How the Streets Got their Names: Oliver Road

Later this year a new historical marker will be installed at Stearns' Woods - one that tells the story of the land that, while given to the city by Edwin R Stearns III, was for almost 100 years the site of the Barney-Fisk mansion, from about 1871 until it was demolished in 1966. As part of the fact-checking for that marker, I did some research about the history of the property, which was once part of the farm of John Oliver. I learned that Oliver Road was established when his heirs subdivided his farm after his death.

John Oliver was born in Ireland in about 1780. He immigrated first to New York; at least one of his children was born on Long Island in the late 1810s. By 1820 he was in Springfield Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, as he is listed on that year's Census. In 1827 John Oliver purchased a 58.5 acre tract that fronted in Springfield Pike in what was to become Wyoming, where he lived until his death in 1854. The map below shows John Oliver's farm and home just northwest of the intersection of Springfield Pike and Wyoming Avenue.

Source: 1847 Map of Hamilton County by Wm.D. Emerson
Library of Congress 

Historical records about John Oliver and his family are few. In his book Wyoming, A Retrospective, George Buzz Guckenberger states that John Oliver was also a weaver, with a workshop in a cabin on this property.

I did find John Oliver 's farm listed in the 1850 Census of Agriculture.

According to this Census, John Oliver's farm had a cash value of $8,000 and he owned $114 worth of farm tools and implements. He had 2 horses, 3 milk cows, and 23 swine; his livestock was valued at a total of $153. During the previous year his farm produced 100 bushels of wheat, 500 bushels of corn, 150 bushels of potatoes, 5 bushels of sweet potatoes, and 200 bushels of barley. It also produced $15 of orchard products, 104 pounds of butter, and 15 tons of hay. Home manufactures netted the farm $20, and slaughtered animals $83.

John Oliver died in 1854. Children mentioned in his will as heirs included: Ann E. Oliver Ralston (m. William Ralston); Rachel Oliver Cooper (m. Milton Cooper); Helen Oliver Cooper (m. John Cooper) (I haven't been able to determine if Milton & John Cooper are related or not); Montgomery Oliver; Alexander Oliver; Henry Oliver; and Hugh Oliver. Several grandchildren were also specifically mentioned in the will.

His son-in-law Milton Cooper was made executor of the estate. Milton Cooper filed a subdivision plat for the farm in March of 1855, and there was a flurry of land transfers within the family as some heirs sold properties to their siblings.

Source: Hamilton County Plat Book 1, Page 242

Source: Hamilton County Plat Book 1, Page 242.

By 1869, the lands had been sold out of the Oliver family, and land ownership was as shown below, on the Titus Atlas of Springfield Township, Hamilton County.

Source: 1869 Titus Atlas of Hamilton County,
David Rumsey Map Collection

Source: 1869 Titus Atlas of Hamilton County,
David Rumsey Map Collection

When you look at the names on this 1869 map, you may not realize how closely related some of the land owners of the former Oliver farm lands were. Eunice (E. L.) Evans, owner of 6.5 acres, was married to Caleb Evans, who was the brother of Joanna Evans DeCamp, widow of James DeCamp. It was for her benefit that Daniel DeCamp, as trustee for his brother James DeCamp's estate, purchased 5.46 acres. Daniel DeCamp, resident of Glendale, was very involved in real estate development in Hamilton County. He was president of the Hamilton County House Building Association which developed the village of Hartwell.

Oliver E. Connor, owner of 6 acres, was the son-in-law of Joanna Evans DeCamp and James DeCamp, married to their daughter Joanna DeCamp Connor. Like his uncle-in-law, Oliver E. Connor was also very active in real estate development (see this post about one of his Wyoming subdivisions)

Eunice and Caleb Evans's daughter Luella married Edwin R. Stearns; it was this couple that tore down her parents' home and built the house we now know as the Stearns Mansion on its site. Their grandson, Edwin R. Stearns, III, donated Stearns' Woods to the City of Wyoming at his death in 1999.

Below is a current map of the lands that were originally part of John Oliver's farm.

Source: http://cagisonline.hamilton-co.org