GARRABRANT HOUSE

DISTINGUISHED by a group of white birch trees and a green hedge, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Cafone on the corner of Church Street and Prospect Street, is one of a group of houses that was built in the early 1800’s.

Originally part of the Duncan tract, the abstract which was in possession of Mr. and Mrs. Allen J. Mohr, now deceased, describes the location as “Beginning at the corner of Duncan Street and the road leading from the Franklin Factory to Stone House Plains; thence running westerly along the southern line of the said Stone House Plains Road one hundred feet; thence southerly on the line parallel with the western line of Division Street, one hundred feet; thence easterly one hundred feet to Duncan Street one hundred and thirty three feet and six inches to the corner, and place of beginning.”

In 1853, according to the record the property was in possession of John Cunningham who sold it to Rodger Tattersall in 1858. From 1865 until nearly 1900 the Garrabrant family occupied and owned the house. The Mohrs secured the property in 1923 from estate of Fredericka Schunck. The Garrabrants and Schuncks are remembered by many in town today.

The Tattersalls moved to Albion, Nebraska, the town in which Mrs. Mohr resided as a child. On a visit to Albion some years ago, a descendant of Rodger Tattersall inquired from Mrs. Mohr about the town from which Rodger Tattersall had moved many years ago. By this inquiry, they discovered that Mrs. Mohr was the owner of the house in which Rodger Tattersall had lived in 1858.

Remodeling done by Mr. and Mrs. Mohr added to the general appearance but two open fireplaces, old glass windows, central stairway tell of the era of the building of wooden homes in the early 1800’s.