340 MOSELEY STREET
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
Frank Waldron first purchased the lots within Kimball’s Third Addition in 1891, and finally built in 1893 per annual construction reviews published in Elgin newspapers. Moseley Street was named after Charles Moseley, one of a group of Waltham Watch Company Employees in Massachusetts who were enticed to move to Elgin to start the new watch factory.
Once Waldron built his home, he mortgaged the property in May of 1893 for $1,000 with Elgin Loan and Homestead Bank. The house was then rented out and in 1896 Waldron sold 340 Moseley to G. W. Kelsall. In 1897, the house was occupied by Benjamin Adams who remained there for several years. Mr. Kelsall came to Elgin from Iowa, and in 1900 sold the home to Emma Daniels. Emma and her husband, Sam, lived at 360 Moseley before purchasing and moving to 340 Moseley.
For the next 45 years, from 1900 to 1945, the Daniels family lived at 340 Moseley. In 1945, however, after Emma passed away, the home was sold to Joseph Moreen.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The house is a good example of a Queen Anne, Free Classic. Character defining features include the hipped roof with cross gables and a prominent front gable, decorative shingle details within the gables, a full-width porch with decorative spindles, an asymmetrical floor plan and bay windows.
TIMELINE OF PREVIOUS OWNERS
Sources: 1997 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud