Marble Firm Founder

As the daughter of Laurence Molloy, founder of the cut stone firm of Clough & Molloy, I can add some details to your story on Baltimore’s white marble steps.

My father worked as an apprentice on the Capitol in Washington, and later started his own business in Baltimore. At one time, shortly after World War I, his plant was the largest of its kind south of New York. He also had the first diamond-tooth saw in the State.

He supplied marble for steps to a number of the city’s builders.

He did the stonework on the Emerson Hotel, St. Mary’s Industrial School, St. Paul’s Church, Sacred Heart Church in Highlandtown and the Hopkins dormitories at Homewood. He made hundreds of tombstones, and supplied the special red granite for the Confederate Women’s Monument at Charles street and University parkway.

Our house at 1111 Valley street seemingly had more marble in it than anything else. The cellar floor was marble, as was the yard and a garage behind the house.

The accompanying picture, taken about 1924, shows my father standing in the yard.

In the house, our kitchen and bathroom were finished in Tennessee marble and ceramic tile, and we had a small marble altar in one of the bedrooms. Even a medicine chest in the bathroom was marble.

At our home today we have an oval marble picture frame, marble window sills from the Valley street house, a marble plaque my father carved as a memorial to my mother, a large urn he carved, and other ornamental pieces.

My father built a house similar to his own for his son, Laurence Molloy, Jr., in the 4600 block Park Heights avenue, even including the marble garage. The Valley street house has been torn down by the city to make room for a school.

Mrs. Edward G. Hart.
4025 Deepwood road.