The Champion House resident timeline begins with Patience Champion and continues through families and owners who shaped the home over more than a century and a half.
1854 - The Champions
Patience Champion bought the lots that included 218 South Charles Street in 1854. The Belleville Advocate reported the completion of a double two-story brick mansion in January 1855. Patience was a wealthy widow and lived at the residence with her son, B. F. Champion.
Her husband, Federal Champion, established the Champion pill factory on South High Street. Dr. Champion's Celebrated Age Medicine and Dr. Champion's Vegetable Anti-Dyspeptic, Purifying and Cathartic Pill were sold around the country. Patience Champion sold the house in 1864.
1864 - Ezekiel Steele
The Belleville News-Democrat indicated in its June 24, 1864 issue that G. A. Harvey sold the fine property on Charles Street, known as the Champion residence, to Ezekiel Steele for $4,500.
1864 - Sebastian Fietsam
A subsequent owner is believed to have been Sebastian Fietsam. Fietsam was president of People's Bank, publisher of the Belleville Zeitung, and county clerk.
1880s - William Kueffner
William Kueffner fought in the Civil War and mustered out as a brevet brigadier general at age 26. He later became an attorney. Julius Liese bought the house from Elise Kueffner, William Kueffner's widow, in 1893.
1893 - Julius Liese
Julius Liese bought 218 South Charles Street from Kueffner's widow in 1893. By this point his career as conductor of the Belleville Philharmonic was over, but he remained president of Liese Lumber, which he had founded in the 1870s.
In 1905 he retired and returned to his native Germany with the intent of coming back to Belleville. He never did. Other members of the Liese family lived at the house during this period, the last being Herman C. Liese.
1916 - Herman C. Liese
Herman was a metallurgist who worked for Mexican mines and smelters, married a Mexican national, knew Pancho Villa, and returned to Belleville, living at 218 from about 1916 to 1919.
1925 - 1927 - M. Elizabeth Martin
In 1925, M. Elizabeth Martin bought 218 South Charles from the Liese family. She sold it two years later to retired farmer John Valerius.
1927 - 1967 - John and Elizabeth Valerius
John Valerius, a retired farmer, acquired Champion House as his residence and also rented rooms. He passed away in 1965, and Elizabeth later moved from the home.
2005 - 2014 - David and Andrea Cox
The last residents before the current project were David and Andrea Cox. David was a charter member of the Belleville Historical Society. Andrea was a trained Austrian carpenter. They were exacting about historical accuracy in the work they completed on the first floor.
2021 - Rob Campbell
Rob Campbell, a local real estate investor, purchased the home in September 2021 after seeing it appear as a new listing. To survive the large renovation project, he ultimately moved into Champion House, living in parts of the mansion while renovating other parts.