221 Elm Street - Elijah Keighley Home

Elijah Keighley bought the lot in 1900 for $220, and sold it in 1902 for $2400, so this vernacular house was built between these dates. The front entrance and a small porch were originally on the east side of the house where a bay window is now. The original porch was gone by 1905, and replaced by a small porch on the northeast corner of the house that lasted at least until 1926. The current large proportioned porch, with Doric order columns, was added later. Elijah Keighley was a miller who was born in England. The 1900 census shows Keighley, his wife,and four children living here. After he sold the house in 1902, it had many owners before being purchased by Roy Eldridge in 1947. Roy Eldridge was the brother of Edwin S and Harry C. Eldridge, both of whom owned houses in the neighborhood. Roy’s wife, Helen, taught piano lessons here for many years. Roy Eldridge’s daughter, Joyce, married Congressman Clarence J. (Bud) Brown, Jr., in the backyard of this house on June 11, 1955. Mr. Brown spent 17 years in the U. S. House of Representatives, and later served in appointed political posts in Washington, DC.