History of a House
 Discovering the people who have lived in our house on Stone Avenue in Somerville, Massachusetts The more history a house has, the more you realize that you belong to the house, it doesn't belong to you

1880
1890
1900 - House built
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000

Area land owned by
Jon & Nathaniel T Stone
Area land owned by
Lucy M Stone Lucy inherited the land on the west side of the current Stone Ave from her father Nathaniel. and
Jonathan Stone Born at Union Square on the family's ancestral land, Jonathan Stone was a chaise body maker. In 1850 he married Emma, and they lived on the Stone block until 1870. He owned the land on the east side of the street. Jonathan died 27 June 1896.
1884
Stone Ave on street
plan; not yet built
1884 map
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1891
Lucy subdivides
land into lots
1891 map
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1891
Stone Building built at foot
of Stone Ave
Stone Building
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1896
4 lots redivided;
Jotham & Nettie
Chisholm buy A
1896 map
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Jotham Chisholm Born ca 1859
Policeman
In the house: 1900-1907

31 Oct 1900: Took out $2,900 mortgage from Fanny J Macmillan (wife of Ewen Macmillan) and $2,900 mortgage from Antonio P Gill

Nettie H Chisholm In the house: 1900-1907

Joseph S Kelley Born ca 1831
Driver
In the house: 1900-1907

Albert W Wormwood Born ca 1879
Clerk
In the house: 1900-1901

Frederick R Hill Born ca 1872
Shipper at Union Glass Co.
In the house: 1900

Henry I Lindsay Born ca 1849
Carpenter
In the house: 1902-1905

George W Bean Born ca 1840
Policeman
In the house: 1903

1903
Prospect Hill Tower built
at top of Stone Ave
Prospect Hill Tower
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Thomas J McCormic Born 1841, died 1909
"Gentleman" (retired)
In the house: 1907-1909

4 Feb 1907: Purchased house (also owned lots C & D)

Before retiring, Thomas owned a saloon and restaurant in the basement of the old Masonic Building in Union Square. He was a power in local politics and a Chrstian Scientist. He spent his last years in a wheelchair.

Emily T McCormic Born ca 1845, died 1932
In the house: 1907-1932

Home owner
Resident
circa 1920
Stone Building and
Union Square
Stone Building
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1925
Map of Stone Ave
1925 map
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1933
Map of Stone Ave
1933 map
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1937
Union Square
Union Square
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Fred Barsalous Born ca 1883
Machinist
In the house: 1932-1935

Mary Barsalous Born ca 1887
In the house: 1932-1935

Amos A Dow Born ca 1871, died 1941
Retired sea captain
In the house: 1936-1941

Amos was in the Searsport, Maine, line of "blue water" captains. He went to sea as a boy, and by 1896 was captain of the Lucy Nichols, which traveled between New York and Hong Kong. After that, he commanded steamships with the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company. During World War II, he was in the Merchant Marines, conveying war supplies and food; he was captured by the enemy in the North Sea, but later released.

Fannie C Dow Born ca 1893
Saleslady
In the house: 1936-1942

John A Elliott Born ca 1915
Salesman; Supervisor at Wonder Bread
In the house: 1936-1941

Step-child of Amos Dow

Dorothy L Elliott Born ca 1917
Bank clerk at First National Bank
In the house: 1936-1941

Step-child of Amos Dow

Kenneth Abbott Born ca 1913
Salesman
In the house: 1936

Thomas V Murphy Born ca 1904
Radio man
In the house: 1937

Louie Banville Born ca 1897
Baker
In the house: 1937

John B Geary Born ca 1891
Salesman
In the house: 1938

Nicholas Tavanis Born ca 1917
Chauffeur
In the house: 1939

Browne Vrahanis Born ca 1900
Chef
In the house: 1939-1942

Peter Pani Born ca 1906
Cook; Counterman
In the house: 1941-1942

Dimitrios Tjoumpas Born ca 1902
Counterman
In the house: 1941-1942

Mary E Whitney Born ca 1906
Saleslady
In the house: 1941-1942

John Irving Born ca 1880
Unemployed (retired?)
In the house: 1942

Edith M McElroy Died 1947
Owned the house: 1943?-1947
May not have lived in the house (not listed in City Directory)

After her death in 1947, the home was sold by Alice A Wilson, executor of Edith's will

?
Osmon B Gilman Single
Owned the house: 1947-1948
May not have lived in the house (not listed in City Directory)

6 Nov 1947: Purchased the house, mortgage of $5,300

Joseph A Regan Born ca 1904, died 1994
Teacher; Principal of elementary schools in Somerville, including North Eastern Junior High School; President of Board of Trustees of Somerville Library
In the house: 1943-1964

16 Aug 1948: Purchased the house, mortgage of $6,500 (paid off in 1953). Likely rented before buying the house.

 

Catherine L Regan Born ca 1908
In the house: 1943-1964

 

Catherine T Grogan Born ca 1877, died 1960?
In the house: 1943-1960

Mother of Catherine Regan?

Joseph P Regan Born ca 1936
US Army; Clerk
In the house: 1943-1959?

Robert R Regan Born ca 1938
US Army; Clerk
In the house: 1943-1959?

Paul J Keough Born ca 1924
Office worker; Accountant
In the house: 1964-1997

21 Aug 1964: Purchased the house, mortgage of $14,150
1977: Installed vinyl siding for $5,350

Theresa L Keough Born ca 1925
Postal clerk
In the house: 1964-1997

Isabelle M Keough Born ca 1922
Secretary
In the house: 1967-1974?

Sister of Paul?

Mary I Keough Born ca 1921
Secretary
In the house: 1970-1974?

Sister of Paul?

Karen I Keough Born ca 1955
Telephone company; Clerk
In the house: 1964-1980?

Paul W Keough Born ca 1957
In the house: 1964-1983?

Patricia A Keough (Barnes) Born ca 1958
In the house: 1964-1980?

Robert Barnes Born ca 1957
Laborer
In the house: 1980

Married Patricia

Jean M Keough Born ca 1966
In the house: 1966-1989?

Steven L Mulder Born 1968
Internet consultant
In the house: 1997-present

8 Sept 1997: Purchased the house for $170,000

Rebecca J Tapley Born 1969
Writer; jewelry designer
In the house: 1997-present

Sources:
Massachusetts Registry of Deeds
Somerville City Directories
Somerville Poll Tax books
Somerville Journal obituaries
by Steve Mulder