BY GAYLEEN GINDY

In 1903 Warren W. and Mary (Smith) Blankley purchased what became Lot 10 of Hubbard’s Addition and in 1909, built the home shown in the 1964 photo. The couple was married in 1890, and Mary died before the 1910 census was taken. Warren, 38,  was listed living here by himself. He was employed as a motorman for the Toledo & Western Railway, the passenger train service that ran through Sylvania at this time . In 1912 he married Sophia Ott, and they continued to own this home until 1919 when they built a new home, just to the west, at 6457 Monroe St. (I will tell you more about them when we visit that property.) 

In 1919 Anna M. Huffman purchased the home. She had married George W. Huffman in 1911 in Williams County, Ohio and they came to Sylvania when he was hired as a conductor for the Toledo & Western Railway. According to the 1920 census,  He was 30 years old, owned the home free of mortgage, and was employed as a conductor for a “street car” company. Anna was 27, their son Charles W. was listed as 5 years old, and their daughter Georgiana was 1 year old. 

Anna passed away in April 1927 and the Toledo Blade dated May 3, 1927 listed the following: “Anna Huffman, 34, of Sylvania, O., gallstones.”

On March 21, 1929 George married his second wife, Gladys Comstock, the daughter of Fred and Dorcas (Northcott) Comstock, both from very well-known Sylvania families. At the 1930 census Georg, 40,  is living here with Gladys. He owned the home valued at $2,000 and was employed now as an oiler at the cement plant. She was 33 years old, married for the first time at age 32, and not employed. His son Charles W. was 15 years old and daughter Georgiana was 11 years old. Both were attending school.

Records show that in 1931, when the first Sylvania Volunteer Fire Department was formed, George Huffman was a founding member and was very active for the next 25 years. Fire department records show him obtaining his first-class fireman certificate, Red Cross card and Advanced First Aid certificate, all on a volunteer basis. From 1939 through 1958 Huffman is shown serving as their Sergeant-At-Arms, and on March 5, 1956 he and four other “founding members,” were honored for their 25 years of active service to the Sylvania Volunteer Fire Department, and the Sylvania community.

George and Gladys are shown living here at the 1940 census. He was 50 years old and employed as a millwright at a cement plant. Gladys was listed as 41 years old. Ten years later, at the 1950 census, they are still here on Monroe Street. He is 60 years old and employed in an export shipping department at an oil equipment factory. 

In 1947 the home transferred into the names of Charles W. Huffman and Georgianna Strasbaugh, subject to the life estate of George W. and Gladys Huffman. 

On Feb. 22, 1958 Gladys Leona Huffman passed away and  George Huffman passed away in June, 1958. His obituary said that he died in his home at 6403 Monroe St. and that firemen broke into the residence after they were called by a neighbor. He had returned the week before from West Coyina, Calif., where he had been visiting his children since the death of this wife, Gladys, in February. 

In 1959 the home sold to Howard V. Neuman. He owned it for the next 30 years, renting it during that entire time. He also owned other rental homes along Monroe Street, just to the west. When the US 23 expressway was built through Sylvania in 1959, he had a couple of the homes that were in the proposed expressway right-of-way moved to property here on Monroe Street, along the creek. So we will talk about him more in upcoming articles.

Using the Suburban Directories starting with 1960 through 1988 the following were listed renting the home from  Neuman: 1960 to 1962 – Ivan Tompkins; 1963 to 1964 – Victor D. Menna; 1965 to 1966 – Nickie Hobling; 1967 to 1970 – Jerry Mersing; 1971 to 1972 – Byron Steiner; 1973 to 1974 – Thomas Kreusser; 1975 to 1979 – Christopher Roby; 1980 to 1982 – John P. Lyle; 1983 to 1985 – Eva Miler; 1986 to 1988 – Alan Tucker. 

In 1989 Charles K. and Mary Anne Johnson purchased the homes at 6403 and 6407 Monroe St. The 1989 directory listed them living in the home at 6403 Monroe St., and the home at 6407 Monroe St. was listed as vacant. 

In July,  1989 Kevin Charles was issued a demolition permit to remove the house at 6403 Monroe St.. In January of 1991 Kevin Charles and Mary Johnson were issued a zoning permit to construct a new commercial building to be used as a beauty salon, while the property was owned by Charles and Mary Ann Johnson. In June of 1992 Kevin Charles was issued a sign permit. Directories listed Kevin Charles Hair Artistry occupying the building through 1999, and Charles and Mary Johnson. The 2000 directory listed the following: Charles K. and Mary Johnson – Willow Creek Salon beauty shops. 

In 2003 Mary Anne Johnson transferred the building to 6407 Monroe LLC, and in 2011 transferred into the name of Haerwig Properties LLC.