636 McKinley Ave History - Laserfiche WebLink

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Although it seems certain that the house was constructed in 1908, the earliest owners and renters of the house could not be located in the County property records due to the fact that Boulder County had to sell it by a County Treasurer's deed, suggesting the likelihood that there was a default on a deed of trust by an owner. Bert Costello purchased 636 McKinley, with the deed having been recorded in 1918, and he sold the property to Albert Boles, with the deed having been recorded in 1920. Evans/Williams Family Ownership (circa 1920-2014) The Evans/Williams family owned and lived in this house for about 95 years. Due to the career of Maurice Williams, the house has a connection to the newspaper business in Colorado in the early 1900s. Maurice Williams was born in Wales in about 1869 and came to the United States in about 1896. By 1900, he was living in Boulder and working as a typesetter there. In about 1902, he married Sarah Evans, who had been born in Wales in about 1864. In 1905, their son, John V. Williams, was born. The 1910 census shows them to be living in Fort Collins with their son. Maurice was listed as working as a printer in a newspaper office. In 1916 and 1918, Maurice was working in Boulder again and living with Sarah, according to directories. Maurice Williams, because of his likely high -stress career in the newspaper printing business in Colorado, is believed to have moved around frequently and had to live near where he was employed in newspaper offices. At the time of the 1920 census, he and his wife, Sarah, were living apart. Maurice was living in Denver, where he rented a room at the Benton Hotel on Champa, and he was listed as working as a printer for a newspaper. Meanwhile, the 1920 census showed Maurice's wife, Sarah, to be renting a house in Louisville on McKinley, very possibly at 636 McKinley. She was living with her brother, Charles Evans, and his wife, Mae. Charles worked as a brakeman for the railroad. Next, Sarah Evans Williams purchased 636 McKinley, with the deed being recorded in July 1921. Just a few weeks after the recording of the deed whereby Sarah Williams purchased 636 McKinley, Maurice Williams died in Louisville. An article in the July 30, 1921 Rocky Mountain News with the headline "Maurice Williams, 51, News Employe, Is Dead" reads: Heart trouble caused the death at Louisville yesterday afternoon of Maurice Williams, 51 years old, an employe of The Rocky Mountain News and widely known thruout the northern section of the state. Mr. Williams was born in Wales, and learned the printing trade there in the days of the old apprentice system. He worked for a time in London, and later came to the United States, where he worked at his trade in New York. He came to Colorado twenty years ago, and worked at various times in many of the towns in the northern part of the state and in Pueblo. He was employed by The News for five years. During the last two years he had worked as a proofreader. Mr. Williams' home was in Louisville. He is survived by his widow and one son, 16 years old.