Built in 1899 for Edward & Fannie Morrill
An attractive Queen Anne in the Munjoy Hill Historic District
Perched on the end of Morning Street, with a view of the harbor, Edward and Fannie Morrill found a fine place to live a long life. But it wasn’t meant to be.
Edward Morill and Frances Skillins were born in 1858 in Portland & North Yarmouth respectively. Edwards’s father, Enoch, was a trader who ran a storefront on St Lawrence Street near Fore Street at the time of Edward’s birth. Enoch & Eliza lived further up St Lawrence.
Frances, ‘Fannie’ Skillins/Skillings was born to Daniel and Sarah Skillins. The Skillins farmed in the Walnut Hill area of North Yarmouth.
By the 1870s, the Morrills were living in Cumberland and, by the time of the 1880 Census, they were living in Walnut Hill. 1880 was the year that Edward & Fannie married. It could be that they met in Walnut Hill but I cannot find an official record of their marriage to confirm this. Edward appears in the 1883 city directory selling groceries on corner of St Lawrence & Monument Streets on the site of a former city firehouse. Edward and Fannie lived above the store.
The house that Edward and Fannie built measures 40′ to the street and is 28′ deep. a 18′ x 17′ ell extends from the northwest side. The main block is a full three stories with the ell having a third in the garret. The decorations are common for the style and period with a Colonial Revival feel to the ensemble.
By the time of 11-15 Morning Street being built, Edward had taken work with Randall & McAllister and oversaw the coal scale house on the company’s wharf. The building is still there and was the Dry Dock Pub for a few decades.
Maine Memory Network
In 1907, Edward Morrill checked into St Barnabas Hospital on Woodfords Street for removal of gall stones. He died on May 7 of peritonitis. He was 49 years old. 15 Morning Street passed to Fannie. The couple had no children. Fannie remained here until her death in 1943.
Morning Street after a blizzard January 31 1898.
We do not have a 1924 tax photo for our subject but the photo for 17 Morning gives us just a glimpse.
Screen shot from Portland Maine History – City By The Sea with 11-15 Morning Street at right.
When Fannie Morrill died, her will passed 11_15 Morning Street to Ruth Holden and her daughters Esther and Miriam. The Holdens were not related to Fannie in any way. They were tenants who had lived here since 1917. Ruth Snowman & Charles Holden were married in 1914. Ruth was born in 1889 to Howard and Miriam Snowman and grew up on the ‘Hill’ in various homes. Charles Holden was also a native of the ‘Hill’ having been born to William & Sadie in 1888. We have met the Holdens before when they lived with Sadie’s family on St Lawrence Street.
Charles & Ruth Holden lived at 11-15 Morning Street for over 50 years. Along with Esther & Miriam, they had a son in 1918 who died in infancy. Charles worked as a treasurer and auditor for Casco Bank for 53 years when he retired in 1959. In that year he ran an unsuccessful campaign for a seat on the Portland Water District board then followed in 1960 when he ran for, but did not win, a seat on the city council. Ruth died in 1972 and Charles in 1986. Charles, Esther, the living in Spring Valley CA, & Miriam, then living in North Andover MA, sold our subject in 1978.
Charles A Holden from the Portland Evening Express, May 20, 1960 . Newspapers.Com
11-15 Morning Street is listed as a 3-family home. The condition in very good.
Portland House Stories 