Built late 1880’s

This home is one of two Queen Anne houses in the village, built for Timothy D. Calvin, Jr. (1858-1938). The house is characterized by a round portico at the corner of the porch that extends on parts of two sides of the large house. It was built when Calvin was a young man, before he was married. Research states that he was forced to sell many sheep to finance the front of the house.

Calvin owned several businesses, including Calvin Hardware, a joint venture with his brother. One of Calvin’s other businesses was a dry goods store. He is said to have sold his merchandise below cost and his store became known as the “below cost store”. In a column in the Indianapolis News, Frank Hohenberger recalled that Calvin did not have his business open at regular times and customers would often go to his home and ask him to “open up” so they could make their purchases. Hohenberger also remembered that Mr. Calvin was one of the most honest men he had ever met.

Four of Calvin’s nine children went on to become famously wealthy with a rubber sole shoe sales business called “Cat Paws” in Akron, OH. The entire family was musical and the house had a music room. After the Calvin family, other owners have included school teachers Lula Fern Cline and Roxie Stalker, Bill Gore, Alva Latours, Thomas Nicholes and Robin and Peter Saurer.

(Information from Ada Jones research notes and the 1972 Brown County Artist Sketchbook)