John Edwards House
Encyclopedia
The John Edwards House is a historic building in the village of Leipsic
in Putnam County
, Ohio
, United States
. Located at 305 W. Main Street, the house is a fine example of Victorian architecture
.
In 1861, Thomas and Isabella Edwards began farming a short distance east of Leipsic. As their four sons grew to manhood, they entered local industry in 1886, and their Buckeye Stove Company soon became one of the most prosperous corporations in the rural Black Swamp
of northwestern Ohio. By the mid-1890s, the company was one of the largest landowners in Defiance
, Henry
, and Putnam counties, and the wealth it produced enabled one of the Edwards brothers to build a mansion on Leipsic's west side.
John Edwards paid approximately $21,000 to construct his Leipsic house in 1894. Built with brick walls and a slate
roof, this Late Victorian mansion was ornamented with elements such as elaborate stencilling
, molds
of the heads of lions, and embossed gold.
In 1978, the Edwards House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
because of its well-preserved historic architecture. It is one of two Leipsic places on the Register, along with the former Leipsic Village Hall
. One year prior to listing on the Register, the house was purchased by Harriett Gamper, an Edwards descendent, and donated to the village of Leipsic for conversion into a library
. Today, the house is the location of the Leipsic Edwards Gamper Memorial Library; it is a part of the Putnam County District Library system.
Leipsic, Ohio
Leipsic is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,236 at the 2000 census.-History:Leipsic was platted in 1857....
in Putnam County
Putnam County, Ohio
Putnam County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,499. The name is in honor of Israel Putnam, who was a hero in the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War. Its county seat is...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located at 305 W. Main Street, the house is a fine example of Victorian architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
.
In 1861, Thomas and Isabella Edwards began farming a short distance east of Leipsic. As their four sons grew to manhood, they entered local industry in 1886, and their Buckeye Stove Company soon became one of the most prosperous corporations in the rural Black Swamp
Great Black Swamp
The Great Black Swamp, or simply Black Swamp, was a glacially caused wetland in northwest Ohio, United States, extending into extreme northeastern Indiana, that existed from the end of the Wisconsin glaciation until the late 19th century...
of northwestern Ohio. By the mid-1890s, the company was one of the largest landowners in Defiance
Defiance County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 39,500 people, 15,138 households, and 11,020 families residing in the county. The population density was 96 people per square mile . There were 16,040 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile...
, Henry
Henry County, Ohio
Henry County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,215. Its county seat is Napoleon and is named for Patrick Henry, the Virginian famous for his "give me liberty or give me death" speech....
, and Putnam counties, and the wealth it produced enabled one of the Edwards brothers to build a mansion on Leipsic's west side.
John Edwards paid approximately $21,000 to construct his Leipsic house in 1894. Built with brick walls and a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof, this Late Victorian mansion was ornamented with elements such as elaborate stencilling
Stencil
A stencil is a thin sheet of material, such as paper, plastic, or metal, with letters or a design cut from it, used to produce the letters or design on an underlying surface by applying pigment through the cut-out holes in the material. The key advantage of a stencil is that it can be reused to...
, molds
Molding (process)
Molding or moulding is the process of manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a pattern....
of the heads of lions, and embossed gold.
In 1978, the Edwards House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
because of its well-preserved historic architecture. It is one of two Leipsic places on the Register, along with the former Leipsic Village Hall
Leipsic Village Hall
The Leipsic Village Hall was a historic village and township hall in the village of Leipsic in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Built in 1904, the village hall was a large three-story brick building with a corner tower...
. One year prior to listing on the Register, the house was purchased by Harriett Gamper, an Edwards descendent, and donated to the village of Leipsic for conversion into a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
. Today, the house is the location of the Leipsic Edwards Gamper Memorial Library; it is a part of the Putnam County District Library system.