Annice E. Keller House or Keller Row House 8, 761 6th Street East, Saint Paul, Minnesota
From Placeography
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Annice E. Keller House or Keller Row House #8 | |
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| Address: | 761 6th Street E |
| Neighborhood/s: | Dayton's Bluff, Saint Paul, Minnesota, Keller Row, Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| City/locality- State/province | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| County- State/province: | Ramsey County, Minnesota |
| State/province: | Minnesota |
| Country: | United States |
| Year built: | 1889 |
| Primary Style: | Queen Anne |
| Secondary Style: | Victorian |
| Major Alterations: | Intact |
| Historic Function: | House/single dwelling or duplex |
| Historic Function: | Rental House |
| Other Historic Function: | Rental House |
| Current Function: | House/single dwelling or duplex |
| Architect or source of design: | Edwin S. Radcliffe |
| Builder: | E. Sephton and Company at 582 Jackson street in St. Paul |
| Material of Exterior Wall Covering: | Wood |
| Material of Roof: | Asphalt |
| Material of Foundation: | Limestone |
| Building Permit Number: | 19317 |
| First Owner: | Annice E. Keller |
| Part of the Site: | {{{site_name}}} |
| Notes: | This home is currently undergoing restoration. Anyone with old photographs of this home or any former owners please contact the current owners at victoriansalvage@gmail.com I would love to hear from you! OR check out my blog on the progress at: |
(44.959096° N, 93.068107° WLatitude: 44°57′32.746″N
Longitude: 93°4′5.185″W)
This house is part of 8 houses known as Keller Row.
The Annice E. Keller Rental house, or Keller row house #8 at 761 East Sixth Street, was commissioned by the widow of the wealthy lumber baron John M. Keller. Called the “Head of the single most outstanding … property development in the district…” by the St. Paul heritage preservation commission.
John M. Keller b. 22 June 1833 d. 29 Jan 1879 owned a large section of land, an entire city block between east 7th and 6th and bound by Hope Street, originally named Hill street, and Eichenwald. The Keller mansion was built at 394 Eichenwald in 1874 and demolished after a series of fires in the 1920s or 30s. A modern apartment building was placed there in 1959. Keller was a German immigrant who named his home and the street in front of his home “Eichenwald”, a German word meaning “Oak Forest”, as a reminder of his home in Germany. Eichenwald street was platted in 1877. Keller himself was a master carpenter and owned his own lumber business. The lumber company was entitled “Keller C.E. & CO”, Charles and Annice E. Keller as owners and was located in the NW corner of 7th and Minnesota streets in the city directory. John M. was married to Annice E. <Scott> Keller in 1857 and they had a number of children including;
Charles Edward KELLER b: 21 SEP 1858 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Louis Scott KELLER b: 6 OCT 1860, George William KELLER b: 2 FEB 1863, Mary Edith KELLER b: 17 AUG 1866, Sadee Alice KELLER b: 10 JUN 1869, John Michael KELLER b: 10 AUG 1871 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Joseph Anderson KELLER b: 13 DEC 1873 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Herbert Paist KELLER b: 7 FEB 1875. Annice Bourey KELLER b: 31 OCT 1878 in St. Paul, Minnesota,
Listed “At home” in 1880; Annice, Charles E., George W. Keller bookkeeper and by 1884 listed a Louis S. Keller as the foreman. .[1] [1]
In 1889 Annice E. Keller had the eight homes, now known as Keller row, built on the East 6th street side of their property. They were built as an investment during a housing boom of large middle class homes being built in the area. The architect chosen to design the homes was Edwin S. Radcliffe who is listed as having his office at the Mannheimer Building in St. Paul. Not much is known about Radcliffe. He was the son of one of the great builders of St. Paul Abraham Radcliffe who designed a number of notable buildings still standing. This was one of Radcliffe's last commission in the city before he moved to Duluth to practice there. One of his prominent houses in Duluth is entitled the Marcus and Sarah Fay house commissioned in 1902 at 2105 East Superior Street.
The builders of the row homes is listed as a E. Sephton and Company at 582 Jackson street in St. Paul. The original building permit was filed on May 31st 1889. One permit was submitted for the 8 detached dwellings at a cost of $5000.00 to build each. The memoranda on the permit reads “Commenced work on the foundations May 31st on the frames 10th June & finished all the dwellings about September 26th.” The foundations were built of Limestone blocks, earth and concrete. The rest of the dwelling is built of wood.
It is also said that Annice Keller herself resided briefly at the address when it was first completed.[1]
One of John's and Annice's children, Herbert P. Keller was the first mayor of St. Paul to be born in the city. He is listed as living with his brother Charles E. Keller at 771 6th street in 1910, became mayor of St. Paul from 1910 to 1914. Keller Lake and Golf course are named for him. It is interesting that he is noted as living at 771 6th street, but for a newspaper article for the same year, he is also listed as living at 774 East Sixth Street.
Annice’s Obituary reads “DIED: KELLER - At the family residence, Eichenwald Street, in the 56th year of her age, Mrs. Annice E., relict of the late John M. Keller. Funeral services at the resident at 2 o'clock, Saturday, Jan. 26. (Undated) Born 11/20/1835 d. 1/23/1895 married to John on 26th of July 1857.
Another Reads:
SHE WAS A PIONEER Mrs. Annice E. Keller, one of the old residents, is dead. The ranks of St. Paul's old settlers suffered another loss yesterday by the death of Mrs. Annice E. Keller, which occurred at 6 a.m. at her residence on Eichenwald street, after a protracted illness of several months. Mrs. Keller was fifty-five years of age, and has made St. Paul her home since 1856. She was the widow of the late John M. Keller, who at the time of his death was a prominent business man of this city. Mrs. Keller leaves eight children, five sons and three daughters. Her death will be mourned by a wide circle of loving friends. The funeral, which will be private, will occur at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon.”[1]
Contents |
History
Previous Owners
The following persons have been listed as living at the residence in the St. Paul city directories in their respective years.
September 26. 1889 Finished occupied by Annice E Keller for a short time.
1890 Anna A. Schlenk ( b? - 1928)was the widow of Joseph Schlenk and resided at this address and that Hugo Schlenk also resided at this address.
1891 to Fall of 1896 Mrs. Anna Schlenk (Hospes) & Dr (daughter Eliza A Schlenk). and Hugo Schlenk Born 11.4.1862 Died 12-27-1963 private secretary for Albert Scheffer who resided at 267 Maria St from 1906 onward., however it is possible (as listed in the MNHS photo database) that Albert Scheffer lived at 621 east 5th street in 1885 and then in 1886-1904 at 52 Bates Ave/ (now 908 Mounds) ., and was the president of the St. Paul German Insurance Company in 1890 Schlenk reminiscences in the forest history society ’An inventory of interviews of Pioneer lumbermen’ in the MNHS archives, who was born in Stillwater, Minnesota, and was, in his early life, employed by the St. Croix Boom Corporation, the Albert Scheffer banking concern, and finally, in 1903, by the Weyerhaeuser interests. Mr. Schlenk was put in charge of the Weyerhaeuser company in Cloquet in 1906. Information is given on the Northern Lumber Company of Cloquet; the Cloquet fire of 1918; and early Stillwater and its sawmills In the 1870 census Hugo is listed attending school. His father Joseph was a Merchant Sailor.
By 1908 Anna had moved to 955 Portland Ave and in 1900 Mr. and Mrs. Hugo Schlenk to 961 Portland. It is possible that Hugo Schlenk was married in Jan 28 1896 to Agnes Schiermann. They then had Hugo M Schlenk Jr in or about 1897 - 9-9-1960 married to Gretchen and John J Schlenk in or about 1900 and Katherine Schlenk in or about 1902. Hugo then moved to Cloquet in 1906 where Hugo was an office manager for the Northern Lumber Company . Hugo M , Married Gretchen. With two children Gretchen age 4 and Joanne age 3 Hugo and Hugo Jr died in Carlton County.
November 1st 1896 to 1901 UNKNOWN
1901 to Mid 1904 Mr & Mrs. David (Edgar?) Backer.( b.? - 1932) retail merchant of Confectionary In 1904 a newspaper advertisement offers 2 rooms for rent.
1905 to 1906 Mr & Mrs. E. Walsh and dr.
1907 to 1908 UNKNOWN
1909 Julia Geusch? (Card found in house addressed to her)
1910 Robert Givven
1911 to 1916 UNKNOWN
1917 to 1918 Mr. & Mrs. G.K. Robertson
1919 UNKNOWN
1920 By 1920 the Sanborn Maps list most of the Keller Row homes as duplexes. Listed as living here was Emma Sedin Head and Raymond and Alvin Sedin brothers. It also states that Hattie Robertson Head and Emelia Keller (Mother) Harold (Brother) , Rollins (Brother) and Jessie (Sister)
1921-UNKNOWN
1922-UNKNOWN Milo Neely
1922-1929UNKNOWN
1930 The city directory indicates that Harry G. Lieberg, Morris D. Humphreys, (1940) Sr., his wife, Isabel Humphreys, and Morris D. Humphreys, Jr., a helper employed by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RailRoad, resided at this address
The 1930 census states that Harry Lieberg (Renter) and his wife Lilly. Morris Humphreys (father) Belle (Mom), Morris Jr (brother), Lee (brother) and Rhys (brother). The Humphreys only remain until 1934.
1931 Humphreys
1932 Humphreys, 1st floor vacant
1933 Humphreys
1934 Humphreys and Cornelius M Ronayne
1935 Ronayne
1936 Walter Cennewitz, Ronayne
1937 to 1966 Albert O and Helen Kittleson and Ronayne.
Memories and stories
Badges
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Photo Gallery
 Eichenwald Mansion, 394 Eichenwald |
 C. E. Keller Lumber Company, St. Paul, MN |
 Front Parlor Fireplace |
 Library Cole Burning Fireplace |
 Stained Glass Window over side bay. Removed 1990s |
 Hugo's father's store in Stillwater MN |
 German American Bank where Hugo worked |
 1891 Rascher Insurance Map showing that the Eichenwald Mansion was listed as a boarding house. It also shows the printing show at the back of the property that is listed in the city directory as being associated with 773 6th |
 Earliest image of 783 6th Street (reversed to show how 761 looked) Circa 1914 with original porch |
Related Links
Notes
All research has been done by the current owner. Anyone with additional information please contact me at Notoriousnola@yahoo.com!
