Snapshots of History by Mike Avitt
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Homeowners often ask me about information and photos concerning their property. They want to know when their house was built and who first lived there. I want to know those things, too, so let’s look at what I know and what I don’t know.
This week’s picture came with the information “Wilson’s boarding house.” The house looks like the one at 100 E. Columbus, and 1894 and 1915 plat maps list Thomas Wilson as the owner of the property. Being near the railroad station, a boarding house makes sense. And that’s all the info I have. I have been gathering news about new houses for about 15 years, and I still don’t have much.
My method involves typing phrases into the search box on the digitized newspaper website. I type in “new house” or “new residence.” After that, I search phrases like “work has begun” and “has been given the contract.” I also search for builders and carpenters like Clyde Rusk, Sig Warner, Harve Seevers, P. J. Soles, and Turpen Bros. This method works to a degree. It’s very time-consuming.
Ringgoldcounty.iowa.gov is a website that can help, but I’m still trying to figure out all the angles. An abstract helps, as it records property transfer dates. If I had an abstract, I would look at the date the land changed hands, then I would search for the buyer and the seller in the newspaper on that date. Some land transfers are listed in the old newspapers. I’m sure there’s more information on the internet, but I’m just not that tech-savvy.
I was asked about 906 W. Columbus. I believe this house was built for Earle K. Allyn in 1913. The site was previously known as Allyn’s Grove and was one block west of George Allyn’s house at 804 W. Columbus. George, Earle’s father, was the founder and former president of the Mount Ayr Bank. Earle married Nina (Miller) Allyn, and Nina wrote her memoirs in 1969. I looked through her writings only to find she wrote exclusively about her youth, with no mention of her first home with her new husband.
Earle died in 1950, and I believe Billie and Velma Finch lived there next, but I don’t know when that would have been. The August 22, 1913, Record-News says Clyde Rusk and his crew were just starting work on the Earle Allyn home. C. R. Rusk had previously built the grand home at 102 Shellway Drive for the current (in 1913) Mount Ayr Bank president, Frank Sheldon, earlier that summer. Clyde Rusk was the premier carpenter of his day.
Another Clyde Rusk project was the home of Albert I. Smith at 1107 E. Columbus. Page 5 of the April 29, 1913, Record-News says Rusk and his force of men were shingling the house, which means they started this project early in the year. The newspaper also says H. C. Smith, brother of Albert, worked on the house. So, I guess, Rusk pulled off after the shingling to start Frank Sheldon’s house. Not including the bathroom and closets, the A. I. Smith home had nine rooms. The Smith family moved in about September 1, 1913.
Just playing around, I found John Earl “Barney” Horne bought the residence at 109 Shellway Drive in 1941. The previous owner was J. M. Campbell.
I have a PDF folder on my hard drive with my Mount Ayr house information if anyone would like to receive it via email. My address is meavitt@gmail.com. Also, if anyone has photos or information about new home construction, I would surely make a copy of it and return the original to you. Thanks.
