Richard H. Smith (1848-1926) bought this plot of land in 1883 from Conrad and Catharine Cook. A physician, who served as President of the Columbian Building Association for many years, Richard Smith most likely built this house soon after buying the lot. It appears that Dr. Richard and his wife may not have lived here because in 1916 Mrs. S. Leon Peal lived here and had telephone service. This would not have been unusual because at that time only a limited number of people could afford to own their homes and many owners rented them out to tenants.

At his death, Dr. Richard bequeathed the property to his wife, Alice Hall Smith, who lived seven more years. They had a daughter, Helen T. Smith, to whom Alice conveyed the property in 1950 by her Will. Helen Smith sold the home that same year to John and Myrtle E. Hein. After they both had died their son, John Elmer Hein, sold the property to Carey Albert Snyder in 1974. Carey is the husband of Mary Lynn Snyder, a partner of Allen J. Fair in their real estate business.

After the Snyders sold the house two years later there was a succession of short-term owners over the next several years, only some of whom lived in the house. Some tenants were John and Linda Turner, about whom Kristie Maurice says they were wonderful and like family to her. The Turners often invited Kristie to dinner and she loved ChyChy and Juju Turner—they were the best friends anyone could ask for.

Roy and Gertrude Ratlief owned the house from 1979 to 1995, although Gertrude died in 1988. In 1999 Craig Thomas Smith sold the property to Wilson R. and Carolyn L. Rutherford who selected this home and city for their retirement. Wilson was Colonel Wilson "Bill" R. Rutherford III who had received many awards for his distinguished military career. From 1988 to 1990, he was the Garrison Commander of the Aberdeen Proving Ground and died in 2009 at Perry Point Veterans Hospital.

Carolyn Lacy Rutherford had been married for 41 years to "Bill" Rutherford, during which she volunteered with multiple military charities. While living in Havre de Grace, she was well-known for many activities along with volunteer work for the Lock House and the Havre de Grace Library before dying unexpectedly in 2019.

This home is now owned by Ian F. McCredie and Katherine Heiny, who continue to live elsewhere in Maryland while they complete renovations to this home. Ian, a former member of the British Special Forces, has been awarded both a CMG and an OBE for his services. Katherine Heiny, Ian’s wife, is a celebrated author whose latest book is Early Morning Riser; her short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and other magazines.

County Records
Built 1900. 2816 sq ft, 2 baths, 2.5 stories, no basement, 2688 sq ft lot.