This land was once owned by George T. Lyon (1816-1891), his wife Maria, their son Andrew L. Lyon (1865-1942), and Robert Vandiver (1805-1885). Together they conveyed it to William Ford “Uncle Fordy” Barnes (1815-1885), along with the next door lot at 716 South Washington Street. In 1885, William F. Barnes sold the land to one of his sons, Samuel Treadway “Sam” Barnes (1857-1926), who most likely built this house soon after purchasing the land. Just months later, William F. “Uncle Fordy” was returning home from attending a session of The American Mechanics when he collapsed and died on Market Street just outside the home of Captain William E. Moore. Uncle Fordy was a famous duck hunter and this son, Sam Barnes, became a famous duck decoy carver.

The famed decoy carver Madison Mitchell was introduced to the art of decoy making beginning in 1924 by Samuel Treadway “Sam” Barnes, his cousin, who lived nearby at 726 South Washington Street. After Barnes passed away in 1926 Mitchell inherited his business and became a renowned decoy carver, developing his own distinctive style

Samuel T. Barnes lived here with his family from 1885 until he died of pneumonia in 1926 leaving his widow, Sadie K. Barnes, and seven children as his heirs. After the death of Sadie in 1954, a new deed was prepared by surviving heirs granting three lots of property, including this, to Sam and Sadie’s son, Samuel G. Barnes. He and his wife, Ruth Anna Barnes, owned this house for two years when in 1956 they sold it to Odin Tidemand (1911-1987) and his wife, Blanca Tidemand (1918-2011). Originally from Denmark, Odin worked as a real estate appraiser.

In 1963, the Tidemands sold the house to Henry H. Ebright and Lillie Mae Ebright, his wife. The Ebrights sold it 11 years later to Patricia Ann Smith (their daughter), who continues to live in this home.

County Records
Built 1910. 1667 sq ft, 2 stories no basement, 1 bath, 5000 sq ft lot.