William G. Bronson House
The early history of this lot and its house is colorful. At the beginning of the recorded deeds for the property are the usual speculators, mortgages, and foreclosures. But in 1868, John Hanford, a river boat pilot, purchased the property (see the history of Hanfords house at 420 N. 4th.), and in 1871, he sold it to Martin and Gratia Mower who lived at that time on their riverfront estate that has recently been restored at Arcola Mills. When Martin died in 1890, there was a dispute over the property between Gratia, his wife, and the trustees of Martins estate, including one William G. Bronson, a lumberman and one-time private secretary to Isaac Staples, the greatest of all the lumber barons.(Bronson was married to Staples` daughter, Mary.)_x000D_ _x000D_ By 1903, William G. Bronson was the only surviving trustee of the Martin Mower estate, and he sold this South Greeley Street property in 1904 to William Bieging, a local carpenter and contractor who then built this house at 212 South Greeley Street at an estimated cost of $1,500. The house remained legally in Biegings name until his death in 1917, but he never lived in the house he built. _x000D_ _x000D_ The actual residents were, as listed in the Census of 1910, William G. Bronson, age 68, living with son, William G., Jr, age 45, a dealer in wholesale meats; his wife, Alma, age 44; a daughter, Mary, age 23, who lists herself as a professional singer; a daughter, Doris, age 15; and two servants: Hilda Anderson, age 23; and Marie Johnson, age 18. Whether the Bronsons were simply renting the house, or whether there was an unrecorded document is not clear._x000D_ _x000D_ The father, William G. Bronson, died in 1912 at age 69, but the rest of the Bronson family continued living in the house until it was sold by William Biegings descendants to Ernest Carlson in 1918._x000D_ _x000D_ Ernest Carlson was the new proprietor of the grocery store at 101 North Owens Street, which continues today under the name of Lens Grocery Store--the oldest grocery store in Stillwater. Ernest was born in Sweden about 1875, immigrating to this country in 1893. His wife, Jennie, was born in Minnesota about 1876. They had two children living with them in the house, Clinton, born in 1908, and Minerva, born in 1915._x000D_ _x000D_ Ernest Carlson died July 28, 1939, and his estate was divided equally between his wife, and two children. Jennie continued to live in the house into the 1950s._x000D_ _x000D_ This is a classic Colonial Revival house with its hipped roof and full-width porch. The pediment over the front door supported by columns and the gabled dormers are further characteristics of this style. The house is framed by a white picket fence, lush perennial plantings and a large restored open porch. Handsome woodwork is found throughout the main floor and stairway. On the back of the house is a cantilevered sleeping porch, a popular feature around the turn of the century when it was believed exposure to fresh air was an antidote for tuberculosis. _x000D_ _x000D_ The McCarthys have lived here since 1984 and they have been wonderful guardians of this excellent example of a prosperous middle-class residence from the turn of the Twentieth Century.
William G. Bronson House
The early history of this lot and its house is colorful. At the beginning of the recorded deeds for the property are the usual speculators, mortgages, and foreclosures. But in 1868, John Hanford, a river boat pilot, purchased the property (see the history of Hanfords house at 420 N. 4th.), and in 1871, he sold it to Martin and Gratia Mower who lived at that time on their riverfront estate that has recently been restored at Arcola Mills. When Martin died in 1890, there was a dispute over the property between Gratia, his wife, and the trustees of Martins estate, including one William G. Bronson, a lumberman and one-time private secretary to Isaac Staples, the greatest of all the lumber barons.(Bronson was married to Staples` daughter, Mary.)_x000D_ _x000D_ By 1903, William G. Bronson was the only surviving trustee of the Martin Mower estate, and he sold this South Greeley Street property in 1904 to William Bieging, a local carpenter and contractor who then built this house at 212 South Greeley Street at an estimated cost of $1,500. The house remained legally in Biegings name until his death in 1917, but he never lived in the house he built. _x000D_ _x000D_ The actual residents were, as listed in the Census of 1910, William G. Bronson, age 68, living with son, William G., Jr, age 45, a dealer in wholesale meats; his wife, Alma, age 44; a daughter, Mary, age 23, who lists herself as a professional singer; a daughter, Doris, age 15; and two servants: Hilda Anderson, age 23; and Marie Johnson, age 18. Whether the Bronsons were simply renting the house, or whether there was an unrecorded document is not clear._x000D_ _x000D_ The father, William G. Bronson, died in 1912 at age 69, but the rest of the Bronson family continued living in the house until it was sold by William Biegings descendants to Ernest Carlson in 1918._x000D_ _x000D_ Ernest Carlson was the new proprietor of the grocery store at 101 North Owens Street, which continues today under the name of Lens Grocery Store--the oldest grocery store in Stillwater. Ernest was born in Sweden about 1875, immigrating to this country in 1893. His wife, Jennie, was born in Minnesota about 1876. They had two children living with them in the house, Clinton, born in 1908, and Minerva, born in 1915._x000D_ _x000D_ Ernest Carlson died July 28, 1939, and his estate was divided equally between his wife, and two children. Jennie continued to live in the house into the 1950s._x000D_ _x000D_ This is a classic Colonial Revival house with its hipped roof and full-width porch. The pediment over the front door supported by columns and the gabled dormers are further characteristics of this style. The house is framed by a white picket fence, lush perennial plantings and a large restored open porch. Handsome woodwork is found throughout the main floor and stairway. On the back of the house is a cantilevered sleeping porch, a popular feature around the turn of the century when it was believed exposure to fresh air was an antidote for tuberculosis. _x000D_ _x000D_ The McCarthys have lived here since 1984 and they have been wonderful guardians of this excellent example of a prosperous middle-class residence from the turn of the Twentieth Century.
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
