Van Derlip #1

337 Madison

Martin/Van Derlip house is a Texas German Vernacular native limestone house with a plaster façade and floor to ceiling double hung windows. It was built at ground level, not elevated on a pier and beam. The two-story front porch and square columns reflect the utilitarian nature of the style.

This house is listed in the Historic American Buildings Survey. J.F. Martin built a one-story stone house at this corner around 1872. In 1875, he and his wife sold it to Mrs. Juliana Adelia Van Derlip, widow of David Campbell Van Derlip. The Van Derlips came to Texas from New York and lived for a time in Gonzales, Texas. While there, Mr. Van Derlip became a lawyer. They moved to San Antonio in 1843 and he died in 1856. Sometime after 1886 the family added a second story of brick to the house. Daughter Adelia and her husband, Charles Cresson, lived here with her mother until 1887 when they moved to 819 Grayson Street. Mrs. Van Derlip joined them there sometime before 1891. Daughter Mary married George S. Chabot (See 402 Madison) in 1863. At first, this corner house was listed as 331; later it was listed as 337. In 1891, Charles A. Merriam, general superintendent of the S.A. and A.P. Railroad, lived at 337 Madison; in 1892 there was William H. Weiss; in 1894 it was W. Schoch, school principal; and in 1897 H.C. Carter, an attorney, lived there. In the following years there was a succession of renters. The family sold the property in 1941 to Louisa Schramm. About 1950 Arthur T. and Annie Armstrong became the owners. In 1975 the property was purchased by Walter N. Mathis. James and Donna Williams owned the house for a few months before selling it to Michael and Carol Hodge in 1978. The house was bare walls and rubble before the Hodges basically ‘rebuilt’ the entire structure, preserving original wood, stone and layout. Dennis and Cathy Spar purchased the house in 2004.

The King William Area, A History and Guide to the Houses, Mary V. Burkholder and Jessie N.M. Simpson; published by the King William Association, 2017