Doyle Home: Stately landmark vanished to make room for progress

Overlooking Broadway (old Jackson Road) at the southwest corner of Lorimier Street sat one of the oldest mansions of Cape Girardeau, known as the Doyle Home. Built about 1830 by Edward and Eliza Jane Evans, the home was surrounded by large locust trees, an impressive sight as one crested the hill.

Upon Evans' death in 1848, his wife married Christopher Houts. In turn, the property was purchased by two Virginian brothers, Constantine and William Gale. They reared their orphaned niece, Katherine Gale, in the home.

Constantine, a slave owner in 1860, served as the 10th mayor of Cape Girardeau from 1855-57. He and Irishman, Eugene Garaghty, were partners in the Gale-Garaghty Mercantile on Main Street. Constantine died at 51 years old in 1866. His internment was in Old Lorimier Cemetery, where all subjects of this story are buried. Remaining in the home were William, Katherine and two maiden sisters, Oleinda and Catherine. Freed from slavery, two Negro women, Aunt Winny and her mother, also lived in the home to work for the family.

The next owner of the manor was Leo Napoleon Doyle, the son of farming parents, Miles and Sarah (Morrison) Doyle, who lived north of Cape Girardeau. Several years following his birth on June 14, 1832, his parents brought him to the original St. Vincent's Catholic Church (1839) to be baptized. It is recorded he was the first child baptized in the church.

In Louis Houck's "Memorial Sketches", he describes Doyle as "an Irishman of sterling qualities of virtue and integrity." He was a man of adventure who followed Moses and Stephen Austin to Texas. He returned to Missouri and married Frances Lennon. He and his brother, Theodore, maintained a wood yard on the old family farm, providing fuel for many riverboats.

Leo DoyleSubmitted photo

Leo DoyleSubmitted photo

After Doyle's first wife died, he married Katherine Gale in 1882 and moved into the home. They had no children.

During the Civil War, Doyle and his brother-in-law, Patrick Garagthy, started a mercantile, which he kept until his death. In addition, Doyle was a director of Louis Houck's MO-AR Railroad for 30 years. He was a member of the city council in 1876.

Besides railroads and steamboats, Leo Doyle loved Cape Girardeau and writing about happenings here. He kept a journal of weather reports, deaths, birthdays, weddings and boat landings.

Leo died at 68 years old on Jan. 24, 1900. Services were held at Old St. Vincent's Catholic Church, conducted by Father Hopkins.

Doyle's widow, Katherine "Miss Kate", remained in the home until her tragic death following an accident in 1913. She was crossing Spanish Street on her way to St. Vincent's early Mass at 6:30 a.m., when she was hit by a street car, causing a compound fracture of her skull and other internal injuries. She was 66 years old. Her obituary included, "She was survived by one sister and many friends."

The home was purchased by newspaper owners, Fred and George Naeter in 1924. It was razed to build the Southeast Missourian building dedicated on Sept. 11, 1925.