Friday, April 13, 2012

1506 Menlo Place

1506 Menlo Place
Woodland Park, Columbus, Ohio
Lot number 3 and the east half of lot number 2 in Joel McCarty's subdivision.

Walter C. and Mary E. Floyd purchased the lot from Joel E. McCarty on February 10, 1909 for $1,200. The deed states among other things that no house may be built costing less than $2,500, and the front wall can be no closer to the curb line than 25 feet. Willmon McNeille notarized the deed.

Walter Clarence Floyd was born May 28, 1866 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, son of William E. and Martha Walters Christopher Floyd.

The 1900 Census finds the single Walter living as a boarder in the William Fix home at 205 East Gay Street. Walter is working as an electrician.

Walter married Mary Eleanor Armstrong on December 30, 1903 in Chillicothe, Ohio. Mary was born about 1867 in Chillicothe, daughter of Fletcher Edward and Eleanor Isabel McDougal Armstrong.

The house must have been built during 1909, as the 1910 Census shows the Floyds living at their new home.

In 1911, Walter was the superintendent of the construction department of the Erner and Hopkins Company.  Erner and Hopkins was started as an electrical supply company by John A. Erner. The company began Columbus' first commercial radio station on May 8, 1922, first known as WBAV and now known as WTVN 610.

Walter died in Chilicothe, Ohio on October 21,1929.

The Floyds sold the house on April 21, 1914 to the Rareys who assumed a mortgage of $3,975.

Ralph Forrest Rarey was born in Groveport on June 24, 1884. He was the son of Frank S. and Francis M. Scofield Rarey. Ralph was an attorney and he attended the Ohio State University receiving his law certificate in 1907.

Ralph married Emily Belle Daugherty at Broad Street Presbyterian Church on October 12, 1908. Emily was born about 1884 in Washington Court House. She was the daughter of Harry Micajah Daugherty. Harry Daugherty was part of the "Ohio Gang" and Attorney General under the scandal ridden Harding Administration. Twice the subject of federal corruption investigations (remember Teapot Dome?) Harry was forced to resign by Calvin Coolidge in 1924.

In 1910 the Rareys lived at 1005 East Long Street. In 1912 the Rareys lived at 35 Franklin Park West. Ralph was a partner in the law firm of Daugherty, Tood & Rarey.

Ralph Rarey died January 2, 1937 at the Broad Lincoln Hotel in Columbus.

Clarence Slater
Clarence Colter Slater bought the home on November 16, 1921. Slater was born August 8, 1876 in Nelsonville, Ohio, son of James and Barbara Caulter Slater. He graduated from the OSU School of Engineering in 1895. Slater worked on various construction and engineering assignments in Columbus in the early 1900s. In 1919 he became the president of the Railway Power and Light Company.

Slater's first marriage was to Grace Ellen Davidson on January 1, 1899 in Nelsonville, Ohio. Grace was born April 16, 1877 in Nelsonville, daughter of James Oliver and Sarah Elizabeth Raine Davidson. They had one daughter, Katherine Elizabeth Slater, born May 22, 1904. The 1920 and 1930 Censuses show Grace as a patient, "insane" at the Columbus State Hospital. Grace died February 19, 1946.

Clarence later married Mabel Poston. Mabel was born February 21, 1878 in Nelsonville, Ohio, daughter of Webster W. and Isabella G. Poston.

The 1930 Census shows Clarence living at 1506 with his sister and brother-in-law, Nelle and Arthur B. Vorhees.

On September 20, 1936, Slater died in Nelsonville, Ohio. His regular address was noted as 248 Harding Road in Columbus. He is buried at Greenlawn Cemetery. Mabel died in Bexley on November 16, 1965.

On August 28, 1934 Slater sold the house to Owen G. Roberts.

Owen Guy Roberts was born in Fairbeach, Vermont on July 12, 1865 son of Robert Owen and Margaret Closs Jones Roberts.

In 1890 Owen was living with some of his siblings at his Welsh-born mother's home at 148 Jefferson Avenue and working as a machinist.

Owen married Mary E. Humphrey. Mary was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Benbow Humphrey. She was born in Columbus in August 1869. There are two Franklin County marriage records for the Roberts. The first is October 4, 1900 and the second is November 26, 1901. The only difference I can see is the spelling of Mary's last name on the first record is "Humphries". They had a son, Kenneth (1909).

In 1920, Owen was an automobile salesman living at the Southern Hotel with his son.

The 1930 Census finds the Roberts, Owen, Mary and Kenneth living at 218 North Ardmore Avenue.

Owen died in Columbus in January 1951.

On June 29, 1942 the house was sold to Anna Rozum.

Andrew Rozum was born in Also Tokes, Hungary on April 4, 1893. He immigrated to the United States about 1921. Andy married Anna about 1919. Anna was born in Czechoslovakia about 1897. She immigrated to the United States in 1927. They had a daughter, Frances C. (1928).

In 1930, the Rozums are boarding with Jacob and Anna Berger at 326 Hinman Avenue. Andy was owner of a restaurant, called what else, Andy's Restaurant at 1988 North High Street.

By 1942 the Rozums are living at 1514 Menlo Place. In 1945 they are residing at 252 East 18th Avenue and Anna is working as a cook at Andy's Restaurant.

On July 5, 1946, Marvin C. Chenoweth bought the house from the Rozums.

Marvin Chester "Peck" Chenoweth was born in Randolph, West Virginia on August 11, 1923, son of Carl B. Chenoweth. Marvin married Leona Shillingberg in Washington, DC on August 1, 1942. Leona was born in Dartmoor, West Virginia on September 11, 1922. They had three children, two boys and one girl.

Before purchasing the home in 1946, Marvin lived at 57 Winner Avenue. In the 1951 City Directory, Marvin is listed as a brakeman on the Panhandle Rail Road and the Chenoweths reside at 2147 Gerbert Road.

Marvin died on February 19, 1979 in Yakima County, Washington. Leona died May 3, 2003 in Simi Valley, California.

Marvin sold the house less than a year after buying it to it's first African-American owners on April 21, 1947. Roosevelt and Annie Green assumed an outstanding mortgage of $6,586.89.

Roosevelt Theodore Green, Sr. was born in March 1901 in Maury County, Tennessee, son of James Green, Sr. and Drucilla Lucy Crite. He married Annie Mariah Berry. Annie was born September 13, 1903 in Tennessee, daughter of Anthony and Anna Berry. Roosevelt and Annie had eight children including Roosevelt Theodore, Jr. (September 10, 1922, Tennessee - April 24, 1926) Annie Pearl (1925) and Dorothy Elease (1927).

In 1930, Green was a laborer in a fertilizer plant and the family lived at 448 Denmead Avenue.

June 15, 1951 Roosevelt released his interest and transferred the property solely to Annie.

Roosevelt died in Columbus February 23, 1968, Annie died April 17, 1982 in Columbus. They are buried in Union Cemetery.On April 21, 1982 Cardinal Builders filed a mechanic's lien against Annie on the property for $9.054.51. The lien was released in November 1984.

On August 25, 1992 Evelyn R. Gibbs purchased the property and two others Annie owned from the administrator of her estate for $118,000.



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