735 Prince Avenue

Historical Research and Compilation by Ray Beam

Photos by Matt Brewster, Marigold Solutions

House Instructions:

Restroom will be available. Parts of the house will be off-limits. Sparrow's Nest and parking lot next door will not be available.

House History:

In 1917, this house was listed for rent for $35. When inflation is accounted for, this is $862.

Marguerite Merk, who inherited the property following the death of her husband Harry in 1959, opted into the Cobbham Historic District in 1978. Marguerite was heavily involved in the local community, she was involved in the Railway Express Agency Ladies’ Auxiliary, 

Her husband, Harry, was involved in the Mt. Vernon Lodge of the masons and a member of the central presbyterian church.

Mrs. Lula Veal Martin hosted bible studies and meetings of the Christian Women’s Temperance Union when she owned it in 1912-1931. She had an evening WGAU program dedicated to her when she passed away in 1939. Her husband owned a watch repair business and passed away in 1937. The Merk family started living in the house in 1931/32

Bennet Mystery

Hoye Bennett, a soldier in MacArthur’s honor guard in Tokyo in the late 1940s, was listed as having lived in 735 Prince Avenue. On several for-sale ads for a farm in 1936-7, Mrs. Hannah Bennett’s name was listed as the contact and her address was put down as 735 Prince Ave. It is unknown what their relationship was.
Sarah Bennett Mahaffey was listed as being a resident of 735 Prince when she died at age 88 in 1964. The names of Hoye and Hannah Bennett are missing from her obituary.
Mrs. Bennett and Merk both hosted church events at their home–the Bennetts and Merks lived together!