Gayleen Gindy
This house was built in 1897 on the south portion of Lot No. 3 of the Briggs Place subdivision. Henry Briggs platted the subdivision in 1905, so this house was already on the property when the subdivision was laid out. Briggs sold this house in 1905 to William and Gertrude Fetters. William married Gertrude Taylor in 1902 in Sandusky, Ohio, and they appear to have purchased a home on Woodruff Avenue in Toledo first, which is where they were living when the 1910 census was taken. So from 1905 until 1917, while they owned this home, it was a rental property.
When the 1910 census was taken Heber and Mary Howard were renting this home. He was employed as a motorman for the T&W Railway, which was headquartered in Sylvania. He was 36 years old and married for 18 years. Mary was 40 years old and they had three children living in the home as follows: Ernest – son – 16 years old; Marguerite – daughter – 14 years; and Heber – son – 5 years old.
In 1917, the Howards purchased this home and owned it until 1923. In the 1920 census Heber and Mary were listed living here. He was now listed as 46 years old and employed as a motorman for the T&W Railway. Mary was listed as 50 years old, and living at home was their son Heber L. Howard – 15 years old. After selling the house they moved to Toledo and then later to Port Clinton, Ohio.
In 1923, Charles and Minnie Clegg purchased the home. Charles married Minnie Utz in 1917 in Lucas County. The 1930 census listed them living in this home as follows: Charlie A. Clegg – 49 years old – owned home valued at $4,000 – not employed; Minnie – wife – 33 years old; James Clegg – son – 7 years old – attending school.
The Cleggs were still living here when the 1940 census was taken and Charles was 59 years old and employed as a farmer. Minnie was 44 years old and their son Jimmy Clegg was living at home, listed as 17 years old.
During World War II, son James A. Clegg served with the 82nd Airborne Division and became involved in the Invasions of Sicily; Normandy, France; Battle of the Bulge; and Salamo, Italy receiving the Silver Star and earning the rank of sergeant. He returned to Sylvania and by 1948, at the age of 26, he became involved with the Sylvania Township Volunteer Fire Department, offering his services until June of 1954.
A building permit was issued in 1953 to Charles Clegg to replace the porch with a concrete floor.
Charles Clegg passed away in 1958 while still owning this home, but his obituary listed him now living at 8118 Whiteford Rd. in Whiteford Center, Mich. He had been operating a grocery store for the last 10 years in Silica, Ohio and working as a farmer. This Summit Street house was transferred into Minnie Clegg’s name in 1960. In April of 1965 a building permit was issued to Minnie Clegg to build a new garage on the property. Minnie died in 1973 and her obituary notice showed her still living in this home.
Gary and Martha Taylor purchased the home in 1974. In 1979, they obtained a building permit to add a bedroom addition, in 1980 a permit was issued to enclose a porch, and in 2000 a building permit was issued to remodel the kitchen. Records show that the Taylors were divorced in 1991, and at that time this home transferred into Martha Taylor’s name. Records show that she was the former Martha Block who attended Burnham High School and graduated from Sylvania High School.