Oscar Frederick Comstock House

This house was built by Oscar F. Comstock in 1874 after he purchased Lot 81 of the Original Plat of the Village of Rochester from Belle Hamlin Burch in the spring of that year. The Rochester Era reported on September 17, 1874: "Another building is going up on the corner of Walnut and Second streets. O.F. Comstock, we believe, is the builder." A newspaper account in January 1875 reported that "Mr. O. F. Comstock has moved into his new house, one of the finest in town."

Comstock was a well-known local carpenter, building contractor, and lumber merchant. He also served as town constable.

Comstock later sold the property to Lorenzo D. Morse, who owned a number of parcels in town and was also the builder of the 1881 Morse Block on Main Street.

Lorenzo Morse sold the property in 1883 to Arthur E. Collins, a merchant and banker who operated a store in the Morse Block. An 1889 newspaper article noted that Arthur E. Collins and Joseph Reimer, his neighbor to the north, agreed to dig a well on the property line between their lots, to be used in common: "Reimer and Collins are having a well dug in company on or near the line dividing their respective lots on Walnut st." The Rochester Era also noted in April 1899 that Collins was raising the wing on the house: "A. E. Collins is raising the wing of his residence on Walnut street one half story, even with the upright, which when finished will add materially to the appearance of the house."

In February 1909, the Rochester Era reported: "Arthur F. Collins has sold his homestead, corner Walnut and Second streets, to J.J. Snook, of Overlook. Mr. and Mrs. Snook will come to Rochester to live in their new home."

Snook, a veteran of the Civil War who had served in the 22nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry with Arthur E. Collins, had lived at Overlook Farm at the corner of Avon & Rochester Roads. He was well-known in Rochester for his poetry, several volumes of which were published during his lifetime. Snook died in his home at 203 Walnut Street in 1923. His widow, Sarah Snook, died there in 1931. The house was sold by Nellie Snook in 1954 to Dr. John S. Terry, a dentist who remodeled the house for his professional offices. Dr. Terry was succeeded in the same location in 1985 by Dr. Walter J. Kubinski, who also has a dental practice there.

Belle Hamlin Burch to Oscar F. Comstock, May 15, 1874, Lot 81 of the Original Plat of the Village of Rochester, Oakland County, Michigan Record of Deeds, Liber 115, p.161.

"Another building is going up on the corner of Walnut and Second...," Rochester Era, September 17, 1874.

"Mr. O.F. Comstock has moved into his new house...," Rochester Era, January 11, 1875, p.4.

Lorenzo D. Morse to Arthur E. Collins, December 21, 1883, east part of Lot 81 of the Original Plat of the Village of Rochester, Oakland County, Michigan Record of Deeds, Liber 144, p.317.

"Reimer and Collins are having a well dug...," Rochester Era, April 19, 1889, p.1.

"A. E. Collins is raising the wing of his residence...," Rochester Era, April 21, 1899.

"Arthur E. Collins has sold his home...," Rochester Era, February 19, 1909.

"John James Snook," Rochester Era, March 30, 1923, p.5.

"Mrs. Case Gives Background on Terry Office," Rochester Clarion, August 12, 1954, p.3.

"Dr. Terry Sells Office, Practice," Rochester Clarion, February 14, 1985, p.3.

"Oscar F. Comstock Dies in Colorado," Rochester Era, October 20, 1933, p.1.

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MW3Q-4Y3 : 22 August 2017), Lorenzo D Morse, Rochester, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district ED 248, sheet 28D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,598.

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS9K-67X : accessed 8 August 2020), Arthur E Collins, Avon township Rochester village, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 81, sheet 5A, family 109, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,735. 

"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLRV-Z59 : accessed 8 August 2020), John J Snook, Avon, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 117, sheet 9A, family 211, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 668; FHL microfilm 1,374,681. 

"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZQ5-7F2 : accessed 8 August 2020), John J Snook, Avon, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing ED 159, sheet 21A, line 18, family 502, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 789; FHL microfilm 1,820,789.

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQ1V-FND : accessed 8 August 2020), Sarah A Snook, Rochester, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 4, sheet 9B, line 91, family 214, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1016; FHL microfilm 2,340,751. 

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4GB-QLF : 29 February 2020), Vern W Guilliat, Rochester, Avon Township, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 63-4, sheet 11A, line 12, family 252, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1798.