One of the prettiest early homes in the Village of Jefferson is the former home of Prosecuting Attorney Hiram E. Starkey and his wife, Margaret Burton Cowles Starkey. Located at the intersection of West Jefferson and Beech Street, the grand home at 348 North Chestnut Street is actually a “home within a home.”
We have wonderful records of the former owners of the home and even more records on the creek, dam and businesses that once lined what has been called, “Giddings Run,” Giddings Creek, Mill Creek and Starkey’s Hollow. Mill Creek runs into Mills Creek that goes through the village.
An amazing piece of history was copied from words that once backed an 1853 photo of the Starkey home when it belonged to P.V. Jones when Lynds Jones was born there on Jan. 5, 1865. The photo is long gone, but the description tells of the owners from 1853-1911.
It reads, “Sold to Joseph Cowles (father of Margaret Burton Cowles Starkey) when the Jones family moved to Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cowles died prior to 1868. The Cowles grandparents continued to care for the two little girls, Margaret (Starkey) and Kate, and they both grew up in this house. Margaret was born Nov. 27, 1860 and died here February 15, 1952. Lynds Jones was her first cousin. P.V. Jones married Lavinia Burton Howard, August 10, 1851. This house was completely rebuilt by Hon. Hiram E. Starkey about 1910. Original house constructed about 1852.”
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