FOW Tour - 79-81 46th Street

On February 6, 2021 we toured 79-81 46th Street, which we are calling the Chelminski-Velas House.

Deed records and Wheeling city directories suggest that this duplex was built around 1901 by Frank M. Work. He had purchased the property for $1500 in September 1900. City directories first show residents at this street address in the 1901 directory when William Hercules (who worked for coal dealer Boggs Run Mining and Manufacturing Company, east end of 48th Street) lived on the first floor of 79 46th Street, ironworker Frank Humes lived on the second floor, coal miner Frank Seamon lived on the first floor of 81 46th, and motorman James Moyle lived on the second floor. Directories don’t show family members who weren’t employed, so it’s unclear if others also lived in any of those units. It appears that owner Frank Work never lived at this address. He is listed in the 1901 directory as co-owner of F.M. Work & Co., “groceries and men’s furnishings,” located at 3114 Eoff Street, living at 2915 Eoff. He had worked as a nailer in his younger years and apparently moved to Steubenville later.

For the next two decades, it appears that the building continued to serve as four separate rental units.

The longest-lasting tenants and owners of the property were members of the Chelminski family. The 1920 census shows the large family, living at neighboring 89 46th Street:
Chelminski, Frankage 40, born in Poland, immigrated in 1899, miner
Corneliage 39, born in Poland, immigrated in 1888 (wife)
Children (all born in West Virginia):
Ceceliaage 17, works in can factory
Lauraage 15, works in can factory
Frank, Jr.age 14
Stellaage 13
Jonage 11
Henryage 9
Francesage 6
Stanleyage 4

That same year, the census shows bricklayer Daniel DePriest, his wife, and four children on the first floor of 79 46th Street; Austrian immigrant, steel mill heater George Bozicevich, his wife, and four children on the second floor; and Austrian immigrant, steel mill laborer Thomas Holosko, his Austrian immigrant wife, and seven West-Virginia-born children at 81 46th Street. The presence of these immigrants was typical of the time, when Wheeling had become a destination for many coming from Poland and other parts of eastern Europe, with a large number settling in Centre and South Wheeling near factories where they were employed. Census records confirm that in this same neighborhood were many similar immigrants, as reflected in names such as Wisnewski, Malaski, Ostoske, Warinski, Sterlaske, Miskow, and Pucilio, to name a few.

The 1921 city directory shows that the Chelminski family had moved into 79 46th Street. Despite the large size of the family, it appears that they were all crowded into the first floor of 79 46th Street, with other tenants on the second floor and on both floors of 81 46th Street.

Frank Chelminski died of arteriosclerosis on June 25, 1928, at age 47. He was buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, suggesting that he was Catholic. His death record indicates that his widow’s maiden name was Cornelia Kaczynski.

The 1940 census still finds the family at 79 46th Street:
Chelminski, Corneliaage 57, housewife
Lottie age 35, laborer at Continental Can , worked 50 wks in 1939, made $900
Frankage 34, laborer at Continental Can, worked 50 wks in 1939, made $900
Henryage 29, laborer, pottery company, worked 20 wks in 1939, made $300
Francesage 27, laborer at Continental Can, worked 40 wks in 1939, made $500
Stanleyage 24, new worker, worked 0 weeks in 1939

No residents are listed on the second floor of 79 46th Street in the 1940 census records, so presumably the family had taken over both floors. Florence Miller (laborer at Continental Can) lived on the first floor of 81 46th Street, along with her 14-year-old daughter. She had worked for 40 weeks the previous year and had made $700 (now about $13,000). George Miller (truck driver for an ice company), his wife and two young children were also listed at 81 46th Street. He had worked 50 weeks the previous year, earning $1000 (more than $18,000 today). There is also a census listing for a family living at 81 46th Street, Rear: Polish immigrant Walter Komorowski (shipping clerk in a steel mill – had worked 26 weeks in 1939 and had made $600 – about $11,000 today), his wife Mary (also born in Poland), and three children, among whom was an 18-year-old female who worked as a dressmaker (worked 45 weeks in 1939 and earned $450 – about $8000 today).

No death record was found for Cornelia Chelminski, but deed records show that in 1972, four of her children became owners of the property – Laura, Henry, and Frank Chelminski (all single) and Frances Velas, who by then had married George Velas.

In 1983, George Velas obtained ownership of the property. Frances Chelminski Velas died in 1999; George Velas died in 2002. His will left the property to the couple’s children, George Wayne Velas, Rita Velas Wellman (formerly known as Rita Buzzard), and Celeste Velas Shimek. George Wayne Velas became the sole owner in 2005 and shows up at this address in city directories until 2009. Thus, the Chelminski-Velas family owned the property for more than 100 years.

The house is currently being rehabilitated by Kenny Sexton (Friends of Wheeling’s 2021 nominee for WV History Hero).

Virtual Tour of the house: youtu.be/G03NuoMzmlI