GAYLEEN GINDY 6731 & 6733 Maplewood Avenue

In 1922 Ina D. Peck purchased Lot 32 in the subdivision known as Burnham’s Addition, which fronted on the street called Indiana Avenue. The next year the road name was changed to Maplewood Avenue, and this house came to be known as 6831 Maplewood Avenue. County records show the house was built in 1924, but other records show that it was already constructed by March of 1922.
Charles “Clifford” Peck and Ina Dell Keene were married in 1910 in Sylvania. He was 24 years old and employed as a conductor for the railroad. Ina was 19 years old and employed as a stenographer.
In the 1910 census, right before they were married, Ina Keene was living with her parents, who at that time were living and operating the old hotel located on the NW corner of Main and Monroe. Clifford came to Sylvania to be the conductor for the T & W Railway. He was staying at the hotel when he first arrived and that is where he met Ina. Family records say they were both musicians and first went to Houston, Texas to live for five years while Clifford was a member of the Houston Symphony and leader of a dance orchestra. Ina was a pianist in movie theatres and played in the dance orchestra. Due to the illness of her mother they returned to Sylvania.
In 1918 Clifford Peck completed his World War I registration card. He was 30 years old, married, and employed as a salesman for the H.H. Randolph Company in Toledo and living in Sylvania.
In 1919 Ina’s mother, Nellie (Roberts) Keene died, and by the 1920 census Clifford and Ina were renting a unit at 6714 Maplewood from her grandfather, Ebenezer Roberts. Her father, George Keene, now widowed, was also living at this address. Clifford was listed as 33 years old and employed as an insurance agent. Ina was listed as 28 years old and their daughter Betty Peck was 1 year and 11 months old.
In 1922 they purchased the lot on Indiana Avenue, and the Feb. 9, 1922 issue of the Sylvania Sentinel reported the following, “Clifford Peck moved into the new house he purchased on Indiana Avenue Wednesday. It was known as the Steffens property.”
Clifford C. Peck served as Mayor of Sylvania from 1922 until 1929. His obituary notice said that as a result of his Mayor’s court crackdown on prohibition arrests, he made the village treasury solvent, reporting that liquor arrest cases from throughout Lucas County were brought to Sylvania as a result of whiskey violations after the enactment of the Volstead Act. When he took office, the village of Sylvania was $3,500 in debt, and by the time he left office the village had a $5,000 surplus. It also had a swimming pool, tennis courts, playground equipment, a park with a monument and bandstand. Every street except one had been paved, the fire department became motorized and 125 street lights had been installed. He operated a service station for 15 years, was an insurance agent, and then served as justice of the peace for Sylvania Township until he retired in 1954.
In the 1930 census the following was listed for this address: Clifford C. Peck, head of household, owned home valued at $9,000, 43 years old, born in Michigan, employed as a salesman for a life insurance company. Ina Peck, 38 years old, born in Michigan, occupation – none. Betty J. Peck, daughter, 12 years old, attending school. Ruth J. Peck, daughter, 9 years old, attending school.
The 1930 Toledo Directory listed the following: Clifford C. Peck (Ina D) special agent – Mass Mutual Life Insurance Co., offices at 634 Spitzer Bldg.
Their daughter Betty Peck graduated from Burnham High School in 1937 and was married on Sept. 25, 1937 to John William Birse. In 1940 they had one child named Bonnie and sadly, Betty passed away just one week after her child was born.
Daughter Ruth Peck graduated from Burnham in 1938, and the Pecks were still living here on Maplewood Avenue when the 1940 census was taken. Clifford C. Peck was listed as 53 years old and employed as a salesman for a retail auto sales company. Ina was listed as 48 years old and not employed. Their daughter Ruth was still at home listed as 19 years old and employed as a stenographer for a manufacturing company.
In 1941 Ruth married Dan Knepper, and about that time Clifford and Ina moved to 5817 Main Street to take care of Ina’s widowed stepmother. Their daughter Ruth and son-in-law Dan moved into our subject home.
By the 1950 census Clifford and Ina Peck own the Maplewood home, but were still living in the house at 5817 Main Street, which her stepmother, Orpha Keene, owned. Orpha was listed as 68 years old and widowed. Clifford was 63 years old and the owner of a gasoline station. Ina was listed as 58. Orpha Keene died in 1952 and in 1954 Orpha’s house was transferred to Ina. They continued to live there while their daughter Ruth, and husband Dan Knepper, were living in this Maplewood Avenue house and listed as follows:
Daniel H. Knepper – 29 years old – gas station attendant
Ruth Knepper – wife – 29 years old – not employed
Daniel Knepper, Jr. – son – 7 years old – attending school
Dale Knepper – son – 1 year old
An article appeared in the Sentinel Herald on Aug. 23, 1956 that said, “Dan Knepper, 6831 Maplewood Avenue, announces the sale of his business at Main and Maplewood to Frank Rine. Knepper had operated the Pure Oil Station on the Main Street corner for the past three-and-one-half years.”
A building permit was issued to Ina Peck through Dan Knepper in 1964 allowing the construction of a 24 x 24 foot addition on the rear of the home. Robert Wyandt of 5723 Phillips Avenue was listed as the builder.
Ina passed away in 1968 and Clifford died in 1969. They both were living at 5817 Main Street at that time, while Dan and Ruth (Peck) Knepper continued to live in their Maplewood Avenue home. In 1971 both homes transferred to Ruth and Dan Knepper. Suburban Directories show them living in the Main Street home from 1970 through 1972. They appear to have moved back to this Maplewood home after 1972, selling the Main Street home in 1981 and keeping this Maplewood Avenue home.
An obituary for both Daniel and Ruth Knepper, who died within a week of each other, appeared in the Toledo Blade on July 9, 2002 and said they were at their winter home in Phoenix, Arizona when they passed away. They had been married for 61 years. He was a US Air Force WW II veteran and retired revenue officer for the IRS. A celebration of life was held in their honor at their home here at 6831 Maplewood.
In 2003 the home transferred by will to her children: Dale C. Knepper, Daniel C. Knepper, Jr., and Shirley Ann (Knepper) Fester, and they sold it to the current owners, Stephen and Tina Hanley in October of 2003.