Our Ancestors' Homes
The following is views of some photos of our ancestors' homes and residences. Some of these are recent photos of houses that have survived, while others are old photos of houses that have long since been demolished.
Plymale Cottage, 180 N. Oregon St., Jacksonville, Jackson County, Oregon.
This house was built in 1868 by David Linn who owned a furniture factory across the street. That same year he sold the house to Henry Breitbarth, who because of debts, reverted the house back to Linn in 1873. Over the next 15 years, David Linn never lived here but instead rented it out to a variety of families during that period. In 1888, David Linn's furniture factory burned down and also burned down the home of his neighbor, William Plymale. It seems that Linn felt sorry for William Plymale (who had a family of 9 children and no home). In 1890 (about a year and a half later), Linn sold this house to Plymale. William Plymale and his family lived in this house from 1890 until his death in 1904. At that time, the house was passed to William's daughter Kate, who six months later was married and moved to Medford. She sold the house soon after. The history of the house has seen many owners since the Plymale family. It was used as a residence for many years, it has been a restaurant, an antique store, and is currently a boutique called "Llamas and Llambs."
Plymale farm, along Pacific Highway, Medford, Jackson County, Oregon
This is a drawing of the Plymale farm taken from the 1884 book History of Southern Oregon, by Joseph Gaston. This farm was originally settled by the widow Mary Plymale and her children in 1853, shortly after they had migrated from Illinois. In about 1865, Mary gave this farm to her son Francis and his wife Jane. Francis owned this farm until his death in 1900. Soon after that, it was sold to the Benson family, who only owned it for a few more decades. Originally, the farm was in an area called Manzanita Precinct, a farming region between the towns of Medford and Central Point. Today the farm is almost completely within Medford's city limits, although part of it is unincorporated territory. There are no remains of the Plymales' presence on this site, as it is today intersected by the Southern-Pacific Railroad and by the Pacific Highway, and is the location of a number of small businesses.
Site of Plymale farm, Giles County, Virginia.
This is the current site of the Plymale homestead of Anthony Plymale, which he sold in the early 1820's. Although the current house was built after it was in the hands of the Plymale family, it is possible that its chimney was built from remains of the original Plymale home.(Photo courtesy of Plymale.com and John A. Plymale)
Warner Hall, Gloucester County, Virginia.
Warner Hall was built in 1642 by Augustine Warner, ancestor of George Washigton and Queen Elizabeth (among other famous people). Augustine Warner was a member of the Virginian aristocracy and a descendant of royalty. Warner Hall was the headquarters of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676. Warner Hall is now being renovated into an inn.
John B. Wadleigh House, Sanbornton, Belknap County, New Hampshire
This is a photograph of the elegant farmhouse built by John B. Wadleigh in 1878, taken circa 1891, when it was about 13 years old. The family is standing in front of the house.
John B. Wadleigh House, Sanbornton, Belknap County, New Hampshire.
This is a photograph of the above house, taken in the year 2000, 122 years old. The house today is no longer owned by the Wadleigh family, but is still used as a residence and kept in good shape.
Wadleigh Homestead, Sanbornton, Belknap County, New Hampshire.
This photograph was taken in 1905 on the Wadleigh homestead which was land originally settled by James Wadleigh in 1782. This house was built by his son Joseph Wadleigh sometime between about 1803 and 1819. Joseph vacated this house and it was given to his younger brother John Wadleigh, who lived here until his death in 1850. Afterwards John's sons John and Daniel lived there until the house was abandoned in 1871.
Wadleigh Homestead, Sanbornton, Belknap County, New Hamshire.
This photograph was taken a few years after the one above, shortly before the house was torn down.
Wadleigh Homestead, Sanbornton, Belknap County, New Hampshire.
This shows the current (2000) remains of the old Wadleigh house. It is hard to make out in the photo, but all that is left is a cellar hole and some of the foundation. It is currently unclear whether this was the John Wadleigh house built circa 1810's or the James Wadleigh house built probably in the 1780's (both houses were on the same Wadleigh homestead).
Brown House, 1410 Golf Club Lane, Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee.
This house was built in the year 1887 By Ben McKeage. In 1902, C. C. Brown purchased this house for $5,500.00 and had it remodeled over the years. In 1927 the house burned down and in 1928 a house was rebuilt at the same location.
Brown House, 1410 Golf Club Lane, Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee.
This house was built in 1928 to replace the house above that burned down in 1927. C. C. Brown lived here until his death in 1938. Afterwards his widow and daughter probably lived here for many more years. The house and property is today owned by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Riddle Family Log Home, (445 Cow Creek Rd.), Riddle, Douglas County, Oregon.
This log cabin was built by William H. Riddle and his family in 1852 shortly after they arrived on the Oregon Trail from Illinois in 1851. This crude structure was about as good as could be built, and was replaced by the following house.(Photo courtesy Southern Oregon Historical Society>
Riddle House, (445 Cow Creek Rd.), Riddle, Douglas County, Oregon
This spacious home was built in 1884 to replace the one above. The Riddle family had since accumulated a fair amount of wealth and did well with their ranch on this land. This estate was still in the hands of the Riddle family until the 1950's, when it was purchased by Hanna Nickel Smelting Co. and torn down. The general manager of that company used some of the lumber to build his own home at the same location.(Photo courtesy Southern Oregon Historical Society
Riddle Family Land, Riddle, Douglas County, Oregon
This is the present day (2003) site of the Donation Land Claim that William and Maxamillia Riddle settled in 1851 with their family. Their house no longer stands and this original part of the farm (called Glenbrook Farms) is no longer owned by Riddle family members.
1513 N. 5th St., Mankato, Blue Earth Co., Minnesota
Sophia (Streu) Hoffman) was living in this house when she died in 1922. In 1930, the house was owned by Frank and Marie Marko (sp?). In 1920, Sophia was living elsewhere (with her son Edward) at 1203 N. 7th Street. The 1920 census does not appear to have 1513 N 5th Street on it. Perhaps the house was built and purchased by Sophia or one of her children between 1920-1922?
Isaac and Lucinda Constant Home, Central Point, Oregon
This drawing comes from the 1884 History of Southern Oregon. This was on the Constant's original DLC and is the current location of what is now the city of Central Point.
Armstrong House, 375 East California Street, Jacksonville, Jackson County, Oregong
This house was built in the year 1858, most likely by a man named C.W. Cool. After this, a variety of people haved lived in this house, including the Beekmans, Denbys, Mowders, and others. (in 1870 and 1871, Julia Owen lived here, who was possibly Julia Constant Owen, a close Merriman relative.) In the year 1890, this house was purchased by A.P. Armstrong who lived in Portland. He must have purchased this house for his mother because after this date, Minerva Plymale Armstrong and her unmarried daughter Emma Armstrong lived here by themselves for the next 20 years. Minerva Armstrong died in 1910 and the house was sold sometime soon after. The history of this house is today unknown but at one time was managed by the Southern Oregon Historical Society and kept as a house museum. It is one of the oldest structures still standing in Jacksonville, Oregon.
Merriman Road, Medford, Jackson County, Oregon
This is the interesction of Merriman and Beall Roads between Medford and Central Point, Oregon. Both roads were named after closely related family members and it was at about this location that William and Artinecia Merriman's farm originally stood.
Beall House, 1253 Beall Lane, Central Point, Jackson County, Oregon
Although this house wasn't owned by any of ancestors, it has an interesting history. This house was built in 1864, by Robert V. Beall, who was married to Anna Riddle, sister to our ancestor, Artinecia Riddle Merriman. The Merriman family lived just down the road (literally) but their home has not survived. The large tree in the front yard is a black walnut tree that Robert planted for one of his wife's birthdays in the 1860's.
Plymale Home, 59 N. Orange St., Medford, Jackson County, Oregon
This house was purchased by Ben and Vera (Merriman) Plymale in the mid-1920's. The family lived there until the year 1941, when it was sold and they moved to Portland, Oregon.
Wadleigh Home, 3030 N. Delaware, Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN
This is the house that Odin F. Wadleigh and family lived in from about 1921 to about 1940.
"Wynnedale" Wadleigh home, 4220 Roland Rd., Indianapolis, IN
Odin and Louise Wadleigh purchased this house in about 1943. After Odin's death in 1964, the house passed to their son Eric.
Cannonsville, Delaware County, New YorkThis town is the birthplace of my great-grandfather, Odin F. Wadleigh (in 1888). His mother's family (the Winters and Owens) came from the town of Cannonsville and originally settled the area in the 1790's. In 1963, the town of Cannonsville was flooded by a dam on the Delaware River which created the Cannonsville Resevoir as it is today. The town is now completely underwater. In the left-section of the photo, just over the bridge next to the little white house on the more populous side of the town is the place where Alphonso Winters had his general store from the 1860's to the 1910's. This is probably also where he had his home and would have possibly been where Oscar Wadleigh met Charlotte Winters and where Odin Wadleigh was born. Towards the back of the photo at the far edge of the town is where the farm and farm-house of Joseph Winters was located and he lived until his death in 1881.