GAYLEEN GINDY

The State Bank on Monroe Street sits on land that once held another house built by Ray West on Lot No. 9 of the Hubbards Addition. He owned the home and rented it until he sold it in 1939 to Edwin and Florentine Helman.

A 1925 Sylvania post office directory shows Paul Schuster renting the home, and the 1930 census shows Neal P. Phebus and his wife Lily renting the home for $25 per month. He was 55 years old and employed as an operator at a cement plant. Lily Phebus was 53 years old, and their son Alvin was 8 years old and attending school.

In 1928, an article in the Sylvania Sentinel reported that Ray West had completed the construction of his new large barn on land behind the Hubbard’s Addition on Monroe Street. In 1939, Edwin and Florentine Helman purchased the home and lived in it until he passed away in 1976. In 1985, she sold it to her grandson, Ross Deye.

The 1940 census listed Edwin as 40, employed as a salesman for a baking company, Florentine, 40, and their children Jeanette, 14, Neil, 8, and Carol Sue, 1 living in the 6391 Monroe St. home. In 1941 Edwin completed his World War II registration card. He was 42 years old, born in Cleveland and listed this address on Monroe Street as his address. He listed his employment as General Baking Company on Vance Street in Toledo.

A 1946 article in the Sylvania Sentinel reported that their daughter, Jeanette Helman of 6391 Monroe Street, had enrolled at New York’s Barbizon Studio of Fashion Modeling for a course in fashion and photographic modeling.

In the 1950 census, Edwin and Florentine were still living here. He was listed as 50 years old and employed as a sales manager at a bakery. Florentine was 50, and still living in the home was their son Neil, 18, and daughter Carol Sue, 11.

Edwin Helman passed away in June 1976 while being cared for at Lake Park Nursing Care Center. His obituary said he had been a patient there for four weeks. He was sales manager for Farm Crest Bakeries, division of Ward Baking Co., Inc., for about 10 years, retiring in 1963 after 25 years with the firm. Surviving were his wife, Flo; daughters, Mrs. Jeanette Deye and Mrs. Carol Dolph; and son Neil.

Florence sold the home in 1985 to her grandson Ross Deye, and he sold it in January 1989 to Port Lawrence Title & Trust. In June 1989, a demolition permit was issued.

Today this land is part of the State Bank property. Last year I was contacted by Chrstine Lawrence, granddaughter of Edwin and Flo Helman. She gave me the idea to write history articles about properties along the south side of Monroe Street, and she shared some memories of her grandparents and their property here. She said, “My grandparents had a big sloping backyard. After retirement my grandfather used to grow all kinds of vegetables on the property and he also (with permission from the owner) was able to have another garden in the field behind their lot. They also had a big cherry tree in the back and a beautiful climbing rosebush over the garage, and lattice between the garage and house. My grandfather dug by hand the cellar below the house. My grandmother would keep all her canned goods down there. It was a scary place for me to go as a young child.” (It was also Christine who supplied some of the photos).