An easy trap to fall into when thinking about old homes is to only consider them important and worthy of preservation if they were owned by great historical figures. This is understandable, as some of America’s most recognizable homes are connected to titans of American history. Places like George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, and the Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate come to mind. Although homes like these should certainly be treasured, they shouldn’t keep us from valuing the historic homes we have right in front of us. Local historic homes should be valued because they were owned by ordinary citizens—people who were not presidents or business tycoons, but people to whom the vast majority of us today can relate much more easily.
A client of mine’s home in Clayton is a perfect example. The home, located at 4810 Iowa Street, was built in 1880 by the Acton family: Aaron, Amanda, and their daughter Glenrose. Aaron, a Civil War veteran who spent time as a prisoner of war in the infamous Andersonville prison, was a carpenter by trade and ran a sawmill north of town. He was also a respected undertaker, with many local families entrusting him with the care of their deceased. In addition to these businesses, Aaron and Amanda owned a small parcel of land that they farmed. Glenrose Acton grew up studying music, taking classes at both Central Normal College in Danville and Butler University in Indianapolis. She would go on to become a music teacher, marry, and settle in Danville.
After Aaron died in 1905, Amanda and Glenrose sold the house to Alvin and Sara Woodward. While Sara raised three sons in the home, Alvin ran a grocery and dry goods store in Clayton. By 1915, the original Italianate style of the house had become antiquated and the Woodwards remodeled it; its appearance today is largely a result of that remodel. The annual Craven-Baker family reunion, a gathering for the descendants of early Hendricks Counter settlers William Craven and Jane Barker, was hosted six times at the home from 1909-1917. Attendance often went over 150 people! The Woodwards were also active in local politics, with Alvin making several runs for office, eventually serving as Hendricks County Clerk for a time. After the Woodwards, the home would go on to be owned by several other families, eventually being converted into apartments.
What’s so special about this house's history? Nothing, really. And that’s the point. The families that once inhabited it were ordinary citizens. They served their country, raised children, worked and contributed to the local economy, hosted family gatherings, did house renovations, and led pretty regular lives. Today, the home is owned by the Miller family who are working on restoring it and converting it back to a single-family residence.