One House’s Story: The Hurst Family

The Hurst family home on the corner of West Fair Street and Tenth served as a cherished residence for Charles and Maggie Hurst, who raised their three daughters there, and it remains a lasting piece of New Philadelphia’s history.

The Hurst family arrived in New York from Switzerland aboard the Ship Advance on December 19, 1854 and, six years later, lived in Tuscarawas County where they farmed in Warwick Township. One of the sons, born in Switzerland, was named Frederick Hurst (1845-1916) and, as the American Civil War raged, he enlisted in the 161st Ohio Volunteer Regiment in May 1864. After mustering out of the 161st, Frederick then enlisted in the 185th Ohio Volunteer Regiment until the end of the war.

Shortly after returning from his service, Frederick married fellow Swiss immigrant Roseanna Haney (1847-1891), the couple lived briefly in Illinois before returning to Tuscarawas County in 1874. Like his father, Frederick worked a successful farm and there he and Roseanna raised nine children including a son named Charles L. Hurst (1870-1945) born while the couple lived in Illinois. Charles and his brothers worked the family farm as youth but then, along with their father, entered the grocery business in New Philadelphia, Ohio.

The same year, 1892, that Charles married Maggie Kohr (1871-1936) he also enrolled in the New Philadelphia Business College. The education intended, of course, to enhance his abilities in the local grocery business. The Hurst brothers first opened their grocery on West High Street in New Philadelphia before they acquired the building on the southwest corner of the intersection of Tuscarawas Avenue and West Fair Street by 1903. The couple already lived on West Fair when they acquired the two story home (Lot 473) on the southeast corner of West Fair and 10th Street (now 7th Street NW) in the spring of 1909 for $2,800.

The house that Charles and Maggie bought in the Queen Anne-style popular in the the Midwest during the 1890s and had recently been enlarged. It boasted the typical asymmetrical structure with a steeply pitched roof, and multiple gables. The exterior was, before modernization, likely a mix of clapboard and decorative shingle siding with intricate wood trim. The house has retained its large L-shaped porch with turned posts that likely would have included decorative spindle work. Other features include a large bay window, and perhaps stained glass accents on interior and exterior windows. The interior’s appearance would have mirrored the craftsmanship found on the outside as well.

Charles and Maggie Hurst raised their three daughters in their house on the corner of West Fair Street and Tenth, and one of the daughters lived there until after 1940. Charles continued to operate his grocery business in the building at the corner of West Fair and Tuscarawas Avenue for many years, even thought the area around the shop changed dramatically as the years went on. Charles eventually retired from the grocery business and settled down to a life of leisure and travel with Maggie.

Despite the fact that Maggie was feeling ill, during the summer of 1936 Charles Hurst travelled to Monroe, Washington to visit his daughter and son-in-law’s family. While Charles was there, and falling ill himself, Maggie suffered a heart attack at their home in New Philadelphia and passed away shortly afterwards. Charles was unable to attend her service or her burial, but held a contemporaneous ceremony at his daughter’s home. Charles continued to live in the home until, on March 1, 1945, he too suffered a heart attack. He survived another 21 days, staying with another daughter’s family in New Philadelphia, and died on March 22, 1945. The Hurst home still stands on Fair Avenue Northwest.

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© Noel B. Poirier, 2025.