McInteer Villa

John McInteer was born in Ireland in 1827 and lived in Philadelphia and then Indiana as a young man. McInteer learning the harness making trade and moved to Kansas in the early 1860s. He opened a harness and saddle shop in Atchison and became known for his quality work. Being on the trail of most settlers heading to the West, his shop became a success with the wagon trains. He used the profits to expand the business and to acquire real estate in Atchison and across the river in St. Joseph, Missouri. McInteer had a number of business blocks constructed in Atchison.

McInteer had the elaborate Victorian brick residence built in 1889 to 1890 by a local contractor, Owen E. Sipe. McInteer's first wife died in 1892 and he remarried in 1895 to a widow with three sons, Anna Conlon Donovan. The 1900 census lists the family at 1301 - 13th Street (spooky!). John was a 63-year-old capitalist and Anna was 40; she and her father were born in New York but Anna's mother had been born in Ireland. Only one of Anna's three children lived in the house in 1900; 12-year-old Charles, listed with the last name of McInteer. Charles had been born in Canada in 1888 and his late father was a native of Ireland. The couple continued to live in the brick mansion until their deaths - his in 1901 and hers in 1916. Until 1925, Anna's brother, Judge Charles C. Conlon and his family, resided in the home. In 1920, Charles Conlon was head of the household and owned the house at 1301 Kansas Street; he was a 56-year-old attorney. Others in the house were Charles' wife, May (45); brother, John (44, unmarried); aunt, Nora Koley (76, widowed); and two nephews, Frederick (33) and Charles (31) Donovan. Frederick Donovan worked as an agent for a tractor company and his brother, Charles, worked as a farmer on a general farm. Charles Donovan passed away in 1922 in his early 30s and is buried in the Mount Calvary Cemetery in town.

The McInteer Villa became a rooming house for the next 25 years. An eccentric retired violinist named Isabel Anthus (or Isobel Altus or "Goldie" Altus) purchased the villa in 1952 and wanted to restore the house but did not get a chance to due to the expense. Shortly before she died in 1969, Mrs. Anthus sold the house to George Gerardy, who undertook renovations. Haunted tour operators claim that Mrs. Anthus' ghost has been spotted in the house. One paranormal site has a live camera feed online from the house, with a creepy mannequin in the window of what looks to be a turret room (link below, if you're really bored or curious). The 5-bedroom, 4-bath house covers about 5,200 square feet and was listed for sale from 2017 to 2018 but may not have gotten any takers. The real estate listing boasts of intricate interior woodwork, five fireplaces, wide stairwells, ten-foot high ceilings, and a new slate roof guaranteed for 100 years.

Chaturvedi, Sherri. 005-0260-00011 McInteer Villa, 1301 Kansas Ave, Kansas Historic Sites Inventory. Accessed July 15th 2020. https://khri.kansasgis.org/index.cfm?in=005-0260-00011.

Franz Jr.. Charles Donovan (1888-1922) Memorial 54225008, Find A Grave. June 28th 2010. Accessed July 15th 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54225008/charles-donovan.

Pankratz, Richard. NRHP Nomination of McInteer Villa. National Register. Washington, DC. National Park Service, 1974.

US Census Bureau. Household of John McInteer, 1301-13th St., Atchison, KS Ward 5, Dwelling 114, Family 116, Heritage Quest database online. June 30th 1900. Accessed July 15th 2020.

US Census Bureau. Household of Charles Conlon, 1301 Kansas Street., Atchison, KS Ward 5, Dwelling 363, Family 374, Heritage Quest database online. January 15th 1920. Accessed July 15th 2020.

Zillow. 1301 Kansas Avenue, Atchison, KS 66002, Zillow, home details. Accessed July 15th 2020. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1301-Kansas-Ave-Atchison-KS-66002/122704043_zpid/.