Category: South Tour

179 Tillson Street

c. 1870 – Victorian Gothic (c. 1890 Queen Anne Porch)

A native of Warren County, New Jersey, Isaac Crawford (1833-1916) arrived in Romeo in 1850 and worked for the Snover & Bellows Blacksmith Shop for a few years before establishing a shop of his own. During the Civil War, he joined the Fifth Michigan Cavalry with General Custer’s brigade where he “took part in many important engagements” and “became blacksmith for the regiment.” After the war he established another shop in partnership with Timothy Lyon. His Victorian Gothic residence was completed during the early 1870s probably by George Hipp who built a number. of similar residences along Tillson Street during ‘that decade. The porch is of Queen Anne design and was added at the turn of the century.

221 Tillson Street

c. 1877 – Victorian Gothic

This Victorian Gothic residence was built in 1877 by Schuyler Vandecar (1842-1931), a native of Cohoes, New York and a Civil War veteran having served at the Second Battle of Bull Run. Antietam and Fredericksburg. In 1871, Vandecur arrived m Romeo and worked as a patternmaker in Albert Kennedy’s mill for over 35 years. A young daughter Ella Vandecar composed an essay about Romeo entitled “My Native Town that was published The Romeo Observer in 1886. The first line reads: Romeo is built “on safe and steadfast ground, which if no misfortune befalls it, will remain until the end of the world…”

233 Tillson Street

c. 1870 – Italianate

Albert Kennedy (1833-1906) a native of Mendon, New York acquired training as a builder early in life and became well known in this trade throughout the county. In 1865 he purchased the Holman Mill in Romeo and for the next 40 years produced “sash and blinds,” quality doors and other custom mill work. His Italianate residence was built in 1870 and the porches and first floor windows were replaced at the turn of the century. The porch “ramma” with its swag design is of particular interest.

199 Pleasant Street

c. 1869 – Italianate

This Italianate residence was built in 1869 by William J. Cook at a cost of $2,500. In 1874, William Park, (1804-1890), a native of Onondaga, New York and a retired Washington Township. farmer purchased the resi­dence for $2,000. Park had opened a shop in Romeo ”one door east of the Howe Sewing Machine rooms . . . where he keeps constantly on hand a large quantity of sewing machine stock consisting of needles oil, etc. He is also prepared to do general repairing of machines and warrants his work for 1 year.” In 1893 Isaac N. Brabb, (1833-1900), a native of Washington Township and wealthy farmer and landowner, acqu1red the residence and remodeled it adding_ a picturesque Queen Anne porch which has bt•(•n recently l”P­ moved. Brabb’s hobby was traveing. He attended most of the world fairs during the ninteenth century including those held at London 1852, Philadelphia 1876, Atlanta 1882, Chicago 1893, Nashville 1897, and he died at the Paris Ex­position of 1900.

196 Pleasant Street

c. 1872 – Victorian Gothic

Frank W. Dash (1849-1909) a native of Ontario, Canada and a tinsmith by trade, built his Victorian Gothic residence in the spring of 1872 as a wedding present for his first wife Irene Washer. The fanciful Queen Anne porch was added c. 1905.

244 Pleasant Street

c. 1884 – Queen Anne

This early Queen Anne residence was built by Orrin Sisson in 1884 and sold to John Lucas (1855-1914) owner of the ”Cash T” grocery store during the 1890’s. An interesting shingle pattern with scalloped edging sheathes the second story.

245 Pleasant Street

c. 1869 -Italianate

Wellington Jersey (1829·1903) a native of Washington Township was a dealer in nursery stock until 1877 when he became owner of the Romeo Marble and Monument Works. His ltalianate residence was completed in 1870 at a cost of $1,800 and has had few alterations since that time. There is a dignity to this structure with its excellent proportions and rich ornamentation. The carved fleur de leys over the windows and the Victorian “lace and heart” motif on the porch are particularly well handled. A large orchard originally surrounded the resi­dence and extended back to Tillson Street. “Weg Jersey has our thanks,” said The Romeo Observer in August,· 1877, “for a plate of luscious peaches. They are evidence to us that he knows how to raise fine fruit as well as how to sell good trees.”

240 Sisson Street

c. 1877 – Second Empire

“Every rural building requires four tints… of color…to make it a pleasant object,” noted Victorian architect Calvert Vaux in his book Villas and Cottages (1857). “This variety costs but little more than monotonous repetition, while it adds much to the completeness of the effect.” Orrin Sisson (1829-1916) wealthy Romeo farmer had his residence constructed in 1877 with “variety” as its dominant theme. Every element of the design including the decorative details of the porch and bay window, the two-toned “ve­ netian blinds” with porcelain knobs, and the elaborately patterned mansard roof with classical dormers, make this one of the most interesting Second Empire residences in the county. Con­venience was not overlooked in the desire for picturesqueness for a two story privy was in­ generously connected by breezeway to the rear of the house.

 

122 Sisson Street

c. 1855 – Italianate

This transitional residence with Italianate porches could have been built any time after Nathan Keeler (1808-1869), a prosperous Washington Township farmer, acquired the property in the 1850s. His daughter, Mrs. Hannah J. Moyers (1836-1905) had the home re­modeled in June 1886 and it may have been at this time that the porches were added. Mrs. Moyers’ pet parrot was occasionally kept on the front porch and it distinguished itself by fre­quently cussing at those who passed by.

261 West Saint Clair Street

c. 1902 – Dutch Colonial