Holt House
History
Holt House was built in 1884 by William H. Holt. Along with
other wealthy New England settlers of the area, he came from
Loudon, New Hampshire. His wife, Clara Susan Cate, daughter
of John K. Cate and Amorette Eastman, was a second cousin of
the current owner's ancestor, Hannah Chase Morrill. At about
the same time, Hannah Morrill and her son, Sam,  built the
brick house across the road,
The Holts sold the farm in 1889 to Henry Cross. It stayed in that
family until about 1918. Other names that appear in the abstract
are Dresser, Wilds, Robins and Eldwith. Oliver Tedemanson
owned the farm after 1918 for an uncertain number of years. The
North family rented the house in the early 1920s.
In 1942, after damage by a tornado, Ben Frederickson bought it
and lived there until his death. It is currently owned by the
Otaibi-Gillespie family, related to Mrs. Frederickson and the
Morrill family,  builder of neighboring Hillside Farm.
            Early Abstract Entries

Dec 1, 1877 - mortgage - Dakota Railway by S. Chamberlain, president
May 1, 1880  satisfaction of mortgage
Aug 5, 1880 US govt to State of Mn, Hastings and Dakota RR. Co
Sept 1, 1885  warranty deed, Russell Sege to W.H. Holt
Mar. 11, 1887  certified copy of records
Jan 12, 1889 warranty deed Wm. H. and Clara S. Holt to John B. Russell
Mar 11, 1889 warranty deed John R. Russell by RD Russell, Jr to Wm. H.   
                    Holt
April 11, 1889 Wm. H. Holt to Henry Cross
Feb 19, 1900 deed Ellen, Frank, Harry, Mamie Cross
                   Holt House Memories

Other sources have stated that the barn was connected to the house in some
way.  
Please contact us if you remember any details about the house, have
memories of a visit,  have an old photo of the house,  stories or photos of
past residents,  neighboring families and homes.  
Click here for a newspaper article and pictures of Holt House from the
Granite Falls Tribune in the 1970s.
Gladys and Ben Frederickson lived in the house at that time.
Click here for a photograph of Holt House and barn @1988 when Mrs.
Gladys Frederickson moved out of the house and had an auction.
Fowler's Octagon Houses
Holt House is an octagon-shaped house. In the mid- nineteenth
century these type of houses were a building fad began by Orson
Squire Fowler and his book, "The Octagon - A Home for All". Most
of these homes are located in New England, this is one of the few
examples in Minnesota.
Satellite view
1992