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A gathering of art objects from around the world are part of the distinct artistic flavor Lyn and John Saxer have imparted to their 1870 Italian villa style mansion at 2200 W. Memorial, known as Century Elms.The public will be invited to tour the Saxer home from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, and five other homes to benefit the Rock County Historical Society. Theme of the tour is “Historic Homes for Contemporary Living.’’The Saxer home is historically important to Janesville because it was the home of J. A. Craig from 1927 to 1946.Craig was president of Janesville Machine Co. when it was purchased by General Motors in 1918 and was an important promoter of the early RockCard of ThanksI would like to express my deep appreciation to all those who showed such consideration in sending flowers, letters and cards at the death of my sister, Mary Kamps.Anne FlaniganCounty 4-H Fairs. The home was built in the Italianate style in 1870 by William Payne, president of Janesville Woolen Mills, and enlarged by Craig.The style of the home is similar to that of the Tallman house, although smaller, and has a similar cupola or observatory atop the roof. Houses of this type were traditionally built near the edge of town and were somewhat formal while retaining a sophisticated country-housequality.Craig named the property Craigknoll and it was renamed Century Elms when George S. Geffs, a local attorney, bought it in 1946. Mrs. Genevieve Bowers acquired the home in 1955 from Geffs and operated a tea room on the first floor until the Saxers bought it in 1959.The only major renovation done by the Saxers was to transform the commercial kitchen of the tea room into a family kitchen and cypress-paneled den. The wide-ranging tastes of the present owners are apparent throughout the large high-ceilinged rooms.Reflecting her skill and good taste as an artist, Mrs. Saxer has somehow blended comfortably her Victorian furniture, Indonesian ceremonial masks, Picasso prints, a lifesize plaster of parts and gauze seated figure and numerous African and Mexican carvings.Each room has a delightful and sometimes amusing array of objects andpaintings, both priceless and thrift shop finds. The Saxers have been all over the world and brought back art of many countries.The living room features a massive hand-carved buffet with marble top and mirror purchased at the estate auction of Charles Carpenter, a Janesville attorney. Victorian chairs with original needlepoint covers are at each side of the large fireplace, ^emple dogs from Taiwan sit imposingly on an antique table. A woodcut from Trinidad is on one wall near a handpainted screen. Two collage and an encaustic done by Mrs. Saxer hang in this room near a fabric-covered circular waterbed used as a lounge and piled high with pillows of heavy off-white textured material.The front den has an award-winning painting by Mrs. Saxer of the Coliseum in Rome, a duster of irridescent cock feathers from Mexico, an intricately carved headdress from Indonesia, a room-size oriental carpet with geometric predominantly blue designs and furniture covered with black sculpted fabric. African carvings are placed on the television. There are large windows with leaded glass insets.In the upstairs sewing room, Ethiopian musical instruments will beMeeting NoticesKnights of ColumbusCarroll Council, Knights of Columbus, will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at KC Hall. The Four Fortes, a barbershop quartet, will entertain.Janesville Retired Teachersdisplayed. A Moroccan caftan and an embroidered black silk robe from Hong Kong hang in son John’s room.Mr. and Mrs. Saxer have four children: John, 25; Val, 23; Sherry, 21, and Lisa, 19. Saxer operates Saxer Sporting Goods in downtown Janesville and the Janesville Mall.Mrs. Saxer says she prides herself on the ability to take care of the house and grounds by herself with only the help of her family. The Saxers have done all their own decorating.Mrs. Saxer advises that people shouldORFORDVILLE — Barbara Ann Engen and Jeffry Jay Heller repeated wedding vows at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at the altar of Luther Valley Church with the Rev. O. Trygve Holter officiating.The bride’s parents are Richard Engen, Orfordville, and Mrs. Patricia Giere, Chilton. The bridegroom is the son of Mrs. Melvin Cassels, Edgerton, and the late W. B. Heller.Debra Ruppe served as maid of honor with Mrs. Richard L. Engen and Mrs. Randall Jackson as aides. Tanya Cohen performed the duties of flower girl, Chris Heller those of ring bearer.Duane Richards was best man. James Heller and Mark Nightingale acted as groomsmen and Larry Nickel and Billnot be afraid to express themselves in their homes.Tickets for the house tour are on sale at the Rock County Historical Society office on Franklin Street across from the post office, at the Stone House basement office at Tallman Restorations and ateach home the day of the tour.•Marilyn Walterman is chairman of the tour. Other homes to be viewed are those of Tom Bowditch, Nancy Raufman, William Sutherland, Robert Kennedy and Paul Power.Engen-Heller Vows Said in Luther Valley Church
Newspaper Details
Janesville Gazette
Janesville, Wisconsin, US
Wed, Sep 22, 1976
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Hedberg P.
Wisconsin, USA 02 Aug 2022
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