Claude and Jessie Morton built our house in 1902. Webster Groves became a city in 1896, and as it is located on a train line some residents of the city of St. Louis began to build in Webster to provide a better quality of life for their families. Claude and Jessie were such a family, raising their three children and becoming active in their church, library and city government. How do I know about the Mortons? It wasn’t as if I was lucky enough to have a Century Home plaque on my house when we bought it in 1987. All I knew about the house was that the tax records at St. Louis County said the home was built in 1902. I was cautioned that the date could be inaccurate, but at least it was a starting point. The previous owner told me that her family was only the second to live in the house, so that, too, was a clue. And so I set off on what became a three year journey to discover who the house was built for, and in what year. Through this website I hope to walk others through the process.
