LOOKING BACK
–by Gayleen Gindy

Moving south on Main Street the next 100 year or older house is at 5303 Main St., which was already researched and shared in the November 2017 issue of the Sylvania Advantage, therefore we will move to 5301 Main St. This house was built in 1907 and has seen better days after a fire last year gutted the inside. It will have to be demolished soon. The second floor has been exposed to weather and the wild. 

The owners of this property over the years are recorded as follows: 

• 1907 – Andrew Cherry
• 1940 – Mary E. Schmidt, John H. Cherry, Claude W. Cherry, Earl A. Cherry, Florence A. Garner, Blanch E. Fallis, Ida M. Lang and Berniece L. Taylor (children of Andrew Cherry)
• 1941 – James C. Woodward
• 1951 – Clayton I. Woodward
• 1953 – James C. Woodward and Ruth R. Boss
• 1960 – Robert L. and Mona A. Cowell
• 1983 – Robert E. Dunlap and Kevin M. Smith
• 1984 – KAL-B Investments
• 2020 – Barbara A. Sutherlin and Mitchell P. Gorsha

Andrew Cherry purchased the property in 1907, therefore we can assume that he built this house the same year. Cherry was well-known throughout Sylvania. He married Mary Kennedy in 1873, however she passed away at age 20 in 1876. Next, he married Elizabeth Polley in 1877. By the 1880 census Andrew and Elizabeth were living in Sylvania and he was employed as a cooper. He was 28 years old and Elizabeth was 20. They had one child listed as 10 months old. The next available census is the 1900 census where Andrew and Elizabeth are found renting a home on Clark Street, known today as Convent Boulevard. This census shows that they had seven children, and they were all living at home: Mary E. Cherry – 19 years; John H. Cherry – 17 years; Florence A. Cherry – 15 years; Claude W. Cherry – 13 years; Blanche E. Cherry – 12 years; Ida M. Cherry – 10 years; and Earl A. Cherry – 7 years. 

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By the 1910 census, Andrew and Elizabeth were living in the featured house. All their children were adults by this time and married, so it was just the two of them living in this home. Andrew was listed as 58 years old and employed as a cooper at a mill. Elizabeth was listed as 49 years old. They were also listed as living here in the 1920 census. I would like to note here that several of their children went on to become teachers in the various one-room schoolhouses throughout Sylvania. Several of their daughters married and built homes on both sides of South Main Street and I will be sharing research on their homes in future articles. Their daughter and son-in-law, Charles and Florence Garner built the home next door at 5303 Main St. in 1916. They are shown on the left side in the 1916 photo. 

Andrew Cherry died in January of 1925 and was buried in Sylvania’s Association Cemetery. The 1930 census shows Elizabeth Cherry still living here. She is listed as 78 years old and widowed. Living with her was Bertha Judson – 72 years old and also widowed. Elizabeth Cherry died in 1940 and this home was transferred to her adult children at that time. 

In January of 1941, James C. Woodward purchased the home. His parents lived across the street. He married Bernice Moebius in 1936. They first lived on Ravine Drive before purchasing this home. Old-timers of Sylvania will remember Jimmie and Bernice running a restaurant called Jimmie’s Hamburger in downtown Sylvania, next to the old council building, throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Jimmie was called to serve in the Army during World War II. While he was away his wife continued to run the restaurant. The Sylvania Sentinel dated Dec. 20, 1945, reported, “James Woodward, better known as Jimmie, and proprietor of Jimmie’s Hamburger, received his discharge from the Army at Monterey, California. Jimmie is back on the job in the restaurant and is residing at 5301 S. Main St.” 

Soon after they closed that restaurant started operating the Village Inn on South Main Street at Brint Road throughout the 1960s and part of the 1970s. Their three children were Dale, James Jr., and Bonnie.

In 1951 the Woodwards purchased an old farmhouse at 6000 Summit Street and sold the Main Street home to his father, Clayton Woodward, who was living across the street. Clayton died in 1952 and the next year this house transferred back to Jimmie and his sister Ruth. The home seems to have been rented by Robert and Mona Cowell at that time. 

In 1952 a building permit was issued by the village of Sylvania to put a cement block foundation under the front porch. This permit was issued to Robert Cowell, listed as the owner, although deed records show that the Woodward family still owned the home at the time. There may have been a land contract involved that was fulfilled in 1960 when it officially transferred to Mr. and Mrs. Cowell. 

On Sept. 15, 1958, a building permit was issued by the village of Sylvania to Robert Cowell for builder Richfield Construction Co., to add three feet to the rear of the kitchen and remodel the kitchen. 

In June of 1976, Mrs. Robert Cowell was issued a building permit to enclose the front porch and make other minor alterations. 

The Suburban Directories starting in 1957 and running through 1982 show Robert and Mona Cowell occupying this home. In 1983 they sold the home to Robert E. Dunlap and Kevin M. Smith. The next year it was transferred into the investment company name and has remained in that name until just after the fire destroyed the home. Starting with the 1984 directory the listings for this home show many different renters.