Annat House-558 N. Market St., Wooster, Ohio

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This Civil War era house located at 558 N. Market St. in Wooster, Ohio features a mansard style roof. The outside walls are 23-inch solid masonry of bricks originally made on the Emrich farm north of town in Wayne Township. The third floor features a ballroom complete with a very small orchestra alcove. The house remains much as it was when Captain Emrich had it built, but the front stairway was reversed and a small brick addition was added when the building was used as funeral home.

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Comprehensive History

Considered to be "one of the finest and best constructed private residences in the city," the stately home at 558 N. Market Street, Wooster, Ohio was designed and built by architect August {{Surname|Weitman with construction beginning in 1860 for Captain George Perry Emrich, a Civil War captain of the 120th O.V.I. Co. D (AUG-1862 to MAR-1863). Emrich purchased the vacant land from John and Kate McSweeney for $800 in 1859. After it was built the house was rented to various people between 1860-1880. The Emrich family, after selling their large farm in Wayne Twp. to John W. Frick for $17,600 in gold (the largest payment ever made in gold for a farm in Wayne County)[1], finally moved in and occupied the Wooster house in April of 1880. The Emrich family lived in the house for 20 years until they sold it 1900 to local businessman William Annat, for whom the house is named after. After William Annat's death in 1941, his children decided to leave the home to their brother Charles, who lived there until 1944, when he sold it to Harvey and Helen Heise. In 1946, the property changed hands again, purchased by Warren L. and Florence Pim, who used the building as a funeral home. After the funeral home was sold in 1979, the building eventually housed the law offices of Kennedy Cicconetti Knowlton an Ohio law partnership, and then Broehl Law Offices LLC.

According to a Daily Record article[2] written by Barbara Bright, student in Dr. Arn Lewis's Art History course at the College of Wooster, aside from an addition at the back of the building, the house remains "relatively the same as it was when it was constructed." Major changes included the reversal of the main staircase and the addition of a kitchen and improved bathroom facilities on the second floor; minor changes included the conversion of closets to bookshelves and the elimination of doorways. The beautiful woodwork, a highlight of the house, was maintained throughout the house, and stained glass windows were placed in the music room and the upstairs bathroom. The third level originally featured a ballroom with orchestra alcove.

Timeline

  • March 28, 1859: George P. Emrich, Civil War captain, purchases the property from John and Kate McSweeney for $800.
  • 1860: Construction begins on the house designed by architect, Augustus Weitman.[3]
  • 1868: Emrich rents the house to Lucas Flattery.[4]
  • 1880: Emrich moves from farm to this house in town.
  • September 25, 1900: Kate and George P. Emrich sell the property to William Annat for $5,000.
  • 1941: William Annat dies; ownership of property shared by his children.
  • August 1944: Charles (William's son) and Elizabeth Annat sell property to Harvey and Helen Heise for $11,550.[5]
  • November 4, 1946: Harvey and Helen Heise sell home to Warren L. and Florence Pim for $24,750. Building becomes Pim Funeral Home.
  • 1971: James Endres takes over ownership of funeral home from Warren Pim. Business renamed Pim-Endres Funeral Home.
  • 1979: Endres closes business and sells property to Dean Grosjean and partners.
  • 1986/87-2015: Location of Kennedy, Cicconetti, Knowlton & Buytendyk Law Firm (Kennedy Cicconetti Knowlton).
  • 2015: Broehl Law Office LLC relocates to Annat House.

Owners

  • George P. and Kate Emrich, March 28, 1859-September 25, 1900
  • William Annat, 1900-1941
  • Charles and Elizabeth Annat, 1941-1944
  • Harvey and Helen Heise, 1944-1946
  • Warren L. and Florence Pim, 1946-1970s?
  • James and Patricia Endres, 1970s?-1979
  • KENNEDY & CICCONETTI AN OHIO PARTNERSHIP, 1986-2015
  • PINE ST GROUP LTD, 2015-Present

Historical documents

Newspaper Articles

Notes

Photographs

Wayne County Recorder Property Transfers

  • 1857:
  • 1858: J. B. McKennan (mis-spelled McKinney) To John McSweeney, Lucas Flattery Vol. 48 p.75 Old Lot No. 149
  • 1859: John McSweeney To G. P. Emerich Vol. 54 p.288 Old Lot No. 149, March 28, 1859, $800
  • 1884: Wayne County Sheriff, Civil Action G.P. Emrich, etal To Catherine Norton Vol. 110 p.392 part of Old Lot No. 149, $5,100 (Emrich owed his sister, Catherine Norton, $1,690.46)
  • 1884: Catherine Norton To Kate Emrich Vol. 111 p.104 $5,100
  • 1900: Kate Emerich, G.P. Emerich To William Annat Vol. 141 p.322 part of Old Lot No. 149, now known as Lot 1638, $5,000
  • 1944: William Annat To Harvey Heise, Helen Heise, $11,500
  • 1946: Harvey Heise, Helen Heise To Warren Pim $24,750
  • 1986: ???? To Kennedy & Cicconetti and Ohio Partnership, $190,000
  • 2015: Kennedy & Cicconetti and Ohio Partnership To Pine St. Group LTD, $339,000

References

See Also

  1. Wooster Republican newspaper dated 1880-APR-08 p.3
  2. Daily Record, 19 April 1973, p.21
  3. Wooster Republican newspaper, 1860-APR-66 p.3
  4. Wooster Republican newspaper, 1868-JAN-16 p.3
  5. Daily Record, 19 April 1973, p.21