Running Numbers in Columbus

Since I have been focusing my mortgage record research on Franklin County lately, you  are probably expecting to see a post about the number of houses, which models, where they are, blah. blah, blah,  in the Columbus area.   You know.  The boring blog post.

Running the numbers.

Well………this blog post is about running numbers in Columbus, but it ain’t about what you think it is.

A while back, like in late 2017, a comment from a homeowner right here on this little blog, pointed my nose to a Sears Colchester model in Columbus.  I remember when I looked it up on Google maps thinking that it was really out of place on the street where it was located, as most of the houses surrounding it are stately old brick four squares that look to have been built in the early 1900’s.  Further down the block, on the same side of the street, are some ranch style homes that look like post World War II builds.  But there is was,  a nice little Sears Colchester, built in 1934 or 1935, sitting pretty on its lot.  Huh.  You just never know where a Sears House is going to show up.

I added the house to “The List”, and shared the info with my little research group.

Time passes.

Shortly before this past Christmas, the same homeowner commented on Andrew’s blog, Kit House Hunters, and he then shared that info again with our little group, not realizing the house was already on the list.  When I looked it up, as I always do when a house in Ohio comes to our attention, I recognized the street immediately due to that odd mix of architecture.

Between 2017, when the homeowner contacted me, and 2018, when the homeowner contacted Andrew, I got access to the Columbus Dispatch newspaper archives, and decided to do a search for the address to see if I could find anything about why the house was built in that particular location.

Well…..that was a long shot, I know…….but what I DID find were some really cool things  about the history of that particular house.

Here’s a photo of it from the Franklin County Auditor’s website.

Sears Colchester, 401 Woodland Ave., Columbus OH

The first “hit” on my search by the address was dated 16 March 1935.  The first owners, and probably the folks who purchased and built the house kit, were mentioned in the “Births” section of the newspaper.  A son!

Timothy D and Shirley D Treadwell are listed as the property owners on the Historical Parcel Sheet found on the Franklin County Auditor’s website, so I know I have the right people.  The Treadwells bought the lot in Aug of 1934 and the house was complete and assessed for taxes in Dec of 1935.

A couple months after his son was born, our Mr Treadwell had a little trouble with the police.

Columbus Evening Dispatch 2 May 1935

See.  I TOLD you this blog post was not going to be about what you thought it was!

In 1936, our Mr Tim Treadwell again made the newspaper about his “number” house.

Columbus Dispatch 22 Aug 1936

Busted again in 1937!

Columbus Dispatch 3 Aug 1937

And then…..the little wife is wanting a divorce.  But why, Naomi?  He makes a LOT of money!

Well…he has been “consorting with other women”.  Oh, Tim!  Say it isn’t so!

Columbus Dispatch 21 Oct 1937

I guess she needs some of that money to maintain her lifestyle! And buy clothes.

Columbus Dispatch 22 Oct 1937

She got what she wanted.

Columbus Dispatch 10 Nov 1937

Well, then…….never mind!

Columbus Dispatch 25 Feb 1938

I guess our Mr Tim was pretty certain his business was legit, because…..Merry Christmas!

Columbus Dispatch 25 Dec 1938

And a Happy New Year!

Columbus Dispatch 1 Jan 1939

Business as usual for a while, I guess, then…….the divorce thing….again

Columbus Dispatch 5 April 1941

This doesn’t look good.  14 indicted in Numbers Racket

Columbus Dispatch 16 Aug 1941

Oh yeah.  He’s in that group all right.

While waiting on what comes next…..he gets married again!

And look!  He claims he a farmer!

Columbus Dispatch 7 Nov 1941.

Guess she knew what she was getting!

Columbus dispatch 11 Nov 1941

And then, history repeats itself.  A son!

Columbus Dispatch 22 April 1942

Arrested 25 times!  Oh Tim.

Columbus Dispatch 5 Feb 1944

It’s a raid!  And not the Pokemon’ type.  Ha Ha.

Columbus Dispatch 18 May 1944

He brought a “bag full of money” to city prison.

Now Tim is not feeling well!

Columbus Dispatch 1 July 1944

He got a little more time in jail this time.

Columbus Dispatch 9 Sept 1944

After articles mentioning 30 days in jail, twice, in 1945, something kinda big happened.

This story is still making the news a few days later……..the reporters must have loved this guy!

Uncle Packy is another farmer.

Guess they must have got him on something, because he ended up in in court over the whole deal.  No comment from Tim……..smart.  And no jail time either!

Columbus Dispatch 27 Dec 1946

 

 

 

All is quiet, until 1952, when our man Tim made the newspaper twice. Once for this!

Columbus Dispatch 9 May 1952

Wouldn’t you have loved to see that Sears Colchester with 1,000 tulips blooming in the yard?  I know I would!

Cropped from a photo on the Magnolia Preparatory Academy website

And then for this….back in business!  But with a new location.

Columbus Dispatch 20 May 1952

Well…. now he has a bit of trouble with the IRS……..

 

A few years later…….more trouble with the Feds…….you would think he would know better by now.  Buy the stamp!

Columbus Dispatch 27 Oct 1960

Now that the Feds are involved, the fines and sentences are much harsher.

Columbus Dispatch 19 Nov 1960

And with a five year probation in place, I think our man might have to lay low.

Unfortunately, Tim never made it to the end of his probation period.  He passed away in 1964, still living in the Sears Colchester he built in 1934.  This is the first mention of him owning a restaurant that I have seen!  Maybe that’s what he did after he “retired”.

Columbus Dispatch 22 Sept 1964

It sure looks like Tim Treadwell had an interesting life.  I’ve got to admit I had a great time following his story, after finding out he owned a Sears Colchester in Columbus.  I was hesitant, at first, to put this blog post together, because I think he still has family in the Columbus area, but since all this information is readily available to anybody with a Columbus Library card, I decided to go ahead with it.  These are just the facts, as reported during his lifetime.  I haven’t added anything except a small bit of commentary about the news items.

Well…….I guess I have to add this…..

Thanks for following along!