Axford Price House

This house was built for retired farmer Axford Price and his wife, Laura Ann Fosdick Price, in the spring of 1894. Axford Price was a farmer in the Stoney Creek area before moving to Rochester in 1894, and was the son of pioneers Captain William Price and his wife, Sally Axford Price.

Axford Price lived the rest of his life in the house he built at the corner of Walnut and Fifth (now University Drive) and died in his home in 1909. The Rochester Era reported as follows about Price's death in February 1909:

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Axford Price, a well known retired farmer, died at his home corner of Fifth and Walnut streets, early yesterday (Thursday) morning, Feb. 24, from the infirmities of old age, aged 74 years. Deceased was a son of the late Capt. Wm. and Sally Price, of Stony Creek, and born in Avon on what is known as the Wheeler farm on the county line. He lived on his farm near Stony Creek previous to his coming to Rochester 15 years ago. He leaves a wife and two sons, Oscar and Samuel, and one brother, Nelson Price of Shelby. Two sons, Corydon and William, died several years ago.

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After the death of Axford Price, his wife partitioned the building into a two-family home. The Rochester Era reported on November 26, 1909: "Mrs. Axford Price has remodeled her home over to double apartments to accommodate the family of her son, Oscar, and they are now settled there."

At the time of the 1930 and 1940 federal censuses, the family of John C. Plassey, a Rochester grocer, lived in this house. John Plassey was married to Elna Frances Price, the daughter of Oscar Price, in 1912.

Early in its history, this house carried the postal address of 440 Walnut Street. Its address was later changed to 127 West University Drive.

"Rochester Letter, March 14: 'Axford Price has commenced preparations for building a house, corner of Fifth and Walnut streets,'" Utica Sentinel, March 17, 1894.

"Rochester Letter, April 17: 'Masons are at work on the wall of A. Price's house,'" Utica Sentinel, April 21, 1894.

"Rochester Letter, April 17: 'The foundation to Axford Price's house is rapidly advancing,'" Utica Sentinel, April 21, 1894.

"Rochester Letter, May 6: 'The frame of A. Price's house is up and partially enclosed,'" Utica Sentinel, May 12, 1894.

"Rochester Letter, July 9: 'Masons are plastering A. Price's house,'" Utica Sentinel, July 14, 1894.

"Death of A. Price: Another Oakland County Pioneer Passes Away," Rochester Era, February 26, 1909, p.1.

"Mrs. Axford Price has remodeled her home...," Rochester Era, November 26, 1909, p.8.

"United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org /pal:/MM9.1.1/MZQ5-7H6 : accessed 11 May 2013), Oscar N Price, 1920.

"United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org /ark:/61903/1:1:XQ1V-NFV : accessed 24 May 2015), John C Plassey, Rochester, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0004, sheet 17A, family 416, line 48, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1016; FHL microfilm 2,340,751.

"United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org /ark:/61903/1:1:K4GB-ZNL : accessed 24 May 2015), John C Plassey, Rochester, Avon Township, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 63-4, sheet 8B, family 186, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 1798.

"United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J4S8-34V : accessed 24 May 2015), John C Plassey, 1942; citing NAID identifier 623283, NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,708,738.