The years following Harley’s residence are more of a mystery. He sold the home to Harry and Clara Jones in 1910 for $4500 but, according to city directories, the Joneses never lived there. They lived in Geneva during the entire period of their ownership. and, instead, we see a parade of names that change every year or so: Amos Adams in 1911, Mr. Avery another year, etc. Apparently, Mrs. Jones was a landlady, and the home entered the “rooming house” stage of its life.
Clara Jones deeded the home to Jennie Buchanan in 1919 for only $1, and here, again, we encounter an enigma: Mrs. Buchanan and her husband, James, depot master of the CB&Q railroad, never lived there. It is highly probable that Jones and Buchanan were related, but genealogical research (still in progress) would be needed to confirm this. City records, instead, show Frank and Margaret Baker living in the home from 1920 to 1934. Mr. Baker’s surviving grandson, 81-year-old Eugene Applequist, claims to know nothing of the Buchanan’s and said that his grandfather always owned it; yet, deed records at the courthouse show that Mrs. Buchanan sold the home to the Bakers in 1929. Buchanan drew up a formal, legal document with the Bakers in June,1927, agreeing to sell them the property for $4,163.89 if they would pay her $50 a month until the principal was reduced to $3500, at which time the remaining balance would be due in full. Two years later, though, Buchanan sold the property to the Baker family for only $1. We may never know why.
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