looking for info on the etz family wheeling wv (Charles Town: sale, apartments)

[yinz]

i recently purchased the henry etz mansion in wheeling wv and i am looking for info on the house and the etz family, henry etz, harold etz etc. anyone have any info on this?


thanks!

[David Kennedy]

Sounds like a genealogy chase is in order...find his grave...find his family...are any still living...wouldn't they had some history...sounds like a detective story here and one worth a chronicle...Hope he is a steamboat captian with more than one family on the river...could be a cigar merchant...lumber merchant...Wheeling had them all...how old is the house...some building records might be still available at city hall...how about the federal/state program to record the buildings of the area...was done through WVU??

I love this thread...wish I could really help...

possible secret passages and hiding places...nooks and crannies in the attic and basement...look everywhere in that old house...staircase finnals were a place for documents and treasure..hearths...fabulous! so lucky you!

[vec101]

Hope someone can help.
In the meantime, you may want to check out:
West Virginia Archives and History Genealogy Corner
Welcome to Ohio County Public Library
Ohio County History On Line
Historic Homes in Wheeling, WV
West Virginia Health Statistics Center Geneology Page
West Virginia Archives and History
Welcome to West Virginia Heritage

If they had a mansion, I would think they are mentioned somewhere in WV history. You may want to go to the local library and see if they have anything that is not online.

[yinz]

thanks for your reply, i do know he was an optometrist and the home was built in 1897 and was the 2nd home built on the sale of the woods farmland which became an upscale area. the home is in really good shape although it is in the process of being painted, in 1974 it was converted to apartments but all the wood work the huge stained glass windows in the foyer and the stairs and mantle hearths etc were preserved. its going to be a honor and labor of love to bring it back to the original look although it will still remain apartments which i live in one . the house is still very grand with professional tenants which makes it nice, as for nooks and crannies the only i have found is an attic above the 3rd floor which i have yet to get into. thanks yours and the other posts help, i had already check the ohio county website, its a great resource.

[David Kennedy]

Chance of a lifetime, Yinz...we all know that and wish you well.

I was under one of those old goodies one time and found a whiskey bottle from the 1800's...had some left as the bottle had been placed on its side and kept the cork moist...have it here in the cabin with the other old stuff...reminder of older, better times...Isn't that what we see deeply in those old houses...a more simpler time and life...something of peace and being able to re-live it in some way...a shelter from the stress and time stealing?

And I sold one of those houses once...in the attic was a baby carriage...tucked away..fringe on the top...about 1880's.
In the yard as I gave the young couple the keys, I said to the lady, "There's a little forgotton treasure in the attic..." She sold it for $300...??? Who can figure!

[Threerun]

I had a scout find a true gem years ago.

His family moved from Gaithersburg MD to Jefferson County about 10 years ago. They bought an old stone farmouse on Rt. 230 heading towards Sheperdstown (from Charles Town). They spent a good amount of time putting work into the old place, restoring it to original condition.

The young man, maybe 13 at the time, was finding loose floorboards in the sitting room and securing them down when he found a couple that were really loose. He pulled them up and found a metal box between the floor joists. Inside the box he found things like letters or trinkets, but the real prize was wrapped in an oiled cloth- A Colt Navy 1860 cap and ball revolver!

His dad let him keep it for the hard work he was doing with the old house. What a cool find.