Smith, George and Mary Pine, House

The George Smith house is an imposing late Victorian/early 20th century example of the gabled-ell house form. Built in 1904, the house and its history reflect the transformation of Canton Township from a rural agricultural community to a modern suburban community. In 1830 William Smith of England purchased 80 acres of land described as W1/2 of the SE 1/4 section 27 Canton Township, from the original owner Benjamin Halstead. In 1835 he purchased another 80, adjoining, acres to establish a farm that encompassed the entire SE1/4 section. On this farm he and his wife, Mary Collins Smith, raised a family of seven children, establishing a dynasty of Smiths who came to occupy an important place among the agricultural families of Canton Township. The Smiths originally practiced subsistence farming and expanded into cash crops as their circumstances and those of the township changed. Like other farmers in the Township the family thrived on the productive land. They raised wheat, oats, corn and other crops associated with general farming. By 1856 George Smith Sr., son of William, owned his father's land. He continued raising crops similar to those his father had, in addition to adding 125 sheep to the farm. In 1880 he produced 625 pounds of wool. George Sr. married three times and George Jr., son of his second wife, Matilda, inherited the farm and continued to raise crops similar to those that his father and grandfather had in the preceding generations. In 1904 George Jr. constructed the nominated house for his wife Mary Pine. The old family home was demolished and materials from it were used in construction of the new house. In 1928 the agricultural depression following World War I and George's advancing age led him to sell most of his farm land. The house remained on a one-acre parcel. When George died in 1943 the property passed to his wife. She continued to live in the house until her death. Following her death her daughter Ruby Jane and son-in-law Edward Hoops purchased the property. Due to growing industrial development in the area surrounding Canton, Edward was able to earn a living outside agriculture. The home became a suburban dwelling. Ruby and Edward Hoops' son George Edward continued to live in the family home after his marriage and inherited the property when his mother died. Their son, Stuart, owned the property until he sold to the current owners in 1994.

The George Smith House, an excellent example of an early twentieth century gabled-ell house, sits on a half-acre parcel near what was the former Sheldon Corners hamlet. Though the present acreage is small many outbuildings, old and modern, clustered to the north and rear of the property help to give the feeling of the former farmstead. Both the north and west edges of the property are bounded with wooded areas that help to isolate the farmstead from surrounding modern development. Plantings that include old lilacs and farm roses add to the ambiance. To the east across Sheldon Road open farmland lends a rural feeling to the property. The house, which cost $2,058.76 to build, is a two-story, brick, gable-ell building with an additional two-story ell to the rear. Its foundation is of fieldstone with the stone laid in ashlar courses across the facade. The stone, basement walls are two feet thick. According to Stuart Hoops, family member and former owner, many of the bricks used in the walls were handmade on the site. Due to the lack of electricity in Canton Township in 1904, gas lines were built into the walls for lighting. Two large windows on the first story of the facade have transom sash, in the upper portion one has stained glass and the other has beveled glass. There are two similar large windows on the north elevation and one in the bay on the south elevation. Other windows are narrow, one-over-ones placed both singly and in pairs. Corbeled bricks form segmental arches over the windows. A rectangular bay window is located on the main story of the south elevation. There are two entry doors on the facade, one on the wing section and one on the gable section. Both are covered with a small entry porch with a lattice apron. A second full-length porch runs along the north side of the rear ell. Both porches have spindle-work columns and decorative millwork. Materials from the former, seventy-year-old, Smith family home were incorporated into the new building. Oak and hard maple joists, interior doors and other materials were used. The stylistic additions of the glass, the porch trim, and the decorative brick work make this an outstanding building for Canton Township where the majority of historic homes were utilitarian farmhouse buildings. According to Hoops, a former icehouse was located on the property. Its location is uncertain. To the rear of the house and garage, a smokehouse, a privy, and five chicken coops complete the property's buildings. The smokehouse is located to the rear (west) and south of the house. It is constructed of the same brick as the main building. It is a small, windowless, gable-roof structure with an entry on the east-facing facade. The privy has board-and-batten siding, a gable roof, a window on the west elevation and a door on the east. It is noteworthy both for its excellent condition and for the three-hole configuration on the interior. Five chicken coops and a two-car garage were constructed in the 1970s and are listed as non-contributing. All outbuildings are in excellent condition.