HISTORY OF THE HOUSE

Before the House ( - 1857)

Before the Kennon House was constructed, the land that now forms the Carondelet neighborhood was part of a much older landscape shaped by Indigenous peoples of the Mississippi River Valley.

Archaeological evidence shows that Native American communities lived throughout the St. Louis region for thousands of years prior to European settlement. The most prominent prehistoric culture associated with the area is the Mississippian civilization, which flourished between approximately A.D. 900 and 1400. The nearby Cahokia settlement, located across the Mississippi River in present-day Illinois, was the largest urban center in North America during this period and influenced communities throughout the surrounding region. [2] By the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Osage Nation occupied much of the territory that includes present-day eastern Missouri. [3].

European exploration and settlement began in the Mississippi Valley during the late seventeenth century under French colonial administration. In 1700 AD, Jesuit missionaries traveled to the area to preach to the local nations, settling at a small island at the mouth of the river Des Peres - about a mile south of the future site of the Kennon house. This mission was short lived and disbanded in 1703, although there is evidence that a few settlers may have remained in the area as late as 1723 [5].

In 1767, Clement DeLore de Treget, a French-born man who had been given administrative rights by the Spanish Crown over lands in the area, traveled north from St. Genevieve, Missouri and settled just a few hundred yards east of where the Kennon House stands, at the base of modern-day Elwood street. The settlement he founded would later be joined by French settlers from Cahokia and Kaskaskia [6].

The parcel that The Kennon House occupies resides within block 88 of the original 92 parcel blocks, each 320 feet square, created by Delore in the 18th century [5].

The Kennons build the house (1857 - 1887)

In the middle of the 1800s, St. Louis experienced more than its fair share of crises. When cyclical outbreaks of Cholera, Typhoid fever, and Spanish Flu swept through St. Louis in the 1850s, many well-off St. Louis City residents chose to migrate south to the city of Carondelet [5], which was largely unaffected by the epidemics, and had gained a reputation as the 'healthiest city on the Mississippi River" [8].

The family of Frederick A. Kennon (age 34), an Auctioneer and Commission merchant were among those who made the move. On August 1st in 1857, Frederick's wife, Harriet Leonard Taylor Kennon, purchased a vacant 7,500 sqft section of the 88th block of the city of Carondelet, at the intersection of 3rd Street (Today, Minnesota Ave) and "D" Street (Today, Dover Street). The lot was purchased from James McKown of St. Louis City for $650 (about $25,000 in 2023). The next year, the Kennons built a house on the site and relocated from a residence between 10th & 11th Streets in St. Louis. Frederick continued working as an auctioneer and merchant until his death at age 50 on November 18th, 1873 [1].

An early map of the town of Carondelet, taken from History of St. Louis Neighborhoods, 1978 [5].

The Loomis Ownership (1880 - 1887)

After Frederick's death, Harriet borrowed $1,500 (about $41k in 2023) on a term of 5 years from Elias Loomis (A well-know teacher and scholar from New Haven, Connecticut), using her house as collateral. The property was later sold at auction by the Courthouse in St. Louis on Feb 11th, 1880 to the same Elias Loomis, who bid $1648 (about $48.5K in 2023) [1].

Elias Loomis, former owner

The Stackl Family Ownership (1887 - 1907)

Seven years later, in 1887, Mr. Loomis sold the property to George Stackl for $1,600 (about $51,000 in 2023). George was a builder and carpenter who was born in St. Louis County, and he lived there with his wife (Maria E. Stackl) for 2 decades, raising 3 daughters and a son [1].

His daughters (Lorena, Della, and Nellie) were employed as schoolteachers and his son (George J.) was employed as a cashier for F.W. Brockman commission company [1].

There is evidence that a widow named Frances (Fannie) C. Myrick resided in the residence in 1896 [11] and 1910 [13].

There is also record that George Stackl again resided in the property in 1903. [12]

The Kennon House, as owned by George Stackl in 1890🔗

The Uthoffs manage the property (1907 - 1961)

On October 18 in 1907, the Stackls (now in their late 60s) sold the property to John H. and Rosa Uthoff for $3,400 (about $115k in 2023). John, a prominent St. Louis real estate broker, sold the property just 10 days later (on October 28th) to Emma Hussing - a young bachelorette. She owned the property only 65 days before she died. The house remained in the possession of her estate for 6 years, after which a trustee of her estate transferred the property back to the John H. Uthoff Real Estate Company (on January 27, 1914), which rented the property to tenants. Records from this time are incomplete, but records show that the following residents occupied the residence during this time:

Herman Bohlken (Gunnery Sargent with the US Army) lived in the property in 1915 [10].
Christian Forstel and his wife Ethel Mae lived there around 1920, with their son Chris Arlie born there on December 4th, 1920 [1].

9 years later, in 1923, the firm transferred ownership of the property back to John Uthoff. At this time, John lived at a much newer mason-framed house at 513 Dover Place, which had been built in 1912. As a result, he converted the Kennon house into 2 units (one on each floor) and rented them out to various tenants. Among these were:

Eli B Greenway (first floor) and Charles G Huber (second floor) in 1923 [1].

On May 5 1933, John H. Uthoff transferred the residences to his daughter and son-in-law: Cliffton T. and Elfride Miller, who resided in a NJ suburb at the time. In 1944 John H. Uthoff moved into the residence with his wife, Augusta, and two children, Robert and Ruth [1].

On January 18, 1960, the family split the parcel presently at 312 Dover Street and transferred it to Robert G. Uthoff and Robt. M., who resided there as joint tenants. At this time, the Millers transferred the main house to H. P. B. Realty Company (owned by Howard Bennett) [1].

The Kennon House, as Landlorded by John Uthoff 🔗

The Simon restorATION (1961 - 2003)

In May of 1961, the property was purchased and restored by an antique furniture restoration hobbyist named Lawrence (Larry) J. Simon, who restored the house for his family to live in, and saved it from potential demolition [9]. Larry and his wife, Mary N. Simon, lived in the house for many years until Mary died on July 8th, 1987.

Larry remained in the house, and was eventually re-married to Jacqueline Simon. Larry passed away on November 12th,1998, passing the property to Jacqueline.

In 2000, Jacqueline performed some renovation work on the property, including electrical work and adding the distinctive back porch to the property.

Larry and Jaqueline Simon

Kootman consolidates the property (2003-2022)

In 2003, Jaqueline sold the property, as well as various adjoining properties, to to Steven P. Kootman for $140,000. After a large tree fell on the structure located at 5805 Minnesota, Kootman oversaw the demolition of the building and consolidated the parcels at 312 Dover, 5801 Minnesota, 5805 Minnesota, and 5811 Minnesota into a compound, building retaining walls, fences, and gates in 2004.

Steven Kootman, former owner

THE Goodleaf RESTORATION (2022 - Present)

In 2022, Kootman signed a contract to sell the compound to Matthew and Nora Goodleaf for $175,000. The couple moved-in, performed repairs on the parcel at 312 Dover so that they could occupy the residence while repairing the larger historic property. Renovations are on-going.