Tax records indicate that Lawrence Yockey built a modest structure ($49) on Lot 28 in c1855 and that Christian Yockey improved it significantly ($260) about 1885. When George Freitag owned it in 1895 the value increased to ($430). It is likely that the Freitag improvement was the one-and-a-half story shop shown in the photos. The house shown in the photos was extensivelz remodeled by Charles Landefeld after 1950.

Oral History

George Freitag (Friday) was the town “inventor.” He had a reputation of being able to make or fix anything. When automobiles first arrived in Miltonsburg, he invented headlights that turned with the steering wheel so the light would always illuminate the area directly in front of the car. He also built a machine for making brooms which were one of his entrepreneurial enterprises.

One of George’s legs was shorter that the other so, as part of his shoemaking business, he built a shoe with a greatly extended heel and sole for his short leg.

Phyllis Shreve, George’s granddaughter, recalls her family talking about her grandfather’s horse, Henry, a sulky racer.