Home
Virginia Walcutt Gay
I tell the story of Virginia Walcutt Gay in my book, Clintonville and Beechwold. She was born May 9, 1831, and passed away on May 8, 1914. Mrs. Gay was a member of a Columbus pioneer family–daughter of John Macey and Muriel Brodrick Walcutt–and a sister of General C. C. Walcutt, once Columbus mayor. Her husband, Harvey D. Gay, died in 1878. This is Virginia’s private mausoleum at Greenlawn cemetery, section 32, lot no. 35.
Orphanage at 218 Jason Avenue / 56 West Pacemont
Back in 1910, this address served as a home for children.
First of all, in case you are wondering, there is currently no 218 Jason Avenue or 218 W. Pacemont. Pacemont Avenue was originally called Jason Avenue. The area where the orphanage stands was outside of the Columbus City limits in 1910 & 1920, during many of the years when it operated as an orphanage. When the western end of Jason/Pacemont was added as the “the Aldrich’s Riverside addition,” the house numbers were adjusted to compensate for all the new lots. The current address is 56 West Pacemont.
The boarding house/orphanage/nursery was run by Judiah & Mary Ella Throps (sometimes spelled Throp or Throop). Judiah was born in 1844, served in the Civil War, and died in 1913. (His occupation was listed as “Painter” and also, in 1910, as “Nursery.” Mary Ella was born in 1865, and died in 1933. (Her occupation was listed as “Housekeeper” and occasionally “Nurse”.) Both are buried in Union Cemetery.
According to the 1910 Census, the Throps had one 7 year old son living with them (son Ernest Throps). Mary was at the time 45 years old. They also had 12 young boarders living with them, all under the age of 6 and many just babies.
By the 1920 Census, Judiah had passed away. The 1920 census states that Mary (by this time, age 55) had 3 children living with in her household: Earnest Throps (age 16); William Throps (age 9), Mabel Leonard (a servant, age 29) and Glendus Leonard (age 5, listed as a boarder). (I can’t help wondering whether there were additional boarders, not listed by the census taker.)
By the 1930 Census, Mary was 64. By this time she had quite a few extra living companions: William Throps (son, age 19), Richard Throps (adopted son, age 4), Helen Gatewood (servant, age 22), Jeanne Paden (8), Oswin Poletzie (7), Shirley Poletzie (3), Elva Waton (18), Marie Obrien (6), Charles Jordan (6), Mick Tudor (3), Virginia Adkins (2), and Algie Donaldson (2).
This research was conducted by Scott Caputo of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Main branch, Geneaology, History, & Travel Desk. We are so glad he discovered this history. Scott had a library client who knew that their grandmother had a child out of wedlock in 1910. The grandmother had put the infant in an “orphanage” located at 218 Jason Avenue, where he died shortly afterward. The infant was Harry White and is included in the 1910 census in a list of around a dozen “boarders” at this address. All are under 5 years old.
Here’s a directory of the source material used for the above information, and also linked to above:
Sanborn Maps
Censuses
Business Directories
Death and Civil War Records
Tozer Sisters
The three Tozer sisters, photo taken in an unknown location. Josie Tozer Kissinger (1875-1947), Miriam Tozer Jones (1869-1941), and Jennie Tozer Hopkins (1864-1951). Miriam Jones is Frank Jones’ wife and the grandmother of Frank Jones. The Jones’ lived at 2665 Adams. (Photo courtesy of Frank Jones.)
As Mike LeMay has pointed out in his comment, this photo does not appear to have been taken in Ohio.
Ankroms
The house at 105 Weber was built around 1915, and current residents Tom and Margo Thacker have been researching the house and the family who lived there until 1965, the Ankrom family. The house itself is an Aladdin kit house; the images above are the Aladdin listing. In 1918 Charles Cornell, a machinist, lived in the house.
Solomon and Lydia Ankrom (shown to the left), their son Lindsey and their daughter Estella lived at 2366 North High Street in early 1918.
The Ankroms moved to 105 East Weber (shown in the photo on the right) around 1918/19. Solomon (1857-1935) was possibly a blacksmith, and may have been retired by the time he moved to Weber Road. Lydia Dixon Ankrom (1861-1948) was his wife. The family originally hailed from McArthur Ohio. Solomon and the rest of his family are buried in Sunset Cemetery.
After his marriage, son Lindsey (1884-1971) lived with his wife Grace Hafford Ankrom nearby at 100 Walhalla. In the wintertime the two households could probably wave at each other across the ravine. In 1918 he worked at the McDonald Steube Company Grocer Co., located at 60 East Gay Street. He married Grace Hafford Ankrom (1894-1975) in 1927. Prior to marrying Lindsey, Grace lived in the Hafford house at 100 Walhalla with her sister (and, I think, her brother). Grace was a teacher at Clinton School. For a bit more about this family, check my 100 Walhalla entry on this web site.
After his marriage, son Lindsey (1884-1971) lived with his wife Grace Hafford Ankrom nearby at 100 Walhalla. In the wintertime the two households could probably wave at each other across the ravine.
Estella (1888-1987) was Solomon and Lydia’s daughter. Estella never married, and probably lived in the 105 East Weber house until her death in 1987. She worked as a bookkeeper for Columbus Pharmacal on 326-336 Oak Street.
The final member of the Ankrom household was Sunny the cat, life dates unrecorded. Here’s Sunny enjoying Lydia’s lap with Lindsey and possibly Estella.
(Photos courtesy of Tom and Margo Thacker.)
100 Walhalla
In another entry on this web site, I mentioned that Lindsey and Grace Hafford Ankrom lived at 100 Walhalla with Grace’s sister Helen. Scott Hawley subsequently sent me some additional photos of the family and their home. Grace Hafford is Scott’s grandfather’s (Howard E. Hawley Jr.’s) aunt.
This studio picture is Helen Hafford, in 1901. Like her sister Grace, Helen was a school teacher. (Photo courtesy of Scott Hawley.)
This studio picture of Grace Greenwood Hafford (1883-1975) was taken in Chicago, Illinois in Jan 1909. (Photo courtesy of Albert Muth, Livonia, Michigan.)
Lindsey and Grace after their wedding, with niece Genevieve Hawley (later Genevieve Muth) serving as flower girl, at 100 Walhalla. (Photo courtesy of Albert Muth, Livonia, Michigan.)
Lindsey in front of 100 Walhalla. (Photo courtesy of Scott Hawley.)
Another picture of Lindsey and Grace, taken in September 1965 at the Howard Hawley Sr farm on Miller-Paul Road in Harlem Township, Delaware, Ohio. (Photo courtesy of Albert Muth, Livonia, Michigan.)
Grace and Lindsey on one of their birthdays, taken in the Hawley home on Piedmont Road. (Photo courtesy of Scott Hawley.)
This photo of the house at 100 Walhalla was taken in 1975 and was used in the advertisement for the sale of the home. (Photo courtesy of Scott Hawley.)
And one more of 100 Walhalla presumably in the 1930s or 1940s. (Photo courtesy of Scott Hawley.)
Bower & Company General Store
In 1914 the Bower & Company General Store was located at 2643 North High Street. (This address is currently a liquor store.) This is their delivery wagon around 1914. Standing on the wagon is Ott Helf, a friend of Charles Jones, standing next to the wagon. (Photo courtesy of Frank Jones.)
