317 N. Bever St., Wooster, Ohio

The brick house with distinctive window under gable apex at 317 N. Bever St. was built in 1866 by Joseph Tiefenthaler. Photograph by S. Zimmerman

The house located at 317 N. Bever St. was built in 1866 by property owner Joseph Tiefenthaler at an estimated cost of $2,000. It is a very muted example of the Greek Revival style. The 2-story brick home has a front gabled-roof with an eight-petal flower shaped window under the gable apex. The front porch that dominates the first floor with a random course stone base and squat Ionic columns was a later addition to the house, as are the rooms added at the rear of the building.

Wayne County Recorder Property Transfers

• 1816: William Henry, Joseph H. Larwill, Abigail Larwill To John Bever Vol. 1 p.100 $1
• 1837: Last will and testament of John Bever deceased gave to daughter Mirtilla (Bever) Bowman married to James L. Bowman land containing 68 acres.
• 1857:
  • Mirtilla Bowman To Jacob B. McKennan Trust Deed Vol. 50 p.242
  • J.B. McKennan's Addition to the Town of Wooster: Plat of 30 outlots numbered 149-178 dated November 7, 1857.
• 1858:
  • Jacob B. McKennan To Ephriam Quinby Jr. Vol. 49 p. 238 Old Lot No.s 175,176,177,part of 178 $900
  • Wayne County Sheriff To Ephriam Quinby Jr. Vol. 52 p.84 part of Old Lot No. 178
• 1863: Ephriam Quinby Jr. To Wendell Young Vol. 58 p.60 part of Old Lot No. 178 $750
• 1866: Wendell Young To Joseph Tiefenthaler Vol. 68 p.308 part of Old Lot No. 178 $700
• 1897: Joseph Tiefenthaler To John C. Talbot, Clara Belle Talbot Vol. 131 p.579 (Renumbered 1870) to Lot No. 1589 $2,200

Joseph A. Tiefenthaler was born in Germany in July 20, 1831. He came to the United States in 1852 and became a naturalized citizen. Joseph Tiefenthaler was a brick layer and he along with his brothers, James and Benedict Tiefenthaler, who also emigrated from Germany, were given a contract in 1868 to help lay some of the 5,000 bricks on the central shaft of The College of Wooster's first structure built, Old Main. The building at the College was destroyed by fire on December 11, 1901 but the house at 317 N. Bever St. still stands after close to 150 years as a testament to the bricklaying skills of the Tiefenthaler family.

Joseph Tiefenthaler was married twice. With his first wife, Roseanna, he had two children:

• Joseph Jr. born May 1866; occupation brick layer
• Mary born Oct 1868; occupation dressmaker

Roseanna Tiefenthaler died 31 Mar. 1872.

With his second wife, Helen Riheld, born Oct 1847 in Ohio, they had children:

• Anna, born May 1878; occupation laborers in rubber shop in Akron, Ohio
• Leo, born Sep 1880; occupation laborers in rubber shop in Akron, Ohio
• Gertrude, born May 1882; occupation laborers in rubber shop in Akron, Ohio

Joseph Tiefenthaler died 7 Aug. 1912, in Akron, Summit County, Ohio, his wife Helen died 21 Aug. 1915 in Akron, Summit County, Ohio.

Newspaper articles

• February 20, 1868: "Building in Wooster", Wooster Weekly Republican, p. 3.