1603 Clifton Avenue
Thomas House

Lot 10, Watson and Ryan's Subdivision

This lot was purchased by Robert McKee and Susan E. Rownd on April 15, 1890 for $750. In 1910 the Rownds lived in New York City. The Rownds sold the property to the Thomases in 1911.

Rownd was a Civil War veteran who lived to age 104. Mr. Rownd's first business venture was a wholesale grocery and drug sundries firm in Columbus. Later, he entered politics. President McKinley appointed him Postmaster at Columbus. He subsequently managed the Ohio State Penitentiary and for six years he was president of the Ohio Canal and Land Commission. In 1903 he moved to Buffalo, New York and became secretary and treasurer of the Buffalo Fertilizer Company. He later became president of the old Third National Bank of Buffalo.

John Scott Thomas was born September 4, 1859 in Georgesville, Ohio, son of Obedia and Martha Jane Douglas Thomas. He married Katherine C. "Katie" C. Buch in Franklin County on June 22, 1887. Katie was born in Columbus on December 12, 1865, daughter of Henry and Catherine Swisher Buch. They had two children: Lillie May (May 13, 1887), Helen Irene (July 22, 1894).

John was a carpenter. In 1910 he was foreman of a carpentry shop, probably the Pennsylvania Railroad tank shop. The Thomases moved to 480 Linwood Avenue in 1903. Lillie married Robert S. Miller on November 26, 1908.

This house was probably built for the Thomases in 1912. They are first listed in the City Directory at this address in 1913.

Helen married Claude H. Linville on June 14, 1917. In 1918 the Thomases moved to the duplex at 1609 Greenway Avenue. In 1929, John moved to 226 South Cassingham Avenue in Bexley.

Katie died May 4, 1924. John died March 19, 1949. They are buried at Greenlawn Cemetery.

Robert K. McAllister bought this house from the Thomases in April 1918. He assumed a mortgage of $610.72 from the Railroad Employes' Building & Loan Company.

Robert Knox McAllister was born in Ohio on November 10, 1885, son of Charles Armstrong and Laura Knox McAllister. He married Emogene Rood in Franklin county on October 11, 1911 at Broad Street Presbyterian Church. Emogene was born September 18, 1884 in Cedar County, Iowa, daughter of John T. and Mary Negers Rood. They had three children: Elizabeth Jean (1913), Mary E. M. (June 26, 1914 - February 7, 1935), and Robert C. (1923).

Robert was a building contractor/developer with an office at 85 South High Street. He probably built the house next door to this one at 1599 Clifton Avenue.

In 1942 the McAllisters lived at 86 Miami Avenue. In 1951 the McAllisters lived at 2350 Brentwood Road in Bexley.

Robert died May 29, 1951. Emogene died November 19, 1968. They are buried at Greenlawn Cemetery.

On November 14, 1940 the Adams purchased the house from the McAllisters.

John Quincy Adams, Jr. was born about 1913 in Columbus, son of John Qunicy and Martha Louise Geiger Adams. He married Rose Mary Goodman between 1931 and 1939. Rose Mary Goodman was born in Columbus on August 8, 1907, daughter of Dexter Yates and Leona Rachel Book Goodman. They had a daughter, Joyce M. (1939).

Rose's sister, Dolores "Dody" Goodman was an actress. She was as semi-regular on Jack Paar's Tonight Show and among other roles she played the mother character, Martha Shumway, in the Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman television show and was the school secretary, Blanche Hodel in the movie Grease.

Rose first married Joseph J. Curran in Franklin County on August 28, 1928. They had a daughter, Susanne A. (1930). 

John Quincy Adams, Sr. was a Columbus architect and State Building Inspector. The Columbus Dispatch, April 15, 1968, said Adams was "...a Columbus architect whose work includes City Hall..." Which would have been the "new" Columbus City Hall completed in 1934.

In 1940 John, Jr. lived at 1223 Franklin Avenue. He followed in his father's footsteps. He was a draftsman, working for his father at their office at the rear of 55 Lexington Avenue in 1941. John, Jr. became an architect in his own right and was Chief of the Facilities Division of the 20th U.S. Army Corps. In 1956 he lived at 1575 West First Avenue in Columbus and had an office at Fort Hayes.

John and Rose moved to Hunterdon County, New Jersey about 1968. John died in New York City in 1977.

On February 26, 1944, Edith M. Krick purchased the property.

Albert Henry Krick was born in Ohio April 18, 1877. he married Edith Muriel Austin in Scioto County on August 26, 1901. Edith was born about 1879 in Ohio, daughter of William and Mary (Burt) Austin. They had two children, Austin Ritter (August 1, 1903 - November 1955) and Mary Frances (September 8, 1914 - September 5, 1996).

Between 1918 and 1930 they lived at 435 Eldridge Avenue. In 1920 Henry was a railroad clerk. In 1930 he was a clerk for a furniture manufacturer. In 1942 they lived at 1531 Richmond Avenue.

Henry died April 13, 1942. Edith died August 16, 1965. They are buried at Union Cemetery.

On December 1, 1953, James W. and Mary A. Bridges bought the house from the Kricks.

James W. Bridges was born November 22, 1904 in Georgia. He married Mary in about 1924. Mary was born about 1907 in Georgia. They had at least five children: twins Beatrice and Byatrice (1925), Erlene (1926), James W., Jr. (June 30, 1932), and Jerome W. (March 2, 1937).

In 1930, James and Mary rented 1343 Atcheson Street for $25/month. James owned a restaurant.

Mary died in Columbus on January 26, 1987. After Mary's death, James seems to have transferred the property to his son, Jerome (who lived in St. Louis, Missouri). James died in Columbus on September 25, 1990.

Jerome W. Bridges transferred the property to a a trust in his name in 2004. He and his third wife, Joanne were the trustees. They lived in St. Louis and sold the house from the trust on March 24, 2011.

1603 Clifton Avenue, March 2010

Robert M. Rownd