GAYLEEN GINDY 6843 Maplewood Avenue

Another house on Maplewood Avenue celebrating its 100th birthday this year was built by Willard D. and Minnie (Case) Hinckley. They purchased the property in 1923 and by 1925 this house was built. They were married in 1921, and it was a second marriage for both. He had a daughter, Lucille Hinckley-Johnson, from his previous marriage, and she had a son, Leo Baumcrots, from her first marriage. Throughout his lifetime Willard was often referred to as William, and according to articles was also known as “Bill.”
In the 1930 census the Hinckleys were living in this house. He was 54 years old and employed as the manager of a paint and wallpaper business in downtown Sylvania. Minnie was listed as 50 years old and employed as a saleslady at the paint and wallpaper business.
Records show that Hinckley’s Wallpaper & Paints operated from 1916 until 1943 in a building that once stood at 5607 Main St. in downtown Sylvania. In 1943 they moved their business to 5629 Main St., where they stayed until 1956.
Property records show that in December 1934, Willard and Minnie purchased part of Lot 31 in Burnham’s Addition, which was just to the east of their home, and attached that parcel to their property.
They were still listed living here in the 1940 census. Willard was 64 years old, finished school through the eigth grade, employed as an interior decorator and operating a retail wallpaper store. Minnie was 60 years old, finished school through the third year of high school and employed as a saleslady at the wallpaper store. Their house was valued at $8,000 at this time.
In the 1950 census they are listed as 74 years old and still operating the wallpaper store in downtown Sylvania. Minnie was 70 years old and still employed as the saleslady at their wallpaper store.
On Sept. 29, 1956, an article in the Sylvania Sentinel-Herald reported, “When “Bill” Hinckley closes the door of his Main Street paint store for the last time October 1st, he will be terminating a career that bridges more than half a century.” The article also said, “Bill, whose bow tie has been part of the Main Street scene for 40 years, began in the painting business under the guiding hand of his dad who was a painter in Adrian.”
Willard Hinckley passed away in 1964. In 1966 the home transferred as follows: Minnie E Hinckley ½; Lucille Johnson ¼; and Leo Baumcrots ¼, subject to the life estate of Minnie Hinckley.
The county auditor’s transfer card shows that on July 13,1974, Leo Baumcrots had satisfied a land contract agreement and the home transferred into just his name. He died in March 1975 and his obituary said that he had been living in this home, and died on March 12 after an apparent heart attack in El Cajon, California, where he had been vacationing. He was a salesman for Continental Baking Company prior to his retirement in 1963. Surviving were his sons, Theodore, Robert, Larry and Leo G. Baumcrots.
In 1976 the home transferred to: Robert J Baumcrots ½; Joyce Ranville ¼; Leo L. Baumcrots, Jr. 1/8; Larry Baumcrots 1/8. In 1983 the home transferred to just Joyce Ranville of Summerfield Road in Temperance, Mich. She owned it until 1987, when she sold it to Leonard D and Terry J. McMahon. That same year it was purchased by Francis and Donna M. Glinka. Leonard McMahon was a police officer with the Sylvania Police Department from 1953 until 1984. The next owner, Francis Glinka, was also a police officer with the Sylvania Police Department from 1973 until he retired in 2011. He then worked for a period of time at the Sylvania Municipal Court in security.
The owners after that are as follows:
1999 – 2021 E & A Family LLC
2021 to current – 6843 Maplewood Ave.LLC