Elisha Brown House
Given the unsettling times in the St Croix Valley, this is an amazing story about an early settler who became a wealthy man using his hands building several homes in the area._x000D_ _x000D_ In October 1856, Elisha Brown, a carpenter, erected a one and half story gable end house on four lots he contracted to buy from Elam Greeley on Spring Street (renamed Myrtle Street in the 1880s). Elisha Brown paid $514.00 plus 20% interest for the four room house which the tax assessor valued at $200 in 1861. _x000D_ _x000D_ Elisha Brown was born in Maine (1821) and settled in Stillwater with his wife Jennette and daughter (Flora) and domestic (Mary Ingalls from Ireland). After serving 3 years in the Civil War (Company C of the Minnesota 8th Infantry Regiment), he added the L-addition (kitchen) to his home and constructed an 8 diameter cistern. In 1866 he bought four tax-forfeited lots on the same block for $107.49. He probably built (helped build) the original houses at 114 Martha (1873) for Gust Carlgren and at 116 Everett Street (1873) for James Fitzgerald, as seen on the 1879 Birds Eye of the area, but few records are available and both houses no longer exist. In 1870, Brown had personal property worth $700, making him a wealthy man for the times. _x000D_ _x000D_ By 1880, daughter Flora had married post office clerk Fred Getchell and they shared the home with the Browns. In 1887, the local paper noted that Elisha Brown was relocating to Adrian, Minnesota after 33 years in Stillwater. He died at the Old Soldiers Home (now Minnesota Veterans) in 1907._x000D_ _x000D_ On 1880, Minerva McKusick (widow of Jonathan Estes McKusick) purchased the home from Elisha and Jennette Brown. Jonathan E. McKusick (1811 - 1876) married Minerva King (Calais, ME), served Captain in the Militia in 1840 (Baring, ME), settled in Stillwater in 1845, was the first Territorial State Auditor (1849 - 1852), presided over the 1848 Stillwater Convention, 1st elected Town Marshal, census enumerator, Civil War Captain of the 3rd Minnesota Battery of Light Infantry, Judge of Probate Court, one of the McKusick brothers of lumbering fame. He was known locally for making canes out of the timber from the defunct McKusick Lumber Mill for the areas Old Settlers. His brothers included John M., William and Ivory McKusick._x000D_ _x000D_ Minerva (King) McKusick (1817 - 1905) and Jonathan had 7 children (Gilman, Daniel, Elizabeth, Helena, Henry, Harrison and Marcia). She moved into the home with her grandson, Abail M. Dodd Jr., whose mother (Helena Dodd) had died eight days after his birth. In 1904, Harrison McKusick purchased the home from Minerva subject to the right that Minerva McKusick to occupy home as a homestead during the remainder of her natural life. Harrison and his wife, Lillie Mae (King) lived in the home until 1911._x000D_ _x000D_ On 15 February 1911, Gustaf Ekblad purchased the home; Gustaf Ekblad owend a grocery store in Stillwater (Gustaf Ekblad Company at 120 North Main Street in Stillwater). On 11 September 1912 in Probate Court, Gustaf Ekblad bequeathed all his property to Jennie Ekblad. Upon her death in 1933, Jennie bequeathed the home to her son, George and his wife, Catherine Ekblad. After they sold the house in 1938, it changed hands several times; by the mid 1950s, Robert C. Johnson, a sheet metal worker employed by a number of companies over time, took ownership of the home, remaining through the 1990s with his wife, Elaine._x000D_ _x000D_ The basic structure of the house today remains much like it was when it was built. At some point some of the interior walls were removed, the "front" door of the home, which on the 1879 birds eye view of Stillwater is shown facing east on the gable end of the house, was relocated to the broad south side, and a porch on the backside of the house was enclosed into a kitchen. The house was purchased in 2006 and the current owner is preserving the houses interior stairs, doors and windows and replacing the "modern" light fixtures with antique light fixtures. The exterior wood shakes will be removed exposing the original lap siding and restored to the original construction.
Elisha Brown House
Given the unsettling times in the St Croix Valley, this is an amazing story about an early settler who became a wealthy man using his hands building several homes in the area._x000D_ _x000D_ In October 1856, Elisha Brown, a carpenter, erected a one and half story gable end house on four lots he contracted to buy from Elam Greeley on Spring Street (renamed Myrtle Street in the 1880s). Elisha Brown paid $514.00 plus 20% interest for the four room house which the tax assessor valued at $200 in 1861. _x000D_ _x000D_ Elisha Brown was born in Maine (1821) and settled in Stillwater with his wife Jennette and daughter (Flora) and domestic (Mary Ingalls from Ireland). After serving 3 years in the Civil War (Company C of the Minnesota 8th Infantry Regiment), he added the L-addition (kitchen) to his home and constructed an 8 diameter cistern. In 1866 he bought four tax-forfeited lots on the same block for $107.49. He probably built (helped build) the original houses at 114 Martha (1873) for Gust Carlgren and at 116 Everett Street (1873) for James Fitzgerald, as seen on the 1879 Birds Eye of the area, but few records are available and both houses no longer exist. In 1870, Brown had personal property worth $700, making him a wealthy man for the times. _x000D_ _x000D_ By 1880, daughter Flora had married post office clerk Fred Getchell and they shared the home with the Browns. In 1887, the local paper noted that Elisha Brown was relocating to Adrian, Minnesota after 33 years in Stillwater. He died at the Old Soldiers Home (now Minnesota Veterans) in 1907._x000D_ _x000D_ On 1880, Minerva McKusick (widow of Jonathan Estes McKusick) purchased the home from Elisha and Jennette Brown. Jonathan E. McKusick (1811 - 1876) married Minerva King (Calais, ME), served Captain in the Militia in 1840 (Baring, ME), settled in Stillwater in 1845, was the first Territorial State Auditor (1849 - 1852), presided over the 1848 Stillwater Convention, 1st elected Town Marshal, census enumerator, Civil War Captain of the 3rd Minnesota Battery of Light Infantry, Judge of Probate Court, one of the McKusick brothers of lumbering fame. He was known locally for making canes out of the timber from the defunct McKusick Lumber Mill for the areas Old Settlers. His brothers included John M., William and Ivory McKusick._x000D_ _x000D_ Minerva (King) McKusick (1817 - 1905) and Jonathan had 7 children (Gilman, Daniel, Elizabeth, Helena, Henry, Harrison and Marcia). She moved into the home with her grandson, Abail M. Dodd Jr., whose mother (Helena Dodd) had died eight days after his birth. In 1904, Harrison McKusick purchased the home from Minerva subject to the right that Minerva McKusick to occupy home as a homestead during the remainder of her natural life. Harrison and his wife, Lillie Mae (King) lived in the home until 1911._x000D_ _x000D_ On 15 February 1911, Gustaf Ekblad purchased the home; Gustaf Ekblad owend a grocery store in Stillwater (Gustaf Ekblad Company at 120 North Main Street in Stillwater). On 11 September 1912 in Probate Court, Gustaf Ekblad bequeathed all his property to Jennie Ekblad. Upon her death in 1933, Jennie bequeathed the home to her son, George and his wife, Catherine Ekblad. After they sold the house in 1938, it changed hands several times; by the mid 1950s, Robert C. Johnson, a sheet metal worker employed by a number of companies over time, took ownership of the home, remaining through the 1990s with his wife, Elaine._x000D_ _x000D_ The basic structure of the house today remains much like it was when it was built. At some point some of the interior walls were removed, the "front" door of the home, which on the 1879 birds eye view of Stillwater is shown facing east on the gable end of the house, was relocated to the broad south side, and a porch on the backside of the house was enclosed into a kitchen. The house was purchased in 2006 and the current owner is preserving the houses interior stairs, doors and windows and replacing the "modern" light fixtures with antique light fixtures. The exterior wood shakes will be removed exposing the original lap siding and restored to the original construction.
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
