Simms House 1926

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This year is the 90th Anniversary of the construction of the house I grew up in.  Mail order houses were all the rage in the 1910's and 20's but this one doesn't seem to have come in a kit.  The link here talks about both Eaton and Aladdin homes, the latter had models called Berwick and the Edmonton that have similarities to this one.  The lumber itself must have been purchased from somewhere other than Hume's Hardware in Oak River.  There were lumber mills near Riding Mountain National Park that likely was the source of it.
It was built by Thomas Hayhurst with some help from others as is detailed in a page of a  notebook of my Grandpa Simms'.

The total amount for his labour (along with his helpers) on the next page of the notebook dated September 28, 1926 is a whopping $278.00 for 25 days!  There is also a listing of supplies purchased from Hume's Hardware that I think I've transcribed fairly accurately below.

Hume

Cement 39 bags paid

Cement 47 Bge 1926

July 24 Keg 4 inch spikes

“           14 window frames

“            2 door frames

              3 plank 8 X 12

              8 rolls tar paper

              2 Kegs 2 ½ in nails

              8 thousand shingles

              1 piece 1.2 X 14

              1456 ft siding

              100 lbs spikes

              50 ft 4 V joint

              18 lin ft 1 X 8 sel

              36 lin ft 1 X 6

                5 lbs 2 in nails cn

Aug 6      4 bunches shingles

“               1 roll tar paper

"      7        40 tin shingles

                 And 8 ft X 10 ft tin

(second page)

Aug

7 -              50 tin shingles

11               1- 6 X 6 newel base

“                  1 5 X 5     “          “

“                  132 ft ¼ round

“                  2 ½ lb 2 ¼ inch finishing nails

13                2 ft stepping

17                Keg 2 ½ inch nails

18                steps for attic

20                 lath nails 24 lbs

26                1200 bricks 8 bags lime

Sept

1                    3 M. Lath 6- tile

                      350 ft stripping

Sept 9            3 thin ? chimney

Sept 23 –       100 ft striping 2 M

                       Lath 2 Windows 2 set

                       Latches and Hinges

Oct 14            1 bag cement

                       15 lbs lath nails

29                   15 lbs lath nails

Nov 22            60 bags plaster

Dec 2               50 bags 2 large

A man referred to as Call Bearsto was also paid $35.00 for work on the house and Aunt Dodie remembered him as was mentioned in this blog post about her Dad. 

Other documents survive from the history of the house.  The first receipt below was supplies for finishing the upstairs and a furnace was installed later the same year.  Before the doors and framing were added upstairs, the rooms were separated by curtains.  Dad slept in the northeast bedroom and the hired man, George Evans, had the room with the attic stairs in it.  Robin's egg blue bathroom fixtures were later added to this room in 1964 and the tub and sink are still the originals!  The present porch was built in 1951 to replace one with openings to the north and south.  The north side was closed off in the winter but in the summer it was open to give access to a summer kitchen to be used to keep the heat out of the house. 

Wiring the house for electricity happened in June of 1948 and the barn and pump house were done at the same time. Parts, labour and all came to a grand total of $220.00.  From electric labour saving devices to entertainment, the Simms house would have seen a big change.  

With upgrades and tender loving care from my parents, it continues to serve them well.  Dad has lived there all of his 83 years and Mom for over 55 years. I haven't lived there for almost 35 years, but it's still "Home" to me!