Office of Preservation Services
Description MIHP HA-1617-1, December 1993
https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/015000/015200/015226/pdf/m sa_se5_15226.pdf
“The northern half of this 2½ story frame duplex residence with central sally-port, constructed in the mid-19th century is clad in aluminum over the original clapboard siding. This building is a contributing resource in the National Register listed Havre de Grace Historic District and is typical of the small scale 2-2½ story frame 19th-century frame dwellings of this Tidewater town.”

As noted by the Maryland Historic Trust, this double house dates back to the 1860s. In 1862 the property was sold by Louisa Brownley to Josephine E. Weber, who subsequently married Clement Stephens. Josephine’s ownership appears to have been challenged in court and its trustees awarded the property back to the widowed Josephine E. Stephens in 1872. By 1903, however, Josephine Stephens had moved to Philadelphia and in August that year she sold the property to Thomas J. Healey (1866-1944). Thomas Healey later became a well-known thoroughbred horseracing trainer. Deeds do not indicate exactly when the double home was built so it is assumed that the Maryland Historic Trust’s opinion as to its age is correct. Each side of the double house comprised 900 square feet with the sally-port in the center which provided access to the rear of the homes.

Thomas Healey sold this property the same year he bought it (1903) to Lena R. (Hopkins) Crothers (1878-1926). She was an architect and was married to Dr. Augustus C. Crothers, the physician for the B&O Railroad at the time. Dr. Crothers was the brother of the Austin Lane Crothers who served as Maryland Governor from 1908-1912. This was, no doubt, an investment property for Crothers, who owned other buildings in town. After the 1926 death of Lena Crothers, an ownership dispute arose between John C. Crothers and Omar D. Crothers which was settled by the court ordering the property to be sold by trustees to Myrtle Jones (1864-1952) and Clinton M. Jones (1868-1930), her husband, at private sale in 1928.

Myrtle Jones also owned other properties in this block at various times and in 1940 she sold all of them, including 322 South Union Avenue, in which she is thought to have lived. She sold this double home to Dr. Frank Wolbert, who during that time had purchased other properties as investments. He became a well-known obstetrician who in 1941 purchased the large Seneca mansion at 200 North Union Avenue (where, sadly, he was murdered in 1967). Dr. Wolbert sold this double home in 1943 to Daniel J. Gallagher (1886-1985) and Mary Ellen Gallagher, who owned several other properties in the city. After the 1944 death of Mary Gallagher, Daniel married his second wife, Helen Marie Gallagher, and in 1947 he added Helen’s name to all of their properties.

In 1956, Daniel and Helen Gallagher sold this property to Victoria Jane Baker Hall (1900-1981), who had just been widowed by the death of her husband, Ira Herman Hall (1905-1956). Together they had several children, including George William Hall [aka William George Hall] (1940-2014), Myrtle Hall Cox, and Josephine Watkins. George Hall, like many other Havre de Grace residents, worked for several years for the Bata Shoe Company.

In 1968, it appears that Victoria Hall divided this property making the north side 316 North Union Avenue and the south side 318 North Union Avenue. Until that point there is no indication that this property comprised two homes. That same year, Victoria Hall, prepared two separate deeds; one conveyed #316 to her daughter, Myrtle Hall Cox, and the other conveyed #318 to her son, George William Hall. In each case, Victoria Hall reserved a life estate for herself, meaning she could continue to live there until her death. Since 1981, when Victoria Hall died, both of these properties automatically transferred to the two children.

For the #316 property, Myrtle Hall Cox, (born 1929) is listed by Harford County as the owner. And for the #318 property George William Hall is still listed by Harford County as the owner; he, however, died in 2014.

County Records (for each house)
Built 1935. 900 sq ft, 2 stories, 2 baths, 1800 sq ft lot.