Daniel & Margaret Fry House
On September 1, 1887, the U.S. Postal Service initiated free home mail delivery in Stillwater. The very first letter to be delivered by a Stillwater mail carrier was addressed to Daniel Fry at 222 West Laurel Street. The letter was signed by John McCarthy, the Post Master, and read as follows:_x000D_ _x000D_ "Dan Fry, Sir,_x000D_ _x000D_ You have been identified with the growth and prosperity of Stillwater for nearly 40 years, and during that time your confidence in Stillwater as ultimately becoming one of the principal cities in the state of Minnesota has never been shaken. Accept my congratulations on receiving the first letter by carrier in the city of Stillwater."_x000D_ _x000D_ Daniel Fry was born in Limerick, Maine on April 12, 1828. He came to Stillwater in 1852 at the age of 24 and took employment as a carpenter and millwright. In December of 1859, he married Margaret McGuire._x000D_ _x000D_ In April of 1871, Daniel Fry bought this lot from John McKusick, one of the original pioneers of Stillwater. Within a year, Fry had built the east one-and-one-half story of this house at 222 West Laurel Street. The assessed valuation was $300. _x000D_ _x000D_ But even as Fry began building his house, tragedy struck. On June 29, 1871, while working at the McKusick, Anderson & Co. sawmill on the east bank of the St. Croix across from Stillwater, a big circular saw shattered, and one of the pieces severed Frys arm at the elbow. Unable to do manual labor, Fry opened the first of a series of cigar and confectionary stores in Stillwater._x000D_ _x000D_ Ten years later, in 1882, a second two-story addition on the west side of the house was added, which brought the total assessed value to $800. _x000D_ _x000D_ Over the years, the Frys raised a family in their home. The 1880 Census lists Daniel, age 52, a retail grocer; Margaret, age 42; Charles, age 17, a clerk in the store; Elizabeth, age 14; Grace, age 12; and Albert, age 9. The three younger children were all attending school._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1892 Daniel built a small one-story building on the southwest corner of his lot where he and his family sold fruit and candy. Among his customers were passengers on the Stillwater street car line which ran by his house._x000D_ _x000D_ Daniel Fry died in his home, age 81, October 10, 1909, after a long illness, which rendered totally helpless for several months. His obituary recorded him as "an honest man, a good citizen, and esteemed by all who knew him."_x000D_ _x000D_ His wife, Margaret continued to live in the house, along with her unmarried son, Charles until her death on March 2, 1923. After the estate was settled, Charles Fry sold the house to Annie and David Connors in December of 1924._x000D_ _x000D_ Annie worked as a bookkeeper for a Stillwater law firm; David was the Clerk of District Court._x000D_ _x000D_ In style, the house would be termed a vernacular dwelling, the kind of simple plain residence that people often identify as a "farmhouse" style. The house possesses much of its original integrity, and the color white with green trim was a common Nineteenth Century color scheme. The porch was most likely added around 1900. The closed shutters on the west side of the house indicate a window that has been covered over on the inside.
Daniel & Margaret Fry House
On September 1, 1887, the U.S. Postal Service initiated free home mail delivery in Stillwater. The very first letter to be delivered by a Stillwater mail carrier was addressed to Daniel Fry at 222 West Laurel Street. The letter was signed by John McCarthy, the Post Master, and read as follows:_x000D_ _x000D_ "Dan Fry, Sir,_x000D_ _x000D_ You have been identified with the growth and prosperity of Stillwater for nearly 40 years, and during that time your confidence in Stillwater as ultimately becoming one of the principal cities in the state of Minnesota has never been shaken. Accept my congratulations on receiving the first letter by carrier in the city of Stillwater."_x000D_ _x000D_ Daniel Fry was born in Limerick, Maine on April 12, 1828. He came to Stillwater in 1852 at the age of 24 and took employment as a carpenter and millwright. In December of 1859, he married Margaret McGuire._x000D_ _x000D_ In April of 1871, Daniel Fry bought this lot from John McKusick, one of the original pioneers of Stillwater. Within a year, Fry had built the east one-and-one-half story of this house at 222 West Laurel Street. The assessed valuation was $300. _x000D_ _x000D_ But even as Fry began building his house, tragedy struck. On June 29, 1871, while working at the McKusick, Anderson & Co. sawmill on the east bank of the St. Croix across from Stillwater, a big circular saw shattered, and one of the pieces severed Frys arm at the elbow. Unable to do manual labor, Fry opened the first of a series of cigar and confectionary stores in Stillwater._x000D_ _x000D_ Ten years later, in 1882, a second two-story addition on the west side of the house was added, which brought the total assessed value to $800. _x000D_ _x000D_ Over the years, the Frys raised a family in their home. The 1880 Census lists Daniel, age 52, a retail grocer; Margaret, age 42; Charles, age 17, a clerk in the store; Elizabeth, age 14; Grace, age 12; and Albert, age 9. The three younger children were all attending school._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1892 Daniel built a small one-story building on the southwest corner of his lot where he and his family sold fruit and candy. Among his customers were passengers on the Stillwater street car line which ran by his house._x000D_ _x000D_ Daniel Fry died in his home, age 81, October 10, 1909, after a long illness, which rendered totally helpless for several months. His obituary recorded him as "an honest man, a good citizen, and esteemed by all who knew him."_x000D_ _x000D_ His wife, Margaret continued to live in the house, along with her unmarried son, Charles until her death on March 2, 1923. After the estate was settled, Charles Fry sold the house to Annie and David Connors in December of 1924._x000D_ _x000D_ Annie worked as a bookkeeper for a Stillwater law firm; David was the Clerk of District Court._x000D_ _x000D_ In style, the house would be termed a vernacular dwelling, the kind of simple plain residence that people often identify as a "farmhouse" style. The house possesses much of its original integrity, and the color white with green trim was a common Nineteenth Century color scheme. The porch was most likely added around 1900. The closed shutters on the west side of the house indicate a window that has been covered over on the inside.
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
