A Little piece of Paradise… College Hill, Ohio - SELFCRAFT

Herman Buente, brother of Louis also shared in the stone work until his death in 1922. Hermanmarried Anna Nofer, sister of Louis’ wife, Catherine. A son, Robert, was born in 1899. Rob joined hisfather working for several years in the stone business.Stories are told of Louis III, as a child, wanting to be with his father at the stone yard but having hismother find one chore after another to keep him busy at home. His older brother Will showed no interestin stone work. Louis began working at the stone yard around 1910 while also studying accounting. He islisted as bookkeeper of the stone yard in the 1915 city directory.Both Buente brothers served in the Army during World War I. A letter written on stone yardstationary the 25th of September 1918 from father to son reads: ‘We are getting along slow at church, willhave to set the vent stack coping now in a few days, have all the stone set on the tower except the coping.I expect to get all done next week except the cleaning. We have had a good deal of rain and cold weather,that is the reason things are moving slow. There is nothing else doing, we are not getting any small ordersat all.’ There was no mention of the name of the church that they were working on but it is assumed thatthe church was located in Cumminsville.The Buentes provided stone for many of the buildings in Northside and College Hill. A family storytells of Louis II checking his son’s work. The last job he ever supervised was the beautiful stone arch overthe entry way to the home at 1570 Hollywood Avenue in 1927. Louis III, in his father’s eyes, hadmastered the art of stone.Louis C. Buente II passed away in 1932. His obituary in the Community Leader lists Mr. Buenteas the proprietor of a contracting business and art stone carving company.Louis III took charge of the business after his father’s death but was absent from the business in1944-45 while working as supervisor of the 2nd US Army-Air Force storage depot on Lincoln Avenue.He returned to the family business after the war to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors. The stone yardmoved for the last time in 1946 to Bailey Avenue in Bridgetown. The Spring Grove Avenue property waseventually bought by the City of Cincinnati for the Mill Creek Expressway, as it was then called, nowcrossing above the old stone yard.Louis and Martha Louise Bare were married in February 1920. They had a son, Louis, and onedaughter, Mary Catherine. It seems as if Louis IV interests were not that of stone cutting although he hadartistic and mathematical ability. Louis pursued his own calling in the field of medicine; becoming acardiovascular/thoracic surgeon and practicing his art of healing in the Cincinnati area hospitals. Dr.Louis Buente married Jeanne Swartsel in 1947, moving to College Hill in 1955. They raised fourchildren: William Louis, Gregory, Jeanne, and Martha. The Buente residence is still maintained at 1499Hollywood Avenue. Mary Catherine Buente, daughter of Louis and Martha, taught first grade at CollegeHill School for thirty years starting in the year 1949. She married Randolph McMahan, April 1985. Maryhas been extremely helpful in supplying family stories and photographs which have added life to thisresearch project.Because of Louis III’s building knowledge, he was asked to serve as director/appraiser/president ofthe Provident Savings and Loan Company in Cumminsville. He was also a member and commander ofthe Daniel Bartley Jr. Legion, and Cumminsville Veterans of W. W. II.Louis Buente and Al Pielage merged businesses in the early 50’s. They continued on as partnersuntil Al’s death in 1963. Mr. Steilhoff, also the owner of a small stone yard, helped out when needed.The work load grew after the war. The Buente and Pielage stone yard employed up to 6 men at thistime. It is noteworthy to mention the Lewis family and their association with the business. Bill Lewisbegan working with Louis II around 1900 or earlier and continued until the end of his life. Bill’s son,Arthur, was a constant employee of the stone yard until the closing of the business. Gordon Lewis alsohelped out during the busy years.Most of the work listed in the Order Book dated 1962 to 1966 deals with orders for window sills,door sills, fireplaces, mantles, and stone trim for houses. Stone was furnished for buildings and homes inCollege Hill, Colerain, Delhi, Mt. Airy, Mt. Healthy, Northside, Western Hills, White Oak andSpringfield Township. The last entry in the job book dated 9 November 1966 is for the St. William’sChurch in Price Hill.134