Built in 1871 by William Haywood

An odd Italianate in the Washington Avenue neighborhood.

William Haywood had asperations.

William & Elizabeth Haywood were born in England around 1834 and 1833 respectively. When they came to the US is not clear but their first child, Henry, was born in Mass in 1859 followed by Sarah in 1861. Their youngest child, Thomas, was born in Portland in 1865. They were not in Portland for the 1863-64 city directory so we can place their arrival here in 1864. The 1870 census listed William as a ‘junk dealer’ with no record of where they were living at that time. The Haywoods purchased the lot for our subject from William Oxnard in late March of 1871. The Oxnard family owned much of the land encompassing Madison, Everett & Winthrop Streets at that time.

What William & Elizabeth Haywood build for a home is, as noted, quite odd. The block on Madison Street is 22′ wide by 16′ deep. It is 3 stories including the garret and is, I suspect, a side hall/stair plan. The stair, if placed along the side wall, would have to be rather steep to fit into the depth given the inset entry and the need for the front door to swing inwards. Behind this block is a 1 1/2 story ell measuring 15′ wide and 22′ deep. This is an arrangement the likes of which I have not encountered anywhere else in Portland. In 1873, the Haywoods were assessed $26.56 for connecting to the new sewer line running down Madison from Washington Street.

A little over a block down Madison Street from our subject was the Monroe/Madison Street Jail. Also known as Monroe College, it was constructed in the 1850s to a design from Thomas Sparrow. The jail was in use until the 1960s and was demolished in 1966.

William Haywood seems to have led a quiet life. He was cited for allowing his team of horses to “be on a public way without a driver in 1872 and for public intoxication in 1883 & 1884. The first charge was dropped and he paid a $3.00 fine for the others. In 1883, he sold 12 Madison Street to Elizabeth for $1100.00 and “other considerations”. This is a bit odd as, usually, transfers to family members were for ‘considerations’ and no dollar figure.

Although mostly devoid of trim, 12 Madison Street does have a simple projecting molding at the base of and a dentil molding that caps the plain frieze. There are also brackets at the corners.

Elizabeth Haywood died of cancer in August of 1889 at the age of 56. Ownership of 12 Madison Street passed to the 3 children, William Jr, Thomas & Sarah. They were required to allow the elder William to live here until his death. In 1890, Thomas passed his share of the William Jr. He died of “acute dementia and mania” in January of 1894. William senior died in April of 1898.

Sarah Haywood had married Levi Blake in April of 1883. Levi was born in Portland in 1859. He was a clerk in the shop of John Cooper in the City Market on Silver Street where the armory now stands. The couple had 4 children with one dying in infancy in 1886. Levi was active in local politics and ran for various positions such as alderman and constable but he appears to have never succeeded. Levi died in 1936. Sarah died in 1938.

After Levi’s Blakes death, Sarah sold 12 Madison Street to Joseph J Geraghty. Joseph was born in 1905 to Irish immigrants. He was a mason by trade. 1937 was also the year he married 28 year old Marion Eagles of Portland. They had a daughter in 1941. 12 Madison Street was sold to Hiram Cole in July of 1943.

Hiram Cole sold 12 Madison Street to Thalia Perry in 1948. Perry was born in Ohio in 1888. She worked as a maid. In 1957, she sold our subject to Mary E Low. Mary Nally was born in Portland in 1908 and married Stanley Low in 1937. She worked as a book keeper at the Maine Eye & Ear Infirmary. The couple had a daughter. In 1977, the Lows sold 12 Madison Street to Nancy Rodney.

12 Madison Street is currently listed as a single family home. The condition is good.

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