This home was located on the NE corner of Lincoln and Day streets. It was built by John Martin Weatherwax sometime before 1878 as an article written by Giles Gilbert describing his view from his home on Camburn Ave. says he can see the Weatherwax home. An early map of Stanton, ca 1875, shows the property contained a structure called the Congregational Church Society, which would put the building of the home sometime between 1875 and 1878.

Mr. Weatherwax was born in New York in 1827 and came to Michigan with his parents as a young boy. At age 22 he met a Doctor Post in Washtenaw County and began medical training with him. When his education was completed he started a practice in Lenawee county but after two years he became ill and returned to his home near Adrian. He never returned to medicine but engaged in the lumber business at Grand Rapids with his brother. During the Civil War he was commissioned second lieutenant in the Second Michigan Cavalry and served three years and three months. After the war, Captain Weatherwax, as he was known, invested heavily in pinelands in Montcalm County but also operated a store at Lowell. He also operated at least 2 lumbermills located at Half Moon Lake and Fishville. Later he sold the store in Lowell and continued the mill operation until 1885 when he moved to Gray's Harbor, Washington. There he built a mill and bought large holdings in real estate in the village of Aberdeen. Captain Weatherwax was a wealthy man when he left Stanton but his mill venture in Washington was not very successful. His real estate holdings, however, made up for the other loses. He married the former Mattie E. Keys in 1864; she died in 1892 and Captain several years later. Both are buried in Grand Rapids. His brother, Jacob, was an insurance agent in Stanton.

Captain Hempstead later purchased the home as a family home. Henry was born in New York in 1832 and came to Stanton in December of 1882. He served in the Civil War, Company M, Second Regiment, Michigan Cavalry, entering the service as a Sergeant. He participated in many of the most strenuous campaigns and hardest fought battles of the war and saw a great deal of active service. After the close of the war he returned to Marshall, MI and served there as treasure of Calhoun County and was twice re-elected to the same office. He then became engaged in the dry good business. When he located to Stanton he served as manager of the John Weatherwax store, after which he bought out the insurance business conducted by Jacob Weatherwax and was engaged in that business for many years. He also served one term as the city treasure of Stanton. He married twice, the first Martha A. Hammond and second, Belle Ford. Those that knew Mr. Hempstead said he had many beautiful flowers and always stored his many bulbs in the east washroom.

Other known owners were Mr. and Mrs. Delos Baker, Mr. and Mrs. R.D. McNutt and Edna Stewart Higbee. The house was destroyed by fire in 1983 and torn down. The land is now a parking lot for the First Baptist Church.

The home faced west on Lincoln Street. One entered the house into a hall. The north room off the hall was a bedroom. From the hall one could also enter a library and sitting room with a fireplace. East of the sitting room on the north was a kitchen and one could go to the basement from the kitchen. East of the kitchen was a large wash and storage room. Also from the hall to the south was the dining room. The upstairs contained 6 bedrooms. Originally the house was painted white and had a cupola on top. Some of the early residents say the cupola was used to spot fires. There was a white barn to the east of the house that also had a cupola that matched the house. When Delos Baker owned the house it was remodeled to include a bath; a porch to the north was also added. In its later years the upstairs was turned into apartments. In March 1983 a fire swept through the old house and damaged it beyond repair. It eventually had to be torn down.

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