202 Greenwich--The William Blair Titman House

One can't help but notice this ornate Victorian beauty with its magnificently adorned front round window, its enhancing keyhole gingerbread, and the curving stairs leading to the wrap-around porch. This home was built in 1892 by Mr. William Blair Titman who was born September 7th, 1844 in Oxford Township, NJ. He was the son of Jabez Gwinnup Titman and Mary Ann Blair, the first cousin of John Insley Blair, railroad baron and founder of Blairstown.

William Blair Titman married Margaret “Maggie” E. Rosberry; they had one child, Annie Blair Titman. William Blair Titman began farming at the age of 20 and retired in 1890, having also acquired considerable property throughout Belvidere. Mr. Titman passed away on July 21st, 1902 at the age of 57 and is buried in Belvidere Cemetery (commemorated with the very first monument as you enter the gates).

Daughter Annie Blair Titman was married to Dr. George Wyckoff Cummins. Annie attended Centenary Collegiate Institute from 1881-1882 and studied music, playing pipe organ and piano. The couple had no children. Her husband Dr. George Wyckoff Cummins graduated from Centenary Collegiate Institute in 1881, then attended Yale School of Medicine and the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University. He practiced medicine in Belvidere, specializing in treatment of respiratory illnesses. Dr. Wyckoff Cummins’ family home was built in 1834 on the courthouse square (see Tour Site #40).

Annie lived in her family home until her death in 1952. Annie Blair Titman Cummings and Dr. George Wyckoff Cummins are buried in the Belvidere Cemetery. Dr. George Wyckoff Cummins is survived by his book ​"The History of Warren County​".

The plans for the William Blair Titman home were designed by George F. Barber, an architect who came up with “Design #53.” When the order-by-mail building giants were Montgomery Ward, Sears Roebuck, and others, George F. Barber started his own mail-order catalog offering floor plans that could be customized by owners. Barber became the most successful domestic American architect during the late Victorian era. Shortly after his death in 1915, Barber’s publications came to a halt, having sold over 20,000 plans. Most of his homes were Colonial Revival and Victorian Queen Anne styles. Barber's designs were known for their pastiche of elements with square gables over bay windows and oriel windows projecting beyond its gable. An oblong octagonal two-story turret with an ogee roof topped with decorative grillwork and finials cap this assemblage.

Today, there is only one other home in existence using Design #53. It is located in Crockett, Texas, known as the Downes-Aldrich House. In 2019, this home became bank owned after being vacant for many years. In September 2019, the William Blair Titman House was purchased by Madeline Collazo, a Phillipsburg nurse anesthetist. This home became her passion project, working tirelessly to research the home's history and preserve its original Victorian qualities. With the help of her husband, Luis Collazo, she repaired and restored the home to stand for another 100 plus years.