Walking Tour-149 North Main Street-Walking Tour
(East Side of Street)

The Historic Building/Structure Inventory Form listed circa 1869 as the date of this house with John Davidson the owner. However, John Davison/Davidson never owned this piece which is in the Northwest 1/4. Tax records show that John Davison/Davidson instead owned the northeast corner of the Southwest 1/4. Also the 1872 Map of the Village shows that Davison's/Davidson's property stopped at the north line of the 1/4 Section line. This was always the end of his property. In 1850 the site of this house was part of the William Holcomb's property (his father, Butler's property before him). By 1868 William VanBuskirk Vliet owned all of the property north of Davison/Davidson to what is now Miller Road. Esidor Jossman owned the same property in 1869. In 1871 G. W. VanSyckle owned only this Lot all the way to the Pond.

The 1872 Map has a building footprint on each of the lots for 149, 155 & 165 N. Main. The Greek Revival style of the original section of this house seems to suggest an early construction date, as it does for the two houses north of this one. Both of those are also Greek Revival style houses. In 1850 when William Holcomb owned the property on which all three of these houses sit, the assessed value was $450. They were certainly all built before 1872 when the building footprints are on the Map, but the tax records provide no clue to the specific construction date on this house. Perhaps there were three small buildings as early as 1850 all owned by William Holcomb.

Architecturally, the original section of the house was built in the Greek Revival style which was adapted in the Midwest for small farm & village homes. Typical of the style is the L-shape, one & 1/2 story with a single story wing. The porch which fronts the single story is supported with an unusual pillar treatment not seen on other houses in the Village. There are additions to the original structure on the rear of the house. Aluminum siding covers the original wood clapboard.

Official Property Description:

• A piece in the southeast corner of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 20 in Independence Township which was not a part of Nelson W. Clark's Original Plat.
• Lot 43 of the Supervisor's Plat No. 1.

Significant Property History:

[A Synopsis Of Property Transfers Derived From Abstracts
(when available) And Periodic Changes In Ownership Or
Assessed Value Derived From Township Tax Records]

• Note: All the properties currently located in the Historic District were originally part of a tract registered by Butler Holcomb with the federal government on October 22, 1831. Thus, abstracts for these properties, when they exist, show the original transfer to be from the United States to Butler Holcomb and may also include references to then President Andrew Jackson.
• 1832 Butler Holcomb, the Northeast 1/4, the Southeast 1/4. the east 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 and the east 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 20.
• 1846 William Holcomb, the south 3/4 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section, assessed value $395.
• 1847 William Holcomb, the south 3/4 of the Northwest 1/4, assessed value $350.
• 1848 William Holcomb, the south part of the Northwest 1/4, assessed value $382.
• 1849 William Holcomb, the south 3/4 of the Northwest 1/4, assessed value $412
• 1850 William Holcomb, the south 3/4 of the Northwest 1/4 , assessed value $420.
• 1866 William Holcomb, the south 3/4 of the Northwest 1/4 except 1 acre off the northeast (northwest ?) corner.
• 1868 William B. Vliet, a piece of land bound north & east by the Highway, west by the Pond, south by J. D, assessed value $350.
• 1869 E. Jossman, west & north by William "V" Vliet, east by the Highway, south by J.Davison (about 1 acre), assessed value $450.
• 1870 E. Jossman, west & north by Wm."V. B." Vliet & the Baptist parsonage, east by the Highway, south by J. D., west by the Pond (2 acres), assessed value $500.
  (Note: Jossman by now owned the property behind this house, & the one to the north, to the Pond.)
• 1871 E. Jossman, north & east by the Highway, south by the Baptist parsonage & George VanSyckle, west by the Pond, assessed value $550. (this entry is for 165 N. Main.)
  G. W. VanSyckle, north by E.J. & the Baptist parsonage, east by the Highway, south by J. D., west by the Pond, assessed value $525.
• 1872 Map of the Village has a building footprint, owner G. W. VanSyckle.
• 1877 Fred King, assessed value $550.
• 1885 Fred King, assessed value $1200.
• 1889 Ann King, assessed value $900.
• 1891 Frank King.
• 1896 Map of the Village, owner Frank King.
• 1907 Frank King, estate, assessed value $1200.
• 1914 Eiza M. Clark.
• 1927 Eiza M. Clark, assessed value $2600. (north by Ogden Bros., south by Alger.)
• 1929 J. S. & E. A. Seeterlin & Frank Leonard, assessed value &2600.
• 1930 as above.
• 1931 J. S. & E. A. Seeterlin & Frank Leonard, assessed value $2100.