LOOKING BACK
–by Gayleen Gindy

The next house on Maplewood is the duplex owned by Jeff Gindy, who is my brother-in-law, but since it was constructed in 1924, it will be three more years until it is 100 years old so we will move on to the house at 6725 Maplewood.
County records indicate that the house at 6725 Maplewood was constructed in 1892. If that date is accurate then this is the second house built on this property because the 1861 map shows Andrew Printup owning a house on this parcel, and the 1875 map of Sylvania also indicates there was a house on the parcel, then owned by Martin Adsit. The county auditor recorded the following owners on this property:

• 1857 – Andrew Printup
• 1866 – Alfred H. Clark
• 1869 – Washington H. Huling
• 1874 – Martin and Clara M. Adsit
• 1898 – Chester and Helen Roberts
• 1908 – John C. and Sarah Wickham
• 1917 – William H. & Lillian M. Atkinson
• 1920 – William J. and Nellie A. Taylor
• 1936 – Nellie A. Taylor, with life estate, then divided between her four children: Edna Taylor Eff; Ada M. Taylor Elliott; Laura Taylor Washburn; and James Olan Taylor.
• 1955 – Frank L. Pierce, Sr. & Ferry Pierce
• 1975 – Ferry G. Pierce
• 1976 – Ruth C. Liaros
• 1998 – Gus P. and Ruth Liaros
• 2007 – Ruth C. Liaros
• 2015 – Christmas In The Midwest LLC
• 2015 – SMJ Brothers, LLC
• 2017 – Thomas H. Walter

Martin and Clara Adsit purchased this property in 1874. Reverend Martin Adsit died in 1888 and his will was probated in 1891, which left everything he owned to “his dear wife Clara M Adsit.” Could Clara have had a new home built here the next year in 1892? She continued to own the property until 1898, and died the following year in 1899.

Chester and Helen Roberts owned the home from 1898 through 1908. He was a Civil War veteran. They were listed living here in the 1900 census. Chester was 70 years old and they had been married for 38 years. He was employed as a laborer and they owned the home free of mortgage. Helen was 61 years old, had six children born, with only one still living. Their only living child, Miles E. Roberts, was living with them at 33 years old, married for two years and employed as a day laborer. His wife, Stella N. Roberts, was 25 years old and their daughter, Cecil A. Roberts – one year old, was also living here. (Did you know that Helen Roberts was born Helen Lathrop and was the youngest child of Lucian B. Lathrop of our famous “Lathrop House”)? Chester Roberts died in 1907 and Helen sold the house in 1908.
The Wickhams owned the home from 1908 to 1917 and were found living in the home in the 1910 census. John Wickham was 68 years old and had been married for 45 years. His wife Sarah was listed as 62 years old. She had two children born with no children alive at the census time. He was retired and listed as owning the home free of mortgage.
From 1917 to 1920, while William and Lillian Atkinson owned the home, it was rented to Benjamin and May Wyant, according to the 1920 census. Remember, the Atkinsons lived down the street at 6745 Maplewood Ave. while they owned this house. They sold it in 1920 to William and Nellie Taylor. William J. Taylor and Nellie Smith were married in 1882 and had four children as listed in the 1936 transfer record. The Taylors moved here from their farm on Kilburn Road in Richfield Township after their home and farm buildings were completely destroyed by a tornado that ripped through the communities on the afternoon of March 28, 1920. (See photo of their destroyed home). William and Nellie purchased this home on Maplewood Avenue on June 19, 1920, just a few months after the loss of their farm. William died in 1931 and Nellie continued to live here until 1955 when, at the age of 91 years old, she could no longer care for herself and the family sold the home.
In 1955 Frank and Ferry Pierce purchased the home and owned it for the next 21 years. In 1961 Mr. Pierce obtained a building permit to demolish the original garage and replace it with a utility shed. He passed away in 1974. His obituary notice said he had been living at 6725 Maplewood Ave. and was a machine operator 23 years for Mead Container Co., retiring in 1973. He was survived by his wife Fay, daughter Mrs. Nancy Staelens, and sons Frank Jr., and James. His wife Ferry “Fay” Pierce sold the home in 1976 to Ruth Liaros.
Mrs. Liaros lived in the home to the east at 6719 Maplewood Ave. and rented this home out to various families over the next 39 years. We will discuss Ruth and Gus Liaros in my next article. In 1996 Gus Liaros obtained a building permit to remove an old utility building and replace it with a new 24’-foot by 24-foot garage.
In 2003 a fire destroyed part of this home and in December of 2003 a permit was issued to Gus Liaros for Cousino Construction to make $15,000 repairs to the home.
In 2015 Ruth Liaros sold the home to an unknown person and in 2017 Thomas H. Walter purchased the home.