County of house: Callaway County
Location of house: Court St. & E. 8th St., SE corner, Fulton
Construction date: 1900-1910
Architect-Builder: Unknown
Original owner: John Curtis House
Outbuilding: N/A
"40. 816 Court Street (C)
Original/Historic owner or Name: Unknown;
Construction Date: c. 1900/1910;
Property
type/Style: Queen Anne;
Outbuilding: N/A
"Though modified by asbestos shingle siding, this two-story frame house still retains many of
its Queen Anne characteristics. 'The house has a hipped roof with a prominent and
projecting front facing gable. On the first floor of the projection is a wide window with stained
glass transom. Also indicative of the style is the one story porch supported by classical
columns." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"[roof type-material]: be1lcast, hipped, gabled; asbestos
shingle
[changes]: Carport at rear of house can be entered from E. 8th
Street (basement level of house); the diagonally faced window may
have been added between 1902 and 1910, if the Sanborn map is correct;
siding has been a1tered; aluminum storm windows and doors have been
added. The interior has been greatly altered; the original spiral
staircase was removed when the house was divided into apartments - the spiral staircase was located where the closets are now; a bathroom has been added; arched doorways added by Mr. Clayton;
bookcases in the pantry may have been added by the Browns; walls have
been paneled; ceilings have.been dropped; a new kitchen is being built;
and the old kitchen will be converted to a bedroom.
"Weathervane tops roof; Scamozzi columns with high base on the back section
of the porch; the two front columns are replacements; two stained glass
windows on first-story (one is covered with a screen); front door has a
large glass pane in it and has applied carving below that; a transom light
is located above the door; engaged columns flank the large second-story
window located above the porch; a corner fireplace in the living room has
columns flanking the hearth.
"According to the legal abstract for this property, land on- which this
house sits was in March, 1880, sold to Sallie Ann McCredie. Isabel G. Smith and Levisa J.
McCredie for $1800. These three women sold the property, along with Mr. and Mrs. George P.
McCredie, Lucy J. McCredie, Mr. and Mrs. Adison L. Robinson and Nannie M. Robinson to John
H. Curtis on August 27, 1886 for $2588.
"On October 26, 1887, John deeded the property with the two-story frame
house" to his wife Mattie. It is possible that this is when this house
was built. (Local residents, however, have said that the house was
built by Fred Williams.)
"Fred Williams bought the property from John and Mattie Curtis(s) on May
29, 1903 for $2650. (It is possible that he bought the house and remodeled
it, adding the corner window mentioned above, and appearing on the 1910
Sanborn map).
"Fred Williams died on April 13, 1934; Ella M. Williams sold the house to
Charles H. Dunlap on August 4, 1937 for $3000. Charles H. Dunlap died
in December around the 23rd, 1940. The estate went into probate for several
years; but finally the property was sold to H.A. and Virginia R. Chapin
who used the house as a boarding house.
"Virginia Chapin lived here until her death, on October 2, 1945. Her heirs,
H.A. Chapin, and Jackson F. and Ardelle Chapin Adams sold the property to
John J. and Katherine Shirley Brown on November 5, 1945.
They lived here until February 26, 1951 when the property was sold to
Martin M. and Flora Delle Clayton.
"Mrs. Clayton works at Verona's Beauty Shop. Her husband, Martin, died about
eight years ago. He was in the coal mining business, and received an award
from the State government for the land reclamations he had done. His company
was first: Clayton and (Claude) Crowson Mining Co.; later it became
Clayton and (Elton) Hensley Mining Co.
"Fred Williams the original (?) or longtime early owner of the house
was an editor of the Sun-Gazette. He and his wife, Ella, had five
children; who were listed in his will filed in 1934 as follows:
Mrs. Nellie Johnston, Huntsville, Mo.; Mrs. Maude E. Penney, and Mrs.
Edna Hamilton of St. Louis; Albert D. Williarns,(who married Ruth
Carter, who presently lives at 900 Court), of Charleston, West Virginia;
and Arthur J. Williams, of Sulphus, Oklahoma."
~ Historic Inventory - Fulton, MO