Reuben Immick House

Building contractors John S. Arkins and Reuben Immick purchased this corner lot at West Third and Oak streets in November 1888. Reuben Immick (1852-1943) began construction of his personal residence there in the spring of 1890. The Rochester Era reported on March 28, 1890:

"Reuben Immick who has just finished a fine barn on his lot on Oak street, is filling in the premises with earth, preparatory to erecting a residence thereon."

Immick was born in Lower Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania in 1852 and came to Rochester in 1876, where he made his reputation and living as a building contractor in the firm of Arkins & Immick. He also served several terms on the Rochester village council. Immick was married to Ida Butz/Butts, and they had a daughter, Ruth Immick (later Harboldt) who served as deputy probate register of Oakland County. The Immicks moved from Rochester to Orion Township, where Reuben Immick died in 1943.

After the Immicks moved from Rochester, the house was the longtime residence of prominent Rochester merchant William Tienken, who lived there until his death in 1947. Tienken had begun his career in the hardware business as a partner in the firm of Tienken & Case. In 1916, he built his own store at 333 S. Main, adjacent to the Case hardware store, and operating a plumbing and heating shop there. He was active in civic affairs and served twelve years on the Rochester village council, six years on the school board, and many years as a member of the governing board of the Congregational church.

Fox, W.A. Beautiful Rochester. Rochester, Mich.: W.A. Fox, 1897, p.22.

Elizabeth O. Lawrence to John S. Arkins & Reuben Immick, November 17, 1888, consideration $450, land in the village of Rochester on the southwest corner of Outlot 3, being a lot one hundred by one hundred fifty feet, Oakland County Record of Deeds, liber 160, p.234.

"Reuben Immick, who has just finished a fine barn...," Rochester Era, March 28, 1890, p.1.

"Reuben Immick has commenced operations on his new house," Rochester Letter in the Utica Sentinel, May 3, 1890.

"William Tienken Taken by Death at Age of 77," Rochester Era, October 2, 1947, p.1.

"United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZQ5-Z4P : accessed 25 November 2020), William Tienken, Avon, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing ED 159, sheet 21B, line 81, family 521, 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-GQG : accessed 25 November 2020), William Tienken, Rochester, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 4, sheet 14A, line 35, family 323, 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-9Y6 : 29 February 2020), Wm Tienter [i.e. Tienken], Rochester, Avon Township, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 63-4, sheet 13A, line 25, family 307, 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.

Sanborn Map Company. Fire Insurance Map of Rochester, Oakland County, Michigan, April 1908, plate 2.