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and discover more.
George & Maria Seymour House
Although the present house was built in 1882, 127 years ago, it is not the first residence on the lot. Both the 1870 and 1879 Birds Eye View maps of the city represent a two-story house broadside to Third Street, with the gable ends facing north and south. It appeared to have four windows across the front, but is perhaps only one room deep. The 1879 map shows a one-story addition in the back. It would take more research to determine when, and for whom this first house was built, but the 1874 tax assessors records list it as the property of Thomas Sinclair. The value of the lot and structure are listed at $3,000. (By contrast, the James Roney house just south, at 510 North Third Street, was assessed at $2,880.) Sinclair died in 1875. For more information on Thomas Sinclair see the history of the house at 402 4th St. N. _x000D_ _x000D_ The tax assessors records for 1878 record George M. Seymour as the owner of the property, and a value on the lot and structure combined at $1,580. However Seymour does not seem to be living in the house at that time._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1882, as the present house was being built, the tax assessors records for that year have the notation: "old building $1,200" and "new unfinished $800." From these notes, it would seem there were two buildings on the property. What happened to the older house? There may be a clue in the Application for Permit to Remove Building, #94 filed in August, 1886. In the application we learned that Daniel Estabrooks would need about six days to move a house along Laurel Street from the NE of this block (Block 6) to Block 1, Lot 24 of Sabins Addition, which would be 320 West Laurel Street today. The dwelling to be moved was 30 feet long, and 24 feet deep with a 20-foot-by-30-foot kitchen addition._x000D_ _x000D_ When this older house was moved out, it created room for an expansion of the present house at 518 North Third Street, and the following year, 1887, George Seymour put a $600 one-and-one-half story addition on the south side of his house. Over the years, that south addition has changed both size and form, but it remains today._x000D_ _x000D_ The 1880 U.S Census lists a diverse household with George Seymour, age 51; his wife, Maria [Anna], age 49; a daughter, Oretha, age 20; a son, Frank, age 27; Franks wife, Kate, age 27; a grandson, Lee, age 2; and Amelia Williams, a Swedish servant, age 25. Although the family is recorded as living on Fourth Street in 1880, it is probably this household that moved into the new house at 518 North Third Street two years later._x000D_ _x000D_ George M. Seymour was born in Onondaga County, New York, March 26, 1829. He apent part of his early life on a farm, but at the age of 16 he began learning the carpenters trade. Four years later, he began manufacturing items from wood, including the making of barrel staves. He married Anna B. Kingsley in 1851. In 1858, he came to Stillwater with experience as a builder and architect, and in 1861, he was awarded the contract for the Stillwater prison labor and began manufacturing barrels in the prison. (The labor of the prisoners was bid out on contract: the highest bidder got benefit of the free prison labor.)_x000D_ _x000D_ In 1869, he joined with Dwight Sabin to form Seymour, Sabin, & Co., which over the years became the largest manufacturing firm in Stillwater history, a part of which became the worlds largest threshing machine manufacturer. (Compare to Andersen Windows today.) In 1882, Seymour, Sabin & Co. became the Northwestern Car Company under Dwight Sabin._x000D_ _x000D_ During his life in Stillwater, Seymour held many positions: he was the lead contractor on the Historic Courthouse, Mayor of Stillwater, a member of the state legislature, and the Sheriff of Washington County. He died on April 11, 1892. His widow, Anna, lived in the house at 518 North Third Street until her death in 1897._x000D_ _x000D_ Within a decade, the house had become a multi-family dwelling. In 1900, Jerry Gibson, a 44-year-old Canadian, his wife, Kate, and their two children, Arthur and May, were renting the house. Jerry listed his occupation as a "commission man," (salesman?), and the 22-year-old son, Arthur was a bank clerk._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1910, the house was occupied by Rev. Edgar C. Teachout, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, along with his wife, and two older children. Also in the house was a second family: renters Wilbur Perkins, a salesman, and his wife._x000D_ _x000D_ By 1920, the residence had become a rooming house, occupied by Maran Lotz, a nurse, her son, John, her mother and father-in-law, and three boarders._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1930, Maren Lotz, an out-of-work private nurse, owned the house living there with her son, John. Also residing in the house were Daniel Corcoran and his son, Eugene, renting for $13 a month; and a second family, John Curnow his wife, Myra, and a daughter, Gail, renting for $23 a month. Maren gave the census taker a value of $4,500 for the house._x000D_ _x000D_ Today, the house remains a multifamily residence._x000D_ _x000D_ Considering Seymours business connections, interest in architecture, and the fact he was a building contractor, he built a relatively modest and plain house. It is a Stick Style design, one of a relatively few Stick Style houses in Stillwater. That particular style, most prevalent in the Midwest during the 1870s and 1880s, was characterized by a cross-gable roof, a decorative truss at the apex of the gable, and siding that is interrupted by patterns of horizontal and vertical boards (stickwork) raised from the wall for emphasis._x000D_ _x000D_ Perhaps the size of the house and the fact it was not passed on to the children can be explained by the reason that in the 1880s--about the time this house was built--Seymour, Sabin & Co. began a long decline into a calamitous bankruptcy. It is also interesting to observe that his partner, Dwight Sabins mansion, which occupied a whole block between Second and Third Streets, between Laurel and School Streets, has long since been demolished, while the much more modest Seymour house remains. ... Read More Read Less
George & Maria Seymour House
Although the present house was built in 1882, 127 years ago, it is not the first residence on the lot. Both the 1870 and 1879 Birds Eye View maps of the city represent a two-story house broadside to Third Street, with the gable ends facing north and south. It appeared to have four windows across the front, but is perhaps only one room deep. The 1879 map shows a one-story addition in the back. It would take more research to determine when, and for whom this first house was built, but the 1874 tax assessors records list it as the property of Thomas Sinclair. The value of the lot and structure are listed at $3,000. (By contrast, the James Roney house just south, at 510 North Third Street, was assessed at $2,880.) Sinclair died in 1875. For more information on Thomas Sinclair see the history of the house at 402 4th St. N. _x000D_ _x000D_ The tax assessors records for 1878 record George M. Seymour as the owner of the property, and a value on the lot and structure combined at $1,580. However Seymour does not seem to be living in the house at that time._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1882, as the present house was being built, the tax assessors records for that year have the notation: "old building $1,200" and "new unfinished $800." From these notes, it would seem there were two buildings on the property. What happened to the older house? There may be a clue in the Application for Permit to Remove Building, #94 filed in August, 1886. In the application we learned that Daniel Estabrooks would need about six days to move a house along Laurel Street from the NE of this block (Block 6) to Block 1, Lot 24 of Sabins Addition, which would be 320 West Laurel Street today. The dwelling to be moved was 30 feet long, and 24 feet deep with a 20-foot-by-30-foot kitchen addition._x000D_ _x000D_ When this older house was moved out, it created room for an expansion of the present house at 518 North Third Street, and the following year, 1887, George Seymour put a $600 one-and-one-half story addition on the south side of his house. Over the years, that south addition has changed both size and form, but it remains today._x000D_ _x000D_ The 1880 U.S Census lists a diverse household with George Seymour, age 51; his wife, Maria [Anna], age 49; a daughter, Oretha, age 20; a son, Frank, age 27; Franks wife, Kate, age 27; a grandson, Lee, age 2; and Amelia Williams, a Swedish servant, age 25. Although the family is recorded as living on Fourth Street in 1880, it is probably this household that moved into the new house at 518 North Third Street two years later._x000D_ _x000D_ George M. Seymour was born in Onondaga County, New York, March 26, 1829. He apent part of his early life on a farm, but at the age of 16 he began learning the carpenters trade. Four years later, he began manufacturing items from wood, including the making of barrel staves. He married Anna B. Kingsley in 1851. In 1858, he came to Stillwater with experience as a builder and architect, and in 1861, he was awarded the contract for the Stillwater prison labor and began manufacturing barrels in the prison. (The labor of the prisoners was bid out on contract: the highest bidder got benefit of the free prison labor.)_x000D_ _x000D_ In 1869, he joined with Dwight Sabin to form Seymour, Sabin, & Co., which over the years became the largest manufacturing firm in Stillwater history, a part of which became the worlds largest threshing machine manufacturer. (Compare to Andersen Windows today.) In 1882, Seymour, Sabin & Co. became the Northwestern Car Company under Dwight Sabin._x000D_ _x000D_ During his life in Stillwater, Seymour held many positions: he was the lead contractor on the Historic Courthouse, Mayor of Stillwater, a member of the state legislature, and the Sheriff of Washington County. He died on April 11, 1892. His widow, Anna, lived in the house at 518 North Third Street until her death in 1897._x000D_ _x000D_ Within a decade, the house had become a multi-family dwelling. In 1900, Jerry Gibson, a 44-year-old Canadian, his wife, Kate, and their two children, Arthur and May, were renting the house. Jerry listed his occupation as a "commission man," (salesman?), and the 22-year-old son, Arthur was a bank clerk._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1910, the house was occupied by Rev. Edgar C. Teachout, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, along with his wife, and two older children. Also in the house was a second family: renters Wilbur Perkins, a salesman, and his wife._x000D_ _x000D_ By 1920, the residence had become a rooming house, occupied by Maran Lotz, a nurse, her son, John, her mother and father-in-law, and three boarders._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1930, Maren Lotz, an out-of-work private nurse, owned the house living there with her son, John. Also residing in the house were Daniel Corcoran and his son, Eugene, renting for $13 a month; and a second family, John Curnow his wife, Myra, and a daughter, Gail, renting for $23 a month. Maren gave the census taker a value of $4,500 for the house._x000D_ _x000D_ Today, the house remains a multifamily residence._x000D_ _x000D_ Considering Seymours business connections, interest in architecture, and the fact he was a building contractor, he built a relatively modest and plain house. It is a Stick Style design, one of a relatively few Stick Style houses in Stillwater. That particular style, most prevalent in the Midwest during the 1870s and 1880s, was characterized by a cross-gable roof, a decorative truss at the apex of the gable, and siding that is interrupted by patterns of horizontal and vertical boards (stickwork) raised from the wall for emphasis._x000D_ _x000D_ Perhaps the size of the house and the fact it was not passed on to the children can be explained by the reason that in the 1880s--about the time this house was built--Seymour, Sabin & Co. began a long decline into a calamitous bankruptcy. It is also interesting to observe that his partner, Dwight Sabins mansion, which occupied a whole block between Second and Third Streets, between Laurel and School Streets, has long since been demolished, while the much more modest Seymour house remains. ... Read More Read Less
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
