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STATE OF CONNECTICUTUT~ • I I .

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CONNECTICUT HISTORICAL COMMISSION I . I :59 SOUTH PROSPECT STREET, HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106

QUAD: I(203) 566-3005

DiSTRICT IIF NR SPECIFY

Os ONR o Adual 0 Pot_tioll. BUILDING NAME (ComfIJoaJ I HlSto,ic IISteinmetz. Henry. House2 TOWN CITY I VILL"GE I COUNTY

Z Farmington Hartford0t- 3 "Ht.t. "NO NUMBER I.nd Ol./OC'.tinnJ« 62 Garden Streetu-U. 4 OWNERlS)

~ Albert and Violet T. Frascarelli o Public ~ P,lvateZW r0 S USE I Pr~",,,r J fll'SfU"'"'- IResidenceResidence ......

6. EXTERIOR VI5lBLE FROfol PUeLC ROAD I INTERIOR "'CCESSIBLE I IF YES. EXPL ...IN ,ACCESSIBILITY o-, oNo DYes @NaTO PUBLIC:t STYLE OF DATE OF '"'v'"" ~U ... IV"

Twentieth-century vernacular with Colonial Revival influen e 1911I ...." -'" 'LI:>llIna;c.t" US" 0' '"".t;on ",1I.. n app,op,ial~1

oClapbaa,d o Asbestos Siding o B,ickoOthe,

(Specify)

~ Wood Shingle o Asphalt Siding o Fieldstone

O·Boo,d & Batten o Stucco o Cobblestone

o Aluminum o Conc,ete. ~ Cut stone5;ding Type: Type: Brownstone foundation

9 STRUCTUR ...l.. SYS':"EM

~ Wood frame o Po st and beam liJ balloon o Othe, / Specify)

o Load !rearing masonry o St,uctu,al i ,on 0' steel10 ROOF. T,"''''kJ Gable o Flat o Mansa,d o Manito, o s,awtooth

o Gambrel o Shed OHiP o Roundo Othe,z ISpecdyl

0t- , lIIole"o/.1e,~ o Wood Shingle 0 Roll

o Tin o SlateU Asphalt'"W

C Asphalt shingleOthe,0 0 o Tjle o rSp"c"yJBuilt up

II NUMBER OF STORIEli I ...PPROXIM ...TE DIMENSIONS

2 28 X 32: Dorch 26 x 1014! CONDITION ,,,,,,,dur,./.

l'O"~'~':~lIento Excellent 6J Good o Fair o Dete,iarated Q Good o Fai, o Deterio,oted13 INTEGRITY, t.:« .,,,,,,, , I WHEN·' 1'[S'y'~'~''''~NOII~ YES

EXPL""No O,n original oMovedSIte14 REL'" r o OU BUILDINGS OR LANU"L ......E FE"TURES

LJ Ba,n o Shed [JGa'ag~ o Othe' landscape featu'es a' buildings f Sp"cdyJ

o Carriage o Shop o Ga,denhouseIS SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT

:=J Open land o Wood· Q R~sidentlal o SCall~,ed buildings VI sibl" fromland Site

o Comme,clalo Indus- o Ru,al :=J High building densdytri 01

1(, INTERREL"'TION~HIP O~ BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS

Located along the west side of Garden Street. the Henry Steinmetz House sits in aresidential neighborhood comprising other historic dwellings built in the nineteenthand twentieth centuries. Part of the Miss Porter's School complex lies across thestreet to the east and the Farmington River is located to the west.

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Built in 1911 the Henry Steinmetz House is oriented gable-to-street. The facadeexhibits a single-story, Colonial Revival-style veranda adorned with classical columnsresting on a solid, flared balustrade. Note the lattice-like skirt trimming the baseof the porch. The porch has been partially enclosed with screens. The gable endfeatures a small one-over-one sash and wide overhanging eaves. Double-hung, one-over-one windows with louvered shutters are displayed throughout the house. A small brickchimney rises from the center of the house. The small wood-framed garage which islocated to the rear of the house originally sat at the front of the lot and servedas a barber shop.

BUILDER

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Henry Steinmetz erected this house in 1911 on land he had previously purchased fromFrank Corbin in 1903 (FLR 71:623). Born in Germany, Steinmetz (1863-1929) was the sonof Henrich and Wilhelmina Steinmetz. His wife was the former Ottony Maria Mercher(1877-1972) of Braunschweig, Germany. A barber by trade, Steinmetz operated a shopin Unionville with his brother John before opening his own barber shop on Main Street,Farmington, around the turn of the century. In 1921 he built a small barber shop onthe front of his homelot along Garden Street, which was later moved off the street andconverted to a garage. Active in the Democrati~ Party, Steinmetz also worked as a newsreporter for the Farmington Valley Herald. In 1972 the property was willed to Steinmetzs'three daughters: Gertrude (b. 1898), Elsa (b. 1905), and Martha (b. 1912) (FLR 248:497).The present owners purchased the house in 1976 (FLR 2~8:824).

Historically significant for its association with the Steinmetz family, this well-maintained, early twentieth-century home contributes to the overall historic characterof Garden Street.

Farmington Land Records; Farmington Probate Records; Farmington Vital Records; FarmingtonCemetery Inscriptions, W.P.A., 1934; Avon Cemetery Inscriptions, W.P.A., 1934; 1853 E.M.Woodford Map; 1855 E.M. Woodford Map; 1869 Baker and Tilden Map; 1878 O.H. Bailey & Co. Map.

Prentice, Dudley. History of Farmington Houses. 9 vols., N.p., 1974; Farmington House FileCollection.

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ACME 514"- 'pOWNER'S NAME STEThTMf<:TZEST. HENRY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1qc;()-rl'\~ADDRESS: h'/ Gar-d en Strl"!l'lt

DATE BUILT: . 1911 FOR: Henrv Steinml"!t7.

ARCHITECT Hl"lnrv H lA.!io:<:rm,(MASTER-BUILDER F~nr'V () H~?l;('mY

FORMER OWNERS: None - land nut-chased bv Herir-v S-ho'; nm"'!t7. f'r-orn Fr-ankL Cnrbin 7h /1 co '3. on Cana l Strp.etHrs Steinl11~tz. states that th'i~ W::l~ the f'Lr-st house, bu'ilt tv Mr \Vilcnx

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REFERENCES:

OWNER EST. AS OF11~50 PHOTO NO.

~~~ 1171"119j;tST~INMZTZ, HENRY .

62 Gardea Str.et

A1tlaouSlltil. Stei ... tll fa.ily va. ia Faraiaato. ia1906, tat. lum •• laad •• t y.t b••• bUilt, .0 do ••• oet .pp ••r i.til. F.raia.t •• Book. Til. faaily v.~ liyi •• at t••t ti.. i. v••t••• b••a k.o.a •• til. Loomi. laou•• , d••iaaat.d by tile writ.r aF829 Farailllt•• Ay ••u., aad pictur.aat 10w.r l.ft oa p••• 112 ofthe Far.tllst•• Book.

Whe. til. Looai. fam11y vi ••• d to occupy tlaat .ouaet••••• 1y •• , ••d t•• St.l ... ta f"11y Ja&~ to ••• &t., tae, builtt.1. laou•••• Gud •• Street., k. a.l ... ta Ilayia. b... provid ••t.ad purc ••••• 't.1 •• ou •• lot i. 1903 fro. Fr.ak L. Corbl •• Tile.ctual build.r .f til. Ilou•• waa H••., O. Wilcox of 157 M.ia Stre.t,who bul1~ lt i. 1911. Mr.. St.l ••• t& Il.r •• idtaat it v•• tilefiret oa. h. buitt, .1tllouSIl•• bul1t otller.'l.ter.

B.ary SteiUl.t&, bora i. G.T.aay ta 1863, laaa boe. ap.Tt.er wida Ili. brot.er J•• a i•• barlter allop ia Daio •• llleb.f.re aett1as up .1a ova ••ep aere ia Faniaste., b.£ore la.w•• aarrled. Ia all probability Il.reated apec. for aia aa.~fre. "-a. nu.phry. Ie waa til•• il1&se barber ia 1906, .ad taeFaraiast •• B••k laaa laia paeto •• pa.o 27, at.. d1•• o. fr.at efaia allep. It vaa e. Maia Stroet, .tead1.s to the Y.at of "Ilati••• v 19 M.i. Street, vlliea .ta.d.- baek fr•• tae .tr •• t, ..,ililetlae e.rlier ••uae. "ere aet risllt at tllo .ide.alk'. edse. Hr.Edvard B .... 1•• , Jr., .ad ..otll.r pilot. of at., i.aide Iliaa•• p •• d ..,itlla euat ••• r, ..,.tekMr. n.. 1•• u.e4 ... c.le.d.r••• ye.r, ••• of aeay plaot.a ..,Iliela•• uaed for pieturlas .1.Ferai.at •• to lat.r reaide.ta.

Mre. Stei .. etz ..,•• til. for.er Otto.y Mercker, boraia Ger... y, "Ilo c..e to F.raiasto • ..,itktile Hardy f.. ily of27 Maia Street •• t~eir retura fr•• a Europea. trip. Ber •• Ile.et Mr. Stei_eta, aad .fteJ: atoppla. f.r a "laite i. 1Iew Ba" ••.•Ilo J:eturaed to Faral.ltoa and tll.y were aarried.

Who. Noala wallace pureh ••• d tile houe •• t 19 MaiaStreet aad ..,ialle4to aoye aad r.... del it, Mr. St.i ... tz ob-t.ined perai ••io. to build • alaop •• Garde. Str~t, ••4 builta ... 11 •• e .ear the aidewalk at the fr.at .f lai. let. Tilef•• ily ..yed it to the rear after hia deatla, aad it ••" eerve.a. tile .araS ••

1. additioa to beias tile to... barber, Mr. Steillmeta"'a. ne..,.reporter f.r tile Far.inston Valley Herald, wa. in thereal e.tate buaifte•• , aad Yaa a Yery .ctlY8 .e.ber of theDemocratic party, .erviaa o. the T... Co_itt.e. Be was' ala.yery acti.o ia tlae .uccea.ful .o.eae.t to claaase the a•• e ofCa.al Street t. Garden Str ••t, n.t 101l& after they ROved t.thie .lte.

Be.ry Steinaetz laad • brotlaer Willia. living ia N•..,Ha••• , and wh.a Willi .... dauslater Hele. ceae to w.rk ia Hart-ford ia 1921, .Ia. roomed Itere "ita her URcle Heary .ad k1.faai1y, later .arry1as Williaa Delaney.May 15, 1974

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Hr. Steiametz died in 1929 at the rather early age ofsixty-six. His widow, fourteen years younger than he, liveduntil the age of ninety-fi?e, having died' in March of 1972.

Hr. and Mrs. Steinmetz had three daughterS', Gertrude,Elsa and Martha, all bora in Farmington.

Gertrude Steiametz li?e~ at home and worked in Hart-ford'for the Travelers Insurance Company until her retirementia 1963. She cared for her mother at home until the last yearand a hal'fbefore her mother t s death, when her mother bact tobe placed in a convalescent h08pita~ in A?oa, needing mor~carethaa could be gi?ea at home.

Elsa Steinmetz studied tor teaching, at Beaver CoLlegein Glen.ide. Pennsyl?ania. She raa a private kindergardten inWethersfield tor a time. She later taught kindergarten pupil.in Blloomtield, ia Winste,d, and at the Vine Street School. inHartford. She left schoot teaching when in 1938 she marriedJoha James JOy4e. He had been born in Avon, attended gradeschools there and .igh School in Simsbury, after-which he wasgraduated from Beatley College in Waltham, Massachusetts. Aftergraduation he worked for the Hartford accounting firm of Hadfield,Rothwell, Soule and Coates, later becoming a partner. In 1944they merged with Erust aad Ernst. Mr. Joyce retired as partnerand consultant, in 1963. He was on the rationing board in A?onduring the years of World War II, and on the Board of Directorsof the Avon Visiting Nurses Association when first organized.

Hr. and Hrs. Joyce lived in A?on and New Hartford,now reside in Farmington. Hrs. Joyce hae beea a CUb Scout DaaKother, a member of Democratic Town Committees and of theBartford Symphony Auxiliary, Democratic R.egistrar of Voter.,and Sunday School teacher at A?on and Farmington.

The Joycee ha?e two sons, Stephen and James. Dr.Stephea John Joyce is married to the former Katrina CurreBa.They and alao James Benry Joyce pre8eatly li?e in Boeton.

Martha Steinmetz, a graduate of the Hartford HospitalSchool! of Nur8ing, took employment with Honolulu' 8 Hilo Memo-rial Hospital arouad 1938. She was night 8upervisor thera oaSunday. necember 7. 1941, the "nay of Infamy". She was thefirst nurs& to ?olunteer for service at the blood bank in theQueena Hospital in Honolulu, and joined the Army Nursing Corpson Dec.mber 11. She lived the war years in Honolulu. and inall spent eight years in Rawaii.

Claude Newton Rolwill. Jr •• born in China, a grad-uate of Kent School in Connecticut, who had worked ten yearswith Air Reduction in New York, was also at Rono1ulu duringthe raid on Pearl Barbor. He was then with Hawaiian GaaProduct8. the Hilo branch manager. and dro?e a truck to!PearlHarbor that day with medical oxygea for the burn cases. Heworked at Pearl Harbor during the war years. helping with theraising and repair of ships of war.May 15. 1974qc.~~.. r

{)8 - 3'Upon asking the Holwills for more information on

Mr. Holwill's family background, Mrs. Holwill gave the writerthe following information, which he quotes verbatim, seeing noopportunity of improving or clarifying it. She said:

"Claude's grandfather was Ernest Goodrich and headopted the name of Holwill, so went by the name of ErnestGoodrich Holwill. Claude stem~ from the Goodrich family. Hei. a direct descendant of Major Butler Goodrich whose fatherwas one of the first settlers of Wethersfield, Connecticut.The Major went to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and was one of th~early settler .. in Pittsfield. He built the family homestead at823 North Street during the late l7001s or early 18001_, and ithas remained in the family until the Berkshire County HistoricalSociety purchased it in 1963. It is called Goodrich House, andopen to the public. Claude spent his summers in that housewith his grandmother while attending Kent School.

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"Claude Newton Holwill, Sr., Claude's father, wasborn in Canton, China, the son of Ernest Goodrich Holwill. Hewas educ~ted in Pittsfield and Brookline, and attended Harvardin the class of 1904. In his sophomore year his father receiveda nomination from the late Sir Robert Hart to the Imperial ChineseMaritime Customs. At his death he was second ranking commissionerin the service, and the only American holding that office. He washonored by both the Chinese and Italian governments. During theCommunists' outrages in 1927 he kept his office running.

"Claude Newton Holwill, Sr., was married in Peking toMiss Katoo de Luca, daughter of the Italian Minister to Chinaand Indo-China, in 1907.

"Claude Newton Holwill, Jr., was born in Chin-Wang-Ta~ in1909. he lived in Chin-Wang-Tao, Antung, Ichang, Shanghai, andHarbin, China, before attending Kent School with his older brother,the late John Anderson Holwill.

She also says: "Our daughter Katoo was named after bothher grandmothers. Katoo Ottony Holwill. Ottony was my mother'sname, and I have never heard or known of anyone ,'liththese names".

1 Martha and Claude were married in Honolulu in 1942, andtheir daughter Katoo Ottony HoIwill was born there during the war.After a couple of years in Farmington in the last half of the 1940'g,during which their daughter Roxannne Marjorie was born in Hartford,they moved to Seattle, Washington. Mr. Holwill ha~ been employed thereby Boeing Aircraft since 1954 aa a welding consultant, in quality con-trol, manufacturing development, and specifications and standards. Heplan. to retire in December of this year. Mrs. 11olwil1 started workin 1954 with Group Health Co-op, the first prepaid mediacl plan inAmerica, and retired last year.

The Holwill girls are both married. Katoo is Mrs. RogerSherrard. They live in Tacoma, Washington, with young Wade NewtonSherrard. Roxanne is Mrs. Roger Plichta. They live in Jonesboro~Georgia, with tiny Andrea Irene Plichta.May 15, 1974£feZ