Henry Clay and Mary Eva Farmer House
The present house at 418 South Sixth Street is the second house on this site. The first house was built on Lot 4 in the 1860s by Edward and Eliza Capron; he was a tinsmith and dealer in stoves. In the 1860s, there were several houses on the west side of this block, which is surprising considering the distance from downtown where the population was centered._x000D_ _x000D_ There is a notice in the Stillwater Gazette of July 9, 1872 that the ladies of the Universal Society will give an ice cream supper in "Caprons Grove," near the corner of Pine and Sixth Streets. Edward Capron died in 1886, and his wife soon afterwards, but what happened to their house on this site is unclear._x000D_ _x000D_ We do know the present house (the second house on the site) was built in the summer of 1896. The carpenter/contractor was a Stillwater man, William Bieging (1846-1917), who built many houses in Stillwater. According to the building permit, the house was to be 35 feet by 52 feet, two-stories with a total height of 40 feet. It was to have oak and pine stairways, a full 8-foot high basement, and cost $5,000. The owner of this house was Henry Clay Farmer and his wife, Mary Eva--usually called Eva. Henry was born in June of 1857 in Stillwater; Mary was born in August of 1858. They were married in 1883._x000D_ _x000D_ When he was a young man, Henrys father bought him a horse named "Belle" and a baggage wagon to haul trunks to and from the two railroad depots. (When people traveled in those days, they would have their luggage trunks sent ahead to the train station and the travelers would go to the depot later on foot, or by buggy.) From this beginning, Henry Farmer built a prosperous livery and horse sales business. After the turn of the Nineteenth Century, he turned his interest to automobiles, building two large garages on Third and Second Streets near Myrtle Street. Farmer was also civic minded, engaging in many activities for the benefit of the city. On Second Street, across from the Lowell Inn, is the H.C. Farmer Sunken Garden and Fountain designed and built in 1934-35, and dedicated to Henry Clay Farmer in 1937 by The Board of Water Commissioners._x000D_ _x000D_ Henry and Mary raised two children in this house. The 1900 U.S. Census lists their children, Hazel, a daughter born in 1884; and Harry, a son, born in 1886. They also had a 28-year-old German-born servant, Mary Ramin, living with them. The 1910 U.S. Census lists the four family members living in the house along with Alice Soule, age 37, a companion, Cecelia MacDonald, age 24, a visitor, and Nellie Sigfrid, age 21, a maid._x000D_ _x000D_ Henry Farmer died December 8, 1914, at the age of 57 after having a stroke a month earlier. He was eulogized as a "progressive wide-awake citizen." Mary Eva Farmer lived another 20 years dying on September 2, 1934._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1916, soon after Henrys death, the house was sold to Herman and Edith Woerz; he was the President of the Interstate Lumber Company. The 1920 U.S. Census lists the occupants of the house as Herman, age 45; Edith, age 46; Marion, a daughter, age 18; Robert, a son, age 13; Gretchen, a daughter, age 3; and Nellie Schwartz, a 33-year-old maid._x000D_ _x000D_ In architectural terms, the house might be termed a "free classic" Queen Anne style house because of its complex roof line, Palladian (three-part) window on the third floor, front porch with classical columns, and dentils under the eaves. The wood siding is unusual in that every other clapboard is doubled up giving an unusual texture and shadow to the house. Inside, the house is quite lavish with parquet wood floors, stained glass windows, and a fireplace.
Henry Clay and Mary Eva Farmer House
The present house at 418 South Sixth Street is the second house on this site. The first house was built on Lot 4 in the 1860s by Edward and Eliza Capron; he was a tinsmith and dealer in stoves. In the 1860s, there were several houses on the west side of this block, which is surprising considering the distance from downtown where the population was centered._x000D_ _x000D_ There is a notice in the Stillwater Gazette of July 9, 1872 that the ladies of the Universal Society will give an ice cream supper in "Caprons Grove," near the corner of Pine and Sixth Streets. Edward Capron died in 1886, and his wife soon afterwards, but what happened to their house on this site is unclear._x000D_ _x000D_ We do know the present house (the second house on the site) was built in the summer of 1896. The carpenter/contractor was a Stillwater man, William Bieging (1846-1917), who built many houses in Stillwater. According to the building permit, the house was to be 35 feet by 52 feet, two-stories with a total height of 40 feet. It was to have oak and pine stairways, a full 8-foot high basement, and cost $5,000. The owner of this house was Henry Clay Farmer and his wife, Mary Eva--usually called Eva. Henry was born in June of 1857 in Stillwater; Mary was born in August of 1858. They were married in 1883._x000D_ _x000D_ When he was a young man, Henrys father bought him a horse named "Belle" and a baggage wagon to haul trunks to and from the two railroad depots. (When people traveled in those days, they would have their luggage trunks sent ahead to the train station and the travelers would go to the depot later on foot, or by buggy.) From this beginning, Henry Farmer built a prosperous livery and horse sales business. After the turn of the Nineteenth Century, he turned his interest to automobiles, building two large garages on Third and Second Streets near Myrtle Street. Farmer was also civic minded, engaging in many activities for the benefit of the city. On Second Street, across from the Lowell Inn, is the H.C. Farmer Sunken Garden and Fountain designed and built in 1934-35, and dedicated to Henry Clay Farmer in 1937 by The Board of Water Commissioners._x000D_ _x000D_ Henry and Mary raised two children in this house. The 1900 U.S. Census lists their children, Hazel, a daughter born in 1884; and Harry, a son, born in 1886. They also had a 28-year-old German-born servant, Mary Ramin, living with them. The 1910 U.S. Census lists the four family members living in the house along with Alice Soule, age 37, a companion, Cecelia MacDonald, age 24, a visitor, and Nellie Sigfrid, age 21, a maid._x000D_ _x000D_ Henry Farmer died December 8, 1914, at the age of 57 after having a stroke a month earlier. He was eulogized as a "progressive wide-awake citizen." Mary Eva Farmer lived another 20 years dying on September 2, 1934._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1916, soon after Henrys death, the house was sold to Herman and Edith Woerz; he was the President of the Interstate Lumber Company. The 1920 U.S. Census lists the occupants of the house as Herman, age 45; Edith, age 46; Marion, a daughter, age 18; Robert, a son, age 13; Gretchen, a daughter, age 3; and Nellie Schwartz, a 33-year-old maid._x000D_ _x000D_ In architectural terms, the house might be termed a "free classic" Queen Anne style house because of its complex roof line, Palladian (three-part) window on the third floor, front porch with classical columns, and dentils under the eaves. The wood siding is unusual in that every other clapboard is doubled up giving an unusual texture and shadow to the house. Inside, the house is quite lavish with parquet wood floors, stained glass windows, and a fireplace.
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
