Celebrating National Historic Districts & Places That Matter

The John & Annie (Zelleken)Comerford House

JOHN COMERFORD Died 1937 Born 1865  Original Owner of 115 South Sergeant Avenue  Dutch Colonial, Circa 1902 T he John Comerford House should really be called the Annie Zelleken Comerford House. This Dutch Colonial property was a wedding gift from Edward Werner Zelleken and Margarethe Zelleken to their first born child, Annie Doretia Zelleken. I n 1891, at the time her parents were buying the land ($800) and planning the stately two story nine room residence, Annie Zelleken Frantz was already a widow with an infant son, Clarence. Subsequently, in 1894 she married John Comerford and they set up housekeeping and added another son, John Patrick Comerford to the family in 1901. John Comerford owned a plumbing supply business with his brother Thomas Comerford. But happiness for Annie was not to be. By 1915 she had relocated to the sunshine of California that only her Zelleken family wealth afforded her. Her husband, John followed her but returned to Joplin in 1916 as a single man.

Research has indicated that her sons at the same time, had her declared insane by the California Superior Court and she was committed to the Southern California State Hospital at Patton, California. And there she was to remain for 22 years until June of 1938 when she was released upon the decree that she had been restored to her right mind. Interestingly on the Joplin home front, her nephew Edward P. Dwyer was representing her sons in the sale of her property at 115 South Sergeant. However, her friend and neighbor, Mr. Frank Wallower interfered with the final disposition of the Jasper County Probate Court’s order and saved the property for Annie’s own disposition. She sold the property in 1941 to four sisters who used it for investment property. The house at 115 South Sergeant has since been the home to Haywood Scott, a local attorney and civic leader. It was also the home of Clifford “Clarence” Haynes who was Joplin Mayor 1958-1968.

Architecture

The two-story gable-front house has been sub-divided into apartments. It has a parged limestone foundation and an asphalt shingle roof. Aluminum siding capped with a carved wood band clads the first story; stucco clads the second story. Gambrel-roofed wings project from the north and south elevations. A brick chimney rises from the north slope of the ridge. A full-width flat roof porch spans the primary (west) elevation. It has wide brick piers with paired tapered wood columns. On the first story of this elevation, a single fully glazed wood door flanks each side of a paired window. A band of three windows pierces the

center of the second story. All windows are historic one-over-one double-hung wood windows. A historic photo shows this house originally had a prominent gambrel roof with shed dormers, wood siding and shingle cladding, and a balcony over the porch. The alteration of the roofline, cladding and balcony have compromised the integrity of the house, rendering it non-contributing to the District.

A one-story two-car garage is located at the rear of the property. It has concrete masonry unit walls and a front-gable asphalt shingle roof. Wood shingles clad the gable end. Two replacement vinyl overhead doors access the garage on the primary (east) elevation. Constructed within the period of significance, the garage retains integrity, rendering it contributing to the District.

Tea & Scandals… An afternoon Tea with a Twist at the Dangerfield House

The recently restored historic Dangerfield house at 405 South Moffet Avenue, in Joplin’s Murphysburg Historic District, will once again host an afternoon tea—mimicking a social event that was held there over a century ago.

Historic Murphysburg Preservation, Inc. (HMP)l hosted two afternoon teas on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 12 noon and again at 3:00 p.m. All guests were be treated to a tour and historic account of the house decorated for the holidays. The event was more than just a selection of teas with delectable traditional English finger foods and delicacies—this even also included tales of scandals that enveloped the Dangerfield family! What is a society gathering without a little neighborhood gossip?

In august of 1908 Mrs. Blanch Dangerfield (the daughter in law of the original owners of the James Dangerfield home) hosted a fifty person tea party here for the who’s who of turn of the century Joplin. It was a well regarded event described in social circles as an elegant affair. However the success of this gathering could not predict the utter chaos that would befall the family mere months later. By the end of 1909 both James and Mary Ann Dangerfield would be dead, in the next year their son in law charged and convicted of embezzlement from Mt Hope cemetery, adultery and the scandals of divorce from both progeny of the Dangerfields would shock the city and seal the family’s downfall.

Tea & Scandals: After Dark Speakeasy

If tea is not your thing, there was also be a separate ticketed “speakeasy event” at 6:00 p.m. All guests were treated to a tour and historic account of the house while enjoying the holiday decorations, $20 per person. A complimentary beverage was offered. Tea & Scandals: After Dark Speakeasy was a come-go event, While having a signature drink with new friends you will learn about  tales of scandals that enveloped the Dangerfield family!


Austin Allen, The Architect Remembered

Enjoy Austin Allen featured homes in this flip book

Samuel Austin Allen arrived in Joplin in 1890 at the age of 10. His father was J.W. Allen an early pioneer and successful mine operator in the area.   Austin graduated from Joplin High School in 1898. He received a degree in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania in 1902 and later went to Paris where he pursued his interest in architecture. Returning to the United States Allen became associated with Bruce Price of New York, one of the foremost architects in the United States. After two years in New York he returned to Joplin to begin practicing his craft in 1905. Allen was an extremely successful architect with offices in Kansas City and in the Frisco Building in Joplin. His professional Joplin resume included such handsome structures as the Newman Building, Saint Peter’s Catholic Church, Olivia Apartments, Joplin High School, United Hebrew Temple, Elks Lodge, and many impressive homes. Mr. Allen was a member of the American Institute of Architects. His obituary in their journal noted, “that his work was marked by a “chaste dignity and scholarly restraint.” Mr. Allen married Belle Taylor and had three children.

Celebrating National Historic Districts & Places That Matter

A Happy 120TH Anniversary Oliver S. & Emily Picher House
HAPPY 125TH (Quasquicentennial) ANNIVERSARY Adam & Dora Scott House
HAPPY 125TH (Quasquicentennial) ANNIVERSARY William & Comfort Smith House
HAPPY 125TH (Quasquicentennial) ANNIVERSARY A.B. McConnell/Sol Newman House
HAPPY 125TH (Quasquicentennial) ANNIVERSARY George Lavery House 
HAPPY 125TH (Quasquicentennial) ANNIVERSARY William & Susan Picher House

A Happy 120TH Anniversary

Oliver S. & Emily Picher House

210 S. Sergeant Avenue

circa 1904  |  Colonial/Classical Revival  | Architect: Austin Allen

The Picher name has long been associated with Joplin’s mining history.  In 1875, Judge Oliver Hazard “O.H.” Picher and his brother William organized the Picher Lead and Zinc Co.  The successful company expanded in 1887 when it acquired the Lone Elm Mining and Smelting Co.  Judge Picher’s son, Oliver Shepard Picher (1875-1920) succeeded his father as president of the company in 1909.  Oliver graduated from Stanford University and Columbia University Law School in 1901.  After working for a prominent New York City attorney, Oliver returned to Joplin in 1904 and opened his own law firm, but he eventually went to work for his father’s company.  After Oliver succeeded his father, the company merged with Eagle Lead in 1916. 

Upon Mr. Picher’s death, the Painters Magazine printed, “He was an accountant, metallurgist, a mining engineer, a lawyer, a chemist, a manufacturer, a financier and withal gifted with such rare charm of personality as brought to him literally thousands of friends in the business and technical world.”  He died at his home in Winnetka, Illinois of double pneumonia.

Oliver was married to Emily Stanton Picher (1877-1941) and the couple had four children.  At one point, after her husband’s death, she lived in Hubbard Woods, Illinois.  According to the Joplin Sunday Globe society page, several “informal social courtesies” were extended to Mrs. Picher when she returned to Joplin for a visit in 1937.  Her friends and former neighbors hosted several dinner and luncheon parties at the Sagmount Inn (Resort) in Saginaw, Missouri and in private homes.   She was also honored with a fish fry party at a friend’s lodge near Riverton, Kansas.

The interior of the house is the very picture of elegance with high wainscoting, stained glass windows, crystal chandeliers, eleven-foot vaulted ceilings, six fireplaces, servant’s dumbwaiter, and a grand staircase.  The home retains much of its original character and charm.

Architecture – A colonnaded porch with a screened-in second story projects from the south elevation. A gabled dormer and flanking arched dormers rise from the east slope of the roof. Modillions ornament the roofline. A porch with Doric columns projects from the center of the primary (east) elevation. The second story balcony has square wood piers and a turned wood balustrade. On the second story, look for the small oval leaded glass windows.  The first story has historic tripartite windows with a fanlight above.  The hitching post in the parkway is standing at the ready.