Historic Preservation Month

George Lavery (1856-1928) served as the Deputy Jasper County Assessor, Deputy Sheriff, and on the Joplin City Council in the late 1890s.  Early on he was associated with the smelting industry.  Later he was with Cofer & Lavery, purveyors of groceries and dry goods.  Both George and his third wife, Theresa Sorg Lavery (1866-1959) were active in Democratic politics. 

Theresa moved to Joplin in 1892 and established the Sorg Store, a millinery shop, with a sister, Miss Anna Sorg.  After operating the hat shop for 17 years, it’s last location was in the Frisco Building at 6^th & Main Street.  Theresa was very active in social and civic clubs in Joplin, was a charter member of the Joplin Woman’s Club, and in 1926 was appointed as one of three Democratic election judges.

William Henry Picher (1851-1924) was married to Susan Brummel Jones Picher (1851-1904).  The Picher name has long been associated with Joplin’s lead and zinc mining history and the city of Picher, Oklahoma was named after the Picher family.  

In 1875, William and his brother, Judge Oliver Hazard Picher organized the Picher Lead and Zinc Co. and later they merged with Eagle Paint Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio to become the Eagle-Picher Lead Co., one of the largest lead smelting concerns in the world.  The company was also successful in inventing devices for arresting the furnace fumes, and converting them into sublimed white lead, a commodity without a rival in all those qualities which make an enduring pigment.  William was president of the Joplin Commercial Club which later became the Chamber of Commerce. 

By 1920, William was living at the Olivia Apartments.  He bequeathed $500 per year for 20 years to the City of Joplin.  The $10,000 ($176,000 in 2023 dollars) was to be “used for caring for the poor of the city.” 

Architecture – This house has an enclosed shed roof porch that projects from the east elevation.  The center has a scrolled parapet.  A wide wood cornice with modillions ornaments the roofline. Paneled wood columns articulate the corners. A full-width flat roof porch spans the primary elevation and continues north as a porte cochère.  It has wood Doric columns and a turned wood balustrade.  The front door has multi-light beveled glazing and a stained-glass transom.  A band of two single windows, separated by a medallion pierces the second story.  Hitching posts are on the west and south sides of the house.