Description MIHP HA-1155, May1977
https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/Harford/HA-1155.pdf
“The McComas [McCommons] House is a narrow vernacular dwelling of frame covered with clapboard, which may date from before the Civil War. It is two-and-a-half stories high and two bays wide under a gable flank roof. A hipped roof porch extends across the front, and there are several additions on the rear (including one with a door marked “office”) which joins the main house to a board and batten stable to the shed addition. . . The McComas [McCommons] House is a good example of a building which was used for a business as well as a residence. . . The entire structure is clapboard, painted yellow with green and white trim. It appears from a Sanborn Insurance map that the lot was used as a home business in 1885. The house is presently vacant.” The owner at the time of the inventory was Margaret McComas [McCommons].

In addition to being shown on an 1885 Sanborn Map, this property also “appears on a map of Havre de Grace made by R.S. Soloman in the year 1856,” as stated in an 1884 deed (50/452).

This property, and several other lots, was owned by Jacob M. Haldeman (1781-1857) of Pennsylvania at the time of his death. Jacob was the second son of John Haldeman (1753-1832) of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, who was an influential citizen, an extensive landowner, and engaged largely in business. The following story about the Haldemans provides a glimpse of Jacob’s life as a young man and son of a wealthy landowner:
“At the age of nineteen years [Jacob Haldeman] was sent on horseback by his father to Pittsburgh, making the journey through many Indian settlements to purchase flour and send down the river in flat boats. About 1806, assisted by his father, he bought the water power and forge at the mouth of Yellow Breeches Creek and established himself in the iron business. He added a rolling and slitting mill, and soon ranked among the foremost iron makers and manufacturers in the Commonwealth. His superior iron soon found ready sale, and upon the establishment of the United States arsenal at Harpers Ferry he supplied the government with iron, especially during the war of 1812-14, which he forwarded across the country over the South Mountain on mule-back to the Ferry, where it was manufactured into guns. Jacob Haldeman also built a saw and grist mill at this point. Following the war of 1812-14, during the depression, he invested largely in farming lands and real estate.” [History of Dauphin County: Genealogical Memoirs Volume III, The Lewis Publishing Company, New York and Chicago, 1907.]

Jacob Haldeman had settled in Harrisburg, married Eliza Ewing (1789-1884), and had several children, some of whom were very successful. It is not known at this time why Haldeman owned several parcels of land in Havre de Grace, but this home was both a place of business and living quarters. Upon Haldeman’s death in 1857, his property in Havre de Grace was conveyed to two of his daughters, Susan F. O’Connor and Sarah J. Haly, both of Harrisburg. In 1872, Sarah Haly sold her one-half interest in all of the properties to her sister, Susan F. O’Connor.

The following year, 1873, an ownership dispute arose between Susan O’Connor, Mortimer O’Connor, and Sarah Haly versus the widowed Eliza Haldeman which was settled by a court trustee awarding ownership again to Susan and Sarah. And in 1874 Sarah’s sale of her interest to Susan was confirmed.

By 1884 this part of the property was sold by William R. and Esther Young to William A. Crawford (1835-1910) who lived here with his wife and four children and was a trustee in the Methodist Church. He is also believed to have run a business here from their home. One of his sons was Captain William W. Crawford (1859-1914) and one of his daughters was Emma J. Currier (1865-1951), wife of Oliver Reasin “OR” Currier, who ran the nearby livery at Stokes and Franklin Streets. William A. Crawford died intestate so his heirs sold this property in 1913 to Clarence Arthur McCommons (1884-1945) and Margaret S. McCommons (1886-1978). Margaret was the sister of Harford County Sheriff Granville C. Boyle (1882-1945).

Clarence was a contractor and one of his earlier projects was to build The Graw Racetrack, its barns, and houses for officials. He worked on many other local projects, including redesigning and rebuilding 212-214 North Washington Street when it was destroyed by fire in 1930. (A tenant on the previously three-story building was operating a still when he had an accident!) That fire also destroyed the third floor of the Newmeyer Building next door so McCommons restored that, but without its third floor. A large job for him was around 1941 when he converted the factory at 701 Fountain Street into the Landsdowne Distillery. Clarence also was known to help build homes for which people bought Sears Roebuck Model Home Kits.

As can be imagined, the McCommons needed a place to store all their equipment and supplies so they purchased a storage warehouse at 209 Centennial Lane in 1920 (since demolished) that they owned through Margaret’s death in 1978. Margaret bequeathed it to Andrew and Bernice Pasqualini. However, since Andrew had already died, Bernice passed this to her daughter, Benita Marie Williams and her husband, Sidney Williams, Sr.

The McCommons lived in this house for a total of 65 years when Margaret died in 1978. The house had a quick succession of owners after that including John A. and Bonnie A. Whiteley; James M. Bittick and Martha Malinauskas; Dennis W. Story and Lealia Jo Story who were the agents for Griffith and Story Distributors, Inc. In 2000 substitute trustees deeded the home to ContiMortgage Corporation who sold it the following year to David E. and Carol Quimby Rimel. The Rimels live elsewhere in town so this appears to be an investment property for them.

County Records
Built 1935. 1780 sq ft, 1 bath, 2.5 stories, no basement, 3000 sq ft lot.