Thank you for reading about the history of 938 Beechwood St NE! This house was requested by a follower of the blog - shout out to Cherie!
General Facts:
City, State: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Neighborhood: Creston/Riverside Gardens
Built: 1930
Size: 3 bedrooms/1 bath - 1200 sq. ft
1930 - 1966 (approx.): SCOTT - Howard & Ruth (Kennedy) and their daughters Barbara & Mary Lynn
Howard Russell Scott was born on July 25, 1905 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to John and Eleanor (Messer). Howard had one younger sister, Polly, who was born in 1911.
Howard's father, John W. Scott was born in 1883, in Plainwell, Allegan County, Michigan to Theodore and Addie (Howard). Howard's grandfather, Theodore was born and raised in Lysander, New York and his parents (Howard's great grandparents) were born in New Jersey sometime in the late 1790's.
After a couple year stint in the Union Army during the Civil War and years of work on his parent's farm, Howard's grandfather traveled by himself the 530 miles to Grand Rapids, Michigan by 1879. During his short tenure in Grand Rapids, he worked as a broom maker. That occupation would later influence the life of Howard's father.
In 1900, Howard's grandfather, Theodore, passed away at 56 years old. According to his death certificate, the section "disease causing death" is a little hard to read, but reads something like, "stricture of bowels..." and the section of "immediate cause of death" states starvation. His occupation at that time was a night watchman.
Unfortunately, there are no further documents that show what his life and his family's life was like. Howard's father, John, was 17 years old.
Even though John was only 17 years old in 1900, he was already working as a stock and mail room clerk for the Bissell Carpet Sweeper Co. Howard would stay at Bissell for his entire career.
In September 1904, John Scott married Eleanor (Ella) Messer of Grand Rapids. A year later in 1905, Howard was born. By 1910, the Scott family lived at 229 Travis St NE on the NE side of Grand Rapids - specifically the Creston neighborhood.
On the 1910 US Census, in addition to John, Ella, and Howard living at 229 Travis, John's mother, Addie, and sister, Alice, were also living there. After only 10 years at Bissell, John was already promoted to advertising manager at Bissell.
Howard's mother - Eleanor "Ella" Messer was born in 1884 in Grand Rapids. Her father, Levi, was born in Ohio, and her mother, Matilda, was born in Ontario, Canada in the 1850's.
At 18 years old, Ella was working at Macey Hook and Eye Co as she lived with her parents and siblings. All her other siblings - sisters included - were working to support the family as well. The family lived in the Creston neighborhood on Ann St.
Throughout Howard's childhood, his father, John, was very active and influential in the city and especially the Creston neighborhood. In 1916, John was the president of the Creston Citizens Organization, founding member, director, and president of the American Fair Trade Council, and charter member of the downtown Kiwanis Club.
From 1916-1921, John was the first representative from the northeast side of Grand Rapids on the Grand Rapids Public School Board. During his tenure on the school board, he secured the construction of Creston High School.
Grand Rapids is one of the few cities in the country that preserved and archived their 1918 Women Defense Committee cards. These cards are so unique because it is one of the only records of women during that era.
In 1918, Howard's maternal aunt, Margaret Messer, lived with the family on Travis St. From her 1918 Defense Committee card below, I know at that time she worked as a bookkeeper for the City of Grand Rapids at City Hall. Her education ended after grammar school; she didn't attend high school.
The image below is the 1918 Women Defense Card for Howard's mother - Ella Scott (Messer). Her occupation at the time was a housewife, and her education was similar to her sisters, only attending through grammar school. She had experience in cooking, knitting, being a seamstress, and relief visiting.
Howard remained to live with his parents and siblings on Travis St as he worked as an auto mechanic. In 1925, he owned his own business, Scott's Auto Electric Service Co at 280 Leonard St NW. That same year, 1925, he married Ruth Kennedy in Grand Rapids.
Ruth Margaruite Kennedy was born on December 3, 1904 in Tallmadge Township, Ottawa County, Michigan to William and Nellie (Moore). Ruth's father was born in Michigan and his parents were born in New York and Pennsylvania. Ruth's mother was born in New York, and both of her parents were born in New York as well.
When Ruth's family moved to Grand Rapids when she was a young child, Ruth's father, William Kennedy, was a private gardener for the wealthy businessman, Benjamin S. Hanchett. Benjamin S. Hanchett was the president and general manager of the G R Ry Co. His house was called "Lakewood" and it was located on the corner of Plymouth and Wealthy in East Grand Rapids.
By 1925, Ruth's father was no longer a gardener as he switched careers to become a cabinet maker in the furniture industry. When she married Howard that year, Ruth lived with her parents at 1348 Scribner NW as she worked as a decorator.
During their first couple years as a married couple, Howard was a student as they lived with his parents on Travis St. In 1928, Ruth gave birth to their first child, Barbara.
In the beginning of 1930, while they still lived with his parents, Howard worked as a cable tester for the Michigan Bell Company.
By April of 1930, they moved into a newly built house off of Plainfield Ave - 938 Beechwood St NE.
Two years later in 1932, their second child was born - Marilyn (or Mary Lynn). Howard was promoted to a switchboard operator at Michigan Bell Telephone Co.
A few years later in 1938, Howard and Ruth's daughters were featured in the GR Press as they raised money for the Junior Red Cross. A rare picture of the girls was in the newspaper.
In 1940, Howard was then promoted to a supervisor at Michigan Bell Co and his salary was $3,600 - the highest on Beechwood St at that time - which was equivalent to $66,000 in 2021 currency.
As it is still common today for many families in Michigan, having a summer cottage was a popular investment and summer activity. That same interest was around in the 1940's as well. I found many ads in the GR Press from 1939-1940 when Howard and Ruth were trying to buy land or a cottage on Lincoln Lake.
In 1948, at 20 years old, Barbara Scott married Paul Tunningley (27 years old) in Grand Rapids. For their first few years of marriage, they lived with Barbara's parents at 938 Beechwood St.
That same year, 1948, Barbara's sister, Marilyn, was in 10th grade at the school her grandfather helped built - Creston High School. Marilyn graduated two years later in 1950.
After 1950, there wasn't much more information about the Scott family online that I could easily find.
Howard Scott remained at Michigan Bell for his entire career. He passed away on December 19, 1966 at 61 years old. Howard and Ruth still lived at 938 Beechwood St NE at that time.
I don't know how long Ruth Scott remained at 938 Beechwood after her husband died. But 29 years later, Ruth passed away on January 7, 1995.
Mary Lynn Scott married Robert Sternburgh and they lived in Muskegon/Casnovia area. She passed away on April 26, 2007.
