Paul and Jean Harris Home

Documents on the house

This information has been located by RGHF board member PDG Fred Otto.

Paul and Jean had been married for just over a year when they decided to buy a property in Morgan Park in South Chicago.
Paul Harris put $200.00 down on the house on October 14, 1911, and put down a further $2,300.00 on October 23, 2011
with a closing to be held in September 16, 2012, see land contract.

PAUL HARRIS’S HOME IN MORGAN PARK.

The total purchase price was $7,000.00. They actually closed on July 27, 1912, see deed. The deed was only in Paul's name. Then in 1939 Paul conveyed the property to Silvester Schiele and his wife and the next day they conveyed the property back to Paul and Jean. This was fairly common practice as a way to create a joint tenancy; one would typically deed the property to a friend, and then have the property deeded back to the couple.

Historically women did not own property so often in those days. Although, the original architectural plans were drawn up
for Mrs. Luther Dickey, Jr., the land contract and deed listed Bessie A. Dickey and Luther S. Dickey, Jr., her husband as
owners and later as Grantor of the Deed. Thus, at least Mrs. Dickey had no problem holding the property in her name and
her husband's name. It seems therefore that Mrs. Dickey, Jr. was the mover and shaker on this transaction.

The architect of the house was George Bannister. The Morgan Park records show the distribution of the plots in this area. (pages 10 and 11) and the deeds are on pages12/3. The transfer is on pages 14 onwards. Many of these are not clear enough to use.

PAUL HARRIS’S HOME IN MORGAN PARK.