Eugene Lorton’s Gordon Van Tine #711

Did Eugene Lorton build a mail order house in 1919 at 1516 W. Easton Street?   I believe he did and in this blog I will show you what I have gathered. Hang on, this is a long blog!

The assessor shows the house at 1716 W Easton Str as being built in 1916. The address in 1916 was 1516 W. Easton Str.

The Lortons were residing at 411 S Guthrie in 1916. In 1917 they are listed at 1630 Baltimore Ave. In fact, they lived at a few other addresses until the 1920 census which is dated January 17, 1920.

I will post that timeline at the end.

I suspect that Mr Lorton ordered his house in 1919 and had it built and moved in sometime in 1919 and at least by Jan 1920 when the census was taken.

This is what Mr Lorton’s house looked liked in 1920 shortly after it was built.

I found this photo in one of John Brooks Walton’s books and I knew immediately what it was!

The house was originally constructed from stucco. This Sanborn Map shows the house sometime around 1925. You can see that it was added on to after it was built and you can see that it was stucco. It also shows the old address.

Sanborn Map in the early-mid 1920′s showing the house was stucco and it shows the addition.

Sometime in the early-mid 1920′s the house was added on to. I haven’t pinned that date yet.

In this early 1920′s photo you can see that the house was added onto on the west end. You can see the addition on the southside, the back, in the Sanborn Map.  This photo is also in one of John Brooks Walton’s books.

The #711 was first offered in 1918. The home was one of their not-ready cut homes. In 1920 the price for the #711 was $6,234. Plumbing packages were $470.50, $604.00 and $742.75 depending on which style was selected. The heating equipment package was $453.65 for warm air, $773.40 for steam or $926.54 for hot water. The electric fixtures were $39.32 up to $101.87 and there were six choices of styles. To upgrade from yellow pine flooring to oak flooring and woodwork was $649.70. Mr and Mrs Lorton selected oak if my memory serves me right. I was in this house several times in early and mid 2000′s. You can see that this would add up to almost $10,000 just for the house and not including the land or the labor to build it.  I seriously doubt as editor for the Tulsa World he had time to build it himself.  And he had the money that’s for sure!  I would love to peruse the newspapers at this time to see what I can find.

Gordon Van Tine #711 from the 1920 catalog

That’s a pretty darn good match isn’t it? The house does appear to have been raised at the eaves. The house was likely ordered like that. It would be especially easy for Mr and Mrs Lorton to do because Gordon Van Tine had a sales office and sales rep right here in town during that time! They were located at 203 Ohio Building.

I found evidence of Gordon Van Tine having a sales office and rep in the 1918 city directory.

I found evidence of Gordon Van Tine having a sales office and rep in the 1918 city directory.

It looks like by 1919 they needed more room. Gordon Van Tine sold lumber and millwork. There are likely more Gordon Van Tine homes around town. I imagine that GN Wright and Robert Kellough ordered their #560′s here in town as well! How many houses were built just with lumber and millwork and ordered or purchased here too? The sawmill (GVT) in Davenport, Ia was a pretty big operation and had been since the late 1800′s.

Gordon Van Tine advertising in the 1919 Tulsa City Directory shows that they were doing enough business to move into a warehouse.

This 1919 City Directory shows that another manager was added.

Gordon Van Tine Tulsa City Directory in 1919 shows two managers now.

One of the very first things I did a couple of years ago when I suspected this house was a Gordon Van Tone #711 was check the measurements. The main body of the house, pre-addition, just so happens to match the measurements of the #711. Since I had been in the house several times I could verify that the floor plan was like the catalog shows with the exception of the stairs being reversed and the entry being completely open and not having a vestibule or closets as shown in the catalog.

Gordon Van Tine #711 1920 floor plan

This house won’t have stenciled part numbers on the lumber because it wasn’t pre-cut, or ready-cut as they called it. However, the windows and other lumber or millwork will be stenciled with the name of the person who ordered it, more than likely Lorton or perhaps the salesman in this case. It will also have Davenport, Ia stenciled and Tulsa, Oklahoma. That is the best way to tell for sure if this is a Gordon Van Tine #711. I feel pretty certain that it is and I have several other experts in kit home identification that agree.

In the early 1920′s the house was renumbered to #603 and then the Brentwood. It was Gordon Van Tine’s largest and finest house along with the #560. We have two #560′s in Tulsa and one of them is at 518 N Tacoma just a block NE of Eugene Lorton’s house.

Map showing how close the #711 and #560 are to each other.

Here is the 1920 catalog page of the #711. Take note of the specifications and notice the bottom that refers the reader to the back of the catalog for pricing on plumbing, heating and lighting.

Gordon Van Tine 1920 #711

The Eugene Lorton house as it looks today. It was sided at some time with rock veneer. It still very much resembles the Gordon Van Tine #711 aka the Brentwood enough that about three years ago it caught my attention!

The Lorton house at 1716 W Easton Str as it looks today.

The Gordon Van Tine Brentwood was featured on the front of the catalog in the mid-late 1920′s. This image is from my 1924 catalog.

The Lorton house from that angle.

The Lorton house catalog angle view.

And, here is that timeline I built showing the addresses of the Lorton family.  You can see they moved out by 1924.  This can also be seen on the family tree I built on Ancestry.

Lorton Timeline

Well, all of that being said and presented I would say it’s safe to say that the Eugene Lorton house at 1716 W Easton Str is a Gordon Van Tine #711 aka The Brentwood. Unless….someone has evidence that can prove more so than this!

A great trip to Bartlesville

One of the things I enjoy is playing the saxophone. I guess I should, after all I was a music major! I play with The Sounds Of Music Orchestra in Tulsa Oklahoma.

Sounds Of Music Orchestra Tulsa Oklahoma

On Saturday April 6th we played for a dance at the Bartlesville Elks Lodge that was sponsored by the Bartlesville Public Library. Boy was it a lot of FUN! Joe Sears  aka Aunt Pearl was the emcee.  What a HOOT!

Sounds Of Music at the 1940′s Canteen Dance

Bartlesville is about 45 miles north of Tulsa on highway 75. What a great place to visit. I had family in Bartlesville and Barnsdall years ago and I remember visiting Frank Phillips mansion and Woolaroc quite well. On Saturday I decided to go early and see the three Lustrons, Price Tower and of course look for kit homes. Those are things I knew nothing about forty years ago.  The three Lustrons are well-known and listed on the Lustron locator website.  Price Tower, well that is a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece. It speaks for itself!   Kit homes?  I couldn’t find any evidence anywhere that anyone has documented any there. I know there has to be because I have a sales receipt for an Aladdin Maples!  Where there’s one there are usually more, especially in a large town or city.

If you are not familiar with Bartlesville, well… it was built by oil much like Tulsa was.

I had a great time in my short afternoon and found a couple of very nice homes!  I’m fairly easy to entertain.  Give me someplace to explore and my camera and you’ll never hear the word boring from me.

My blog today is just pictures. I have researched the homes and their owners but I’ll write about those another day.

I found the most gorgeous Aladdin Villa!  Just absolutely stunning.  I talked with the neighbor for a while.  He had no idea it was a kit home.  In fact, he had never heard of such a thing and he was probably 70 years old or so.

Aladdin Villa in Bartlesville Oklahoma

Aladdin Villa from the 1918  catalog

Aladdin Villa in Bartlesville Oklahoma

It was added on to recently according to the neighbor.  I can see that because I am very familiar with this house plan. They added the second floor above what was the sun parlor. You can just barely see the fireplace poking through the roof.  the contractors did a beautiful job.  You can’t even see where they added on and I believe those are the original windows on the second floor, they must have reused them.

It was featured on the front of the inside of the 1918 catalog!

What a grand house!
I call it the “BartlesVilla”

That is a huge house!  And how they built it on that lot I’ll never know.  I looked on the Sanborn Maps and the house next door was there as well. Less to mow?

The Aladdin Villa from the 1918 catalog. this shows the floor plan and what an enormous house it was! It still is even by today’s standards.

I was hoping to get the sales receipt for it but no luck. I did receive the sales order for another Aladdin home in Bartlesville today. Hopefully I can find it when I return.

Another one of my favorite finds was a rare Sears Savoy. Actually a Savoy that was a 264P233 originally. Sears gave their houses numbers in the early years. My research shows that this house was built in 1914 or 1915 according to the Sanborn Maps. The house is on the Sanborn Maps dated June of 1915. So, it was built late in 1914 or early 1915. It is in wonderful condition and hasn’t been altered on the exterior. I immediately recognized it!

A beautiful Sears Savoy in Bartlesville Oklahoma

Sears 1914 catalog image

Sears Savoy in Bartlesville Oklahoma

Sears Savoy 1916 image

Are you convinced? I am! Let’s see the entire page of the 264P233 aka Savoy from my 1914 catalog.

The 1914 Sears 264P233 aka Savoy

One more house tonight and that’s it. Promise!

This Radford 1508 caught my attention. Wow! This was a surprise. I’ve not seen this Radford house before so I was thrilled to add this one to my collection. What a cool house.

Radford 1508 in Bartlesville Oklahoma

The Radford 1508

Radford 1508 in Bartlesville Oklahoma

Sorry about that loblolly, I tried to shoot around it the best I could from the street.

Here’s the entire page showing the floor plan of the Radford 1508

The Radford 1508 in Bartlesville Oklahoma. It is a unique looking house, I like it!

I would LOVE to see that Radford restored!

I have a few more but I will post them later and I have some I have to go back and get photographs of and I will see what else I can find! In the meantime, if you live in the Bartlesville area and would like to learn about mail order houses I recommend that you start with any or all of the books that Rosemary Thornton wrote and the Houses By Mail book too. I’m sure that they can probably be found at the local library in the meantime until yours come in the mail.
Be sure and read Rosemary’s awesome blog, she recently featured the Villa and the Savoy. It’s quite an honor to have those two houses featured by a well-known author on kit homes! http://www.searshomes.org

I hope you enjoyed the photos. If you have a kit home that you need help identifying then please send me a message. I have helped folks from all over the country identify their kit home.

Inside a 1915 Sears Phoenix. Who wants to see?

Once and awhile I have the opportunity to see inside a Sears home. I prefer first hand experience but thanks to You Tube I had the opportunity to see the inside of a 1915 Sears Phoenix. As the homeowner guided *me* through his home I recognized several architectural features that I have seen in my building materials and mill work catalogs. I am going to post that link so you can see the inside of this gorgeous mail order house. But first I am going to post the catalog images of the architectural features you will see.

I hope you enjoy this special blog!

First stop, the exterior of the Sears Phoenix as seen in the 1914 catalog. See that price? I was a little surprised at the beauty of this house for that price!

1914 Sears Phoenix

We enter the house and the window to our right is a gorgeous stained glass floral window. You will see this at :55 sec.

Sears Stained Glass Window from their building materials and millwork catalog.

We are now in the entry hall. Notice the oak newel posts on the oak stairway.

This the Newel Post that was included in the Sears Phoenix. This image is from a building materials catalog.

Our next view is the parlor. He calls it the living room but in the floor plans it is referred to as the parlor. Let’s take a look at the actual floor plan so we can see where we are and where we are going. Please read through the specs and see everything that is included for that price. Notice there are no light fixtures included. At the bottom there is a list of plumbing and heating outfits that were available for an additional charge.

This Sears Phoenix floorplan shows the specifications that were included with the purchase price.

Did you figure out where you are? NOW let’s take a look inside the parlor! At 1:34 you will see this stained glass window. They called it the Roman. Our tour guide shows us an etched sash window.  I have never seen a window like that in any of my catalogs.  Sorry I can’t show you that one.  It’s not mentioned in the original specs so it might have been added later to replace a broken window.

Sears Stained Glass Window from their building materials and millwork catalog.

From the parlor we walk through the bookcase colonnade into the living room. This buyer left out the fireplace and opted for a bay window.  That would have cost a little extra.

Sears Bookcase Colonnade from a building materials and mill work catalog.

As we step through the French pocket doors behold a stunning craftsman dining room! This dining room includes an oak plate rail as well as oak mill work just as the stairway and newel posts were.

Sears Plate Rail from their building materials and millwork catalog.

At the end of the dining room is an oak built-in buffet which was included in that price! You can’t buy an oak buffet alone like that today for $1200 bucks.

Sears Dining Room from their building materials and millwork catalog. This image shows a built-in buffet as well as the plate rail.

Here is the colonial buffet as shown in the building materials catalog.

A Sears Buffet from their building materials and millwork catalog.

Above the oak buffet you will see another beautiful stain glass window at 3:22 in the video.

Sears Stained Glass Window from their building materials and millwork catalog.

Next we see the kitchen and he explains that it was pretty much a complete remodel but they kept it as close to the original as they could.

As we go upstairs keep an eye out at the top for the door hardware on various doors. I was able to pair the catalog image with an actual doorknob that was in another Sears house that I identified for someone in another part of the country.

Sears Hardware from their building materials and millwork catalog.

Our first view upstairs is the front bedroom. In the front bedroom there are three very beautiful stained glass windows. The center window is the Roman once again like the parlor window. It can be seen at 5:55 in the video.

Sears Stained Glass Window from their building materials and millwork catalog.

However, at 5:42 there are two five foot length stained glass windows that flank the Roman. Gorgeous!

Sears Stained Glass Window from their building materials and millwork catalog.

With the help of editing software I created the set of windows you see. Wow, Wow and WOW!!!

Sears Stained Glass Windows from their building materials and millwork catalog. I assembled as they appear in the first bedroom.

He should have saved that room for last. We visit the smaller middle bedroom next where we see three colonial diamond muntin windows. Those are seen at 6:08.

Sears Windows from their building materials and millwork catalog.

We then see the bathroom which was remodeled but he used subway tile which was period appropriate. I couldn’t find that unique hinge in any catalog. Bummer.

My last image is the entire page as the Sears Phoenix appeared in the 1914 catalog.

1914 Sears Phoenix

Now that you have had a preview of the inside of the Sears Phoenix let’s watch the You Tube video.

Please leave him a compliment on his house and let him know you read my blog! If you enjoyed my blog please leave me a comment

If you have a mail order house and need help identifying it please send me a message. I love identifying interior images as well. That’s obvious isn’t it? If you live in northeastern Oklahoma and would like me to visit your home and see your interior first hand please message me. All I ask is that you permit me to take photos and feature your house in my blog.

Another fellow researcher has a blog about mail order houses in her neck of the woods, Chicago, Ill. She recently featured a Sears Phoenix which is where I found the You Tube link. Thanks Lara! Please visit her blog and read that post. http://www.sears-homes.com/2013/02/a-phoenix-rises-in-norwood-park.html

I hope you enjoyed this blog!

The not so sunny Aladdin Sunshine in Tulsa

Tulsa is home to an Aladdin Sunshine, alas a not so sunny Sunshine. This house has seen better times and after researching the history I can understand why it is in the condition it is in. There were seven different occupants/families between 1921 and 1935. I stopped there. I think it is rental property now. It was never occupied by one family for more than five years at time during the years I checked. Thirteen to fourteen years and so many occupants, it probably didn’t have the best care during some of those years.
As you can see below the Aladdin Sunshine was a very pretty little bungalow and spacious for its size and it even had a breakfast nook!

The Aladdin Sunshine image and floorplan, a spacious little bungalow!

The Aladdin Sunshine in Tulsa was first occupied in 1921 by John Goss Jr. and his new bride Louise. John was treasurer for Texas Petroleum and Land Co. At least I believe they were newlyweds because the 1920 census shows him single living with mom and pop at their house. He worked for his dad, John Sr and I think it was owned by John Sr.
I can just imagine Louise serving breakfast in their cozy little breakfast nook before her husband headed out to the office.  Can you picture John drinking his morning coffee and reading the Tulsa World?  Back then the Tulsa World had a morning and an evening newspaper.

Aladdin Sunshine Breakfast Nook

The Goss’s lived in the Sunshine until 1923. By 1924 George and Anabelle Crawford had moved in to the house for a year.  George was a salesman at Dickason-Goodman Lumber. I bet he was impressed with the quality of lumber the Aladdin company used!  After all, Aladdin was known for their dollar a knot guarantee.

The Aladdin Dollar a Knot Guarantee

In 1925 Leo and Leah Wakefield and their family moved in. Leo was an auditor for Skelly Oil Company. They would occupy the Sunshine until 1930 holding the record for five years. Perhaps it was the homey living room that attracted the Wakefields ?

The Aladdin Sunshine Living Room

In 1930 Oil Well Supply Co chief clerk Arthur K Herbert and his wife Corwin moved in and lived here for close to two years. By 1932 Charles and Luella Thomas moved in. Charles was a clerk for Saint Louis – San Francisco Railway.

And, once again within a year the Sunshine had yet another family!  In 1933 the Merle and Birdie Crumb family moved in.  Merle was employed at the First National Bank and Trust as a special officer, security?  By 1934, I know, yet AGAIN a new family had moved in! George and Simmie Gladson were living in the Sunshine. George was an air brake repairman and car inspector for Saint Louis – San Francisco Railway.  They were living there in 1935.   I stopped right there. I had this song memorized.  I couldn’t bear to see how many more owners or occupants had lived here.

Aladdin Sunshine in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Above is our Aladdin Sunshine. It has so much potential. I am in hopes that one day I will drive by and see it all cleaned up repaired and painted. Below is what this bungalow COULD look like if restored. It has good bones and is made from the best lumber.  It still has its original windows. Peel that 1940′s siding off and give it a fresh coat of paint and shed a little sunshine in the neighborhood! It just needs some TLC.

The Aladdin Sunshine was such a cheerful house in the catalog image.

Do you have an Aladdin Sunshine? I would love to see more. If you need help with identifying any mail order kit house please send me message. If you are from Oklahoma and have a kit home then PLEASE send me a message. I would especially like to see your house!

Aladdin Winthrop found in Waukomis, Oklahoma

The Winthrop was another one of Aladdin’s popular bungalows. And since Aladdin professes that a bungalow should always be set close to the ground it is no surprise to find one on Oklahoma farm land! Those of us from here know how flat our land is, for the most part.

The Winthrop from my 1919 Aladdin catalog.

Sometime between 1900 and 1906 Frank Atherton and his family moved from Illinois to Oklahoma. Frank was an Illinois farmer. His wife Alice and their family including daughter in-laws and one grandson probably loaded up all of their belongings in a covered wagon and headed for Indian Territory. It’s quite possible Frank came to Oklahoma beforehand and acquired his land during the land run when the Cherokee Strip was opened. Frank and his wife Alice, oldest son Fred and his wife Phoebe and their son Ralph, son Will and his wife Inez as well as Frank and Phoebe’s three youngest children Eddis, Artie (their only daughter) and Joe are all on the 1900 census in Illinois and by 1910 are residents in Waukomis, Oklahoma. This 1906 map shows the land of Frank Atherton. I think the family probably all came together and settled here to farm.

This Waukomis Township 1906 Pre-Statehood map shows the land of FP Atherton

Frank soon became a prominent figure in the Waukomis community. He was a prominent stockman and farmer as well as Vice President of the Farmers State Bank and he served several years as the president of the town board of trustees.

Frank obviously knew the value of a good hard-earned dollar when he turned to Aladdin in May 1919 to order his bungalow, the Winthrop.

This 1919 sales order shows the Aladdin Winthrop that Mr. Atherton ordered in May. It was shipped in June.

Mr Atherton had a few special instructions for his Winthrop. He asked for a mullion check rail window in place of the fireplace.  He asked for a buffet and a colonnade. Those cost extra of course.

Aladdin Homecraft Built In Buffet in Oak 2A-35 $41.75 plus $1.45 for the casings, base blocks and cap trim totals the $43.20 shown on the sales order

The Homecraft Bookcase Arch is shown above. In oak 3A-1 at $40.50 and the side and head jambs and casings were an additional $3.65 which is shown as $44.15 in the sales order.

The Athertons also requested that their Winthrop be reversed. This was common and there was no charge to reverse your house. Here is the Atherton’s Winthrop as shown on the assessor website.

When I saw this I thought, well that’s not reversed! Then I realized that the dining room bay windows were missing. Did I have the wrong address and house? So I went to the address 302 S Main St to investigate. I looked around the sides and even an aerial view.

I really REALLY need photos of this house! For now all I can provide are google screen shots.

Do you see what I see? There is that window in place of the fireplace and there is the dining room bay window! It should be on the opposite side of the house. They reversed the house from the dining room and master bedroom back! They didn’t reverse the living room or front porch.

I decided I had better double-check so I looked from above the house to see the roof and check all of the windows for room placement in the house.

I decided I had better double check so I looked from above the house to see the roof and check all of the windows for room placement in the house. They were all correct.

I then used my editing skills and reversed the back half of the house and compared it to the catalog image to show you how the Athertons built their Aladdin Winthrop.

Aladdin Winthrop Floor Plan showing the Athertons customization.

There was only one more thing to compare and that was the measurements and footprint. Here is the foot print from the assessor.

This drawing shows the measurements of the Athertons house. They all check out okay.

That’s the house, it is at 302 S Main St Waukomis, Ok . I sure could used good photos of all angles if anyone is in Waukomis

What became of Frank and his family? Well, Alice passed away in 1926 and Frank remarried about a year later. He and his new wife were wintering in Pasadena California when the ailing Frank passed away on January 28, 1928. Three of his sons, Will, Eddis and Joe, were present at his death. Mr Atherton was brought back to Waukomis and his funeral was held at the Waukomis Christian Church which could be seen from his house. The church is still there as well. He was buried in Waukomis Cemetery where his wife Alice was buried two years prior. Frank and Alice’s children remained in Waukomis and farmed the land, at least for a while. There are several Atherton’s buried in the Waukomis Cemetery and some may have moved to nearby Enid.

Waukomis Cemetery

I love the cemetery sign! How fitting. It makes me wonder how many early Waukomis settlers are buried here and I imagine that is exactly how they arrived to Waukomis Township, Indian Territory in the late 1800′s early 1900′s.

I can’t help but wonder if there are any descendants out there of Frank Atherton and if they know the story of his Aladdin Winthrop. Maybe one will read this and contact me!

Do you live in an Aladdin Winthrop? Here is the catalog image again, untouched this time.

Aladdin Winthrop 1919

Aladdin Raymond found in Covington, Oklahoma

What housewife would not be pleased with the plan of the Raymond? This small but roomy bungalow boasts of a step saving arrangement that is sure to make doing one’s own work a real pleasure. This small and roomy bungalow was modern and attractive and for less that $1500.00 in 1920 it could be yours!

The Aladdin Raymond from my 1919 catalog. Roomy enough for a set of twin beds in the master bedroom because every husband and wife wants to sleep in the same room and my favorite, a piano in the living room.

In March of 1920 William Bateman of Thayer, Mo ordered an Aladdin Raymond to be shipped to Covington, Okla. Here is that very sales order. Thanks to Cindy Catanzaro for sending me this one too! Without this sales order I am sure this house would go unknown.

Aladdin Sales Order for the Raymond shipped to Covington, Oklahoma in spring of 1920

Mr Bateman ordered a couple of extra things for his Raymond. He ordered Arch 2A-60 to put between the living room and the dining room, a simple colonnade. The cost was a whopping $26.00.

Aladdin Colonnades and Arches from my 1919 catalog.

Something else that Mr Bateman requested was the Stanhope Style front porch, 18 x 6 and that was an additional $94.54. So imagine the porch from the house below on the house above.

The Aladdin Stanhope from my 1919 catalog

Put the Stanhope porch on the Raymond and the house looks like this:

Aladdin Raymond in Covington, Okla.

This photo is from the assessor website and I hope to replace it soon. Do you live in Covington? I would be forever grateful for a few photos of the house.

The measurements of the Raymond are 22 x 30. One of the ways to determine if your house matches a catalog image if you do not have a sales order, this is rare by the way, is to check the exterior measurements which are often found on the assessor’s website. Here are the assessor’s measurements. The house was added on to at some point but you can see the measurements of the original part of the house.

Raymond footprint from the assessors website shows the original part of the house to measure 22 x 30. That’s another sign that your house might be a kit when it matches a catalog image as well.

Do you think you live in a mail order house in Oklahoma? Please message me if you do. I would be happy to help you identify your house. If you have a mail order house anywhere I would be a happy to help you as well!

Aladdin Pomona in North Enid, Oklahoma

The Aladdin Pomona I found in North Enid has a very interesting story. The Aladdin Pomona was ordered in 1919 according to the Hattiesburg 1919 index. I only have the information from the sales index on this house.  I don’t have the actual sales order so I  contacted the Clarke Historical Library to see if it is there and discovered that all that exists for that year is that very index. Aladdin  indexed their sales alphabetically and by the year. That index has been just as helpful as the sales orders.  Like I have said before, all I need is a name and a City, State and I can probably find it.  Aladdin was out of Bay City Michigan but had a mill in Hattiesburg Mississippi. I have a theory that the majority of the Aladdins shipped to Oklahoma came from the Hattiesburg Mill. This map shows the location of the mills.

Aladdin Map of Mills

I hope you enjoy the story of a farming family and Oklahoma pioneers as well as their journey to participate in one of our states’ land runs.

On December 28, 1892 Isaac Sherman Arnold married Mary (Minnie) Hill in Illinois. Soon after they were married he moved his wife to Iowa. They had two children whom both died in infancy, a little girl in 1893 and a little boy in 1896.

Minnie Hill and Sherman Arnold

In 1893 Minnie’s family, her parents and older sister Margaret (Maggie), came to Oklahoma to take part in the Land Run of 1893, the area known as the Cherokee Strip.  This post card dated September 10th 1893 tells of their plans.

A postcard written to Melvina O. Hill Wright of Butler, Missouri, by her sister Margaret Hill. This card puts the Hill’s in Okarche, Kingfisher County, Oklahoma Territory just 6 days before the Cherokee Strip was to open to all non-native pioneers. Margaret indicates she and her father are getting ready to head for the Strip, in hopes of being successful in their claim.

In 1899 Isaac and Minnie adopted a baby girl, Grace. Soon Isaac and his wife and their  adopted daughter  left Iowa and  traveled to Oklahoma to be closer to her folks and her older sister Margaret. This 1906 map of the Union Township shows land belonging to Margaret Hill.  This must have been the land they acquired during that run.

Union Township 1906, Indian Territory

  The 1906 North Enid Township Map shows the land of Isaac Sherman Arnold. His land is a stone’s throw from Margaret Hill’s land so I am wondering if his land was  acquired by his in-laws during the Land Run of 1893.  Edward Hill passed away in 1909 and his wife Catherine is listed in the 1910 census with her daughter’s family.

This North Enid map places the Arnolds there by 1906

I put the two township maps together to show just how close the two sections of land were.

1906 Map of North Enid and Union Townships, Pre-Statehood. Indian Territory becomes Oklahoma in 1907

And, as the story goes… Minnie passed away in 1908 leaving Sherman a widower with their 9-year-old adopted daughter, Grace, to raise and a farm to care for.  I imagine that would be quite a task for a farmer. A single dad with a farm is a handful and maintain a household all along.  Fortunately, according to the map, the school was very close.

Minnie (Hill) Arnold was 42 when she passed away in 1908

In 1909 Isaac married Minnie’s 48-year-old sister Margaret.  Maggie had never been married and always lived with her parents.  Minnie and Sherman raised Grace. She vanishes from all of the census reports in 1920 as Grace Arnold.  However, by process of elimination and a lot of piecing this and that together I believe she married about that time. I believe she married William H. Hole. There is a Grace A. Hole Young buried in the Kremlin cemetery. His family came here from Iowa too. I wonder if the family knew each other prior to their journey?  Grace and William Hole lived in Union Township. I think they probably farmed her aunt/step mom’s land.   Coincidence?  Maybe.  I believe this is our Grace! William died in 1945 so that leaves plenty of time for Grace to remarry.

Margaret (Maggie) Hill was Isaac’s second wife and the older sister of Minnie.

I love old photographs. I could look through them all day even if I don’t know the people. I want to thank Gary Robertson for allowing me to use his family photos for this blog. I was able to contact Mr Robertson through Ancestry and Find-A-Grave. These photos make the stories more personal don’t you think?

Maggie and Isaac Sherman are the couple on the right.

Catherine Hill passed away in 1915. She was living with her daughter Maggie and her husband (Isaac) and daughter Grace. In 1919 Isaac placed an order with Aladdin for a Pomona. The Pomona was one of Aladdins most popular houses. As you can see from the catalog image below it was quite an attractive bungalow!

Aladdin Pomona from the 1919 catalog

 

Here is the cover of the only records that exist from the Hattiesburg Mill in 1919, no sales orders were saved.

The cover of the Hattiesburg 1919 Index

Here is the page of “A’s” from the 1919 Hattiesburg index showing an order for IS Arnold

This is the page of sales of Aladdin homes to customers with a last name beginning with “A” in 1919 and shipped out of Hattiesburg

I just LOVE this next photo.

Margaret Arnold and her sister Emma Moore in front of the Arnold’s Aladdin Pomona. You can see that the details match the catalog image! This photo is circa 1940

Since Isaac’s address is listed in every census as “farm” and as North Enid in every directory I had to use the 1906 territory map as a guide. I often have addresses and when all I have to go by is “farm” I am a little more challenged to find the house.  I was able to take the plat information and locate the property in the Garfield County assessor website. Until I can get photos all I have is their photo as well as the exterior measurements.  Do you know someone who can get current photos of this house for my research?

Aladdin Pomona ordered by IS Arnold in 1919 is located at 10210 N 42nd St in Enid, Okla

The above photo clearly shows that the house has been altered.  According to the assessor’s information the house was remodeled in 1988.  My guess is that is when that addition on the second floor was added.  The porch has clearly been changed too.  I know that North Enid has had a couple of tornadoes in the past.  Did this house sustain storm damage and the porch was  rebuilt?  Those huge handsome pillars are gone now.   This view is the opposite side shown in the catalog image above.  I will post the side shown below.  Aladdin gave the option of reversing the house and it is often noted in the actual sales order as well as anything else  special.  This is where that sales order would have come in handy!

1919 Aladdin Pomona Reversed

I reversed the floor plan above for easier comparison with how the house was actually built.  The assessor measurements are below for comparison.

Aladdin Pomona ordered by IS Arnold in 1919 is located at 10210 N 42nd St in Enid, Okla

This is the side shown in the assessor photo. Reversed.

BRrrrr, that looks cold!  I hope he warmed up by his fireplace and sipped on some hot cocoa and whiskey after shoveling all of that snow!

 

The next few images are from the 1919 Aladdin catalog and show the interior of the Pomona.  Maybe it was the interior images that captured Maggie’s attention. Those diamond muntin windows are very pretty and the Pomona had all diamond muntin windows.

The 1919 catalog shows the living room of the Pomona. I wonder if the furnishings are Homecraft by Aladdin? Homecraft was Aladdin’s furniture line.

 

I can picture the Arnolds and Mrs Hill around the table at meals.

The 1919 catalog shows the dining room of the Pomona. I wonder if the furnishings are Homecraft by Aladdin? Homecraft was Aladdin’s furniture line.

 

I have more Aladdin homes in the “Strip” to write about. In the meantime you might be interested in more history of this area. If so do a search for the following topics.
Enid and the Garfield County area was opened during the September 13 1893 Land Run. That area is known as the Cherokee Outlet or the Cherokee Strip.
Enid was named for a character in Lord Tennyson’s ‘Idylls of the King’. Enid was the second most fair lady next to Guinevere.
Enid was originally known as Skeleton Station. The original train station was located in north Enid before the land run. It was moved south and is the reason for the Enid-Pond Creek Railroad War. It is an interesting read itself.
Enid is known as the Wheat Capital of Oklahoma and is the third largest grain storage capacity in the world!
John Wilkes Booth was said to have escaped and eventually landed in Enid, Oklahoma. In 1903 he committed suicide by poison in the Grand Avenue Hotel. But, who knows? It is an interesting read too.
At any rate, Enid has a lot of interesting history! I enjoyed myself researching this house and family.
Do you know of a mail order house in Oklahoma? Do you need help identifying a mail order house anywhere? I can help you with that, just send me a message here.

Special thanks to Gary Robertson for use of his family photos!  You can find the Arnold and Hill family on Ancestry as well as Find-A-Grave.

Aladdin Plaza in Enid, Oklahoma

A few months ago a fellow researcher friend sent me several sales orders for Aladdin homes shipped to Oklahoma in the early 1900′s. She  visited the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University to research sales orders shipped to her home state of Ohio. In that batch of Aladdin sales orders were two orders to Enid, Oklahoma and one to Covington, Oklahoma.  I’ll just show you the Aladdin Plaza in Enid in this blog. I’ll show you the other two Garfield County Aladdins later.

In June of 1919 George Bowers, a railroad conductor for the Frisco Rail Road, placed an order for an Aladdin Plaza and an Aladdin Winton garage. Both were shipped in November of 1919.

George was an educated man. He graduated in 1897 from Oklahoma A and M College at Stillwater, OK  in the second graduating class of 3 persons. For those of you not familiar with Oklahoma colleges that is Oklahoma State University now.  Go Cowboys!

This is George and his wife in 1925.  What a lovely couple!  Thanks to Robert Bailey, their grandson, for allowing me to use his family photos.  It makes my research so much more personal to see the folks who lived in these houses.

George and Della Bowers in 1925

Here is the original sales order for the house that Mr Bowers ordered.  What I don’t know is if he built it or hired carpenters.  George was a hard-working farm boy, it wouldn’t surprise me if he built it or at least helped build it.

Aladdin Plaza Sales Order for George Bowers in Enid, Oklahoma

Here is the Aladdin Plaza from my 1919 catalog.

Aladdin Plaza from my 1919 catalog

Here are some beautiful photos of George Bowers Aladdin Plaza in Enid, Oklahoma. What a PERFECT match!

The Aladdin Plaza at 424 W. Wabash in Enid, Oklahoma.
Special thanks to Marian and Ken Clark of Tulsa for stopping by this house on their vacation. Marian is a guardian at the Tulsa Historical Society

The Aladdin Plaza at 424 W. Wabash in Enid, Oklahoma.
Special thanks to Marian and Ken Clark of Tulsa for stopping by this house on their vacation. Marian is a guardian at the Tulsa Historical Society

George also ordered an Aladdin Winton garage.  Here is the original sales order for that garage!

This original sales order from Aladdin shows the Winton garage.

Here are the garages Aladdin offered in 1919.  Did you know you could buy a kit garage?

Aladdin Garages from my 1919 catalog

This is the garage that Mr Bowers ordered, The Aladdin Winton.

The Aladdin Winton Garage from my 1919 catalog

I bet you are wondering if the Winton model garage is still there!

Aladdin Winton Garage in Enid, Oklahoma

Here is my most favorite photo of all! George and his wife Della and their daughters Helen, Dorothy and Madeline. This was taken on the front porch of their Aladdin Plaza in the summer of 1924.  His three daughters all graduated from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

The Bowers Family in the summer of 1924 on the front porch of their Aladdin Plaza

How about a few more photos of that Aladdin Plaza in Enid?

The Aladdin Plaza in Enid, Oklahoma

The Aladdin Plaza in Enid, Oklahoma

And here is the catalog image from that angle seen above.

1919 Aladdin Plaza

Special thanks to Cindy Catanzaro from Springfield, Ohio for sending me Oklahoma Aladdin Sales records. Following is the cover to the Aladdin Hattiesburg Index from 1919. I believe that the majority of Oklahoma’s Aladdin kit homes were shipped out of the Hattiesburg Mo Mill instead of Bay City Michigan.

The cover of the Hattiesburg 1919 Index

I would also like to thank Marian and Ken Clark for the photos of the Aladdin Plaza in Enid, Oklahoma. They took time from their vacation as they passed through Enid this summer to stop and take photos. Marian is a guardian with the Tulsa Historical Society.

I would especially like to thank Robert Bailey for allowing me to use his family photos. They add so much to the story of the house. When I can put an actual face to the house it makes it very interesting! If you are interested in learning more about the Bowers family there are memorials for several family members on Find A Grave.

If you have a kit home that you need help identifying you can send me a message here.

Have a Prosperous and Happy New Year and I hope you will follow my blog or follow me on facebook. There is also a Sears Group on facebook to which I belong.

Two Almost Identical Different Catalog Houses and Their Happy Owners UPDATE!

Since my blog dated December 2, 2012 “Two Almost Identical Different Catalog Houses and Their Happy Owners” I have found some more information about the testimonial house built by Fred Hills in Evansville Indiana. If you recall Fred Hills built a Sears Flossmoor, C180, in Evansville Indiana in 1919. His testimony appeared in the 1920 Sears Catalog.

Sears 1920 Flossmore Testimonial

Since the assessors records show the construction date as 1919 I assumed that Hills’ Flossmoor was built in 1919 and appeared in the 1920 catalog. I recently discovered his testimonial in the 1912 catalog.

Fred Hills’ testimony appeared the 1912 Sears Catalog

And, it appeared again in 1913!

Fred Hills’ testimony appeared in the 1913 Sears Catalog as well!

Usually I research the testimonial owner back to the date the testimony appeared in the Sears Catalog. I was not aware at the time that the FM Hills testimony appeared as early as 1912! So, that means the assessors records are wrong since they show 1919.
Then….I found a testimonial from 1911 from the contractor who built Fred Hills house! How exciting! This is especially exciting because Houses By Mail shows the Flossmoor/C180 first offered in 1912.

A. F. Bornefeld was the contractor and builder of Fred M Hills Sears Flossmoor/C180. This is his testimonial that appeared in the Sears 1912 Catalog

Of course my next question was exactly what year was Fred Hills’ Sears Flossmoor built? I started with the Evansville Indiana city directories with 1911 and started working my way backward. He lived at the same address, 33 Madison Ave as far back as 1906.  By the way, that address is now  26 Madison Ave.  In 1905 he was residing at 1026 Riverside Ave.   Since we know that Sears did not offer homes until 1908 something is amiss here!  What was at 33 Madison Ave in 1906? What year was the No 180 first offered? I have a 1908 catalog and it was not offered that year. Was it offered in 1909 or 1910? I sent a message to Rosemary Thornton who has a 1909 catalog.

While I was researching Fred M Hills I found out that he was the Secretary for the Hercules Buggy Company.

This 1912 directory shows that Fred Hills was the Secretary and Treasurer for Hercules Buggy Company. According to the directories before and after 1912 this was his position with the company.

What I know about Fred M Hills, Sec/Treasurer of the Hercules Buggy Co. is this: 1905-1906 he moves from 1026 Riverside Ave to 33 Madison Ave. What was at that address between 1906 and 1909/1910? We know his house was built by 1911 according to his contractors testimonial. He resides there well into the 1920′s sometime. In the meantime, in 1915 he buys a house at  3136 Goldsmith Str in San Diego California.  My research shows that house was built in  1912.  It is still there, it is a huge bungalow and I don’t recognize it as anything from a catalog company. His occupation is listed as Resident Manager for Hercules Buggy Company.  Evidently Mr Hills traveled between Evansville Indiana and San Diego California for Hercules Buggy Company. That’s quite a distance to travel for the early 1900′s!

Now I am reading about Hercules Buggy Company and there is actually quite a bit out there on the internet. Here’s one website http://www.herculesengines.com/hercules/herculesbuggies.html I did see that the building is still in use as a warehouse. That’s cool! Maybe they will catch wind of this blog!   According to this website Hercules Buugy Co. became the major supplier of buggies to Sears Robuck and eventually gas engines as well. Double cool!  http://herculesmuseum.wordpress.com/13-hercules-corporation-evansville-indiana-usa/ If you know anything about the Hercules Buggy Company of Evansville Indiana send me a message here.

Here is Fred Hills Sears No 180 aka the Flossmoor as it looks today. I would love to have a recent photo if anyone is nearby. I will certainly post it here.

Sears Flossmore at 26 Madison Ave Evansville, IN Built by contractor AF Bornefeld for the Secretary/Treasurer of The Hercules Buggy Company, Fred M Hills.

Gordon Van Tine #108 Testimonial Houses Part II

A couple of days ago I told you about a testimonial house from Gordon Van Tine’s 1913 catalog. It was the Ward Bloss #108. If you didn’t read it you might want to go back and read it since this is a continuation of that blog.
In that same catalog on the same page there are two testimonials.

The testimonials for Gordon van Tine #108 from the 1913 catalog.

 

I set out to find the GB Moon house in Manson Iowa. Usually that is all I need, a name and a state. If a city is mentioned it makes my start easier.

Mr. GB Moon’s testimonial about his #108 in the 1913 catalog. I guess he told them (the other company) Afterall, he was just too old to not do business on the square. He was 59 in 1912 .

 

So I had a name and a city and state. Finding Gaylord B Moon was easy. Finding his house was not so easy. Come to find out Manson Ia is not google mapped. That’s a BIG problem! Add that to the fact that Mr Moon was no longer in Manson Iowa by 1920. The only way I could find where his house was built was from the platte information.

This is the platte for GB Moon’s property. With this I determined a street and approximate house number. Did you notice how close he was to the train station?

 

Knowing approximately where his house was located all I had to do was find someone to go get a photo. I then set out to research Manson Ia. I messaged a few people on facebook and I found the city library website. I sent a message to the library. A lady was very kind and responded with some bad news. It seems that Manson Ia was almost completely blown off the map by a F4 tornado in 1979 and most of the old historic houses were gone now. My heart sank. She said she would check that location when I sent her the platte and a photo of the house and address where I thought it should be. I heard back from her and she said she thought it was still there. She got busy and we emailed a few times and I got busy and a few months went by. I picked it up again and decided to try to see if I could find assessors records. Luck was with me! I found the records with a photograph. I found my house and the address is 1613 10th Ave. I was extremely excited to find BOTH testimonial houses in the 1913 catalog.  I felt like I had completed a college assignment.   I sent the lady at the library the address and she sent me a couple of beautiful fall photos.

1613 10 Th Ave Manson Ia. Gordon Van Tine #108 testimonial house of Gaylord B Moon . A special thanks to Ann from the Manson Library.

 

Gaylord B Moon
B Dec 29 1853
D July 5 1936

 

What a beautiful house! I bet Gaylord B Moon was proud. I wonder if the current owners know about their house? I hope someone in Manson reads this and tells them. And once again I am deeply grateful for Ann at the Manson Library who took time to take photos and send them to me.

 

I hope you have enjoyed reading about two testimonial houses from Gordon Van Tine. I know I sure enjoy researching them. I am going to leave you with one last image that I created with both houses and testimonials. This is a summary of both testimonials.

Both testimonials and their respective houses as they look today 100 years after they were built. Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful.  This has been one of my favorite discoveries to date.

 

Do you live in a Gordon Van Tine home? Please message me here. I would love to see photos. If you have a kit home of any company and need help identifying it message me and I will help you as well.