This hip-roofed, craftsman cottage near the corner of Bassett and Fair streets was built in 1906 by George Weber and A.H. Pape for Ellis O. Hart and his new bride Susan Dubin.[1]
Ellis was born in 1883 and reared on a farm in Lakeville. His father, Blair Hart, was elected in 1900 as Sonoma County supervisor for District 1, which extended east from Penngrove and Lakeville to the Sonoma Valley. Blair would remain a county supervisor until the year before his death at 84 in 1939.[2]
After graduating from Petaluma High, Ellis Hart started working in 1903 for the Golden Eagle Milling Company as a bookkeeper.[3]
Located at East Washington and Copeland streets, the mill was founded in 1884 by two Canadian brothers, Walter and Samuel Percival, with investments from local capitalists. During the 1870s, Walter operated a flour mill in Bloomfield. In 1888, the Percivals sold the Golden Eagle Mill to Petaluma capitalist Hiram T. Fairbanks, and relocated to San Francisco to start a real estate firm.[4]
Ellis Hart married his Lakeville sweetheart, Susan Dubin, in 1906. In January 1907, the couple moved into their newly constructed cottage at 335 Bassett Street, constructed on one of a series of lots along Fair Street owned by Blair Hart. A week later, Susan gave birth to their daughter Lorraine.[5]
A number of other houses were being erected on the block at that time, (including 326 Bassett built by Julia Casey, my great-grandmother; the Sheehy and Kinney sides of my family owned three houses on the block). Sidewalks were being laid along Bassett from Post to Fair streets. Petaluma High School would not be constructed at the end of the block on Fair Street until 1915.[6]
The builders of the Harts’s new home, Weber and Pape of Santa Rosa, had contracted to construct the cottage for $1,550 ($55,000 in today’s currency). They charged them an additional $344, claiming Ellis had agreed orally to the increase. Ellis took them to court, arguing theirs was a false claim, and won.[7]
Soon after building his house, Ellis was promoted to general manager at the Golden Eagle Mill, and secretary of its board of directors, positions he would hold until 1953. The Golden Eagle Mill was destroyed by a fire in 1968, and replaced by today’s River Plaza Shopping Center.[8]
In 1935, the Harts hired A. Mariam Seeberg, a popular Norwegian architect and contractor in Petaluma, to remodel their cottage, adding an addition above the garage.[9]
Ellis and his wife Susan lived together at that the cottage until his death in 1963 at age 80. Susan remained there until her death in 1973 at age 87.[10]
FOOTNOTES:
[1] “Were Wedded on Tuesday,” Petaluma Argus, July 10, 1906 “Briefs,” Petaluma Courier, January 17, 1907; Ellis Hart Won Suit,” Petaluma Argus, February 14, 1908.
[2] “Jottings,” Petaluma Courier, October 15, 1879; “Baudau’s Election as County Assessor Seems Assured with Count Near End,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, November 19, 1938; “Blair Hart, Petaluma, Dean of Sonoma Supervisors,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, August 24, 1939. Note: Blair Hart was elected supervisor for District 1 from 1900 to 1912. Then he and his wife moved into Petaluma, and he was elected supervisor for District 2 from 1916 to 1938.
[3] “Local Brevities,” Petaluma Courier, July 22, 1903; “Soon to be Married,” Petaluma Courier, July 7, 1906; “Obituaries: Ellis O. Hart,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, September 30, 1963.
[4] “Our Real Estate Transactions,” Petaluma Argus, March 8, 1872; “Bloomfield Industries,” Petaluma Argus, October 31, 1873; “A Disastrous Fire,” Petaluma Courier, December 24, 1884; “$19,500,” Petaluma Courier, December 31, 1884; “The Golden Eagle Flouring Mills,” Petaluma Courier, July 1, 1885; “New Officers,” Petaluma Argus, January 7, 1888; “Petition,” Petaluma Argus, April 21, 1888; “Courierlets,” Petaluma Courier, July 4, 1888; “Death Calls W. Percival, Sr.” Petaluma Argus, January 25, 1926; “Golden Eagle Employs Many,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, August 17, 1955.
[5] “Were Wedded on Tuesday,” Petaluma Argus, July 10, 1906; Briefs,” Petaluma Courier, January 17, 1907; “Briefs,” Petaluma Courier, January 22, 1907; “Born,” Petaluma Argus, January 22, 1907; 1900 street map of Petlauma, Sonoma County Library.
[6] “Bassett Street Improvements,” Petaluma Courier, April 14, 1909.
[7] “Residence Being Completed,” Santa Rosa Republican, March 22, 1906; “Court Calendar,” Petaluma Courier, December 17, 1907; “Ellis Hart Won Suit,” Petaluma Argus, February 14, 1908.
[8] “Annual Meeting,” Petaluma Courier, June 11, 1908; “Cargo Will Be a Total Loss,” Petaluma Courier, August 20, 1910; “Obituaries: Ellis O. Hart,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, September 30, 1963.
“Fire Sweeps Golden Eagle Milling Plant,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, July 5, 1968.
[9] “Okay Building Permits in City,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, September 24, 1935.
[10] “Obituaries: Ellis O. Hart,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, September 30, 1963; “Obituary: Susan D. Hart,” Petaluma Argus-Courier, June 26, 1973.