HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem III Request Ttem 3 - 1321 Porter Avenue Historic Plaque Request
Hello, my name is Jeffrey Behnke and I am applying for my historic home to be considered for acceptance into the
City of Oshkosh Historic Plaque Program.The address for my home is 1321 Porter Avenue,which is located on the
southeast corner of Porter Ave. and Lark Street. I decided to include some historical information about the house
in this paper because the structure was moved from its original location in 1951. It was originally located on the
east side of what is now Interstate 41, on a narrow,two acre lot where the northbound off ramp for the Oshkosh
Ave.exit is now. I've found researching the history of a house that was moved long ago with virtually no documen-
tation is a very difficult task so I am attempting to provide a sufficient amount of historical information from what I
have already collected during my research so that others can have access it to it from the beginning of this process.
I have much more historical information available and would be happy to share it if needed. I can be reached at:
(920)410-7471(home), (920)235-2907(work),orjbehnke747@gmail.com.
Address:
•1321 Porter Avenue(1957-current day),
•221 Schurz Avenue(1951-1957)
-West Algoma Street, NE corner of Elmwood Road (now known as Interstate 41)(Original location, prior to 1951)
Build date:about 1865
Architectural style:Greek Revival (Simple form)
Builder:Joseph Norton Sr. (born 1797, Maine-died about 1872 in the town of Algoma,Winnebago county WI)
Legal descriptions of the original lot:
1858:The following real estate to wit situate in the Town of Algoma County of Winnebago and State of Wisconsin
and more particularly described as follows to wit commencing as the quarter post on the East side of Section six-
teen (16)Town Eighteen (18) Range sixteen (16) East thence due East one chain and ninety(90) links to a post in
the center of public highway thence due south nine(9)chains and ninety-five(95) links to a post in the center of
public highway thence by and with the center of said highway south sixty one and one third degrees west 2 chains
and 17 links to a post thence due North eleven chains to the place of beginning containing two(2)acres of land.
1881-1950:About 2 acres of land in the Northwest corner of the of the West 1/2 of the South West 1/4 of Section
Fifteen (15) in Township Eighteen (18) North of Range Sixteen (16) East bounded as follows to-wit:on the North by
the highway leading from the City of Oshkosh,to Village of Omro on the East by lands formerly owned by John
Sturtevant,on the south and west by the highway being the same property conveyed by the Sheriff of Winnebago
County,Wisconsin to R.C. Russell Aug.9, 1881.
1950:This revised legal description of the lot is found on the 1950 deed from when Winnebago County pur-
chased the lot from Edwin and Zella Converse's children for $10,000:
A parcel of land in T18N, R16E,Section 15 in the W1/2-SW1/4 thereof described as follows: Bounded by the west
and north boundary lines of the said W1/2-SW1/4, bounded on the east by a line 134.5 feet east and parallel to
the west line of said Section 15,and bounded on the south by the centerline of C.T. Highway"00"as it now exists.
It is intended herein to described all of that property which is recorded in Volume 395 of Deeds, page 534, in the
Office of the Register of Deeds.The above described lands contain 1.68 acres, more or less, exclusive of any part
thereof which is already used for road purposes."
A note at the bottom of the above text says:"The grantor reserves the right to vacate the property on or before
April 1,1951."
Important Note:Alvin and Virginia Graf purchased the lot that my house is currently on on April 18, 1951,just 17
days after the date that the Converse's home on the original lot had to be vacated.
Legal description of the current lot for my house:
Lot One(1), Block"G," Highland Addition,Ward 17, City of Oshkosh.
Notable people who lived in this house:
*Albert Norton-(born 1822, Maine-died 1892 Medford,WI)Albert Norton was an attorney in Oshkosh who had
an office in Wolcott's Block,corner of Main and Algoma Streets. His advertisements can be found in issues of The
Oshkosh Daily Northwestern newspaper from the late 1870's. He also was the publisher of the monthly illustrated
Ttem 3 - 1321 Porter Avenue Historic Plaque Request
journal called the Western Monthly Pictorial,which was published and printed in Oshkosh at Walcott's Block,cor-
ner of Main and Algoma Streets.Albert's sister, Mary Jane Norton (who also lived in this house)was the editor.
Toward the end of his life he moved to Medford,Taylor county,Wisconsin. I learned my house had a significant
connection to Medford during the 1870's and 1880's.
-Joseph Norton Jr.-(born 1827 Portland, Maine - died 1883, Medford, WI) After living in my house
for a time, he was an early resident of Medford, Taylor county, WI. He was also a civil war veteran,
having served the Union army in the 7th Maine Regiment Volunteer Infantry, Company D. He was men-
tioned in the book "History of Northern Wisconsin: Containing an Account of it's Settlement, Growth,
Development, and Resources..." published by The Western Historical Company A.T. Andreas Proprietor
copyright 1881, on page 1023-1024 "Joseph Norton cast the first vote in Medford. He was also the first
to pay a tax; was on the first jury and it may be added that when the bank was established, he made
the first deposit, and he is the first man in town in the point of avoirdupois (weight/heaviness), and in
all respects a leading citizen." Another section states: "Joseph Norton came early (to Medford) and
opened a place two miles east of the village. He erected a cabin and did his own housework. When the
county board came to lay out the road, he gave them a specimen of his New England cooking, which
was served on the head of a barrel."
-Edwin and Zella(Scovil)Converse-Edwin and Zella Converse purchased the lot where my house was originally
located in the town of Algoma in 1926 as their retirement home.They were both children of early pioneers of the
town of Algoma,Winnebago county. Edwin Albert Converse was the son of Pomeroy Converse(also spelled "Con-
vers")and Prudence Foss.Zella M. (Scovil)Converse was the daughter of George Scovil (also spelled "Scoville")and
Margaret Padelford. Edwin and Zella Converse were the parents of Glen George Converse (born 1891 in the town
of Algoma,Winnebago county, WI and died in 1955 in Mississippi) He had a residence in Oshkosh built about 1928,
located at 1212 Algoma Boulevard that is on the Wisconsin Historical Society registry.That house is known as the
"Glen and Emma Converse House." Edwin and Zella also had two daughters, Ruby and Pearl Converse. Ruby Mar-
garet Converse(1894-1975) married Herbert Cecil Beck(1894-1964)on January 1, 1920 in Oshkosh. Herbert and
Ruby later moved to Columbus, Columbia County,Wisconsin where Herbert opened a floral shop. I found some
flattened, cardboard "Fresh Flowers" boxes in my attic addressed to him and his shop with shipping labels on them
dated 1931.
Edwin Albert Converse: (born in 1865 in the town of Algoma,Winnebago county,Wisconsin and died in 1933 in
the town of Algoma,Winnebago county)
Father: Pomeroy Converse(born in 1822, Hambden,Geauga, Ohio and died in 1900 in the town of Algoma,Win-
nebago county,Wisconsin)
Mother:Prudence Foss: (born in 1826 in Ohio and died in 1888,town of Algoma,Winnebago county,Wisconsin)
Zella M.Scovil: (born in 1868,town of Algoma,Winnebago county,Wisconsin and died in 1947,town of Algoma,
Winnebago county,Wisconsin)
Father:George Scovil:(born in 1838 in Crawford county, Pennsylvania,died in 1905 in the town of Algoma,Winne-
bago county,Wisconsin)
Mother: Margaret Padelford: (born in 1843 in New York,died in 1917 in the town of Algoma,Winnebago county,
Wisconsin)
Notable people who owned my house but did not live in it:
Singleton Beall Hubbell:
Singleton B. Hubbell (1855-1884), son of Judge Levi N. Hubbell (1808-1876) and Mary Morris Beall
(1832-1866), was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on April 27, 1855.
He was mentioned in the book "History of northern Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement,
growth, development, and resources; an extensive sketch of its counties, cities, towns and villages" by
Western historical company, Chicago (publication date 1881): Singleton Beall Hubbell was a "Physician
and surgeon, Medford, he was born in Milwaukee, Wis., April 27, 1854. In 1870 he began the study of
medicine. He commenced practice in Fond Du Lac, and then went to New York City and entered the
medical college, taking full courses, and graduated from Bellevue Hospital. In 1875 he returned to Fond
Du Lac, and from there came to Medford. He is now railroad physician on the Wisconsin Central Rail-
road, examining physician for pensions, and has accepted the office of County Treasurer for Taylor
County, term of 1881; is also the originator of the S.B. Hubbell Et Co. Exchange, of Medford."
Ttem 3 - 1321 Porter Avenue Historic Plaque Request
I also learned that Dr. Hubbell was the first physician in Medford. In 1877 he purchased the Taylor
County `Star and News' newspaper and was the proprietor. He was also a member of the Episcopal
Church and a Republican."
According to the"History&Genealogy of the Hubbell Family" by Harold Beresford Hubbell et al, 1980, reprinted
1986, pp.283-284, Dr. Hubbell opened a real estate and banking office in Medford in 1881, under the name S.B.
Hubbell and Co. I believe this is how he acquired the property and why he only owned it for a few months.
More information about Singleton B. Hubbell's connection with the history of my house:
*Mary Jane Norton and her eldest brother,Albert lived in the house together from about the mid 1870's to early
1880's.The property was in Mary Jane's name during this time.
-Mary Jane and Albert Norton must have been struggling financially in the early 1880's and Mary Jane lost the
property to foreclosure in 1881.
*Her brothers,Joseph Norton Jr. and Albert Norton together rescued her by buying back the property from banker
Richard C. Russell, but I believe Albert Norton knew he and Mary couldn't afford the mortgage payments.
-Albert Norton sold the property to Singleton B. Hubbell from Medford,Wisconsin through a quitclaim deed for
$500 in June, 1883.
*in September, 1883 Singleton B. Hubbell sold the property to Marvin Madison Monroe Manville (M.M. Manville)
from La Crosse,Wisconsin through a quitclaim deed for$500, not making a profit on the transaction. My theory is
that Singleton B. Hubbell bought the property as a favor to the Norton's because he was aquatinted with M.M.
Manville and had knowledge that Manville would lease the property to the Norton's,allowing them to stay in their
home.Albert and Mary Jane's brother Joseph Norton Jr. had lived in Medford for quite some time so he was prob-
ably an acquaintance or friend of Singleton B. Hubbell. It appears that the Norton's continued to live on the prop-
erty until Mary Jane's death in 1884,so I believe Mary Jane and Albert Norton leased the property from M.M.
Manville, probably on a long-term basis.
• Singleton B. Hubbell's life tragically came to an early end on May 20, 1884,shortly after selling the property to
Manville. He took his own life after a rumor surfaced that he was having an affair with the postmaster's wife in
Medford,Wisconsin.
M.M. Manville and Helen Adelia Manville:
M.M. Manville(full name Marvin Madison Monroe Manville) (1831-1904)was born in Watertown,Jefferson
County, New York on or about July 2, 1831(this birth date is according to his January 9, 1890 passport application).
He was the son of Addison Manville(1792-1875)and Saloma Calkins(1797-1870).
Here is some historical information that I found about M.M. Manville in the book:The History of La Crosse County,
Wisconsin published by Western Historical Company, 1881 page 774:
"M.M. Manville,of the firm of Gordon & Manville, is a native of New York, having been born in Watertown,Jef-
ferson Co., in June, 1832. In 1856, he opened the first tin and hardware store seen in La Crosse.This he sold out to
George Raymond. He then dealt in real estate for a time, and was also engaged in farming. He then became a trav-
eling salesman for Gordon & Morse,and continued it till the retiring of Mr. Langdon,when he purchased his inter-
est."
The reference that Marvin Manville "dealt in real estate for a time" leads me to believe that this is undoubtedly
the reason he purchased this house. My guess is that he and Dr.Singleton B. Hubbell knew each other, possibly
having been business acquaintances. Marvin Manville may or may not have ever seen the house in person, but I
haven't found any evidence to suggest that he or any member of his immediate family have ever lived in it. I'm al-
most certain that Albert and/or Mary Jane Norton leased the house from him, possibly with the intention of doing
so on a long-term basis, until Mary Jane Norton passed away in February of 1884.
M.M. Manville was also a prominent wholesale liquor dealer.According to the 1893 Philippi's LaCrosse County
(Wisconsin) Directory M.M. Manville was a wines and liquors wholesaler located at 114-16 N. Front.There is also
the following information included in the directory: "M.M. Manville Established 1856. Importer and wholesale
dealer in wines, liquors,and cigars. 114-116 N. Front, res. 214 S. Eighth."
M.M. Manville's wife, Helen Adelia (Wood) Manville(1839-1912),was a poet who was quite well-known in her
day. She published most of her poems under the pseudonym "Nellie A. Mann."Their daughter, Marion Manville
Pope(18S9-1930),was an even more successful poet and author:
Ttem 3 - 1321 Porter Avenue Historic Plaque Request
The May 19, 1897 issue of the Wisconsin State Journal from Madison,Wisconsin spoke about the decline of M.M.
Manville's liquor business, after Manville assigned his business,and also mentions his wife and daughter being po-
ets:
"M.M. Manville,the oldest liquor dealer in the United States,as was discovered at the National association of
Liquor Dealers two years ago, assigned at La Crosse to John A. Elliott.The business,which was once large, has
fallen away so that the assignee was only required to give a bond off$200. Mr. Manville is the father of Marion
Manville Pope,well known in the literary world. His wife, Helen A. Manville, has also published a volume of po-
ems."
Here is some additional information about Helen and Marion (Manville) Pope:
M.M. Manville and Helen Adelia Wood were married on December 24, 1854 in La Crosse,Wisconsin. Helen was
born on August 3, 1839 and was the daughter of Artemus Wood (1809-1880)and Sophia Brown (1814-1895).
Helen Manville and her daughter, Marion,were mentioned in "The Magazine of Poetry and Literary Review,Vol-
ume 4, Issue 3"edited by Charles Wells Moulton, 1892:
"Helen Adelia Manville, born Wood,was for many years known to the literary world as Nellie A. Mann. Under the
nom de plume she contributed largely to leading periodicals east and west, and obtained a national reputation as a
writer of acceptable verse.At the zenith of her fame she decided to renounce her pen-name and assume her own.
Acting upon that resolution, she had only succeeded in making the latter name familiar,virtually winning laurels
for two cognomens,when ill-health and many cares necessitated a suspension of literary work.A collection of her
poems was published in 1875, under the title of"Heart Echoes,"which contains but a small proportion of her volu-
minous verse. Mrs. Manville was born in New Berlin, Chenango county, N.Y.,August 3rd, 1839.Accompanying her
father, Colonel Artemus Wood, she removed to the West at an early date,where she was married and has since
resided in La Crosse,Wis. She has one child, Marion. On the maternal side of the house she inherits literary talent
from several members of her mother's family who won local celebrity,and is connected with the Carys from whom
Alice and Phoebe were descended, and also the house of Douglas,whose distinguished representative was Ste-
phen A.The chief characteristics of Mrs. Manville's verse are natural melody,smoothness of versification and ex-
alted inspiration. No thought ever emanated from her mind which was not refining and uplifting in its tendency.
Her spirituality is pronounced, and an abiding faith in a supreme wisdom,whose dictations proceed from infinite
love, has carried many a message of comfort to sorrowing hearts,and inspired strangers to become her grateful
friends.This quality of sympathy and understanding of others'trials and sorrows is peculiar to her verse and to the
earnest sincere womanliness of the woman herself.J.W."
I have an original,first edition of"Up the Matterhorn in a Boat" (1897,fiction)written by Marion Manville Pope,
M.M.and Helen Manville's daughter, and am working on reading through it. I also purchased a reprint of her book:
"Over the Divide:And Other Verses" (1888, poetry) but haven't started reading it yet.
How I learned about the history of my house:
I purchased this house on June 3, 2013 and have ever since been researching the history behind it. I learned it was
not originally located on this lot, but was built around 1865 on a narrow, approximately 2 acre lot on the north side
of the western end of what was known as West Algoma Street,on the east side of Elmwood Road,also known as
County Trunk CC(current day known as Interstate 41)where the northbound off ramp for Oshkosh Avenue is now
located.
The house was for sale to be moved in 1950 because the State of Wisconsin was expanding County Trunk CC(also
called Ellenwood Road,and I think Elmwood Road)from 2 lanes to 4.The house was in the way of the expansion
project.After the expansion project, County Trunk CC was called "The Highway 41 Super Highway"and later simply
"Highway 41."The road is now known as Interstate 41, having been expanded further by adding more lanes
around the mid-to-late 2000's.The house was moved approximately 1.5 miles to this lot, most likely in 1951, and it
was the only home on Schurz Avenue at the time.Schurz Ave.was renamed Porter Avenue in 1957.The architec-
tural style of this house is the simple form of Greek Revival, and it was probably built in or around 1865 by its origi-
nal owner,a carpenter from Portland, Maine,Joseph Norton Sr., likely with the help of his sons Joseph Norton Jr.
and Ebenezer"Eben"/"E.B." Norton were all skilled carpenters from Maine.Another one of Joseph Norton Sr.'s
sons,attorney Albert Norton, seems to have also had carpentry skills and may have also helped with the construc-
tion.Greek Revival style houses were popular in Wisconsin from the 1850's until about 1870,when the style fell
out of favor by builders.The following is the story about how I acquired information about the house:
Ttem 3 - 1321 Porter Avenue Historic Plaque Request
Shortly before the time I purchased the house my mother showed the real estate listing for this property to my
Aunt Dawn (her sister-in-law).Aunt Dawn recognized the house and told my mother that it was owned by Dan
Graf's parents. Dan Graf is the husband of Aunt Dawn's and my father's cousin,Janice(Rates)Graf. I know Dan
Graf well because we used to work together at a machine shop from 2004 until he retired around 2010,so I called
him to tell him that I was going to buy his parent's house. Dan was excited about the news and told me that the
house had been moved here by his parents,Alvin and Virginia Graf, in the early 1950's.Alvin was a firefighter here
in Oshkosh and Virginia "Gina"worked as a nurse, I think at Lourde's Academy. Dan told me that the house had
originally been located on either Lincoln Avenue or Cherry Street by the University of Oshkosh campus,which led
to an approximately three year search for information about where on Lincoln Ave.or Cherry St.the house had
been. He told me he remembered seeing the house being moved down the street with men on the roof holding up
the overhead utility lines so that the house could pass underneath.
I did some research, looking at old Oshkosh city directories, and learned Dan Graf's parents,Alvin and Virginia (Van
Dyke)Graf,did live at 207 West Lincoln Ave., probably moving there when he and Virginia were married in 1944,
but that house was not this same house that is now located here on Porter Avenue.Strangely though,while re-
searching Dan Graf's claim, I found that the Graf's previous home on West Lincoln Avenue had disappeared by
19SS,as 207 West Lincoln Avenue did not exist in the Oshkosh City directory for that year.All of the neighboring
homes have since been either razed or moved, as Evans Residence Hall now sits on the land on the south side of
West Lincoln Avenue where 207 West Lincoln Avenue and its neighboring homes once were(Note:The 200 block
of West Lincoln Avenue became the 700 block in the Oshkosh Street Renumbering of 1957,so the previous loca-
tion of 207 West Lincoln Avenue is now in the 700 block). I looked at the 1903 and updated version to 1949
Sanborn Fire Insurance maps of the city of Oshkosh (Sanborn maps have detailed outlines of the shapes of build-
ings and the materials used in construction) and the house located at 207 West Lincoln Avenue was a somewhat
long and rectangular-shaped structure as opposed to my house,which is almost square.The West Lincoln Avenue
house also appeared to have an addition onto the back of the house which could have been a bathroom. I still
don't know what happened to that house on West Lincoln Avenue, but I do know for a fact that Dan Graf was mis-
taken and that house was never moved here to Porter Avenue.
I spent approximately three years researching Dan Graf's claim about the house having been originally located on
West Lincoln Avenue or Cherry Street and in doing so I went to the Oshkosh City Assessor's office.While there I
asked if there was any record on where my house was originally located. I was told that in the record for my ad-
dress, 1321 Porter Ave., it was on file that my house was"moved from(Winnebago)county in 1952." It is my un-
derstanding that no permit was needed to move a house back then so there is no paper trail showing where my
house was located before it was moved. However,this information told me that my house was moved from out-
side the city limits. I have since learned that the house was most likely physically moved in 1951 but added to the
city of Oshkosh tax roll in 1952.
I found Dan Graf's oldest brother, Dave Graf(who lived in Poinciana, Florida at the time but have recently moved
to St. Petersburg.),on Facebook and I sent him a message asking him if he knew where the house was originally
located. On January 29, 2016 1 received a reply in which he stated that the house was for sale to be moved because
it was in the way when the State of Wisconsin was expanding Highway 41(now Interstate 41)to four lanes. Unfor-
tunately, Dave didn't know for sure where the house originally was located.This was Dave's response to me about
the original location of the house:"If Dan told you it was moved from Cherry St or somewhere,he was wrong.
The house was in the way when the state went to make Highway 41 four lanes. I think it was somewhere near
where the outlet mall is now. I believe my dad paid 5K for the house. I remember clearly the day they moved it
up Porter(then named Schurz St,I believe)with guys on the roof raising power lines.We watched it from the
field across the street."After learning that the house was not originally located on Lincoln or Cherry Streets I
abandoned my search of that area of the city and focused my attention on the area of Interstate 41 near the Out-
let Shoppes at Oshkosh outlet mall.
The only tangible clue I have ever found of any previous owners of my house prior to the Graf family(who owned
the house from 1951 to 2008) inside of my house are some flattened cardboard "fresh flower" boxes addressed to
"H.C. Beck's Bouquet Shop" in Columbus,WI. One of the boxes had a Railway Express Agency label on it with a
Ttem 3 - 1321 Porter Avenue Historic Plaque Request
date of May 28, 1931 written on it. I discovered the boxes while exploring the attic around 2014.They were in the
crawl space area on along the north wall on the other side of the upstairs bedroom. Dave Graf told me he had no
knowledge of the fresh flower boxes and said they could be a clue to previous owners.
I did some research on u u i u r uui.and learned that a Herbert Cecil Beck did own a flower shop in Columbus,WI.
Eventually I learned that Herbert Beck didn't necessarily have a connection to my house, although he did live on
Main Street in Oshkosh for a while around 1920, but he married Ruby Converse. Ruby's parents were Edwin and
Zella (Scovil)Converse who according to information that I found on all 11 1:?SLI �gjjin did live on West Algoma Street
in the Town of Algoma,which is near Oshkosh but outside of the city limits.When I made the connection between
Herbert Beck's wife, Ruby, having been a Converse, Ruby's parents(H.C. Beck's in-laws) having lived in the Town of
Algoma, and the house having been located somewhere outside of the Oshkosh City limits along what is now Inter-
state 41, 1 suspected that I was close to discovering the original location of my house.
I found a lot of other information on ancestry.com with the help of many friendly people that I met on the site: In
April of 2016 1 contacted a lady named Ann Wick who lives in Black Earth,Wisconsin.She put me into contact with
her father-in-law,John F.Wick.John Finlayson Wick lives in Mazomanie,Wisconsin and founded Wick Buildings
Inc. in 1954,and he is highly knowledgeable about all things related to buildings. His wife was Helen (Wood)Wick
and she grew up in the Town of Algoma on a farm near Ellenwood Cemetery,and not far where the Oshkosh
Shoppes at Oshkosh outlet mall is now. It is also interesting to note that John F.Wick's oldest grandson is screen-
writer Derek Kolstad,who writes the screenplay for the John Wick movie series.Actor Keanu Reeves suggested to
Derek that he name his character after his grandfather,John Wick. I haven't watched any of the movies, but I know
the movie series is very popular.John suggested that my house did not appear to be a farmer's house and so I
should search urban locations further north, closer to where my house is now,and not further south by the outlet
mall,which had been predominantly farmland. On January 30, 2018,John told me:
"You can be quite certain your house was moved in from the closer area around Highway#41 to your west in an
urban setting and not a farmer's house from further south."
Kenneth Robl,Chairman of the Winnebago County Highway Committee,also suggested to me that my house may
have been one of the homes moved from alongside County Trunk CC from a general area west of my house and
not from southwest near the outlet mall. He recalled some houses being moved from alongside the highway west
of here.
I went to the Winnebago County Register of Deeds office on February 8, 2018 and Chief Deputy Christopher Larson
helped me locate the lot in the Town of Algoma that Edwin and Zella Converse had lived and confirmed they did
live alongside to the east of the road that became Highway 41, on the north side of West Algoma Street.They
owned about 2 acres of land and upon investigating the chain of ownership for the lot I learned that the first per-
son who owned the land after the 2-acre lot was created was Silas Griffith,a farmer born in Delaware,who had
purchased the lot in or before 1858 from Levi Bashford, brother of Coles Bashford,the 5th governor of Wisconsin
and one of the founders of the Republican Party. Christopher Larson also told me it would be possible to trace fur-
ther back to find the record for the creation of that lot,when it would have been divided up from a larger portion
of land, but he said that would be difficult to find and take quite some time to research.Chris also drew a sketch of
the approximate dimensions of the original lot and gave it to me.
This is the 1858 description of the original 2 acre lot from when Silas Griffith mortgaged the land from Levi Bash-
ford: "The following real estate to wit situate in the Town of Algoma County of Winnebago and State of Wiscon-
sin and more particularly described as follows to wit commencing as the quarter post on the East side of Section
sixteen(16)Town Eighteen (18) Range sixteen (16) East thence due East one chain and ninety(90)links to a post
in the center of public highway thence due south nine(9)chains and ninety-five(95)links to a post in the center
of public highway thence by and with the center of said highway south sixty one and one third degrees west 2
chains and 17 links to a post thence due North eleven chains to the place of beginning containing two(2)acres
of land."
According to a Sheriff's Deed dated April 11, 1863, in October, 1862 Silas Griffith's 2 acre property in the Town of
Algoma went into foreclosure.A court-ordered Sheriff's sale was held on April 11, 1863 and the mortgaged prem-
ises went up for auction. Levi Bashford was the highest bidder at the amount of$218.37 and received the property
Ttem 3 - 1321 Porter Avenue Historic Plaque Request
that day.John Wick and I don't believe that Silas Griffith built on the property because even though he had pur-
chased the lot back in 1858, he and his wife lived in the 4th ward of the city of Oshkosh in 1860,according to the
U.S. Federal Census.
I am certain beyond a reasonable doubt that first person who lived on the property was a carpenter from the state
of Maine named Joseph Norton. He bought the land from Levi Bashford on July 5, 1865.
This is a list of the chain of ownership for of the original 2 acre lot on West Algoma Street that I compiled with in-
formation from the tract index books Winnebago County Register of Deeds in 2018. 1 have photocopies of all of
these documents(except for the one dated 12/19/1951)that I purchased from the register of deeds office:
Transaction type: Date: Grantor and Grantee:
Mortgage 1/6/1858 Levi Bashford and Silas Griffith (Land Only)
Sheriffs Deed 4/21/1863 Silas Griffith to Levi Bashford (Land Only)
Warranty Deed 5/6/1865 Levi Bashford and wife by attorney to Joseph
Norton
Mortgage 4/17/1872 Joseph Norton and wife and Alma Heisinger
Quit Claim Deed 10/7/1872 Martha Norton et al to Mary J. Norton
Quit Claim Deed 10/7/1872 Stephen H. Norton and wife to Mary J. Norton
Quit Claim Deed 3/27/1873 W.H. Norton and wife et al to Mary J. Norton
Quit Claim Deed 3/31/1873 Charles P. Norton and wife to Mary J. Norton
Mortgage 12/20/1878 Mary J. Norton and Charles Wolcott
Sheriffs Deed 8/9/1881 Mary J. Norton et al by sheriff to R.C. Russell
Mortgage 5/16/1882 Joseph Norton (Jr.) and R.C. Russell
Warranty Deed 5/16/1882 Richard C. Russell and wife to Joseph Norton (Jr.)
Warranty Deed 6/19/1882 Joseph Norton (Jr.)to Albert Norton
Quit Claim Deed 6/2/1883 Albert Norton to Singleton B. Hubbell
Quit Claim Deed 9/24/1883 S.B Hubbell to M.M. Manville
Lease Agreement 3/26/1888 M.M. Manville to George W. Drown
Warranty Deed 7/20/1889 M.M. Manville&wife to George W. Drown
Warranty Deed 7/25/1889 George W. Drown and wife to Mathilda Gehbe
Warranty Deed 4/13/1891 Mathilda Gehbe to Emerson Lake
Warranty Deed 4/15/1893 Emerson Lake and wife to Jennie Howard
Mortgage 8/20/1893 Jennie Howard & husband and Susan Russell
Warranty Deed 7/9/1903 Jennie Howard to Nellie L.Van Kirk
Warranty Deed 10/14/1903 Nellie L.Van Kirk to Frederick H. Green Jr.
Warranty Deed 8/25/1926 Frederick H.Green Jr. and wife to Edwin A.Converse
wf&S
PRO 12/19/1950 Edwin A.Converse Deceased to Zella M. Converse
PRO 12/19/1950 Zella M.Converse Deceased to Glen G. Converse et al
Warranty Deed 11/24/1950 Ruby M. Beck et al to Winnebago County
DCL 12/19/1951 Wisconsin State Highway Commission
Here is the chain of ownership of the lot on Porter Ave, (formerly known as Schurz Ave.)on which the house is cur-
rently located (Lot One(1) Block"G," Highland Addition,Ward 17, City of Oshkosh). I also have photocopies of
some of these documents:
Transaction Type: Date: Grantor and Grantee:
Warranty Deed 4/18/1951 Stella H. Beardmore to Alvin C. and Virginia Graf
5/26/1998 Virginia Graf(*Alvin C. Graf deceased)
Warranty Deed 9/12/2008 Virginia Graf(*deceased)to Daniel/Thomas/
Stephen/David Graf
Ttem 3 - 1321 Porter Avenue Historic Plaque Request
Warranty Deed 9/30/2009 Daniel/Thomas/Stephen/David Graf to Gregory J.
and Emilie B.Wurzbach
Warranty Deed 6/3/2013 Gregory J. and Emilie B.Wurzbach to Jeffrey S.
Behnke
This is a list of information about the families that lived in this house that I complied with United States Census
data that I found on ancestry.com: (Note:There is no 1890 census data here as most of the records were de-
stroyed by a fire at the Commerce Department in Washington D.C.on January 10, 1921.)
1870-Joseph Norton (Jr.) (Head-Age 41, Carpenter), Martha Norton (Mother-Age 70, Keeping House), Mary Norton
(Sister-Age 28,At Home)
1880-Albert Norton (Head-Age 38, Lawyer), Mary Norton (Age 48-Sister-Keeping House)
1900-John Howard (Head-Age 32, Merchant-Farm Machinery),Jennie Howard (Wife-Age 33), Hilda Howard
(Daughter-Age 3)
1910- Frederick Green Jr. (Head-Age 35, Lumber-Scaler), Edith Green (Wife-Age 34), Norris Green (Step-son -Age
11), Charles Herbert Green (Son-Age 5), Frederick Henry Green (Son-Age 1)
1920- Frederick H.Green Jr. (Head-Age 46, Inpector-Lumber, Edith M. Green (Wife-Age 41), Herbert Green (Son-
Age 14), Frederick Green Jr. (Son-Age 11)
1930- Edwin Converse(Head-Age 65, Laborer-Sash and Door Mill),Zella M. Converse (Wife-Age 62)
1940-Zella M. Converse(Head-Age 72, Retired)
-Jeffrey Behnke
9/17/20