Aber and Haberle Houses - Jacksonville, TX - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

"Constructed adjacent to each other, the Aber and Haberle houses are a similar, though not identical, pair of two-story brick residences just south of the center of Jacksonville, Texas. They are stylistically linked to the Queen Anne and Eastlake styles by virtue of their massing and details. These two houses, with asymmetrical massing, are located on large lots of a block which is largely occupied by a basket and box factory which, because of its low scale and separation from the houses, does not detract from them.

The two houses erected by Edgar Aber and his brother-in-law Frederick Haberle represent the apogee of house construction in 19th-century Jacksonville, Texas. Brick residences are not common in this east Texas community, and the proximity and similarities of the two houses makes them even more unusual and significant. The popularity of the Queen Anne/Eastlake mode of residential design in Jacksonville is reflected by the William Walter Newton House of 1902, listed on the Register in 1982. The impressive character of the Aber and Haberle houses stems, in large part, from the nature of the careers of their builders, Edgar Aber and Frederick Haberle.

Edgar Aber, a native of Seneca, New York, moved to Texas in 1879 from Michigan, where he was active in furniture manufacturing. He first settled in Troup, Texas, and operated a sawmill there. After a brief stay in Topeka, Kansas, Aber moved to Jacksonville. Aber's business in Jacksonville centered around the manufacture of building materials, most notably bricks and millwork. Aber's brother-in-law and partner, Frederick Haberle, arrived in Jacksonville in 1890 from Michigan. The firm operated by the two men supplied much of the building materials used in the construction of homes and commercial buildings in Jacksonville at the turn of the century.

In 1896, Aber and Haberle decided to turn to the manufacture of crates and baskets for the packing of locally grown produce, most particularly peaches. This venture was to prove quite successful, and the business continues to operate today, with one of the plants located immediately to the north of the two residences.

In 1904, Aber sold his business interests to his brother-in-law, and moved his family to St. Joseph, Michigan. Frederick Haberle continued to direct the operation of the factory, and served as the president and director of the Box Manufacturing Association. Both houses remained in the hands of the Haberle family until 1979. The Aber House was owned at that time by Glen Haberle, Frederick Haberle's son, while the Haberle House was owned by Haberle's grandaughter, Mrs. Mary Louise Mason. At that time both houses were purchased by Timberline Construction Company, owned by Bill H. Bailey, Jr. The Aber House was sold in 1981 to Mr. & Mrs. George Blailock. Both houses have been restored by their respective owners, with the Haberle House serving as Mr. Bailey's office, with additional space leased to other tenants. The Aber House serves as Mr. & Mrs. Blailock's residence. The efforts of the two owners have insured the preservation of these two important structures as reminders of their builders' importance to the community."