The “Monaghan” House / Lucas Goodman HSC Scholarship Winner 2024
Throughout my entire life, I’ve lived in the Village of Clinton in the same, old, farmhouse. More than a few times, long-time residents of Clinton have commented to my family and me that we live in the “Monaghan” house. This sparked my curiosity about the age of my home and the Monaghans who occupied my house for most of their life. Why were the Monaghans so well-known in the community? What roles did they play that made them so well known by multiple generations?
In this writing I referenced a book titled “A Field Guide to American Houses”. I used this text to educate myself about the basic architecture and design of my house. The architectural design of my house is considered to be a saltbox house with a gable roof. Before my parents remodeled the exterior of our home, the walls were covered in wood siding and the roof was covered in slate tiles. These tiles were removed prior to the current shingles due to the asbestos they contained.
Upon entering my house, you are immediately able to see lots of things that would not be present in modern day houses. Some examples of these features would be our wood burning stove, narrow stair treads, and plaster walls. Even when remodeling our home my parents aimed to keep the historic integrity of the home. An example of the continued historic integrity of our house would be the mullions that are present on the windows and the four-inch vinyl siding.
To begin, I first asked my parents all of the information that they knew regarding our house. I was aware that they had done research to verify the age of the house with the Clinton Historical Society, though they did not have everything laid out in clear text. I knew that I needed to compile all of the resources they had collected, even those dating back a hundred years ago.
Once I determined who lived in our house, my next task was to find their obituaries and learn more about them. After looking, tax records indicated that my house was built in the year of 1891. One of the original owners of the house, John Tuttle Sr. (1849-1907), was a well-respected physician in Clinton throughout the turn of the 19th century. Dr. Tuttle worked around the clock caring for patients throughout the flu epidemic, “He was so busy during this time period that often his face carried a beard of several days growth” (Clinton Local; July 21, 1976).
Long-time residents of Clinton have also told us that Mrs. Monaghan, otherwise known as Helene Monaghan (1904-1975), often sang in the choir at St. Dominic’s Catholic next door to our house. We’ve been told that her voice was so horribly excruciating to hear because she was frequently off-key. Yet, nobody would tell her that her voice was so bad because everyone had the utmost respect for her. After further delving into the character of Mrs. Monaghan, I now understand why she was well-liked and appreciated. Mrs. Monaghan was a member of the St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, she was the Vice President of the National Council of Catholic Women, the President of the Clinton Women’s Club, and a member of the Clinton Hobby Club.
Aside from her participation in extracurricular community clubs, she was a teacher in Washtenaw County for 41 years. Following her retirement, she became a member of the Retired Teachers Association and stayed involved in the educational community by volunteering in nearby schools.
When an elderly neighbor found out that my parents were researching the Monaghans long ago, he shared a picture from the 1940s that showed his mother and Mrs. Monaghan posing on our front porch for a picture. Upon viewing this picture, I could see that she was a tall woman with a big smile who seemed to enjoy the company of her friends. In addition to all of her years as a teacher and community involvement, she was married to John Monaghan for just a few months short of 50 years.
John Monaghan (1903-1981), was a constable in the Village of Clinton and Clinton Township for many years. Aside from work, he was also a member of St. Dominic’s Catholic Church. He survived for six years after the passing of his wife; the couple never had children. Older residents also shared that after Helene’s passing, John closed off the second story of the house, where he and his wife Helene had slept for nearly 50 years together. After he closed off the upper half of our house, he confined himself to one room in the ground-level, which just happens to be my room.
With this, I was able to come to the final conclusion that our house was in fact built in the year of 1891. After taking a drive around my town and looking at the plaques on other houses that list the year that they were built, I was able to notice that my house does tend to be on the older side of houses that were built in Clinton. During my drive, the oldest house that I was able to find was built in the year 1836.
This house stands as a testament to the passage of time, its walls echoing the whispers of generations long past. With each brick and beam, it holds stories that have shaped the lives of those who called it home. From its simplistic, yet beautiful architecture to the subtle artifacts, it paints a vivid picture of the history that has unfolded within its embrace. This house is so much more than just walls, it is a home that wishes all who enter to appreciate and respect the rich tapestry of its past.