Hi Ron, I attached a clipping that you can use in your blog. The photo is of the house where I grew up on the corner of Charlotte and Ann Streets. I included a transcription of the newspaper article that appered in the Register Tribune in 1975. It was part of the newspaper’s “Notable Homes” series. Sherry (Hawkins) Herdman
CLIPPING IS TAKEN FROM THE REGISTER TRIBUNE, JANUARY 23, 1975
202 CHARLOTTE STREET. COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTION FOLLOW.
HAWKINS HOME
202 CHARLOTTE ST., UNION CITY, MI.
THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE REGISTER TRIBUNE NEWSPAPER CLIPPING WHICH INCLUDES A PHOTO OF THE HAWKINS HOME. IT IS PART OF THE NOTABLE HOMES SERIES DATED
JANUARY 23, 1975. SEE PHOTO.
CRISSY – HAWKINS HOME IS UNIQUE BLEND OF GREEK REVIVAL & GOTHIC STYLES
A unique mixture of Greek Revival and Gothic architectural styles can be found in the interesting brick home of Mr. and Mrs. James Hawkins, 202 Charlotte St. The bold effect of the wide and heavy Greek window and door casings and cornices are modified by the airy and delicate Gothic gingerbread trim.
The interior, too, exemplifies both styles with sharply angled Greek woodworking and an unexpected gracefully curved stairway.
The home, situated on three of four original lots, was once part of the farm of Chester Hammond who in 1838 platted “Hammond’s Addition” to provide the village with additional residential land.
Hammond was spurred to this project when a junction of the Erie Canal with the St. Joseph River here was proposed.
After Hammond’s death in October of 1849, his son-in-law and executor of his estate, Henry S. Hurd, sold four lots (the corner lot on Charlotte St. and three behind it on Ann Street) to Justin and Caroline M. Lawyer in 1852. The land was then sold to Curtis S. Younds in 1856 but it still was not developed until 1857 when Hiram and Martha Crissy bought it for their homestead.
Crissy was born in Binghampton County, New York, October 3, 1819, to Abram and Polly Crissy. When Hiram was 13, his family moved west and settled in Marshall where he grew up. In 1852 he came to Union City with his wife, whom he had married that same year. The home was built about five years later and Crissy engaged in the hardware business and later followed with a drygoods business and a grocery store.
In 1906 Branch County History describes Hiram Crissy thusly:
“In matters of citizenship, Mr. Crissy was always public spirited and progressive, doing everything in his power to advance the material, social, intellectual, and moral welfare of his community. He always gave his political support to the Democratic party and kept well informed on the issues of the day, but did not care for office. A very prominent and zealous member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, he built a house of worship for that denomination in Union City and was its chief supporter while he lived.”
The church referred to was the Grace Episcopal Church, built in 1865 on the corner of Ellen and Ann Streets next to the post office. The church cost about $4000 to erect. Because the numbers of the congregation never grew very large, regular services were not held and it eventually dissolved.
Crissy married Martha Corbin in 1852. Her father, Ezbond Corbin was an early settler of Branch County. Mrs. Crissy was a twin sister to Mrs. Isaac Tower, whose husband was a prominent local figure in the late 1800’s early 1900’s.
The Crissys had three children: Ellen, who never married and always resided with her family; Sarah Pauley, of ST. Louis, Missouri; and Frank St. John, who was a successful Calhoun County farmer.
Though Crissy, it was said, did not like holding public office, he was elected trustee in the first village election after its incorporation, was a trustee in 1868, marshal in 1869, treasurer in 1870, and was again assessor in 1871.
Mr. Crissy died in 1891 at the age of 72 and Mrs. Crissy remained in the home until her own death in 1910. The home was left to their daughter, Ellen, who maintained ownership until 1922.
The home was then sold to Erta Kimball who was for many years a cashier at the Union City National Bank.
In 1939 the home again changed hands and Dr. John C. Miller and his wife, Sarah, purchased the property. Dr. Miller practiced in the back portion of the home. Mrs. Miller died in 1944 and Dr. Miller, in 1947.
Louis and June Carpenter bought the home in 1947 and lived here until 1958 when its present owners, Mr. and Mrs. James Hawkins moved to Union City from Arlington, Virginia.
Mr. Hawkins bought the Register Tribune in 1955 and served as its editor and publisher for 18 years, selling the newspaper in 1973 to Raymond W. Smith.
Very few changes have been made to the “Crissy House”, as it was once called. The upstairs of the ten-room home includes three bedrooms and a bath. Mr. Hawkins’ mother, Mrs. Jessie Hawkins, has her living quarters in this portion of the spacious home.
The downstairs is made up of two bedrooms, a bath, kitchen, living room, dining room and front entryway.
The unusual architectural touches give the home an eye-catching appeal, which when combined with the historical flavor, certainly makes it among Union City’s notable homes.
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