317. Pensacola's Glad Hand Saloon

Updated: Mar 25, 2022

The Glad Hand Saloon was a retail liquor store located at 507 South Palafox Street that was established c1900 and owned by Henry Rauscher. Today's located would be about where the Ruby Slipper Restaurant (at 509 South Palafox) is located.

Henry Rauscher was born on November 21, 1858 in Pensacola, the son of Nicholas (1833-1874) and Mary Rauscher (1837-1895) of Bavaria. In 1870, his father supported his family as a drayman delivering beer on his mule propelled wagon. By 1880, his father had passed away and Henry was living with his mother and siblings on North Baylen Street. Since he was the oldest, it was his duty to support them working as a store clerk. Perhaps his father's work as a drayman also inspired Henry to learn the business of delivering and selling alcohol to thirsty Pensacolians.

On February 5, 1890, he left his mother's house and married Mathilda H. Spach (1861-1935) in Mobile, Alabama. She was born in Arkansas and quickly bore him two daughters; Helena (1896) and Margaret Madelaine Rauscher (1902-1987). With a growing young family Henry made the decision to move into a modest home at 106 West Wright Street that still exists today. But by 1905, Henry was set up in his "Glad Hand Saloon" while his brother John N. had become a grocery merchant with a store at 301 East Grocery Street. Henry's establishment was small by comparison to some of the other drinking establishments in the area but it was certainly turning a profit and paying the bills.

Next door, Henry shared the same roof with Cohen & Parker Men's Furnishings Store at #509. But, Hyman Cohen and his partner David F. Parker quickly disappeared from the Pensacola business community shortly after. Perhaps the location wasn't perfect for men's furnishings but South Palafox was great for saloon, which was the first stop for all the thirsty sailors disembarking from the anchored ships. In 1905 alone, there was Charles J., A. Beovich, the Dannheisser Brothers, Edward J. Dunham, Katie Fay, Samuel A. Friedman, Jacob Kryger, W. E. McCauley, Jadrievic's Bar and Saloon and the Vidal & Smith saloon all within several blocks of the Glad Hand! But just when business was going well, Henry suddenly passed away on January 16, 1908 at the age of 49-years old. Trailed by his grieving family he was buried in the St. John's Cemetery where he joined his parents and family.

Thus by 1910, Mathilda was a widow with two daughters to support so she took in two boarders Edward Green and Arthur Heinlein who worked as a auto garage as a machinist and chauffeur respectively. By 1920, Mathilda took a position as a seamstress for a department store for extra money but thankfully she owned her own home. Mathilda would pass away in 1935, but before she entered the pale nations she saw her daughter Margaret marry in 1924. Her husband was Ira Thomas Faulkner (1885-1972), an assistant Postmaster who was the son of John Faulkner (1836-1925). His father was a Confederate veteran of Company "G" of the 60th Alabama Infantry Regiment. But sadly, her step son 2Lt. John Francis Faulkner, a Pensacola High graduate of 1934, was killed in action during WWII on August 9, 1944. His plane had been shot down over Kusel, Germany while serving as a navigator with the 550th Bomber Squadron, 385th Bomber Group, of the 8th Army Air Force.

In the meantime, Mathilda, also called "Tillie", continued to live at 106 West Wright. But toward the end of her life, her daughter and son-in-law moved in with her on West Wright Street before they all moved together to 1411 East Yonge Street about 1933. Built in 1928, the home was affordable now that Ira had become the "superintendent" for the post office. Sadly, Mathilda would pass away shortly afterwards in 1935 and joined Henry at St. John's Cemetery.

The Rauscher home at 106 West Wright is still standing today and listed as having been built in 1897.