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The discovery of an 1830s cabin built in Catlin? What a find! Who has owned this treasure and who lived in it and when? I'll try to give you a brief timeline on who and when, taken from the property abstract. On May 11, 1829, there was a land grant from the United States of America to Amos Wooden for this property. This is the same Amos Wooden that built the current Museum House in 1827. He received 80 acres in this land grant. This is the area where Josiah Sandusky laid out and platted his addition to Catlin in 1856. Josiah Sandusky's Addition contained 4 separate blocks. Our interest is in Block 3 composed of 5 lots. As soon as the addition was platted in 1857, Josiah and his wife, Elizabeth, sold it all but 2 lots to Abner D. Strong. Abner D. Strong turned right around and sold Lot 1 Block 3 back to Josiah for $78 and this is where the cabin stands. Four months later, on May 29, 1857, Josiah and Elizabeth Sandusky sold this lot to James E. and Eliza Allison. James and Eliza Allison owned the lot for 6 1/2 years then on December 22, 1864, sold it to Samuel McGregor. Keep in mind that this is just Lot 1 in Block 3 where the cabin stands. Abner D. Strong then sold Samuel McGregor Lots 2 & 3 adjacent to the cabin, 4 years later in 1868 for $120. Another 2 years passed and Samuel McGregor wanted another lot so in December 1870 he bought Lot 4 in the same Block 3. Around 1885, Samuel McGregor died and the heirs conveyed the 4 lots in Block 3 to Hestor McGregor, his widow. They had been there for 21 years and her name had never appeared on any of the previous transactions. Hestor kept the land for 5 years then deeded it to a son, Albert McGregor. The McGregor family had this Block 3 except for Lot 5, for 57 years total. Al and Elsie McGregor sold the 4 lots to William and Elizabeth Stevens and A. R. Stevens in May of 1921 for $1,200. Forty-five years later A. R. & Mae Stevens sold the 4 lots to James T. and Annetta B. Pierce. The Pierce family lived in the house for about 21 years and then in 1987 sold it and the lots to Ronald D. and Stacey Howe. The Howes, after discovering a cabin within the walls of their house and having prepared to sell it anyway, sold it to the Catlin Historical Society in 1998.
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