"It's more than just four walls..."
Welcome to 157 East Lynde St in Watertown, New York. I first saw this house on one of my favorite Instagram accounts/HGTV shows - #Cheapoldhouses and I immediately started researching its history.
Watertown, New York is located 70 miles north of Syracuse, New York and 25 miles south of Canada. According to Google, Watertown's population as of 2019 was 25,000. Watertown is located on the Black River which was an important resource for many industries at the turn of 20th century.
I was so lucky to find this very old photo of 157 E. Lynde St that a member of Ancestry.com publicly posted. According to the member who uploaded it, the three people in the photo are William J Kells, his wife Alta, and their daughter Effie and it was taken in 1898.
As you can see from the photo the beautiful stained glass windows that were in the house in 1898 are still in the house today! That is just incredible.
The home was built around 1891 - not 1888 as the real estate records show. In 1890, there were only three houses built on Lynde St and all of them were even numbers on the opposite side of the street - not on the corner of Lynde and Lansing Streets. The first time 59 Lynde (the original address of the house) showed up in the city directory is 1891.
The house located at 157 East Lynde St is just amazing and many of its original features are still in tact throughout. As of Feb 2022, the house is listed for sale for only $100,000! Just look at these photos... (https://www.redfin.com/NY/Watertown/157-E-Lynde-St-13601/home/132131039)
General Facts about 157 East Lynde St:
Year Built: 1891/1892
City, State: Watertown, New York
Size: 4 beds/2baths; 1,888 sq. ft.
Style: Victorian
# of Families from 1891-1998: 3
Original Address: 59 Lynde St
Family #1: William and Alta Kells
Years Lived @ 157 (59) E. Lynde: 9; 1891-1900
William James Kells
Born: June 23, 1856; Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Died: June 25, 1921; Palisades, New Jersey
Father: Robert (b. 1825; Ireland - d. 1914)
Mother: Jane Smith (b. Canada - d. unknown)
Siblings: Robert, Ann, Martha, & Thomas Kells
William Kells was born in Kingstown, Ontario, Canada in 1856 to Robert and Jane Kells. Kingston is located just across the St. Lawrence River from Watertown, New York. According to the 1861 Canada Census, William's father was a farmer in Storrington, Canada and William was the second youngest of his siblings.
William immigrated to the US around the late 1870's. He first lived in Syracuse, New York and then moved to Watertown. I'm not sure how William and his wife met, but on September 20, 1882, William Kells married Alta Ayer in Dannemora, New York.
Alta Edith Ayer
Born: May 18, 1864; Dannemora, New York
Died: May 24, 1951; Mahwah, New Jersey
Father: Jared (b. 1836; New York - d. unknown)
Mother: Mary Parsons (b. 1843; New York - d. unknown)
Information on Alta Ayer's early life before she married William is not easily found online for this blog research. (I could spend hours and hours researching one person and for the purpose of this blog, I try to keep my research accurate but simple.)
William and Alta Kells had one child - Edith Mae Kells.
Edith ("Effie") Mae Kells
Born: September 7, 1886; Watertown, New York
Died: November 10, 1965; Englewood, New Jersey
Spouse: Harry Edgar Hollenbeck (b. 1884; New York - d. 1962; New Jersey)
Child: Althel Hazel Hollenbeck
During their time in Watertown, New York, William, Alta, and Edith Kells lived in various homes within the city limits. William worked at the Hitchcock Lamp Company - one of the many factories in the city.
The Hitchcock Lamp Company was started in 1878 in Watertown and William was one of its first employees. William quickly moved up the ladder within the company and was a selling agent and lastly a superintendent by the 1890's - hence how he could afford to build the house at 157 Lynde St.
Again, here is the 1898 photo of 157 Lynde St with William, Alta, and Edith Kells. This picture was taken just a few years after it was built.
*The previous address of 157 Lynde St was 59 Lynde. The current numbering system took into affect in 1908.
William Kells made a name for himself and made a lot of money in Watertown through the 19 years he was employed at the Hitchcock Lamp Company. The Kells family built the amazing home at 157 Lynde St and created memories there for 9 years. Around 1899, the Kells family moved from Watertown to New Jersey.
William saw the emergence of the automobiles and realized that was the industry of the future and quickly made his footprint within it. By 1907, he created the W.J. Kells Manufacturing Co and patented the Kells Honeycomb Water Cooler. The factory was in New York City and the company was listed in the New York Stock Exchange.
William and Alta Kells lived on Clendenny Ave in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1910-1920.
*Above: Alta Kells Passport Application from 1915. She applied for a passport to visit Canada.
William and Alta's daughter, Effie Kells, married Harry Hollenbeck in July of 1907 at 21 years old. Effie and Harry had one daughter, Althea Hazel Hollenbeck who was born in 1908.
Two years later in 1909, Eddie and Harry were divorced and Althea lived with Effie.
Effie worked at her father's company as a secretary and also was part owner of a women's hat company in NYC.
In June of 1932, Effie married Dr. John Jones in Palisades, New Jersey.
William Kells lived in New Jersey for the remaining years of his life. From selling lamps in Watertown and building the amazing house at 157 Lynde St to starting a very large radiator company, he lived an exciting 60 years. William passed away in 1921.
Alta Kells moved in with her daughter and granddaughter after William passed. Alta passed away in 1951 at 87 years old.
William and Alta's daughter, Effie, lived in her New Jersey home until she passed away in 1965.
Family #2: Wallace D. MacMillan
Years Lived @ 157 (59) E. Lynde: 2; 1900-1901
For two years after William and Alta Kells moved out of 157 (59) Lynde Street, Wallace MacMillan owned the home. In 1900, he lived in the home with his mother, and two siblings and then in 1901, it was just him in the home. Below is Wallace MacMillan's obituary from 1925.
Family #3: Adelbert & Ellen Bedoar; Mary Best; Lisle Dorr
Years Lived @ 157 (59) E. Lynde: Varies; 1902-1998
Thomas Adelbert Bedoar
Born: April 21, 1873; Westport, Leeds, Ontario, Canada
Died: January 17, 1957; Watertown, New York
Father: Thomas (b. 1837; Canada - d. 1918; New York)
Mother: Jane Woodman (b. 1849; England - d. 1915; New York)
Thomas Bedoar was born in Westport, Ontario, Canada in 1873 - about 90 minutes north of Watertown, New York. Thomas and his family, which included his parents and siblings, immigrated to Watertown about 1889. He immediately started working at the Eames Vacuum Brake Company which later became the New York Air Brake Co. He was one of the first employees as the company was just established in 1890. Thomas worked at NYABC until he tired in the 1950's!
Approximately five years after arriving in Watertown, Thomas Bedoar married Ellen Best on September 11, 1895 in Watertown.
Ellen Elizabeth Best
Born: July 6, 1875; Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada
Died: September 18, 1944; Watertown, New York
Father: Charles (b. 1843; Canada - d. 1883; Canada)
Mother: Mary Jane Mulraney (b. 1847; Canada - d. 1927; New York)
Ellen Best was born in 1875 in Brockville, Canada - about 90 minutes north of Watertown, New York. Her father passed away in 1883 and shortly after that, her family immigrated to Watertown. After Ellen and Thomas were married in 1895, Ellen's mother, Mary, lived with them at 157 E. Lynde Street.
Mary Jane Mulraney (Best)
Born: 1847; Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada
Died: February 11, 1927; Watertown, New York
Father: James (b. 1821; Ireland - d. Canada)
Mother: Mary Gorman (b. 1831; Ireland - d. Canada)
Mary Mulraney was born in Brockville, Canada in 1847 to parents who emigrated from Ireland. Mary married Charles Best on July 5, 1870 in Brockville. Charles Best was a shoemaker in the city. Mary and Charles had six children and Ellen was their middle child. After her husband died in 1883, Mary immigrated to Watertown with her children and lived with Ellen and her family at 157 E Lynde St.
Mary passed away in 1927 and lived at 157 E. Lynde St for 27 years.
Thomas and Ellen Bedoar had two children - James and Pauline Bedoar. Neither of them had children and Pauline never had children and both of them lived at 157 E. Lynde St for their entire lives.
James Arnold Bedoar
Born: July 13, 1903; Watertown, New York
Died: April 27, 1964; Watertown, New York
James Bedoar or J.Arnold Bedoar, as the name he used, was born at his family home at 157 E. Lynde St in 1903 - just a year after they moved in. He graduated from Watertown High School and Northern Business School. He worked at the New York Central Railroad office, was a manager at the Endicott Johnson shoe store, and also a clerk-typist at the New York Air Brake Co all before 1942.
J. Arnold joined the army in 1942 and was stationed in England for two years. In 1944, he participated in the Normandy invasion with the 29th Infantry division. He received honorable discharged in 1945 with a rank of technical sergeant.
When he returned from the war, he went back to work at the New York Air Brake Co - where his dad also worked - and remained there until he retired in 1957. He never married and lived with his sister and brother-in-law at the family home at 157 E. Lynde Street. He passed away in April of 1964 at 60 years old.
Pauline Mary Bedoar
Born: February 16, 1905; Watertown, New York
Died: August 19, 1998; Watertown, New York
Spouse: Lisle Levi Dorr (1896-1965)
Pauline Bedoar was born in 1905 at her family home at 157 E. Lynde Street in Watertown, New York. She was the second and last child of Thomas and Ellen Bedoar and sister of James Arnold Bedoar-who was born two years previously.
Pauline graduated from Watertown High School in 1924. She then attended the Watertown School of Commerce and the Sisters of St Joseph's of Music. In 1928, she graduated from the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing and was a private duty nurse until 1950. She served on the board of the Alumni of Mercy Hospital School of Nursing for many years after graduation.
In March of 1945 she married Lisle Dorr - also of Watertown. However, the couple didn't announce their marriage until 5 years later in 1950. Pauline and Lisle never had children and they lived at Pauline's family home at 157 E. Lynde for the entire lives. Lisle passed away in 1965.
Even after the death of her parents, brother, and husband, Pauline continued to live at her family home. Pauline passed away in August of 1998 at 93 years old.
Pauline Deboar lived at 157 East Lynde Street for 93 years!
1910 US Census: The Bedoar Family @ 157 E. Lynde Street
The household consisted of: Thomas (37 years old), Ellen (34 years old), James (9 years old), Pauline (5 years old), and Mary Best (65 years old)
Thomas and Ellen had been married for 14 years and it was their first marriage
Ellen gave birth to two children and two are still living
Mary Best is Ellen's mother and she was a widow; She gave birth to 6 children but only 5 were still living
Thomas immigrated to the US in 1890; Ellen immigrated in 1893; Mary Best immigrated in 1889.
Thomas worked as laborer at the air brake company
The family rented the house at 157 East Lynde - it wasn't owned by the Bedoar family.
1920 US Census: The Bedoar Family @ 157 E. Lynde Street
The household consisted of: Thomas (46 years old), Ellen (43 years old), James (16 years old), Pauline (15 years old), and Mary Best (73 years old)
Thomas immigrated to the US in 1890; Ellen immigrated in 1890; Mary Best immigrated in 1890. Thomas submitted his citizenship papers
Thomas worked as an assistant engineer at the air brake company
The family continued to rent the house at 157 East Lynde - it wasn't owned by the Bedoar family.
1930 US Census: The Bedoar Family @ 157 E. Lynde Street
The household consisted of: Thomas (55 years old), Ellen (55 years old), James (26 years old), Pauline (25 years old)
Thomas immigrated to the US in 1889; Ellen immigrated in 1891;
Thomas worked as a foreman at the air brake company; James worked as an office clerk at the steam railway company; Pauline worked as a nurse in general practice
The family now owned the house at 157 East Lynde Street; the home value was $6,000 ($101,000 in 2022 currency)
1940 US Census: The Bedoar Family @ 157 E. Lynde Street
The household consisted of: Thomas (66 years old), Ellen (63 years old), James (36 years old), Pauline (35 years old)
Highest education received: Thomas & Ellen - 8th grade; James - 4 years of high school; Pauline - 5 years of college
Thomas worked as a foreman at the air brake company; James worked as an office clerk at the air brake company; Pauline worked as a nurse in a private home
The family now owned the house at 157 East Lynde Street; the home value was $4,300 ($86,000 in 2022 currency)
Thomas and Ellen Bedoar bought the home at 157 East Lynde Street in 1902 and lived there until they passed away - Ellen in 1944 and Thomas in 1957. They gave the opportunity to their children to keep their family home for many years to follow.
Thank you to #cheapoldhouses for featuring this amazing home! I can only imagine the memories, stories, tears, laughter, and the celebrations that were held at 157 East Lynde Street throughout its 100+ year old history! This house is more than just four walls...it's the home that William and Alta Kells built...a home where the MacMillans lived...and the home of the Bedoars for 90+ years.
I hope the next family who lives in this house will appreciate and honor its legacy and continue to make memories for the next 100 years!
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