The land on which this house was built was sold in 1885 by Mortimer and Susan G. O’Connor of Harrisburg to Richard Waltier (b. 1860) of Havre de Grace. He was elected president of “the colored Republican Club of this City,” according to The Havre de Grace Republican on January 9, 1885. In May 1882, Richard Waltier had been named as one of three trustees for the Harford County Sixth District’s “Colored School” for 1882-1883. It is most likely that Richard Waltier built this home for his family in 1885. On the northeast corner of Stokes and Lewis Streets, this is the last house going west that is within the Havre de Grace Historic District.

In 1922 Richard Waltier sold this corner property to Martha V. Anderson of Philadelphia. Because she lived in Philadelphia it is assumed that this was an investment property for her until 1943 when she sold it to William Henry Merchant and Alda N. Merchant. William Merchant (a Lincoln University 1939 graduate) and his second wife, Dorothea, sold this two-story home on the northeast corner of Stokes and Lewis Streets in 1953 to Russell Dubois Stansbury (1924-2021) and his wife, Mildred Gore Stansbury (1926-1999).

Mildred Stansbury, who had both a BA Degree from Bluefield State College and an MA from the North Carolina A&T University, came to Harford County in 1947 from West Virginia as an English teacher and librarian at the Havre de Grace Colored School (on Alliance Street). She was the daughter of Earl Gore (b. 1896) and Bannie Gore (b. 1906) and had two brothers, Alfonso and Glen Gore, and a sister, Margaret Gore in Helen, West Virginia. And it happened that Russell D. Stansbury was the industrial arts teacher in the school at the same time, resulting in his visiting the library frequently and then marrying Mildred in 1948. Russell was the third of seven children born to Clayton C. Stansbury, Sr. (1893-1962) and Mary V. Stansbury and was raised in their home at 400 South Stokes Street in Havre de Grace.

Mildred’s mother, Bannie Gore, became seriously ill shortly after Mildred and Russell married so Mildred went back to West Virginia to take care of her and had to leave her teaching job. On her return to Havre de Grace in 1950 she worked for two years as a supervisor at the Perry Point VA Medical Center, after which she and Russell opened their grocery and candy store in 1952, called “Stansbury’s Grocery.” The store was in a one-story addition to their house, and was entered from Stokes Street at the rear of the home. They opened the store every day into the late 1960s. Deborah Rosenkrans remembers her Mom taking her to the store on their way to the park and getting her a “yummy Neapolitan waffle ice cream sandwich.” Donald Wooten, who lived nearby, liked to go there often and Louise Petey has fond memories of getting a free piece of candy whenever she went to the store.

While Mildred operated Stansbury’s Grocery, her husband, Russell, taught at Aberdeen High School and was also the track and field coach at Aberdeen Middle School. The Stansburys closed the grocery store when Mildred returned to teaching in 1967 and got a job at Aberdeen High School, until her retirement.

Mildred Stansbury became the first African American to serve on the Havre de Grace City Council when she was appointed in May 1963 by Mayor James C. Vancherie. Mildred, who had run for City Council but lost by only seven votes, was then named to fill the position left vacant by the death of councilman Phillip A. Jones. When Mildred ran for and was elected to the Havre de Grace City Council in 1964 she was the first African American elected to a political office in Harford County; she served three terms in office.

A strong and dynamic visionary, Mildred was also inspirational in getting other African-Americans to run for political office in Harford County. She was known as a “pioneer” and “trail-blazer” in Harford County. While in office, she suggested the adoption of an official Coat of Arms and flag for the City and with George Van Bibber (1906-1979), a Harford County artist, produced the Havre de Grace seal for the city. In addition, Mildred changed the designation of the small streets populated largely by blacks from “alleys” to “lanes.” Her proudest achievement in public office is said to be getting approval for the building of Somerset Manor, federally subsidized housing for low-income residents in Havre de Grace.

By May 1975, the Stansburys had closed their store, sold this property to Caledonia L. Henry, and moved to Bel Air, Maryland. On October 20, 1997, the County Executive and County Council of Harford County recognized Mildred as a “Harford County Living Treasure.” Two years later, Mildred died after 51 years of marriage to Russell Stansbury. Russell was himself named a Harford County Living Treasure in 2002 and also was inducted into the Harford County Education Hall of Fame in 2004. Both of the Stanburys were affiliated with numerous organizations and received many awards and recognition for contributions to the community throughout their lives. They had belonged to St. James AME Church in Havre de Grace since 1941. The Stansburys are both buried in Bel Air Memorial Gardens.

Caledonia L. Henry, also a member of St. James AME Church, worked at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. She owned this home from 1975 to 2003, when she added her son, Walter Richard Henry, to the deed and had moved elsewhere. In 2021 Victor Bravo Real Estate Investments of Joppa, Maryland, contracted to purchase this property and in August 2021 they formed Natural Light, LLC. In January 2022, having appointed her son as her attorney-in-fact, Caledonia L. Henry and her son sold this property to Natural Light, LLC of Joppa. The property has appeared unused for several years and remains in poor condition. In March 2022, this property is on the market.

County Records
Built 1958. 1634 sq ft, 2 stories with basement, 1 bath, 3,500 sq ft lot.