Then and Now – 1937 & 2024 – 2042 14th St No.
From 1937: “A real tropical Spanish stucco home, full tile roof, 5 light cheerful rooms, 2 bed rooms (extra large master bed room), large tile bath; attractive living room, dining room and kitchen. All oak floors; tile porch. Large corner lot 94X100 with every imaginable kind of palm and shrub. 2-car garage.”
This house, built in 1925, was first owned by Clarence and Gertrude Sinnickson, a wealthy lumber dealer from Salem, New Jersey.
Clarence Lincoln Sinnickson was born on November 30, 1865, in the small rural town of Salem, New Jersey to Thomas and Caroline Sinnickson. He was the third of seven children, his father a carpenter. Clarence grew up in Salem where he received his early schooling.
Salem, with its population of 4500 in 1870, was the quintessential small town where everyone knew everyone. Clarence had known Verna Emeline LeCroy his entire life, she too was born in Salem a mere five days before Clarence. The two had been in the same grade and class since starting school. They became romantically involved following High School and were married on June 27, 1888, they were 23. Their marriage was blessed with five children, Mildred (1892), Helen (1894), John (1896), Leena (1899), Thomas (1906).
Clarence tried his hand at carpentry but by 1892, had gone into business with his younger brother Wesley opening a clothing store in Salem called C.L. Sinnickson Bros. & Co. Clarence and Wesley were doing well with the business but in 1897, Clarence had been convinced by a Mr. Arthur B. Smith, to join him in going into the lumber business. The prospects seemed too good to pass up and Clarence sold his share of the clothing business to his brother Wesley and opened the Sinnickson & Smith Lumber Co. in Salem.
The lumber business was booming and in 1903 they incorporated. By 1906 life seemed to be going great for Clarence and Verna, business was good, she was pregnant with their son Thomas, and Clarence had just purchased a stationary shop in town for her to manage. Unfortunately, tragedy struck the family when Verna died unexpectedly four months after Thomas was born. Clarence was left to raise the children aged 4 months to 14 years.
For the next two years Clarence received help from his parents and several nannies with the raising of the children, all the while continuing to build his business. He and Smith took on a third partner, to make the lumber company the Davis-Sinnickson-Smith Lumber Co. He also couldn’t sell the stationary shop after Verna died, so he took a partner in that as well and was the senior member of the Sinnickson & Warner Stationary Shop.
In 1909, Clarence had decided to winter in New York where he had hoped to promote his business interests. Prior to leaving he surprised his friends in Salem, by marrying Ms. Gertrude C. Gaskill, daughter of Salem’s local preacher. Following the wedding the couple moved to Long Island, New York, where he set up offices for his business.
Clarence and Gertrude had four children, Clifford (1911), Clarence Jr (1913), Francis (1915) and Lloyd (1919).
By 1911, Clarence had sold the Stationary Shop in Salem and was focused on the lumber business. In early 1914, Clarence was approaching 50 years of age and was starting to think about slowing down some. He and Gertrude decided that he would sell his share of the lumber business to Davis, which he did, with the report in the local paper that the sale made him “a millionaire”.
To keep busy Clarence began in land speculation and was selling real estate in New York. Having spent a winter here in St. Pete in the mid-1920’s he loved what he saw. He found this featured house and quickly decided to purchase it for his winter home. Clarence and Gertrude lived in this home until he passed away on January 21, 1933. Clarence was buried in East View Cemetery in Salem, New Jersey, next to Verna.
The following year Gertrude sold the house to Warren and Agnes Kneeland, a retired school principal from Montreal.
Gertrude lived another 22 years, passing away on June 7, 1955, at age 79. She is buried alongside Clarence and Verna.
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