that will give satisfaction.” Hill and Barnett had ended their partnership the previous November. His wife, Caroline, may have been responsible for assisting with the laundry services for the shop, but there is not information available to confirm that. In November 1850, McCoslin added laundry services to his barbershop, as well as expanded home services. He lived with that family until he married Caroline Allin on September 17, 1850. McCoslin and the Ferre family lived at the corner of Prairie and Jefferson streets, just east of downtown Bloomington. It appeared that these three Black barbers commanded the market in downtown Bloomington, the hub of business and government at that time, not to mention the travelers staying at hotels and using the stagecoach (as the railroad did not reach town for three more years).Īt that time, McCoslin boarded with a white family, that of Goodman Ferre. Significantly, Hill, Barnett, and McCoslin also agreed to eliminate credit accounts and required “cash in hand” at the time of service. They charged 15 cents for sharpening razors, 20 cents for shampooing, and 25 cents for serving “sick persons out of the shop.” The most lucrative offering was shaving the dead in preparation for burial at $5.00 (approximately $161.00 in 2020). That price doubled for transient, or out of town, customers. ![]() The trio agreed that a shave for regular customers would cost five cents (approximately $1.60 in 2020). Hill and Edwin Barnett-to create a standard pricing structure for all their clients. Later in 1850, McCoslin coordinated with two other partnered Bloomington barbers-J.W. But the accepted norm was not to “cross the color line.” Additionally, with the relatively small population of Black individuals in Bloomington, it was more financially viable to cut white people’s hair. There were instances of barbers having Black and white customers in some northeastern communities where Abolitionism was strong. Ward, and would be happy to wait upon all favoring him with their patronage.” He offered shaving, shampooing, and hair cutting services and promised his clients “a superior style.” At that time, African American barbers could not serve both Black and white customers. An advertisement in Bloomington’s Western Whig newspaper announced that McCoslin “takes pleasure in announcing to the white folks of this city and vicinity, that he has purchased the interest of Rev. It is unclear exactly when McCoslin arrived in Bloomington, but by June 1850, the twenty-year-old barber had established a shop on Front Street. McCoslin’s later military records describe him as light-skinned and five foot, eight inches tall. Census records also indicate that he was a “mulatto,” an antiquated term for a mixed-race individual. We do know that he lived in Alton, Illinois prior to his arrival in Bloomington. Little is known about McCoslin’s life before he moved to Bloomington. While the names of his parents are unknown, we do know that he was not born into slavery. William McCoslin (1830-1878) was born in Vandalia, Illinois on July 27, 1830. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |