Under one roof: Three families in succession called this historic house their home

This historic house at 1900 Harrison Hill dates back to the early 1870s, when it was home to the Theophilus Stone family. Photo contributed by Greg Addison, current owner.

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

Mid-year, 1875, a smokehouse located near the two-story frame home of Theophilus Stone was filled with a supply of butchered meat, stored away for his family’s future consumption. 

Mr. Stone’s farm, where he grew fruit to sell to local dealers, was located northwest of Hannibal proper along the dirt road to Palmyra, in a subdivision early designated as the Hoard Tract. (The house, still in occupied, is just to the east of the road that now serves as entrance to Riverview Park.)

One night, in 1875, when the sky was dark and neighbors too distant to notice anything array, the family was settled at home, blissfully unaware of any trespass. Undeterred, thieves entered the smokehouse, taking every scrap of meat they could secure.

As one of Hannibal’s pioneers (arriving as early as 1828), Mr. Stone was well aware of the nature of those who prevailed in the darker side of society. Now in his 70s, he should be accustomed to such shenanigans, but none-the-less …

Enraged over the assault on his property, Theophilus Stone concocted a plan.

In order to protect his fine flock of chickens, he set out to build a trap for thieves - either the two-legged or four-legged variety.

The Hannibal Courier reported on his scheme:

“He built him a substantial hen house, secured the door with a good lock and right in front of the door each night he carefully set a large wolf trap, in hope of catching some chicken thief.”

But that’s not exactly how the scenario played out.

“Last Saturday night the thieves came, saw and conquered,” the newspaper reported. “They either knew of the existence of the trap or else exercised that caution which averted the danger of being caught, so the trap was moved and an effort made to force the lock, but thus proving too strong the thieves went around to the back of the hen house and pried off two boards and proceeded to steal and carry away about one hundred of Mr. Stone’s chickens.” (Shelby County Herald, Sept. 22, 1875, reprinted from the Hannibal Courier. newspapers.com)

Landmark

The Theophilus Stone house retains its stately presence today along the Palmyra Road, (long since renamed Harrison Hill), the house now numbered 1900.

Located at the entrance to Riverview Park, the house, which is hidden by a hedgerow in season, has been home to Gregory and Diane Addison since the early 1990s.

Aware of the antiquity of their dwelling, they carefully maintain the home with respect to its rich heritage.

Early occupants

Theophilus Stone and Eliza Dickey were married on Sept. 2, 1845, in Marion County, Mo.

He was a widower, and brought to the marriage a 7-year-old daughter, Harriet.

Eliza Dickey, a school teacher, brought to the marriage her niece, Jennie C. Dickey, born circa 1846.

In the early 1870s, the blended Stone family moved to Palmyra Road, where Theophilus conducted a fruit farm.

On Nov. 7, 1872, Jennie C. Dickey was married to Theophilus Barnhard, a cattleman from Nebraska. They left Hannibal behind for the cattle region of Texas and beyond.

Mr. Stone, his wife and daughter Harriet continued to occupy the property on Palmyra Road until Mr. Stone’s death in February 1883.

After his death, his widow and daughter moved into Hannibal proper, residing for a time at 120 S. Seventh. In the meantime, Mrs. Stone leased the farm property to R.H. Coons.

Coons residency

In early November 1885, Mr. R.H. Coons of Taylor, Mo., moved his family to the property on Palmyra Road previously occupied by the Stone family.

Prior to his relocation to “the suburbs” of Hannibal, Mr. Coons patented a remedy for hog cholera, and invented and patented a bee hive, which allowed honey removal at any time without smoke.

While living on the Stone property in October 1886, R.H. Coons took top honors in the poultry division of the Marion County Fair, winning for Partridge Cochins and largest hen.

The Coons family ultimately moved to Hannibal proper. Mr. Coons operated a butcher shop at 404 N. Main in 1892, and his family lived nearby at 403 N. Main.

Given family

Circa 1890, Samuel P. Givan, born 1845, was living on the former Theophilus Stone property, with his family: Wife, Mary S.; daughters, Mary E. and Trulie B., and sons, William E., John G., and James L. (Son Frank E. Givan was born circa 1892.)

The family patriarch died in February 1912.

Mrs. Givan remained on the premises and raised her children to adulthood.

She hosted a wedding for her daughter, Mary, at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 24, 1914, which was described in detail in the Hannibal Daily Journal of Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1914:

Standing in the archway between the two parlors at her mother’s house, Miss Mary Givan and Francis McCabe Bates exchanged wedding vows at 2:30 o’clock Oct. 24, 1914.

The bride was dressed in a gown sewn from white silk voile, combined with white satin and trimmed in oriental lace.

Rev. George A. Campbell, pastor of Hannibal’s First Christian Church, recited the vows. Then the couple led their guests into the dining room, where a bridal cake was on display, and where a dainty luncheon was served.

“The house was tastily decorated for the occasion in autumn leaves and sumach, which transformed it into a bower of loveliness, the soft glow of many candles enhancing the beauty of the scene.”

Will S. Hall, proprietor of Sunny Slope Nursery, decorated the house, located near the south parameter of Hannibal’s Riverview Park. Mrs. Will Smiley, of Quincy, Ill., played the wedding march.

The young married couple moved to the Bates family farm in the Mount Zion neighborhood of Marion County.

But their’s was not to be a “happily ever after” union. Mary Givan Bates died in an automobile accident in 1929.

When the family matriarch, Mrs. Mary S. Givan, died in December 1935, her death notice indicated that she had lived in this house for more than 50 years. This would date her family moving to this house to about 1885.

Note: Mrs. R.H. Coons and MRs. S.P. Givan were sisters, daughters of MRs. Elizabeth Gordon of the Uva neighborhood in Marion County, Mo.

The Palmyra Spectator carried an advertisement for Coons’ Cholera Remedy in its Friday, Jan. 23, 1885, edition. Newspapers.com

This map represents Harrison Hill/Palmyra Road as it exists today. While there have been numerous street number and name changes over the years, the road’s course has remained constant. #1 on the map is the historic Theophilus Stone house, 1900 Harrison Hill, owned and occupied today by Gregory and Diane Addison. #2 on the map is the estimated site of the long-time home of John and Julia Fitzgerald, now demolished. That address was 2000 Harrison Hill. #3 is the former William H. and Louise Logan house (demolished), later owned and occupied by the Wells and Marjorie Pettibone family, address 2100 Palmyra Road. #4 is the historic Fette property, 2200 Palmyra Road, today known as The Orchard, owned and occupied by Scott and Jean Meyer. #5 is the historic home of Roy Hamlin, with the address of 2300 Palmyra Road. Today it is owned and occupied by Paul and Mary Lynne Richards. (The street numbers used for this illustration were culled from the 1918 Hannibal city directory.) Illustration by Mary Lou Montgomery

S.P. Givan, who moved to the Theophiolus Stone house with his family circa 1885, traveled to Colorado in 1911 in hopes that the climate would be beneficial to his overall health. Mr. Givan died in 1912. Hannibal Courier-Post, Sept. 3, 1911. newspapers.com

The Hannibal Clipper of Aug, 3, 1904, describes a buggy accident near the home of S.P. Givan on the Palmyra road. Surgeons treated the patient at the Givan home. newspapers.com

Henry Stone paid a visit to his brother, Theophilus Stone, as noted in this notice in the Hannibal Clipper newspaper, July 1, 1876. newspapers.com