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Located at 190 South 200 West in Springville is the William H. and Sarah D. Meneray House, it is a Late Victorian house built in c.1885. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

Related Posts:

• NRHP #97001574
• Springville, Utah

The c.1885 William H. and Sarah D. Meneray House is significant in the broad patterns of Springville history as an example of the larger, more substantially constructed homes built in Springville during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. As detailed in the “Historic Resources of Springville City” Multiple Property Submittal, these buildings reflect the growing prosperity and sophistication that the arrival of the transcontinental railroad (in 1869) and other links to communities outside Utah brought to Springville. The first owners of the home, William Meneray, an employee of the Packard Brothers General Store and Sarah D. Meneray, the daughter one of Springville’s most successful businessmen, were able to build a home commensurate with their station in the community. In contrast to Springville’s early buildings, which were simple, utilitarian buildings most often constructed of locally produced materials, the Meneray house was constructed of fired brick, with a combination of Classical and Victorian Eclectic stylistic features. Contact with the outside world brought awareness of popular architectural styles, such as the new eclectic Victorian styles exhibited on the Meneray House, to Springville. Buildings such as the Meneray House were the result of such awareness.

For a number of years around the turn of the century, William H. Meneray was connected with the Packard Brothers & Co. general store, which was managed by his father-in-law Milan Packard. William also may have been involved in mining for a time, and is said to have been a railroad man and
pharmacist of nineteenth century Springville. He was married to Sarah D. Packard, daughter of Milan Packard, one of the most prominent men in Springville at the time. William’s varied occupations can be explained somewhat by his business connections with his father-in-law. In addition to his mercantile, Milan Packard had interests in wagon freighting, mining, and railroad contracting, among other ventures.

In 1927, the Menerays sold 190 South 200 West to their son, W.H. Meneray, Jr. Historical records reveal little of the younger Meneray, other than that he was employed as a railroad conductor c.1911. He and his wife, Myrtle, sold the home in 1941 to Jesse Oliver Reynolds and his wife, Ella.

Born in Springville in 1875, Jesse Reynolds was a son of Joseph D. and Elizabeth Taylor Reynolds. A prominent Springville merchant, he began his career working for the H.T. Reynolds Co. store (operated by his brother, H.T. Reynolds, Sr.) as manager of one of its departments. In 1925, he established his own clothing store, J.O. Reynolds Co., at 290 South Main Street in Springville. Jesse operated the business until retiring In 1941. At that time he and Ella bought 190 South 200 West, which they subsequently remodeled into two apartments (c.1930). In this renovation, the one-story Victorian porch was replaced with the two-story classical pedimented porch seen on the house today. This resulted in giving the house a more classical, though eclectic, feel. While operating 190 South 200 West as a rental property, Jesse and Ella Reynolds continued to reside at their own home at 190 South 200 East in Springville, which they had purchased in 1902.

Jesse died in 1946. In 1960, Ella sold 190 South 200 West to Francis H. Bradley, a foreman for Thorne Construction, and his wife, Violet. They evidently rented out 190 South 200 West while residing nearby at 250 West 200 South. City directories show 190 South 200 West as occupied by tenants Russell A. Williams and David L. Gabbitas c.1965, and Linda K. Pearson and Jim Winters c. 1977. Violet Bradley sold the house to Reed K. and Deanna T. Jessee in 1983, who had resided in the home for a few years before purchasing it. The Jessees have renovated the house, turning it back into
a single family home.

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