311 N. 3rd St - Grand Haven, Michigan
- Jeny Mueller
- Jan 11, 2022
- 5 min read
Welcome to 311 North 3rd Street in Grand Haven, Michigan - a city on the shores of #lakemichigan! Last month, as a winter getaway, my husband and I spent a weekend in #grandhaven. We wanted to be close to downtown so we could walk so the breweries and explore the downtown area. We found this #airbnb that was just a couple blocks from downtown and it had amazing reviews so we booked it!
As soon as we stepped inside the front door, I knew this house was an older home with a lot of history! The original hardwood floors were in impeccable condition and many of the doors and door-trims were original. Also, probably the original clawfoot tub was also in great condition. I love when owners keep these historic touches in a house - it's an appreciation to the families that called this house a home!
General Facts:
Year Built: sometime between 1907-1911
Size: 3 beds/ 2 baths
Acreage: 0.09 acres
# of Owners from 1911-1963: 1
The first time this appeared on a map was sometime between 1907 and 1911.
The original address was 313 N. 3rd St.
This house is so unique because there was one family that lived here from the time it was built until around 1963 - that's more than 50 years! Welcome the BROWN Family!
Peter Brown (De Bruyn)
Born: August 4, 1885; Spring Lake, Michigan
Died: January 1, 1944; Grand Haven, Michigan
Father: John (b. 1861; Netherlands - d. 1935; Michigan)
Mother: Cornelia Van Weelden (b. 1862; Grand Haven, Michigan - d. 1929; Michigan)
Siblings: Charles, Nellie, Ida, John, Jane, and Kate; Peter was the second oldest
Peter Brown was born in 1885 to John and Cornelia Brown. Peter grew up in Polkton Township on a farm that his father, a Dutch immigrant, owned and worked on. Peter's mother, Cornelia, was born and raised in the city of Grand Haven and her father, Peter's grandfather, a Dutch immigrant, worked as a merchant.
According to a later census, the highest education Peter Brown received was 4th grade. I'd assumed since he lived on a farm, he had to quit school to help his father on the farm.
On the 1910 Census, Peter Brown was 23 years old and worked as a teamster and rented a room at a boarding house on 2nd St in downtown Grand Haven. The house was owned by a Mary Berry and there were at least 5 other boarders living there.
The next year, in 1911, Peter Brown married Emma Louise Witt.
Emma Louise Witt
Born: August 2, 1884; Illinois/Romeo, Michigan
Died: May 26, 1972; Grand Haven, Michigan
Father: unknown
Mother: unknown
Siblings: unknown
Emma Witt was born in 1884 - on her marriage record it stated she was born in Illinois. However, in her obituary from 1972, it stated she was born in Romeo, Michigan (just north of Detroit). There were no parents listed on her marriage record and no other record of who her parents and siblings would be. The 1911 marriage record is the first document trace of Emma Witt.
The house at 311 N. 3rd St was built around 1911, and that is the same time Peter and Emma got married so timeframe when the house was built corresponds with the marriage of Peter and Emma. The first known record of Peter and Emma living in the house is from the 1914 Grand Haven City Directory.
During my general research, I came across another mystery of the Brown family - their oldest son, Harley Raymond Brown, was born in 1908 in Chicago, Illinois. On the 1910 census that I mentioned above - Emma nor Harley Brown was living with Peter in Grand Haven. I can't confirm where Emma lived in 1910 and if Harley was with her or not. Maybe Harley was adopted? There are multiple reasons and it would take hours to find the exact answer-if there was one!
According to the historical documents I found online - Peter and Emma Brown had three children: Harley, Roland, and Katherine.
Harley Raymond Brown
Born: December 10, 1908; Chicago, Illinois
Died: 1952; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Spouses: Verda Allen (1912-2003)
Married 1931 in Kissimmee, Florida; Divorced 1940 in Grand Haven, Michigan
Jean Burrell (1913-1954)
Married in 1940 (third marriage for Jean)
Roland John Brown (De Bruyn)
Born: 1913; Grand Haven, Michigan
Died: 1985; Spring Lake, Michigan
Spouse: Elizabeth Warber (1913-2006)
Married 1938 in Spring Lake, Michigan
Katherine Wilhelmina Brown
Born: January 27, 1915; Grand Haven, Michigan
Died: October 19, 1999; Grand Haven, Michigan
Spouse: Joseph Domanski (1916-1970)
Married 1943 in Grand Haven, Michigan
When the Brown family first moved into 311 N. 3rd St, Peter Brown worked at Van Bros and then later worked at the National Utilities Co of Michigan for more than 15 years.
1920 Census Record
Summary:
Household consisted of: Peter (34 years old); Emma (35 years old); Harley (11 years old); Roland (7 years old), and Katherine (4 years old)
The Brown family owned 311 N 3rd St and they did have a mortgage for the house
Everyone could read and write and all three kids were in school
Peter worked as a laborer for the railroad
1930 Census Record
Summary:
Household consisted of: Peter (44 years old); Emma (45 years old); Harley (21 years old); Roland (17 years old), and Katherine (15 years old)
The Brown family owned 311 N 3rd St and the home value was $1,200 ($20,000 in 2021 currency)
Only Katherine was in school
The house did not have a radio set - most on the street did have one
Peter worked as truck driver for a gas company (National Utilities) and Harley worked as a section worker for the railroad
1940 Census Record
Summary:
Household consisted of: Peter (54 years old); Emma (55 years old); Katherine (25 years old)
The Brown family owned 311 N 3rd St and the home value was $2,500 ($50,000 in 2021 currency)
Highest education for each household member: Peter - 4th grade; Emma - 8th grade; and Katherine - 4 years of high school
Peter worked for the same gas company (National Utilities) and Katherine worked as a stenographer for a leather factory.
In November of 1944, Peter passed away due to a long-term illness - he was 59 years old.
Emma continued to live at 311 N. 3rd St for many years. Her daughter, Katherine and her husband, lived with her for a couple years in 1948.
Emma also rented out rooms in the house and there were quite a few others that called 311 N 3rd St their home throughout the years. (Due to limitation on directories, below is a collection of other residents that I could find digitally.)
Emma Brown continued to live at 311 N. 3rd St until the the late 1960's - maybe very early 1970's - that's almost 60 years in the same house!
Emma passed away in 1972 at 88 years old.
If only these walls could talk...I can't imagine all the stories and memories that were shared by the Brown family, and especially, Emma!
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