![Since I am the babe in my grandfather’s [David H. Wolfort] arms in this photo I can date it at spring, 1939. His buggy is parked in front of your house [6145 Mc Pherson] but you can clearly see 6135 with the awning and 6131 with the white pillars. (from Mrs. Dale Harrell)](https://sdtimes.online/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/april-may-2008-wolfort-1939-2719843bd8a4.png)
Historical April–May 2008 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Sometimes learning one small bit of information leads to other paths. Researching house history is no different. About seven years ago, Michelle and Jeff Pike, whose home will be on the Mother’s Day House Tour on May 11, were visited by Dale Harrell and her grandson. Mrs. Harrell was delighted to revisit the home of her grandfather and followed with a note and three family snapshots showing bits of the house.
A portion of the note follows: “Last evening I called and shared with my grandparents’ maid the wonderful visit I had just had to your home. Kathryn is now 90 years old and it was January 28, 1929 when she moved in, however her remembrance of “6145” is crystal clear. “Although I didn’t remember these features, she said the dining room ceiling, living room fireplace, and front parlor radiator are all original.
She corrected me that the basement floor was not dirt and reminded me that there was a fruit closet down there as well as the coal room.
She could shed no light on the portion of dining room floor that had been replaced, confirming as I recalled that there had been a free-standing buffet over that area.
She did mention that in the corner of the dining room by the swinging door to the butler’s pantry, there had been some termite damage which I never knew.”I learned that the front porch had been screened in for my grandfather and indeed a fan hung by the large center hook in the ceiling. Their neighborhood friends came many nights a week to visit in that comfortably cool environment. “This morning I spoke to my mother’s first cousin who moved into 6136 Westminster in 1924.
She thinks her uncle (my grandfather) was already living on McPherson at that time.
We know the house was not new then but I have no knowledge as to when it was built. “I have enclosed a few photos that I hope you will enjoy. You’re welcome to keep them. Again thank you so much for sharing your home with my grandson and me.” Michelle Pike recalls that Mrs. Harrell said that her grandfather owned a livery business, delivering furniture for Stix Baer & Fuller.
The horse lived in an earlier garage built on the same site as the existing garage, so the horse and mule company fits the description. Based on the information provided, we did a bit of further investigation and found a great deal, including listings in the 1930 census, where the handwriting is difficult to read, David H. Wolfort is described as a veterinarian, age 55, born in Missouri, but his father was born in Germany.
His wife Irma was age 50, born in Illinois. Their children were Viola K, age 25 and single, and Erma L, age 16. David’s sister-inlaw, Carrie Kohn, was also living with them, as well as their servant Katherine LaFlaur, age 18 (if we deciphered the writing correctly).
This of course, is the Katherine who filled in Mrs. Harrell on the details that she would not have remembered.
The History Museum’ library on Skinker and the main public library downtown, among other places, have city directories for late 19th and early 20th century that list residents by address and then give an alphabetical listing that tells more about occupations of head of household, and sometimes others. Federal census records are now available for 1910, 1920, and 1930.
If you have a city or county library card, you can view records for these and previous years on line from your home computer by going to the libraries’ websites, selecting the genealogy pages and looking at HeritageQuest.
If you already have the name, it will go much quicker.
We were happy to be able to provide the Pikes with all the information gleaned. “Since I am the babe in my grandfather’s [David H. Wolfort] arms in this photo I can date it at spring, 1939.
His buggy is parked in front of your house [6145 McPherson] but you can clearly see 6135 with the awning and 6131 with the white pillars.” (from Mrs. Dale Harrell)
Original photograph caption
Since I am the babe in my grandfather’s [David H. Wolfort] arms in this photo I can date it at spring, 1939. His buggy is parked in front of your house [6145 Mc Pherson] but you can clearly see 6135 with the awning and 6131 with the white pillars. (from Mrs. Dale Harrell)
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2008.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2008_04.pdf, printed page(s) 5; PDF page(s) 5.
