Walking Tour-9 South Main Street-Walking Tour
(West Side of Street)

Historically this site was a part of the Clarkston Mill property until about 1858 when Phoebe Edmonson was listed in tax records for the southeast corner "of an unencumbered block" (that was the property of Mill St. & Main, south of West Washington St.). The records for 1860 specifically noted a store on her property. Phoebe and Jonas S. Edmonson sold to Margaret S. Ross in 1866/67. Margaret Ross became Mrs. Calvin Green, a dressmaker noted on the 1872 map of the Village. The footprint of the original wooden building may be seen on that map.

Reuben Newell Clark owned the building from 1876 until his death in 1889, operating a grocery store. Guy & Nelson Walter, also in the grocery business, were listed in tax records for the property from 1908 to 1914. A wooden building which stood on this site may be seen on the left side of the circa 1910 photo, seen above. Oral history has it that Lewis Voorheis built the original section of the stone building and he was listed as the owner in 1915 tax records. Fred Owen was the stone mason. His assistant was Casper Warden.

Frank Leonard and Ben J. Miller owned the property from 1919 until 1934 when they discontinued their service station/car dealership business. (Clarkston News article, 12/21/33). In 1933, the Clarkston News described a most unusual Chrismas window at Leonard & Miller which "contained among other exhibits, a 5 1/2' Diamond rattlesnake with 14 rattles; Konk eggs; longleaf pine from which turpentine is made; sea beans; horseshoe crabs; Spanish oysters; Cotton with seeds; Starfish; " all from Dave Miller's trips to Florida. Ed. Whipple ran a Pontiac & Buick dealership here until W.W. II when he reenlisted. The selling of automobiles was suspended during the war.

Official Property Description:

• A part of the unencumbered Block of Nelson W. Clark's Original Plat of the Village in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 20 of Independence Township.
• Lot 79 of the Assessor's Plat.

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.
• 1844 Jeremiah & Nelson W. Clark, Mill property, assessed value $2000.
• 1847 Jeremiah & Nelson W. Clark, Mill property, assessed value $2000.
• 1857 Phoebe Edmonson, the southeast corner of an unencumbered block, north 33 rods, west 5 rods, assessed value $500.
• 1860 Pheobe Edmonson, assessed value $450, "store".
• 1861 P. Edmonson, 33' north of Mill St., west, 5 rods, assessed value $500.
• 1867 Phoebe & Jonas S. Edmonson to M. S. Ross, (Margaret S. Ross), as above.
• 1872 Map of the Village Mrs. Green, (Margaret S. Ross became Mrs. Calvin Green). The map shows a building footprint. Tax assessment value $550.
• 1875 Margaret S. Green to Reuben Newell Clark
• 1876 Reuben N. Clark, assessed value $600.
• 1888 Reuben N. Clark, assessed value $550, a "grocery store".
• 1889 R. N. Clark Estate, assessed value $600.
• 1891 R. N. Clark Estate.
• 1902 John A. Beardsley, north and west by N. B. Smith estate, south and east by the Street, assessed value $600.
• 1904 as above.
• 1907 Clark Brothers, assessed value $1800.
• 1908 Nelson & Guy Walter, a 1909 side note listed Reuben Clark lot also.
• 1910 Nelson Walter Estate.
• 1911 Walter and Walter (Guy A. & Nelson), assessed value $500, west by J. F. Deacon
• 1914 Guy A. & Nelson Walter, Estate. Nelson Walter died in
• 1915 L. S. Voorheis, assessed value $400, north & west by N.B. Smith Estate, east & south by Main St.
• 1917 L. S. Voorheis, assessed value $3000.
• 1918 B. F. Miller & Avery Beardsley, assessed value $3000.
• 1919 Frank & Hattie E. Walter to Frank Leonard & Ben J. Miller, 82' 6" west from the west line of Main St.
• 1920 Leonard and Miller, (In 1921 Miller owned a Ford dealership, then a Buick dealership), north by Walter, south by Mill St., west by Ford, assessed value $3800.
• 1922 An addition was constructed to the building while it was still a garage.
• 1933 Leonard & Miller, north by F. Walter, east by Main, south by Mill St., west by the Village (at this time the Village owned the mill property), assessed value $1200.
• 1934 Leonard & Miller, as above. Clarkston News article, 12/21/34, re. Leonard & Miller discontinuance of business in this year.