1580 Granville Street

1580 Granville Street
Cisco House

Lot 56, W. B. Hayden's Subdivision

Albert A(braham) Sisco was born March 3, 1860 in Ohio, son of Abraham and Sarah J. Doran Sisco. He married Laura B. Ashton in Franklin County on December 6, 1883. Laura was born May 11, 1861 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, daughter of William and August Case Ashton. They had a son, Lester J. (July 1885 - 1955).

Albert would have been a distantly related step-cousin of William V. Havens who lived at 1654 Granville Street. They seem to have both moved to Granville Street about 1898, being some of the earliest residents of the street east of Taylor Avenue.

On January 23, 1907 the Board of Public Safety accepted
Engine House No. 14, at the corner of Parsons Ave. and McCort St. from contractor Albert Sisco.

Albert was a carpenter and contractor. The American Contractor of April 26, 1919 reports this residential construction, "...$3,200, 2 sty. & bas. 27 x 32, 24 Kenworth rd. Priv. plans. Owner & Bldr. Albert Sisco, gen. contr., 1066 E. Long st. Frame. On fdn."

In 1919 and 1920 the Siscos are renting the house at 1066 East Long Street. Laura's mother, August Ashton, age 88, is living with them.

Albert died on November 16, 1931 at White Cross Hospital, he had fractured his aft femur in an accidental fall shortly before his death. Laura died May 8, 1938.

The Siscos sold the house to the Sniders on September 30, 1901 for $5,300.

Samuel W. Snider was born in Perry County, Ohio on August 7, 1843, son of Peter and Eleanor Dean Snider. He married Margaret Reynolds on October 11, 1865. Margaret was born in Zanesville on May 29, 1844, her mother's name was Mary Crosson. They had seven children; Mary (1867), twins Ellen (March 7, 1870 - January 8, 1934) and Catharine (March 7, 1870), Martha "Mattie" (August 1, 1872), Dora C. (March 23, 1876), Stephen A. (March 19, 1879) and Margaret E. (September 26, 1881 - September 26, 1902).

In 1880 the Sniders lived in Reading Township in Perry County.

Snider's biography is in the 1909 Centennial History if Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Volume 2: "Carefully saving his earnings, as the result of diligence and economy his capital was at length sufficient to enable him to purchase a small sawmill and engage in business on his own account in 1867. He joined his brother (Joseph) in a partnership under the name Snider Brothers and they began the operation of their mill, which was located in Perry county, Later they bought three other mills, which they continued to operate until 1892 and Samuel Snider then sold out to his brother. In the previous year - 1891 - he had become associated with his brother J.J. Snider, in the establishment of a planing mill and lumberyard in Columbus, their brother William Snider also becoming interested in the concern, although he later traded his interest to Samuel Snider for the latter's sawmill business in Perry county.

"The J.J. Snider Lumber Company was incorporated in 1891 with J.J. Snider as president and Samuel Snider as treasurer. The business has had remarkable growth during the period of its existence and is still expanding along lines of substantial and gratifying development.

"In 1900 a trade was effected whereby Samuel Snider became principal owner of the business at Columbus and has since that time been president of the company. He employs about forty-five men and handles all kinds of hard and soft woods and likewise operates a planing mill in the manufacture of lumber. In all of his business dealings he has been straightforward and energetic and has conducted his affairs with the strictest regard to a high standard of commercial ethics. He is also one of the directors of the People's Bank, which is likewise proving a paying investment but he devotes the greater part of his time and attention to his lumber business and the J.J. Snider Lumber Company ranks among foremost in the trade of this city.

"Mr. Snider finds his chief source of rest and recreation in driving, and is very fond of good horses, always having some splendid specimens of the noble steed in his stables. He belongs to the Catholic church and gives his political allegiance to the democracy. In former years he was more or less active in politics and served as a (1881) commissioner of Perry county, Ohio.

"...Mr. Snider was married to Miss Margaret Reynolds, of Springfield, Ohio, and unto them were born five children but Mary, the eldest, and Stephen A. and Margaret, the fourth and fifth members of the family are now deceased. Ellen and Catherine, twins, are both married. Mr. Snider is a self-made man whose thrift, industry and integrity have been the strong points in a successful career. He stands as a splendid example of the chivalrous and public-spirited American citizen, conservative in his habits and of keen, discerning mind. His salient characteristics are such as are worthy of emulation and have gained for him the respect and good will of a large circle of warm friends."

In 1891 the J.J. Snider Lumber Company was established at Taylor Avenue where it intersected the B & O Railroad, with a capital stock of $75,000. The officers were: J.J. Snider, President; Charles Kircher, Secretary; Samuel Snider, Treasurer. Also in that year, Joseph lived at the NE corner of Grant Avenue and Grove Street. Samuel still lived in Somerset, Perry County, as did another brother William Snider (born 1856), who was also associated with the company.

In 1893, the brothers started the Joseph J. and Samuel Snider Grocery on Taylor Avenue, one door north of the intersection of the Panhandle Railroad. At the lumberyard, Charles Kircher was no longer Secretary, another Perry County man, Conrad J. Litzinger was his replacement.

Litzinger lived at 1291 Atcheson Street, Samuel lived next door at 1293 Atcheson Street, and Joseph Snider was living at 344 N. Grant Avenue. Litzinger's son, Eugene would later purchase the house at 1580 Granville Street.

Conrad J. Litzinger was born in about 1849 in Perry County. He married Ida A. Fink on October 5, 1880 in Perry County. Ida was born in August 26, 1849 in Somerset, Ohio, daughter of James E. and Catherine (Fencannen) Fink. Conrad and Ida had six children: Maud (January 11, 1882 – December 5, 1947), Eugene (January 21, 1884), Hugh F. (November 1885), Paul (November 1885), Katherine (March 1888) and Mary (August 1890).

Conrad died on March 27, 1897 in Franklin County. James E. McNally was his successor at the lumber company. McNally would later purchase the company.

By 1900, Joseph Snider and his family had moved to South Mulberry Street in Logan, Ohio.

In 1900, Ida Litzinger, Conrad's widow, lived on Taylor Avenue with her children. Her occupation is listed as grocer. She was oprtating the grocery started by the Sniders. Maud Litzinger worked as a clerk in the store.

In 1910 the Sniders' granddaughter, Margaret M. Snider Miller, (1870 - 1946), lived with them on Granville Street. Margaret and Sam are listed as having seven children, three of whom were still living at the time of the Census. So between 1900 and 1910, two more of their children died.

Ida Litzinger and five of her children are living at 1589 Mt. Vernon Avenue in 1910. This house is directly behind 1580 Granville Street. Eugene is now the grocer and Mary is working at the store.

In 1913, Snider sold the lumber company to James E. McNally, Secretary/Treasurer of the company. McNally renamed the firm the J.E. McNally Lumber Company in 1920, McNally lived at 1594 Greenway Avenue (directly behind and across the street from 1580 Granville Street). The surviving buildings of the lumber company are the present Millworks complex at 2020 Leonard Avenue.

Snider died February 8, 1922. Margaret died August 24, 1923. They are buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery.

On June 25, 1925 the house was transferred to the estate of Margaret, and then to Dora C. Snider.

Dora had moved to Los Angeles, California before 1925, but maintained a residence in Columbus. In 1930, Dora owned an apartment building at 628 High Street. She is living there with her adopted daughter, Mary K. Snider (1921). Dora died in Los Angeles on December 9, 1962.

Dora sold the house to the Kanmachers on June 30, 1925.

Grant Kanmacher was born August 24, 1866 in Columbus, son of Henry G and Marie Timmerman Kanmacher. He married Louise H. Born in Franklin County on July 11, 1888. Louise was born March 27, 1869 in Columbus, daughter of Daniel and Helena Bart Born.

Louise died July 28, 1937. Grant died February 29, 1939. They are buried at Greenlawn Cemetery,

The Kanmachers had lived at 298 Woodland Avenue.

On April 23, 1927, a Sheriff's Deed was issued to Dora Snider on a bid of $7,200. Dora had foreclosed on the Kanmachers, forcing the sale of the house on an outstanding debt of $5,235.39.

Days later, Dora Snider sold the house to neighbor Eugene Litzinger. The Litzingers lived at 1576 Granville Street.

Eugene Joseph Litzinger was born on January 21, 1884 in Somerset, Perry County. He married Barbara A. Holzapfel in Franklin County on May 10, 1910. Barbara was born in 1890 in Wellston, Ohio, daughter of Andy and Mary Essman Holzapfel. Eugene and Barbara had six children, John Edgar (1912) Robert E. (1914), Paul L. (1915), William F. (1919). Daniel Joseph, (August 9, 1924 - November 25, 1925 and Donald J. (1925).

The Litzingers then moved next door to 1580 Granville Street. Eugene's mother Ida was still living just behind the house, at 1589 Greenway Avenue, though she died about a year later on July 28, 1928.

In the 1930's they rented out the house at 1576 Granville Street to a cousin of Barbara's, Joseph Essman, and by 1945, Eugene's son John lived in that house.

Barbara died February 10, 1938. Eugene died in April 1955, and in January 1956, the property was transferred to his heirs. On February 23, 1956 they sold it to the Equitable Investment Corporation.

On October 26, 1956, John L. and Eddie Mae Breckenridge purchased the house.

John Langdon Breckinridge, Sr. was born in Maysville, Kentucky on June 12, 1913. He married Eddie/Eddye Mae Defoor after 1945. Eddye was born February 15, 1919 in Atlanta, Georgia, daughter of Warren C. and Mattie L. Defoor. The had a son, John Langdon, Jr. (1953).

Between 1930 and 1940 the Defoors moved to Warren, Ohio. In 1940, Eddie was working as a cook for a family and living with her parents. In the mid-1940s Eddie was living in Dayton, Ohio.

John was an attorney and President of the Warren Urban League. Breckenridge attended Youngstown University and passed the Ohio Bar in April 1958.

Breckenridge died July 6, 1992 in Warren, Ohio. Eddye died February 29, 2008.

It appears that the Breckenridges were absentee landlords, operating the property as a rooming house.

Break Seen In Death Of Woman, Columbus Dispatch, January 2, 1960, "A quick solution to the death of an East Side woman found nude New Year's morning in a secluded area in western Franklin County appeared probably following identification of the woman Saturday morning. Sheriff's deputies said the woman has been identified as Mrs. Mary Ann Anthony, 18, of 1580 Granville St. Mrs. Anthony's mother, Mrs. Agnes Jenkins, of 383 N. Washington Ave., identified the body at the Franklin County Morgue. Mr. and Mrs. James Broomfield, who live at the same rooming house as the dead woman, also identified the body. Sheriff's Sgt. Clyde Mann said several persons including the woman's husband, Phillip, 23, and the Broomfields have been questioned about events preceding the death. The Broomfields took Mrs. Anthony to a New Year's Eve party and said she left the party at 4:30 a.m....The Broomfields said they did not see anyone leave with Mrs. Anthony. Sgt. Mann said other persons who attended the party at a Stevens Ave. residence are being called in for questioning. Mrs. Anthony was found dead on Deerlick Dr., a new road being prepared for a new exclusive housing development between New Rome and Hilliard. Deputies believe the woman was taken there in a car, slugged in the face and then pushed out. She was sexually attacked, evidence shows, and probably died of exposure between 4:40 and 7 a.m. Friday." Subsequent articles show that the four (white) men responsible for the murder were apprehended and all were sentenced to life in prison.

So in 1960, the Anthonys and the Broomfields lived at the house. Phillip Lawrence Anthony was born in Columbus on May 23, 1936, son of Martin Bray and Electoria (Tolliver) Anthony. He married Mary Ann about 1959. Mary Ann was born in 1943 in Atlanta, Georgia. Phillip married Brenda J. McCloud (1944) on August 11, 1973 in Columbus. Phillip and Brenda divorced on July 26, 1979. Phillip died in Columbus on August 10, 2002.

James David Broomfield, Jr. was born in Mississippi on March 28, 1938, his mother's maiden name was Jones. James married Mable L. about 1959. Mable moved out of state and they were divorced April 11, 1973. James married two more times before his death in Columbus on March 20, 2002.

On Mar 7, 1968 Wilfred L. Wilson bought the house and a few months later sold it to Jimmie L. Croskery on December 13, 1968.

Wilfred "Willie" L. Wilson had been a bell captain at the Neil House hotel. He was born about 1909 and died in Columbus in August 1986.

Jimmie Lee Croskery was born June 22, 1928 in Montgomery, Alabama. His mother's maiden name was Gendraw. There is a listing in the 1946, Montgomery City Directory for "Jas. L." Croskery, residing at 202 W. Scott. His occupation is helper at Montgomery Map & Blueprint.

Jimmie married Alma L. Thompson on October 17, 1991 in Franklin County. Alma was born July 3, 1925.

Jimmie died April 18, 1999 in Columbus and the property was deeded to his widow Alma on June 1, 2000.