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Before the House ( - 1857)
Before the House ( - 1857)
Although the Kennon House is one of the oldest buildings in St. Louis today, its age is dwarfed by the thousands of years of human history in the fertile river area in which it resides. For millennia, the area that contains what is now known as St. Louis' Carondelet Neighborhood has been populated by indigenous persons. The earliest records show that the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ Souix existed in the region (before 800 AD) [2] before they moved north near present day Minnesota State [4]. Later, the Osage Nation would lay claim to the area (since at least 1200 AD) [3].
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 Terget, 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].
An early map of the town of Carondelet, taken from History of St. Louis Neighborhoods, 1978 [5].
The Kennons build the house (1857 - 1887)
The Kennons build the house (1857 - 1887)
In the middle of the 1800s, St. Louis experienced more than its fair share of crisis. 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, which was largely unaffected by the epidemics, and gained a reputation as the 'healthiest city on the Mississippi River" [8].
Frederick A. Kennon (age 34), an Auctioneer and Commission merchant was among those who made the move. On August 1st in 1857, Frederick's wife, Harriet Leonard Taylor Kennon, purchased a vacant 7,500nsqft 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 and County for $650 (about $25,000 in 2023). The next year, the Kennon's built a house on the site. The couple relocated to the house (which was put in Harriet's name) from a residence between 10th & 11th Street in St. Louis City. Frederick continued working as an auctioneer and merchant until his death at age 50 on November 18th, 1873 [1].
After Fredericks death, Harriet borrowed $1,500 (a little over $41k in 2023) on a term of 5 years from Elias Loomis (of 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 Elias Loomis, who bid $1648 (about $48.5K in 2023) [1].
Elias Loomis, former owner
The Stackls move-in (1887 - 1907)
The Stackls move-in (1887 - 1907)
Seven years later, in 1887, ELIAS 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].
The Uthoffs manage the property (1907 - 1961)
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. 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 CO (on January 27, 1914), which rented the property to tenants. During this time, Christian Forstel and his wife Ethel Mae lived there, and their son Chris Arlie was 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 he had built just two years earlier in 1912. As a result, he converted the Kennon house into 2 units (one on each floor) and rented them out to various tennants. Records from this time are incomplete, but it is known that Eli B Greenway lived on the first floor and Charles G Huber lived on the second in 1923 [1].
On May 5 1933, JOHN H. UTHOFF transferred the residence to his daughter and son-in-law: CLIFFTON T. and ELFRIEDE 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 JAN 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 (Howard Bennett) [1].
The Simons restore the property (1961 - 2003)
The Simons restore the property (1961 - 2003)
In May of 1961, the property was acquired by Lawrence J. and Mary N. Simon. Mary died in July 8th, 1987.
Larry remained in the house, and was re-married to Jacqueline Simon. He 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 a back porch to the property.
Jaqueline Simon
Steve Kootman consolidates the property (1907 - 1961)
Steve Kootman consolidates the property (1907 - 1961)
In 2003, Jaqueline sold the property, as well as various adjoining properties, to to Steven P. Kootman for $140,000. After a tree fell on the structure located at 5805 Minnesota, Kootman oversaw the demolition of the buildings located at 5805 and 5811 Minnesota and consolidated the parcels into a compound, building retaining walls and fences in 2004.
The Goodleafs restore the property (2022 - Present)
The Goodleafs restore the property (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.
Sources
[1] https://mohistory.org/collections/item/N03366?fullscreen=1
[2] https://native-land.ca/maps/territories/oceti-sakowin-sioux/
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osage_Nation
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sioux
[5] https://missouriencyclopedia.org/places/river-des-peres-jesuit-mission-1700-1703
[6] History of St. Louis Neighborhoods, the St. Louis Community Devlopment Agncy, 1978
[7] History of Carondelet, Nini Harris, 1991
[8] Reflections of Carondelet, 1961
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