Versatile Stoops Brothers Were Cameron Hill Residents

The Stoops brothers, who came to Chattanooga in 1870 to supply the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad eating houses, were early Cameron Hill residents.

Andrew Jackson Stoops and George Washington Stoops came from Pittsburgh via Missouri and Ohio. Their ancestors were at Fort Pitt during an Indian attack, hiding out for a time behind a rock that became known as Stoops Rock. G.W. Stoops shook hands with Abraham Lincoln while he was on his way to Washington to be inaugurated as president. A.J. Stoops was a former steamboater who had piloted a gunboat on the Mississippi River and operated government transports on the Tennessee River during the Civil War. He was a boat builder as well, having constructed the Chattanooga and the Chickamauga, both of which were captured and sunk by the enemy.

A.J. Stoops was married to Nannie A. Cox, who was from Franklin County, Ind.

The brothers built a steam propeller launch that was the first of its type to appear on the Tennessee River. They used it as their private yacht. It was shown off in the July 4, 1876 parade. 

After the Union Station was completed at Ninth and Market, the Stoops brothers conducted an elegant dining establishment there, featuring white tablecloths and excellent food.

They lived nearby one another on the slopes of Cameron Hill. A.J. was on Pine Street at the corner of Eighth. G.W lived for many years at 321 W. Eighth, which was at the corner of Poplar Street. His son, Edwin, lived with him there.  

Later the versatile brothers worked as contractors. At one point the Stoops brothers took over James Hall with a determination to give Chattanooga its first regular theater fare. They made additional improvements in the theater that was at Sixth and Market. The brothers were masters at advertising their shows. They put up billboards, took out large display ads in the newspapers, placed lithographs of the plays and players in the show windows of Chattanooga merchants, and lavishly distributed play handbills. They also concentrated on booking better shows. They brought the well-known Edwin Booth to town for a performance of Hamlet. The theater was filled to capacity and tickets brought $5 each.

Still another endeavor of the tireless Stoops brothers was the Florentine Hotel at the northeast corner of Ninth and Market. They advertised it as a "first-class hotel with low rates ($2 per day). Baggage was transported free of charge between the hotel and the nearby Union Station. There was a restaurant in operation at the Florentine.

Harry E. Stoops, a son of A.J. Stoops, married Josie Wood. He took on operation of the 45-room Natural Bridge Hotel on Lookout Mountain along with J.N. Brown in 1885. The interesting property had been purchased by the Association of the Spiritualists in 1881, and they held annual camp meetings and seances there. Harry Stoops had learned the hotel business at the Florentine.

J.N. Brown was a native of Washington County, Tn., who had arrived in Chattanooga in 1878. He worked at the Florentine Hotel until the Natural Bridge Hotel opportunity came along. He married Nettie Stoops in 1885. 

Harry Stoops was treasurer of the Chattanooga Opera House from 1879 to 1886. He also served as the Lookout Mountain postmaster.

Andrew Jackson Stoops married Nancy Cox. They moved around often, including living directly across from the Adolph Ochs home on West Fifth Street. Elizabeth Stoops Sibold, a daughter of Harry Stoops, later recalled the family being friends with the Ochs family. Ms. Sibold on Christmas Day 1963 gave her grandson, Harold Wood "Woody" Sibold, a copy of the book "Printer's Devil to Publisher" about Adolph Ochs.  

She wrote in the overleaf that Adolph Ochs was printer's devil to William Wood (great-great uncle of Woody Sibold) at the Knoxville Chronicle. She said the families were friends for many years. She said Bertha Ochs was a good friend of her mother, Josie Wood Stoops. She said Mrs. Ochs said the four best housekeepers in Chattanooga were in their block of West Fifth Street, but that she (Mrs. Ochs) was the best because she had her broom handles scrubbed. 

Ms. Sibold said she still had the blouse that her mother wore to the wedding of Mattie Ochs, sister of Adolph Ochs. She recalled visiting Nannie Ochs in New York City for tea, and she said Julius Ochs Adler was her playmate. She remembered his long curls.