Welcome to the story of 2712 Oakwood St NE in Riverside Gardens neighborhood of Grand Rapids. This beautiful colonial style home was built in 1928 and there were three families that lived there from 1928 until 1981 - including the sister of Frank and Ben Gordon, founders of Gordon Food Service.
If only these calls could talk...
Built: 1928
City, State: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Neighborhood: Riverside Gardens
Size: 4 bedrooms/2 bathrooms; ≈1500 sq. ft.
This property record from the city of Grand Rapids stated the house was built in 1929. However, there is record of the home in the 1928 city directory so it was built in either late 1927 or early 1928.
The Beginning of Oakwood Ave NE - Grand Rapids City Directories
(John St was Kenwood St until 1927; Oakwood Ave didn't exist after Eleanor St until 1927)
Family #1:
The Smith Family
1928-1937
Burton McK Smith
Born: February 6, 1897; Grand Rapids, MI
Died: March 16, 1987; Miami, FL
Father: George S. Smith (b. 1860; New York - d. 1940; Michigan)
Mother: Martha Etta Wyble (b. 1868; Michigan - d. 1952; Michigan)
Burton was the only child for George and Martha and was raised at 119 Union St NE in Grand Rapids. Burton’s father owned and operated the first store fixtures factory in the city.
Ulaveme “Ula” Dennis
Born: April 3, 1898; Grand Rapids, MI
Died: October 6, 1991; Miami-Dade County, FL
Father: Ocean Gilbert Dennis (b. 1853; Michigan- d. 1943; Michigan)
Mother: Luella May Dunham (b. 1868; Michigan - d. 1946; Michigan)
Ula’s father was a carpenter at Owen-Ames-Kimball Co for many years. Ula grew up on the SW side of Grand Rapids on Home Ave.
June 4, 1921 - Burton Smith and Ula Dennis were married in Grand Rapids. From 1921 until they moved into 2712 Oakwood in 1928, Burton and Ula lived with Ula’s parents at 30 Home St SW.
During those seven years prior to living at 2712 Oakwood, Burton worked as a furniture designer at a various companies. Burton was a WWI Navy Vet and was extremely active in the American Legion and served many years on the board.
Burton and Ula had three children with the eldest being born in 1922.
Burton and Ula's first child:
Randall McK Smith
Born: August 20, 1922; Grand Rapids, MI
Died: July 30, 2004
Spouses:
Dolores Mae Kisler (b. 1927 - d. 2011) married - August 1943
Frieda Rosena Steffen (b. 1931-d. 2001) married - December 1952
Burton and Ula's second child:
Lorna Verne Smith
Born: 1929; Grand Rapids, MI
Died: Unknown (could still be living)
Spouse: Vernon Pope - married 1945 in Bossier City, LA; (Divorced 1976)
Burton and Ula's second child:
Shirley E. Smith
Born: 1931; Grand Rapids, MI
Died: Unknown (could still be living)
Spouse: Kenneth L. Roberson- married 1949 in Florida; (Divorced 1964)
Information about Shirley Smith was very limited online. When searching for newspaper articles, since her name was very common, it lead to thousands of search results. After the Smith family moved from 2712 Oakwood, they moved frequently from Louisiana, Florida, Nebraska, and others.
Burton, Ula, and their son Randall moved into 2712 Oakwood St NE in 1928 - the first family to live in the house. At that time, Burton was a furniture designer at Charles Chatfield on Lafayette Ave SE. Burton and Ula’s second child, Lorna, was born the year after they moved into 2712 Oakwood and then two years after that in 1931, their youngest child, Shirley, was born.
The Smith Family @ 2712 Oakwood: 1930 US Census
In 1930, the household at 2712 Oakwood St NE consisted of Burton and Ula Smith and two of their children - Randall and Lorna (Shirley wasn’t born yet). The home value was $9,000 ($146,000 in 2021 dollars) and there was a radio set in the house.
The Smith family lived at 2712 Oakwood St until 1937 for 9 years. The family then moved to 2157 S. Division St. in Grand Rapids. A couple years later, the family moved south to Louisiana moved frequently for the few years.
Burton passed away in 1987; Ula passed away in 1991.
Family #2:
The Elkins Family
1939-1954
Louis C. Elkins
Born: April 19, 1896; Algoma, Michigan
Died: July 23, 1963; San Francisco, California
Father: Alfred W. Elkins (b. 1853; New York - d. 1912; Michigan)
Mother: Angelia Kidder (b. 1857; Michigan - d. 1928; Michigan)
Louis Elkins was born in Algoma Township, Michigan. According to census records, he was raised on his father’s farm in Algoma in 1900 and by 1910, he lived with his parents on his brother-in-law’s farm in Cedar Springs. By the time World War I started, he was living with his aunt and uncle on Sweet St in the Creston neighborhood. He served in World War I in the Army - 126th Infantry 32nd Division.
1918:
Isabelle Electra Gordon
Born: December 11, 1901; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Died: June 18, 1989; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Father: Birney Gordon (b. 1871; Michigan - d. 1945; Florida)
Mother: Minnie Lantz (b. 1873; Germany - d. 1958; California)
*Immigrated in 1880-’81
Isabelle Gordon was the middle child of her family - she had two older brothers - Morse and Ben - one younger sister, Elsie, and a younger brother, Frank. Isabelle’s father worked for the railroad for his entire career. Isabelle and her family lived in the Creston neighborhood at 2057 Oakwood St and later at 1318 Plainfield Ave NE.
In 1942, her two brothers, Ben and Frank Gordon, founded Gordon Food Service - one of the largest companies in Grand Rapids today and one of the largest food distribution companies in the US and Canada.
1918 - WOMEN'S COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL OF NATIONAL DEFENSE CARDS
The Women's Committee of the Council of National Defense, Grand Rapids Unit Records consists of over 23,000 registration cards containing data about women who registered for home front service during World War I. The collection provides insight into the lives of women during the early 20th century. Not only do the cards provide biographical information such as name, age, and address; but they also record education levels, skills, and employment status. These cards provide valuable information for researchers of women's history and genealogy.
Grand Rapids has one of the only digital archived records of these cards via GRPL.
In July 1926, Louis Elkins and Isabelle Gordon were married in Grand Rapids. At that time, Louis worked as a foreman for the B.D. Coats Co and Isabelle worked as a stenographer for the Dennis Lumber Co. Louis and Isabelle first home was at 114 Elmwood St NE (also in the Creston neighborhood).
In 1939, 13 years after their marriage, Louis and Isabelle Elkins moved into 2712 Oakwood Ave NE. By this time, Louis took over the B.D. Coats Co and renamed it the Louis C Elkins Company and Isabelle still worked as a stenographer at the Dennis Lumber Co.
The Elkins Family at 2712 Oakwood: 1940 US Census
In 1940, the home value was $5,200 ($95,700 in 2021 dollars). Louis Elkins’ salary was ≈ $35,000 in 1939 and Isabelle Elkins’ salary was ≈ $28,000 in 1939.
There was also a lodger living with Louis and Isabelle - Elsie L. Thorne. Elsie was born in 1903 in Montcalm County, Michigan where she lived until she moved to Grand Rapids in 1939. The “C-1” next to her name means she had one year of college education. (Louis and Isabelle both had only 2 years of high school education - hence the “H-2” next to their names.)
Louis and Isabelle Elkins lived at 2712 Oakwood Ave NE for about 15 years. In 1955, they moved to 2128 Oakwood Ave NE and then later moved across the country to San Francisco.
Louis Elkins passed away in 1963 in San Francisco and Isabelle Elkins passed away in 1989 in Michigan.
Family #3:
The Ferch Family
1955-1981
*Since many of these family members are still living, I didn’t go into detail of the lives of Edward and Ann Ferch. Included below are all the newspaper articles and documents found on public domain sites.
