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Warren Christopher House - Sawyer

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Warren Leslie Christopher House - Holloway Road, Sawyer, Michigan (1946-Present?)

Warren and Wally, along with his brother Herb and Anna (Marion) Christopher, bought a home and farm (20 acres) in Sawyer, Michigan on what is now Holloway Drive on April 16, 1946 (click here to see the deed). Herbert and Warren's families had been living together in Tallmadge, Ohio but had property they bought together in Bethany Beach, Sawyer, Michigan, in 1944 ("the cottage"). They decided to move to Sawyer, Michigan and found property within a mile of the cottage. The four took out a joint mortgage on May 1, 1946, for $3,000 - click here to see that mortgage. I am not sure if the two families lived together on the Holloway Drive property or if Herb and Marion lived in the cottage? I do know that Warren and Wally bought Herb and Marion's half of the Holloway Drive property on August 4, 1947 when Herb and Marion moved down Sawyer Road to a house of their own. (click here for Warren & Wally buying Herb and Marion's half, and here and here for the two mortgages Warren and Wally took out to pay for it). Warren, Wally, Herb & Marion still had joint ownership of the cottage (see the Cottage Page)

Warren and Wally had met at Bethany Beach in Sawyer, Michigan, back in the 1920s when Warren was a lifeguard and Wally would come to visit her aunts who owned a cottage at Bethany Beach. There was a house already on the Holloway Drive property but it needed work. Knut helped add on extensions, the kitchen and other parts of the house (he was a carpenter). He built the playhouse that we kids used to love to play in. I do not know about the Barn and Warren's shop.

Grandma Wally loved to garden. She had all different kinds of fruit trees. We remember the blueberries perhaps the most because we would help pick them. She had spectacular flowers, they are featured in the home movies for Warren's family (I've put a copy of the video below). Warren ran his business of repairing cars from the farm (he specialized in body work, but could do all automobile repairs). There was a barn, garage that he worked in, a playhouse that Knut built, a small home that was used for the help before Warren and Wally bought the place, that is the home we lived in - Bud's Sawyer Home.

It was a working farm where grandpa and grandma kept cows, chickens, a goat, and other animals. They grew some small crops too. We always had fresh milk when we would visit Grandma Wally. The barn had a hayloft that the kids would jump out of onto hay or a mattress. They also made the loft into a play house as well.

I only have a couple of photos from the house, and family in the house. The first black and white photo of a group is Mom sitting at the table with the family is the Christmas when she was dating Dad in 1953. The second photo is of all of Wally's family, including Bernie, Dayle... Gerda and Knut Söderling are in the middle of both photos. Since I can't list them all by name in the notes under the photo in the slideshow, I have placed a second photo with a number next to each person and here is that list:

1. Mom mostly out of photos 2. Harold's Wife Lorella 3. Lennart Söderling (Wally's Brother) and 5. His Wife Emelie 4. Harold's Son David Leif 6. Roy Christopher 7. Martha Son Derrick 8. Bernie Christopher 9. Dayle Christopher 10. Martha Söderling Beatty (Wally Sister) 11. ? 12. Lee Christopher 13. Gerda Allard Söderling 14. Martha's Daughter Denise 15. Martha's Son Doug 16. Pete Christopher 17. Paul Christopher 18. Knut Söderling 19. Harold's Oldest Sharon from his 1st Wife 20. Lynn Christopher 21. ? 22. Harold Son Jay 23. Wally Söderling Christopher 24. Ava Christopher