Page 40 - Galveston Monthly March 2019

islaNd hisTOrY | GALVESTON LOST

The

frosh-conklin

Mansion

2226 broadway

By Kathleen Maca

on the northeast corner of Broadway and tremont
where the 1940 Sears Building now sits, there was
once a grand home built in 1840, when Texas was
still a Republic. One of the first mansions to be built
on the Island, it was the first to have gas utilities
and considered to be one of the finest examples of
Georgian architecture in the state.

aterials for the three-story, eleven-room home, in Galveston in May 1845. The couple raised five children
including ten massive columns, were brought to in their home: George, Elizabeth, John, Margaret, and
MGalveston from Maine by schooner. it was known Sarah, the latter known to family and friends as Sallie.
for its wide porches, beautiful grounds, and elegant The frosh family was widely known for their hospitality,
landscaping. and Sallie and her mother had reputations as being
Designed to provide southern exposure to every room, charming hostesses.
its halls and stairways were on the north side. The floor in addition to his merchandising affairs, frosh also
plan included a perpendicular wing that featured the owned multiple rental properties throughout Galveston,
formal dining room, and the kitchen. which benefitted his family for generations.
Separate buildings on the grounds housed the servants When the prominent Galvestonian passed away at home
and livestock, and huge iron vats used to render fat and in 1869 from “paralysis,” all of his financial matters were
make sausage during “hog killing time” sat at the back of left in the hands of his wife. fortunately, his widow was
the property. a savvy businesswoman and not only handled, but also
The impressive home’s owner, Lawrence frosh, was a managed to increase, the family fortune in the following
German immigrant who conducted a large wholesale years.
merchandise business buying and selling everything from from that time on, the women of the family handled
limes to pianos, and also did a large business supplying most of the financial matters. it would normally have
ships coming into the Galveston harbor. been the responsibility of the eldest son, George, but fate
his firm, L. frosh & Co., was located on the northeast stepped in to prevent that.
corner of Tremont and Strand for 35 years in a large two- George served in the 21 Texas Cavalry during the Civil
st
story frame structure, erected in the early-1840s. The War, and was wounded in a skirmish just preceding the Top image courtesy of Galveston County Museum
waters of the bay came up to the back door, where ships Battle of Mansfield. When he recovered from his injury, Images courtesy of Rosenberg Library
could load or unload their goods. The area behind these he rejoined his regiment and remained with them until
buildings has long since been filled in and the shoreline the end of the war.
extended. When he returned home to Galveston, he was suffering
frosh married Jane Louise francis, an English immigrant, from tuberculosis and exposure. By 1868, he was renting

40 | GALVESTON MONTHLY | MARCH 2019