842 N Lincoln Avenue

842 N Lincoln Avenue

Introduction

842 North Lincoln Avenue is a two story red brick house occupying an irregularly shaped lot located in the Allegheny West section of the city of Pittsburgh.

Robert Graham, an Irish-born rope maker, built 842 North Lincoln Avenue between 1862 and 1870. Before building 842 North Lincoln Avenue, Robert Graham worked as manager of John Irwin’s Rope Walk, an early rope manufactory that operated in Allegheny City between 1813 and 1858.

Robert Graham and his family lived at 840 North Lincoln Avenue during the time that the Graham family owned 842 North Lincoln Avenue. Among families to whom Graham rented 842 North Lincoln Avenue were those of Walter L. McClintock, a carpet dealer, Charles Y. Wheeler, a Hussey & Co. employee, William J. Wilkins, a civil engineer and Robert J. George, a minister.

Detailed information on the ownership history, age, first owner, and early occupants of 842 North Lincoln Avenue follows.

Ownership

August 19, 1862

John and Abigail Irwin of Allegheny County to Mrs. Martha Graham of the city of Allegheny, $450. This deed conveyed a 24′ wide by 140’9.625″ deep lot located on Central Street (earlier Irwin Avenue, later Lincoln Avenue and Lynndale Avenue, now North Lincoln Avenue), 168’4.5″ east of the corner of Central Street and Tremont Street (later Grant Avenue, now Galveston Avenue). The lot was known as lot 50 in a Plan of Lots laid out by John Irwin, later recorded in Plan Book Volume 2, Page 173.

(Deed Book Volume 155, Page 535)

June 26, 1875

Robert and Martha Graham of the city of Allegheny to Miss Martha Jane Graham, $1.

(DBV 348 P 50)

February 28, 1917

Bernard B. McGinnis of the city of Pittsburgh to Martha J. Graham of the city of Pittsburgh, $500. This deed conveyed a 7.375″ wide by 69’6″ deep lot of ground located 12’6″ north of the northern side of Lynndale Avenue. The lot was part of Lot 51 in John Irwin’s Plan of Lots. With this conveyance, the lot on which 842 North Lincoln Avenue stands took on its present configuration.

(DBV 1890 P 72)

February 28, 1917

Martha J. Graham of the city of Pittsburgh to Margaret J. Dietch of the city of Pittsburgh, $4,850.

(DBV 1882 P 571)

May 29, 1925

Margaret J. and Conrad Dietch of the city of Pittsburgh to Harry R. and Alice J. Williams Seager of the city of Pittsburgh, $11,640.

(DBV 2248 P 424)

October 30, 1925

Harry R. and Alice J. Williams Seager of the city of Pittsburgh to John A. Sharp of the city of Pittsburgh, $11,000.

(DBV 2286 P 3)

October 30, 1925

ohn A. Sharp, widower, of the city of Pittsburgh to B.F. Jones Jr. Properties, Inc., a corporation located in the city of Pittsburgh, $1. The deed stated that John A. Sharp had taken title to the property as an agent for B.F. Jones Jr. Properties, Inc.

(DBV 2250 P 574)

June 3, 1929

B.F. Jones Jr. Properties, Inc., a corporation located in Pittsburgh, to Julius H. and Mollie C. Luebkert of the city of Pittsburgh, $9,500.

The deed stated that B.F. Jones III was the president of B.F. Jones Jr. Properties.

(DBV 2386 P 741)

April 25, 1930

Julius H. and Mollie C. Luebkert of the city of Pittsburgh to Daniel A. and Elizabeth M. McGeary of the city of Pittsburgh, $1 and other valuable considerations.

(DBV 2410 P 515)

February 23, 1977

William R. and Eileen Guyton, Elizabeth M. and Edward P. Bowman Sr., and Donald F. and Mildred McGeary to David S. Boesel, single, $23,000.

Daniel A. McGeary had died on November 17, 1968, and Elizabeth M. McGeary had died on May 8, 1974.

(DBV 5740 P 949)

September 27, 1978

David S. Boesel, single, to N.S. Andrews, single, $54,000.

(DBV 6009 P 815)

September 27, 1980

N.S. Andrews of Chicago, Illinois, to Michael L. and Eleanor A. Coleman of Allegheny County, $70,000.

(DBV 6296 P 477)

Age of the House

All available information indicates that Robert and Martha Graham had 842 North Lincoln Avenue built between late 1862 and early 1870.

The August 1862 sale of a 3379 square foot lot for $450, at 13 cents per square foot, indicates that the lot was undeveloped. Allegheny County mortgage records show that on May 4, 1870, recorded in Mortgage Book Volume 107, Page 3, Martha Graham borrowed $2275 from John Frazier, George G. Frazier, and William G. Frazier, “doing business as carpenters and contractors under the name and style of Frazier Brothers.” A notation in the mortgage’s margin indicated that the mortgage was satisfied on April 4, 1872.

Plat maps published in 1872 and 1890 show that 842 North Lincoln Avenue was known as 65 Lincoln Avenue.
The 1870 city directory and 1870 manuscript census indicate that 65 Lincoln Avenue was occupied by Walter L. McClintock. The directory first listed McClintock at 65 Lincoln Avenue in 1870.

Robert Graham apparently built 65 Lincoln Avenue as an investment. City directories listed Graham and his daughter Martha at 67 Lincoln Avenue (now 840 North Lincoln Avenue) between the 1860’s and the 1890’s.

Directories of the early 1870’s listed John Frazier and William G. Frazier as partners in Frazier Brothers, lumber dealers, located at Pennsylvania Avenue and Sedgwick Street in Manchester. Both lived at 68 Lincoln Avenue. Directories did not list George G. Frazier.

Allegheny County deed and mortgage directories of the 1800’s show that Frazier Brothers bought and sold many properties and borrowed and loaned money on many properties in the city of Allegheny and the borough of Manchester. Houses in Allegheny built by Frazier Brothers included 824830 Beech Avenue.

Frazier Brothers’ work as contractors, carpenters and lumber dealers suggests that they served as contractors for 842 North Lincoln Avenue.

Residents

The Grahams

Pittsburgh city directories, U.S. census records, an obituary, a will and other sources provide information on Robert and Martha Graham, the first owners of 842 North Lincoln Avenue.

Learn More

Early Occupants

The 1870 manuscript census indicates that Robert Graham rented 65 Lincoln Avenue to a family headed by Walter L. McClintock, a carpet dealer.

In 1870, the census did not indicate street addresses of individuals who were enumerated. However, the 1870 census enumerated Walter L. McClintock and his family between the families of Hugh Knox, of 63 Lincoln Avenue (now 844 North Lincoln Avenue) and Robert Graham. City directories of the early 1870’s list Walter L. McClintock at 65 Lincoln Avenue.

Walter L. McClintock, 29, lived at 65 Lincoln Avenue with his wife Mary G. McClintock, 27, their son, Evan G., two, a servant, Maggie Healy and Jennie Miller, 15, whose relationship to the McClintock family was not given.

The census reported that all members of the McClintock family and Jennie Miller had been born in Pennsylvania. Maggie Healy had been born in England. The census also showed that Walter L. McClintock owned no real estate and had a personal estate of $3,300.

City directories show that Walter L. McClintock was a partner in Oliver McClintock & Company, dealers in carpets, oil cloths and window shades at 23 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh.

In 1880, the census showed that the family of Charles Y. Wheeler lived at 65 Lincoln Avenue.
Charles Y. Wheeler, 37, had been born in Indiana and worked for Hussey & Company. His wife Sarah V., 35, had been born in Ohio and had no occupation. The Wheelers had four children living at 65 Lincoln Avenue: Charles V. , 14, Mary Y., 12 and Harry M., 10, all born in Ohio, and George Y., four, born in Iowa.

In 1880, the Wheeler family had one servant: Georgeana Savage, 19, who was single and had been born in Maryland.

In 1900, 842 Lincoln Avenue was rented to William G. Wilkins and his family.

William G. Wilkins, 46, was a civil engineer who had been born in Pennsylvania. His wife of 19 years, Sarah, 46, had been born in Vermont. William and Sarah Wilkins had no children. Their servant was Isabella Dewar, 28, who had been born in Scotland and immigrated in 1885.

In 1900, all residents of 842 North Lincoln Avenue were able to read and write.

The 1910 census indicated that Robert J. George and his family lived at 842 North Lincoln Avenue.
Robert J. George, 65, was a minister, and his wife Margaret, 70 had no occupation. Both had been born in Pennsylvania to parents also born in Pennsylvania.

In 1910, Robert J. and Margaret George had been married 41 years and had had five children, with four of their children alive at the time of the census. Two of their children still lived at home: Roy, 34, and Ruth, 29. Both had no occupation and had attended school during the previous year.

Also living at 842 North Lincoln Avenue in 1910 were Robert J. George’s sister Margaret A. Slater and niece Estell (sic) Slater. Margaret A. Slater, 61, was a widow who had had four children, with one child still living in 1910. Estell Slater, 31, was single. Both had been born in Pennsylvania.

In 1910, all residents of 842 North Lincoln Avenue were able to read and write.

Supplementary Material

The following materials accompany this report:

 

  • a copy of part of an 1852 map depicting Allegheny City
  • a copy of an 1872 plat map showing Allegheny West, including Irwin Avenue
  • a copy of a 1910 plat map of part of the Northside, including Irwin Avenue
  • a listing for the Scully family in the 1920 Pittsburgh Social Secretaire
  • a description of the Walton sisters from the 1888 edition of The Social Mirror
  • an article describing a dance held for Alice Walton Scully from the Pittsburgh Gazette Times, December 15, 1915
  • a listing for The Crossways Shop, run by Ida Walton Scully, in the 1917 R.L. Polk & Co. Pittsburgh city directory
  • a photo of Joseph Walton from the 1901 Notable Men of Pittsburgh and Vicinity
  • the death notice of James W. Scully, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 16, 1934
  • the death notice of Ida Walton Scully, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 11, 1951
  • the death notice of Alice Walton Childs, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 16, 1963
  • the death notice of James H. Childs, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 23, 1963
  • the obituary of Rachel Mellon Walton, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 4, 2006
  • a story on the home’s inclusion in the Allegheny West Wine & Garden Tour from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 30, 2015

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A Researched History
By: Carol J. Peterson

all photos by Chris Siewers, unless otherwise noted