You wouldn't happen to have an ancestry.com profile that is also named "kimanndono," would you?
If not, ignore everything I am about to say! :P
If so... I would have contacted you through that website but I got an error when trying to click on the profile. Anyway, I live in a house that appears to have been built by Frederick Bechstein in about 1865--although no one can be sure since the city didn't require building permits until 1870. His daughter, Lena Bechstein, raised several children in the house until the 1930's, including Dorothy (Eiden) Ritter, who is on your family tree. I am trying to find descendants of the family that built my house. If your Dorothy Eiden is for sure my "Dora" Eiden, then you might be my first sucess! Here is the house:
Like I said, ignore everything I just said if you have nothing to do with that ancestry.com profile--in which case I must sound like a raving lunatic...
Hi, For some reason I never got the LJ notification of this when you originally posted it. I am that person on ancestry.com. Honestly, I put my info on ancestry.com about a year ago and haven't done anything with it since then. It was all info from a high school project from probably 15 years ago! I will have to ask my grandma about this. I will probably see her over the weekend. If you don't mind my asking, what street is the house on?
Yes! Contact at last! :) The house is at 1733 Wabash Street in Corktown. I don't have a piece of paper stating that Frederick Bechstein built this house, but he was the first owner of this parcel of land, which was part of a large farm before that. The city directories and the census information list his occupation as a carpenter, and he was the first occupant of this house. I can't imagine an immigrant carpenter hiring someone else to build his own house. :)
That would be wonderful if you mentioned the house to your grandmother. Her mother would have been raised here! I did look up your grandmother's name and try to send her a letter with a photo of the house many months ago, but never received a reply. Either the letter got lost, or she thought I was just crazy. Anyway, let me know what she says. Feel free to email me (five_khandhas@yahoo.com) or call me at 313-414-8668 if you would like to know more or to see the house for yourself.
I think I'll just relay the whole history here. :)
This is the story of your great-great-great grandfather's house. I won't go into the pre-history of the land, but it was once part of the Peter Godfroy farm. After he died, his widow divided up segments of it and auctioned them off for development. An notice in the Detroit Free Press ran for a week in April of 1864 advertising the auction of lots on the 11th beginning at 10 o'clock in the morning.
Frederick Bechstein bought lot number 92--big enough for two houses--for $190. The city directory for 1863/1864 lists his address as being on the alley behind 41 Baker St. (now Bagley). He and his wife Margaret had at least four children at the time: William (b. 1855), Christopher (b. 1856), Elizabeth (b. 1859), and Frederick Jr (b. 1863). In the October following his purchase of lot 92, his daughter Lena was born.
The 1865/1866 directory contains the very first documentation I've yet found of this house's existence. At the time, Wabash was called Peter St., and 14th St. was called Godfroy Ave. (after the farmer who used to own the land). The directory listing, misspelling your ancestor's name as "Bhestin", didn't even list a house number. It simply indicated a home on Peter Street near Michigan Central Rail Road:
It is not known precisely when the house was built, as the city's fire marshall did not require building permits until some years later.
This is an early map of the neighborhood, with an X indicating the approximate location of lot 92:
Mr. and Mrs. Bechstein had two more children in this house: Mina (b. 1866) and Catherine (b. 1869). It was in 1869 that a numerical address was finally associated with the house in the city directory: 195 Thirteenth-and-a-half Street. Its name wouldn't change to Wabash until July 3, 1882, and the number wouldn't change to 1733 until the city re-organized its address system in 1921.
Tragically, the family also experienced early deaths. William Bechstein died in November of 1870 at age 15. Elizabeth died on March 16, 1877 at age 18.
The Bechstein house at 195 13-1/2 Street was built on the south half of lot 92. At some point later, a house was built on the north half, at 197 13-1/2 Street (later 1739 Wabash). It was demolished in 1977. Frederick Bechstein and his family moved to 197 around 1876 and apparently rented out 195. I have incomplete information on who rented the other house. The 1880 U.S. Census lists a Thomas J. Wilson at the home. The city directories list an Isaac Johnson at 195 Wabash in 1888, and a John Reetz in 1889.
The first listing in the Sanborn Maps showing this house appeared in 1884. The rectangle with an "X" through it on the rear of the property indicates a horse stable. The "2" in the rectangle indicates the number of stories.
Frederick Bechstein's daughter, Lena, married Henry Eiden in 1890. The city directory this year lists Henry Eiden as living at 195 Wabash. Property records show Frederick Bechstein selling the house to his daughter in 1891. However, for some reason Lena and her husband moved back in with Mr. Bechstein and continued to rent the house. The city directories list subsequent occupants:
1891 John Gasco, switchman
1892 George F Duff, clerk
1893 John W. Greer, bricklayer
1894 Bridget Calnon (widow of Giles)
1895 " "
1896 Rose Perkins
Finally, in 1897, Henry and Lena Eiden move back into 195 Wabash with Frederick Bechstein (now a widower) and their three children: Dorothy (your great-grandmother, b. 12/16/1890), Henry Jr (b. 9/19/1892) and Rose (b. Oct. 1896). The rest of their children were born and raised here: Elizabeth (b. 12/22/1903 -- THE SAME DAY Frederick Bechstein died), Charlotte (b. 1907), and Willard (also b. 1907).
After Frederick Bechstein died, Lena and Henry rented out 197 Wabash until selling it to Johanna Lamey in 1904. As I mentioned that house was demolished in 1977. Coincidentally, the person who owned this house in the 1980's bought that lot and re-united it with its former other half.
I have a lot more information on the Eiden children raised in this house (who they married, their children, when they died, etc.) but I should save that for a later time.
1733 Wabash witnessed two more deaths before the Eidens moved. First was their youngest daughter Charlotte, who died in 1932 at the age of 25. She was unmarried and living at home. Then, in 1934, Lena Eiden died at the age of 69. After that, Henry moved out to live with his daughter Rose, who had married and moved out some years previous.
The unmarried Eiden siblings, Elizabeth and Willard, owned the house but did not live in it. Instead, they rented it out until ultimately selling it to Arthur Woodham in 1948.
Interestingly, the Detroit Public Library had a photograph of Willard Eiden in their photographic section of the Burton Historical Collection:
I'm guessing that this has something to do with the fact that Elizabeth Eiden worked at the library. She is first listed as being a typist at the library in 1922, the year after the Main Library opened at its current location. The 1965 directory still lists her as working there. She appears to have served at the library her entire working life.
Anyway, that's your family's history as it relates to this house. Hope you don't mind the lost post. :)
If not, ignore everything I am about to say! :P
If so... I would have contacted you through that website but I got an error when trying to click on the profile. Anyway, I live in a house that appears to have been built by Frederick Bechstein in about 1865--although no one can be sure since the city didn't require building permits until 1870. His daughter, Lena Bechstein, raised several children in the house until the 1930's, including Dorothy (Eiden) Ritter, who is on your family tree. I am trying to find descendants of the family that built my house. If your Dorothy Eiden is for sure my "Dora" Eiden, then you might be my first sucess! Here is the house:
Like I said, ignore everything I just said if you have nothing to do with that ancestry.com profile--in which case I must sound like a raving lunatic...
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That would be wonderful if you mentioned the house to your grandmother. Her mother would have been raised here! I did look up your grandmother's name and try to send her a letter with a photo of the house many months ago, but never received a reply. Either the letter got lost, or she thought I was just crazy. Anyway, let me know what she says. Feel free to email me (five_khandhas@yahoo.com) or call me at 313-414-8668 if you would like to know more or to see the house for yourself.
Thanks for writing back! :)
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This is the story of your great-great-great grandfather's house. I won't go into the pre-history of the land, but it was once part of the Peter Godfroy farm. After he died, his widow divided up segments of it and auctioned them off for development. An notice in the Detroit Free Press ran for a week in April of 1864 advertising the auction of lots on the 11th beginning at 10 o'clock in the morning.
Frederick Bechstein bought lot number 92--big enough for two houses--for $190. The city directory for 1863/1864 lists his address as being on the alley behind 41 Baker St. (now Bagley). He and his wife Margaret had at least four children at the time: William (b. 1855), Christopher (b. 1856), Elizabeth (b. 1859), and Frederick Jr (b. 1863). In the October following his purchase of lot 92, his daughter Lena was born.
The 1865/1866 directory contains the very first documentation I've yet found of this house's existence. At the time, Wabash was called Peter St., and 14th St. was called Godfroy Ave. (after the farmer who used to own the land). The directory listing, misspelling your ancestor's name as "Bhestin", didn't even list a house number. It simply indicated a home on Peter Street near Michigan Central Rail Road:
It is not known precisely when the house was built, as the city's fire marshall did not require building permits until some years later.
This is an early map of the neighborhood, with an X indicating the approximate location of lot 92:
Mr. and Mrs. Bechstein had two more children in this house: Mina (b. 1866) and Catherine (b. 1869). It was in 1869 that a numerical address was finally associated with the house in the city directory: 195 Thirteenth-and-a-half Street. Its name wouldn't change to Wabash until July 3, 1882, and the number wouldn't change to 1733 until the city re-organized its address system in 1921.
Tragically, the family also experienced early deaths. William Bechstein died in November of 1870 at age 15. Elizabeth died on March 16, 1877 at age 18.
The Bechstein house at 195 13-1/2 Street was built on the south half of lot 92. At some point later, a house was built on the north half, at 197 13-1/2 Street (later 1739 Wabash). It was demolished in 1977. Frederick Bechstein and his family moved to 197 around 1876 and apparently rented out 195. I have incomplete information on who rented the other house. The 1880 U.S. Census lists a Thomas J. Wilson at the home. The city directories list an Isaac Johnson at 195 Wabash in 1888, and a John Reetz in 1889.
The first listing in the Sanborn Maps showing this house appeared in 1884. The rectangle with an "X" through it on the rear of the property indicates a horse stable. The "2" in the rectangle indicates the number of stories.
Frederick Bechstein's daughter, Lena, married Henry Eiden in 1890. The city directory this year lists Henry Eiden as living at 195 Wabash. Property records show Frederick Bechstein selling the house to his daughter in 1891. However, for some reason Lena and her husband moved back in with Mr. Bechstein and continued to rent the house. The city directories list subsequent occupants:
Finally, in 1897, Henry and Lena Eiden move back into 195 Wabash with Frederick Bechstein (now a widower) and their three children: Dorothy (your great-grandmother, b. 12/16/1890), Henry Jr (b. 9/19/1892) and Rose (b. Oct. 1896). The rest of their children were born and raised here: Elizabeth (b. 12/22/1903 -- THE SAME DAY Frederick Bechstein died), Charlotte (b. 1907), and Willard (also b. 1907).
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After Frederick Bechstein died, Lena and Henry rented out 197 Wabash until selling it to Johanna Lamey in 1904. As I mentioned that house was demolished in 1977. Coincidentally, the person who owned this house in the 1980's bought that lot and re-united it with its former other half.
I have a lot more information on the Eiden children raised in this house (who they married, their children, when they died, etc.) but I should save that for a later time.
1733 Wabash witnessed two more deaths before the Eidens moved. First was their youngest daughter Charlotte, who died in 1932 at the age of 25. She was unmarried and living at home. Then, in 1934, Lena Eiden died at the age of 69. After that, Henry moved out to live with his daughter Rose, who had married and moved out some years previous.
The unmarried Eiden siblings, Elizabeth and Willard, owned the house but did not live in it. Instead, they rented it out until ultimately selling it to Arthur Woodham in 1948.
Interestingly, the Detroit Public Library had a photograph of Willard Eiden in their photographic section of the Burton Historical Collection:
I'm guessing that this has something to do with the fact that Elizabeth Eiden worked at the library. She is first listed as being a typist at the library in 1922, the year after the Main Library opened at its current location. The 1965 directory still lists her as working there. She appears to have served at the library her entire working life.
Anyway, that's your family's history as it relates to this house. Hope you don't mind the lost post. :)
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