THE COZY CRAFTSMAN AT 811 LYON NE

The first owners of 811 Lyon were Eltjo and Elizabeth (Donnellon) HuttengaEltjo was born in 1875 in Grand Rapids or Bay City, Michigan  to Dutch parents. He was baptized in the Dutch Christian Reformed Church at age 5.  He did various things along the way to his primary profession of engineer.  He was a painter, a laborer and a bar tender.Elizabeth was born in 1876 in Michigan.  Her father was born in Ireland and her mother in New York. Elizabeth and Eltjo were married on October 26, 1905.  It does not appear that they had any children.  Eltjo referred to his wife as “Lizzie.”  By 1907 Eltjo is listed as an engineer working for the Berkey and Gay Furniture Company.  The couple lived at 432 Chestnut. By 1913 Eltjo was working for the O. & W. Thum Company. By 1916 Eltjo and Elizabeth were living at 811 Lyon and Eltjo is listed an engineer working for the O. & W. Thum Company. One thing this company did is manufacture “sticky fly paper.” They did business with the California fruit growers, and it engaged in legal actions that got them all the way to the Michigan Supreme Court regarding competition, trademarks and stock.  Eltjo registered for the World War I draft 1917-1918 and was still working for O. & W. Thum Company.  He had brown hair, gray eyes and was of medium build and height.   In 1919 Eltjo was the City Smoke Inspector.  From 1920-1922 Elizabeth and Eltjo continue to live at 811 Lyon and Eltjo is listed as an Engineer and the 1922 listing gives his employer as Wolverine Brass Works. No date here but, according to The National Engineer, Volume 13, Issues 1-12, more than one group of engineers combined professional organizations and all became part of the Grand Rapids Lyceum of Engineers (also with the name “Michigan Number 16).  Eltjo was listed as an officer of this new association and he is referred to as a “Conductor.”  After the officers were installed, there was a banquet.  One of the speeches at this banquet addressed the main issue confronting the group and that was to urge the state legislature to implement a state licensing law for engineers. Eltjo died at age 46 on January 8, 1923 - hard to read the cause of death from the handwriting on the death certificate but it looks like he may have had surgery before he died.  He was still working as an engineer for Wolverine Brass at the time of his death. He was buried at Fairplains Cemetery. After Eltjo died it looks like Elizabeth took in two boarders at 811 Lyon, a teacher named Roma Baker who taught in the public schools and a stenographer named Constance Kaad who worked for the Steam Railroad. By 1940, Elizabeth had moved to cute little bungalow at 1431 Pine Street and then later to 200 Eastern, an apartment building.  Elizabeth died in 1964 and was buried also in Fairplains Cemetery.  Obituary April 17, 1964. 

In 2018, well-known illustator Libby VanderPloeg were drawn to the Cozy Craftsman house, it’s high leaded glass windows and fireplace, front porch, and large backyard. Libby and husband Erik Olsen, adding a friendly canine to the family, a Pet Tales Rescue dog from Texas named Tucker. Libby and Erik reworked the kitchen-dining area removing a wall and adding a large counter, new appliances and hood, light gray cupboards and minty green vertical subway tile. Upstairs they gave the bathroom a complete refresh with black and cream tile floor and wall tile. Libby’s friend Jordan