William Schreiber's great-grandparents came to Blue Island in the 1840's and founded a tin shop on Western Avenue that became the forerunner of a hardware business serving Blue Island for over a century. Schreiber, who served on the board of trustees of the Blue Island Public Library, commissioned his uncle, Robert Seyfarth, to design a house for himself and his mother, Eunice. Because of Mrs. Schreiber's difficulty negotiating stairs, the house was built on one floor and only inches from ground level. It was Robert Seyfarth's last commission and was completed after his death.