Contents
1872-Hansen-Hanemann Cottage-305 Front Beach Drive
1875?-A.A. Maginnis Estate-Front Beach Drive
1880-Cochran-Letoha House-900 Robinson Avenue
1881-Case-Russell House-southwest corner of Washington Avenue and Porter
1884-Miss-La-Bama-243 Front Beach Drive
1888-Vancleave-Wilson House-1011 Desoto
1890-J.J. Garrard House-1119 Iberville Drive
ca 1890-Honor-Attaya House-422 Martin Avenue
1891-C.W. Madison Railroad Cottages-Robinson Avenue
1894 Clement-Jacobs-Porter House-604 Porter Street
1898-Geiger-Friar House-611 Jackson Avenue
1898-Lang-Madsen House-Calhoun Avenue
1907-Hanson-Mitchell House-112A Shearwater Drive
1908-Vancleave-Smith House-528 Jackson Avenue
ca 1908-von Rosambeau-Bryan-Benz House-410 Jackson Avenue
1909-Pace-Elizardi-Weldon Cottage-207 Washington Avenue
1910-Bryan-Letoha-406 Jackson Avenue
1910-Sheldon-Pattison-Cole: (1910-2009)
1911-Mestier-Carter House-213 Washington Avenue
1912-Carter-Calloway House- 916 State Street
1916-Newcomb-Dick House- Porter Street
ca 1920-Honor-Nissen-Redding House-608 Cleveland Avenue
1923-Knotzsch-Fussell House-305 Ward Avenue
1923-Maxwell-Bellande House-525 Jackson Avenue
1924-Hellmers-Duckett Cottage-918 Calhoun Avenue
1925-Del Castle-Legate Place-Government Street
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OCEAN SPRINGS HOUSE NAMES
DID (DOES) YOUR HOUSE HAVE A NAME?
It can be observed in the earliest accounts that exist concerning Ocean Springs that some people named their homes. Probably the first homes at Ocean Springs were named by families relocating here in the 1850s from plantations in the Mississippi Delta and South Louisiana. House naming may have been a function of affluence, family tradition, pride of ownership, etc. The reason isn't relevant to the fact that house nomenclature is now an integral part of our local history.
If your home has a name and it hasn't made this list and you would like to share this information, or if it is on this list and you find fault, please contact me and I will make appropriate changes. If anyone has photos of these older homes especially those that no longer exist, I would appreciate knowing that some historical record is available. In addition, I would sincerely appreciate some input into this column. Please address all comments, questions, etc. to: PO BOX 617, Ocean Springs, Ms. 39566-0617. Merci beaucoup!
HOME NAMES AT OCEAN SPRINGS
ALLANDALE - Eighteen and one-half acre farm located in the N/2 of the NE/4 of the NW/4 of Section 28, T7S-R8W when owned by Nels and Anna Strale of Chicago, Illinois. Bought by Robert T. Harvey in January 1924, and became known as the Harvey Farm. Greyhound Stadium located here today.
ANCHORAGE - Silas Weeks-Mrs. J.M. Boyd home on Shearwater Drive circa 1890-1940. Miss Jessie M. Boyd (1881-1963) was probably the last owner. Destroyed by demolition according to G.E. Arndt. Joseph Rogers Taylor (1875-1945), a lawyer and writer, may have built a home at this site later.
ARBOR VITAE - Bungalow of Walter G. Minnemeyer, Chicago glass manufacturer and yachtsman, at 1106 Iberville Drive circa 1933-1950s. He also owned a summer home at Duquesne Island, Georgian Bay, Ontario. Extant.
ARNDT HOUSE - George E. Arndt (1857-1945) built rental cottage at 822 Porter. Erected 1895 on land purchased from A.E. Lewis, the "artesian prince". Extant
ARTESIAN HOUSE - Early hotel located on the SW/c of Porter and Jackson. Built by A.E. Lewis (1862-1933) circa 1893. Later known as the Oak View Hotel, Anderson Apartments, and White House. Demolished in 1936.
AUDUBON - two-story home of Colonel Frederick Le Cand (1841-1933) on Government Street (County Road) in 1905.
AUDUBON PLACE - Miss Bessie Collier of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania here in September 1925.
AUSTIN SPRING LOT - Located at the NW/C of Martin and Cleveland
BALLYSHEAR-1940s home and estate of Sarah Gardner Brown at 310 Shearwater Drive.
BAY HOME - Captain Junius Poitevent (1837-1919) built this wonderful Greek Revival home at 309 Lovers Lane in 1877. Extant. Also used for the Adeline A. Staples home next door.
BAYOU HOME - Franklin Sumner Earle (1856-1929) home from 1890-1902 at Gulf Hills. House located approximately where the clubhouse now sits. Destroyed by fire?
BAYOU HOME - Joseph Bacon Garrard (1871-1915) and Carrie Ann Johnson (1886-1968) Colonial Revival home at 1119 Iberville. Mrs. Garrard married Alexander Fleet Everhart (1881-1957)in 1924. Now owned by Jack K. Garrard.
BAYOUSIDE FARM-A.R. Pecaut place north of Ocean Springs.(JXCOT, LNI, 9-8-1917)
BAY VIEW - A.G. Tebo home on Beach Front Drive near present day OSYC in early 1900s. When used by D.H. Holmes as summer vacation home for their women employees it was called "Haven-on-the- Hill". Later owner, O.D. Davidson (1872-1938). Destroyed by demolition circa 1940?.
BAY VIEW - Parker Earle (1831-1917) home located at Fort Point (Lovers Lane) from 1887-1902. Later owned by Annie L. Benjamin (1848-1938) of Milwaukee and called Shore Acres. Demolished in the 1940s, probably after the September 1947 Hurricane.
BAYVIEW - Christian Hanson (1845-1914), Danish shipmaster and cotton broker from New Orleans. This Prairie Renaissance home was originally on a 50 acre tract east of the Shearwater Pottery in Section 30, T7S-R8W. Bought from Anna Marks in 1906. Sold to John L. Dickey in the 1920s. Known today as Shadowlawn and the Hanson-Dickey House.
BAYWOOD - Otto Schwartz 1950s home located on Back Bay. Destroyed by Hurricane Camille in 1969.
BEAU-OAKS - Henry "Pee Wee" Beaugez home at 1112 Helmer's Lane. Now owned by Sun Herald reporter, Ken Fink.
BEL VUE - Altered Greek Revival home of Bobbie Davidson Smith at 810 Iberville. Reputed to be the oldest home at Ocean Springs.
BELLE FLEUR - Mrs. Julia E. Brown of Chicago (1902) home located on East Beach. Formerly the Williston home??.
BLUE HAVEN - Alice T. Austin home at 545 Beach Drive.
BIRDWOOD - John Anderson home at Lovers Lane.
BON SILENE - Fred W. Norwood (1840-1921), Massachusetts born lumberman, home at East Beach during early 1900s. Lizzie W. Norwood bought the land from James Charnley in 1896 and conveyed it to Fronie Parks in 1911. Daughter of Norwood, Mrs. Edward Shapker (1909). Owned by Edsel Ruddiman since 1963. Original home designed by Louis Henri Sullivan (1856-1924) or Frank L. Wright. Badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
BONNIE OAKS - East Beach residence of John Alderson of Leadville, Colorado. Acquired from Williams in late 1890s. Now the site of the Gulf Coast Research Lab. Known as the Perryman Place to many octogenarians.
BON SEJOURS - Anthony M. Usner home at East Beach (1929). Betty and Leila Usner. "Good Dwelling" in French.
BON SILENE-James and Helen Charnley Cottage on East Beach (1890-18 ). good silence. Also the name of a variety of roses.
BOULEVARD FARM - Property of Chauncey S. Bell (1842-1917+) owner of the Pine Nursery. The Boulevard Farm was probably located on Holcomb Boulevard in the early 1900s.
BREEZY POINT - Captain Christian Hansen (1845-1914), Danish shipmaster and cotton broker from New Orleans. Breezy Point was located on a 35 acre tract at the west end of Fort Point from 1895 to 1904 until it was destroyed by fire. No known photo.
BRIAR CREST - Home of J.G. Ramsay at Vancleave in 1897.
BRYAN HOME - Queen Anne structure at 406 Jackson Avenue built in 1910 by J.A. Weider (1879-1931) for Frank H. Bryan (1872-1936) on lots bought from L.A. Lundy (1876-1941) in 1910. Formerly owned by Mrs. Julia Love.
CAMELLIA HILL - Cottage at 1210 Sunset owned by the Ames and Catchot families. Present owners Gary and Lois Johnson.
CAMELLIA PLACE - Office of Dr. and Mrs. Jay Segarra at 1300? Government Street.
CARLANA ACRES - Farm of Dr. Carl Lindstrom (1873-1951). Located between Gus Nelson and J.C. Wright farms on Fort Bayou. Came to Ocean Springs in 1929, from Chicago. Native of Sweden. Retired dentist. Named for granddaughter, Carlana Lane, of Pascagoula.
CARR ACRES also called CARRACRUS- Charles Carr (Mount Pleasant, Texas) estate on Holcomb Blvd. Circa 1935 consisted of farm, fish ponds, pecan orchards, and a residence. Formerly the Fish place.(The Gulf Coast Times, 2-3-1954, p. 3)
CARRIES HAPPY HILL - Miss Carrie Seymour Ames home on Calhoun Avenue.
CASA FLORES - F.E. Lee House located on Davis Bayou. Built 1926. Jensen Brothers contractors.
CASE VILLA - Carl T. Case Estate of 9.67 acres west of the Inner Harbor originally called Lyndhurst when Mrs. Carl Case's father, Thomas B. Lynd (1862-1915), owned it from 1893-1915. Case sold to W.R. David in 1919. Charles Grady Parlin bought it 1921, from Edwina David The house burned in December 1922. Now owned by Alice T. Austin.
THE CEDARS - now Conamore at 319 Lovers Lane. Probably called The Cedars by ? who owned the home in early 1900s.
THE CEDARS - appelation used by Rosambeau family for their cottage at 908 Calhoun in 1934.
CEDAR HILL - Former Egan Cottage at 314 Jackson Avenue now owned by Ray and Maureen Hudachek.
CENTENNIAL HOUSE - Carrie Ames Cottage at Calhoun. Owned by Harriet Perry. Name coined by Ray L. Bellande in 1992, as this home was erected in 1892, the year Ocean Springs was incorporated as a town.
CENTENNIAL OAK - Steve and Lana Robinson cottage on a five acre tract at 3305 Government Street. Named for an oak tree planted in 1992, the Centennial Year (1892-1992) for Ocean Springs. Original cottage built by Frank E. Galle (1877-1934).
CHASE VILLA - Tom H. Chase from Rogers Park area of Chicago circa 1915-1918. Located on the Ocean Springs-Vancleave Road.
CHERRY WILD - Home of Bishop Keener on Biloxi Bay (1879).
CHEZ RENE - Eldon Cazaubon home at 517 Front Beach Drive. Owned by Rene Cazaubon (1881-1970) from 1936 until 1953.
CHINQUAPIN FARM - Fort Bayou estate of Fred and Ann Moreton at 2109 Bienville Boulevard named for the edible nut of the dwarf chestnut tree called a chinquapin (Native American origin). The Moretons came to the area from Brookhaven in the mid-1940s. Mrs. Moreton is a distinguished writer and photographer.
CLEMATIS BOWER - Edward E. Young home (1914) probably on Ray Street, or Cox Avenue.
COMMANCHE JUNIOR - The White family of Chicago had a ranch in Michigan called "Commanche". They named their place on Holcomb Boulevard after the Michigan place.
CONAMORE - Queen Anne edifice and estate of Ethelyn Connor and daughter, Patricia Joachim, at 319 Lovers Lane. Ocean Springs first full time mayor, Mayor Donald L. "Pat" Connor (1912-1982) resided here during his lifetime.
COZY NOOK - Jackson Avenue home of Mrs. Edward Brou (NOLA). Destroyed by Hurricane Camille in 1969. Built early 1900s.
DARRACH MO'R - Home of Scotsman, Duncan Sinclair (d.1902 at NOLA), located on Front Beach at present day Gulf Oak Condominiums. Gaelic for "Great Oaks". Frank Faessel took (1870-1953) possession circa 1910.
DE GUISE - Spanish Colonial Revival home of Jacob Guice at 325 Lovers Lane. Formerly called Holmcliffe by original builder R.H. Holmes in 1925.
DE HUTTE-Louis H. Sullivan home on East Beach. Built in 1890.
DEL CASTLE - Spanish Eclectic Style home at 3628 Government Street. Built by Jenson Brothers Construction Company for realtor, F.E. Lee, in November 1925, and originally called Casa Flores by Lee. The architect was Gordon Hite of New Orleans.
DILL HILL - Ira W. Simmons home at 703 Cox Avenue. Built 1911. Formerly Laniappe Restaurant.
DOON DOCK-Bache Whitlock home on Hellmers Lane and Inner Harbor.
DOONECOTE - Home of Mrs. Charles M. Carr at Pointe-aux-Chenes in 1964. 1957 Pointe-aux-Chene winter home of Sheldon Widmer of Brown County, Indiana.
DOONGATE or DOONE GATE - James R. Leavell (Lake Forest, Illinois), President Chicago Bank and Trust Co. home at Pointe-aux-Chenes (1944-1968), built by Joe Fountain.
EGLIN HOUSE - Miss Annie Eglin's "tourist home" at 635 Washington Avenue. Damaged by fire in 1964. Demolished in 1968. Villa Maria located here today.
ELK LODGE - East Beach estate of Colonel J.B. Rose (d. 1902 at NYC) from 1895 to 1901. Rose founded the Royal Baking Powder Company. He was a well known yachtsman being a member of the Atlantic Yacht Club (NYC) and Southern Yacht Club (NOLA). Rose owned the large Rose Farm north of Fort Bayou. His yachts were named "Florence" (1896),"Nepenthe" (1899) and "Crescent" (1902). Land once owned by John Martin Tracy (1843-1893) who is remembered in the international art world as "America's Great Sporting Painter".
FAIRHAVEN - named used by Mrs. Annette McConnell Anderson (1867-1964) in the 1920s for her Vernacular Greek Revival cottage at what would become the Shearwater Pottery in 1928. Formerly the Adam DePass (1851-1909) and B.W. Tiffin (1825- ?) of Ohio twenty-four acre estate in Section 30, T7S-R8W.
FELICITY FARMS - estate of Mrs. Victor (Florence) G. Humphreys (1883-1946+) east of Ocean Springs. Used in 1946.
FIELD LODGE - East Beach estate (32 acres) of Major Rushton H. Field, in the 1890s. Field was the proprietor of the Revier House at Chicago (1894). Field Lodge was sold to Captain M.G. May of Pass Christian by his widow, Mary Florence Field, in September 1909 (Jackson County Deed Book 35, pp. 58-60). Purchased in 1941, by James and Francis Tuttle.
FIELD PLACE - Estate (35 acres) of Erastus S. Perryman (1857-1926) who died at Chicago in November 1926. He bought the Lewis Place on East Beach in March 1915 from Annie and I. Giles Lewis (Chicago). The Gulf Coast Research Lab now located here (1947). Mrs. Perryman (1866-1953) died in August 1953, and buried at Mobile..
FORT BAYOU BEND - Home of George C. Kindley, northeast of Ocean Springs. The old Snyder Place on the Ocean Springs-Vancleave Road. Kindley rented fishing boats here.
FOUNTAINBLEAU - Belle Fountaine estate of Robert W. Hamill of Chicago.
FRIED FISH INN - Appelation given to the Rosambeau Cottage at 910 Calhoun when reknown baseball writer and humorist, Charles Dryden (1860-1931) stayed here in the early 1900s.
FRUITLAND - Colonel William R. Snyder (1864-1918) large country estate 6 miles east of Ocean Springs in Section 13, T7S-R8W.
GEHL VILLA - Summer home of John M. Gehl of New Orleans in 1920s. Germaine's located here today. Former home of Mayor Charles R. Bennett
GLENGARRIFF - The estate of Captain Francis O'Neill (1844-1936) of Chicago, Superintendent of Police at Chicago (1901-1905), located on Front Beach Drive. O' Neill was an Irish history and music collector. He also wrote books on Irish music. O'Neill wintered at Glengarriff with his family from 1914-1936. Probably demolished to build El Madrid Apts circa 1969. Former home of J.J. Kuhn, New Orleanian, who owned the artesian waterworks at Ocean Springs in the late 1890s.
GLENGARRIFF II - An Ishee house built in 1965 located at 406 Schmidt. Named by Thomas and Mary Mooney Wade (1910) for Glengarriff, the home of Mrs. Wade's grandfather, Captain Francis O'Neil. Glengarriff was just east of the Wade home.
GRANDVIEW - Built in 1992 by Ken Snider and Kirk Halstead. This attractive, raised oriental style cottage is on Halstead Road facing scenic Halstead Bayou to the north.
GREEN LAWNS - Home of Colonel Frederick Le Cand (1841-1933) at 200 Dewey Avenue. The Le Cand family moved from "Audubon" their County Road estate to Dewey in October 1917. Now owned by the Snyder Family. Rosalie Todtenbier Snyder is the grandaughter of Colonel Le Cand who was locally called Captain Le Cand. Formerly owned by Henry Wirth and Jane Flood (1904).
GREENWOOD LODGE - Home of Idelle B. Watson (1856-1956+) on Iberville Drive. Miss Watson came to Ocean Springs in 1932. Had a travel agency.
GROVELAND PARK - Pecan acreage and or farm of Fred Einfeldt of Brooklyn, New York.
HAPPY HILL - The home of Antonio "Toy" Catchot and Lucy Flower probably located on Sunset near Evergreen Cemetery.
HARBOR HILL - Twin-gabled 1993 built home of Brad and Peggy Bradford at 111 Pine Drive. Features a panoramic vista of the charming Ocean Springs Inner Harbor on a 1.5 acre wooded and landscaped lot.
HAVEN-ON-THE-HILL - O.D. Davidson place on front beach near the Yacht Club, 475 feet on beach. Was bought in August 1936, by Mrs. Lorna Leavell of Chicago. She planned to demolish the old house. Name used by D.H. Holmes of New Orleans for the F.J. Lundy home on LaFontaine at Washington.
HERMITAGE - Lundy rental cottage on Jackson Avenue. Built in 1911.
HERON PLACE - Captain June Poitevent's farm on Heron Bayou. He grew pineapples here in 1915.
HIGHLAND PECAN FARM - Vancleave area 900 acre farm of Edward G. Minnemeyer and Walter Minnemeyer of Chicago. Developed in the 1920s. Minemeyers had summer home at Duquesne Island in Georgian Bay, Canada.
HILLSIDE - Mrs. S.A. Calogne of New Orleans home at 204 Washington Avenue. Built in the fall of 1909 for $3000 (OSN, August 28, 1909). Contractors Weider & Friar (OSN, October 23, 1909). House extant and owned by Miss Litt VanCourt.
HILL TOP - Mrs. Emma Pace of New Orleans (1905), and James Elizardi (1946) home at 207 Washington Avenue. Now owned by the Weldons, John, Germaine, and Jackson (hey, Jackson).
HOLLY LODGE - H. Pitts Flateau home at Pointe-aux-Chenes. Later L.L. Cook
HOLLYWOOD - Residence of Mrs. Martha Lyon Holcomb (1833-1906) of Chicago. Home located on the NE/C of Rayburn and Porter. Built early 1890s. Destroyed after 1915. Dale Cottages located here today.
HOLMCLIFFE -Spanish Colonial Revival built by R.H. Holmes at 325 Lovers Lane. Formerly the Julian Place. Construction commenced November 1929. J.A. Wieder superintendent of construction. Now called De Guise by current owner, Jacob Guice. (see JXCOT, 11-30-1929, L&P).
INDIAN TRAIL LODGE - H. Pitts Flateau (1935), located at Pointe aux Chenes. Friend of Leavells.
INGLESIDE - Mrs. H.S. Davis's country home (1897-1928) near Vancleave. Planted Cedar tree at Community Center of Iberville.
ISLAND VIEW PLACE - home of Mayor F.M. Weed (1850-1926) on East Beach before he moved to Old Fort Bayou.
KIMCREST - Roswell S. Kimball (1886-1948) home on Front Beach. The old W.B. Schmidt home.
KINHEUSE - S.M. Hilligoss, realtor and associate of F.E. Lee, home at Lovers Lane circa 1934. Probably present day Taquino property. Hilligoss from Fort Worth, Texas?
LA BARACA - Guest cottage on Vermont of Ray Allen circa 1947.
LAKEVIEW - Charles W. Zeigler (b. 1865) of New Orleans 1890s -early 20th Century home located on Front Beach Drive. Lot later owned by D.V. Purrington (1841-1914) of Chicago.
LATTITUDE - Dr. William F. Pontius and Molly Pontius home at Hellmers Lane. Home built in 1994 and 1995 by Victor Sheely of Gulfport. Contemporary design of stucco painted coral. Faces small craft harbor.
LAVENDOONE - Appellation used for cottage at present day 1119 Vermont when owned by Chicagoan, Lorna Leavell, who donated its use for the garden club meetings during the 1950s.
LINGER LONGER – home of Olaf K. Petersen of New Orleans.(see JXCOT, 8-3-1929)
LYNDHURST - Thomas B. Lynd (1862-1915) of New Orleans. Lynd was a cotton broker and owned Lynd & Stouse which dealt extensively in cotton futures. Lynd began his career as a clerk for Chaufe, Powell, and West, a New Orleans cotton brokerage. Lynd resided on Prytania Street at New Orleans. His daughter, Edwina Marguerite Lynd, married Carl Case of Nashville, Tennessee in June 1910 (OSN, June 4, 1910, p. 1).
Ocean Springs druggist, Herman Nill, sold this 9.67 acre estate on Front Beach west of Bayou Bauzage (Inner Harbor) to Lynd in 1893 for $6000 (Jackson County Deed Book 14, p. 452). After Thomas B. Lynd died in April 1915, his son-in-law, Carl T. Case, and daughter, Edwina Marguerite Lynd, took possession and called the estate, Case Villa. They sold to W.R. David in July 1918, for $2250 (Jackson County Deed Book 45, pp. 607-608). Elizabeth Parlin purchased the property from Edwina David for $2200 in April 1921 (Jackson County Deed Book 50, pp. 326-327).
The house burned in December 1922, when owned by H.O. Parlin. Now Alice T. Austin at 545 Front Beach Drive.
LYNDWOOD-This home at 915 Ocean Avenue was built in the winter of 1934-1935 by A. Lynd Gottsche (1902-1974) and Mae Kettles Gottsche (1907-2001). The Gottsche family utilized lumber salvaged from the derelict Case-Russell situated on the southwest corner of Washington Avenue and Porter. This edifice had been damaged by fire in February 1933. A. Lynd Gottsche Jr. acquired his childhood home from his parents in December 1972. He and spouse, Patricia Field Gottsche, conveyed Lynwood to the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs in December 1989. The family of the Reverend Andy Wells have lived here since their arrival in Ocean Springs
MAGNOLIA-Home of Dr. Dan Newcomb on Davis Bayou. He spent the spring of 1897 here. Dan and Fred Richardson farmed here in 1897.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, March 5, 1897, p. 3)
MAGNOLIA GROVE - Residence of Dr. Edward J. Rodrigues probably at Lovers Lane (1-8-1897). Painted by G.F. Endres of New Orleans in April 1897.
MAGNOLIA HOUSE - Bed and breakfast home of Naomi Fields located at 300 Ward Avenue. Home built by Alcide Veillon circa 1924. The Magnolia House was established in 1994.
MAGNOLIA PLACE - New office complex built by Richard Furr family on Government at M.L. King, Jr. in 1994. Henry Furr, architect.
MAGNOLIA VILLA - Home of Paul Julien of New Orleans. Used October 5, 1906.
MANY OAKS - 315 Front Beach Drive. Dutch Colonial Revival home and estate of John B. Honor (1856-1929) of New Orleans and Margaret Soden (1860-1932). Built in the summer of 1918 by Fred Bradford for $15,000. Now owned by Mary Zala.
MARINER’S REST-Home of Thomas Hanson in present day Gulf Hills.
MARTINDALE - Farm of Alfred Martin of Gary, Indiana. Purchased J.K. Porter land 5 miles east of Ocean Springs in 1909. Adjoined the place of Mrs. T.H. Chase. Set out fruit and pecan tress. May purchase place in town. Martin was steward at Ocean Springs Hotel when it burned in 1905. Moved to Gary, Indiana where he ran the North Works Inn. Made cane syrup. Daughter, Alice Martin. (see OSN, 3-13-1909)
MENDENHALL - Three acre Lovers Lane estate of H.C. Mendenhall (d. 1914) and Lizzie Darrah Bonsal (1850-1933). Land purchased in 1880 from E.I. Israel. Mendenhall sold to Alfred E. Lewis (1862-1933) and Julia Johnson Lewis (1861-1933) in September 1890 (Jackson County Deed Book 12, pp. 96-97). Lewis conveyed to Julia Oser Rodriguez in April 1895 (Jackson County Deed Book 16, p. 398). Located (Lot 10) in Section 24 and Section 25 of T7S-R9W.
MILLSITE - Fort Bayou home of Kentucky born attorney, Ray Allen. Allen resided at Ocean Springs in 1940s. Son and grandson both architects. Grandson. W.R. Allen, Jr and Maria Bargas developed Millsite Subdivision northwest of Vermont Avenue in the 1980s. Home torn down to build present day Weems home at 1229 Vermont.
MAGNOLIA GROVE - 1850s Beach Front home of George A. Cox (1811-1887) probably located near the W.B. Schmidt Estate of later days.
MIRAGE WATERS - formerly the old Hollingworth Place on Davis Bayou at Ravenswood Point. This name was used by soldier, lawywer, traveler, judge, and Illinois born writer, Paul Myron Wentworth Linebarger (1871-1939) when he lived here from 1916-1919. Linebarger wrote under the nom de plume, Paul Myron. Some of his books were: "Bugle Rhymes From France" (1916), "Chinese Interpretive Lyrics" (1920) and "Sun Yat Sen and the Chinese Republic" (1925).
NINE OAKS -
MYRTLES - Home of Charles E. Engbarth (1885-1962) at 1105 Ames Avenue. Built in 1916. When U.S. 90 was built in the early 1950s, the Engbarths sold land south of their home for
the new road. Nineteen pecan trees were removed, and myrtles planted for privacy. The name of the house became "The Myrtles" at this time.
NICHE-IN-WOOD - home of M.L. Rose east of Ocean Springs in January 1906.
OAK CIRCLE - 1915, Captain C. Ansel's home (probably at Gulf Hills).
OAK DALE - Childhood home of Mrs. John Tillinghast (nee Cammie Bilbo) outside of Ocean Springs. Located off of Old Spansh Trail, north of Gulf Park estates.
OAKESS - Albert B. Ackander (1858-1926) and Annie M. Nilsson (1870) home on 18.5 acres in Section 28, T7S-R8W bounded by Government, Hanley Road, Pine Hills Road, and the Babendrier tract to the south. The Ackanders were Swedish immigrants (immigrated 1891) and came to Ocean Springs from Chicago about 1907.
OAK HAVEN - 1926, East Beach home of F.B. Thomas at East Beach. Thomas from Winnetka, Illinois. Thomas grew oranges, Japanese persimmons, pecans, and peaches at his estate. James S. Bradford (1884-1963) was his orchard manager.
OAKNOLIA - Carl Birdsall (Chicago) home at Pointe-aux-Chene adjacent to his associate, James R. Leavell. Circa 1934. Later owned by Wayne Johnson in 1957.
OAK REST - Home of Mrs. C.D. Stuart of Grand Rapids, Michigan (1903).
OAKROYD-Home of Miss Idele Watson on Fort Point.
OAK SHADE - 1993 "bed and breakfast" place of Marion Wingo and Chris Vinsonhaler at 1017 LaFontaine.
OAK SPRINGS - Home of Minnesota native Dudley Scheffer (1873-1929) who arrived at Ocean Springs in 1915 from Sioux City, Iowa. Scheffer bought the Beal Farm in 1915. He later sold real estate. Wife, Lillian A. Hass (d. 1926).
O'KEEFE CASTLE - Appellation for the two story multi-gabled Queen Anne home at 318 Jackson Avenue. Built by Jeremiah O'Keefe (1859-1911) circa 1887. Called the Saxon House when owned by Cecile Brodeur Saxon (1893-1980) who purchased it from Mary C. O'Keefe in 1933. Now the residence of Christopher T. Snyder and Susan O'Keefe Snyder..
OLDFIELDS - Although located on the Mississippi Sound at Gautier, this 1850s A.E. Lewis (1812-1885) built plantation estate home has strong historical and emotional ties with Ocean Springs through the Grinstead-Anderson families who owned it from 1905 to the 1950s. The period of time from 1940-1947 when Walter Inglis Anderson (1903-1965) lived and painted here has become known as his "Oldfields Period".
PALMETTO - Ed and Mary Anderson Pickard's contemporary home at the Shearwater compound. The structure was built at the waters edge in 1984, utilizing materials indigenous to the area, i.e. cypress and southern yellow pine. Hurricane Katrina destroyed in on August 29, 2005.
PALMETTO PLACE - New name for the old Young-Shanteau garage on Government at Kotzum. Furr family bought in 1994. Sam Furr, architect.
PARK PLACE - The 1911-1919 East Beach home of Samuel T. Park and Fronie Stealy. The original cottage of James Charnley of Chicago built circa 1890. Now Edsel and Mary Ruddiman. Mr. Park was a retired railroad executive.
PECAN NURSERIES - Charles E. Pabst (1850-1920) homestead on Calhoun Avenue. Later residence and farm of Fred B. Dusette of New Haven, Michigan. Now owned by Cecelia Fink.
PINE ACRES – Dr. J.D. Davenport home on the OS-Vancleave Road.(The GCT, January 13, 1954, .16)
PINE CONE COTTAGE-Home of Mrs. Bruce Fain of Kane, Illinois at 89 Lovers Lane.(JXCOT, I-7-1942, p. 4)
PINECREST - Troy G. Holt home at 1206 Sunset Avenue since 1967. Formerly owned by Mrs. Clendinen B. Smith (1958), the Minnemeyers (1935), and Pfhals (1910). Originally part of the Ames Tract. The Ames Hotel tract and home of Miss Eliza Ames (1845-1917) were located north of Pinecrest.
PINEWOOD - Dr. Charles Albert Babendreer home at 601 Pine Hills Road. Now John Vallor. Used as medical clinic for wife, Dr. Estelle Babendreer.
POPLAR GLEN - Home of Newcomb Clark on Porter.[see PD-S, OSLN, 6-22-1894]
REBEL OAK - Southern Colonial style home at 343 Lovers lane.
REST HAVEN - Retirement home of Chauncey S. Bell (1842-1925) on Iberville Avenue. Bell was born at New York state and raised in pioneer Michigan. He was a successful lumber and timber man and came to Ocean Springs becuase of his failing health. Here he developed pecan orchards and nurseries on Holcomb Boulevard. Bell lived on Holcomb for more than thirty years. Moved to Iberville circa 1921.
ROSEDALE- home of Mayor F.M. Weed (1850-1926) on Fort Bayou. Now residence of Ernest Boney at 1007 Iberville.
ROSE FARM - Nearly 1000-acre farm devloped by Parker Earle (1831-1917) and Sons in the 1890s. Bought by New York entrepreneur and yachtsman, Joseph Benson Rose (d. 1902), in 1897. Owned by Colonel H.D. Money (1869-1936) from 1909 until its dismemberment by real estate sales commencing in 1915. The Rose Farm was noted for its fine pecan, satsuma, and grape fruit orchards. Extreme cold weather in 1917 and the 1920s led to demise of citrus growing in the area. Ocean Springs first golf course and country club was located in the north part of the Rose Farm.
ROSE GARDEN - Ruth Chase of Chicago and Hopkinton, New Hampshire, and F.J.A. Forster (1927) estate probably located on East Beach.
SANS SOUCI - Captain Ralph Beltram home at foot of Jackson Avenue (1886-1899). Later convent of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
SEVEN PINES - Ralph C. Curtiss of Waverly, Illinois winter home at East Beach in 1897.
SHADOW LAWN - John L. Dickey (1880-1938) and Jennie Woodford Dickey (1879-1969) Prairie Renaissance home facing Deer Island east of Shearwater Pottery. The Dickey's purchased from Magdalena Hanson in 1922 when it was called Bayview. Now owned by Ruth Dickey Scharr.
REST HAVEN - Chauncey S. Bell (1842-1925) retirement home on Iberville Drive from 1921 until 1925.
REBEL OAKS - Eldon D. McClain's Southern Colonial style home and historic, oak-landscaped estate at 343 Lovers Lane. Formerly owned by the Dressler Family of New Orleans.
SHADOWS - Named used by Mark Watson and Robert Fisher for the old Thomas R. Friar homestead (1872) on Front Beach and Washington. The Oyster commission may have been located here as Friar was an oyster dealer. Now owned by Ross and Sharon Dodds who call their estate "Villa Rosa".
SHADY NOOK - Ed Brou family home on lowr Jackson Avenue.
SHANNONDALE PLACE - now the Fort Bayou Estates Subdivision. Owned by A.H. Shannon in the early 1900s. It consisted of 540 acres in the W/2 of Section 22 and the E/2 of Section 21 of T7S-R8W. In 1909, it was partially timbered and had a large house. G.E. McEwen bought Shannon place is putting a sawmill on the place having purchased a complete plant from the L.N. Dantzler Co. which operated a Cedar Lake. Mill has capacity of 10,000 board feet per day.(OSN-10-23-1909). Owned by G.E. McEwen in 1915. Also called "Bayou View Orchards".
SHORE ACRES - Appellation first used by Mrs. A.L. Benjamin of Milwaukee (1848-1938) for her Fort Point Estate (called Benjamin Point during her occupation). Her son-in-law, Walter S. Lindsay (1888-1975), adopted the name for his Colonial Revival Home at 305 Lovers Lane after the Benjamin home was demolished in the 1940s. The Lindsay Place is now owned by J.K. and Eleanor Lemon, and retains the name, Shore Acres.
SPRING HILL COTTAGE - Appellation used by Fred Wing (NOLA) in the 1860s for his Greek Revival cottage on Iberville. Now owned by the Bobbie D. Smith.
SPRINGWOOD - Future home of ?? on Perryman Road.
SUMMER HILL - Front Beach estate of German born entrepreneur, W.B. Schmidt (1823-1900) of New Orleans. Schmidt owned the Ocean Springs Hotel and other valuable real estate including the Infirmary Property (Marble Springs) at Ocean Springs. He donated land for St. Johns Episcopal Church in the 1890s.
SUNNY RIDGE FARM - Country estate of Chicagoan J.C. Akely on the Vancleave Road. Son, Nate S. Akely lived at Wilmette, Illinois.
SUNSET LODGE - No information.
SWEET BAY FARM - 105 acres on Bay of Biloxi and Bayou Porteaux owned by Dalton Scales of Dallas, Texas in 1925.
SWEET HEART - The three hundred-twenty acre estate of A.E. Lewis (1862-1933) southwest of VanCleave. The Lewis Family may have relocated here from Ocean Springs after selling Mendenhall in 1895. Located in Sections 23 and 24, T6S-R8W.
TERRACED FIELDS FARM - Townshend, Vermont farm of Mrs. Mignon Courson Lundy, the widow of F.J. Lundy.
TERRACE HILL - German born entrepreneur, John H. Behrens (1848-1918), of Highland Park, Illinois built this bungalow style house circa 1911. It was formerly the Mattie Austin property at 414 Martin Avenue. Behrens founded the Fort Bayou Fruit Company in 1909. The house was later owned by Captain Alex L. Bisso (d. 1950) of New Orleans and his daughter, Mrs. Giles Peresich. Now the residence of Robert L. Hoomes.
THREE OAKS - Adolph Schrieber has purchased a lot from Charles Ruddy (Rudd?) near "Three Oaks" and expects to build a home thereon. (OSN-1-16-1909) Appellation also used by Canadian, Dr. Henry Bradford Powell (1867-1949), on Front Beach and probably later on Ward Avenue. Now home of Jay and Lisa Segarra at 414 Ward. In October 1926, Elizabeth Smith, an invalid, of Portage, Wisconsin? died. Owned "Three Oaks".
TWELVE OAKS - S.J. Logan's sixty acre estate at 1112 Hanley Road in the Johanna Blount Subdivision, SW/4 of Section 21, T7S-R8W. Formerly owned by W.L. Barbour (pre-1955).
TWIN CEDARS - Henry Louis Ryan (1900-1947) and Elsie Seymour Ryan (1905-1989) vernacular cottage at 1208 Calhoun. Built in 1941. Ryan owned the Rainbow Inn Restaurant on Government.
TWIN OAKS-Lot 5, Section 13, T7S-R9W. Adelin J. Martin place at Gulf Hills in the early 1900s. Became H.W. Branigar’s home site.
VILLA DEL MARE - Chicago State Street haberdasher, George B. Lytton, circa 1929 built this Mediterranean style home at Arbor Circle in Gulf Hills. Later owned by Dr. Karl Meyer and today home of Robert and Virginia Meyer. Probably built by a New Orleans contractor named Zeigenfelder who built the Peacock Home (now Tomsik) to the west. One of the original Gulf Hills estates.
VILLA ROSA - Ross and Sharon Dodds home at 505 Front Beach Drive and Washington Avenue. Formerly the Fisher-Watson home.
WHILE-A-WAY-LODGE - Dr. William Porter (1850-1921) and Pearl E. Porter (1861-1943) home at Lovers Lane. Demolished.
WHITE HOUSE HILL - Five bay Greek Revival cottage of Amanda Shaffer (1850-1920+) of New Orleans (1911) and "Minerva" in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Located at 214 Washington Avenue on Lots 6,7,8 of Block 5 (Culmseig Map). Formerly Wing Cottage and White-Spunner House. Now owned by Leake Family.
WILDERMEAR - Halstead Family home on East Beach which was destroyed by fire in June 1911. Probably named for David Wileder Halstead (1842-1918) who came to Ocean Springs from Dodge City, Iowa in the Midwest in 1888. Present home on this site built by E.W. Halstead (1876-1933) in 1916.
WILJUMARRIE - built by L.N. Bradford for Mrs. Julia E. Brown of Chicago in Febraury 1894. Located on East Beach, east of Field Lodge. Mrs. Morgan Williams of Leadville, Colorado and Mrs. Rush Field of Chicago was an owner also.
WILDWOOD - Home of W.D. Penick of Des Moines, Iowa (1923). Probably located on East Beach. H.O. Penick moved to Kent, Washington. Spent winter of 1920 at Franklin, La. Wife, daughter of Louisiana Governor Murphy Foster of Franklin.
WINDSWEPT - Home of Neely and Katherine Crane Powers on LaFontaine. Now Irene Endt Powers.
WINTER REST -Rosambeau cottage at 908 Calhoun used as a winter retreat by Charles Dryden (1860-1931), nationally known sportswriter, for about twenty years (1901-1921).
WOODLAWN - Home of Miss L. Ready (1927). Location?
WOODLAWN - Name used by Miss Eliza Ames for her home on Cemetery Road (now Sunset) near Evergreen Cemetery.
WOODVIEW - Home of E.W. Blossman at 206 Shearwater Drive.
WYNDILLHURST - Front beach estate of Dillwyn V. Purington (1841-1914) and Jennie Purington (1846-1933). Mr. Purington was in the lumber and brick business at Chicago. He was President of the Purington-Kimball Paving Brick Company (Chicago) and the Purington Paving Brick Company (Galesburg, Illinois). They arrived at Ocean Springs circa 1904. The Puringtons spent eight months at their Front Beach home, and summered at Chicago and in the northeast. The house burned in the 1940s? Site now occupied by a contemporary structure at 221 Front Beach.
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HANSEN-HANEMANN COTTAGE: "BREEZY HILL"
305 Beach Drive
Hansen-Hanemann Cottage-Destroyed by Katrina in August 2005, this Creole cottage was probably built in the early 1870s by Lawrence N. Hansen (1823-1900), a Danish born mariner who settled at New Orleans. Captain Hansen later resided at 520 Jackson Avenue where he expired in October 1900. Image by Ray L. Bellande in June 1995.
Prologue
The Hansen-Hanemann Cottage at 305 Front Beach Drive was another victim of Hurricane Katrina. The structure was damaged beyond salvation and the remains of what were once a charming, vernacular, beach cottage were removed from the lot in the post-Katrina cleanup of late 2005. As of this date, the lot remains empty. The Hansen-Hanemann Cottage was situated at an elevation of about 10-13 feet above mean sea level in Lot 2 and Lot 3 of the Austin tract, which was surveyed by H.A. Boudousquie in March 1872. These two lots have an 80-foot front on the Bay of Biloxi and run back to the north approximately three hundred-fifty feet.
Jerome Ryan
On August 31, 1846, Jerome Ryan (1793-c. 1878) and his wife, Euphrosine LaFontaine Ryan (1802-c. 1852), in the partition deed of the Widow LaFontaine Tract, a 237-acre plot of land encompassing all of Section 37, T7S-R8W, received Lot No. 1. It ran five hundred sixty-one feet east of Martin Avenue along the shore of Biloxi Bay and north to Section 19, T7S-R8W, a distance of approximately 2900 feet as surveyed in 1853. Catherine Bourgeois LaFontaine (1768-c. 1845), the Widow LaFontaine, and Louis Auguste LaFontaine (1762-c. 1813) were the parents of Euphrosine L. Ryan.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 4, pp. 548-549)
Martha E. Austin
Prior to the division and donation of Lot 1, the Jerome Ryan tract, to his children in November 1853, Jerome Ryan and his legal age children had conveyed the water front acreage of Lot 1 to Martha E. Austin (1818-1898), the wife of Dr. William Glover Austin (1812-1894), a New Orleans physician of Maryland birth. The sale of this approximate fourteen-acre tract was authorized by the Probate Court of Jackson County, Mississippi at its June term 1853. The sale to Mrs. Austin was consummated on September 21, 1853.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 12, pp. 632-633)
Also in 1853, Dr. W.G. Austin with would build the Ocean Springs Hotel a few blocks east of here on Calhoun (now Cleveland) and Jackson Avenue. In 1854, the Ocean Springs Hotel gave its name to this developing village on the eastern shore of the Bay of Biloxi. It had been called Biloxy by French Canadian explorer and soldier of fortune, Pierre Le Moyne, sieur d'Iberville (1661-1706), in 1699. By 1720, the French referred to the area as Vieux Biloxy when they moved across the Bay of Biloxi to present day Biloxi. In the early 1840s, people from New Orleans called the area East Biloxi and by 1853, the name Lynchburg Springs had been given to the first post office. Fortunately for the people of Ocean Springs, this appellation lasted only one year.
Lawrence N. Hansen
On March 1, 1871, Lawrence N. Hansen (1823-1900) purchased Lot 2 of the Austin Tract from Martha E. Austin for $200. He would acquire Lot 3 of the Austin Tract from Mrs. Austin in May 1871 for $300. By mid-April 1872, Lawrence N. Hansen also owned Lot 4 and Lot 5 of the Austin Tract. He now had one hundred-seventy feet on Biloxi Bay, just east of Martin Avenue and invested $1300 in these four lots.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 12, pp. 627-633)
It is believed that in 1872, Lawrence N. Hansen built the beach cottage, which before Katrina’s unwelcome visit on August 29, 2005 stood at 305 Beach Drive. This structure was described by the Mississippi State Department of Archives & History in their architectural survey of Ocean Springs (1986) as: One-and-one-half story, wood frame Creole cottage with a side gable roof, full-width undercut gallery with a scalloped architrave. Twin centered French windows with transoms. Circa 1880.
It is known with a high degree of certitude that in 1875, Lawrence N. Hansen owned a residence valued at $1000 and Lots 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Ryan Tract. This information is recorded on page 74 in the Jackson County, Mississippi 1875 Land Roll Book. This fact seems to corroborate that L.N. Hansen built a cottage here before 1875.
Lawrence N. Hansen was a Danish mariner who lived at New Orleans and Ocean Springs. He came to America in his youth. In 1853, Hansen married Sophia Clasen (1834-1912), a native of Hanover, Germany.(1880 Jackson Co., Mississippi Federal Census T9_650, p. 13, ED 144)
Hansen-Dodds House
On January 13, 1873, Lawrence Hansen acquired Lot 3 of Block 34 (Culmseig Map of 1854) from Charles McMicken. At this time a Greek Revival cottage was probably located here at present day 520 Jackson Avenue. This house is referred to today as the Hansen-Dodds House and may have been built in the late 1850s. Captain Hansen died here on Jackson Avenue on October 14, 1900. His corporal remains were sent to New Orleans for internment in the Metairie Cemetery.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 2, pp. 417-420 and The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, October 19, 1900, p. 3)
Sophie C. Hansen left Ocean Springs after the demise of her husband and relocated to New Orleans to the domicile of Christian C.A. Hansen (1845-1914), a nephew of L.N. Hansen, her deceased spouse. She planned to rent her cottage on Jackson Avenue.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, October 26, 1900. p. 3)
On June 9, 1905, Sophia Clasen Hansen sold her Jackson Avenue home at Ocean Springs to Christian C.A. Hansen (1845-1914). The consideration was $1500. Christian C.A. Hansen was born in Denmark. He was a shipmaster and later entered the cotton brokerage business where he did well financially. Christian C.A. Hansen had married Magdelena Grob (1845-1929) in 1871. She was born in New Orleans, and was the widow of Henry Clasen (1814-1870). She and Henry Clasen had a daughter, Louisa Clasen Hatry (1852-1911), who died April 11, 1911. Louisa married Theodore Hatry (1851-1896) in June 1875.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 29, p. 599)
French Hotel-Edward House
Lawrence N. Hansen had sold his beach cottage property to Mrs. Kate Lewis Staples (1859-1930) for $3500 on July 24, 1891. She sold Lots 4 and 5 just west of her home to Marie Gouax Bertuccini (1863-1930) in December 1895. Corsican immigrant, Antoine Bertuccini (1844-1921), built the French Hotel on these lots at the southeast corner of Martin and Font Beach circa 1896. This structure later became the Edwards House, owned by James H. Edwards (1893-1950) and family.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 12, pp. 634-635 and Bk. 17, pp. 133-134)
Kate L. Staples
Kate L. Staples (1859-1930) was born Katherine L. Lewis. She was the daughter of Colonel Alfred E. Lewis (1812-1885) and Ann R. Farrington Lewis (1821-1901) who built Lewis Sha, a Greek Revival style plantation home at Gautier in 1845. The home is called Oldfields today having received this appellation from William Wade Grinstead (1864-1948), the father-in-law of Walter I. "Bob" Anderson (1903-1965).
Kate Lewis married Frederick “Fred” Staples (1852-1897) on April 3, 1880. Fred Staples was the son of Solomon G. Staples (1817-1870+) and Adeline A. Terrell Staples (1829-1902) of New Orleans. In 1874, Mrs. Adeline A. Staples bought a large tract of land on the Fort Point Peninsula at Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Here, the Staples family built a summer home on the Bay of Biloxi. One of their daughters, Mary Eleanor "May" Staples (1847-1932) married Captain Junius Poitevent (1837-1917) of Hancock County, Mississippi in 1865. In 1876, the Poitevents built their home, "Bay View", adjacent to the Staples place on present day Lovers Lane at Ocean Springs.
Fred and Kate Staples had three children: Alfred L. Staples (1881-1969), Catherine A. Putnam (b. 1883), and Ethel E. Burns (b. 1886). Fred Lewis made his livelihood at Ocean Springs as a merchant. His partners were his brothers-in-law, Robert W. Staples (1858-1886) and G.T. Beauregard Staples (1861-1880+). This joint venture commenced operations in October 1879, when they began to occupy the building formerly of Moses Smith Park (1846-1910+). Mr. Park was a Texan by birth and had been a resident of Ocean Springs as early as December 1870. At this time, he acquired two tracts of land from Cales Anderson in the Azalie LaFauce Clay Strip with frontage on County Road, now Government Street. A part of this land situated on the southeast corn of Washington and Government would become known as "Lundy's Corner." The 1926 Standard Oil-Zanca Service Station was demolished here in June 2005 by SEFCO LLC, a Mississippi limited liability company domiciled at 712 Washington Avenue. (JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 5, pp. 107-108)
Kate L. Staples’s granddaughter, Emily Staples Hearin (b. 1914), resides at Mobile. Emily S. Hearin relates in her booklet, Colonels, Cotton, and Camellias, that the Staples and Lewis Wharf was located at the foot of Jackson Avenue adjacent to the Antonio Catchot oyster shop.
In May 1895, Mrs. Staples sold her beach cottage property to Mrs. V.H. Hattier, nee Grazeilla M. Gourdain, of New Orleans for $1800.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 16, pp. 451-452)
Grazeilla Gourdain Hattier Leonard
Grazellia Louise Gourdain (1859-1931) was born at New Orleans, the daughter of John V. Gourdain (1813-1899) and Marie Odile Gourdain (1820-1898). Her father was an auctioneer and exchange broker in the Crescent City. Graziella married Victor Henry Hattier (1833-1898) at New Orleans on March 19, 1889. He was the widower of Rosa Castanedo Hattier (1831-1888). V.H. Hattier made his livelihood as a cotton classer.
(1870 and 1880 Orleans Parish, Louisiana Federal Census M593_522, p. 125 and T9_462, p. 41, ED 50)
After Victor H. Hattier’s demise, Grazellia G. Hattier married Leonce Leonard (1862-1940), the widower of Mary Meyer Leonard. Their vows were exchanged at New Orleans on September 8, 1900. Leonce Leonard made his livelihood in the sugar industry. In 1920, they were domiciled on Orleans Street at New Orleans.(1920 Orleans Parish, Louisiana T625_620, p. 1B, ED 90)
In September 1905, Mrs. Graziella M.G. Leonard, formerly Mrs. V.H. Hattier, conveyed her real property on the water at Ocean Springs consisting of Lots 2 and 3 and improvements to J.B. Morin of St. Martin Parish, Louisiana for $2000.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 30, p. 171)
Jean-Baptiste Morin
Jean-Baptiste Morin (1881-1918+) was February 25, 1881 in St. Landry, Parish Louisiana to Joseph Morin (1852-1918) and Eliza Kidder (1859-pre-1900), the daughter of Jean-Baptise Kidder and Florence Kidder. They married in February 1878 at Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. Jean-Baptiste Morin made his livelihood as a farmer and in 1918 was residing in Arnaudville, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.(WW I Draft Registration St. Landry Parish, Louisiana R 1684999 and 1880 and 1900 St. Landry Parish Federal Census T9_471, p. 49, ED 39 and T623 582, p. 2A, ED 77) In August 1910, Jean-Baptiste Morin conveyed his real estate at Ocean Springs to Clebert J. Falterman of Napoleonville, Louisiana for $1500 in August 1910.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 36, pp. 71-72)
Falterman Family
This vintage image was made circa 1920 on the pier of Clebert J. Falterman (1865-1934) in front his vacation cottage, now 305 Front Beach Drive. Mr. Falterman lived at Napoleonville, Louisiana were he was operated a successful mercantile business. Note the bath houses at the pier heads.[l-r: Corrine T. Falterman (1866-1921); C.J. Falterman (1865-1934); Tiv Falterman (1887-1930+); Agnes Falterman Delaune (1890-1979); and Louis A. Delaune (1885-1947). Courtesy of Mille R. Delaune-Biloxi, Mississippi.
Clebert J. Falterman
Clebert Joseph Falterman (1865-1934) was born on July 7, 1865 in Assumption Parish, Louisiana. He was baptized “Joseph Cabert Falteman” at the Immaculate Conception Chapel at Canal des Attakapas near Napoleonville, Assumption Parish, Louisiana. Some of his siblings were: Selma Falterman (b. 1851), Numa Falterman (b. 1853), Elphege Falterman (b. 1860), and Louis? Falterman (b. 1864). Clebert’s parents were Ursin Falterman and Emelie Gautreaux (b. 1845), the daughter of Marcelin Gautreaux (1818-1870+) and Paulina E. Gautreaux (1810-1870+).(Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records (1863-1867), Volume 10, p. 207 and Joseph and Cavilier, 1998, p. 110)
Circa 1886, Clebert J. Falteman married Corrine Templet (1866-1921). They were the parents of eleven children. Seven lived into the 20th Century: Evelina [Tivelle] Falterman (1887-1930+), called Tante Tiv; Clara Falterman (1888-1900+) married Mr. Blanchard; Ondine Falterman (1889-1900+) married Anatole Foret; Agnes Falterman (1890-1979) married Louis A. Delaune (1885-1947); Arthur Falterman (1891-1900+); Emelie Falterman (1892-1900+) married Philip Percle; and Ursin Falterman (1894-1900+).(1900 Assumption Parish, La. Federal Census, T623_577, p. 8B, ED 8, and Millie R. Delaune)
In Assumption Parish, Louisiana, Clebert J. Falterman made his livelihood as the proprietor of a mercantile store in 1900 and 1930. He farmed in 1910 and 1920.(1900 Assumption Parish, La. Federal Census, T623_577, p. 8B, ED 8; 1910 Assumption Parish, La. Federal Census, T624R508, p. 178A, ED 8; 1920 Assumption Parish, La. Federal Census; and 1930 Assumption Parish, La. Federal Census,R783, p. 38, ED 7))
C.J. Falterman sold the Hansen-Hanemann cottage to Arthur B. Hunt on May 28, 1921, for $1925. The sale included all furniture.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 50, p. 410)
Corrine Templet Falterman expired at Napoleonville, Louisiana on November 12, 1921. Clebert passed on April 4, 1934. Their corporal remains were interred in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery at Canal, Louisiana near Napoleonville.(Joseph and Cavalier, 1998, p. 110)
Arthur B. Hunt
Arthur Bradlee Hunt (1876-1951), was born on January 29, 1876 at New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Edward Reynold Hunt (1837-1903) of Boston and Emma R. Cutter Hunt (1846-1926), a native of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1880, the E.R. Hunt made his livelihood in the Crescent City as the assistant U.S. Postmaster. His family was domiciled on St. Charles Avenue. Another son, William Cutter Hunt (1882-1884?), was born at New Orleans on October 6, 1882.
Arthur B. Hunt made his livelihood at New Orleans in 1910 as an oil salesman. By September 1918, he was working for the Emergency Fleet Corporation in the Hibernia Building in New Orleans and residing with his mother at 1644 State Street. In 1920, Arthur was representing an iron works and at home with his mother on State Street.(1910 Orleans Ph., La. Federal Census T624_524, p. 9B, ED 226; WW I Draft Reg. Card, Orleans Ph., La. R1684926-Draft Bd. 13, and 1920 Orleans Ph., La. Federal Census T625_624, p. 19A, ED 247)
Rose M. Viguerie
Post 1920, Arthur B. Hunt married Rose Mary Viguerie 1893-1972?), the daughter of Frank Camille Viguerie (1855-pre-1920) and Ernestine Bergerie Viguerie (1861-1944) of Weeks Island, Iberia Parish, Louisiana. Rose M. Viguerie was probably born in rural St. Mary Parish on the main road between Franklin and Baldwin, Louisiana. Here her father and mother farmed and reared seven children: Frank C. Viguerie Jr. (1885-1939); Ernest Denis Viguerie (1887-1964); Rose Mary Viguerie Hunt (1890-1972?); John Pierre Viguerie (b. 1891); Virginia Rosa Viguerie (b. 1893); Duke J. Viguerie (b. 1896); and Earl C. Viguerie (1902-2003).(1900 and 1910 St. Mary Ph., La. Federal Census and T623 582, p. 01A, ED 78 and T624_531, p. 33B, Ed 88)
Arthur B. Hunt and Rose Viguerie Applegate were the parents of two children: Dorothy Barbara Hunt Applegate Pennebaker (b. 1921), and Arthur Bradlee Hunt Jr. (1922-1944).
Dorothy B. Hunt
Dorothy Barbara Hunt was married in her family home at Ocean Springs to Captain Edwin Cuyler Applegate (1899-1974) on June 14, 1939. She was a 1936 graduate of Ocean Springs High School, Ashley Hall at Charleston, South Carolina, and Marot Junior College at Thompson, Connecticut. Edwin C. Applegate was the son of W.E. Applegate (1876-1948) and Mable Howe Applegate (1881-1937) formerly of Louisville, Kentucky, but residing at Gulf Hills. Captain Applegate was retired from the US Army. After a Florida honeymoon, the newlyweds planned to make their home in Ocean Springs.(The Jackson County Times, June 18, 1939, p. 4 and JXCO, Ms. MRB 29, p. 418)
Captain Applegate’s father, William E. Applegate Jr. (1876-1948) of Louisville, Kentucky, built a Dutch Colonial style at present day 13605 Paso Road in Gulf Hills. It may be oldest home extant at Gulf Hills. The Applegate home was considered a very modern home since it was equipped with the following conveniences: artesian water well; indoor plumbing facilities; hot water heater; electric plant for lights, refrigeration and ice; automatic sanitary sewerage disposal system; and an acetylene gas plant for cooking.(The Jackson County Times, August 30, 1924, p. 5)
Edwin C. and Dorothy Hunt Applegate had three children who were reared at Charleston, South Carolina: Susan Applegate, Samuel Applegate, and Arthur Hunt Applegate. In later life, Mrs. Applegate remarried to W.F. Pennebaker, a retired corporate lawyer who resided at Midland, Texas. They alternate their time between Charleston and Midland and are domiciled on East Battery Street on Charleston harbor.
Arthur B. Hunt Jr.
Lieutenant Arthur B. Hunt Jr. was killed in action November 21, 1944, at The Battle of the Bulge in Europe, while serving with the 323rd Infantry, 34th Division, U.S Army. He was a 1938 graduate of Ocean Springs High School and also attended Tulane University and The Citadel at Charleston, South Carolina.(The Jackson County Times, December 9, 1944, p. 1)
Lindbergh connection
Mr. Arthur B. Hunt was a first cousin to Elizabeth Reeve Cutter Morrow (1873-1955), the spouse of U.S. Senator Dwight W. Morrow (1873-1931) of New Jersey, the American ambassador to Mexico from 1927-1930. Mr. and Mrs. Morrow were the parents of Anne Spencer Morrow Lindbergh (1907-2001), wife of famous aviator, Charles A. Lindbergh (1902-1974), who flew The Spirit of St. Louis, the first aircraft to make a nonstop solo flight, across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927.(Dorothy Hunt Applegate Pennebaker, June 13, 2000)
The Jackson County Times of June 15, 1929, announced that "Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Hunt and family were honored by the newly wedded Lindberghs having received individual boxes of wedding cake. With the cake were cards in which had been written "with love Anne". The Hunts are related to the Morrow family".
In February 1934, Dorothy Hunt received a personally autographed photograph from Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh. She was frequent correspondent with the Lindbergh family.(The Jackson County Times, February 3, 1934)
Breezy Hill
The Hunt family referred to their cottage on Biloxi Bay at Ocean Springs as "Breezy Hill". Before a road was built on front beach, the home entered from the rear via a driveway from Martin Avenue through the Edward’s hotel property to the west. In the late 1920s, Mr. Arthur B. Hunt developed throat cancer and was sent to New York City in May 1928 for surgery. As a result of the surgery, he lost his voice and had a hole in his throat, which was covered by cheese cloth. He had been operated on at New York City in May 1928. Lost his voice.(The Jackson County Times, May 26, 1928, p. 2)
Mr. and Mrs. Hunt both had cancer and they eventually succumbed to it. He expired at Ocean Springs on December 8, 1951, and his corporal remains sent to the Metairie Cemetery for internment. Mrs. Rose Viguerie Hunt died circa 1972. It appears Dorothy Hunt Applegate inherited the property as she sold it to her son, Arthur Hunt Applegate of Houston, Texas in January 1982. (JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 728, p. 155)
In June 1983, Arthur Hunt Applegate now of Dallas, Texas conveyed the aging Hansen-Hannemann cottage to H. Duane Nowlin and Debra Jean Nowlin.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 768, p. 185)
H. Duane Nowlin
H. Duane Nowlin and spouse were domiciled at Del Ray Beach, Florida when they sold their Front Beach Drive cottage to Carl and Cheri W. Hanemann of New Orleans on February 5, 1985. No further information.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 815, p. 389)
Carl C. Hanemann
Carl C. Hanemann (b. 1944) is the son of Albert H. Hanemann and Marie Blancq. He was born at New Orleans. His father made his livelihood as a coffee taster in the Crescent City. Carl studied psychology at Tulane and matriculated to Harvard Law School where he was awarded a Law degree.(Cheri W. Hanemann, July 8, 2006)
In 1969, Carl C. Hanemann married Cheri Elise W. Hanemann (b. 1946),the daughter of Milton McClellan Walther (1920-1994), a chemical engineer and lawyer, who managed NOPSI gas, and Elise Cambon (b. 1922 ). Elise studied ceramic arts at Newcomb College. Carl and Cheri are the parents of two daughters: Elise “Peaches” Hanemann (b. 1970) and Marilee H. Gloss (b. 1975). Cheri is active in historic preservation in New Orleans and at Ocean Springs, her adopted home. She landscaped a garden in the Little Childrens’ Park, which became known as “the Butterfly Garden”.(Cheri W. Hanemann, July 8, 2006)
305 Front Beach Drive
This image was made in October 2005 of the remains of the Hansen-Hanemann cottage following its destruction by Hurricane Katrina. Image by Ray L. Bellande.
Hurricane Katrina
The Hanemann place was nearly destroyed by the inundation and force of the storm surge created by Katrina on the morning of August 29, 2005. The derelict cottage was removed by the US Corp of Engineers in their “clean-up” of Ocean Springs in the spring of 2006. Today the lot at Front Beach Drive is vacant as the Hanemanns have decided what to do with their investment.
REFERENCES:
A. Scott Berg, Lindberg, (G.P. Putnam’s Sons: New York-1998).
Ray L. Bellande, "Hansen-Widmer House", (unpublished essay), April 1993.
Faye Lewis Duvall Collection, "Staples Family", Pascagoula Public Library Genealogy and History Department, Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Essie Joseph and Marceline Landry Cavalier, Church History and Cemetery Listings Napoleonville, Louisiana, (Terrebonne Genealogical Society: Houma, Louisiana-1998).
Emily Staples Hearin, Colonels, Cotton, and Camellias, (Hearin: Mobile, Alabama).
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "Lewis Sha-Oldfields", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula, Mississippi-1989), pp. 46-47.
Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records (1863-1867), Volume 10, (Diocese of Baton Rouge Department of Archives: Baton Rouge, Louisiana-1993), p. 207.
Old Ocean Springs Historic District Survey, "Nomination Form", (Mississippi Department of Archives & History: Jackson, Mississippi-1986), p. 11.
The Chronicle-Star, "Katherine Lewis Staples Obit", March 14, 1930, p. 1, c. 7.
The Jackson County Times, “ “May 26, 1928, p. 2
The Jackson County Times, “Local and Personal”, June 15, 1929.
The Jackson County Times, "Applegate-Hunt", June 18, 1939.
The Jackson County Times, "Arthur Bradley Hunt Reported Killed in Action in Europe", September 9, 1944, p. 1.
The Jackson County Times, “W.E. Applegate”, October 6, 1948.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs Locals”, October 19, 1900.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs Locals”, October 26, 1900.
Personal Communication:
Vertalee Van Cleave-December 1990.
J.K. Lemon-June-July 1995.
Dorothy B. Hunt Applegate-June 13, 2000
Millie R. Delaune-April 3, 2006 and June 30, 2006.
Cheri W. Hanemann-July 8, 2006.
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THE MAGINNIS ESTATE
ARTHUR AMBROSE MAGINNIS (1815-1877)
A.A. Maginnis Estate
The commencement of the Maginnis family history at Ocean Springs is obfuscated somewhat by the destruction of the land deed records of Jackson County before March 1875. It is very probable that during the post-Bellum years and pre-1875, Arthur Ambrose Maginnis (1815-1877) and or his son, A.A. Maginnis Jr (1846-1901), two of the wealthiest men at New Orleans, purchased several lots in Block 17 (Culmseig Map of 1854), Section 25, T7S-R9W. Here on a high bluff, at the west beach, with over six-hundred feet of water front acreage, between present day Hillendale and McNamee, the Maginnis family erected a large mansion and several outbuildings. C.E. Schmidt (1904-1988) in his Ocean Springs French Beachhead (1972), describes the Maginnis estate as "along the Bay front East of Hillendale, and back to Porter Street. There was also a smaller house on the front, and servant cottages on Porter".
This beautiful site with an outstanding view of the Bay of Biloxi and Deer Island was just west of Oak Cottage, the family boarding house, owned by Irish immigrant, Julia Ward (1830-1894+). Charles W. Ziegler (1865-1936) and the Puringtons later occupied the Oak Cottage site.
The Maginnis family at New Orleans was synonymous with cottonseed oil and cotton mills. Arthur A. Maginnis Sr. (1815-1877), a native of Maryland, was the pioneer in the making of cottonseed oil at the Crescent City, when in 1856, he commenced the A.A. Maginnis' Cotton Seed Oil & Soap Works, and later Maginnis' Oil & Soap Works. With John H. Maginnis, possibly a brother or nephew, Arthur A. Maginnis founded A.A. Maginnis' Sons, who in 1882, promoted the Maginnis' Cotton Mills. The Maginnis' Cotton Mills were bounded by Calliope, Poeyfarre, Annunciation, and Constance Streets. The mills were considered models of their kind and employed nine hundred people. These workers operated 12,000 looms and 41,000 spindles to produce over 21,000,000 yards of cotton sheeting, shirting, osnaburg, yarn, bating, and duck cloth from over 12,000 bales of cotton.
Arthur Ambrose Maginnis married Elizabeth Jane Armstrong (1822-1901). She was a native of Liverpool, England, and immigrated to the United States with her Scottish parents as a small child. Her mother was Sarah Affleck Armstrong (1796-1882). The Maginnises had a least nine children: Sarah M. Nolan (1841-1894), John H. Maginnis (1845-1889), Arthur Ambrose Maginnis Jr. (1846-1901), Emma M. Gilmore (1849-1901+), Margaret C. Pescud (1852-1919), Charles B. Maginnis (1856-1909), William D. Maginnis (1858-1938), Laura M. Penrose (1861-1933), and Albert B. Maginnis (1864-1917).
From the land deed records of the Chancery Court of Jackson County, Sarah Armstrong, A.A. Maginnis's mother-in-law, also acquired a summer home at Ocean Springs. In 1862 and 1863, she bought eighty-two acres for $2200 from Joseph R. Plummer (1806-c. 1864) in Lot 5, Section 24, T7S-R9W.(1,2) This is on the Bay of Biloxi in an area of town that is now called Lovers Lane.
This estate came into the Maginnis family in January 1882, when Mrs. Armstrong sold it to her daughter, Elizabeth A. Maginnis.(3) Benjamin F. Parkinson (1859-1930) of New Orleans purchased the property in June 1907, for $2000 from the A.A. Maginnis Land Company. Parkinson was in the insurance business at New Orleans and Ocean Springs. He raised prize-winning chickens as a hobby at Ocean Springs. (4)
A.A. Maginnis Jr.
Arthur A. Maginnis Jr. (1846-1901) succeeded his father in the company operations and management. As such he was the president of Maginnis' Cotton Mills, Lafayette Warehouse Company, Planters Fertilizer Manufacturing Company, Hermitage Planting and Manufacturing Company, and the Louisiana Oil Company. Mr. Maginnis was also resident vice-president of the American Surety Company of New York.
A.A. Maginnis Jr. married Julia C. Fassman (1848-1867) of New Orleans. She died in the Crescent City on September 21, 1867, shortly after their espousal. He then wedded Mary Amelia Tweed (1851-1887). She may have been the daughter of William Marcy Tweed (1823-1878). W.M. Tweed was born at New York City and became leader of Tammany, the New York City Democratic political machine. He controlled party nominations and was known as Boss Tweed. His brother, John H. Maginnis (1853-1882), was married to Elizabeth Cornellson Tweed, possibly a sister of his wife. Arthur A. Maginnis Jr. and Mary A. Tweed had two children: Arthur A. Maginnis III (1874-1895) and Charles D. Maginnis (1878-1880).
As a child, A.A. Maginnis Jr. attended the New Orleans public schools. He abandoned his studies in 1862, to enlist in the forces of the Confederates States of America. At the mere age of fourteen, Maginnis was known as the youngest Rebel in active service. He served with his uncle, Captain John Tighlman Nolan, until the unit was disbanded. Maginnis was honorably discharged in 1864, as a member of the Miles Legion. After the Civil War, Arthur A. Maginnis Jr. was sent to New York to manage the family cottonseed oil company, which was headquartered at Coscob, Connecticut. In 1871, he returned to New Orleans and soon took command of the many Maginnis' family enterprises.
As a man of affluence at the Crescent City, Maginnis belonged to many social and fraternal organizations. He was one of the organizers of the Southern Yacht Club. Mr. Maginnis enjoyed several yachts. In addition to his flagship, Pickwick, which was built at New Orleans, he owned the Gypsy and Agnes. Maginnis served as Commodore of the Southern Yacht Club from 1881-1883, and was a member of Chalmette, Louisiana, La Variete, French Opera, Louisiana Jockey, and the Pickwick Clubs. In addition, his interest in Carnival saw him reign as Rex in 1880. At New Orleans, the family resided on the corner of Jackson Avenue and Prytania Street.
At his west beach villa at Ocean Springs, Mississippi, A.A. Maginnis Jr. owned a large olive grove planted with thousands of bearing trees imported from Italy. He also attempted to grow peanuts on his estate to manufacture peanut butter. This venture attracted two German immigrants, Augustus von Rosambeau (1849-1912) and Charles E. Pabst (1851-1920), from the Leon Godchaux sugar plantation in Louisiana to Ocean Springs. Although the peanut butter venture failed, von Rosambeau and Pabst remained at Ocean Springs and made successful careers here in business and horticulture respectively. Maginnis also oversaw a 3,000 acre sugar plantation at Ascension Parish, Louisiana near Donaldsonville. His sister, Mrs. John T. Nolan, probably lived on the farm with her family.
In an interview by Captain Ellis Handy (1891-1963), a writer for The Gulf Coast Times, Joseph L. "Dode" Schrieber (1873-1951) related the following about A.A. Maginnis Jr.: Ambrose McGinnis (sic) was a wealthy New Orleans man who built a large home here on the front beach not far from the bridge today. He commuted to work on the Club car of the Coast train. He was connected with Boss Tweed of New York by marriage. He planted olive trees, which did not do well. He raised cotton in the hope of developing a good oil from it. He raised peanuts in shares in the hope of making a butter from them. It was this venture, which brought Pabst and Rosambeau to Ocean Springs. Pabst sold out his share for three dollars. A son was killed by a flash of lightening as he came out of swimming.
Mr. McGinnis was a very positive man who wanted a yes or a no. He complained that the train whistles annoyed him and had the L&N put up signs "Blow Softly". He told his Negro manservant he was tired when he got in from the train and wanted a cold glass of milk brought to him each time he arrived. The man milked a half hour before train time and put the milk in bowls on ice. When Mr. McGinnis tasted the tasted the milk he said it was sour. The man said it could not be as he had just milked. Mr. McGinnis pulled a gun and made the man drink all the milk about two gallons, for contradicting him.(September 2, 1949)
While at Ocean Springs, the Maginnis family suffered several misfortunes and tragedies. In February 1888, the residence was burglarized. A.A. Maginnis Jr. lost $50 in cash and a gold watch and chain, which had been a gift to his late wife. It was valued at $500. In addition, the suspect, one John Clark, alias Doyle, had filled his satchel with food and wine from the Maginnis pantry. Clark had just been released from the jail at Biloxi.
The gale of August 1888 uprooted trees and dispersed limbs and leaves on the grand lawn of the Maginnis estate. They were less fortunate on July 4, 1889, when their brother, John A. Maginnis, was killed by a lightning bolt on the Maginnis pier as he returned from a swim in the bay.
A.A. Maginnis died on December 27, 1901, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. He was taken ill by a disease, which puzzled the finest physicians of Gotham and expired two weeks after succumbing to the malady. His brothers, Albert and Charles Maginnis, sister, Mrs. Thomas Gilmore, and nephew Harry Maginnis, were at his death bed.
The corporal remains of Arthur Ambrose Maginnis Jr. were sent to New Orleans and interred in the family mausoleum at the Metairie Cemetery. The large Maginnis tomb is on "Millionaire Circle" next to the twin mausoleums of the Schmidt and Ziegler families. It is interesting to note that the summer estates of these very wealthy New Orleans men were also contiguous to each other on the front beach at Ocean Springs, extending from present day Hillendale to just west of Martin Avenue.
The A.A. Maginnis Land Company of New Orleans took title to the Maginnis lands at Ocean Springs in the early 1900s. In December 1911, they leased the Maginnis property to the Keewatin School for Boys from Mercer, Wisconsin. The lease had a three year term with an option to purchase. Professor Keewatin's philosophy of education was to offer a maximum of outdoor life while maintaining a high grade of scholarship.
The Maginnis estate began to break up in June 1913, when the A.A. Maginnis Land Company sold a one-acre lot off the northeast corner of the tract to Katherine C. Ver Nooy (1863-1953).(5) Mrs. Ver Nooy was the daughter of D.V. Purington (1841-1914) and Jennie Purington (1846-1933) who resided east of the Maginnis property. Her husband, Charles B. Ver Nooy (1860-1921), was the vice-president and treasurer of the Illinois Brick Company of Chicago.
In April 1917, during WW I, The Jackson County Times reported that a squad of Mississippi soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Bond arrived at Ocean Springs to guard the L&N railroad bridge across the Bay of Biloxi. The small span across Davis Bayou was also under their surveillance. The troops were bivouacked on the Maginnis estate. By late April, the soldiers made their first arrest when Halstead Staples was incarcerated for failing to obey Lieutenants Bond's order to pass only through the draw. Staples in a skiff was attempting to pass under the bridge and was fired upon by one of the soldiers.
In June, the Army troops hosted a large picnic for the benefit of the Red Cross at their camp on the Maginnis estate. A large group of people attended the outdoor fete with their well stocked picnic baskets. A string band played music. There was also dancing, games, and amusement for everyone. In August 1925, the Maginnis Land Company sold the old Maginnis vacation home and the seventeen acres associated with it to Frederick B. Thomas for $8,500. F.E. Lee (1874-1932) was their real estate agent. Mr. Thomas came to the area from Winnetka, Illinois, and owned a home on East Beach, called "Oak Haven". Here he had an orange grove, Japanese persimmons, and a pecan orchard. James S. Bradford (1884-1963) was the manager of the Thomas orchards. Thus ended the long reign of one of New Orleans most wealthy families at Ocean Springs.
In the April 1943, Marko Skrmetta (1889-1943+), a native of Dalmatia and resident of Biloxi, acquired approximately three-quarters of the west segment of the former Maginnis estate from Marian L. Thomas, the widow of F.B. Thomas, for $8,000.(6) Mr. Skrmetta platted the Oak Bluff Subdivision here in September 1950.(7)
It is believed that the large Maginnis home was damaged by fire in the 1940s and dismantled. The heirs of F.B. Thomas may have been the owners at this time.
REFERENCES:
1. Jackson County, Ms. Land Deed Book 32, pp. 461-462.
2. ----------------------------- Book 32, p. 461.
3. ----------------------------- Book 5, pp. 579-580.
4. ----------------------------- Book 32, p. 462.
5. ----------------------------- Book 39, p. 339.
6. ----------------------------- Book 82, p. 541.
7. -------------------------Plat Book 2, p. 23.
Ray L. Bellande, Ocean Springs Hotels and Tourist Homes, (Bellande: Ocean Springs, Mississippi-1994), p. 141-142.
Regina Hines Ellison, Ocean Springs, 1892, (Second Edition), (Lewis Printing Services: Pascagoula, Mississippi-1990), pp. 31, 77, and 136.
Henri A. Gandolfo, Metairie Cemetery, An Historical Memoir, (Stewart Enterprises: New Orleans, Louisiana-1981), p. 50.
Flora K. Schieb, History of the Southern Yacht Club, (Pelican Publishing Company: Gretna, Louisiana-1986), pp.
35-36.
C.E. Schmidt, Ocean Springs French Beachhead, (Lewis Printing Services-Pascagoula, Mississippi-1972), pp. 121-122.
The Resources and Attractions of Progressive New Orleans, "Cotton Industries", (Young Mens'Business League: New Orleans-1895), p. 41.
Journals
Biloxi Herald, "Ocean Springs residence burglarized", February 4, 1888, p. 8.
Daily Picayune, "John H. Maginnis", November 7, 1882, p. 4.
Daily Picayune, "Will of A.A. Maginnis", January 8, 1902, p. 3.
Gulf Coast Times, "Know Your Neighbor", September 2, 1949.
Jackson County Times, "Local News Interest", April 14, 1917.
--------------------, "Local News Interest", April 28, 1917.
--------------------, "Soldiers camp on Maginnis place during WW I", June 9, 1917.
--------------------, "Local News", September 4, 1926.
--------------------, "Local and Personal", June 22, 1929.
Ocean Springs News, "Keewatin School For Boys Comes To Ocean Springs", December 23, 1911, p. 1.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, "Ocean Springs Locals", June 14, 1895.
-----------------------, "Ocean Springs Locals", May 8, 1896.
----------------------, "Ocean Springs Locals", November 15, 1901.
----------------------, "Ocean Springs Locals", December 27, 1901.
The Sunday States, "A.A. Maginnis Passes Away", December 29, 1901, p. 4, c. 6.
Times Picayune, "Insurance Patrol Founder Is Buried", April 25, 1930, p. 2, c. 6.
Personal Communication:
Plater Robinson (New Orleans)-July 1996.
John H. Maginnis (Covington, Louisiana)-Letter of August 5, 1996.
MAGINNIS OBITS
Arthur Ambrose Maginnis (1815-1877). d. August 19, 1877. The Daily Picayune, August 21, 1877, p. 2.
John Henry Maginnis (1853-1882)-b. August 2, 1853. d. November 7, 1882. Eldest son of Edward J. Maginnis. Residence 364 Tchoupitoulas Street. Daily Picayune, November 7, 1882, p. 4. Married to Elizabeth Cornellson Tweed.
John Henry Maginnis (1877-1906)-d. December 27, 1906. Youngest son of the late John Henry Maginnis and Lizzie Cornellson Tweed in the twenty-ninth year of his age. Services from his residence at 2127 Prytania Street. New Orleans Item, December 28, 1906, p. 2, c. 2.
MAGINNIS MARRIAGES
Sarah Eugenia Maginnis married John T. Nolan in June 1893, at Ocean Springs.
Margaret Cecelia Maginnis married Peter Francisco Pescud on June 13, 1883.
Emma Isabel Maginnis married Thomas N. Gilmore
William Daniel Maginnis married Anna Lee Henderson on January 25, 1893.
Laura Elizabeth Maginnis married George B. Penrose on November 16, 1887.
Albert Baldwin Maginnis married Regina DeBuys
Charles Benjamin Maginnis married Susan Karr Bush on June 6, 1882.
Mary Josephine Maginnis, daughter of John Henry Maginnis married George Rose on May 1, 1896. Children: George Rose Jr., Joseph Benson Rose, Reginald Rose, and Josephine Gwendolyn Rose, who married John William MacKay of the MacKay Postal telegraph. All live in the New York area.
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COCHRAN-LETOHA HOUSE: (1880-2007)
900 Robinson Avenue
[image made February 2000 by Ray L. bellande]
The land on which the Cochran-Letoha House was constructed in 1880 was originally part of the Andre Forne (Fournier) Tract. Fournier received a patent from the U.S. Government in 1849 on 160 acres comprising the SW/4 of Section 19, T7S-R8W. By 1877, E.W. Clark of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania owned large tracts of land in the Ocean Springs area including the lot that the Cochran-Letoha now rests. It is believed that he was speculating on land values through his local agent, entrepreneur George Allen Cox (1811-1887).
Thomas Cochran
In July 1877, Thomas Cochran (1852-1883), a native of Mobile, Alabama, who made his livelihood as a house carpenter purchased 1.25 acres (150 feet on Washington Avenue by 363 deep) on the southwest corner of present day Robinson and Washington Avenue from Mr. Clark for $140.(Jackson Co., Ms. Land Deed Bk. 5, pp. 622-623)
In the northwest corner of his tract circa 1880, Cochran built a one story wood frame house with a side gable roof and full width undercut gallery. A five bay facade with three transomed doors is flanked by two six-over-six double hung windows in the outer bays. Chamfered post with sawn brackets. Balustrade and intricate balusters.
Circa 1878, Thomas Cochran married Charlotte Franco (1862-1939), the daughter of Antonio Franco (1834-1891) and Genevieve "Jane" Rodriguez (1844-1915). Franco was a Portuguese immigrant while Jane Rodriguez was the daughter of Spanish immigrant Juan Rodriguez and Marie-Martha Ryan. The Juan Rodriguez and Pierre Ryan Families were the original settlers of present day Gulf Hills. They received land patents from the U.S. Government before 1850.
In 1874, the Francos settled on Old Fort Bayou and probably built a home, which later became the Bayou Inn of Dr. Henry Bradford Powell (1867-1949) in the early years of this Century. We know this place today as Aunt Jenny's Catfish Restaurant.
Thomas Cochran and Charlotte Franco Cochran had two children: Thomas Antonio ‘Tom’ Cochran (1879-1951) and Lillie Cochran (1881-1961). About the same time that he built his home, Thomas Cochran also built a two- story, wood frame building on the southwest corner of Washington Avenue and Robinson. This structure became known as the Franco Saloon when it was run by Antonio Franco, Tom Cochran's father-in-law. Unfortunately in 1883, Thomas Cochran died intestate at the young age of thirty- one years. Probably with the help of her parents, Charlotte Cochran reared her small children near the depot grounds.
In March 189 , a few years after the death of her father, Antonio Franco, Charlotte Franco Cochran effected a Commissioners sale on her saloon lot (80 feet on Washington by 120 feet on Robinson) through Jackson County Chancery Court Cause No. 675. George E. Arndt (1857-1945), a young entrepreneur from Rodney, Mississippi paid $1500 for the property. Arndt called his saloon the Paragon Saloon.(Jackson Co., Ms. Land Deed Bk.
In 1900, Charlotte Cochran was in real estate. She probably retired before WWI. She and her children resided at No. 5 Robinson Avenue for the remainder of their lives. In 1904, she rented her home to Illinois people and stayed with her daughter at New Orleans.(see Progress)
On January 14, 1939, Charlotte Cochran met death at an early hour. She was sitting in her chair at 4:30 AM watching the Theo Bechtel Home on Porter Avenue burn to the ground when she suffered an apparent heart attack. The Bechtel Home was a total loss, but Mrs. Theo Bechtel, her son, and Mrs. Guiterrez were saved. Charlotte Franco Cochran was survived by her two children and three brothers, Thomas P. Franco (1869-1951+), Walter Edward Franco (1883-1939+), and Antonio M. Franco (1878-1939+) who lived at Mobile.(The Daily Herald, January 14, 1939, p. 6 and The Jackson County Times, January 21, 1939, p. 3).
Tom A. Cochran worked as a railroad telegraph operator at the L&N Depot in Ocean Springs. He attended Soule's Business College at New Orleans in November 1898, and joined the L&N about 1904. Cochran worked for that organization for about forty-five years. Cochran was a member of the Order of Railway Telegraphers.
Miss Lilly Cochran
Lilly Cochran, who was named for her aunt, Lillie Franco Geiger (1863-1905). She attended the Industrial Institute and College (now MUW) at Columbus, Mississippi, in September 1898. Miss Lilly taught school at the Cochran House. Some of her pupils circa 1920, were the Bradford sisters: Bette Bradford Milsted (b. 1914), Eleanor Bradford Lemon (b. 1916), and Vertalee Bradford Van Cleave (1918-2004), Standish J. Bradford (1914-1992), and John Mitchell (1915-1963). Mrs. Cochran would bake bread for everyone. Miss Cochran also taught music and piano at the Cochran home. She also taught telegraphy to several local men, including Ralph Beaugez, who went on to become excellent telegraphers for the L&N Railroad.(The Daily Herald, July 16, 1954, p. 5)
After her brother died, Lilly Cochran rented the west side of her house as an apartment. One tenant was Joseph L. "Roy" Modlin (1927-1982) who worked as a plumber. Lilly Cochran died on December 29, 1961 in her home at 900 Robinson. She was found in bed that morning apparently the victim of a heart attack. The Cochran family was close. Neither child ever married, but it is related that Tom Cochran had many lady friends.
In an unusual request, Lilly Cochran had asked in her will that half of the proceed from the sale of the house be put into an account at the Ocean Springs State Bank to purchase flowers on All Saints Day, Easter, and Mother's Day for the graves of the Cochran-Geiger Families which are both interred at the Evergreen Cemetery on Fort Bayou. The remainder of the money was given to heirs of Miss Cochran.(JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause No. 16440-1962)
The Cochran House lie empty for nearly three years before the Cochran Estate, administered by Frederick L. Westbrook Jr. sold it to Wallace and Marilyn Cassanova on December 16, 1964. The selling price was $3770. Dolores Davidson "Bobbie" Smith assisted Cassanova with procuring the house.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 266, p. 215)
Wallace E. Cassanova
Wallace Eugene Cassanova (b. 1928) is a native of Biloxi. In November 1951, married Marilyn Johnson (b. 1930), the daughter of Ralph Johnson who hails from Chicago.(The Daily Herald, November 20, 1951, p. 5)
They had met the previous year in Jackson, Mississippi where both were employed with Coca Cola. The Cassanovas had four children: Linda C. Barker (b. 1952), Laura Louise C. Telarico (b. 1953), David Cassanova (b. 1954), and Loretta C. Bamford (b. 1956).
Laura Louise Casanova married Dominic J. Telarico on November 25, 1972. He was the son of Dominic J. Telarico and Angela A. Telarico.(The Ocean Springs Record, October 19, 1972, Sec. II, p. 2)
Mr. Cassanova worked for Barqs Root Beer in Biloxi as a vending machine mechanic before joining Chevron at Pascagoula about 1974. At the oil refinery, he worked as an operator in the blending and shipping division.
When the Cassanovas purchased the house from the Cochran Estate, it was in a state of demolition by neglect. In fact, it was referred to by children in the area as the "haunted house". Among those repairs effected by the new owners were: ceilings replastered, chimney between the two bedrooms on the east side removed because the mortar had turned to sand, composition roof over wooden shingles replaced with tin sheeting, replace broken window lights with with old glass, light fixture replaced by Mr. Mangin (Biloxi), dilapidated picket fence removed, rotten ballusters replaced, pine flooring repaired and refinished. Gerald Richard of Biloxi did the carpentry work for Wallace Cassanova.
Mr. Cassanova sold the Cochran House to the First National Bank of the South in October 1979 for $53,000. After the sale, the Cassanovas left their old home for a new residence in the Windsor Porte Subdivision located north of Fort Bayou.(Jackson Co., Ms. Land Deed Bk. 634, p. 251)
First National Bank of the South
After the bank bought the house, E.W. Pettus, a local carpenter, refurbished the house and Jumonville redid the floors under the supervision of J.K. Lemon. The old balusters that were placed in the attic by Cassanova were used as the model to construct new ones. The First National Bank of the South conveyed the Cochran-Cassanova house to Marvin L. Smith and Connie S. Smith of Harbor Realty in December 1983.(Jackson Co., Ms. Land Deed Bk. 779, p. 289)
Connie Smith
Central air and heat added and house leveled. In August 1987, the Smiths defaulted on a deed of trust with the Peoples Bank of Biloxi. They declared bankruptcy and moved to Florida. The house was sold in a trustees sale on November 2, 1988 to the Peoples Bank of Biloxi.(Jackson Co., Ms. Land Deed Bk. )
Sharon W. Dodds
Peoples Bank to Ross P. Dodds and Sharon Webber Dodds, his spouse, on January 31, 1989.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 931, p. 218)
Singing River Mental Health moved here from the Bauman Cottage at Washington Avenue in 1993. Leaving in April 1995. S.W. Dodds to Pamela Boudoin-Aimee’ and Douglas Letoha in
Letoha and Boudoin-Aimee’
Harmony Historic Inn
Bookstore, Harmony Inn B&B in late 2000. Rental
Katrina
Post-Katrina
900 Robinson
[image made June 2008 by Ray L. Bellande]
REFERENCES:
Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 16440, "The Estate of Lilly Cochran”, May 1962.
Journals
The Daily Herald, “Mrs.Cochran dies”, January 14, 1939.
The Daily Herald, “Woman dies as residence burns”,January 14, 1939.
The Daily Herald, “Thomas A. Cochran dies”, August 6, 1951.
The Daily Herald, “Cassanova-Johnson”, November 20, 1951.
The Daily Herald, “Ralph Beaugez retires after 40 years”, October 19, 1954.
The Daily Herald, “Miss Lily Cochran”, December 29, 1961.
The Daily Herald, “Cochran rites”, December 30, 1961.
The Daily Herald, “Cassanova-Telarico Engagement Announced”, October 19, 1972.
The Mississippi Press, “Business owner appeals historic district denial”, October 1, 2001.
The Gulf Coast Times, “T.A. (Tom) Cochran given surprise party Sunday”, July 7, 1950, p. 1.
The Jackson County Times, “Charlotte Franco Cochran”, January 21, 1939.
The Ocean Springs Record, “Mississippi Poetry Society’s South Branch event”, April 26, 2001.
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CLESI-BROOKS HOUSE-910 Calhoun-Lot 9
The home at 910 Calhoun was very likely the original von Rosambeau residence. It is estimated to date from circa 1881. The structure was built as a Greek Revival cottage, but survives today highly modified. A survey by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (1979) describes the house as: One and one-half story, wood frame house with a front gable roof. Three-bay undercut porch supported by Doric columns. Off center entrance with eared architrave. Second floor balcony recessed within the gable. New brick foundation. Greek revival and chalet. Circa 1880. (Mississippi Department of Archives and History-State Wide Survey of Historic Sites (1979), "Old Ocean Springs Historic District", p. 13)
In March 1880, Mary Ann “Mollie” Soden von Rosambeau (1857-1937), the wife of German immigrant, Augustin von Rosambeau (1849-1912), bought a tract of land on the southeast corner of Jackson Avenue and Calhoun from Margaret Foy (1840-1892).
The lot had a front on Jackson Avenue of 118 feet and 260 feet on Calhoun. This tract was divided into three lots designated Lot 7, Lot 8, and Lot 9 of Block 125. The residence at 910 Calhoun was built on Lot 9.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 4, pp. 570-571)
Dryden Rental
After the von Rosambeau Family built a grocery store and home at 420 Jackson Avenue circa 1890, they vacated this structure. The von Rosambeaus utilized 910 Calhoun as a rental unit for many years. In the winter of 1901, Charles Dryden (1860-1931), a nationally known sportswriter and humorist, began coming to Ocean Springs to vacation after the baseball season. Dryden enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and excellent fishing offered by the small village.
Charles Dryden's brother-in-law, John L. Davenport, was the top hat salesman for the Gage Brothers Millinery of Chicago. Davenport's work took him to many parts of America including Ocean Springs. There is a high degree of certitude that he met Augustin von Rosambeau (1849-1912) at his general store on Jackson Avenue. It is known that Davenport's wife, Louise Dryden Davenport, began vacationing at Ocean Springs as early as December 1900 with her young son, John Dryden Davenport (1893-1965). They stayed at the Rosambeau cottage. The Pascagoula Democrat-Star of January 18, 1901 reported, "Master Dryden Davenport, a precocious infant of seven years, caught a fine redfish off the pier of the Ocean Springs Hotel".(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, December 13, 1901)
Mrs. Davenport probably introduced Ocean Springs and the von Rosambeau family to her brother, Charles Dryden. In later years, Mrs. Davenport and John Dryden Davenport would join her brother at the von Rosambeau compound. Among other visitors from Chicago were eminent physicians, Drs. A.H. Bohart and Joseph Reese. Mr. Dryden loved to entertain his guests with dinner parties. His favorite meal was fresh fish caught from the fecund waters of Fort Bayou and the Bay of Biloxi. In time, the local people began to refer to his apartment on Calhoun as the "Fried Fish Inn". Often Dryden was the dinner guest of the von Rosambeau family.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, February 27, 1903 and September 11, 1903)
Dryden’s skill as an angler was lauded in January 1910, when he was fishing in Old Fort Bayou for perch and landed a seven-pound redfish. The skill being the ability to handle the larger fish on the small linen line used for the perch.(The Ocean Springs News, January 8, 1910)
In later years, it is believed that Charles Dryden began to utilize the newer von Rosambeau cottage at 908 Calhoun built in 1903. He referred to this cottage as his "Winter Rest". After Charles Dryden suffered a debilitating stroke in 1921, it is believed he stayed with his sister, Mrs. Davenport, on Jackson Avenue. He died at Ocean Springs on February 14, 1931. The body was sent to Monmouth, Illinois for burial.(John Dryden Davenport Jr.-March 1993)
Amy Clesi
In July 1947, when the three von Rosambeau sisters partitioned their mother's estate, 910 Calhoun became the real property of Amelia Theresa “Amy” von Rosambeau Clesi (1881-1958. There is a high degree of certitude that Amy Clesi was born in this house as her natal arrival was in November 1881.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 97, pp. 312-317)
Amy von Rosambeau married John J. Clesi of New Orleans on September 20, 1911, at the St. Alphonsus Church, which is adjacent to the von Rosambeau familial home on Jackson Avenue. As a young lady, Amy was the organist at the same church. The young couple lived at New Orleans where Clesi was the owner of his own enterprise called the Typewriter Emporium. He learned the trade as an employee of the Royal Typewriter Company. While employed with Royal, John Clesi was their best salesman in the South.
John and Amy von Rosambeau Clesi had a son, John Clesi Jr., who was born in March 1913. In 1973, he completed a very successful career as an oil scout with Humble Oil & Refining Company, now ExxonMobil.
After the death of Amy Clesi on January 17, 1958, her son, John Clesi Jr., of New Orleans inherited 908 Calhoun. He acquired it legally on May 30, 1959. John Clesi Jr. sold the property to John Fredrick Brooks for $8000 on October 20, 1961.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 215, p. 380)
J. Fredrick Brooks
John Fredrick “Fred” Brooks (1927-2004), a native of Ellisville, Mississippi, and his wife, Mary Imogene Clark (1930-2002), born at Eucutta in Wayne County, Mississippi came to Ocean Springs in 1961. She was the daughter of Marshall and Bernice Clark of Pascagoula. At the time Mr. Brooks was employed by the Mississippi Power Company and was transferred from their Pascagoula office. He left the utility business in 1974, and became self-employed in the auto parts retail business. Prior to his retirement, Fred Brooks was the proprietor of an automobile repair shop and auto parts store on Bienville Boulevard. The Brooks had four children: Theresa “Terri” Jean B. Mason (1951-2005), Debra B. Shotlander (b. 1953), Rene B. Rush (b. 1955), and John Brooks (b. 1968). Imogene Clark Brooks passed on September 17, 2002. Her corporal remains were interred in the Crestlawn Memorial Park in Ocean Springs. Fred Brooks died at Mobile, Alabama on August 29, 2004. Corporal remains at Crestlawn Memorial Park in Ocean Springs.(Fred Brooks-February 1993 and The Sun Herald, September 20, 2002 and August 31, 2004, p. A5 )
At the time of the Brooks purchase, the Clesi home was in poor condition. New owner, Fred Brooks, remodeled both the exterior and interior of his home. In the interior, he totally gutted the structure removing the fireplace, wall partitions, stairs, beaded board wall, and ceilings. The walls were replaced with wood paneling. On the exterior, Mr. Brooks removed the cypress turned posts, balusters, and wooden porch. He replaced the posts with Doric columns, cemented the porch foundation, and added old brick steps. A dining room was added to the west side of the structure.(Fred Brooks-February 1993 and June 2004)
In the summer of 2000, The Clesi-Brooks home was given an exterior painting and façade change. At the suggestion of the author, Mr. Brooks and Joie Mason, his son-in-law, replaced the out of character Doric columns with an appropriate substitute. A balustrade was added to the front porch matching the balcony balustrade.
Before his demise in August 2004, Fred Brooks sold his house to himself and Debra B. Shotlander.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1358, p. 548)
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von Rosambeau-Thetford Cottage: 908 Calhoun-Lot 8
In March 1880, Mary Ann Soden von Rosambeau (1857-1937) acquired a .70 acre tract of land on the southeast corner of Jackson Avenue and Calhoun from Margaret Foy (1840-1892). The von Rosambeau tract was divided into three lots designated
Lot 7, Lot 8, and Lot 9 of Block 125. The residence at 908 Calhoun was built on Lot 8.
Blanche Magdalen von Rosambeau (1892-1982) acquired this property in the partition of Mrs. Mary Ann von Rosambeau's estate in July 1947.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 4, pp. 570-571 and Bk. 97, pp. 312-317)
In the historic sites survey of the Old Ocean Springs Historic District (1979), 908 Calhoun is described as: One story, wood frame house with front gable roof. Three-bay undercut porch with turned posts and sawn brackets. Circa 1898.( Mississippi Department of Archives and History-State Wide Survey of Historic Sites,1979, p. 13)
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star announced on January 16, 1903, that "Mr. A.V. Rosambeau is erecting a neat six-room cottage on Calhoun Avenue". There is a high probability that this is 908 Calhoun. The von Rosambeau Family utilized it as a rental unit for many years. Probably the most famous person to stay here was the baseball writer, Charles Dryden (1860-1931). In fact, Dryden referred to 908 Calhoun as his "Winter Rest".(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, January 16, 1903)
In August 1972, Blanche von Rosambeau sold her home to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest H. Brown and Virginia Mary O'Keefe (b. 1950). After selling all of her real estate in 1972, Blanche moved to the Villa Maria retirement apartments at 921 Porter Avenue. Blanche von Rosambeau died in New Orleans at the age of eighty-nine years on May 5, 1982. Like all the von Rosambeau Family she is interred in the Evergreen Cemetery at Ocean Springs.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 437, p. 436)
Ernest H. Brown
Ernest H. “Ernie” Brown, son of Herman Brown and Theresia Brown of Biloxi, married Virginia Mary O'Keefe (b. 1950) on March 29, 1970. She is the daughter of Jeremiah J. O'Keefe III (b. 1923) and Annette Saxon O'Keefe (1924-1998) of Biloxi. The Browns had four children before their divorce circa 1979: Justin Ernest Brown (1973-2009), who was born while they resided in the house; Katelyn Annette Brown m. Andrew C. Catterall; Joshua C. Brown; and Clinton H. Brown m. Brandi B. Bond. In 1989, Ernest Brown owned the Southern Memorial Park Cemetery on the front beach at Biloxi. Virginia Brown has been employed as an elementary school teacher, tutor director for the Biloxi Public Schools, and vice-president and office manager of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Homes, Inc. The Browns conveyed 908 Calhoun to Wilbern H. Thetford and Janice Crews Thetford in August 1974.(The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, 1989, p. 303, JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 508, p. 370, and The Sun Herald, April 28, 2009, p. A4)
W. Hugh Thetford
Wilbern H. Thetford (b. 1931), called Hugh, met his wife, Janice L. Crews (1933-2002), in 1947, at Holdenville, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of Stanley and Madge Crews. Hugh and Janice married in 1949, and began an interesting career in the USAF, which took them to Labrador, Okinawa, Texas, and Mississippi. The Thetfords' two sons, Phillip Wayne Thetford (b. 1951) and Richard Rust Thetford (b. 1957), were born in Wichita Falls, Texas while they were stationed at Sheppard AFB. Phillip Thetford resides at Ashland, Virginia where he is a Presbyterian minister. Richard Thetford is an Apache helicopter pilot with the US Army stationed at Savannah, Georgia.(Janice C. Thetford-March 1993)
Phillip W. Thetford graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1976. He married Mary Flowers in January 1978 and departed Hattiesburg, Mississippi in July 1980 to study at the Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.(The Ocean Springs Record, May 22, 1980, p. 8)
Hugh Thetford retired from the USAF circa 1979, while stationed at Keesler Field in Biloxi. Immediately he took a consulting position with Lockheed Aircraft and was sent to Saudi Arabia. The nature of his assignment was to assist Lockheed in evaluating the self-sufficiency of the Royal Saudi Air Force. Hugh later found employment in the Civil Service at Keesler AFB.(Janice C. Thetford-March 1993)
Janice L. Thetford worked as a dispatcher for the Ocean Springs Police Department for two-and-one-half-years. In retirement, she occupied her time as an active participant in the Ocean Springs Garden Club and the Womens Club. Janice was a certified master flower judge and a past president of the local garden club. She expired in mid-January 2002. Her corporal remains were interred in the Biloxi National Cemetery.(The Sun Herald, January 20, 2002, p. A-11)
The Blanche von Rosambeau house is in near original condition. The Thetfords have completed a forty-foot addition to the rear of the house, and added some wallpaper paneling in the dining room. The two original fireplaces are in situ. A friendly "ghost", called Omar, roams the Thetford residence occasionally "borrowing" items like wedding rings. Omar always returns his booty after giving the owner some anxiety pains!
(Janice C. Thetford-March 1993)
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von Rosambeau-Gautier House-420 Jackson Avenue-Lot 7
In March 1880, Mary Ann Soden von Rosambeau (1857-1937), the wife of German immigrant, Augustus von Rosambeau (1849-1912), bought a tract of land on the southeast corner of Jackson Avenue and Calhoun from Margaret Foy (1840-1892).
The Lot had a front on Jackson Avenue of 118 feet and 260 feet on Calhoun. This tract was divided into three lots designated Lot 7, Lot 8, and Lot 9 of Block 125. The
residence at 420 Jackson Avenue was built on Lot 7.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 4, p. 570-571)
Marguerite H. von Rosambeau (1887-1972), called Margie, acquired Lot 7 of Block 125 in the Mary Ann von Rosambeau property partition of 1947. Upon the death of Margie von Rosambeau on May 16, 1972, John Clesi Jr. of New Orleans, her nephew, inherited the property. Almost immediately in June 1972, Mr. Clesi sold the house to Blanche von Rosambeau. On October 10, 1972, Thomas H. Gautier (b. 1945) and his wife, Caroline Brou Gautier (b. 1947), acquired Lot 7 from Miss Blanche von Rosambeau. (JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 97, pp. 312-317, JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 432, p. 430, Bk. 442, p. 436)
This structure was built in 1917, after the original von Rosambeau store and house, which was built circa 1890, burned to the ground. The fire began when an oil stove exploded. Young Margie von Rosambeau was the only occupant of the house when the conflagration commenced. All the families clothing and furnishings were lost with the exception of Mr. von Rosambeau's desk. It was saved as is now owned by Fred Brooks who resides at 910 Calhoun.(The Jackson County Times, November 17, 1917, p. 1)
The materials for the 1917 erection at 420 Jackson Avenue were obtained from the razing of the old Eliza Ames (1845-1917) residence on Cemetery Road (now Sunset). Leo von Rosambeau (1883-1931), the only son of Augustin von Rosambeau (1849-1912) and Mary Ann Soden (1857-1937), and a group of laborers did the work. The Jackson County Times of December 1, 1917, reported, "There is a lot of very fine building material in the old (Ames) structure and it will be used in a new bungalow to be erected by Mrs. A. von Rosambeau on the site of the store and residence recently destroyed by fire".
A store northwest of the house was part of the new construction. It was smaller than the original store and may have been more of a millinery shop than a general
mercantile store as before. It is believed that Mrs. von Rosambeau sold groceries while Margie vended hats and ribbons in their new venture. Probably as a consequence of
age, Mrs. von Rosambeau closed her store circa 1931. Mary Ann von Rosambeau died on February 10, 1937.(The Sun Herald, March 30, 1975, p. B-10)
Frank H. Bryan Jr. (1914-1999), a neighbor to the south, believed that this store was removed from the site by Orey A. Young Jr. (1892-1986) in the 1930s. This cannot be confirmed.
The house at 420 Jackson Avenue was described in the Old Ocean Springs Historical District Survey (1979) as:
Gautier House. One-and-one-half story wood frame house with a side gable roof pierced by a large central gabled dormer. Undercut three-bay gallery supported by box columns. Open soffits expose the rafter tails. Craftsman. Circa 1920.( Mississippi Department of Archives and History-State Wide Survey of Historic Sites,1979, p. 8)
Thomas and Caroline B. Gautier
Until October1972, Thomas Harry Gautier and Caroline Brou Gautier were the first people other than a von Rosambeau or descendant of this family to own 420 Jackson Avenue. This property had remained in the ownership of the von Rosambeau family for ninety-two years. Thomas H. Gautier and Caroline B. Gautier are both natives of Biloxi. They married in September 1969 and were the parents of three children: William Brou Gautier, Virginia Mercee Jane Gautier, and Adam Thomas Gautier.
Caroline B. Gautier was one of the first to introduce the skill of “windsurfing” to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. During the early 1990s, she operated at Biloxi, Hot Seasons, a sports shop, which specialized in skate boards, sail boards, inline skates and accessories.
In April 1996, Thomas H. Gautier quitclaimed his interest in the home to his spouse. They subsequently divorced in June 1999. Caroline is now employed in the local casino gaming industry and maintains her yard and historic home at 420 Jackson Avenue in her spare time.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1165, p. 173 and JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause 99-1004) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
VAN CLEAVE-WILSON COTTAGE: (1888-1994)
1011 Desoto Avenue
The Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage is located at 1011 Desoto Avenue in Section 19, T7S-R8W. The lot is located in Block 24 of the Culmseig Map (1854), and measures 57 feet on Desoto by 165 feet to the north. The land on which the house was built was originally part of the Andre Fournier Tract (1849). By the early 1870s, Edward Chase of St. Louis, Missouri was in possession of large tracts of land at Ocean Springs probably through the efforts of local land speculator George A. Cox (1811- 1887). Block 24, a small part of what was then called the Martin and Shortridge Tracts, was conveyed by Chase to Edward W. Clark of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in March 1874.(1)
By the mid-1870s, Block 24 was divided and a tract 194 feet x 228 feet on the northwest corner of Cash and Desoto was sold to R.A. Van Cleave by George and Edna Sumrall through their agent, Sardin Ramsay (1837-1920). The land tax rolls indicate the sale occurred between 1876 and 1878. The deed was kept by Van Cleave in an iron safe at his mercantile store and was stolen and never recorded. A new deed was filed on January 21, 1886.(2)
Robert Adrian Van Cleave (1840-1908) was a pioneer citizen of Ocean Springs. He was active in commerce and politics. Van Cleave operated a large mercantile store on Washington Avenue between Desoto and Robinson Avenues. The Van Cleave home was at the northeast corner of Washington and Desoto and this tract was literally in his back yard. From future sales records of this property, it appears Van Cleave built four rental cottages on this one-acre tract fronting on Desoto. Jackson County Land Roll data infer that these houses of which the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage is the only one extant, were built in 1888. The earliest Sanborn Map (1893) of Ocean Springs corroborates the VanCleave-Wilson Cottage on Desoto at that time.
In December 1896, Van Cleave and his wife, Elizabeth R. Sheppard (1840-1908), sold the tract to Mrs. Francesca Victoria Garrard for $2100.(3) In the deed the Van Cleaves also conveys "the four cottage(s), fences, and other improvements".(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. , p.
Mrs. Garrard (1839-1907) was married to a Kentuckian, James J. Garrard (1828-1902). Their children were James D. Garrard (1867-1871) and Joseph Bacon Garrard (1871-1915). In the late 1880s, the Garrards retired to Ocean Springs from New Orleans where he had been a partner in the cotton firm of Garrard & Craig.
In September 1886, Mrs. Garrard purchased three lots with a front of 290 feet on Iberville and Fort Bayou to the north from Francisco Coyle and F.M. Weed for $490.(4) On June 3, 1887, The Pascagoula Democratic-Star reported that "Mr. Garrard bought a lot at Ocean Springs and plans to build a large commodius dwelling house there. He will probably locate there permanently."(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. , p.
Here on the south bank of Fort Bayou, the Garrards built a Colonial Revival edifice in 1890, which they called "Bayou Home". Two of Mrs. Garrard's great grandchildren, Joseph Bacon Garrard II (b. 1939) and Jack Kling Garrard (b. 1950), reside on the old Garrard tract today.
Prior to 1892, J.J. Garrard had returned to business, and was a merchant probably selling hardware on Washington Avenue. His son, Joseph B. Garrard and his
wife, Carrie Johnson Garrard Everhart (1886-1968), followed this tradition.
In March 1904, the Garrards sold "three lots with houses on them" located on a tract of land with 168 feet on Desoto and 185 feet on Cash to Dr. O.L. Bailey for $1500.
It appears, the Garrards retained the cottage on the northwest corner of Desoto and Cash with the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage going to Dr. O.L. Bailey.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. , p.
Dr. O.L. Bailey
Dr. Oscar L. Bailey (1870-1938) was a native of Newton County, Mississippi. He received his medical degree in St. Louis and came to Ocean Springs circa 1897 from Lake, Mississippi. Bailey was married to Birdie Anderson (1876-1925) of Edwards. They reared four children at Ocean Springs: Mrs. Beryl Parker Wood (1896-1986), Bemis Bailey (1898-1969), Mrs. Clothilde Campbell (1901-1995), and Mrs. Salome Watkins (1903). After his wife died in 1925, Bailey married Maude Holloway (1901-1980) of North Biloxi.
Dr. Bailey owned a great deal of real estate during his life time. While he owned this house, he also owned the Van Cleave Hotel, called "The Inn" at this time, on the southeast corner of Washington and Robinson. Bailey built a building on Washington Avenue in 1927, which now houses the Lovelace Drugs. It is assumed that Bailey utilized the cottage as a rental unit. When he sold it to Fred S. Bradford in April 1909 for $600, the lot was described as commencing 171 feet west of the northwest corner of Cash and Desoto, thence 57 feet west, north 185 feet, east 57 feet, and south 185 feet to the point of beginning.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. , p. 6)
Frederick S. Bradford
Frederick Semmes Bradford (1878-1951) was a general contractor. He built many houses and buildings at Ocean Springs, which are extant. The First Baptist Church on Porter and Bellande was built by John Burr (1875-1916) and Bradford in 1909. They also built an addition to Dr. Powell's Sanitarium (1909) and the New Beach Hotel (1909).
Fred Bradford married Letetia Carver (1881-1968), a native of Bay St. Louis. Her father, David Carver (b. 1836), had come to Ocean Springs from Hancock County to operate the Fort Bayou ferry. The Bradfords were from Connecticut and settled in Jackson County circa 1804. Sherwood Bradford (1838-1922), Fred's father, was the first teacher in a Jackson County school which was held at the Tide Water Baptist Church on Davis Bayou. He married Eleanora Davis (1851-1938).
The Fred Bradfords had four children: Matilda E. Milsted (b. 1913), Eleanora F. Lemon (b. 1915), Vertalee B. Van Cleave (1916-204), and Margaret B. Chasteen (1917-1977). Matilda, called Betty, was born in the Desoto Avenue house on May 14, 1914. As the family began to outgrow the small cottage, Fred Bradford built a larger home on the southwest corner of Bowen and Van Cleave Avenues. The other children were born here. Today, Vertalee Van Cleave resides in the old Bradford Family home at 1212 Bowen. Fred Bradford sold his Desoto Avenue cottage to William E. Wilson in March 1914 for $700.(7)
Circa 1906, William Edward Wilson, called Ed, had come to Ocean Springs from Wabash County, Indiana probably with the L&N Railroad. He met Ida Antonia Fayard Smith (1884-1978), a young divorcee with two small children. They married on September 30, 1908.
Ida A. Fayard had married George T. Smith, a native of Michigan, in August 1900. They had a son, Otis Fayard Smith (1902-1977), and a daughter, Ida Mae Chaillot (1903-1922). Smith abandoned his family, and Ida F. Smith was granted a divorce in the Chancery Court of Jackson County in March 1908 (Cause No. 1697). It is believed that he moved to Baldwin County, Alabama where he farmed.
Ida Wilson was the daughter of Leonard Fayard (1847-1923) and Martha Westbrook (1851-1919). Martha Westbrook was the sister of Edwin Martin Westbrook (1857-1913), the barber of Washington Avenue, who fathered eight sons and a daughter. The Westbrooks were well known as railroad men. In 1900, Mr. Fayard made his livelihood as a guard at the quarantine station (Ship Island), and as a railroad driver in 1910. The Fayards married in 1867, and had ten children. Those children known are: Emile Edward (1872- 1931), Louise Elizabeth Fayard (1876-1876), Leonard Fayard (1881-1958), Virginia F. Champlin (1877), Ida F. Wilson (1884-1978), John Alexander Fayard (b. 1886), and Oliver Fayard (1890-1950).
Ed Wilson operated the first hamburger shop at Ocean Springs commencing circa 1908. He closed his restaurant in 1924, and opened the Wilson Cash and Carry Store in December 1924, next to their Desoto Avenue home. Ed Wilson ran an advertisement in the Jackson County Times of June 20, 1925, which read as follows:
WILSON'S
Cash and Carry Store
The Place To Save Money
10 lbs. of Sugar-------------------------------------70c
Flavoring Extracts------------------------------------9c
Oblisk Flour---------------------------------------$1.65
Sunset Self Rising Flour 24lb. sack----------------$1.45
Libbys Sliced Pineapple------------------------------18c
Pet and Carnation Milk, Tall-------------------------12c
Any 10c Tobacco 3 for--------------------------------25c
The store sat in the southeast corner of the lot and had an area of approximately five hundred square-feet. At the time, the other stores at Ocean Springs were: A.C. Gottsche, E.S. Davis, W.S. Van Cleave, Baker Grocery & Coffee, and G. Bradshaw. The Wilson store was neat and well stocked with a good selection of groceries, tobacco, and other goods. Mr. Wilson sold his wares for cash at discount prices. In July 1936, Mrs. Ida Wilson opened a confection shop in her store building. She sold ice cream, cake, snowballs, and candy. It is believed John Alexander Fayard (1886-1958)) built the store for his sister. It was torn down in the 1950s. A remnant of a brick pier from the store remains in situ in the yard today.
Ed Wilson passed away on March 17, 1926. He was a member of the McLeod Lodge No. 424 F&AM, Biloxi Elks Lodge, Ocean Springs Social Club, and Indiana Order of Odd Fellows.
A few years after Ed Wilson died, Mrs. Ida Wilson began to work at the A.C. Gottsche Store on Washington Avenue. She was employed here from 1931 to 1958.
During the Depression year of 1934, Mrs. Wilson sold her home to Charles H. Mills for $750.(8) Shortly thereafter, Mills conveyed it back to her.(9)
In August 1970, Mrs. Wilson sold the northern most twenty-five feet of her lot to James H. and Audrey Tate Durbin.(10) Durbin operated a TV business on Washington Avenue.
Ida Wilson was known and loved by all of Ocean Springs. She was a fine Christian lady. In her retirement, she took the time to write notes of encouragement to the ill and infirmed. Her mind and wit were still keen at 82 years.
The following is offered about Mrs. Wilson's children:
Otis F. Smith
Otis F. Smith died on October 6, 1978, preceding his mother in death. Probably the first job that Otis Smith held was with the Radcliffe Chautauqua. When they came to Ocean Springs in February 1918, he joined them as company property and tent manager. Smith traveled with the group until they returned to Ocean Springs in May 1919. Immediately upon his return here, in June 1919, Otis Smith joined the Navy. He was a light heavy weight boxer, and was successful in the ring while in the service. Smith later was a sparring partner of Jack Dempsey at his California training camp. Remained at Cle Elum, Washington a coal mining center in central Washington until July 1929. In 1934, Otis Smith working at the Kraft Paper Mill in Mobile. He had been there for a few years.
Smith was a merchant marine and worked on towboats on the Mississippi River. He later worked in New Orleans as a hotel desk clerk and in the frozen food storage business. Smith retired in 1968, and lived with Mrs. Wilson in her Desoto Avenue cottage.
Ida Mae Smith
Ida Mae Smith (1903-1922) was employed as the assistant mail clerk in the Ocean Springs Post Office in May 1919. She married William L. Chaillot circa late 1919. In November 1919, he operated the Acme Tailoring Parlor in the Bertuccini Building next to The Jackson County Times office on Washington Avenue. They relocated to Texas in 1920, and lived at Houston, where Mr. Chaillot was employed by Humble Oil and Refining Company. Ida May Chaillot returned to Ocean Springs in early 1922, suffering with tuberculosis. She died here on April 25, 1922.(The Jackson County Times, July 31, 1920, p. 3 and The Daily Herald, April 29, 1922, p. 3)
After Mrs. Ida Wilson died on February 15, 1978, her nephews, Charles A. Fayard (b. 1925) and James L. Fayard (1926-1990), inherited the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage. (Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 34170, "Estate of Ida F. Wilson", 1978)
James "Jimmy" Fayard died in June 1990. He was a Navy veteran of WWII and later worked as an optical technician for Alpha Optical at Ocean Springs. Fayard was survived by his wife, Florita, and children: Jason T. Fayard, David M. Fayard, and Lori Fayard. They held the property until January 9, 1981, when they conveyed it to David M. Allen.(12)
David M. Allen
David M. Allen (b. 1945) is the son of William R. Allen, Jr. (1911-1985), and Cornelia King Marion (1922-1994). William R. Allen, Jr. was a local architect of renown and an art dealer. He owned the Farmers and Merchants State Bank Building on Washington Avenue from 1971 until his demise in 1985. Allen operated "Gallery Up" and later Robbie's at this location.
David Allen was born at Memphis, Tennessee. He received a law degree from Tulane University at New Orleans. Allen has worked in the petroleum industry as a landman with Exxon, and is now employed with an independent oil company, Legacy Petroleum. David Allen owned the property for a few days before conveying it to Jennie Elkin Kennett in Janaury 1981.(13)
Jennie Elkin Kennett
Jennie Elkin Kennett was born at Midland, Texas in 1912. Here she was reared on a ranch where she lived the life of a real "cowgirl" participating in roundups. Mrs. Kennett now resides at Kinderhook, New York, south of Albany near the Massachusetts line. Kinderhook, a small town east of the Hudson River, is the birth place of our eight president, Martin Van Buren. She and her husband, Earl Kennett, were introduced in Dallas, Texas by William Allen, Jr. Earl Kennett is a well-known jazz pianist. He was born at Augusta, Kansas in 1912. Kennett played music in the New York City area for many years with the best musicians of his time. In his playing days, he was known as "a musicians musician" because of his fine ear. Kennett's hobby was recording music and he became a fine recording engineer. At present, his health is poor as his renal system is failing.
Mrs. Kennett was in New Orleans at a business conference in the early 1980s, and came to Ocean Springs to visit William Allen, Jr. He convinced her to buy the Wilson Cottage as an investment. Maria Bargas and William R. Allen, III refurbished the cottage for Mrs. Kennett. They had it leveled, removed the front porch, glassed the side porch, added skylights, and generally improved the appearance of the building.
The Kennetts lived in their Desoto Avenue home for about seven months probably in 1982. While they were here, Earl played piano at Robbies, Allen's lounge, on the second floor of the Farmers and Merchants Bank Building. The Kennetts enjoyed Ocean Springs. Mrs. Kennett loved the charm of the city. She especially remembers Founders Day (d'Iberville's Landing), and the great community spirit.
Mrs. Kennett rented her house to the architectural firm of Allen-Bargas for several years before she conveyed it to Benjamin P. Watkins in December 1986.(14)
Benjamin P. Watkins
Benjamin Porter Watkins (1913-1993) utilized the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage as his art studio. He called it the Watkins Studio Gallery. Watkins was a retired university art professor. Well educated in his field, Ben Watkins had received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in art history from the University of Minnesota in 1971. Ben Watkins was born on February 19, 1913 at Brookhaven, Mississippi. He matriculated to LSU where he earned a Bachelor and Masters degree. Watkins also studied with contemporary masters in the sculpture, pottery, and art restoration are
Dr. Watkins taught at Phillips University, Southern Illinois University, and retired while at Eastern Illinois University where he taught from 1971-1984. He was a visiting professor of art history at the University of Evansville (Indiana) during his retirement years. Widower, Ben Watkins, came to Ocean Springs in 1985. He met and married Inez Delaney Gordon, herself a widow. They resided in the St. Martin Community across Old Fort Bayou.(JXCO, Ms. MRB 153, p. 357)
Ben Watkins melded well with the locals. He became a regular at Henrietta's morning coffee club. Watkins and local artist and etcher, Glenn Miller, became close friends. Glenn would spend hours with Ben at his studio discussing art and politics.
Death came quickly to Ben Watkins in his beloved art studio on November 23, 1993. He suffered from a rupture of his aorta. Friend and fellow artist, Glenn Miller memorialized Watkin's demise in this poem:
Ben, I went to your studio today.
All that was left were torn off
buttons of your gentle shirt.
They tried to save you there on
the floor. Medical debris lying
where you died.
I held the buttons and cried.
Ben, an artist full of knowledge and skill.
Ben, the teacher, the lover of books,
a farm boy who became scholar,
a good breed of man with honor.
Our sparkling conversation
on history and art. The shape
of trees, the proper shade of green.
Ben Watkins, your death was
a robbery, too swiftly taken.
I wasn't through enjoying you.
Inez Gordon Watkins sold the Watkins Studio to Ray L. Bellande (b. 1943) on February 3, 1994.(15) Bellande arrived at Ocean Springs in May 1990, and acquired the Arndt Cottage at 822 Porter from Marie Arndt Alexander (1905-1994).(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. , p.
Ray L. Bellande
Like many current residents of Ocean Springs, Ray L. Bellande was born at Biloxi. He grew up in the tough Back Bay section, and received his education at both parochial (St Johns) and public schools (Gorenflo). A 1961 graduate of Biloxi Senior High School, Bellande practiced in the same backfield with former Mississippi State University head football coach, Jackie Sherrill.
In August 1965, after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Geology from Mississippi State University, Ray L. Bellande joined Humble Oil & Refining Company (now Exxon) at New Orleans. He later explored for oil and gas from Exxon offices and affiliates at Shreveport, Louisiana; Los Angeles, California; the Far East (Djakarta, Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Singapore); and Kingsville, Texas.
Bellande joined the offshore division of Tenneco Oil at Lafayette, Louisiana in 1973. At Lafayette, he eventually became an independent geologist and oil operator exploring for and producing hydrocarbons primarily in southwest Louisiana as Polaris Production Company.
Bellande discovered his "roots" at Ocean Springs, and enjoys researching and writing of his finds. He has written this column for the Ocean Springs Record for nearly The experience has been rewarding as it has opened many doors to the past. Bellande has "adopted or to know through his research. He looks forward to completing a book this year on the history of the older homes at Ocean Springs.
Renovations and improvements
Since his ownership of the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage, Bellande has done some interior painting and renovations, repaired the roof on the out building, and erected a picket fence. He has utilized the edifice as a rental cottage since May of 1994.
Insight Institute, the primary lessor, occupied the building from 1997-until September 1, 2004. Sandra Hall Anderson Diaz, proprietor.
In the fall and winter of 1999-2000, the exterior of the building sanded and repainted a lavender color by Ray L. Bellande with the assistance of T.K. Lively. New railing installed in July 2000, by Charles L. “Larry” Galle, son of Clarence Galle.
New fence on east side of property in the spring of 2001 by Galle and Bellande.
Brick piers on the south, west, and north replaced in March-April 2003, by Roy A. Bellande and Ray L. Bellande. Front deck also replaced and side deck leveled as piers were slanted to the east. Side deck rebuilt in the spring of 2004 by Roy and Ray L. Bellande.
In September 2004, Bellande entered into a lease purchase agreement with Dr. Wesley C. Burkhardt Jr. Dr. Burkhardt (b. 1942), a native of New Orleans, is a genetics specialist. He received his PhD from the University of Mississippi. Lived in Natchez, Mississippi where he taught for USM campus there. Organized Medical Genetics and Legal Genetics. In 1986, recognized as the first certified genetics lab in the State of Mississippi.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1358, p. 107)
In October 2004, Bellande and Burkhardt gutted the former kitchen and bathroom to make one large bathroom. Roy Bellande was hired to replace rotten sills and joists and to rebuild pier system in the northeast corner of the structure.
Dr. Wesley C. Burkhardt Jr. and Eileen H. Burkhardt, his spouse, were conveyed the Van Cleave-Wilson House by Ray L. Bellande in September 2005.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1392, p. 790)
In April 2006, Dr. Burkhardt sold to Alfred R. 'Fred' Moran.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1410, p. 341)
Moran rented to Eco- and in late 2006, “Flying Wild”, a unique outlet for nature enthusiasts in particularly ‘birders’. Vended bird feeders, houses, gourmet seed, books and bird bathes. Catherine Biggs-Owens, proprietor.
REFERENCES:
1. Jackson County Deed Book 6, pp. 30-31.
2. ------------------- Book 8, p. 462.
3. ------------------- Book 17, p. 610.
4. ------------------- Book 8, pp. 283-285.
5. ------------------- Book 27, pp. 595-596.
6. ------------------- Book 34, p. 466.
7. ------------------- Book 40, p. 262.
8. ------------------- Book 66, pp. 472-473.
9. ------------------- Book 78, p. 189.
10. ------------------- Book 382, p. 399.
Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 34170, "Estate of Ida F. Wilson", 1978.
11. ------------------- Book 658, p. 536.
12. ------------------- Book 696, p. 678.
13. ------------------- Book 696, p. 480.
14.--------------------- Book 950, p. 433
15. Jackson County Deed of Trust Book 965, p. 93.
16. Jackson County Deed Book 1112, p. 343.
Ray L. Bellande, Ocean Springs Hotels and Tourist Homes, (Bellande: Ocean Springs-1994), pp. 51-57.
Regina Hines Ellison, Ocean Springs, 1892 (Second Edition), (Lewis Printing Services: Pascagoula-1991), pp. 4, and 52.
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "William Bradford", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989), pp. 139-140.
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "James J. Garrard", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989) p. 213.
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "Van Cleave-Bradford Families", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989)pp. 375-376.
Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, "Kinderhook, N.Y.", (Merriam-Webster, Inc.: Springfield, Massachusetts-1984), p. 611.
Chancery Court Cases
Jackson County Chancery Court Cause No. 1697, "Smith v. Smith", 1908.
Jackson County Chancery Court Cause No. 33430, "Estate of Otis F. Smith", 1978.
Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 34170, "Estate of Ida F. Wilson", 1978.
Journals
The Daily Herald, "Ida Mae Chaillot Obit", April 29, 1922, p. 3.
The Daily Herald, "Old Resident of Ocean Springs Dies", March 17, 1926, p. 1.
------------, "F.S. Bradford Dies", January 10, 1951, p. 6.
The Daily Herald, "Mrs. L.C. Bradford", May 29, 1968, p. 2.
------------, "Otis F. Smith", October 7, 1977, p. A-2.
------------, "Mrs. Ida Antonia Wilson", February 15, 1978, p. A-2.
The Jackson County Times, Local News Interest, February 2, 1918.
--------------------, Local News Interest, April 19, 1919.
--------------------, Local News Interest, May 10, 1919.
--------------------, "Local News Interest", June 7, 1919.
--------------------, "Local News Interest", November 1, 1919.
--------------------, "Local New Items", July 31, 1920.
--------------------, Local and Personal, December 20, 1924.
The Jackson County Times, Local and Personal, September 5, 1925.
--------------------, "Sudden Death of W.E. Wilson is Shock to Ocean Springs", March 20, 1926, p. 3.
--------------------, "Local and Personal", July 13, 1929, p. 2.
--------------------, "Local and Personal", September 1, 1934.
--------------------, "Local and Personal", July 4, 1936
The Ocean Springs News, "Baptist to Build Handsome Edifice", February 13, 1909, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Reaches 82nd Birthday" (Ida Wilson), September 15, 1966, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs Record, “Noted artist, author to speak to Ocean Springs Art Association”, February 6, 1986, p. 7.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Memorial to Ben Watkins", November 28, 1993, p. 2.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Sous Les Chenes", January , 1994.
The Sun Herald, "James 'Jimmy' Fayard", June 7, 1990, p. C-2.
The Sun Herald, "Benjamin Porter Watkins", November 24, 1993.
Jackson County Land Rolls-(1879), p. 104; (1887), p. 125; (1889), p. 132; and (1909), p. 322.
US CENSUS-Jackson County, Mississippi (1900, 1910, and 1920).
MAPS:
Sanborn Map Company (New York), "Ocean Springs, Mississippi", (1904)-Sheet 1, (1909)-Sheet 2, (1925)-Sheet 1.
Personal Communication:
J.K. Lemon-January 10, 1994
Margaret S. Norman-January 12, 1994
W. Bradford Lemon-February 17,1994
Charles Fayard-March 22, 1994
Jennie F. Kennett-May 24, 1994
Maria Bargas-June 9, 1994
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Case-Russell Home: (1881-1933)
Washington Avenue
Dr. Don Carlos Case
In a 19th Century Ocean Springs, the Dr. Don Carlos Case family lived on the southwest corner of Porter and Washington Avenue. They had relocated to Ocean Springs from New Orleans in June 1878. Dr. Case was lauded by The Pascagoula Democrat-Star as, “an eminent and experienced physician and surgeon of over thirty years practice in New Orleans and the Mississippi valley…in offering his professional services to our people he is also willing to hold consultations with the other physicians along the coast”.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, June 7, 1878, p. 3)
In December 1880, Mrs. Martha A. Case purchased Lots 9 and 10 of Block 34 (Culmseig Map of 1854) from Margaret Anderson of Round Island. The combined lots had an area of 1.36 acres.(Jackson County Land Deed Bk. 5, pp. 16-17).
At this excellent location, in the heart of a vibrant tourist community, the Cases built, commencing in January 1881, a large neo-colonial style home costing $2000. The two-story, wood frame, edifice had over 5000 square feet of living area and a 500 square-foot front gallery. The small office of Dr. Case was attached to the northwest corner of the house and faced Porter Avenue.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, February 4, 1881, p. 3 and Sanborn Insurance Map, Ocean Springs-July 1898, Sheet 2)
1881 Case-Russell House
Dr. Don Carlos Case
Dr. Don Carlos Case (1819-1885) was born at Albany, New York on December 27, 1819. He attended the University of Missouri Medical College at St. Louis. Case was issued a license No. 1425 to practice medicine in Jackson County, Mississippi on June 8, 1882. His initial medical experiences commenced in 1847, probably at Missouri.(Rodgers, 1990, p. 9)
Dr. Case married Martha A. Thomas (1829-1902) who was born at Bouie County, Kentucky. Her father was a native of Virginia while her mother was also a Kentuckian. The Cases had three children: May Jane Case Emery (1860-1902+), Francis "Fanny" Shiloh Case Leftwich (1863-1947), and Charles T. Case (1867-1896). The girls were born at New Madrid, Missouri. It is believed that the Case family left New Madrid for New Orleans during the Civil War. Charles T. Case was born in the Crescent City.
May Jane Case
Gunfight with Father John C. Ahern
In early March 1881, a confrontation occurred on the street at Ocean Springs between Father John C. Ahern, the local Catholic priest, and Mr. C.F. Emery. In a duel-like scenario, Emery and Ahern, each armed with pistols, met and a single shot was fired by the Reverend Ahern. Sheriff John E. Clark was summoned from Pascagoula to bring peace. Professor Emery surrendered to the Justice of the Peace, Harry H. Minor (1837-1884), and was released on his own recognizance. Father Ahern was not as docile. He belligerent behavior before Judge Minor’s court resulted in his incarceration and a $35 fine. Professor Emery and family left the Pascagoula public school system for Fort Smith, Arkansas at the close of the school term in May 1881. He planned to practice law in Arkansas.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, March 11, 1881, p. 3 and May 20, 1881, p. 3)
Circa 1890, C.F. Emery became a Christian minister. He served as the pastor of Methodist Episcopal parishes at in the Mississippi towns of: Columbia, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Brandon, Meridian, Vicksburg, Natchez, Hattiesburg, Waynesboro, Tylertown, and Fayette. Charles and May Case Emery had at least two children: Charles Franklin Emery (1879-1950) and Don Carlos Emery (1880-1907). Charles Franklin Emery practiced law. He died at Corpus Christi, Texas on February 13, 1950. Don Carlos Emery named for his grandfather, Don Carlos Case, died at Brandon, Mississippi. Both are buried in the Evergreen Cemetery at Ocean Springs in the Case-Emery Family plot.
Fanny Shiloh Case
In 1881, at Ocean Springs, Fanny Shiloh Case married Jesse Bion Leftwich (1857-1923), a native of Florence, Alabama. Leftwich was the son of Jessie George Washington Leftwich (1823-1906) and Agnes Pollock Leftwich (1831-1915). They were natives of Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee and Ohio respectively. In May 1877, Agnes Leftwich purchased the John H. Brown house on Fort Bayou, now 810 Iberville, from George A. Cox (1811-1887). Here J.G. Leftwich made his livelihood as a sugar planter. In September 1887, the Leftwich family sold their Ocean Springs property and moved to Mobile. Jessie B. Leftwich and Fanny Case had five children: Alma L. Fullton (b. 1882), Velma L. Lassiter (b. 1882), Beulah L. Norquist (b. 1884), Jessie Bion Leftwich (1890-1892), and Jess Harold Leftwich (b. 1896). In 1902, the family resided at 811 Dauphin Street in Mobile, Alabama.(Laura Lee Norquist, Mobile, Alabama)
Charles T. Case
Charles T. Case (1857-1896) married Roberta Staples (1864-1928) on July 10, 1886. She was the daughter of L. Gordon Staples of Greensboro, North Carolina and Adeline A. Terrell (1829-1902) of Covington, Louisiana. The Staples resided at New Orleans and owned property on the Fort Point peninsula at Ocean Springs.
Roberta S. Case had many siblings. Among them were: Mary Eleanor “May” S. Poitevent (1847-1932), Lillian Clotilette S. Ryan (1850-1928+), Frederick Staples (1852-1897), Louise V. Staples (1853-1910+), Walter Solomon Staples (1855-1856), Mathilde Lenora Lewis (1858-1928+), Gustave Toussant Beauregard Staples (b. 1861), Laura Estelle Staples (b. 1865), Volumnia H. Davis (1867-1897+), and Stella Staples (1871-1928+).
The union of Charles and Roberta Staples Case produced three sons: Carl Theodore Case (1888-1927+), Gordon Staples Case (1890-1927), and Frederick Pendleton Case (d. pre-1924).
In October 1896, Charles T. Case died at Nashville, Tennessee where he worked as the private secretary of H.C. Fisher, the Superintendent of the Southern Express Company.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, October 16, 1896, p. 30
His widow, Roberta S. Case, was residing at 1109 Rokeby Place at Nashville, in 1902. She moved to Ocean Springs before 1920, and resided on front beach at “Case Villa” with her sons, Carl T. Case and Gordon S. Case, a medical illustrator. Circa 1911, Carl T. Case had married Edwina Lynd (b. 1892) of New Orleans. Her father, Thomas B. Lynd (1862-1915), was an affluent cotton broker.
In March 1893, Thomas B. Lynd had purchased a 9.67-acre estate on front beach west of the present day Inner Harbor from Caroline Vahle Nill (1862-1949). He called it "Lyndhurst". When Lynd's son-in-law, Carl T. Case, resided here, it was known as "Case Villa". The Lynd-Case home burned in December 1922, when owned by the Charles Grady Parlin (1880-1940) family. The late Albert B. Austin (1876-1951) and Alice T. Weir Austin (1908-2001) resided here from June 1940, until their deaths. Alice Austin Martin, their daughter, owns this marvelous home today at 545 Front Beach Drive.(The Jackson County Times, December 23, 1922, p. 5)
Roberta Staples Case expired at her Biloxi residence on April 29, 1928. Her remains were passed through St. John’s Episcopal Church prior to interment in the Evergreen Cemetery at Ocean Springs.(The Jackson County Times, May 5, 1928, p. 2)
Anecdotal Dr. Case
Descendants of the Case-Leftwich families, Velma Croom, Francis Danley, and Laura Lee Norquist, residing in Mobile today, relate several family anecdotes passed down about Dr. Don Carlos Case. One of the most interesting tells how Dr. Case treated patients afflicted with skin cancer by focusing natural sunlight (ultraviolet radiation) with two cobalt vases. The "cobalt radiation" was directed to the cancerous tissue.
Another tale involved one of the yellow fever epidemics, which struck the area. Dr. Case was called to the home of a sea captain infected with the virus. The delirious seaman told Dr. Case that he knew he was going to die and wanted to clear his conscious. As a youth, the captain had been a pirate. The motley crew had come ashore near Ocean Springs and buried a treasure. The dying man gave Dr. Case exact directions to the location of the interred valuables. Because of the man's condition, Dr. Case disregarded the tale as a dying man's hallucination. Several weeks later Case was near the purported treasure site and recognized some of the landmarks described by the deceased sea captain. When he approached the exact site, Don Carlos Case found a gaping hole in the earth. There was a family living nearby. Dr. Case asked them if they knew about the hole. "Yes", they replied. "Several weeks ago a small ship dropped anchor in the bay. A dinghy came ashore. The sailors left in a jolly mood"
Dr. Don Carlos Case died at Ocean Springs on January 7, 1885. Martha T. Case passed on at Waynesboro, Mississippi on April 22, 1902, while at the C.F. Emery residence. They and many of the Case-Leftwich Family members are interred at the Evergreen Cemetery at Ocean Springs.
Case family postscript
It is interesting to note that in the late 19th and early 20th Century, the Maxwell-Gottsche families of Ocean Springs acquired the family names of Case-Lynd. Examples cited are: Karl Case Maxwell (1893-1958) and Albert Lynd Gottsche (1902-1974).
Hiram Fisher Russell
In September 1905, the Case family home and property was sold for $3300 to Ocean Springs entrepreneur, Hiram F. Russell (1858-1940), by Charles F. Emery and J.B. Leftwich, the executors of the estate of Mrs. Martha A. Case. The Jeremiah J. O'Keefe home, which was built in 1906, on Porter Avenue was an architectural replication of the Case-Russell home.(Jackson County Land Deed Bk. 30, pp. 203-204).
In late January 1906, The Pascagoula Democrat-Star announced that, “Mr. H.F. Russell has commenced improvements on his lately acquired property corner of Porter and Washington. The residence will be fitted up in first-class style and when finished will be the home of the Russell family”.(The Pascagoula Democratic-Star, January 26, 1906, p. 3)
Prior to moving into the large Case home on Washington and Porter, the Russell’s resided above their furniture store on the northeast corner of Washington and Bowen. This edifice had been built in the spring of 1891, by Mr. Russell’s brother-in-law, John Duncan Minor (1863-1920), an architect and contractor. The Russell family planned to move into the new residence around May 10, 1891. Mr. W.A. Whitfield took the house formerly occupied by the Russell family.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, May 1, 1891, p. 2)
Hiram Fisher Russell (1858-1940) was born at Yazoo City, Mississippi on March 10, 1858, the son of William Russell and Mrs. Russell. Mr. Russell arrived at Ocean Springs in 1880, and was associated with R.A. VanCleave (1840-1908) in the mercantile business. In 1888, he commenced his own enterprises in real estate, insurance, furniture, stationary, and sewing machines. Like his mentor, Mr. VanCleave, H.F. Russell was also the local postmaster serving the community from 1885-1889.(Dyer, 1895)
In April 1988, the A.P. Moran family who has successfully continued the business traditions of their patriarch, H.F. Russell, into the 21st Century, had a centennial celebration to observe his 1888 commencement of commerce in Ocean Springs.(The Mississippi Press, April 17, 1988, p. 6)
H.F. Russell married May Virginia Minor (1866-1910) on June 15, 1887. She was the daughter of Harold Henry Minor (1837-1884) of Tennessee and Virginia Doyal (1844-1903), a native of New Orleans. Her siblings were: Harold H. Minor II (1862-1905), John Duncan Minor (1863-1920), Philip T. Minor (b. 1870), and Ada Minor Switzer (1875-1914).(JXCO, Ms. MRB 3, p. 432)
The H.F. Russells had five children: Frederick R. Russell (1889-1889); Hazel May R. Robinson (1890-1920), the spouse of Pomeroy Robinson; Hiram Minor Russell (1892-1940) who married Ethel Duffie; Harry Turner Russell (1898-1899); and Ethel R. Moran (1899-1957), the wife of A.P. “Fred” Moran (1897-1967).
In the spring of 1909, May V. Russell went to a sanitarium at El Paso, Texas for rest and medical treatment. She returned to Ocean Springs in June for a short stay, before going to spend the summer at Ashville, North Carolina. Mrs. Russell returned to El Paso the next spring. She expired there on April 1, 1910 with malarial symptoms.(The Ocean Springs News, June 12, 1909, April 2, 1910, p. 1 and April 9, 1910, p. 1)
J. Lillian Miles
Several years after Mrs. May V. Russell’s untimely demise, H.F. Russell and Miss J. Lillian Miles (1890-1929) wedded on May 4, 1915, at her mother’s home in Newton, Mississippi. Miss Miles had come to Ocean Springs to teach in the public school.(The Ocean Springs News, April 29, 1915, p. 3 and May 13, 1915, p. 1)
In early August 1929, Mrs. Lillian Russell was killed when she fell from a train near White Oaks, Virginia. She was on her way to visit her ill mother at Roanoke. Mrs. Lillian Russell was considered, “ a brilliant woman who possessed out of the ordinary literary knowledge”. (The Jackson County Times, August 3, 1929, p. 1)
Politics and family business
In addition to his real estate and insurance operations, H.F. Russell was considered a powerful politico in Jackson County, once having served as chairman of the JXCO Democratic Executive Committee. He was an avid supporter of Governor James K. Vardaman (1861-1930) and Senator T.G. Bilbo. When he and Mrs. Russell went for a holiday to the spas of Hot Springs, Arkansas in the spring of 1921, they were guests of Mississippi Governor, Lee Russell and spouse, at the governor’s mansion in Jackson.(The Jackson County Times, May 21, 1921, p. 3)
In August 1924, Mr. Russell was under the care of a physician at the Hill Crest Manor, a private sanitarium, in Asheville, North Carolina. He had a slight stroke in Ashville which affected his right side.(The Daily Herald, August 29, 1924, p. 8)
Before Mr. Russell’s demise on May 5, 1940, his daughter, Ethel R. Moran (1899-1957) was running Russell’s Ocean Springs Insurance Agency, which became the Moran Agency in 1942. Her husband, A.P. “Fred” Moran (1897-1967), began the Ocean Springs Lumber Company in 1924, and was a member of the JXCO Board of Supervisors from 1929 until 1967. In September 1935, at the height of the Depression, Mrs. Moran won $2500 in a contest sponsored by The Item-Tribune of New Orleans. Some of the money was used to pay taxes and probably saved some of her father’s real estate holdings.(The Jackson County Times, September 21, 1935, p. 1)
The 1933 Fire
A damaging conflagration occurred in the H.F. Russell home on February 11, 1933. Although the fine structure was not destroyed in the fire, its fine furnishings and interior were ruined. Due to the financial woes of the Depression, the Russell family lost their home.
The Ocean Springs State Bank
In January 1935, Fred Taylor, Special Commissioner, conveyed Lot 17 of Block 3 of the Clay Strip and seven other parcels of land formerly owned by Mr. Russell to the Ocean Springs State Bank for $5000.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 70, pp. 546-547)
H.F. Russell had sued the Ocean Springs Bank in December 1934 for the relief from $4000 of his indebtedness on two notes held by the bank. He had borrowed about $8600 from this financial institution. Mr. Russell’s collateral was eight lots that he owned in Ocean Springs, including his magnificent domicile on the southwest corner of Washington Avenue and Jackson Avenue. The Ocean Springs State Bank had required Mr. Russell to insure his home for not less than $4000.
In his plea to the Chancery Court, he stated that he could not afford the insurance and requested that the bank procure its own fire policy on the edifice. When the H.F. Russell home was damaged by fire on February 11, 1933, it was not protected with fire insurance. From the derelict structure, Mr. Russell recovered bath fixtures, electric light fixtures, some doors and windows, as well as window screens and grates. In December 1934, Judge Dan M. Russell, Chancellor of the 8th Chancery Court, determined that the Ocean Springs State Bank had the legal authority to seize H.F. Russell’s property to satisfy his indebtedness to them. Judge Russell awarded the Ocean Springs State Bank $9750, which included the principal and accrued interest on Mr. Russell’s two mortgages, and attorney fees.(JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause No. 5606, H.F. Russell v. The Ocean Springs State Bank-December 1934)
Mae and Lynd Gottsche
In September 1934, Mae Kettle Gottsche (1907-2001) and spouse, A. Lynd Gottsche (1902-1974,) acquired the remains of Case-Russell house. It had been gutted by fire in the past year. They planned to salvage the fine lumber from the floors and other structural members and utilize them to construct their family home on Ocean Avenue. The derelict Case-Russell structure was demolished and removed from Washington and Porter where it had proudly stood for fifty-three years.(The Jackson County Times, September 29, 1934, p. 2)
In late 1934 and early 1935, Lynd and Mae K. Gottsche built their residence at present day 915 Ocean Avenue and called it “Lyndwood”. The large lot was acquired in November 1933, from Miss Annie O. Eglin (1881-1963). The former Gottsche home is now occupied by the Reverend Andy Wells and family and owned by the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Spring who acquired it in December 1989, from A. Lynd Gottsche Jr.(The Jackson County Times, January 5, 1935, p. 3, JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 66, pp. 100-101 and Bk. 950, p. 488)
Epilogue
The lot for the former Case-Russell Home is certainly one of the most commercially viable and visible in Old Ocean Springs. Its ideal location, on US 90 before this thoroughfare was rerouted in the 1950s, was conducive for the erection of a gasoline service station and tourist cottages by J. Brice Bridges (1869-1959) in 1938. He had come to Ocean Springs in 1937, and served as president of the local Rotary Club in 1939-1940.(The Jackson County Times, April 222, 1939, p.1)
In October 1941, Albert A. Auer acquired the Bridges Tourist Court. Mrs. Anne Auer sold it to Clifton L. Beckman (1933-1984) in October 1966. In January 1969, Dr. Beckman sold the attractive lot to George Sliman (1934-1997). Jim(West)-Ray Builders built the current business situated here, the Cedar Oaks Apartments. Cedar Oaks is owned by the Elmore family of Biloxi, Mississippi in 2002. (The Ocean Springs Record, January 30, 1969, p. 3)
The Toups building on the corner of Washington and Porter was built by E.W. Pettus for Dr. Beckman.(Mary Marr Beckman, February 5, 2002)
REFERENCES:
Books
Betty Clark Rodgers, Miscellaneous Records of Jackson County, Mississippi, Volume I, (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula, Mississippi-1990).
Charles L. Dyer, Along The Gulf, "Ocean Springs", (Dixie Press: Gulfport, Mississippi-1972). [Originally published in 1895 by the L&N Railroad].
Leftwich-Turner Families of Virginia and Their Connections, (J.W. Fergusson & Sons: Richmond, Virginia-1931), pp. 107-110.
WPA Jackson County, Mississippi (1936), pp. 357-358, pp. 456-457.
Duke Alumni Register, "Reverend C.F. Emery, 73 Oldest Alumnus, Dies at his home in Houston, Texas, April 25, 1943", (June 1943), p.
Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 119, “Don Carlos Case v. The Estate of John Staiger”, June 1882.
Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 1052, “The Last Will of Martha N. Case”, 1902.
Journals
The Jackson County Times, Local and Personal”, May 2, 1921.
The Jackson County Times, “Parlin Home Destroyed by Fire”, December 23, 1922.
The Jackson County Times, “Mrs. Roberta Case Dies”, May 5, 1928.
The Jackson County Times, “Mrs. H.F. Russell Buried Monday”, August 3, 1929.
The Jackson County Times, “H.F. Russell Sells Large Realty Holdings”, November 30, 1929.
The Jackson County Times, “The Column”, September 29, 1934, p. 2.
The Jackson County Times, “The Column”, January 5, 1935, p. 3.
The Jackson County Times, “Mrs. Ethel Moran Receives 1st Prize in Contest”, September 21, 1935.
The Jackson County Times, “J.B. Bridges To Head Local Rotary”, April 22, 1939.
The Jackson County Times, “Death Takes Prominent O.S. Citizen”, May 11, 1940.
The Mississippi Press, “Family business celebrates 100th year”, April 17, 1988.
The Ocean Springs News, “Local News”, June 12, 1909.
The Ocean Springs News, “Local News”, April 2, 1910.
The Ocean Springs News, “Local News”, April 9, 1910.
The Ocean Springs News, “Local and Personal”, March 4, 1911.
The Ocean Springs News, “Local News”, April 29, 1915.
The Ocean Springs News, “Russell-Miles”, May 13, 1915.
The Ocean Springs Record, “Cedar Oaks Apartments”, January 30, 1969.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Local News”, June 7, 1878.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Local Paragraphs”, January 14, 1881.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs Locals”, February 4, 1881.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Hostilities”, March 11, 1881.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs News”, May 1, 1891.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, "Ocean Springs News", July 17, 1891, p. 2.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs Locals”, October 16, 1896.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs Locals”, January 26, 1906.
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MISS-LA-BAMA: THE SCHMIDT-WALKER HOUSE: 1884-2006
243 Front Beach Drive
Miss-La-Bama-situated at 243 Front Beach Drive, this structure began as the Alabama pavilion at the World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, which was held at New Orleans in 1884 and 1885. It was acquired by William B. Schmidt (1831-1901), a wealthy merchant in the Crescent City, and relocated by barge to his large estate on the beach front at Ocean Springs. The small structure which was modeled after the Alhambra in Spain was utilized as a music hall for the Schmidt children.[The Ocean Springs News, July 30, 1964]
The Schmidt-Walker House, known as Miss-La-Bama, at 243 Front Beach Drive is arguably the most interesting 19th Century domestic structure remaining at Ocean Springs. It’s relatively high topographic elevation, raised foundation, and sound construction saved it from Katrina’s massive storm surge on the morning of August 29, 2005. Mexican Gulf waters flowed underneath and around the house presenting it for several hours as an ‘island in the storm’, as surrounding structures were inundated, damaged, and destroyed. Miss-La-Bama’s gallery and carport at the rear of the structure did receive serious impairment from the hurricane’s winds and high water.
Almost immediately after the late August tempest had moved on, William ‘Bill’ Ballard, the son of the owner, Jan Gallaspy Ballard Walker, began cleaning up the damage to the old edifice. Ms. Walker hired several craftsmen, a structural engineer, and an architect to assist Bill with the planning and refurbishing of the foundation and rebuilding the gallery and carport. Their work continues today. Old house aficionados will be delighted to know that the vinyl siding has been removed from the Schmidt-Walker residence exposing the pine and cypress weatherboards of the original building and those of later additions to this fine house.
It should also be noted that Bill Ballard made digital images of the Katrina event commencing on Sunday eve and ending late Monday afternoon. He has night as well as daylight images.
Early history
The Schmidt-Walker residence at 243 Front Beach Drive in Ocean Springs, Mississippi was erected as the Alabama headquarters for The World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, which was held at New Orleans in 1884 and 1885. The Alabama pavilion was described in 1885, as follows: The [Alabama] headquarters were in an alcove jutting off from the [Main] building, and were very artistic in design, and after the Morro-Arabic style-planned after the celebrated Alhambra, of Spain, and built entirely of Alabama pine. The various pieces of wood were highly polished and the walls made still more attractive by pillars and arches carved in bas-relief. The headquarters were divided into a suite of rooms consisting of a private office and three reception rooms. Heavy damask curtains and choice rugs were displayed in harmony with elegant furniture.(Fairall, 1885, p. 31)
The Main building of the World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition was 1378 feet long and 905 feet wide and covered an area of thirty-three acres. It was constructed of wood in a series of trussed sections divided by rows of tall pillars, which were covered by a continuous, mainly glass roof. At the time, it was the largest exhibition hall ever built,(Kendall, 1922, p. 461)
After this international event, the Alabama pavilion was acquired by W.B. Schmidt (1823-1901), a merchant and civic minded entrepreneur, of New Orleans. Mr. Schmidt had been appointed to a committee to solicit funds for the Cotton Centennial Exposition. The Times-Democrat was the first to subscribe — pledging itself for $5,000. The people of New Orleans, the railroads, the banks, the Cotton Exchange and other corporations, all subscribed until the sum of $225,000 was obtained. Only one subscription came from the North, that of Potter Palmer, for the sum of $1,000. (Kendall, 1922, p. 458)
Mr. Schmidt had the building dismantled and shipped to Ocean Springs on barges where it was reassembled on his beachfront estate. It acquired the moniker, Miss-La-Bama, from Bernadine Wulff (1899-1992), a later owner, because of its relationship to the three states, i.e. it is now in Mississippi; was built and utilized in Louisiana; and was the Alabama headquarters for the 1884-1885 World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition.(The Ocean Springs News, July 30, 1964)
William B. Schmidt: The Merchant Prince
The story of Miss-La-Bama is such an integral part of the chronology of the W.B. Schmidt family of New Orleans that one would be remiss without knowledge of them and their cultural and social affairs at Ocean Springs. Of all the people who have been a part of the history of Ocean Springs, one man, William B. Schmidt (1823-1901), stands alone. His transient tenure here during the final decades of the 19th Century, was marked by entrepreneurship, patriotism, and philanthropy. Schmidt although a resident of New Orleans, owned the Ocean Springs Hotel, the Seashore House, the Medical Lot at Marble Springs, an estate called Summer Hill on the front beach, and other real estate throughout the town.
When Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) came to town on September 9, 1882, to review the Reichard Battalion and German Guards of New Orleans, Schmidt sponsored a champagne punch reception for President Davis in the parlor of the VanCleave Hotel. The troops were under the command of Major Maximillian Hermann and accompanied by Wolf's Band. The festivities of the day were concluded with a grand military ball at Schmidt's Ocean Springs Hotel. This was certainly our most historic day since the Le Moyne landing of April 1699.(The Daily Picayune, September 11, 1881, p. 1)
William B. Schmidt was born at Schwenningen, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany on April 10, 1823. His parents immigrated to the United States and settled initially at St. Louis, Missouri and Lexington, Kentucky before establishing permanent residence at New Orleans in 1838. In 1845, at the age of twenty-two, young Schmidt commenced a business relationship with Francis M. Ziegler (1818-1901), also a native of Baden-Wurttemberg in southwestern Germany. Their firm, Schmidt & Ziegler, began as a small wholesale grocery business on Old Levee street in the Vieux Carre. It later moved to South Peters. By 1900, Schmidt & Ziegler had expanded to eleven stores. The firm was the pioneer in New Orleans international trade initiating commerce with South and Central America.
In January 1849, W.B. Schmidt married Virginia Ann Jackson (1835-1912). She was born at Philadelphia of Cuban parentage. Francis M. Ziegler married Schmidt's sister, Adrienne Schmidt (1831-1886), on the same day at the Third Presbyterian Church in New Orleans. In later life, it is believed that Schmidt converted to Roman Catholicism.
The Schmidts had eleven children. At the time of Mr. Schmidt's demise in 1901, seven children were living: Victoria A. Maes (1851-1926) married Albert Maes (1846-1885); James J. Schmidt (1852-1920), Richard R. Schmidt (1854-1900), Ruby Lillian Donovan (1856-1901+), Florence J. Donovan (1861-1901+), Charles D. Schmidt (1863-1920), Louise May Schmidt (1869- 1935), and Theodore Louis Schmidt (1871-1909). Two sons died at Ocean Springs prior to 1896, and were interred at the Bellande Cemetery. In 1895, Schmidt asked the city government for permission through his spokesman, Gregoire Wieder (1844-1899), to disinter their bodies and move them to the family tomb at the Metairie Cemetery on Millionaire Circle.(Minute Book Town of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, p. )
Both the Schmidt and Ziegler families owned summer homes at Ocean Springs west of their hotel. Schmidt became established on the front beach in 1878-1879, when he purchased Lots 16 thru 25 in Block 16 (Culmseig Map of 1854) from George A. Cox and Julia Ward. He called this property "Summer Hill". Schmidt's holdings were of estate proportions with over seven hundred feet on the bay front.
Several writers visited Ocean Springs in the 1890s and commented on the W.B. Schimdt estate. T.H. Glenn in The Mexican Gulf Coast Illustrated (1893) said: The grounds of Mr. Schmidt are the largest and most highly improved in the place (Ocean Springs) and are among the finest on the Coast. Besides the improved grounds there is a park of several acres. The family residence is not pretentious but very comfortable and supplied with modern conveniences. It is lighted with gas manufactured on the place. An artesian fountain gives a full supply of water brought from a depth of 450 feet; a hydraulic ram forces the water over the place. There are several fish ponds supplied with green trout (bass) and other kinds of fish. The grounds immediately around the residence are highly improved and richly ornamented with rare flowers and plants. Mr. Schmidt is not only a very successful business man, but keeps abreast with the latest improvements in whatever pertains to matters where his interest are affected. He has adopted sub-irrigation and sub-drainage on his own extensive grounds where vegetables and fruits for his own use are grown, and his table in the Crescent city when the season for their maturity arrives, is supplied with these products fresh from his own grounds. He has the Scuppernong grape, the pecan in its best state, and other specialties too numerous to mention in detail. There are also a number of high bred milch cows kept, and every morning the Coast train takes fresh milk to the city (New Orleans) for the use of his family. The yield per acre of crops of vegetables raised is often phenomenal.
Charles L. Dyer in Along The Gulf (1895) described the W.B. Schmidt property at Ocean Springs as follows: The finest most elaborate and most expensive estate on the entire Gulf Coast is that of W.B. Schmidt, of New Orleans. Covering as it does an immense territory of hilly land, with beautiful ponds, of which there are three large islands, namely Dog, Crane, and Deer Islands each of which have immense iron figures according to these names. These beautiful spots are connected with one another and the main island with rustic bridges. The house, which is an elaborate modern structure, sits on a high bluff, surrounded by beautifully mowed lawn, with numerous beds of rare flowers and majestic oaks, magnolias, and cedars. The tall stately pines are in abundance in the rear of the estate, through which runs numerous walks and drives. The house itself is one of the most elaborate on the coast. It is large being located on a hill, near the water's edge, the stiff gulf breeze is generally blown through the house, which is magnificently furnished with everything necessary for the comfort of its owner. Mr. Schmidt has spent nearly $40,000 on improvements alone, so the reader may form an idea of the magnificence of the estate.
A CIRCA 1920 FRONT BEACH MONTAGE
These visual images will give the reader an idea of the architecture existing on the beach front at Ocean Springs at a time in the early history of Miss-La-Bama, the small, structure imported from New Orleans to Ocean Springs and placed on the William B. Schmidt Estate, which was situated between present day Hillandale Street and Martin Avenue. From West to East:
The Maginnis Estate
The Maginnis Estate was located on front beach at Ocean Springs between Hillandale and McNamee. The Maginnis family resided at New Orleans and made their fortune primarily in cotton seed oil and cotton textiles. Arthur Ambose Maginnis (1815-1877), a native of Maryland, and Elizabeth Jane Armstrong Maginnis (1822-1901), a native of Liverpool, England and Scottish parents, were the parents of at least nine children. A son, John H. Maginnis (1845-1889), was killed by a lighting strike on the Maginnis pier in Biloxi Bay on July 4, 1889.
‘Lake View’, the F.M. Ziegler Cottage
‘Lake View’ was the summer home of Francis M. Ziegler (1818-1901). Mr. Ziegler was a partner of W.B. Schmidt (1823-1901) in Schmidt & Ziegler, a large wholesale grocery business at New Orleans. Their company was the pioneer of New Orleans international trade initiating commerce with South and Central America.
Charles W. Ziegler (1865-1936), a son of F.M. Ziegler, sold "Lake View" to Dillwyn V. Purington (1841-1914), a native of Sydney, Maine and Jennie Barnes Purington (1846-1933), a native of Bath, New York. After the Civil War, he moved to Chicago and became involved in the lumber and brick business. He was president of Purington Paving Brick Company at Galesville, Illinois and Purington-Kimball Brick Company at Chicago.
The Puringtons called their place "Wyndillhurst". In August 1926, Katherine Ver Nooy became the owner of this property. The home is believed to have been destroyed by fire in the 1940s. The Purington place was located at present day 221 Front Beach.
‘Wyndillhurst’, The Purington Place
‘Summer Hill’, The W.B. Schmidt House
‘Summer Hill’, the old W.B. Schmidt (1823-1901) residence at present day 227 Beach Drive is extant and owned by Dr. James Moore Carter and wife, Patti Swetman Carter. In August 1919,Miss Louisa May Schmidt (1869-1935) of New Orleans, a spinster daughter of W.B. Schmidt and Virginia A. Jackson Schmidt (1835-1912) conveyed her Beach property to Hiram F. Russell (1858-1940), a local entrepreneur, for $16,000. David M. Davis (1880-1943+) of New Orleans acquired the old Schmidt property in May 1925. In the 1930s, he rented it to the Captain Ellis Handy (1891-1963) family. Roswell Kimball (1886-1948) and Elva Stiglets Kimball (1888-1980) acquired it from David M. Davis in 1942. ‘Summer Hill’ remained in the Kimball family until January 1996, when James A. Smith was vended it by the Heirs of Roswell S. Kimball Jr. (1921-1995).
One of the W.B. Schmidt ponds
The low topography on the W.B. Schmidt Estate was made into ponds. There were three islets in the ponds, Dog, Crane, and Deer, which were named for large iron figures of these animals on the respective islet. Rustic bridges connected the small parcel of land. In the 1930s, Captain Ellis Handy (1891-1963), who was renting ‘Summer Hill’, and three men shot eight water moccasins in a pond in the rear of Miss-La-Bama when it was owned by Bernadine Wulff (1899-1992).(Dr. Thomas Handy, November 17, 2006)
Miss-La-Bama
In August 1928, Bernadine Wullf (1899-1992) acquired the “former music hall” of the W.B. Schmidt children from David M. Davis of New Orleans for $9,000. She studied voice at Newcomb College and was a three-year soloist at Christ Church Cathedral. In New York, Miss Wulff studied under Rochovsky and D’Arnall. Her natural acting ability combined with her trained voice led to many opera and musical theater roles in New York and Chicago from 1924 into the mid-1930s. She chose the stage name “Berna Deane”. Her sister, Vera Adelaide Wulff Cook (1906-1992), was also a talented chanteuse. When the Depression came, they found theatrical work difficult to obtain and joined together as the “Deane Sisters”, performing on radio in New York and Chicago. Bernadine Wulff retired to her Ocean Springs beach front home in 1936. Her home which she called “Miss-La-Bama” had been the Alabama pavilion at the 1884-1885 World Cotton Exposition in New Orleans. It in a much metamorphosed form it is now at 234 Front Drive and owned by Jan Galaspy Walker.
Glengariff, the Captain O’Neill Home
[image courtesy of Mary Mooney Wade]
Captain Francis O’ Neill (1849-1936), the retired General Superintendent of the Chicago Police and a resident of 5448 Drexel Avenue at Chicago, Illinois, acquired this summer residence at Ocean Springs of John J. Kuhn in July 1914. Captain O'Neill and his family wintered at Ocean Springs, Mississippi from 1914 to his death on January 26, 1936. He called his retirement home and estate at Ocean Springs, Glengariff, for the Irish resort city of Glengariff near O'Neill’s birthplace on Bantry Bay, Cork County, Ireland. The house was located at present day 253 Beach Drive, near the center of a 5.14 acre tract which ran northeasterly from Front Beach Drive and Martin Avenue, almost 800 feet to the southwest corner of Cleveland and Martin Avenues. The O’Neill tract had a front of 286 feet on the Bay of Biloxi. Today, the Brumfield property west of Martin Avenue occupies the former site of Glengariff.
W.B. Schmidt, the philanthropist
W.B. Schmidt was very generous to the people of Ocean Springs. In December 1883, he donated the land where the Ocean Springs Senior Citizens Building is situated on Washington Avenue to the Ocean Springs Fire Company No. 1. They built a fire house here, which burned in the "Big Fire" of November 15, 1916.(JXCO Ms. Record of Deeds Bk. 7. pp. 52-53)
In August 1891, Schmidt donated land on the northwest corner of Rayburn and Porter to the St. Johns Episcopal Church. Here the parishioners erected a sanctuary, standing today in near original condition, although it was completed in April 1892.(JXCO, Ms. Record of Deeds Bk. 12, pp. 576-577)
In July 1896, several years before his death in 1901, W.B. Schmidt gave the City of Ocean Springs, the Medical Lot on Iberville Drive. This was the site of Schmidt's Marble Springs bathes, which were used by patron of his Ocean Springs Hotel. Between 1979 and 1984 the Marble Springs site was cleaned, surveyed by an archaeologist and restored. In 1982, the City of Ocean Springs received federal funds through a grant, and began the groundwork, which lead to the restoration of Marble Springs. As a requirement of the grant, Dr. Elizabeth M. Bogess, an archeologist from Natchez, was hired by the City to determine the past history of the springs through its archaeological record. In early 1984, the spring house and tubs were renovated at a cost of more than $16,000. The second phase of the springs project consisted of the completion of a retaining wall, landscaping, parking lot and walkways.(The Daily Herald, July 15, 1982 and July 27, 1984, and The Ocean Springs Record, November 15, 1979 and December 6, 1979,
W.B. Schmidt was described as a quiet, thoughtful man with a will of iron and a heart of gold. He was a moving force assisting those less fortunate than himself. At various times, he sent German immigrants to Ocean Springs to work on his estate until they could get a start in life. Among those who Schmidt guided here were Adolph Joseph Schrieber (1835-1875) and Ferdinand W. Illing (1838-1884). They had escaped from Mexico in 1867, after the fall of Emperor Maximilian and his German and Austrian nationals. Both families have left indelible marks in our local history.
Among the organizations and enterprises which he participated during his life, W.B. Schmidt could list the following: Sugar Exchange, Board of Trade, Board of Liquidation, Charity Hospital Board, President of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Canal Bank (director), Teutonia Insurance Company, and director of the Texas & Pacific Railroad.
In his obituary, it was said of Mr. Schmidt: He loved his home, and made his magnificent mansion here (New Orleans), and his house in Ocean Springs havens of happiness and hospitality. He loved to have his family and friends about him and to know that comfort and enjoyment were theirs, but he cared little for what the world calls society, although sociable and companionable to the highest degree. With broad charity in his soul and with the mind's eye penetrating and clear, his helpfulness was one of his strongest qualities, and the individual or cause to which he lent his energy and wisdom were bound to derive great benefit. He knew his duty both as a citizen and as a man and did it well. Institutions and men in the ascendant today know how much they owe to his generosity and public spirit and he will be mourned far beyond the confines of the city he loved and fostered not only as a merchant prince, but as a prince of merchants.
Iberville marker
Arguably, the most historic find of the 20th Century on the Mississippi coast was made in the water in front of the W.B. Schmidt home in 1910, when the care taker, Robert Rupp (1857-1930), found what is believed to be the corner stone of Fort Maurepas (1699-1702). In 1937, this French Colonial period artifact with some bricks associated with it was sent to the Louisiana State Museum at New Orleans by F.A. ‘Dolph’ Schrieber (1871-1944) and Dr. O.L. Bailey (1870-1938). The plaque was kept at the Cabildo because the heirs of W.B. Schmidt agreed that it belonged there. Is has remained here since its departure from the Schmidt estate.
Although the well-manicured grounds, small lakes, cottages, and outbuildings of the W.B. Schmidt era at Ocean Springs have long disappeared, ‘Summer Hill’, the old W.B. Schmidt residence at present day 227 Beach Drive is extant and occupied by Dr. James Moore Carter and wife, Patti Swetman Carter. After the demise of Virginia Jackson Schmidt (1835-1912) in 1912, her surviving children inherited the Schmidt family real estate at Ocean Springs.(JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause No. 3957, March 1915)
On August 4, 1919, Commissioner Fred Taylor of the Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court sold four land parcels at Ocean Springs to W.B. Schmidt’s daughter, Louise May Schmidt (1869-1935) of New Orleans, for $15,000. There is a high degree of certitude that this sale was made to clear title on the W.B. Estate at Ocean Springs. It was Lot 1 of this sale known as “Beach Place” that contained ‘Summer Hill’, the W.B. Schmidt home and his children’s music hall, which would become known as Miss-La-Bama. In the Commissioner’s Deed to Miss Louise May Schmidt, Lot 1 was described as follows: Begin at a point on Cleveland Avenue about 370 feet west 22 degrees north of the SW/C of Cleveland and Martin; thence west about 50 degrees north 719 feet along a fence line; thence south 29 west degrees 630 feet along a fence line to the beach; thence 707 feet along the beach; thence north 29 degrees east 590 feet to the place of beginning. This tract is approximately ten acres and is known as the Beach Place.(JXCO, Ms. Record of Deed Bk. 47, pp. 96-97 and JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause No. 3920)
The ‘Beach Place’
In August 1919, Miss Louisa May Schmidt conveyed her ‘Beach Place’ to Hiram F. Russell (1858-1940), a local entrepreneur, for $15,000. In January 1921, H.F. Russell and H. Minor Russell (1892-1940) conveyed the Beach Place to Herbert and Nina McNamee of Cook County, Illinois.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. Bk. 47, pp. 99-100 and 55, pp. 460-461)
Herbert McNamee
Herbert McNamee (1873-1930+) was born at Chicago on October 14, 1873, the son of James F. McNamee (1845-1880+) and Edith Risley (1851-1880+). His father was a hardware merchant. Herbert McNamee married Nina Royce (1875-1930+), also an Illinois native. They had seven children.
Herbert McNamee made his livelihood as a grain merchant at Chicago and his place of business was 434 Postal Telegraph Building. By 1930, Mr. McNamee was a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and his two sons, Royce McNamee (1904-1930+) and Risley McNamee (1908-1970) were clerks working for the Board of Trade. The family resided on Sheridan Road in the Village of Glencoe. Their house was valued at $55,000.(1930 Cook County, Illinois Federal Census R503, p. 20A, ED 2005)
In May 1925, Herbert McNamee sold the Beach Place to David M. Davis of New Orleans. The selling price was $50,000. McNamee Street acquired its name from this Chicago family.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 55, pp. 461-462)
David M. Davis
David Matthew Davis (1880-1950+) was born in New Orleans on November 24, 1879 to Aaron Davis (1855-1922) and Dora Haspel Davis (1856-1925). David M. Davis grew up in Plaquemine Parish, Louisiana, south of New Orleans where he father was a retail merchant. In February 1905, David M. Davis married Bertha Weiss (1882-1920+), the daughter of Leopold Weiss (1850-1895) and Adelina or Ada, Levy (1859-1943). In 1920, the David M. Davis family lived on Robert Street in the Crescent City. At this time, David M. Davis managed a store. In 1913, he and Bertha had Leonie Davis, a daughter.(1880 Plaquemine Parish, Louisiana Federal Census T9_465, Ed 140 and 1920 Orleans Parish, Federal Census T625_624, p. 17B, ED 230)
d’Iberville Subdivision
In August 1941, David M. Davis platted the d’Iberville Subdivision from the old Schmidt Beach Place. The d’Iberville Subdivision was bounded on the north by Cleveland Avenue; on the east by the property of Captain Francis O’Neill (1849-1936); on the south by Biloxi Bay; and on the west by the lands of D.V. Purington (1841-1914). The original street names in this tract were McNamee; Russell, now Schmidt; and Davidson, now Oakwood.(Plat Bk. 1, p. 142 and Plat Bk. 2, p. 18)
‘Summer Hill’ was situated in Lot 1 of the d’Iberville Subdivision and sold by Mr. Davis in March 1942 to Elva Stigletts Kimball (1889-1980), the wife of Roswall S. Kimball (1886-1948). Mr. Kimball, a native of Scriven County, Georgia, came to the Coast in 1913. Before moving to Ocean Springs, Roswall S. Kimball operated a general store near the L&N depot at Gautier. He later was a pulp wood agent. It is believed that the Kimball family referred to their estate as ‘Kimcrest’.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 79, pp. 406-407)
Roswell S. Kimball Jr. (1921-1995) inherited ‘Summer Hill’ and other real estate in 1987 from his mother’s estate. Like his father, he made his livelihood in the timber and pulp wood business. After Mr. Kimball’s demise, ‘Summer Hill” was acquired in January 1996 by James A. and Dorothy E. Smith from Thomas B. McIntosh, the executor of the Estate of Roswall S. Kimball Jr.(JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause No. 40,293-June 1987, JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 889, p. 349 and Bk. 1079, p. 58)
‘Summer Hill’ came into the Carter family in July 2004, when it was purchased from the James A. Smith family. Dr. James Moore Carter and spouse, Patti Swetman Carter, reside here today. The Carters have refurbished and made additions to their historic home.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1347, p. 802)
‘Berna Deane’-born Bernadine Wulff (1899-1992) in New Orleans, Miss Wulff starred as an Operetta singer on the Broadway stage at New York from 1924 until the Great Depression reduced the number of active theatres. Miss Wulff and her talented sister, Vera A. Wulff ‘Skees’ Cook (1906-1992), then teamed up as the ‘Deanne Sisters’ for radio gigs on NBC in New York and WEAF at Chicago. Bernadine Wulff was a cultural icon at Ocean Springs from 1936 until her demise in November 1992. Miss-La-Bama her 19th Century Front Beach home has an incredible history as well as being an architectural gem and Katrina survivor.[Images courtesy of Melissa Burkhardt]
Bernadine Wulff
Before David M. Davis (1880-1950+) created the d’Iberville Subdivision in 1941, from the former W.B. Schmidt Estate, known as the Beach Place with ‘Summer Hill’, the former Schmidt residence and large ponds, as the landmark features on the manor, he had sold in August 1928, Miss-La-Bama, the Schmidt children’s music hall, to Bernadine Wulff for $9000. Miss Wulff’s lot had a front of 100 feet on Biloxi Bay and ran 900 feet north to Cleveland Avenue. At the same time, Fred A. Wulff, Bernadine’s father, bought an identically sized lot to the east of Miss-La-Bama for $10,000. It was bounded on the east by Glengariff, the Captain Francis O’ Neill estate. In January 1944, her sister, Vera Wulff Cook (1906-1992), and spouse, John Carter Cook (1913-1999), purchased Lot 6 of the d’Iberville Subdivision also from David M. Davis for $2000. It had 77 feet on Biloxi Bay and was 240 feet deep to the north.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 61, pp. 570-571 and 569-570 and Bk. 84, pp. 562-563)
The Wulff family began their love affair with Ocean Springs in 1928, while spending almost four months at the Edwards House, formerly the French Hotel, a family hostel situated on Front Beach and Martin Avenue. At this time, Miss Bernadine Wulff was already an accomplished operetta chanteuse in New York. Operetta, literally, "little opera", is a performance art-form similar to opera, though it generally deals with less serious topics. When her vocal chords became severely strained, Miss Wulff’s physician recommended a period of rest and recovery in a quiet place. Her parents who were residents of New Orleans chose Ocean Springs, a resort town on Biloxi Bay, which they had visited in times past.(The Ocean Springs Record, July 13, 1972, p. 2)
Miss-La-Bama
As previously mentioned, Miss-La-Bama, the Bernadine Wulff house, had been the Alabama pavilion at the 1884 World Cotton Exposition in New Orleans. W.B. Schmidt (1823-1901) had brought it to Ocean Springs on several barges. Miss-La-Bama has been described as being of the Moorish architectural style and inspired by the Alhambra, a 14th Century Moorish castle complex, located at Grenada, Spain. If one were to view the north elevation of the Patio of Myrtles within the Alhambra, one might imagine that the 19th Century creator of Miss-La-Bama was inspired by the arabesque arches situated here.
The original Miss-La-Bama was a small, T-shaped structure in plan view with an area of approximately nine hundred-fifty square feet. It had a flat roof since it was built as an ‘indoor’ pavilion. The front elevation was about forty-five feet in length and about fifteen feet deep and consisted of three rooms. At the 1884-1885 World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial in New Orleans, the three front rooms were utilized as a guest reception area. They were exquisitely furnished with fine rugs embellishing the Alabama pine floors and heavy damask curtains framing the French doors, which provided some illumination for the space. A large registration book was place here for visitors to sign. The large central room, which formed the base of the T, was fourteen feet deep and twenty feet in length. It was used by the Alabama staff as a private office. It would later serve the W.B. Schmidt children as their ‘music room’. The Schmidt family erected a small stage here on which to perform.(Fairall, 1885, p. 31)
The façade of Miss-La-Bama consisted of a three-bay, main entrance framing three arabesque, horseshoe-shaped arches flanked by two symmetrical wings each with a Moorish arch containing French doors. There are seven large arches with their corresponding French doors in the building.
‘Berna Deane’
Bernadine Wulff (1899-1992) was born on August 6, 1899 at New Orleans, Louisiana, the daughter of Fred A. Wulff (1872-1957) and Charlotte Bernadine Marcella Burkhardt (1874-1938), the daughter of Henry G. Burkhardt (1842-1905), a store clerk, and Charlotte Marie Magdalene Wagatha (1844-1900). At the time of Bernadine’s birth, the Wulff family was domiciled on Louisiana Avenue and her father was a bookkeeper. The Burkhardt family resided on Roman Street at New Orleans.(1880 and 1900 Orleans Parish, Louisiana Federal Census, T9_461, p. 60, ED 31 and T623 575, p. 7B, ED 119)
At New Orleans, Bernadine Wulff studied voice at Newcomb College and was a three-year soloist at Christ Church Cathedral in the Crescent City. In New York, Miss Wulff studied under Rochovsky and D’Arnall. Her natural acting ability combined with her trained voice led to many operetta and musical theater roles in New York and Chicago from 1924 into the mid-1930s. She chose the stage name “Berna Deane”. Her sister, Vera “Skees” Adelaide Wulff Cook (1906-1992), was also a talented chanteuse who performed on the New York stage. When the Depression came, they found theatrical work difficult to obtain and joined together as the “Deane Sisters”, performing on radio in New York, Chicago, and New Orleans. Berna Deane was a soloist on the Luzianne Coffee program with Warren Galjour on WWL Radio, which is housed in the Crescent City (The History of JXCO, Ms., 1989, pp. 399-400 and The Jackson County Times, November 23, 1946, p. 1)
Bernadine Wulff retired to her Ocean Springs beach front home in 1936. Accordingly, Miss-La-Bama had to be refurbished to convert it from a ‘music hall’ to a viable dwelling. The structure was raised and brick piers constructed to support its sills and joist. Plumbing and electricity were added, as well as a bathroom, kitchen and two bedrooms. Miss Wulff also had a twelve-foot by fifty-five foot screened porch built on the façade to enjoy the water front view and afternoon sea breeze from Biloxi Bay.(Jan G. Walker, December 5, 2006 and The History of JXCO, Ms., 1989, p. 400-401)
The Wulff pond
A salient feature on the landscape of the Wulff property was a large, elliptically-shaped, freshwater pond, an aesthetic relic of the W.B. Schmidt era. The Wulff pond was situated in the rear of Miss-La-Bama and was oriented with the long axis striking about 260 feet in a northwest to southeast direction. The Wulff pond averaged about 55 feet in width and was stocked with fish, primarily ‘green trout’, an indigenous moniker for large and small-mouth bass, and perch.(The Ocean Springs news, July 30, 1964 and JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 188, pp. 405-407)
In the 1930s, Captain Ellis Handy (1891-1963) and friends would discharge their firearms at water moccasins inhabiting Miss Wulfe’s pond. On one occasion they killed about eight of the aqueous vipers. At his time, the Handy family was renting ‘Summer Hill’, the former W.B. Schmidt residence, west of Miss-La-Bama.(Dr. Thomas Handy, November 17, 2006)
Bernadine Wulff was also an accomplished marksman and would shoot off the heads of swimming moccasins in her pond with a single shot .22 caliber rifle.(John C. Cook Jr. December 12, 2006)
From surveys of conveyance deeds made by George E. Arndt Jr. (1909-1994), it appears that the Wulff pond was extant until the early 1960s. No further information.
Miss-La-Bama was owned by Miss Bernadine Wulff (1899-1992), star of stage and radio, for over forty years. During her tenure, the former Alabama pavilion of the 1884-1885 World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition was raised and brick piers constructed to support its sills and joist. Plumbing and electricity were added, as well as a bathroom, kitchen and two bedrooms. Miss Wulff also had a twelve-foot by fifty-five foot screened porch built on the façade to enjoy the water front view and afternoon sea breeze from Biloxi Bay. Rendering by Brian K. Heffner made April 30, 1980.
Retirement years
In “retirement”, Bernadine Wulff remained an active part of the local community. She was associated with the Community Concert Association, Gulf Coast Women’s Club, Nutrilite Cosmetics, Villa Maria residents’ council, and St. John’s Episcopal Church. Locally, she continued her singing for servicemen stationed at Keesler AFB and sang solos at St. John’s Episcopal Church for more than thirty years.(The History of JXCO, Ms., 1989, p. 400)
‘Pomander Walk’
In addition, Bernadine Wulff locally performed in several Broadway productions. In November 1946, the Ocean Springs Woman’s Club produced ‘Pomander Walk’ with Miss Wulff starring. The show was held in the Ocean Springs Public School auditorium, now the Trent Lott Performing Arts Theatre of the Mary Cahill O’Keefe Arts and Cultural Center. Among those participating with Miss Wulff were: Bob and Bessie Murray, Bruce Thomas, Paul DeFrank (1918-2006), Virginia Elliott DeFrank (1919-2001), Ernest Schmidt (1904-1988), Milton Seymour (1917-1974), Earle Taylor, John Mitchell (1915-1963), Chester Snyder, Sadie Catchot Hodges, (1894-1973) Rita Brown Friar (1913-1985), Dorothy Arndt (1915-1975), and Margaret Lewis Lemon Halstead (1913-1999).(The Jackson County Times, November 23, 1946, p. 1)
1948 Minstrel Show
On June 19, 1948, Bernadine Wulff appeared in a benefit minstrel show to raise funds for the building of a new community center and picnic grounds. The Citizens Progressive League sponsored the event, and Art Fifield (1881-1962), president of the organization, starred with Miss Wulff in the production titled, “McIntyre’s Georgia Minstrels”. Mr. Fifield had retired from show business as a blackface comedian having performed with Lew Dockstader, Primrose West, Al G. Fields, and George “Honey Boy” Evans. In the minstrel show, Bernadine was “Buddy Heath”, and Fifield played “Billy McIntyre”. Her sister, Vera Cook, and nephew, Johnnie Cook Jr., also participated. Admission was $1 for the program billed as “The World’s Smallest Minstrel”.(The Jackson County Times, May 14, 1948, p. 1 and May 21, 1948)
Fred A. Wulff and the Wulff family
When Bernadine Wulff acquired Miss-La-Bama in August 1928, the same day, Fred A. Wulff, her father, acquired an adjoining lot of the same dimensions to the east for $10,000. Fred A. Wulff (1872-1957) was born at New Orleans on August 6, 1872, the son of Henry H. Wulff (1834-1887) and Adrienne Fleury (1845-1921). Henry H. Wulff expired at New Orleans in 1887 and Adrienne F. Wulff, his widow, remarried Ralph Goldsmith (1854-1910+), a manufacturing representative, in December 1888. (JXCO, Ms. Record of Deeds Bk. 61, pp. 569-570)
On November 11, 1896 at New Orleans, Fred Adolph Wulff married Bernadine Burkhardt (1874-1938). They were the parents of four children with three surviving to adulthood: Fred A. Wulff Jr. (1898-1974), Bernadine G. Wulff (1899-1992), and Vera A. Cook (1906-1992). In 1937, after retirement from the nationally known firm of L.E. Jung and Wulff Inc., and its predecessor, the Schenley Company, Wulff resided permanently at Ocean Springs with Bernadine at Miss-La-Bama. Jung & Wulff manufactured liquers, cordials, and syrups and were the creators of the Peycheaud Bittars and the Sazarac Cocktails. Fred A. Wulff expired at Ocean Springs on October 17, 1957. His corporal remains were interred in the Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans.(The Ocean Springs News, October 24, 1957, p. 4) (see Cause No. 14,045-Feb. 1954)
Fred A. Wulff Jr.
Fred A. Wulff Jr. (1898-1974) was born on February 19, 1898, at New Orleans. He was well known in the Crescent City as he practiced law, and was a civic leader and businessman. A Tulane graduate, Mr. Wulff organized the Young Men’s Business Club and Jaycees at NOLA in the 1920s. He was also the manager of the L.E. Jung and Wulff, manufacturers of liqueurs and cordials and held an executive position with Investors Diversified. Fred A. Wulff Jr. was a member of several carnival organizations and for many years served as one of the four captains for the Rex parade. He had the distinction of being the first person to travel across the Huey P. Long Bridge after its dedication. Mr. Wulff expired on March 14, 1974 in New Orleans. He was a Roman Catholic and his corporal remains were interred at the Hope Mausoleum in New Orleans.(The Daily Herald, March 15, 1974, p. 2)
Lelia Haller
Fred A. Wulff Jr. married Lelia Haller (1903-1986) of New Orleans. She was a ballet dancer and was accepted to study dancing in Paris at the Theatre National de l’ Opera, an exclusive ballet school. In January 1926, Leila was appointed premiere danseuse of the Paris Opera, the only American to have been awarded this honor. Miss Haller commenced her ballet studio in New Orleans in 1928 and later founded the Loyola Ballet school from which she retired in the fall of 1978, and was replaced by Gayle Pamelee. She was the pedagogue to Kirk Peterson who was a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, the English National Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, the National Ballet of Washington, and the Harkness Ballet. Peter Genaro, a renowned jazz dancer, also studied with Leila Haller at New Orleans. An excellent biography of Lelia Haller Wulff was written in 1975, by Harold George Scott titled “Lelia-The Compleat Ballerina”. (H.G. Scott, 1975 and Loyola Today, April 16, 1999)
Leif Anderson of Ocean Springs studied the Dance with Lelia Haller from 1960-1965 at her Ecole de Danse, which was situated on Jeanette Street in the Crescent City. Leif remembers her teacher as, “inspiring and demanding.”(Leif Anderson, December 12, 2006)
Fred A. Wull Jr. and Leila H. Wulff had two children: Barbara Elaine “Bobbe” Wulff Waters (b. November 1933), the spouse of Wallace Waters of Franklington, Louisiana, and Fred Wulff III. Bobbe Wulff also became a brilliant ballerina and dance teacher.(Nelicia C. Sturgis, March 2, 2000 and The Jackson County Times, November 18, 1933, p. 3)
Vera A. Wulff Cook
Vera “Skees” Adelaide Wulff (1906-1992) was born at New Orleans on August 9, 1906. On May 20, 1939, she married John Carter Cook (1913-1999). Their nuptial vows were exchanged in Atlanta at the First Baptist Church.(The Jackson County Times, May 27, 1939, p. 4)
John C. Cook was born July 28, 1913 at Covington, Georgia, the son of Thomas A. Cook and Martha Cook. In 1931, John C. Cook matriculated to Georgia Tech and completed his studies in Atlanta in 1935 and joined the U.S. Army the following year. In the spring of 1939, Lt. John C. Cook arrived in Jackson County, Mississippi with the Civilian Conservation Corps as commander of Company 1437, which was stationed at Magnolia State Park, east of Ocean Springs. Here Lt. Cook met the Wulff family.(The Jackson County Times, May 27, 1939, p. 4)
In June 1944, John C. Cook (1913-1999) acquired from David M. Davis, Lot 6 of the d ’Iberville Subdivision for $2000. The Cook lot measure 77 feet on Biloxi Bay and ran north for 240 feet and was due west of Miss-La-Bama. (JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 84, pp. 562-563)
Colonel John C. Cook’s military career spanned twenty-two years in the U.S. Army. He served in both WW II and the Korean Conflict and was highly decorated for his honorable and courageous duty. Colonel Cook retired from the U.S. Army while Post Quartermaster at Fort Gordon, Georgia. He had been promoted to this position in May 1957.(The Sun Herald, March 21, 1999, p. A-11 and The Ocean Springs News, May 30, 1957, p. 4)
In retirement Colonel Cook, taught Algebra at Michel Junior High School in Biloxi. He had previously taught in the ROTC program at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.(John C. Cook Jr., December 12, 2006)
Cook home
While her husband was serving in Korea in the early 1950s, Vera W. Cook had the Mitchell Brothers build a modest brick home on their Biloxi Bay lot in Ocean Springs at present day 237 Front Beach Drive. Here she and Colonel Cook reared their son, John Carter Cook Jr. (b. 1944). He married Nellicia Checkley, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence H. Checkley on June 10, 1966 at Ocean Springs. John C. Cook Jr. sold his family in September 2001 to Deveau W. Munro. It was demolished in January 2002 to erect a large, modern home for Mrs. Munro, which in turn was devastated by Katrina in August 2005.(John C. Cook Jr., December 12, 2006, The Ocean Springs News, May 5, 1966, p. 3) and JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1249, p. 320)
Red Cross Award
In November 1967, Vera W. Cook was recognized for her many years of volunteer service with the American Red Cross. She began as a Gray Lady at Riverside, California in 1942 and continued her volunteer work everywhere that she and Colonel John C. Cook traveled during his military career. She was working at Keesler AFB in Biloxi when she was lauded for her quarter century as a Red Cross volunteer.(The Ocean Springs Record, November 16, 1967, p. 3)
Vera W. Cook expired at Gulfport, Mississippi on October 19, 1992. Her corporal remains were interred at Crestlawn Memorial Park in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.(The Ocean Springs Record, October 22,, 1992)
John C. Cook passed on March 19, 1999 at Ocean Springs. His corporal remains were also interred at Crestlawn Memorial Park. He was survived by Pauline Hoffman McCarty Cook (1914-2001), his spouse; son, John C. Cook Jr.; and Lecia J. Cook Callegari, granddaughter.(The Sun Herald, March 21, 1999, p. A11)
243 Front Beach Drive- (l-r) this first image was made in October 2005, several months post-Katrina and depicts some of the wind damage, especially to the front porch. Note the 1990-1991, second-story addition and decks, which were constructed during the Weigel’s ownership. The second image of November 2006 reveals the steel framework being erected to support the new porch. Images by Ray L. Bellande.
The 1948 Walsh Tragedy
On November 19, 1948, Major George H. Walsh and his wife were killed when their plane crashed into the jungles of British Guinea. Earlier they had resided here for several months in a cottage owned by Miss Bernadine Wulff. The Walsh couple was en route to Puerto Rico from Atkinson Field in British Guinea. Major Walsh was stationed here at the time. Fortunately, Michael Walsh, their son, was with his grandparents at Huntington Park, California.(The Jackson County Times, December 17, 1948, p. 1)
Wulff land sales-406 Schmidt and 408 Wulff
In the late 1950s, Miss Bernadine Wulff began selling her lands at Ocean Springs. In May 1959, she conveyed a lot north of Miss-La-Bama to Willis L. White and Cary G. White for $4200. The Whites had planned to build a home on their large lot, but a transfer to Oklahoma influenced them to sell it to Carroll B. Ishee (1921-1982) in August 1964. Carroll B. Ishee, our legendary ‘architect-builder’, erected two homes on the lot. One is at present day 406 Schmidt Drive and has been owned by the following people: September 1965-John H. Alexander; September 1971-James I. Cramer; January 1975-Thomas Wade (1902-1993), Mary Mooney Wade, and Julia Anne Mooney (1916-1980). The Mooney sisters were the granddaughters of Captain Francis O’Neill (1849-1936), General Superintendent of the Chicago Police and owner of the Glengariff estate on Front Beach Drive, which was east of the Joffe-Baxter place and the former site of the Ocean Pointe Apartments. Mary Mooney Wade fondly called her home “Glengariff”, in remembrance of her childhood summers at Ocean Springs visiting from Chicago. She conveyed her home to Charles and Emily Rhinelander in April 2005,(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 188, pp. 405-407, and p. 408; Bk. 263, p. 100; Bk. 281, p. 188; Bk. 412, p. 566; Bk. 520, p. 541; Bk. 1039, p. 579; and Bk. 1378, p. 405)
The other Ishee built home is at present day 408 Wulff Drive, now owned by Andre J. Michaud and Judy Brown Michaud. This house was erected in 1966 by Carroll B. Ishee and sold to Sydney F. Wogan (1907-1998) and wife, Ann Haddock Wogan (1911-2003), in October 1966. The Michauds acquired the home in September 2006 from Michael and Linda M. Wogan.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 299, p. 165 and Bk. 1434, p. 13)
Joffe-Baxter house-245 Front Beach
In September 1959, Bernadine Wulff and Fred A. Wulff Jr. sold their father’s lot to the east of Miss-La-Bama to Gus and Irene Stevens for $14,000. The Stevens did not build here, but vended the south half of the five hundred- foot deep lot in August 1967, to Dr. Irvin Joffe (1921-1979) and Rosalind Dismuke Joffe (1922-1996). The Joffe’s built a home at present day 245 Front Beach Drive, which was later owned by Warren Strayham from January 1977 until it was acquired by Lloyd M. ‘Skip’ Baxter in November 1994. The Joffe-Baxter house was remodeled commencing in the summer of 1995 from a Carl Germany, AIA, design. It was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 197, p. 257; Bk. 317, p. 354; Bk. 581, p. 431; Bk. 1052, p. 711)
W.T. Broome house-406 Wulff
Gus Stevens sold the north half of his lot to W.T. Broome and Joyce Harvey Broome in April 1992. The Broome house at 406 Wulff Drive was erected by Al Medlock in 1992.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 994, p. 636 and Joyce H. Broome, December 19, 2006)
504 Cleveland Avenue
In December 1959, Bernadine Wulff sold a lot on Cleveland Avenue to Salome Bailey Watkins (1902-1962), the daughter of Dr. Oscar L. Bailey (1870-1938) and Birdie Anderson Bailey (1876-1925). Mrs. Watkins home at 504 Cleveland was built by Bailey Homes of Gulfport, Mississippi. (JXCO Ms. Record of Deeds Bk. 193, pp. 537-539 and Joyce R. Edwards, December 18, 2006)
In January 1963, after her demise, Mrs. Watkins’ heirs sold her home to Donald F. Edwards (1924-1982) and Joyce R. Edwards. Mrs. Edwards lives here today.(JXCO, Ms. Record of Deeds Bk. 234, p. 5)
Wulff Drive
Wulff Drive was created for public use with the platting of Wulff Subdivision in March 1960. Its dedication was confirmed in April 1966.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 296, p. 438)
The Wulff Subdivision-409 and 410 Wulff Drive
In March 1960, Bernadine Wulff platted the Wulff Subdivision on the west side of Wulff Drive. It consisted of two lots, each 100 feet by 150 feet. (JXCO, Miss. Chancery Court Plat Book 5, p. 12)
Lot 1 of the Wulff Subdivision was acquired by Marcus F. Shanteau Jr. and spouse in September 1963. Mr. Shanteau drew his own house plans and had Jerry Anderson, a local contractor erect his home, which was completed in 1964. The Shanteaus remain here today at 410 Wulff Drive.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 246, p. 342 and Bk. 256, p. 391, Marcus F. Shanteau Jr., December 19, 2006)
Lot 2 of the Wulff Subdivsion was bought from Miss Wulff in September 1970 by Emelia H. Edwards (1893-1979), the widow of James R. Edwards. This Lex Eglin built home at 409 Wulff Drive has remained in the Edwards family since 1970 and is now possessed by Randall Scott Edwards and spouse who acquired it in August 1991 from the Heirs of Emelia H. Edwards.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 385, p. 167, JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause No. 38498 and Cause No. P-3163, and Bk. 981, p. 653)
Hurricane Camille
One of Miss-La-Bama's casualties during Hurricane Camille in August 1969 was the gazebo in the yard. It was blown down and removed to John C. Cook Jr.'s domicile off LeMoyne Road in the St. Martin community. The gazebo was given to Tony Rosetti and restored at his home at 16200 Big Ridge Road where it rests today his his backyard.(Mary Dell Ross Rosetti, January 17, 2007)
Miss-La-Bama's original and restored gazebo
[l-r: original gazebo from Hamill's Down South collection Perkinston Jr. College archives; restored gazebo image by Ray L. Bellande on January 17, 2007]
A legend leaves
In her later years, Bernadine Wulff left her beloved Miss-La-Bama and relocated to the Villa Maria on Porter Street. In November 1971, she sold Miss-La-Bama to Julian B. Humphreyof New Orleans for $30,000.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 416, p. 73)
Miss Wulff passed on November 15, 1992. Her corporal remains were interred at Crestlawn Memorial Park in Ocean Springs.( The History of JXCO, Ms.,1989, p. 400 and The Sun Herald, November 16, 1992)
Miss-La-Bama circa 1985
Julian B. Humphrey
Julian B. Humphrey (1907-1997) was born August 11, 1907, at New Orleans, the son of Judge Nicholas E. Humphrey (1872-1932), a Kentucky native, and Josephine LeBouef (1872-1930+), who was born in Louisiana. His parents married at New Orleans on June 22, 1897. Julian B. Humphrey was the fifth child of eight. His siblings were: Rita Humphrey (1898-1920+); Hugh Humphrey (1899-1984); Alton Humphrey (1902-1977); Estelle Humphrey (1905-1920+); Edith Humphrey (1910-1930+); Lawrence Humphrey (1912-1985); and Lorraine Humphrey (1916-1930+). Nicholas E. Humphrey made his livelihood as an attorney in the Crescent City.(1920 and 1930 Orleans, Parish Federal Census T625_625, p. 10B, Ed 256 and R 812, p. 10B, ED 258)
Julian B. Humphrey and Mary Humphrey, his wife, were domiciled at 88 Wren in New Orleans, Louisiana. During their ownership, bathrooms were added where the former back porch had been. The ceiling were lowered and the home carpeted.(Jan G. Walker, December 7, 2006)
In June 1989, Julian B. Humphrey conveyed Miss-La-Bama to John J. Weigel of New Orleans.(JXCO Land Deed Bk. 939, p. 203)
John J. Weigel
John J. “Jerry” Weigel was born February 4, 1932 at New Orleans, Louisiana. As a child he spent time in Waveland, Mississippi as the Weigel family owned a summer home there. He attended the Gulf Coast Military Academy and matriculated to LSU and then Tulane where he received a law degree in 1956. Jerry Weigel served in the US Army and was a law clerk until he joined the law firm of Jones, Walker, Waechert, & Poitevent of the Crescent City. He was named to the Board of Directors the Walter Anderson Museum of Art at Ocean Springs, Mississippi in 1998. Jerry Weigel is married to Barbara LaPorte, also a native of New Orleans. They reside at 2624 Chestnut Street in the Crescent City. Barbara has a fine arts degree from LSU and is a well-known painter in the area and sold at Serenity Gallery in Bay St. Louis. Barbara’s father was the brother of Vivian LaPorte Girot Barron (1917-2000), the spouse of Judlin H. Girot (1912-1970). The Girot family came to Ocean Springs from New Orleans in 1923.(Jerry Weigel, January 2000)
Jerry and Barbara Weigel used their Ocean Springs home as a weekend retreat. They extensively remodeled Miss-La-Bama in 1990 and 1991 utilizing the services of Bruce B. Tolar, AIA. In 1990, the Weigels added a carport and storage units in the rear of the house. In 1991, a second-story addition with decks was built. Steve Strunk did the detail wood work for the project. Miss-La-Bama’s Live Oak trees were treated and cared for by John White. The Weigels also had an irrigation system for their azaleas installed.(Jerry Weigel, January 2000)
In November 1999, Jan Galaspy Walker acquired Miss-La-Bama from John J. Weigel and spouse.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1191, p. 116)
Jan G. Walker
Jan Gallaspy Walker was born in 1943 at Columbus, Mississippi, the daughter of Russell Gallaspy (1918-2005) and Ruby E. Moody Gallaspy (1916-1999). After rearing her family, Jan relocated in the 1980s, to Ocean Springs to assist her parents in their business as the proprietors of Russell’s Energy Center at present day 1302 Government Street. After her parents retired from the business, she acquired it and relocated it to 2317 Government Street. Jan G. Walker acquired the former W.S. Van Cleave store property at 601 Washington Avenue from Curmis Broome (1928-2006) who had operated Aileen’s Corner, a convenience store and deli, here for several years. In 1993, she opened at this new location as, “Five Seasons”.(Jan Walker, December 18, 2006)
Miss-La-Bama-the future
Having survived the Katrina storm surge and hurricane force winds of late August 2005, Jan Walker and Bill Ballard, her son, have commenced a long term restoration and hurricane preservation scheme for this historic home. The foundation has been significantly improved with deep-set, reinforced masonry footings and piers. Steel beams will support the new porch and carport in the rear of the house. The vinyl siding has been removed and the original wood siding is being prepared for an acrylic latex paint.
Jan G. Walker should be lauded and recognized for her aspirations, thoughtful planning and performance in assuring the longevity of Miss-La-Bama for future generations.
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VAN CLEAVE-WILSON COTTAGE: (1888-2009)
1011 Desoto Avenue
The Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage is located at 1011 Desoto Avenue in Section 19, T7S-R8W. The lot is located in Block 24 of the Culmseig Map (1854), and measures 57
feet on Desoto by 165 feet to the north. The land on which the house was built was originally part of the Andre Fournier Tract (1849). By the early 1870s, Edward Chase of St. Louis, Missouri was in possession of large tracts of land at Ocean Springs probably through the efforts of local land speculator George A. Cox (1811- 1887). Block 24, a small part of what was then called the Martin and Shortridge Tracts, was conveyed by Chase to Edward W. Clark of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in March 1874.(1)
By the mid-1870s, Block 24 was divided and a tract 194 feet x 228 feet on the northwest corner of Cash and Desoto was sold to R.A. Van Cleave by George and Edna Sumrall through their agent, Sardin Ramsay (1837-1920). The land tax rolls indicate the sale occurred between 1876 and 1878. The deed was kept by Van Cleave in an iron safe at his mercantile store and was stolen and never recorded. A new deed was filed on January 21, 1886.(2)
Robert Adrian Van Cleave (1840-1908) was a pioneer citizen of Ocean Springs. He was active in commerce and politics. Van Cleave operated a large mercantile store on
Washington Avenue between Desoto and Robinson Avenues. The Van Cleave home was at the northeast corner of Washington and Desoto and this tract was literally in his back yard. From future sales records of this property, it appears Van Cleave built four rental cottages on this one-acre tract fronting on Desoto. Jackson County Land Roll data infer that these houses of which the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage is the only one extant, were built in 1888. The earliest Sanborn Map (1893) of Ocean Springs corroborates the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage on Desoto at that time.
In December 1896, Van Cleave and his wife, Elizabeth R. Sheppard (1840-1908), sold the tract to Mrs. Francesca Victoria Garrard for $2100.(3) In the deed the Van Cleaves also conveys "the four cottage(s), fences, and other improvements". Mrs. Garrard (1839-1907) was married to a Kentuckian, James J. Garrard (1828-1902). Their children were James D. Garrard (1867-1871) and Joseph Bacon Garrard (1871-1915). In the late 1880s, the Garrards retired to Ocean Springs from New Orleans where he had been a partner in the cotton firm of Garrard & Craig.
In September 1886, Mrs. Garrard purchased three lots with a front of 290 feet on Iberville and Fort Bayou to the north from Francisco Coyle and F.M. Weed for $490.(4) On June 3, 1887, The Pascagoula Democratic-Star reported that "Mr. Garrard bought a lot at Ocean Springs and plans to build a large commodius dwelling house there. He will probably locate there permanently."
Here on the south bank of Fort Bayou, the Garrards built a Colonial Revival edifice in 1890, which they called "Bayou Home". Two of Mrs. Garrard's great grandchildren, Joseph Bacon Garrard II (b. 1939) and Jack Kling Garrard (b. 1950), reside on the old Garrard tract today. Prior to 1892, J.J. Garrard had returned to business, and was a merchant probably selling hardware on Washington Avenue. His son, Joseph B. Garrard and his wife, Carrie Johnson Garrard Everhart (1886-1968), followed this tradition.
In March 1904, the Garrards sold "three lots with houses on them" located on a tract of land with 168 feet on Desoto and 185 feet on Cash to Dr. O.L. Bailey for $1500.
It appears, the Garrards retained the cottage on the northwest corner of Desoto and Cash with the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage going to Dr. O.L. Bailey.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. , p.
Dr. O.L. Bailey
Dr. Oscar L. Bailey (1870-1938) was a native of Newton County, Mississippi. He received his medical degree in St. Louis and came to Ocean Springs circa 1897 from Lake, Mississippi. Bailey was married to Birdie Anderson (1876-1925) of Edwards. They reared four children at Ocean Springs: Mrs. Beryl Parker Wood (1896-1986), Bemis Bailey (1898-1969), Mrs. Clothilde Campbell (1901-1995), and Mrs. Salome Watkins (1903). After his wife died in 1925, Bailey married Maude Holloway (1901-1980) of North Biloxi.
Dr. Bailey owned a great deal of real estate during his life time. While he owned this house, he also owned the Van Cleave Hotel, called "The Inn" at this time, on the southeast corner of Washington and Robinson. Bailey built a building on Washington Avenue in 1927, which now houses the Lovelace Drugs. It is assumed that Bailey utilized the cottage as a rental unit. When he sold it to Fred S. Bradford in April 1909 for $600, the lot was described as commencing 171 feet west of the northwest corner of Cash and Desoto, thence 57 feet west, north 185 feet, east 57 feet, and south 185 feet to the point of beginning.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. , p. 6)
Frederick S. Bradford
Frederick Semmes Bradford (1878-1951) was a general contractor. He built many houses and buildings at Ocean Springs, which are extant. The First Baptist Church on Porter and Bellande was built by John Burr (1875-1916) and Bradford in 1909. They also built an addition to Dr. Powell's Sanitarium (1909) and the New Beach Hotel (1909).
Fred Bradford married Letetia Carver (1881-1968), a native of Bay St. Louis. Her father, David Carver (b. 1836), had come to Ocean Springs from Hancock County to operate the Fort Bayou ferry. The Bradfords were from Connecticut and settled in Jackson County circa 1804. Sherwood Bradford (1838-1922), Fred's father, was the first teacher in a Jackson County school which was held at the Tide Water Baptist Church on Davis Bayou. He married Eleanora Davis (1851-1938).
The Fred Bradfords had four children: Matilda E. Milsted (b. 1913), Eleanora F. Lemon (b. 1915), Vertalee B. Van Cleave (1916-204), and Margaret B. Chasteen (1917-1977). Matilda, called Betty, was born in the Desoto Avenue house on May 14, 1914. As the family began to outgrow the small cottage, Fred Bradford built a larger home on the southwest corner of Bowen and Van Cleave Avenues. The other children were born here. Today, Vertalee Van Cleave resides in the old Bradford Family home at 1212 Bowen.
Fred Bradford sold his Desoto Avenue cottage to William E. Wilson in March 1914 for $700.(7)
Circa 1906, William Edward Wilson, called Ed, had come to Ocean Springs from Wabash County, Indiana probably with the L&N Railroad. He met Ida Antonia Fayard Smith (1884-1978), a young divorcee with two small children. They married on September 30, 1908. Ida A. Fayard had married George T. Smith, a native of Michigan, in August 1900. They had a son, Otis Fayard Smith (1902-1977), and a daughter, Ida Mae Chaillot (1903-1922). Smith abandoned his family, and Ida F. Smith was granted a divorce in the Chancery Court of Jackson County in March 1908 (Cause No. 1697). It is believed that he moved to Baldwin County, Alabama where he farmed.
Ida Wilson was the daughter of Leonard Fayard (1847-1923) and Martha Westbrook (1851-1919). Martha Westbrook was the sister of Edwin Martin Westbrook (1857-1913), the barber of Washington Avenue, who fathered eight sons and a daughter. The Westbrooks were well known as railroad men. In 1900, Mr. Fayard made his livelihood as a guard at the quarantine station (Ship Island), and as a railroad driver in 1910. The Fayards married in 1867, and had ten children. Those children known are: Emile Edward (1872- 1931), Louise Elizabeth Fayard (1876-1876), Leonard Fayard (1881-1958), Virginia F. Champlin (1877), Ida F. Wilson (1884-1978), John Alexander Fayard (b. 1886), and Oliver Fayard (1890-1950).
Ed Wilson operated the first hamburger shop at Ocean Springs commencing circa 1908. He closed his restaurant in 1924, and opened the Wilson Cash and Carry Store in December 1924, next to their Desoto Avenue home. Ed Wilson ran an advertisement in the Jackson County Times of June 20, 1925, which read as follows:
WILSON'S
Cash and Carry Store
The Place To Save Money
10 lbs. of Sugar-------------------------------------70c
Flavoring Extracts------------------------------------9c
Oblisk Flour---------------------------------------$1.65
Sunset Self Rising Flour 24lb. sack----------------$1.45
Libbys Sliced Pineapple------------------------------18c
Pet and Carnation Milk, Tall-------------------------12c
Any 10c Tobacco 3 for--------------------------------25c
The store sat in the southeast corner of the lot and had an area of approximately five hundred square-feet. At the time, the other stores at Ocean Springs were: A.C. Gottsche, E.S. Davis, W.S. Van Cleave, Baker Grocery & Coffee, and G. Bradshaw. The Wilson store was neat and well stocked with a good selection of groceries, tobacco, and other goods. Mr. Wilson sold his wares for cash at discount prices.
In July 1936, Mrs. Ida Wilson opened a confection shop in her store building. She sold ice cream, cake, snowballs, and candy.
It is believed John Alexander Fayard (1886-1958)) built the store for his sister. It was torn down in the 1950s. A remnant of a brick pier from the store remains in situ in the yard today.
Ed Wilson passed away on March 17, 1926. He was a member of the McLeod Lodge No. 424 F&AM, Biloxi Elks Lodge, Ocean Springs Social Club, and Indiana Order of Odd Fellows.
A few years after Ed Wilson died, Mrs. Ida Wilson began to work at the A.C. Gottsche Store on Washington Avenue. She was employed here from 1931 to 1958.
During the Depression year of 1934, Mrs. Wilson sold her home to Charles H. Mills for $750.(8) Shortly thereafter, Mills conveyed it back to her.(9)
In August 1970, Mrs. Wilson sold the northern most twenty-five feet of her lot to James H. and Audrey Tate Durbin.(10) Durbin operated a TV business on Washington Avenue.
Ida Wilson was known and loved by all of Ocean Springs. She was a fine Christian lady. In her retirement, she took the time to write notes of encouragement to the ill and infirmed. Her mind and wit were still keen at 82 years. The following is offered about Mrs. Wilson's children:
Otis F. Smith
Otis F. Smith died on October 6, 1978, preceding his mother in death. Probably the first job that Otis Smith held was with the Radcliffe Chautauqua. When they came to Ocean Springs in February 1918, he joined them as company property and tent manager. Smith traveled with the group until they returned to Ocean Springs in May 1919. Immediately upon his return here, in June 1919, Otis Smith joined the Navy. He was a light heavy weight boxer, and was successful in the ring while in the service. Smith later was a sparring partner of Jack Dempsey at his California training camp. Remained at Cle Elum, Washington a coal mining center in central Washington until July 1929. In 1934, Otis Smith working at the Kraft Paper Mill in Mobile. He had been there for a few years. Smith was a merchant marine and worked on towboats on the Mississippi River. He later worked in New Orleans as a hotel desk clerk and in the frozen food storage business. Smith retired in 1968, and lived with Mrs. Wilson in her Desoto Avenue cottage.
Ida Mae Smith
Ida Mae Smith (1903-1922) was employed as the assistant mail clerk in the Ocean Springs Post Office in May 1919. She married William L. Chaillot circa late 1919. In November 1919, he operated the Acme Tailoring Parlor in the Bertuccini Building next to The Jackson County Times office on Washington Avenue. They relocated to Texas in 1920, and lived at Houston, where Mr. Chaillot was employed by Humble Oil and Refining Company. Ida May Chaillot returned to Ocean Springs in early 1922, suffering with tuberculosis. She died here on April 25, 1922.(The Jackson County Times, July 31, 1920, p. 3 and The Daily Herald, April 29, 1922, p. 3)
After Mrs. Ida Wilson died on February 15, 1978, her nephews, Charles A. Fayard (1923-2009) and James L. Fayard (1926-1990), inherited the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage. (Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 34170, "Estate of Ida F. Wilson", 1978)
James "Jimmy" Fayard died in June 1990. He was a Navy veteran of WWII and later worked as an optical technician for Alpha Optical at Ocean Springs. Fayard was survived by his wife, Florita, and children: Jason T. Fayard, David M. Fayard, and Lori Fayard. They held the property until January 9, 1981, when they conveyed it to David M. Allen.(12)
David M. Allen
David M. Allen (b. 1945) is the son of William R. Allen, Jr. (1911-1985), and Cornelia King Marion (1922-1994). William R. Allen, Jr. was a local architect of renown and an art dealer. He owned the Farmers and Merchants State Bank Building on Washington Avenue from 1971 until his demise in 1985. Allen operated "Gallery Up" and later Robbie's at this location. David Allen was born at Memphis, Tennessee. He received a law degree from Tulane University at New Orleans. Allen has worked in the petroleum industry as a landman with Exxon, and is now employed with an independent oil company, Legacy Petroleum. David Allen owned the property for a few days before conveying it to Jennie Elkin Kennett in Janaury 1981.(13)
Jennie Elkin Kennett
Jennie Elkin Kennett was born at Midland, Texas in 1912. Here she was reared on a ranch where she lived the life of a real "cowgirl" participating in roundups. Mrs. Kennett now resides at Kinderhook, New York, south of Albany near the Massachusetts line. Kinderhook, a small town east of the Hudson River, is the birth place of our eight president, Martin Van Buren.
She and her husband, Earl Kennett, were introduced in Dallas, Texas by William Allen, Jr. Earl Kennett is a well-known jazz pianist. He was born at Augusta, Kansas in 1912. Kennett played music in the New York City area for many years with the best musicians of his time. In his playing days, he was known as "a musicians musician" because of his fine ear. Kennett's hobby was recording music and he became a fine recording engineer. At present, his health is poor as his renal system is failing.
Mrs. Kennett was in New Orleans at a business conference in the early 1980s, and came to Ocean Springs to visit William Allen, Jr. He convinced her to buy the Wilson Cottage as an investment. Maria Bargas and William R. Allen, III refurbished the cottage for Mrs. Kennett. They had it leveled, removed the front porch, glassed the side porch, added skylights, and generally improved the appearance of the building.
The Kennetts lived in their Desoto Avenue home for about seven months probably in 1982. While they were here, Earl played piano at Robbies, Allen's lounge, on the second floor of the Farmers and Merchants Bank Building. The Kennetts enjoyed Ocean Springs. Mrs. Kennett loved the charm of the city. She especially remembers Founders Day (d'Iberville's Landing), and the great community spirit.
Mrs. Kennett rented her house to the architectural firm of Allen-Bargas for several years before she conveyed it to Benjamin P. Watkins in December 1986.(14)
Painting by Ben P. Watkins
Benjamin P. Watkins
Benjamin Porter Watkins (1913-1993) utilized the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage as his art studio. He called it the Watkins Studio Gallery. Watkins was a retired university and art history from the University of Minnesota in 1971. Ben Watkins was born on February 19, 1913 at Brookhaven, Mississippi. He matriculated to LSU where he earned a Bachelor and Masters degree. Watkins also studied with contemporary masters in the sculpture, pottery, and art restoration areas. Dr. Watkins taught at Phillips University, Southern Illinois University, and retired while at Eastern Illinois University where he taught from 1971-1984. He was a visiting professor of art history at the University of Evansville (Indiana) during his retirement years. Widower, Ben Watkins, came to Ocean Springs in 1985. He met and married Inez Delaney Gordon, herself a widow. They resided in the St. Martin Community across Old Fort Bayou.(JXCO, Ms. MRB 153, p. 357)
Ben Watkins melded well with the locals. He became a regular at Henrietta's morning coffee club. Watkins and local artist and etcher, Glenn Miller, became close friends. Glenn would spend hours with Ben at his studio discussing art and politics. Death came quickly to Ben Watkins in his beloved art studio on November 23, 1993. He suffered from a rupture of his aorta. Friend and fellow artist, Glenn Miller memorialized Watkin's demise in this poem:
Ben, I went to your studio today.
All that was left were torn off
buttons of your gentle shirt.
They tried to save you there on
the floor. Medical debris lying
where you died.
I held the buttons and cried.
Ben, an artist full of knowledge and skill.
Ben, the teacher, the lover of books,
a farm boy who became scholar,
a good breed of man with honor.
Our sparkling conversation
on history and art. The shape
of trees, the proper shade of green.
Ben Watkins, your death was
a robbery, too swiftly taken.
I wasn't through enjoying you.
Inez Gordon Watkins sold the Watkins Studio to Ray L. Bellande (b. 1943) on February 3, 1994.(15) Bellande arrived at Ocean Springs in May 1990, and acquired the Arndt Cottage at 822 Porter from Marie Arndt Alexander (1905-1994).(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. , p.
Ray L. Bellande
Like many current residents of Ocean Springs, Ray L. Bellande was born at Biloxi. He grew up in the tough Back Bay section, and received his education at both parochial (St Johns) and public schools (Gorenflo). A 1961 graduate of Biloxi Senior High School, Bellande practiced in the same backfield with former Mississippi State University head football coach, Jackie Sherrill.
In August 1965, after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Geology from Mississippi State University, Ray L. Bellande joined Humble Oil & Refining Company (now Exxon) at New Orleans. He later explored for oil and gas from Exxon offices and affiliates at Shreveport, Louisiana; Los Angeles, California; the Far East (Djakarta, Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Singapore); and Kingsville, Texas.
Bellande joined the offshore division of Tenneco Oil at Lafayette, Louisiana in 1973. At Lafayette, he eventually became an independent geologist and oil operator exploring for and producing hydrocarbons primarily in southwest Louisiana as Polaris Production Company.
Bellande discovered his "roots" at Ocean Springs, and enjoys researching and writing of his finds. He has written this column for the Ocean Springs Record for nearly fourteen-years. The experience has been rewarding as it has opened many doors to the past. Bellande has "adopted or been adopted" by several families he has come to know through his research. He looks forward to completing a book this year on the history of the older homes at Ocean Springs.
Renovations and improvements
Since his ownership of the Van Cleave-Wilson Cottage, Bellande has done some interior painting and renovations, repaired the roof on the out building, and erected a picket fence. He has utilized the edifice as a rental cottage since May of 1994. Insight Institute, the primary lessor, occupied the building from 1997-until September 1, 2004. Sandra Hall Anderson Diaz, proprietor.
In the fall and winter of 1999-2000, the exterior of the building sanded and repainted a lavender color by Ray L. Bellande with the assistance of T.K. Lively. New railing installed in July 2000, by Charles L. “Larry” Galle, son of Clarence Galle.
New fence on east side of property in the spring of 2001 by Galle and Bellande.
Brick piers on the south, west, and north replaced in March-April 2003, by Roy A. Bellande and Ray L. Bellande. Front deck also replaced and side deck leveled as piers were slanted to the east. Side deck rebuilt in the spring of 2004 by Roy and Ray L. Bellande.
Wesley C. Burkhardt Jr.
In September 2004, Bellande entered into a lease purchase agreement with Dr. Wesley C. 'Wes' Burkhardt Jr. Dr. Burkhardt (b. 1942), a native of New Orleans, is a genetics specialist. He received his PhD from the University of Mississippi. He and family lived in Natchez, Mississippi where he taught for the USM campus there. Organized Medical Genetics and Legal Genetics. In 1986, recognized as the first certified genetics lab in the State of Mississippi.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1358, p. 107)
In October 2004, Ray L. Bellande and Dr. Burkhardt gutted the former kitchen and bathroom to make one large bathroom. Roy A. Bellande was hired to replace rotten sills and joists and to rebuild pier system in the northeast corner of the structure. Roy A. Bellande also completed the carpentry work in the 'new' bathroom while Danny Holland and Harry Legahty did the plumbing and electrical services respectively.
Dr. Wesley C. Burkhardt Jr. and Eileen H. Burkhardt, his spouse, were conveyed the Van Cleave-Wilson House by Ray L. Bellande in September 2005.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1392, p. 790)
Alfred P. Moran
In April 2006, Dr. Burkhardt sold to Alfred R. 'Fred' Moran.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 1410, p. 341)
Initially, Mr. Moran rented 1011 Desoto Avenue to Eco- who relocated to Government Street. In late 2006, “Flying Wild”, a unique outlet for nature enthusiasts in particularly ‘birders’ began their occupation of the premises. Catherine Biggs-Owens, proprietor, vended bird feeders, houses, gourmet seed, books and bird bathes. After Christmas 2008, Catherine Biggs-Owens went out of business and in February 2009, Theresa A. Poppell opened "Theresa's Wine Closet" in Moran's rental. She offered fine wines with "messages on a bottle".
1011 DESOTO [September 2011]
In the summer of 2011, Fred Moran had 1011 Desoto transformed with many exterior changes. Two Katrina Cottages were moved into the rear yard for short-term rentals and a small parking lot was constructed in the back of the lot to service the cottages. The entire lawn was replaced with St. Augustine grass and a brick paver walkways built on the eastside of the property.
REFERENCES:
1. Jackson County Deed Book 6, pp. 30-31.
2. ------------------- Book 8, p. 462.
3. ------------------- Book 17, p. 610.
4. ------------------- Book 8, pp. 283-285.
5. ------------------- Book 27, pp. 595-596.
6. ------------------- Book 34, p. 466.
7. ------------------- Book 40, p. 262.
8. ------------------- Book 66, pp. 472-473.
9. ------------------- Book 78, p. 189.
10. ------------------- Book 382, p. 399.
11. ------------------- Book 658, p. 536.
12. ------------------- Book 696, p. 678.
13. ------------------- Book 696, p. 480.
14.--------------------- Book 950, p. 433
15. Jackson County Deed of Trust Book 965, p. 93.
16. Jackson County Deed Book 1112, p. 343.
BOOKS
Ray L. Bellande, Ocean Springs Hotels and Tourist Homes, (Bellande: Ocean Springs-1994), pp. 51-57.
Regina Hines Ellison, Ocean Springs, 1892 (Second Edition), (Lewis Printing Services: Pascagoula-1991), pp. 4, and 52.
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "William Bradford", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989), pp. 139-140.
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "James J. Garrard", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989) p. 213.
The History of Jackson County, Mississippi, "Van Cleave-Bradford Families", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989)pp. 375-376.
Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, "Kinderhook, N.Y.", (Merriam-Webster, Inc.: Springfield, Massachusetts-1984), p. 611.
Chancery Court Cases
Jackson County Chancery Court Cause No. 1697, "Smith v. Smith", 1908.
Jackson County Chancery Court Cause No. 33430, "Estate of Otis F. Smith", 1978.
Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 34170, "Estate of Ida F. Wilson", 1978.
Journals
The Daily Herald, "Ida Mae Chaillot Obit", April 29, 1922, p. 3.
The Daily Herald, "Old Resident of Ocean Springs Dies", March 17, 1926, p. 1.
------------, "F.S. Bradford Dies", January 10, 1951, p. 6.
The Daily Herald, "Mrs. L.C. Bradford", May 29, 1968, p. 2.
------------, "Otis F. Smith", October 7, 1977, p. A-2.
------------, "Mrs. Ida Antonia Wilson", February 15, 1978, p. A-2.
The Jackson County Times, Local News Interest, February 2, 1918.
--------------------, Local News Interest, April 19, 1919.
--------------------, Local News Interest, May 10, 1919.
--------------------, "Local News Interest", June 7, 1919.
--------------------, "Local News Interest", November 1, 1919.
--------------------, "Local New Items", July 31, 1920.
--------------------, Local and Personal, December 20, 1924.
The Jackson County Times, Local and Personal, September 5, 1925.
--------------------, "Sudden Death of W.E. Wilson is Shock to Ocean Springs", March 20, 1926, p. 3.
--------------------, "Local and Personal", July 13, 1929, p. 2.
--------------------, "Local and Personal", September 1, 1934.
--------------------, "Local and Personal", July 4, 1936
The Ocean Springs News, "Baptist to Build Handsome Edifice", February 13, 1909, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Reaches 82nd Birthday" (Ida Wilson), September 15, 1966, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs Record, “Noted artist, author to speak to Ocean Springs Art Association”, February 6, 1986, p. 7.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Memorial to Ben Watkins", November 28, 1993, p. 2.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Sous Les Chenes", January , 1994.
The Sun Herald, "James 'Jimmy' Fayard", June 7, 1990, p. C-2.
The Sun Herald, "Benjamin Porter Watkins", November 24, 1993.
Jackson County Land Rolls-(1879), p. 104; (1887), p. 125; (1889), p. 132; and (1909), p. 322.
US CENSUS-Jackson County, Mississippi (1900, 1910, and 1920).
MAPS
Sanborn Map Company (New York), "Ocean Springs, Mississippi", (1904)-Sheet 1, (1909)-Sheet 2, (1925)-Sheet 1.
Personal Communication:
J.K. Lemon-January 10, 1994
Margaret S. Norman-January 12, 1994
W. Bradford Lemon-February 17,1994
Charles Fayard-March 22, 1994
Jennie F. Kennett-May 24, 1994
Maria Bargas-June 9, 1994
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
James J. Garrad House
1119 Iberville Drive
James J. Garrard House circa 1917
In the later years of the 19th Century, James J. Garrard (1828-1902) and his wife, Victoria Marks Garrard (1839-1907), moved to Ocean Springs into retirement from New Orleans. In the Crescent City, Mr. Garrard had been a partner in the cotton firm of Garrard & Craig. He was a native of Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky having been born there in 1828, the son of Massena Garrard (1800-1850) and Elizabeth Fry (d. 1836). James B. Garrard (1749-1822), the grandfather of J.J. Garrard, was Governor of Kentucky from 1796-1804. A native of Virginia, he made his livelihood as a farmer, miller, whiskey maker, solider, and Baptist minister. As Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, J.B. Garrard worked to reform the organization of the militia, courts, and penal system; added 26 counties to the state’s districts; initiated construction of the Governor’s Mansion; asked the government to provide for public education; and attempted to establish anti-slavery laws. Governor Garrard was one of two governors to ever serve two full successive terms; the first Kentucky governor to live in the Governor’s Mansion; and in 1797 Garrard County, Kentucky was named in his honor.(Ellison, 1991, p. 4, The History of JXCO, Ms., 1989, p. 213, and www.kdla.ky.gov/resources/kygovernors.htm)
Before James J. Garrard settled at New Orleans circa 1870, he may have lived in the 1840s with his family at Marion County, Missouri, which is near Hannibal on the Mississippi River. James. J. Garrard married Francesca Victoria Marks, a Missouri native. Their vows were exchanged at St. Louis, Missouri on January 7, 1861. Miss Marks’ parents were from Connecticut. Before his betrothal to Francesca, J.J. Garrard may have returned to Kentucky from Missouri and been employed as a cabinetmaker in Fayette County, Kentucky.(1840 Marion Co., Missouri Federal Census R 226, p. 94 and 1850 Fayette Co., Kentucky Federal Census M432_199, p. 201).
Ocean Springs
In September 1886, at Ocean Springs, Francesca M. Garrard acquired from Francisco Coyle (1813-1891) and Frank M. Weed (1852-1917) for $490 with other proximate real estate, two lots with a front of two hundred ninety feet on the south bank of Fort Bayou along Iberville Drive. Here in November 1890, the Garrards built a home which they called "Bayou Home". (JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 8, pp. 283-285)
This event was recorded in The Biloxi Herald on November 8, 1890, which related the following: New Buildings are going up all over this place. J.J. Garrard is erecting a six-room two-story house opposite the marble springs that will be quite an ornament to that part of town.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History survey (1986) of the Marble Springs Historic District describes the Garrard Home as follows: One-and-one-half story, wood frame house with a side gable roof with large central gabled dormer. Bracketed cornice over side door. Undercut gallery now enclosed with a continuous bank of casements. Colonial Revival. Circa 1890.
At Ocean Springs, J.J. Garrard was active in the founding of the first city government of Ocean Springs in 1892. He headed the special committee to frame a charter, designate the corporate limits, and partition the city into four wards. Mr. Garrard was the first provisional alderman of Ward One. Also in 1892, he helped organize the Ocean Springs Hook and Ladder Company, a rival to the Ocean Springs Fire Company No. 1, which was begun in 1880. J.J. Garrard was the first secretary of the new volunteer fire company.(Ellison, 1991, p. 41)
In addition, to his interest in politics and community, James J. Garrard and spouse were active in local real estate. In 1891, the built a cottage on Iberville opposite the Mineral Springs, which was sold to J.L. Casey in December 1891. Francesca M. Garrard owned rental property at present day 1010 Desoto Avenue.(The Biloxi Herald, January 2, 1892, p. 4)
Joseph B. Garrard
The James J. Garrard and Francesca V. Garrard had two children born at New Orleans: James D. Garrard (1867-1871) and Joseph Bacon Garrard (1871-1915). Joseph Bacon Garrard was born on December 25, 1871. When his Grandmother Marks expired in late January 1892, at Marietta, Georgia, he accompanied his mother to her late mother’s funeral.(The Biloxi Herald, January 30, 1892, p. 1)
In 1894, James J. Garrard ventured to Topo Chico Springs, near Monterrey, Mexico. It was observed upon Garrard’s return to Ocean Springs in May 1894, that he was “decidedly improved in health and good looks.”(The Pascagoula-Democrat-Star, may 11, 1894, p. 3)
The Spanish American War
Joseph B. Garrard saw active duty in Cuba. The Pascagoula Democrat-Star of August 18, 1898, reported that "Corporal J.B. Garrard of the 2nd Mississippi Volunteers arrived home Monday where he will remain for a time in order to recuperate from the effects of an attack of malarial fever.”
Corporal Garrard was seriously wounded on the march to Santiago de Cuba when he fell into a pit of poisoned spears. One of the stakes penetrated his abdomen, but prompt action by the company surgeon saved his life.(Spanish-American War Service Record Extracts 1898-1899. No. 997 and WPA, 1936-1938, p. 178)
In October 1899, Joseph B. Garrard was with the 29th Regiment, U.S. Volunteers and sent to the Philippine Islands. His mother was the recipient of one of his missives sent from Honolulu in the Sandwich Islands, now the Hawaiian Islands.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, November 3, 1899, p. 3)
Passing
James J. Garrard expired at Ocean Springs in February 1902. Mrs. Francesca M. Garrard followed him in death in July 1907. Their corporal remains lie in rest in the Evergreen Cemetery on Old Fort Bayou.
Marriage
After his father’s demise and his mother in the twilight of her life, James B. Garrard on January 10, 1906, in the Episcopal Church at Scranton (Pascagoula), Mississippi, married Carrie Ann Johnson (1886-1968) of Algiers, Louisiana. She was the daughter of Danish sea captain, Frederick Oliver Johnson (1851-1938), and Henrietta W. Hedman (1855-1922). Captain Johnson came to New Orleans when he was rescued off the coast of South America by a steamship company located in the Crescent City.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, January 12, 1906, p. 3)
Mrs. Garrard's sister, Antoinette Johnson (1880-1956), was married to local baker, Frank E. Schmidt (1877-1954), who operated the Premium Bakery on Washington Avenue from 1901-1938. Their children were: Dr. Frank Oliver Schmidt (1902-1975), Charles Ernest Schmidt (1904-1988), and Dr. Harry Johnson Schmidt (1905-1997). C.E. Schmidt served as Mayor of Ocean Springs from 1961-1965, and wrote a comprehensive history of Ocean Springs titled, Ocean Springs French Beachhead.
At Ocean Springs, the J.B. Garrards reared two children: James Frederick Garrard (1906-1972) and Frank Benson Garrard (1908-1919). James F. Garrard studied electro-chemical engineering at the University of Michigan in 1929. Garrard lived at Port Arthur, Texas, and married Katherine Kling Webb (1913-1950) of North Carolina. Their children were: James F. Garrard Jr. (1938-1992), Joseph Bacon Garrard II (b. 1939), and Jack Kling Garrard (b. 1950).
Site of the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company
The Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company-was situated on Old Fort Bayou in the N/2 of the N/2 of Section 23, T7S-R8W. The site was well chosen as it had: access to deep water; a cheap and readily available fuel supply for its kilns; and was situated on high ground, which was not inundated by Katrina 2005. In present geographic terms, the brick making operation was along the 8900 block of Dixie Street in the Dixie Subdivision created in 1955 by Wendell Palfrey (1896-1956), which is northwest of the Ocean Springs-Vancleave Road. Ronald ‘Bo’ Hall lives in the immediate area of the old brick works and has found many relic bricks in his yard. Digital image by Ray L. Bellande- May 15, 2007.
The Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company
After his military service during the 1898 conflict with Spain was completed, Joseph B. Garrard returned to Ocean Springs. He became involved with the operations of the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company. This entity had been incorporated on April 6, 1894, by James J. Garrard (1828-1902), his father, William C. West (1848-1915), Edward T. Firth (1857-1930+), David W. Halstead (1842-1918), and Joseph B. Garrard (1871-1915). The purpose of the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company was to: manufacture and sell for profit of all classes of brick, tile, and fire clay and other clay products, and to open a general mercantile business to expedite in the development of the brick, tile, and other clay product manufacturing business. The company had capital stock of $100,000 and its charter was approved on May 24, 1894, by J.M. Stone, Governor of Mississippi.( The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, May 18, 1894, p. 2)
D.W. Halstead and son, Ernest W. Halstead (1876-1953), returned to Ocean Springs in early April 1894, from Orange Grove. They had closed their business in that area of eastern Jackson County.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, April 13, 1894, p. 3)
The West & Firth Sawmill
The scion that blossomed into the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company came out of the West & Firth Sawmill. The machinery for the William C. West and E.T. Firth sawmill arrived at its Old Fort Bayou site in February 1891. In July, the mills shut down to repair its boilers. Brick making was also taking place.( The Biloxi Herald, February 15, 1891, p. 1 and July 18, 1891, p. 1)
In March 1892, The Pascagoula Democrat-Star announced that, “E.T. Firth sawmill and brickworks, a new enterprise, now flourishing at Ocean Springs”.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, March 11, 1892, p. 3)
Land Acquisition
In May 1889, while residents of Louisville, Kentucky, Edward T. Firth and Mary A. Firth, acquired over 860 acres of land east of Ocean Springs in Section 23 and Section 26, T7S-R8W from W.S. Francis and Amy Francis of Jefferson County, Kentucky. Consideration from the Firths to the Francis family for this land was $5400. from W.S. Francis and Amy Francis of Jefferson County, Kentucky. Consideration from the Firths to the Francis family for this land was $5400. The Firth tracts were described as: Section 23-the N/2; the N/2 of the SW/4; the SW/4 of the SW/4; the SE/4 of the SE/4; and the N/2 of the SE/4. Section 26-the NW/4; the NE/4; NW/4 of the SE/4; fractional part of the NE/4 of the SE/4; and three acres out of the NE/4 of the SW/4 lying north of the L&N Railroad.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 10, pp. 561-562)
Firth and West families
Edward Theobald Firth (1857-1930+) was an Englishman and an architect. He immigrated to the USA in 1858. Firth and his family arrived at Ocean Springs circa 1890, from Louisville, Kentucky. Circa 1882, he had married Mary A. Firth (1862-1930+), a native of Ohio, probably Fort Recovery. They had nine children of which eight survived to adulthood: Martha B. Firth (1883-1900+), Mary I. Firth (1885-1900+), John E. Firth (1888-1900+), Orlando Firth (1891-1920+), Owen Firth (1893-1972), Elsie C. Firth (1895-1920+), William Firth (1899-1974), and Helen Firth (1902-1920+). Orlando was the first Firth child to be born in Mississippi.(1900 Jackson Co., Ms. Federal Census- T623 812, p. 1B, ED 43)
The Reverend William C. West (1848-1915) was a native of Decatur, Ohio, while Mrs. West was born at New Albany, Indiana, the daughter of Silas C. Day (1813-1886) and Harriett Newell McClung (1820-1912). They were married at New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana on February 11, 1880. The West children were: Laura T. West (1882-1900), William D. West (1885-1915+), David M. West (1889-1915+), and Raynor E. West (1890-1915+).
The West family came to Ocean Springs, Mississippi in 1889, probably from Illinois. At Ocean Springs, Reverend West was the Presbyterian minister serving the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs from 1890-1895. He also preached to the people of Biloxi. The Pascagoula Democrat-Star announced in June 1891, that, "the prospect for building a Presbyterian Church with a goodly congregation in Biloxi is very promising". In July 1892, the great New Orleans philanthropist, John Henry Keller, donated Lot 1 (50 feet by 150 feet)-Block 6 of Keller's tract to the Biloxi Presbyterian Church. The church was located on Howard Avenue east of the old Biloxi Public High School. The deacons and elders of the Biloxi Presbyterian Church, among them Bemis O. Bailey (1898-1969), an Ocean Springs native, sold their property to the City of Biloxi in late December 1940, for $3659.
Sometimes in 1899, the West house was destroyed by fire. The Pascagoula Democrat-Star announced in October 1899, "Reverend West was rebuilding his residence on East Beach. It will be one of the most attractive on the east end".
In July 1904, the West clan sold their home site and ten acres to Gilbert O. Clayton of New Orleans for $2000. After the sale, Reverend West went to Louisville, Kentucky. He returned to Ocean Springs, in mid-October 1906. His comment after returning, "glad to be back and eat mullet".(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 28, pp. 433-434)
The West family returned to Indiana, the home of Mrs. West. This is corroborated in the May 6, 1915, weekly edition of The Ocean Springs News. It announced at this time, "the Reverend W.C. West formerly of Ocean Springs, but now at New Albany, Indiana is in very bad health". Indeed, William C. West was suffering from cancer of the tongue. He died on November 26, 1915. He and Mrs. West were interred in the Fairview Cemetery at 800 E. Sixth Street in New Albany, Indiana.(The Ocean Springs News, December 1, 1915)
The Brickyard
In May 1892, E.T. and Mary A. Firth leased 4.81 acres of land along Old Fort Bayou situated on a high east-west striking ridge, in the NE/4 of the NW/4 and the NW/4 of the NE/4 of Section 23, T7S-R8W to the E.T Firth & Company, which was owned one-third each by, E.T. Firth, Mary A. Firth, and W.C. West. The ten-year lease commenced on January 1, 1892 with the rent established at $.10 for each one thousand brick made from this land. The rent could be paid monthly or semi-annually. The E.T. Firth & Company had the right at any time to remove any portable or stationary machinery and fixtures, including any machinery on the ground.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 14, p. 148)
When the brick company or its officers borrowed money to keep the operation going, their deeds of trust reveal that the brickyard plant and sawmill consisted of: a store building with goods, wares, and merchandise; kilns; dry sheds; engines; boilers; machinery; tools; tracks; and cars.
The company borrowed monies from W.H. Day of Floyd County, Indiana, the Hieronymous Brothers of Grand Bay, Alabama; The Bank of Biloxi; Francesca V. Garrard; Schmidt & Ziegler of New Orleans; and Harriet N. West.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 13, p. 422 and p. 604; Bk. 15, p. 31; Bk. 17, pp. 168-170; and Bk. 22, pp. 5-6)
As previously mentioned, E.T. Firth and W.C. West took on the Garrards and D.W. Halstead in April 1894, to form the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company. These individuals were probably brought in to infuse capital into this incipient business. The author speculates that brick made here were sold locally and also shipped to New Orleans by freight schooner.
Schmidt & Ziegler v. The Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company et als
In November 1895, W.B. Schmidt (1823-1901) and Francis M. Ziegler (1818-1901), both natives of Baden-Wurttemberg in southwestern Germany and proprietors of Schmidt & Ziegler, a wholesale grocery business situated on South Peters Street at New Orleans, were adjudicated a $600 judgment by the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Mississippi against the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company. As Schmidt & Ziegler were owners of the Ocean Springs Hotel and maintained summer residences at Ocean Springs, it is quite logical for them to have made acquaintances and transacted business with the principals of the local brick company.
Litigation, Jackson County, Mississippi Chancery Court Cause No. 683, against the defendant, the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company, was filed in August 1896, by the plaintiffs, Schmidt & Ziegler, after the Old Fort Bayou brickyard property was sold at a trustee’s sale on April 1, 1896, to Mary A. Firth for $2000, by W.C. West, trustee. Schmidt & Ziegler asked the Chancery Court of Jackson County to enforce a $600 lien on the brickyard property to cancel the deed of trust held by the defendants.
In their lawsuit, Schmidt & Ziegler alleged that the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company had attempted to defraud them of their $600 judgment of November 1895, by the pretended conveyance of the brickyard to Mrs. E.T. Firth on April 1, 1886. As some of their evidence in the litigation, W.B. Schmidt deposed that he and arrived at Ocean Springs from New Orleans on March 31, 1896, with the specific purpose of attending the sale of the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company at Fruitland and to protest the entire matter. With Robert D. Wigginton and H.F. Russell (1858-1840) in accompaniment, Mr. Schmidt arrived at the brickyard at 10:15 a.m. on the morning of April 1, 1896, only to discover that its conveyance by W.C. West, trustee, to Mary A. Firth had been consummated earlier. The only competition in the bidding had been from Harriett N. West, the spouse of W.C. West.
The suit against the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company was dismissed by Judge N.C. Hill on April 11, 1899, at the request of the plaintiffs, Schmidt & Ziegler. It is assumed that they arrived at an amicable settlement, as both parties were very honorable people. The court costs were paid by the plaintiffs. These law suits involving the finances of the Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company were the precursors to its final demise. Other signs of pending failure came in March 1899, March 1902, and March 1905, when H.F. Russell bought the Firth lands in tax sales. They were redeemed by W.C. West and Mrs. Mary A. Firth who paid from $63 to $11 in back taxes.(JXCO, Ms. Tax Sale Bk. 1, p. 63, p. 75, p. 87)
The Edward and Mary Firth and children had left Ocean Springs and returned to Fort Recovery, Mercer County, Ohio before November 1902. At this time, E.T. Firth was named as a surrogate to W.C. West in the Last Will of Winthrop Curtiss, who expired at San Antonio, Texas in January 1903. Winthrop Curtiss (1862-1903), and his wife, Ida M. Curtiss (1874-1902), made their home at the East Beach winter residence, “Seven Pines”, of Ralph C. Curtiss (1831-1900+), his uncle, and a native of Warren, Connecticut. Winthop Curtiss was the caretaker of “Seven Pines”, and an enumerator during the 1900 Federal Census at Ocean Springs.(JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause No. 1129-February 1903)
In November 1903, the Firths while residents of Fort Recovery, Ohio, commenced to dispense with their large land holdings at Ocean Springs. Between 1891 and 1917, E.T. Firth and Mary A. Firth sold their lands in Section s 23 and 26 T7S-R8W, primarily to Ellen M. Snyder (1838-1901), I.H. Snell (1852-1934+), W.C. West, and S.G. Gilfillan (1853-1938).
Palfrey’s Subdivisions
In November 1955, Wendell Palfrey (1896-1956), a New Orleanian by birth, who had arrived in Ocean Springs in 1945, from Memphis, where he had been in the real estate business since 1920, created the Dixie Subdivision. At this time, the site of the former Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company became integrated into Palfrey’s Dixie Subdivision. The manufacturing operation appears to have been centered along the high ridge in the 8900 block of Dixie Street on the northwest side of the Ocean Springs-Vancleave Raod.(JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Plat Bk. 2, p. 97)
Garrard Hardware
NW/C Washington Avenue and Desoto
Garrard Hardware was founded in 1909 when James B. Garrard (1871-1915) partnered with George W. Dale (1872-1953), a California transplant, to organize a business called Dale & Garrard Hardware and Plumbing. Mr. Dale was a tinsmith and plumber and operated the ‘outside’ business, while Mr. Garrard worked ‘inside’ and sold ranges and cook stoves, hammocks, water coolers, scales, batteries, kerosene vapor stoves and alcohol stoves at their Washington Avenue location. Before his death in February 1915, Mr. Dale had left the partnership. Joseph B. Garrard’s widow, Carrie Johnson Garrard (1886-1968), continued the family business for many decades on Washington Avenue.
Hardware business
In 1909, James B. Garrard (1871-1915) partnered with George W. Dale (1872-1953), a California transplant who had married Harriette Seymour (1879-1956), the daughter of Narcisse Seymour (1849-1931) and Carolyn V. Krohn (1847-1895), to organize a business called Dale & Garrard Hardware and Plumbing. Mr. Dale was a tinsmith and plumber and operated the ‘outside’ business, while Mr. Garrard worked ‘inside’ and sold ranges and cook stoves, hammocks, water coolers, scales, batteries, kerosene vapor stoves and alcohol stoves at their Washington Avenue location. In the fall of Dale & Garrard contracted with Weider & Friar to build a 1750 square-foot, building on a lot leased from Charles E. Schmidt (1852-1886) and Laura Coyle Schmidt (1857-1931). The Schmidt lot was situated on the east side of Washington Avenue, immediately north of Desoto. Mrs. Laura C. Schmidt and spouse had acquired this valuable commercial tract in May 1880 for $400 from Albert Green and Mary Germain Green of New Orleans. It had one hundred feet fronting on Washington Avenue and ran to Jackson Avenue to the west. The Dale & Garrard building survived with two other wooden structures until the late 1960s, when the First National Bank of Ocean Springs was chartered and acquired the Schmidt lot and built a building here in 1967.(The Ocean Springs News, September 4, 1909, p. 1 and p. 5 and September 18, 1909, p. 5 and The Ocean Springs Record, June 29, 1967, p. 1)
The progenitors of the 19th Century Schmidt family at Ocean Springs were Ernst Charles Schmidt (1852-1886), called Charles Ernest Schmidt, and Laura Coyle (1857-1931), the daughter of Francisco Coyle (1813-1891), a Menorcan immigrant, and Magdalene Ougatte Pons (1813-1904). Charles E. Schmidt of German ancestry came to Ocean Springs from New Orleans, his birthplace, in the 1870s. He was the son of Ernst Schmidt (1827-1873), a German immigrant from Baden, and Euphemie or Euphrosine Schoser (1828-1870+), also a native of Baden, Germany. Ernst Schmidt made his livelihood at New Orleans as the proprietor of a bar room while Charles was a store clerk. Their other children were: Louisia Schmidt (1858-1870+) and Marie Schmidt (1861-1870+).(1870 Louisiana Federal Census, M593R519, p. 402)
Charles and Laura Coyle Schmidt had a large family born and reared at Ocean Springs. A child, Frank Ernest Schmidt (1877-1954), married Antoinette Emma Johnson (1870-1956) of Algiers, Louisiana. Her father was a Danish sea captain, Frederick Oliver Johnson (Jenson) (1851-1938), and mother, Henrietta Hedman (1855-1922). Mrs. Schmidt’s sister was Carrie Johnson Garrard, the spouse of Joseph B. Garrard, thus the link with the Dale & Garrard building on the Schmidt lot. Frank E. Schmidt and Antoinette’s three sons: Dr. Frank O. Schmidt (1902-1975), Charles E. ‘Ernest’ Schmidt (1904-1988), and Dr. Harry J. Schmidt (1905-1997) were an integral part of the 20th Century chronology of Ocean Springs and Biloxi.
Joseph Bacon Garrard (1871-1915)
Before his demise in 1915, the Dale & Garrard partnership ceased and Joseph B. Garrard owned the hardware business solely and continued to sell such items as: farming implements, fencing, paints, stoves, and tools. In February 1915, Mr. Garrard advertised that he was selling Sherwin-Williams Paints & Varnishes. This multinational corporation is will celebrates is 150thanniversary in 2016.(The Ocean Springs News, February 18,1915, p. 5)
At Ocean Springs, Joseph ‘Joe’ B. Garrard served as alderman from Ward I from 1911-1912. It is interesting to note that his namesake and grandson, Joseph Bacon Garrard II, was elected to and represented the same city ward from 1993-2001. Joe was also elected Alderman of Wars IV in 1973 and Alderman-at-Large in 1977. He ran unsuccessful campaigns for Mayor in 2001 and 2005.(The Mississippi Press, January 24, 2001, p. 8A)
Joseph B. Garrard was also very active in the Masons participating as a member of the McLeod Lodge No. 426, the Hamassa Temple, and serving as Coast Commander. Mr. Garrard was Warden of the St. Johns Episcopal Church. Before his demise on February 24, 1915, from complication caused by pneumonia, Joseph Bacon Garrard had conveyed his Iberville home and property to his wife, Carrie Ann Johnson Garrard. The conveyance occurred in January 1912.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 37, pp. 586-587 The Ocean Springs News, March 4, 1915, p. 1 )
Mr. Garrard’s funeral was recorded by The Ocean Springs News of March 4, 1915, as: "was one of the largest ever witnessed at Ocean Springs. Forty vehicles were not enough to accommodate the hundreds of mourners that followed the remains to the last resting place in Evergreen Cemetery". Thomas Ewing Dabney (1885-1970), editor of The Ocean Springs News added, "As a father-as a husband--as a friend--well may we pattern ourselves after Joe Garrard."
Carrie Johnson Garrard Everhart (1886-1968)
Courtesy of Mary Lee Garrard and Jack K. Garrard.
Carrie J. Garrard Everhart may have been the first woman entrepreneur at Ocean Springs. Widowed from Joseph B. Garrard (1871-1915) and with two young sons at the age of twenty-nine, Mrs. Garrard took over her husband hardware business on Washington Avenue. She also owned the Ben-Jim orchard, a citrus and pecan operation, east of Ocean Springs. In addition to her beautiful ‘Bayou Home’ at present day 1119 Iberville Drive, Mrs. Garrard owned other real estate in the area.
Widow Carrie
After the death of her spouse, the widow Carrie J. Garrard successfully operated the hardware store and owned rental and agricultural property in the city. During her early tenure as proprietor of Garrard Hardware, it was describes as, “contains a stock that one would expect in a city five times its size.”(Dabney, 1915, p. 10)
Ben-Jim orchards
In 1914, Mrs. Carrie Garrard developed the Ben-Jim orchards, which was named for her sons, F. Benson Garrard (1909-1919) and James F. Garrard (1906-1972). The Ben-Jim orchards were situated a few miles east of Ocean Springs on Old Spanish Trail. Here in July 1915, Mrs. Garrard had nine acres in Florida flint corn. It was tall and had a circumference as large as a wagon axle. She also commercially cultivated grapefruit and satsumas. There were 900 grapefruit trees growing at Ben-Jim in November 1915.(The Ocean Springs Record, July 8, 1915, p. 4 and December 2, 1915, p. 1)
A. Fleet Everhart (1881-1975)
A. Fleet Everhart
In 1924, Carrie J. Garrard married Alexander Fleet or Fleet Everhart (1881-1957), a native of Kentucky. Circa 1902, Mr. Everhart married Margaret ? (1881-1920+), a native of Missouri. Their only surviving child, Howard B. Everhart (1903-1977), was born on the family farm near Columbia, Boone County, Missouri. It appears that Russell L. Everhart (b. 1909), another son, expired before 1920. The family relocated to Columbia, Missouri between 1910 and 1920. Here Fleet Everhart and family resided on Bass Street. He made his livelihood as a hardware salesman.(1910 and 1920 Boone Co., Missouri Federal Census T624_770, p. 9A, ED 5 and T625_906, p. 9A, ED 21)
The Jackson County Times of December 29, 1928, reported that Fleet Everhart had installed a complete system of electric wiring for illuminating electric lights in a tall cedar tree at their Iberville Street home. It created a pleasing spectacle for all to enjoy. Was this our first lighted Christmas Tree?
Joseph B. Garrard II
Before her death, Carrie Garrard Everhart sold a lot to her grandson, Joseph Bacon Garrard II (b. 1939) and his wife, Sandra Van Cleave Garrard (1943-2005), in December 1965. The lot has a one-hundred foot front on Iberville, west of the J.B. Garrard home, and was adjacent to the former American Legion- Jaycee Hut, which was demolished in September 1996. The Garrards built a small one story brick home here in 1966 from a Claude H. Lindsley (1894-1969) design. It was later radically remodeled and morphed into a "French Provincial" style structure featuring Old Chicago brick. A second story was also added. The J.B. Garrard II home was featured in the 1976 Spring Pilgrimage of the Ocean Springs Garden Club.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 286, p. 13 and The Ocean Springs Record, March 11, 1976, p. 7)
Passings
A. Fleet Everhart expired in the James J. Garrard home on October 14, 1957. In his retirement, he worked extensively on the home and yard at 1119 Iberville Drive. Carrie Garrard Everhart passed on June 30, 1968. She legated her Iberville Avenue home and 907 Washington Avenue store building to her grandson, Jack Kling Garrard. Her estate was probated as Jackson County Chancery Court Cause No. 20,733.(Jackson County Chancery Court Will Book 10, pp. 484-486)
Both Fleet and Carrie Garrard Everhart’s corporal remains were interred in the Garrard family burial plot in Evergreen Cemetery.
Jack Kling Garrard
After the untimely death of his mother in 1950, Jack Kling Garrard moved to Ocean Springs from Port Arthur, Texas to live with his grandparents, Alexander and Carrie Garrard Everhart. He attended local schools and graduated from Ocean Springs High School in 1968. While a Greyhound, Jack was active in the school band, newspaper staff, and the ‘Playboy Pep Squad’, which provided musical support for athletic events. Jack K. Garrard matriculated to Mississippi State University where he was awarded a degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation, he was employed with Bankers Trust. Mr. Garrard is currently a Senior Manager with Lockheed Martin at its Michaud facility in east New Orleans.(Jack K. Garrard, May 22, 2007, The Ocean Springs Record, July 8, 1976, p. 8, and Greyhound 1968, p. 91)
In the spring of 1976, Jack K. Garrard was named Lion of the Year by the Ocean Springs Lions Club. He married Mary Lee Williams (1954-2010) of Houma, Louisiana at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church on September 11, 1976. She was the daughter of Bennie G. Williams (1931-1996) and Estelle Heiss Gay. Mrs. Garrard's maternal grandparents were John Champlin Gay (1909-1975) and Jennie Tucker Heiss Gay (1909-1996). Champ Gay served as Mayor of Ocean Springs from 1953-1961. Her paternal grandparents are Willie E. Williams (1890-1966) and Lorena Devereaux (1896-1978), also from Ocean Springs. Mary Lee graduated from Terrebonne High School at Houma, Louisiana and Nichols State University at Thibodeaux, Louisiana with an associate degree in Nursing. Jack and Mary Lee are the parents of: Francesca Victoria Garrard Nitcavic (b. 1979) and Daniel Kennar Garrard (b. 1982).(The Ocean Springs Record, April 1, 1976, p. 7 and July 8, 1976, p. 8 and Mary Lee Garrard, May 19, 2007)
During the tenure of Jack and Mary Lee Garrard, the James J. Garrard House on Old Ford Bayou has been immaculately maintained with the pride and tradition of its former Garrard family owners. In the 1960s, two ancient, two-stall carriage houses were destroyed by fire. They were replaced with an exterior garage. Approximately twenty-five years past, a breakfast room was created from what had been an original porch on the east elevation of the structure. In 2001, Jack and Mary Lee Garrard sold a large bayou lot on the east side of their home to Roy Murrell Jr. Mrs. Carrie Garrard Everhart had maintained a small pecan orchard here with some citrus trees. In 2002, the Murrells built a modern home at 1127 Iberville Drive. Currently the Jack and Mary Lee Garrard are in the process of completing the painting of the entire exterior of their marvelous home. Contract painters have meticulously removed all the older paint and primer from the original pine wood surface.(Jack K. Garrard, May 22, 2007)
Garr Carter
REFERENCES:
Thomas E. Dabney, Ocean Springs: The Land Where Dreams Come True”, (1699 Historical Committee: Ocean Springs, Mississippi-1974).
Regina Hines Ellison, Ocean Springs, 1892, (Second Edition), (Lewis Printing Services: Pascagoula-1991), p. 4.
The History of Jackson County. Mississippi, "James J. Garrard", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989), p. 213.
The History of Jackson County. Mississippi, "John Champlin Gay", (Jackson County Genealogical Society: Pascagoula-1989), pp. 215-216.
WPA For Mississippi Historical Data-Jackson County, "Spanish American War", (State Wide Historical Project-1936-1937), p. 178.
Journals
The Biloxi Herald, "Ocean Springs", November 8, 1890, p. 4.
The Biloxi Herald, "Ocean Springs", January 2, 1892, p. 4.
The Biloxi Herald, "Ocean Springs", January 30, 1892.
The Daily Herald, "Masons to attend funeral", February 25, 1915, p. 2.
The Daily Herald, "Ocean Springs", June 1, 1934, p. 3.
The Jackson County Times, "Local and Personal", May 29, 1926.
The Jackson County Times, "Local and Personal",
The Jackson County Times, "Local and Personal", September 28, 1929.
The Jackson County Times, "Local and Personal", December 29, 1928.
The Jackson County Times, "Garrard-Webb”, September 11, 1937, p. 2.
The Gulf Coast Times, “Mrs. Katherine Garrard dies in Port Arthur”, November 24, 1950, p. 1.
The Mississippi Press, “Springs alderman runs for mayor’s seat”, January 24, 2001, p. 8A.
The Ocean Springs News, "New Store Building-New Hardware Firm", September 4, 1909, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs News, "Dale & Garrard", June 1910.
The Ocean Springs News, "Jos. B. Garrard", February 18, 1915, p. 1 and p. 3.
The Ocean Springs News, "Many Mourn Joe Garrard", March 4, 1915, p. 1 and p. 3.
The Ocean Springs News, "Fleet Everhart”, October 17, 1957, p. 5.
The Ocean Springs News, "Cathleen Ann Garard”, July 23, 1964, p. 2.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Sous Les Chenes", November 25, 1993, p. 14.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Pecan and Citrus Records", December 2, 1915, p. 1.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Garrard home to be featured on pilgrimage”, March 11, 1976, p. 7.
The Ocean Springs Record, “Club Honors Lion, Lioness of Year”, April 1, 1976.
The Ocean Springs Record, “Miss Mary Lee Williams to wed Jack Garrard”, July 8, 1976.
The Ocean Springs Record, "James F. Garrard Jr.”, December 10, 1992, p. 8.
The Ocean Springs Record, "Garrard sets sight on perfect wave”, June 20, 2002, p. B1.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, "Ocean Springs Locals", May 11, 1894.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs Fire Brick Company, Inc.”, May 18, 1894.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, "Ocean Springs Locals", May 18, 1894.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs Locals”, June 10, 1898.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, "Ocean Springs Locals", August 12, 1898.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, "Ocean Springs Locals", August 19, 1898.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, "Ocean Springs Locals", November 3, 1899.
The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, “Ocean Springs Locals”, January 12, 1906.
Personal Communication:
Jack K. Garrard-June 1995
Mary Lee Williams Garrard-May 2007
Jack K. Garrard-May 2007.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
HONOR-ATTAYA COTTAGE
422 Martin Avenue
This late 19th Century Queen Anne structure located at 422 Martin Avenue is believed to have been built east of its present location and relocated here by John B. Honor (1856-1929) circa 1917, before he had Fred S. Bradford (1878-1951) build ‘Many Oaks’, the Honor-Jensen House, a large Dutch Colonial Revival at present day 315 Front Beach Drive. The Honor-Attaya House was washed off it brick piers during Hurricane Katrina and seriously damaged. It awaits restoration. Image made by Ray L. Bellande in October 2001.
The Honor-Attaya Cottage is located at 422 Martin Avenue in Lot 6 of the Jerome Ryan Tract. The Jerome Ryan Tract is the western most division of the 237-acre, Widow LaFontaine Claim, Section 37, T7S-R8W. Jerome Ryan (1793-1870+), the son of Jean Ryan and Marie Gargaret, acquired this parcel of land by virtue of his marriage to Marie Euphrosine LaFontaine (1803-c.1846), the daughter of Louis Auguste LaFontaine and Catherine Bourgeois, the Widow LaFontaine. Darlene J. Krohn in The Descendants of Jerome Ryan (1995) presents an interesting chronology of this very early Ocean Springs family.
In August 1846, after the demise of the Widow LaFontaine, her property at Ocean Springs, which encompassed all the lands east of Martin Avenue to General Pershing Avenue and from Front Beach Drive to Government Street, was divided into five parcels by her heirs. These parcels ran eastward along the beach front from Martin Avenue to the Andre Founier tract which was located just west of Bayou Bauzage (now the Ocean Springs Inner Harbor). Jerome Ryan was granted Lot No. 1 which ran from J.R. Plummer's line (now Martin Avenue) to a corner 561 feet to the east. The northern boundary of all the Widow LaFontaine tracts is the south line of Section 19, T7S-R8W.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 4, p. 546)
Jerome Ryan divided Lot 1 of the Widow LaFontaine partition into 9 smaller lots which he gave to his children by his first wife, Euphrosine LaFontaine. Victor Joseph Ryan (1840-1878) was given Lot 6 by his father in November 1853. It is within the subdivision of this Lot 6 that the Honor-Attaya House is situated.
In April 1909, Margaret Soden Honor (1860-1932) began to acquire property on the east side of Martin Avenue. At this time, she purchased for $125 a lot 200 feet in length by about 55 feet wide, south of the old Louis Ryan settlement, which was situated on the southeast corner of Martin Avenue and Cleveland. The grantors were Misses Mattie M. Austin and Martha W. Austin, heirs-at-law of Dr. William G. Austin and Martha E. Austin.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 34, pp. 468-469)
At this time, the Austin ladies also sold Mrs. Honor a right of entry from Cleveland to their Martin Avenue tract for $125. It was twenty-five feet wide and ran south from Cleveland on the east side of the Louis Ryan property for one hundred fifty-three and ½ feet.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 34, pp. 468-469)
Mattie M. Austin (1842-1916) was born in Mississippi the daughter of Dr. William Glover Austin (1814-1894) and Martha Porter Austin (1818-1898). The Austin family began their long association with Ocean Springs in the 1840s. In 1853, Dr. Austin built the Ocean Springs Hotel on a large tract of land west of Jackson Avenue and south of Cleveland, which gave the enterprising resort and fishing village its name, ‘Ocean Springs’, in 1854. Miss Mattie M. Austin expired at New Orleans on June 14, 1916. Her corporal remains were interred at Lafayette No. 1 Cemetery where most of the W.G. Austin family is entombed.
Martha W. Austin (1872-1914+) was the niece of Mattie M. Austin. She was born at New Orleans the daughter of Major John Edward Austin (1840-1878) and Shaulline Yerger Creath. Martha was educated at Newcomb College, New Orleans, but subsequently took special lectures in psychology at Radcliffe College, Cambridge, Massachusetts. She became a southern writer of some note and published at least two books: Veronica (Doubleday, Page & Co.-New York) and Tristram and Isoult (Boston: Badger & Co.-1905).
Harper’s Monthly Magazine published two of Miss Austin’s poems: The Horse of Indra (11910) and Life and Death (1914).(The Library of Southern Literature, 1907, pp. 13-14)
Several notes of Miss Martha W. Austin’s visits to Ocean Springs follow: In the fall of 1899, Miss Austin and her mother, Mrs. S.C. Austin, came to Ocean Springs from Waynesville, South Carolina to spend several months at the Austin Cottage.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, October 27, 1899, p. 3)
In the fall of 1905, Miss Austin arrived at Ocean Springs from New York, after a lengthy sojourn on the Eastern Seaboard. She planned to remain at Ocean Springs until the New Year with her aunt, Miss Mattie M. Austin.(The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, September 15, 1905, p. 3)
In 1907, Martha W. Austin was on the staff of The New Orleans Picayune. No further information.
The Honors
Margaret Soden Honor was born at Ocean Springs, Mississippi, the daughter of two Irish immigrants, Martin Soden (1815- c. 1869) and Bridget Kelly (1825-1899), who married at Ireland in the 1840s. The Soden family arrived at Ocean Springs circa 1849. Their children were: Thomas Soden (1845-1893+), Catherine S. Butler (1848-1904), John Soden (1853-1931), James Soden (1856-c. 1915), Marie Ann S. von Rosambeau (1857-1937), Rosa Soden (b. 1859), Margaret S. Honor (1860-1932), and Bridget Soden (1864-1944). Their first two children were born at Ireland.
In June 1892, Margaret Soden (1860-1932) married John B. Honor (1856-1929). His parents were Thomas B. Honor (1821-1896), a native of Palermo, Sicily, and Bridget Lyons (1835-1924), an Irish immigrant who came to America in 1847. Thomas B. Honor came to New Orleans in 1856. Before he became involved in commerce in the Crescent City, Mr. Honor was a sea captain.(The Pascagoula Democratic-Star, May 1, 1896)
Margaret S. Honor and John B. Honor had an adopted daughter, Rita Brown Clark (1913-1985), who married Elwin R. Friar (1910-1970). They had a son, Robert Friar (b. 1932).
John B. Honor was born at New Orleans. Upon graduation from Soule Business College, Mr. Honor was employed by several companies involved in the coal bunkering business. He later got into stevedoring and built this enterprise into the largest on the New Orleans waterfront. The American Sugar Refinery and the United Fruit Company were his best contracts.(The Jackson County Times, August 24, 1929, p. 3)
Many Oaks
Also in April 1909, John and Margaret S. Honor purchased the Charles D. Stuart (1850-pre-1920) place on Front Beach Drive between Jackson Avenue and Martin Avenue. The consideration was $5800. Mr. Stuart, a New York native and farmer, was domiciled at Hagar Township, Berrien County, Michigan. In April 1914, the Honors bought the old Rayburn place from Fred C. Dellone (1868-1920+) for $3000. It was east and contiguous with the Stuart tract.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 34, pp. 442-443 and Bk. 40, pp. 253-254)
By July 1915, the Honor family estate at Ocean Springs, which was named ‘Many Oaks’, consisted of about thirteen acres fronting the beach just west of the Ocean Springs Hotel Tract on Jackson Avenue. There were five cottages, an artesian well with three thousand feet of irrigation pipe, one hundred-forty pecan trees and almost five hundred Satsuma orange trees on the Honor property.(The Ocean Springs News, July 8, 1915, p. 2)
In March 1917, the Honor family began selling their holdings at New Orleans in preparation for their permanent move to Ocean Springs. In the spring of 1918, John B. Honor hired Fred S. Bradford (1878-1951), a local contractor, to build for $15,000 a large, Dutch Colonial Revival home at "Many Oaks". This architectural masterpiece at present day 315 Front Beach Drive is now owned by Mary Zala Jensen.(The Jackson County Times, March 24, 1917 and March 9, 1918)
John B. Honor died at "Many Oaks" in August 1929. He was survived by his wife, Margaret Soden, two sisters, Mrs. Rose Honor Schully (1864-1946), the widow of Emile Schully (1853-1927), Maria Honor (1861-1932), and daughter, Rita Brown Friar (1913-1985). His corporal remains were interred in the Evergreen Cemetery on Old Fort Bayou.(The Jackson County Times, August 24, 1929, p. 3)
422 Martin Avenue and 420 Martin Avenue
This circa 1920 image is of the Honor-Attaya House at present day 422 Martin Avenue and the Honor-Sheehan House at 420 Martin Avenue. It is believed that these structures were moved by John B. Honor (1856-1929) from ‘Many Oaks’ to the east side of Martin Avenue prior to the erection of the Honor-Jensen House at 315 Front Beach Drive. Hurricane Katrina displaced both buildings from their foundations. Courtesy of Robert and Willene Dunnaway Friar-Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
The Many Oaks Cottages
The anecdotal history of Ocean Springs relates that when John B. Honor (1856-1929) and Margaret Soden Honor (1860-1932) decided to retire and relocate from New Orleans to Ocean Springs in 1917 and build their new estate house, now the Honor-Jensen home at 315 Front Beach, they elected to remove several cottages from their ‘Many Oaks’ grounds. It is believed that 422 Martin Avenue is one of these structures.
In March 1917, Margaret S. Honor of New Orleans sold her home at present day 422 Martin Avenue to Jessie C. Davidson in a lease purchase agreement. The contract obligated Mrs. Davidson to pay Mrs. Honor fifty consecutive monthly payments of $31.80 each. During the life of this contract, Mrs. Davidson had the utilization of the furniture and furnishings in the residence of the property. Mrs. Honor paid the taxes, water rent, and insurance during the term of the lease purchase. After Jessie C. Davidson fulfilled her financial obligation and reimbursed tax payments, water rents, and insurance expenses to Margaret Soden Honor, a warranty deed would be issued to her. H.F. Russell & Son, local realtors, closed the sale with Mrs. Jerome Davidson.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 43, pp. 215-217)
Jessie C. Davidson (1859-pre-1930), nee Montgomery, was born near Dotyville, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin to Hiram Montgomery (1826-1870+), a native of New York and Catharine Montgomery (1833-1870+), from Vermont. After the Civil War, the Montgomery family, who were farmers, departed southeastern Wisconsin for the Platte River Valley near Whitesville, Andrew County, northwest Missouri to continue their subsistence agrarian life style.(1860 Fond du Lac Co., Wisconsin Federal Census M653_1407, p. 73 and 1870 Andrew Co., Missouri Federal Census M593_755, p. 31)
Circa 1882 probably in Missouri or Illinois, Jessie C. Montgomery married Jerome T. Davidson (1845-1918), an Ohio native. They resided at Champaign, Illinois were Jerome T. Davidson made his livelihood as a land agent. The five Davidson children were born in Illinois: Sallie J. Davidson (1883-1900+); Fred Davidson (1885-1910+); Hazel F. Davidson (1890-1968); Willis J. Davidson (1894-1963); and Elizabeth Davidson (1901-1920+).(1900 and 1910 Champaign Co., Illinois Federal Census T623 240, p. 11B, ED 7 and T624_233, 6B, ED 10 and 1920 and 1930 Cook Co., Illinois Federal Census T625_342, p. 7B, ED 1455 and R 493, p. 2B, ED 1850)
420 Martin Avenue
In February 1917, Jessie C. and Jerome T. Davidson had also purchased Mrs. Honor’s adjacent cottage at 20 Martin Avenue, now owned by Pat and Sue Sheehan cottage at 420 Martin Avenue. Jessie C. Davidson planned to build a wing to connect the two edifices. Mrs. Davidson needed both houses to accommodate her guests. H.F. Russell & Son, local realtors, closed the sale.(The Jackson County Times, March 17, 1917)
Mrs. Jerome C. Davidson ran an advertisement in The Jackson County Times, April 14, 1917, p. 5, as follows:
Sale
It appears that Mrs. Davidson plan to board winter guests at 422 Martin Avenue was not particularly successful or that as her husband’s health was failing, she had to devote her time to his well-being. Probably because of the latter, Jessie C. Davidson sold 422 Martin Avenue back to Margaret S, Honor in October 1917.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 45, p. 70)
Mrs. Davidson and family continued to dwell at 420 Martin Avenue after the sale of 422 Martin Avenue.
Red Cross benefit
On February 2, 1918, Jessie C. Davidson and Margaret Soden Honor held a party at the Davidson home on Martin Avenue to raise funds for the American Red Cross. A donation of $.25 cents was asked from the guests who competed for prizes in bridge and other card games. A knitting prize was also awarded.(The Jackson County Times, January 26, 1918, p. 5)
Jerome T. Davidson passes
In late May 1918, the Davidson family left Ocean Springs for Chicago, Illinois. Jerome T. Davidson’s health had been declining while domiciled here and after his arrival in the Windy City, it failed rapidly and he succumbed on June 12th while at LaGrange, Illinois. His corporal remains were interred there.(The Jackson County Times, June 15, 1918, p. 5)
For sale-420 Martin Avenue
Jessie C. Davidson returned to Ocean Springs after her husband’s demise. She stayed here until late May 1919, when she relocated to Chicago to live with her son, Willis J. Davidson, at 4729 Beacon Street. Willis, a structural steel estimator, lived with his two sisters, Hazel Davidson and Elizabeth Davidson, and James W. Davidson (1845-1920+), their widowed uncle. In an attempt to sell 420 Martin Avenue, upon her departure from the Gulf Coast, Jessie C. Davidson published this advertisement in The Jackson County Times on May 25, 1919, p. 5:
For Sale
Cottage near beach in most desireable (sic) location.
For information address,
MRS. JEROME DAVASON (sic)
4729 BEACON STREET
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
In July 1919, Willis Jerome Davidson (1894-1963) acquired 420 Martin Avenue from his mother by assuming the mortgage payments due to Mrs. Honor. He sold the cottage to Judge Orin David Davidson (1872-1938) in June 1921. There appears to be no familial relationship between the two men. Louis J.B. Mestier (1883-1954) would acquire this property from Judge Davidson in May 1925. 420 Martin Avenue remained in the Mestier family until November 1967. Patrick and Sue Sheehan have owned the cottage since October 1983.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 47, p. 46; Bk. 50, p. 453; and Bk. 320, p. 176)
Judge Davidson
Judge Davidson, a native of Georgia, was very active in real estate in Ocean Springs. He owned many domestic and commercial rental properties and speculated in undeveloped land. Iola Y. Faibvre (1883-1963), his spouse, was from New Orleans. She was active in the cultural affairs of Ocean Springs and was the first woman elected to a public office here. Mrs. Davidson served the people of Ward II from 1937 to 1943. Their daughter, Dolores ‘Bobby’ Davidson Smith (1916-1997), was also active in local real estate and the historical affairs of the city. Marco St. John, Roland Figueroa, Patti Lel Smith Morris, and David Smith, grandchildren of Judge Davidson, have all been players in the local real estate market. The old Judge Davidson home, ‘Bel Vue’, at 810 Iberville Drive has recently been on the market for $635,000.
In July 1920, Mrs. Margaret Soden Honor sold the cottage at 422 Martin Avenue to Ellen ‘Nell’ Tracy Butler Benton (1880-1952), her niece and the spouse of Edward Joseph Benton (1875-1954). Nell Benton was the daughter of George F. Butler (1844-1907) and Kate Soden Butler (1848-1904), Mrs. Honor’s sister. The Bentons had three children: George B. Benton (1906-1952), Margaret B. Attaya (1916-1975), and Eileen R. Benton (b. 1920). (JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 48, pp. 310-311)
George Butler Benton (1906-1952) was employed by the Chrysler Corporation at New Orleans. He resided at 2412 Frenchman Street. On a visit to Ocean Springs, he suffered a fatal heart attack. Mr. Benton was survived by Miss Mary Ellen Benton, his daughter. The corporal remains of George B. Benton were interred in the Evergreen Cemetery.(The Gulf Coast Times, August 14, 1952, p. 1)
In 1941, Margaret Honor Benton (1916-1975) married Henry E. Attaya II (1915-2004) in the Sacred Heart Church at New Orleans. Both were LSU graduates. Miss Benton had a masters in Mathematics while her husband a masters degree in Chemistry.(The Jackson County Times, 1941)
Eileen Rosabel Benton (b. 1920) graduated from Ocean Springs High School in 1937. She matriculated to LSU and studied mathematics. Eileen returned to Ocean Springs and taught electronics at KAFB in the late 1940s and early 1950s before becoming a nun in the Marionite Sisters of the Holy Cross, a Holy Order of the Catholic Church. Sister Eileen taught mathematics at Our Lady of the Holy Cross College and Dominican College in New Orleans. She later became affiliated with the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and taught mathematics and computer science at Xavier University in the Crescent City. Sister Eileen is now retired and resides at Bensalem, Pennsylvania.(Amy M. Clesi, February 20, 2007)
The Specialty Store
During their early years while domiciled at Ocean Springs, both Nell and E.J. Benton were active in the local commerce. In September 1925, Nell Benton opened a clothing store here, which she called the Specialty Store. Mrs. Benton was the local representative for Harford Frocks of Cincinnati, Ohio and could sell at discount prices. At this time, Katherine Harford was considered America’s style authority and she selected the clothing to be vended in the Specialty Store. Mrs. Benton’s inventory consisted of men’s, boy’s, ladies, and children’s wear of all types and also included hats, socks, slips, ginghams, aprons, and darning thread.(The Jackson County Times, September 5, 1925, p. 3 and October 10, 1925, p. 2)
In August 1926, Mrs. Nell Benton was an attendee at the buyer’s convention in the Crescent City. The wholesalers entertained their prospective clients with a dinner dance at the Southern Yacht Club on Lake Pontchartrain with Mayor O’Keefe in attendance.(The Daily Herald, August 28, 1926, p. 2)
The Specialty Store closed circa 1927, but reopened in the Davidson Building in March 1929. The Davidson Building was owned by Judge O.D. Davidson (1872-1938) and situated on the west side of Washington Avenue where Miner’s Toy Store is today.(The Jackson County Times, March 30, 1929, p. 3)
Edward J. Benton
Edward Joseph Benton was a native of New Orleans, and the son of Richard B. Benton (1842-1907), possibly a native of Barcelona, Spain and Mary Mailhos Benton (1851-1930), an 1860 French immigrant. The original family name was 'Baritau' and then changed to 'Benton'. Before E.J. Benton became a restaurateur at Ocean Springs, Mr. Benton in March 1929, accepted the position as manager of the H.G. Hill Store succeeding Mr. Allen.(The Jackson County Times, March 30, 1929, p. 3 and Eileen Benton, April 18, 2009)
Benton’s Cafe
During the early 1930s, E.J. Benton became the proprietor of Benton’s Café on Washington Avenue. In April 1934, Mr. Benton moved his business to the Eglin store building next to the Eglin House on Washington Avenue. He expected to open for business by the end of the month. Gus Henzelena of Biloxi took over the management of the café in May 1934. (The Jackson County Times, April 21, 1934, p. 3 and May 11, 1934, p. 3)
E.J. Benton advertised in The Jackson County Times of May 5, 1934 as follows:
We serve a splendid dinner on week days for 30 cents
SUNDAY CHICKEN DINNER 50 CENTS
Lunches, Short Orders and Cold Drinks Served
BENTON’S CAFÉ
Clean, Cool and Comfortable
Demise of Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Benton
The Honor-Attaya Cottage was legated to E.J. Benton in May 1953 by JXCO, Ms. Chancery Court Cause No. 12,127, the Will of Ellen Butler Benton, after the death Mrs. Ellen B. Benton in late November 1952. Nell B. Benton was survived by her husband, two daughters, Mrs. Henry E. Attaya II of Huntsville, Alabama and Eileen R. Benton of Ocean Springs, and a sister, Stella B. Rebentisch (1883-1952+) of New Orleans. The corporal remains of Mrs. Benton were buried at the Evergreen Cemetery on Old Fort Bayou.(The Daily Herald, November 28, 1952, p. 15)
In February 1954, Edward J. Benton collapsed on the street in Biloxi while talking with friends. He was DOA at the Biloxi hospital. Mr. Benton was survived by his two daughters, a sister, Mrs. Florine Roude (1880-1954+), and five grandchildren. His remains were also interred in the Evergreen Cemetery.(The Gulf Coast Times, February 17, 1954, p. 3)
Eileen R. Benton
In April 1953, shortly before his death, Edward J. Benton conveyed 422 Martin Avenue to Eileen R. Benton, his sister.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 132, p. 97)
Rental
The Honor-Attaya Cottage served Sister Eileen R. Benton as a rental for many years. James McConnell Anderson and Margaret Hollingsworth Anderson, his spouse, lived here for about seventeen years before building their home on the Shearwater Pottery in 1998.
Stephen M. Attaya
In September 1982, Sister Eileen Rosabel Benton donated her home on Martin Avenue to her nephew and nieces. Mary Ellen Benton McDonald of San Antonio, the daughter of her brother, was given 50% of the ownership. The remaining interest was divided equally between the children of her sister: Henry E. Attaya III; James J. Attaya; Stephen Michael Attaya; Katherine A. Daugherty; and Ann A. Reynolds. At this time, Stephen M. Attaya and spouse, Sara Price Attaya, of New Orleans acquired the home from his cousin and siblings for $31,000.(JXCO, Ms. Land Deed Bk. 747, p. 647 and JXCO, Ms. Deed Trust Bk. 782, p. 589)
Stephen M. Attaya and the Attaya family
Stephen Michael Attaya is the son of Colonel Henry “Hank” Eliott Attaya II (1915-2004) and Margaret Honor Benton (1916-1975). Henry Elliott Attaya II was born at New Orleans, Orleans Parish Louisiana on May 1, 1915, the son Henry E. Attaya (1892-1982) and Mary Finnegan Attaya (b. 1895), the daughter of George H. Finnegan (1858-1910) and Isabella McIntyre Finnegan (1869-1924). Henry and Mary Isabella Finnegan married in the Crescent City on June 1, 1914. During WW I, when Henry E. Attaya registered for the draft, he stated that he had been born on November 22, 1892 at Donaldsonville, Ascension Parish, Louisiana. At this time, he was a telegrapher and station agent for the Louisiana Railway & Navigation Company at Garyville, St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana. He was married and the father of two children.(1917-1918 WW I Draft Registration- St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana Roll 1684936)
By 1930, the Attaya family was domiciled at Gonzales, Ascension Parish, Louisiana. Henry E. Attaya made his livelihood here as depot agent. He and Mary Isabella were now the parents of five children: Henry E. Attaya II (1915-2004), Miriam T. Attaya (1917-1995); Helen Attaya (1919-2004); and Rita Belle Attaya Taft (1922-2004+).(1930 Ascension Parish, Louisiana Federal Census R 783, p. 3B, ED 8)
Benton-Attaya
In 1941, Margaret Honor Benton (1916-1975) married Henry E. Attaya II in the Sacred Heart Church at New Orleans. Both were LSU graduates. Miss Benton had a Masters in Mathematics while her husband a Masters degree in Chemistry. Henry E. Attaya II attained the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army during his twenty-one years of service, which included participation in the Korean Conflict and WW II. He was an ROTC instructor at Purdue University and civil servant at NASA. Henry was preceded in death by his two wives, Margaret Ben
