This large parcel of land was sold by John Donahoo (1789-1858) of Harford County in 1838 to Leonard Reynolds (1791-1864) and Elijah Reynolds (1796-1869), of Port Deposit, Cecil County. Donahoo was a builder of lighthouses, including Concord Point, and was involved in fishing and real estate in Havre de Grace. The Reynolds family were prominent citizens of Port Deposit.

In 1848 Leonard Reynolds and his wife Elizabeth sold their one-half interest to Elijah. Included in the deed was the “use of the well and pump,” which it is assumed was on the property. While it is not possible from deeds to discern exactly when a house was built here, it is thought likely that the reference to use of the well and pump indicates the presence of a home. If so, Elijah and Elizabeth “Eliza” Reynolds would have been the builders between 1848 and 1852. They sold the property in 1852 to Robert R. Vandiver (1805-1885) of Havre de Grace, who also owned other properties.

In 1863, Vandiver sold this to George T. Lyon (1816-1891) and his wife, Maria, who had relocated to Havre de Grace from Port Deposit. While living here, they operated a general provisions store as A. & G.T. Lyon & Company at 328 St. John Street. The widowed Maria and her children sold part of this property 35 years later in 1898 to Louisa and Will Smuck—Louisa was one of Maria’s daughters. It appears that the property was divided by 1910 with the northernmost part of the lot sold to George and Maria’s son Andrew Lincoln Lyon (1866-1942). He is believed to have built the adjoining home that is now numbered #323 North Union Avenue.

In 1901 this original building was sold by Dr. Augustus Crothers and his wife, Lena Hopkins Crothers, who had lived here temporarily. Dr. Crothers was the brother of Austin Lane Crothers who served as Governor of Maryland from 1908-1912. Lena Crothers was an architect who designed their new house at 218 South Union Avenue to which they were moving. The Crothers sold this property to Millard Fillmore Tydings (1859-1941) and his wife, Mary Bond O'Neill Tydings (1864-1938). Mary O’Neill Tydings was the granddaughter of the “Defender of Havre de Grace,” John O’Neill, during the War of 1812. Millard and Mary’s son, Millard Evelyn Tydings (1890-1961) had been born in Havre de Grace and was eleven years old when his parents moved into this home. Later, after graduating from Law School and being admitted to the Bar, Millard E. Tydings set up a law practice here in 1913.

Millard E. Tydings enlisted in the National Guard in 1917 as a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry. He was overseas June 1918 to May 1919 and earned the Army Distinguished Service Medal while commanding the 111th Machine Gun Battalion, 29th Division in 1918. Lt. Col. Tydings also earned the Distinguished Service Cross and a 29th Division Citation for Gallantry in Action. He is the highest ranking officer from Havre de Grace listed on the Honor Roll at Tydings Park (which was named after him, as was the Millard E. Tydings Memorial Bridge).

Tydings was elected to represent Maryland's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from 1923 to 1927 and served in the U.S. Senate from 1927 to 1951. His wife was Eleanor Davies Tydings and they lived in their nearby Oakington Farm (now the home of an addiction treatment center).

After the death of Millard Fillmore Tydings in 1941, who outlived his wife, his heirs sold this property to Stuart and Lea Crawford. The Crawfords moved to Havre de Grace in 1941 when Stuart became the steel erection superintendent for the Susquehanna River bridge. Just before she died in 1981 at age 95, Lea Crawford sold this home to their daughter, Tyree C. Vogt (1908-1983), which then descended to her son, F. Crawford Vogt of New Jersey. His Executor, Maxine M. Vogt, sold this to A & M Properties of Havre de Grace in 1999. The property was converted into commercial offices some years ago, but the exact time is not known.

In 2000 A & M Properties sold this to Michael Chessick and Sandra Monaghan but they held it for only three years before selling it to Anthony Saenz and Margaret Saenz. In 2007 they sold it to Beatties Properties LLC and it is now a rental property owned by ME Properties, LLC. In 2020 this house appears to be freshly painted and to have new siding put on it.

County Records
Built 1860. Commercial office building, 2822 sq ft, 3700 sq ft lot.