348 N. Bever St., Wooster, Ohio

The house located at 348 N. Bever St. was likely built sometime after 1894 when local attorney Hiram B. Swartz purchased the property. Photograph by S. Zimmerman

The house located at 348 N. Bever St.. Photograph by S. Zimmerman

The house located at 348 N. Bever St. was likely built sometime after 1894 when local attorney Hiram B. Swartz and his wife, Martha, purchased the property. The Swartz's lived in the house for at least 45 years until the death of Hiram B. Swartz. He died in the house at the age of 92 on March 6, 1939 at 7:40AM from bronchial pneumonia. His wife Martha died a year later on June 4, 1940.

Hiram B. Swartz was born in Milton Township, May 27, 1846, the fourth of twelve children from parents Samuel and Mary Swartz, pioneer farmers. After attending the rural schools of Milton Township, he attended Seville Academy and for a year was a school teacher. In 1865 he began a preparatory course at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Then in 1886 he entered the law department at the University of Michigan and graduated in 1872, and married Martha Jane Davies on October 8, 1872. The couple moved to Newark, Ohio where he began practicing law and started a family. A daughter, Mary (Swartz) Rose became a nationally known nutrition expert of Columbia University in New York City. She was the first of five children of Hiram Schwartz and Martha Jane Davies.

In 1875 he and his family moved to Wooster, Ohio and he became a long standing member of the Wayne County law professionals; practicing 67 years. Hiram Swartz was elected Mayor of Wooster in 1877, serving four years, during which time his administration cleaned up the public square and terminated the practice of feeding horses on the square. Furthermore, during his term in office the first waterworks plant was installed and the first city ordinances were codified. During the 1890s Swartz served as a Wayne County probate judge for two terms.

Wayne County Recorder Property Transfers

• 1814: John Bever To John Sloane Vol. 1 p.131 R13-T15-S4 PSE (later numbered Lots 11 & 13) $800
• 1856: R.B. Stibbs (Executor for John Sloane Estate) To Christian Eyster Vol. 46 p.537 Old Lot No. 13 $334 at Public Auction
• 1857: Christian Eyster To John A. Anderson Vol. 46 p.539 Old Lot No. 13 $400
• 1858: John A. Anderson To Charles Gasche* Vol. 48 p.397 Part of Old Lot No. 13 $500

* Note: The Recorders Index misidentifies Charles as "Christ Gasche" but it is "Charles Gasche" on actual Deed of Record. The deed also explains that Old Lot No. 13 (Sloane's Lot) was subdivided into seven parcels by John Anderson and Charles Gasche bought parcel number 7.

• 1888: Charles Gasche To W.S. Eversole Vol. 117 p.594 (after 1870 renumbering) part of Lot No. 1616 $1,300
• 1894: W.S. Eversole To Hiram B. Swartz, Martha D. Swartz Vol. 126 p.561 part of Lot No. 1616 $1,300
• 1939: Martha D. Swartz To Frances B. Critchfield, Mettie B. Metcalf Vol. 236 p.562 part of Lot No. 1616 $4,091 according to $4.50 revenue stamp
• 1944: Mettie B. Metcalf To Frances B. Critchfield Vol. 320 p.467 part of Lot No. 1616 $0
• 1962: Frances B. Critchfield, deceased To Jack H. Critchfield, son, and Jane B. Peck, daughter Vol. 387 p.418 part of Lot No. 1616 $0
• 1973: Helen H. Critchfield, wife of deceased Jack H. Critchfield, Jane B. Peck To Stephen Louis Gardella, Diane L. Gardella Vol 482 p.335 part of Lot No. 1616 $28,300 according to $28.30 conveyance fee
• 1978: Stephen L. Gardella, Diane L. Gardella To Michael D. Braatz Vol. 530 p.568 part of Lot No. 1616 $32,000 according to $64 conveyance fee
• 1991: Michael D. Braatz, Barbara Jacot To Earl P. Dupre, Shirley C. Dupre part of Lot No. 1616 or parcel 64-00551 $70,000
  • Earl P. Dupre, Shirley C. Dupre To Hershberger Enterprises Inc. $74,900
• 1992: Hershberger Enterprises Inc. To Barbara L. Frank part of Lot No. 1616 or parcel 64-00551 $75,500
• 1993: Barbara L. Frank To Barbara L. Frank, Jean M. Satir part of Lot No. 1616 or parcel 64-00551 $0 Quit-Claim
• 1998: Barbara L. Frank, Jean M. Satir To Jean M. Satir part of Lot No. 1616 or parcel 64-00551 $55,000

Historical Documents

1896 Delinquent Tax Assessments for property.

See Also

• To figure out how much people paid for a property read about Revenue Stamps and Property Conveyance Fee History