Walking Tour-37 East Washington Street-Walking Tour
(North Side of Street)

The early history of this property is linked to the piece to the west and the early industry and commerce of the Village. It was a part of the parcel owned by Arthur Davis in 1846. Davis built the first iron foundry in the Village using the water from Park Lake for power. 1849 tax records listed the property under the names Clark and Davis. (They were also listed for a piece of property on the "northeast corner of the Mill Lot" or a piece on the south side of West Washington Street west of what is now an alley.) John Davis , Arthur's brother took over the foundry five years later. John Davis continued to own the north part of the property to the Lake until 1861 when it became the property of Jesse Millard.

The 1872 Map of the Village has a footprint of a 58' x 70' building, a blacksmith shop, on the site. George Vliet, a wagon master, was the owner in 1861, followed by William H. Smith in 1869. At times the north 1/2 of this lot had another owner. The halves of the property were joined about 1880.

The house on the site now was constructed about 1920. The Vernacular Style house was remodeled in 1956. Old photos taken at the time show the original porch which was across the west side of the first floor. The porch was removed to make way for an addition. There was a small cottage behind the house on the west property line until 1990 when it was demolished.

Official Property Description:

• The east part of the west part of Lot 4 Block 20 of Nelson W. Clark's Original Plat of the Village in the Southeast 1/4 of Section 20 in Independence Township.
• Lot 2 of the Assessor's Plat.
• This property was divided in pieces early on and linked with the piece to the west.

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 in Independence Township.
• 1833 Butler & Mary L. Holcomb to Roswell/Roosevelt Holcomb, the west 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 and the west 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4....
• 1835 Butler Holcomb to Jeremiah Holcomb, the south part of the west 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 20.
• 1839 Jeremiah Clark to Nelson W.Clark, one equal undivided half of the south part of the west half of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 20.
• 1842 Nelson W. Clark's Plat of the Village.
• 1844 Nelson W. Clark, Block 20 of the Original Plat of the Village, assessed value $10.
• 1846 Arthur Davis, Lots 4 & 5 Block 20, assessed value $115, and the west 1/2 of Lot 3, assessed value $5.
• 1847 Arthur Davis, Lots 2, 3, 4 & 5, Block "2" ( 20 ), "occupied together", assessed value $190.
• 1849 Clark & Davis, the west 1/2 of Lot 3 & Lots 4 & 5 Block 20, "occupied together, assessed value $218, and the northeast corner of the Mill Lot, assessed value $93.
• 1850 John Davis, Lots 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 of Lot 1 Block 20.
• 1855 Enos Church, the south part of Lots 4 & 5 & part of Lot 3, assessed value $700."barn & shop". John Davis the north part of Lots 4 & 5.
• 1857 Enos Church, the south 1/2 of Lots 4 & 5 & the west 1/2 of Lot 3 Block 20, assessed value $675. " occupied together for a furnace ".
• 1859 John Davis, Lot 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 & Lot 1 Block 20.
• 1860 Enos Church as above. "furnace moved part of building"
  John Davis as above.
• 1861 George Vliet, wagon master, 58' x 70'.
• 1867 Elizabeth Vliet, 58' x 70'.
• 1872 Map of the Village has a building footprint labeled "blacksmith shop".
• 1875 R. E. Follett, 58' x 70', assessed value $450.
• 1880 O. L. Knapp, the piece north along the Lake.
• 1896 Daniel Scadding, north by the Lake, east by Tiffany, south & west by the Street, assessed value $250.
• 1899 Mrs. Margaret Scadding.
• 1909 Hugh Green, south & west to the Street, east by Tiffany, south & west by the Street.
• 1910 as above.
• 1914 Ben Miller.
• 1919 Charles Steinbaugh, assessed value $200
• 1920 Charles Steinbaugh, assessed value $500.
  Mrs. Ora Bell Steinbaugh, assessed value $2000.
• 1923 A. Gundry, assessed value $1500.
• 1924 A. Gundry, assessed value $1600.
• 1927 A. Gundry, assessed value $2400.
• 1935 A. Gundry, the east 10' of Lot 5 & the west 49' of Lot 4, assessed value $1400.
• 1941 A. Gundry, Lot 2, 63'.