The Boathouse: 584 Commercial Street, Roanoke

584 Commercial St

Roanoke, IN

46783

By the PSEI Research Team

The Boathouse:

Named The Boathouse because when it was built in 1848 the boats from the Wabash and Erie canal (now Highway 24) would come up a channel to this property to have their boats fixed. It sits near what was known as “Dickey’s Lock”.

Year Built: 1848

Utility Shed Built: 1900

Square Footing:1,260

Lot: 1 acre

Parcel ID#: 350114300045300007

History:

According to historic maps of Huntington Indiana dated in 1879, 584 Commercial St is located in the Chapman and Horton’s Addition.

After comparing census records to historical maps, one of the possible original tenets of 584 Commercial St was Francis M. Horton and his wife, Caroline W. Horton, with their children Orson and Francis. Francis was listed as a Woolen Manufacture and most likely worked with his younger brother, Theodore Van Dyke Horton. Theodore Horton was a prominent name in Roanoke as he and Mr. George W. Chapman plotted a majority of the additions in the town. Gravesites could not be located.

George W. Chapman was a prominent farmer in Roanoke, he was born in 1817, and his wife Harriet Culver was born in 1829. They had four children, John, Sarah, Isabella and Josephine. *Gravesites could not be located.

According to the 1870 census Theodore V. Horton was married to Martha Zent. Together they had two daughter, Jennie and Laura. Laura is listed as Deaf and Dumb. In 1874, Martha filled for a divorce, in the 1880 census of Fon Du Lac, Wisconsin he is listed as divorced. Jennie is living with him, as well as Francis, his wife Caroline, and their two children.

Deaths:

According to online research, there are no names that can be found that show there was a death at 584 Commercial St.

However there are nine names associated with the house:

1. Tod A. Bolyard

2. Alane Eckert

3. Thomas Cook

4. Martha Cook

5. Christopher Eckert

6. William Eichhorn

7. Harris Eichhorn

8. Judy Gravenhorst (owner)

9. Lawrence Harman

10. Jill Harman

11. Rex Harris

William Eichhorn:

Born: October 60, 1928

Died: March 8, 2004

Burial: Covington Memorial Gardens

WILLIAM WREN EICHHORN,, 75, of Roanoke, died Monday, Mar. 8, 2004, at Lutheran Hospital. Born Oct. 30, 1928, in Decatur, he was the son of Glenn and Rachel (Wolfgang) Eichhorn.

He was a hairstylist and master cosmetologist at William Wren, Inc. for over 50 years. He was president of the North American Beauty Association, a member of the Historical Society of Indiana, and was on the Board of Roanoke Beautification Association. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War and received the Bronze Star. He was also a member of Roanoke American Legion Post

160.

Surviving are his son, Mark Eichhorn of Granger; daughter, Rachel Eichhorn of Bristol; two grandchildren; and brother Jim Eichhorn. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Edward, Thomas, John and Robert Eichhorn; and sister, Mary Folis. Memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday at Covington Memorial Funeral Home, 8408 Covington Road. No calling. Entombment at Covington Memorial Gardens.

Published in the Fort Wayne Newspapers on 3/9/2004.

Additional information:

In his youth, William summered in Petoskey, Michigan working as a lifeguard on the beach and also in an ice cream shop. During the school year, William returned to be a cheerleader at Decatur High. In his early career, William worked at the Earl Groth and the Wolf and Dessauer Department Stores in Fort Wayne.

He was a recurrent guest artist at the International Beauty Trade Show in New York City. Of worldwide acclaim, people would travel great distances for his services, even from as far as Hungary. Celebrities such as Marilyn Mansfield and Rock Hudson had been known to visit his Fort Wayne salon. With his wife, Edna, William attended one of former President John F. Kennedy's inaugural balls. (Find A Grave contributor RM Harris)

Huntington County, Indiana Parcele Report:

Maps of 584 Commercial St:

1879 Map