Our House: Samuel Harter House
In the Fall of 1877, a gentleman by the name of Samuel K. Harter lived at 221 East Franklin next to the railroad tracks. Samuel Harter had accumulated over a quarter of a million dollars in his assets from his hardware store that was known as Hart and Harter. The Hart name was his father-in-law; known as "Uncle Max". When Uncle Max retired, the business became the Harter and Houser Hardware Company only later to become Harter and Cosley. He also had a financial interest in the Dr. Harter Medicine Company that was started by his brother Dr. Milton G. Harter around 1860, which ultimately moved to St. Louis in the mid 1860's. By the late 1870's, it had become a major force in the field of mail order medicine to which Samuel\'s investment had grown considerably. He had also purchased a number of farms over the years that were proving to be quite profitable.
During December 1877, Samuel Harter purchased a home and property at the northeast corner of Franklin and Cherry Streets from L.L. and F.L. Singer. At approximately the same time, he hired the architects, Luther Peters and Silas Burns of Dayton Ohio. It was after Samuel and his wife, Olivia took their voyage to Europe and Great Britain that they firmed up their plans for their new home. The following Spring, he sold the house on the lot at Franklin and Cherry which was moved to the southwest corner of Franklin and Counts Streets where is remains to this day.
Henceforth, the noted contractor William P. Saint proceeded with the construction of the new house. After 18-20 months and numerous trips that included New York to select the gas lamp fixtures, mantels, curtains and other items. They traveled to Cincinnati to hire Pendretti, the famous Italian fresco painter to complete the house. Samuel Harter, his wife, Olivia and Uncle Max moved into their new home. In 1905 the Harter residents had passed on and the house was inherited by out of state heirs, Sybil and Jefferson Combs. Their home sat in disrepair for a number of years when Elk brother, C.C. Hayner, a local businessman (distiller) and part owner of the Hayner Distilling Company, purchased it and passed it to the local Elks association. He added the deed stipulation that if the property ceased to be used as the Elk Home it would revert to the heirs of his estate. On April 14, 1967, the deed was quieted in Common Pleas Court of Miami County; the stipulation no longer exists