The land on which this house was later built was part of a parcel of 92 acres sold by Joseph and Ann Trimble in 1854 to William and Elizabeth Hoopes of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Three years later the Hoopes sold 91 acres to Owen Michael, who then sold it to William Galloway in 1860. However, it appears that prior to that, Grafton Day (1829-1895) most likely built this house and was paying ground rent on this lot of the land at the northwest corner of Giles and Market Streets. In 1871 a Release of Ground Rent and deed of sale was signed by Julianna Hall (1816-1872) and members of the Chew family to Grafton Day, with the notation that it was the property “in which Day now resides.” It is interesting to note that in 1856 Israel Day and Grafton Day were also paying $4.00 yearly ground rent on the 812-814 Market Street property.

Grafton Day came to a sad end as reported in The Baltimore Sun, August 8, 1895, under “Death of a Veteran Duck Gunner.” Grafton was killed instantly by the Chesapeake and Ohio Express over the PW&B Railroad for which he worked for about 20 years. It stated, “He was looked upon as one of the best marksmen that ever engaged in the business, and his endurance was considered phenomenal, his constitution being very robust.” Julianna Hall was the daughter of George W. and Sophia Hall who built the Hall House at 227 South Union Avenue in 1835 and she owned other property.

Grafton Day’s widow, Sarah Day, and three daughters sold this property in 1917 to Emory U. Day and his wife, Katherine M. Day; they lived here for several years. Katherine having predeceased her husband, Emory Day in 1941 left this home in his Will to his sister, Emma Barnes. About six years later, Emma deeded the home to her daughter, Edith F. Sherman, but reserved a life estate for herself. Edith and her husband, Edward H. Sherman, sold this property to John J. Gessig, Jr. and his wife, Dolores P. Gessig in 1956. Other owners followed, including Jean Ewing, Ross and Eva Stanard, and James J. “Jim” Schmid.

In 1994, Jim and Deborah Schmid opened their home to the Annual Candlelight Tour. They had researched the home and believed that it dated back to 1840 and that its first owner was Jacob Hoke. Current research cannot locate that information but does show that a Jacob Hoke (1799-1876) married Anne Biays in 1823 and was a pewholder in St. John’s Episcopal Church in Havre de Grace. He also is known to have petitioned the Maryland House of Delegates (along with 109 other Harford County residents) in February 1843 for a law to incorporate a bank in Havre de Grace.

Jim and Deborah Schmid painted the exterior of this home in 1994 in maritime white with accents of Wythe Blue and Waterbury Green. The kitchen had a brick tiled countertop, and an attached powder room. Upstairs there was a step down to the master bedroom where there was a wall of closets that they built. Two other small rooms had been opened up as one bedroom while there were enclosed side porches upstairs and downstairs. The Schmids sold the home to Gary and Mary Jane Sherman in 2003. The Shermans later made a large addition to the rear of the house including a double garage with a loft, updated the kitchen, and repainted the exterior of the house in a light beige color.

In November 2019 Gary and Mary Sherman sold this property to Mark S. and Pamela S. DiBerardino. Mark and Pamela have greatly changed this property by removing a tall hedge that had surrounded it on the south side which has afforded the residents with wonderful views of the water. For the rest of us it provides a more complete view of the architecture of this historic home.

County Records
Built 1930. 1712 sq ft, 3 baths, 2 stories with basement, detached garage, 8400 sq ft lot