This was one of the first residences built in Sewanee. The house is reminiscent of Andrew Jackson Downing’s architecture styles from his book The Architecture of Country Houses and was described as variegated in color. Bishop William Mercer Green of Mississippi, the fourth chancellor of the University, built this house for his family in January 1867, and they moved into Kendal that spring. The name “Kendal” was derived from the Green family’s ancestral home in Westmoreland, England. Bishop Green was chancellor until his death in 1887 at the age of 89, and made his home at Kendal most of the time, between trips to his diocese. During this time, Miss Elizabeth “Lily” Green, the Bishop’s daughter, began to host guests at Kendal. The most notable of these guests was Jefferson Davis, a friend of Bishop Green’s and said to be a champion at backgammon. There were at least three cottages surrounding the main house and it is believed the Jack Carter House and the house next door may have comprised some of these cottages. After her father’s death, Miss Lily ran Kendal as a boarding house for summer visitors and students until her death in 1917. She was hailed as someone who never treated the townspeople differently than the University community. “Her charity, her generosity, her noble life; no story of Sewanee's early days can be complete without some mention of her.” (Purple Sewanee, page 135.) Following Miss Lily’s death, Kendal was owned by Bishop Green's granddaughter Miss Mamie Cotten and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Arthur Cotten, until it was torn down in 1965. Although the main house was razed, a stone engraved “Green” still stands near a house that was once one of the cottages surrounding Kendal.
This house was built in 1873 by Mr. Jabez Wheeler Hayes. He was a successful jewelry manufacturer and Sewanee’s first large scale benefactor after the Civil War. His gifts were mainly civic improvements in the community; contributing $100,000 of his fortune into the early development of the village and founding Sewanee’s first public school. Hayes built this large residence for his son-in-law George A. Mayhew. Mayhew had a store in the village and came with his family from the north with Hayes. This house was on the road connecting the Sewanee Military Academy to the village, now known as Kentucky Avenue. The University Record of August 1874, notes “…the completion of the fine mansion of George A. Mayhew, Esq. The external appearance of the house is handsome and commanding, while the internal arrangements present very great beauty and convenience. The panel work of black walnut and chestnut shows the fine effect which can be produced by the judicious use of our native woods, and that chestnut can be put to a more ornamental use than fence posts and house blocks.” Mayhew died in 1882 and his sister, Miss Mayhew, raised his two daughters. After Miss Mayhew’s death the house stood empty for many years, although it was still owned by the Mayhew family. It was broken into and people helped themselves to the furnishings. In the early 1910s, Archdeacon and former Rector of Otey Parish, William Stirling Claiborne, bought the house and gave it to the University. He intended it as a home for Col. Duval Cravens, superintendent of Sewanee Military Academy. Cravens and his family lived there for several years after they came to Sewanee in 1912. By 1932 it was converted into two apartments for Sewanee Military Academy faculty. The house was razed in 1967.
In 1866 the Rt. Rev. Charles Todd Quintard, Sewanee's first vice-chancellor, moved into a recently completed two-room log cabin. It was one of only two houses in Sewanee, the other being Rebel's Rest, and the two structures were similar. The original Fulford Hall was destroyed by a fire in 1889 and replaced by a larger frame building in 1890. Although it has undergone several significant renovations over the years, the 1890 structure still stands today. From the 1910s to the 1930s, the building functioned as a dormitory and an infirmary. Fulford Hall has housed seven vice-chancellors, Quintard in the 19th century and five from the tenure of Alexander Guerry through that of Robert Ayres. In 1989, Fulford Hall became home to Office of Admission, Office of Communications, and Office of Financial Aid.
This house was built by the University for Dr. Theodore DuBose in 1888. He was the University’s health officer until 1891. In 1906, the house was passed to Dr. DuBose’s uncle Rev. William Porcher DuBose for his organization, the St. Luke’s Brotherhood for the Increase of the Ministry. Formed in Nov. of 1892, the Brotherhood’s function was to foster interest in the ministry and provide assistance to candidates in the School of Theology. Rev. DuBose was the president of this organization and dean of the theological department. The house was later acquired by his son, Rev. William Haskell DuBose. He was a professor in the School of Theology and ministered churches in Tracy City and Monteagle. After Rev. DuBose’s death in 1936, the house was rented to various theologues. It was razed to make way for Bishop’s Common.
In 1870, Bishop Alexander Gregg of Texas took a lease and shortly thereafter built Ambler Hall. He called it “Marlborough” after the South Carolina county where his wife was born. George Fairbanks called Gregg “The faithful, earnest and tried friend of the University.” Every year Gregg made a personal appeal and took a collection from each parish in his diocese; consequently, Texas was the largest contributor to the University. He spent 25 summers on the Mountain and became the university’s fifth Chancellor (1887-1893). After the Bishop died in 1893, his daughter, Mrs. M.A. Wilmerding, ran the house as a boarding establishment for summer visitors and students. Her daughter grew up here and married a beloved alumnus, the Rev. Francis Willis Ambler, from whom the hall took its name. In 1903, Dr. Thomas Tidball came to Sewanee to teach at St. Luke's. He lived in this house for 23 years and kept up quite an elegant establishment as he was a widower with many servants and frequent dinner parties. After his death various people rented the house. Miss Johnnie Tucker ran it a few years after Old Tuckaway burned and then Mrs. Wright lived there from 1923 to 1934. In 1940 the University purchased the house. The Amblers only asked $2,000 for the house. At this price the University considered it practically a gift. The University remodeled the house into four apartments and called it Ambler Hall. In the 1940s the hall became an “overflow dormitory” for the Sewanee Military Academy. The hall eventually became home to the Sewanee Military Academy Band. In more recent years Ambler Hall was divided into three apartments for University faculty. The house and its student cottage are presently owned by Dr. and Mrs. J. Edward Carlos.
The first house on this site was built in 1873 by General Gorgas for a student dormitory. The house almost immediately burnt in December of 1873, and he used the $1, 200 insurance to build another. It had four rooms upstairs and four downstairs- the typical amount of rooms for student cottages. When Mr. Gailor came in 1882 to teach at St. Luke's he lived there and his mother boarded with Mrs. Tucker at Palmetto. Dr. Hodgson, the Vice-Chancellor had bought the Gorgas house and cottage and offered, if Mr. Gailor would give up a lease he'd taken on the lot where Johnson Hall is now, to sell him a strip of his own lot with the cottage. This was done in 1884. Dr. Hodgson had known Chaplain Gailor in the seminary in New York, and the families were old friends. When Gailor was made Bishop in 1893 he kept it as a summer home where the four Gailor children would grow up. Charlotte Gailor used to say that her parents, whenever the roof leaked, would add a room instead of having the old roof repaired. There were three bathrooms and, depending on one’s definition, six or seven bedrooms. When the living room was conjured up, with its own fireplace, a chapel was added at the far end. The Bishop conducted family prayers there every evening, and an occasional baptism and even confirmation. After his death in 1935 the house was inherited by Miss Charlotte Gailor, his daughter and the chapel was deconsecrated. Its altar went to a small church in a neighboring town and Bishop Quintard's stained-glass window is now in the University Chaplain's office, in the cloister of All Saints' Chapel. Two small stained-glass window and a Madonna remained as testimony to the room's original function. Charlotte Gailor lived there till her death in April of 1972. The Gailor House, inherited by Dr. Robert Daniel, her nephew, and then by his children, was sold to the University in the 1980s. It has since been torn down for Chen Hall (1991), the Vice Chancellor’s current residence.
The first house on this site was built in 1873 by General Gorgas for a student dormitory. The house almost immediately burnt in December of 1873 and he used the $1, 200 insurance to build another. It had four rooms upstairs and four downstairs- the typical amount of rooms for student cottages. When Mr. Gailor came in 1882 to teach at St. Luke's he lived there and his mother boarded with Mrs. Tucker at Palmetto. Dr. Hodgson, the Vice-Chancellor had bought the Gorgas house and cottage and offered, if Mr. Gailor would give up a lease he'd taken on the lot where Johnson Hall is now, to sell him a strip of his own lot with the cottage. This was done in 1884. Dr. Hodgson had known Chaplain Gailor in the seminary in New York, and the families were old friends. When Gailor was made Bishop in 1893 he kept it as a summer home where the four Gailor children would grow up. Charlotte Gailor used to say that her parents, whenever the roof leaked, would add a room instead of having the old roof repaired. There were three bathrooms and, depending on one’s definition, six or seven bedrooms. When the living room was conjured up, with its own fireplace, a chapel was added at the far end. The Bishop conducted family prayers there every evening, and an occasional baptism and even confirmation. After his death in 1935 the house was inherited by Miss Charlotte Gailor, his daughter and the chapel was deconsecrated. Its altar went to a small church in a neighboring town and Bishop Quintard's stained-glass window is now in the University Chaplain's office, in the cloister of All Saints' Chapel. Two small stained-glass window and a Madonna remained as testimony to the room's original function. Charlotte Gailor lived there till her death in April of 1972. The Gailor House, inherited by Dr. Robert Daniel, her nephew, and then by his children, was sold to the University in the 1980s. It has since been torn down for Chen Hall (1991), the Vice Chancellor’s current residence.
Flying over and around Sewanee, The University of the South. Taken in 1080p 60fps.
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Historic Sewanee Building Severely Damaged in Fire -- Sky Arnold
Stream WZTV Fox 17 Newscasts LIVE starting with Fox 17 This Morning at 5am and News at 9pm. On a campus known for its historic buildings Rebel's Rest has always stood out at Sewanee the University of the South. The log cabin style residence was built in 1866 for one of the University's founders, George Fairbanks. Wednesday night the building sustained heavy damage in a fire that appears to have started on the upper level. "When I came here it was engulfed in flames and it was a shock to see," said Sewanee graduate Jaina Patel. Rebel's Rest is the only structure remaining on campus from the University's re-founding after the Civil War. Sewanee Professor Waring McCrady says the building is important for more than its history though. Many students and alumni have known the place in modern times as a location for receptions and the University's Guest House. "Really does symbolize historic continuity and devotion to this place," said McCrady. That's why the fire is hitting so many people personally at Sewanee. Students and alumni like Patel stopped to take pictures Thursday afternoon. Even people who aren't affiliated with Sewanee like Bob Burns stopped to look at the damage. "This building in particular has so much meaning to so many people," said Burns. As chance would have it though the fire does have a silver lining. Three of the most priceless art pieces, including a portrait of the original resident George Fairbanks were moved recently for renovations. It remains to be seen if those paintings might someday return home but McCrady is among those who believe it's possible. He believes there's enough left on the bottom level of the residence to rebuild. "There's enough here to work with even if they have to pull it down to the ground and build it back up. They got the pieces for the facade," said McCrady. DOWNLOAD OUR APPS: NEWS: iPhone/iPad | Android WEATHER: iPhone | iPad | Android MORNING: iPhone/iPad | Android Follow us on Twitter @wztv_fox17 and LIKE us on Facebook for updates.
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In the mid-1880s William Walter Van Ness built a large three-story hall. It functioned as a boarding house and included apartments for faculty and staff. After his death the house passed to his wife, Mary Waters Van Ness. She was quite a recluse but occasionally came out and walked down the street with her feet wrapped in tow sacks and carrying a Sewanee lantern, a staff, and wearing a long black veil. She was called the “Witch of Endor” by the students. During this time the house was run by Mrs. Emma Blanton Tucker. After Mrs. Tucker’s death in 1909, her daughter Miss Johnnie Tucker managed the boarding house. The Van Ness family owned the boarding house for over half a century, but in the wake of the Depression the University purchased the building. They divided it into apartments for married students. In 1963 the boarding house was torn down to make way for the duPont library.
Powhatan House was located where the current Chaplain's house, Phillips House, now stands. The original house was built in 1868 for Mr. Robbins. There is no image of Robbins’ original house, “Waverly.” The next owner, Dr. Dabney, had the house remodeled and changed the name to “Powhatan” to commemorate his origins in Powhatan County, Virginia. It was “a mere shell” in 1876 when Edmund Kirby Smith bought the house and renovated it. His ten children grew up in the house and it was the site of many local stories. It burnt in 1891 and he built a new house (pictured here) on the same site. Kirby-Smith died in 1895 and his daughters, Miss Bessie who was Postmistress, and then Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Crolly, (“Miss Carrie”), ran it as a boarding house. Many summer visitors stayed at Powhatan year after year; for nearly 40 years it was one of the choice places to spend the summer in Sewanee. After Miss Carrie and Mrs. Hale died in 1941 and 1943, respectively, the University acquired Powhatan. It was used for offices and lodgings for theological students while St. Luke's was being renovated. Powhatan House burned in 1956.
Dr. C.J. Bickham, a well-known physician of New Orleans, built this house in 1874. Although he intended it to be a summer home, it sat empty for many years. Caskie Harrison, professor of ancient languages, took the house in 1877 and lived there until he left the University in 1882. Originally from Virginia, he was studying in Cambridge when Bishop Quintard persuaded him to come to Sewanee. Harrison’s son, the novelist Henry Sydnor Harrison, author of Queed, was born in this house and another son, Jack, taught at the Sewanee Military Academy for several years. Harrison was reported to be a “severe but brilliant teacher” and when he left Sewanee he founded the Brooklyn Classical School in New York. In 1889 he received the Honorary Degree of Ph.D. from the University. After Harrison’s departure, various people lived in the house including Mrs. Memminger, a widow from Charleston, whose three sons, Wilkie, Lucien, and Edmund, went to the University from 1893-1898. In 1894 William Boone Nauts, who graduated from the University in 1882 and was professor of Latin from 1893-1931, bought the house and lived in it until his death in 1931. Both of his sons also went to the University. Nauts, an ardent collector of materials printed in Sewanee, sent his collection to be on exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Unfortunately it was all lost in transit. However, he was able to later compile another collection, with only a few exceptions. After his death Mrs. Nauts gave the materials to the University Archives. Nauts was a part of Sewanee life for so many years that someone once joked, “In the flood, Noah just missed landing on the Mountain with Nauts and MacKellar.” During the 1930s, the house was rented to various people. When the old "rectory" burned in 1939, Misses May and Susie DuBose bought the house. After Miss May’s death, the University bought it and in 1964 it was sold to Harry Stanford Barrett, artist-in-residence. The house has been owned by Doug and Anne Seiters since 1999.
The Bonholzer house is on Morgan’s Steep Rd., about halfway between Hodgson Hall and the Steep. It was used as a directional reference with its original name; “out toward the Swiss Cottage” or “on the road to the Swiss Cottage.” Built originally on the large lease of Vice-Chancellor Hodgson, the cottage became a part of the lease of the Bonholzer family when that tract was split from the Hodgson lease. John Bonholzer was a Swiss from the Gruetli Colony. It was said that he had the best farm on the Mountain. He sold vegetable and dairy products long before the University Dairy. The best tomatoes in Sewanee came from the garden at this house. The Swiss Bonholzer was not the only reason for the cottage’s original name. When the cottage was first built there was a balcony on the upper story which hung out over the lower story, reminiscent of a Swiss home. The Bonholzers then added the present porch and the house became Swiss in name only. A large barn was constructed behind the house, but it was torn down in the 1990s. During World War II the house was used briefly by the Castleberrys and then relinquished back to the Bonholzers until 1958. In recent years the house has been owned notably by Marcus and Ann Oliver (1972-2007) and since 2011 is in the possession of Allen Reddick.
This house and the one next door, Mrs. Wyatt-Brown's, on University Avenue were built by the Smith brothers from Natchez, Mississippi in 1871. They were built just alike­ which is hard to believe when you look at them now. After Mr. Smith left, Charles S. Dwight was the next resident. He and W. A. Gibson had a dry goods store in the village for some time. The next lease holder, in 1881, was a family named Williamson. In 1884, Mr. Preston Brooks purchased the house. Brooks, an alumnus of 1876, married a Sewanee girl, Maria Gaillard, who was brought up by Miss Maria Porcher at Magnolia. When Preston and Maria Brooks returned to Sewanee after living in South Carolina for six years, they first lived in the Selden house before buying this house, The large family of three sons and four daughters grew up there. The Brooks family owned the house for 85 years; Miss Catherine Brooks lived in the house until she died in 1969. Here Preston Brooks established his well-known village store, at first in partnership with Harlow, later with various partners, and then alone. "Uncle Pres," as he was known to all of Sewanee, died July 6, 1928. After his death his sons, Robert ("Bert") and Preston, ran the store until they died. Their widows inherited the store and operated it for a few years. They sold the business to William Hamilton in August 1963; the store is now operated by Ken Taylor. Mr. Peter Taylor owned it briefly. It was later owned by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Dodd. Mr. Dodd was the former Treasurer of the University.
This house, opposite the former Sewanee Military Academy, has had so many residents it is hard to know what to call it. W.A. Gibson, who had a grocery store in the village, built the house in 1869 for his sister, Miss Annie Gibson. However, Miss Gibson didn’t live there until the mid-1870s. The house was first leased to Mrs. Mary McFarlane Duncan in 1871 by the University and then to G.B. Green in 1872. After Miss Gibson moved in, she also took in boarders such as Col. and Mrs. Arthur Middleton Rutledge who stayed with her in May 1875. W.A. Gibson built a large addition in 1874 and for several years he advertised the house for sale with the description “Fourteen rooms, fine well, seven acres.” Col. Schaller, professor of modern languages, lived in the house from October 1875 until 1879 before Miss Gibson was the main occupant again for a few years. It was then rented for 10 years until 1881 when Dr. Benjamin Wells bought it. Wells lived there until 1899, during the years he taught at the University. A noted wit, the Purple said of him, “He lays about him with such keen wit and stabs so deftly that the victim only finds he is hurt when the undertaker comes to measure him for his coffin.” In 1893, Burr Ramage became dean of the law school and lived here until he left Sewanee in 1901. Beginning in 1905, the next owner was Samuel Sharpe, an Englishman from Natchez. He had three sons who went to the Sewanee Military Academy and two daughters who married students. In fact, one son-in-law, Newton Middleton, wrote the Alma Mater. The next owner was Mrs. Echols from Huntsville, Alabama, who lived there until 1943 when it was bought by the University. The University rented the house to Col. Alderman, then the Robert P. Moore family, and then others connected with the Sewanee Military Academy. For a few years it was used to store furniture. Frank Thomas, who was an English and dramatics teacher at the Sewanee Military Academy, purchased it in August 1969. The house is currently owned by Nate Parrish.
Miss Maria Louisa “Ria” Porcher built this house in 1872. She came from Charleston, South Carolina, following her cousin, William Porcher Dubose. With her she brought the three children of her deceased sister and son-in-law. By the time Magnolia Hall was built she had 11 motherless and Civil War-orphaned relatives in her care. She educated them and put them through college. Magnolia was so large that Miss Ria was able to house both her family and students. Mr. Robert DuBose, the doctor's brother, and his family lived with her and took over the house when she died about 1890. "No one will ever know how many boys were taken in Magnolia for half pay, or not at all, and given their chance for an education. In addition to the boys, there was a large family connection to be considered at Magnolia, and many sorrows, joys, and needs were sheltered in this home. Probably no house in Sewanee has known so many births, marriages, and deaths. How many tales its old rooms could tell of the love making and heart-break with which they are haunted." (Purple Sewanee, page 101). The fourth school for children in Sewanee, taught by Miss Louise Finley who was later the librarian of the University, flourished here in the basement for many years. Some of her pupils were: John and Henry Gass, John Puckette, Frank Hoyt Gailor, and Mary, Martha and Tom Hunt. After Mrs. DuBose's death in 1918, the University converted Magnolia into the University Dining Hall. Additions were made to the kitchen and they built a wing on the west side. Mrs. Eggleston presided over the dining hall from 1922 until her death in January 1936. "Mrs. E," was a favorite among the students and was known to handle every weather hindrance, arrival of trustees, and request of special meals with grace. Praise for her food was long, loud, and frequent. When the Navy V-12 program came to Sewanee in 1941, the University added to the building again. It continued to be the University Dining Hall until Gailor was built in 1952. Magnolia was then used for language faculty offices, a costume storeroom for the Purple Masque, and offices for student activities until it burned in 1956.
Miss Maria Louisa “Ria” Porcher built this house in 1872. She came from Charleston, South Carolina, following her cousin Reverend William Porcher Dubose. With her she brought the three children of her deceased sister and son in law. By the time Magnolia Hall was built she had eleven motherless and Civil War-orphaned relatives in her care. She educated them and put them through college. Magnolia was so large that Miss Ria was able to house both her family and students. Mr. Robert DuBose, the doctor's brother, and his family lived with her and took over the house when she died about 1890. "No one will ever know how many boys were taken in Magnolia for half pay, or not at all, and given their chance for an education. In addition to the boys, there was a large family connection to be considered at Magnolia, and many sorrows, joys, and needs were sheltered in this home. Probably no house in Sewanee has known so many births, marriages, and deaths. How many tales its old rooms could tell of the love making and heart-break with which they are haunted." (Purple Sewanee, page 101). The fourth school for children in Sewanee, taught by Miss Louise Finley who was later the Librarian of the University, flourished here in the basement for many years. Some of her pupils were John and Henry Gass, John Puckette, Frank Hoyt Gailor, Mary, Martha and Tom Hunt. After Mrs. DuBose's death in 1918, the University converted Magnolia into the University Dining Hall. Additions were made to the kitchen and they built a wing on the west side. Mrs. Eggleston presided over the dining hall from 1922 until her death in January 1936. "Mrs. E" was a favorite among the students and was known to handle every weather hindrance, arrival of trustees, and request of special meals with grace. Praise for her food was long, loud, and frequent. When the Navy V-12 program came to Sewanee in 1941, the University added to the building again. It continued to be the University Dining Hall until Gailor was built in 1952. Magnolia was then used for language faculty offices, a costume storeroom for the Purple Masque, and offices for student activities until it burned in 1956.
'Purple Torch' Levels Magnolia, Auditorium 'Arsonist In Our Midst, ' McCrady Tells Chapel Magnolia Hall and Swayback Auditorium burned to the ground in two spectacular and simultaneous fires early Tuesday morning, May 17. Detected shortly before 2:00 a.m., the fires quickly drew hundreds of spectatois who shifted restlessly between blazes. It seems very apparent that we have arsonist in our midst, someone with really diseased mind," University e-Cbancellor Edward McCrady staat Tuesday's noon chapel service. McCrady was giving the general npus opinion. Magnolia's fire March 15, the blazes' simultaneous nature, the fact that the under-construction Guery building is to take over the funcions of each, and the thoroughness of ioth fires were factors contributing to the opinion. Officials are conducting interviews this week to determine the fires' origins. W. L. Goostree, chief inspector for the slate fire marshall, Gray Ragsdale, Jr, deputy state fire marshall, and Morris Best of the National Board of Fire Underwriters are heading the investigation. No suspects had been named Wednesday ;iflemoon. Speaking of the supposed arsonist, Dr. McCrady warned the University that, "There is no telling what conse- quences can result from this, if we don't find him." Rick Thames and Tony Veal, Gailor residents sensed smoke at 1:45, r.nd on finding the source to be Magnolia, spread word to Gailor. A group of Gailor students turned in the alarm 1:50. The fire truck was moved to e site immediately. As firefighters and students gathered, thick clouds of choking smoke billowed from the building. One fireman investigated the interior and prophetilly announced, "Well never get it this time." Five minutes after the alarm, flames emed to shoot from all parts of the old dining hall, which quickly became a roaring pyre. Salvage of books and band instruments was impossible, except for one bass clarinet and one At 2:00, student fire chief Fred McNeil received word of the Swayback fire. Upon immediate investigation he found the auditorium's blaze completely out of control. "We stayed on Mag because of the exposure problem," explained McNeil. In the early stages of the fire, ViceChancellor McCrady organized guards to prevent break-ins and looting such as occurred during the earlier Mag- Cowan fire chief C. M. Abbott, with (en men, answered a request for aid, adding his equipment and forces to the local departments'.
Mr. Bork, proprietor of a tin shop in the village, built this house. Along with other his other wares, he made torches for celebratory processions. The News in November 1876, stated that torchlight processions were the favorite way to celebrate. A letter, from June 11, 1874 reads, “They are making grand preparations for the coming meeting of Trustees in August. The Chapel is being enlarged 20 feet. They are getting torchlight processions and fireworks ready.” Mr. J.A. Van Hoose, the next leaseholder, was here from 1877-1879. He was a graduate of the College and was a deacon, proctor and also became headmaster of the Grammar School. Van Hoose later became mayor of Birmingham. He also served as president of the Associated Alumni and a trustee. In 1879, Mrs. Mary Esther Huger of Charleston, bought the house. Mrs. Huger had twelve children. One daughter, Harriott Lucas Huger, married Dr. John B. Elliott, the University’s first health officer. Another married the Rev. Theodore Porcher. Mrs. Huger ran a school for young children and had a cottage in the yard for students. The Mountain News reported in April 1879 that Mrs. Huger was to open her “infant school.” Mr. and Mrs. Huger supposedly did not talk for 20 years. However, when Mr. Huger died, his long-separated widow still dutifully followed the rigid Southern custom of going into mourning, wearing black “down to her heels,” and made no social calls all summer. Mrs. Huger died in 1898. Mrs. Blanche Hindman Cox bought the house and the cottage in 1925. She made numerous changes to the two buildings and moved to the cottage in 1927. In 1927 the lease of this house was taken over by S.D. and M.H. Cole. Mrs. Jane Sidney Robison, the wife of a retired minister, bought the house in 1940 and lived there several years after her husband died in 1947. Remington and Ramona Rose-Crosley are the current owners of the house as of 2001.
In the late 1850's Bishop Stephen Elliott was a leader in the movement to found the University of the South. However, in December 1866, just two months after presiding as chancellor at the first meeting of the trustees after the Civil War, Elliott died suddenly in Savannah, Georgia. His house near the Alpha Tau Omega House was burned in April 1961. In 1870 his widow, Charlotte Barnwell returned to Sewanee with four of her children and built a home on what was then University Avenue. The move into this new home is described by her second daughter in a letter of April 28, 1871 to her brother Habersham. The 22-year old "Sada" Elliott writes: "... We have begun our move into the new house, and for a wonder are not in a rush, as we usually are when there is anything to be done ... The blessed old books have been unpacked, and are very neatly arranged in their proper order. The old book cases are up, just like home, and I can almost imagine I can see Papa walking up and down, stopping every now and then to look at or feel some pet book. I handle them just as if I was shaking hands with some old friends, whom I have not seen for some time. We will all be ready when you come, and you will find it home, home as you remember it, the same old kernel, only in a pretty new shell ... The style is Gothic, color pale lemon, trimming white, the lot is quite a nice one though not fixed up yet. The place is named "Saints Rest"... On the South side of the big yellow house is a little yellow house occupied by ten youths...." Miss Sada went on to become one of Sewanee's well-known personalities. Educated at Johns Hopkins University, she traveled abroad writing for Scribner’s and Harper’s magazines. However, after the death of her sister Charlotte in 1902 she returned to Sewanee to rear her three nephews, Stephen, Charles, and John Puckette. She was active in the suffrage movement and served as the president of Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association in 1912 and 1913. Miss Sada lived at Saints Rest until her death in 1928. On her tombstone in the University Cemetery is the inscription "Doctor of Civil Law,” denoting the honorary degree conferred upon her by the University of the South, an honor she greatly valued. In 1940, Miss Sada’s nephew, Dr. Robert Woodward Barnwell Elliott, retired from his law practice in New York City and came to live in the family home. Dr. Elliott gave valuable services as a lawyer to the University. The Elliotts did a great deal of alterations inside the house, adding rooms upstairs and several bathrooms; and they renovated the outside of the house, changing its entire aspect. Dr. Elliott is seen standing in the yard in the large photograph. At his death, he left the house to Mrs. Charles McDonald Puckette, the widow of a grandson of Bishop Elliott. This house is now occupied by Isabelle Puckette Howe, a descendent of the Elliott family that built it. Mrs. Howe calls the house "Sinner's Hope." For some time the house was called "Shoup Lodge" and was the residence of Brigadier Gen. Francis A. Shoup and his wife Esther Elliott Shoup.
This house and the one next door, Mrs. Wyatt-Brown's, on University Avenue were built by the Smith brothers from Natchez, Mississippi in 1871. They were built just alike­ which is hard to believe when you look at them now. After Mr. Smith left, Charles S. Dwight was the next resident. He and W. A. Gibson had a dry goods store in the village for some time. The next lease holder, in 1881, was a family named Williamson. In 1884, Mr. Preston Brooks purchased the house. Brooks, an alumnus of 1876, married a Sewanee girl, Maria Gaillard, who was brought up by Miss Maria Porcher at Magnolia. When Preston and Maria Brooks returned to Sewanee after living in South Carolina for six years, they first lived in the Selden house before buying this house, The large family of three sons and four daughters grew up there. The Brooks family owned the house for 85 years; Miss Catherine Brooks lived in the house until she died in 1969. Here Preston Brooks established his well-known village store, at first in partnership with Harlow, later with various partners, and then alone. "Uncle Pres," as he was known to all of Sewanee, died July 6, 1928. After his death his sons, Robert ("Bert") and Preston, ran the store until they died. Their widows inherited the store and operated it for a few years. They sold the business to William Hamilton in August 1963; the store is now operated by Ken Taylor. Mr. Peter Taylor owned it briefly. It was later owned by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Dodd. Mr. Dodd was the former Treasurer of the University. It is currently owned by Patrick and Susan Dean as a bed and breakfast establishment.
This house was built by the "Smith Brothers" from Natchez who built the Brooks' house next door at the same time. The houses were identical at first, but many additions and changes have created very different looking houses. "Widow Smith," who had two sons in the University, was the first occupant. Then the druggist Iliff Conger owned it for several years, followed by a variety of renters. It was next purchased by Frank Lautzenhauser, a University employee from Gruetli. In 1929, Mrs. Logan, the widow of Reverend Dr. Mercer Logan and mother of Mrs. Preston Brooks Jr., acquired the house. Mrs. Little purchased the house after the death of Mrs. Logan in 1940; it was later inherited by Mrs. Little’s daughter, Mrs. Laura Wyatt-Brown. Mrs. Wyatt-Brown and her husband, the Bishop of Harrisburg and Sewanee alumni, lived here after his retirement. While living in Sewanee the couple established and aided the Independents fraternity for students who did not join Greek letter fraternities. It was said that Mrs. Wyatt-Brown was loved by all of Sewanee’s inhabitants. She regularly scheduled a cleanup of Sewanee’s cemetery and once wrote a letter inviting people to attend and work, or if too old to work, just sit and watch. The New Yorker apparently found this funny as it was commented in an issue, “Just don’t lie down, you may get buried.” Most recently it was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Engsberg. Around the time of WWI , the windows were changed from the large Victorian windows to the more colonial style that are present today.
In 1871 Pierre Barbot took a lease on this lot and presumably built the house soon after. We are fortunate to have an early picture of how it looked before various changes were made. Monsieur Barbot, the first tailor, was from Paris via Winchester, Tennessee. He soon had a partner, also French, Lazare Pillet, and their business grew and flourished, carried on from this house in which they also lived. All the students, Grammar School and College, wore military uniforms with elaborate braiding and brass buttons made by them. They also made elegant dress suits, ladies' riding habits and children's suits. Monsieur Barbot soon left, but Pillet was an important figure in Sewanee life for many years. He also had a partner, Monsieur Fabard. "The older residents remember his (Pillet's) erect, dapper figure, back straigt as a line, well-dressed always in perfect style (his own wonderful creations), tight of fit, and so curved in at the waist as to suggest the use of stays. On special occasions he wore, a frock coat and silk hat. Courteous always, with his floriated French manner and black mustache, he was the Parisian through and through." (Purple Sewanee, 39-42) He was an enthusiastic gardener and it was he who planted the boxwood on each side of the front walk. His flowers were sought by the beaux who sent his stiff little bouquets to the girls at the dances. His wife died and is buried in the Sewanee Cemetery with her infant daughter. When Fabard died, Pillet decided to return to France and retire. He married Madame Fabard and was on a visit in Kentucky when he died and was brought to Sewanee and buried beside his first wife. The house became a dormitory for the Medical School before being bought by Mrs. J. C. Bradford of Nashville in 1892 as a summer home. Mr. John Breckenridge Hunt bought it from her in 1911. The house has been occupied by members of his family ever since. His wife, Mary Love Washington was a free spirited woman and followed Mr. Hunt to his various lumber camps, living in mountain cabins or townhouses—wherever he happened to have a mill. They both truly loved the woods and the freedom of country living. This love was expressed in the many trees and shrubs Mrs. Hunt planted during their time there. They are still visible today. After Mrs. Hunt’s death in 1934, her daughter, Mary Crockett Hunt, took over the house. For forty years, she served as a secretary to the superintendent, paymaster, registrar, and anything else that came along at the Sewanee Military Academy. She worked with five superintendents. Similar to her parents, she was a lover of the outdoors and became an ardent conservationist and preservationist. She was a charter member of the Sewanee branch of the Sewanee branch of the Association for preservation of Tennessee Antiquities. When she owned the Hunt House she took in University student boarders who then became her loyal fans. She may have live quietly, but she left her mark as “a devoted daughter of Sewanee”. After her death in 1978 the house was bought by Willie Cocke and Lily Hunt.
In 1871 Pierre Barbot took a lease on this lot and presumably built the house soon after. We are fortunate to have an early picture of how it looked before various changes were made. Barbot, Sewanee’s first tailor, was from Paris via Winchester, Tennessee. He soon had a business partner, also French, Lazare Pillet. Barbot and Pillet lived in the house and ran their business from there as well. All the students—Grammar School and College—wore military uniforms made by them. They also made elegant dress suits, ladies' riding habits and children's suits. Barbot soon left, but Pillet remained in Sewanee for many years and was joined by Mr. Fabard as his business partner. Pillet was known for his "dapper figure, back straight as a line, well-dressed always in perfect style (his own wonderful creations), tight of fit, and so curved in at the waist as to suggest the use of stays….with his floriated French manner and black mustache, he was the Parisian through and through." (Purple Sewanee, 39-42) He was an enthusiastic gardener and it was he who planted the boxwood on each side of the front walk. When Fabard died, Pillet decided to retire and return to France. Unfortunately, he died while on a visit to Kentucky and is buried in Sewanee. The house then became a dormitory for the Medical School before being bought in 1892 by Mrs. J. C. Bradford of Nashville. She used it as a summer home. Mr. John Breckenridge Hunt bought the house from her in 1911 and the house has remained in the Hunt family ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt both loved the woods and the outdoors and she planted many trees and shrubs at the house that are still visible today. After Mrs. Hunt’s death in 1934, her daughter Mary Crockett Hunt, took over the house. For forty years, she served as a secretary at the Sewanee Military Academy. Similar to her parents, she was a lover of the outdoors and became an ardent conservationist and preservationist. When she owned the Hunt House she took in University student boarders who then became her loyal fans. After her death in 1978 the house was bought by Willie Cocke and Lily Hunt.
The Lovell home, “Sunnyside,” was built in 1870 by H.N. Caldwell, the town druggist. The house served as his primary residence while the cottage next door (Miller House) was where he operated the “Book Store and Pharmacy.” In August of 1873 the lease was sold and transferred for use as a summer home to Col. William Storrow Lovell from Natchez. Col. and Mrs. Lovell had three sons and two daughters. Prior to the Civil War Lovell was in the US Navy and was part of Dr. Kane's 1853 expedition to find Sir John Franklin, the Arctic explorer who disappeared in search of the Northwest Passage in 1845. Lovell brought back an enormous polar bear skin from the expedition. The polar bear skin was mounted and placed in the hall; it was reported that the children were terrified of it. The house was also full of items from Monmouth, Mrs. Lovell’s family estate in Natchez, and collections from a year the family spent travelling abroad. Until about 1907, students lived in a wing at the back of the house. After Mrs. Lovell’s death in 1916, her daughter Rosalie Duncan Lovell or “Miss Rose,” took over Sunnyside. Miss Rose remembered many of the early characters in Sewanee and wrote vividly about them in Purple Sewanee. After the rest of the family died, a friend from Virginia, Miss Lily Baker, lived with Miss Rose. The garden toward the west of the house was said to be one of the most charming on the Mountain and was kept up until Miss Rose's death in 1936. After Miss Rose’s death, the Lovell Home was rented to families of University staff. The widow of the last renters, Mrs. Raymond Hall, remained in the home after her husband’s death and took in student boarders. The house was razed in 1953 when Hunter Hall was built.
The Lovell home, “Sunnyside,” was built in 1870 by H. N. Caldwell, the town druggist. The house served as his primary residence while the cottage next door (Miller Hall) was where he operated the “Book Store and Pharmacy.” In August of 1873 the lease was sold and transferred for use as a summer home to Col. William Storrow Lovell from Natchez, Mississippi. Col. and Mrs. Lovell had three sons and two daughters. Prior to the Civil War Lovell was in the U.S. Navy and was part of Dr. Kane's expedition in 1853 to find Sir John Franklin, the Arctic explorer who disappeared in search of the Northwest Passage in 1845. Lovell brought back an enormous polar bear skin from the expedition. The polar bear skin was mounted and placed in the hall; it was reported that the children were terrified of it. The house was also full of items from Monmouth, Mrs. Lovell’s family estate in Natchez, and collections from a year the family spent travelling abroad. Until about 1907, students lived in a wing at the back of the house. After Mrs. Lovell’s death in 1916, her daughter Rosalie Duncan Lovell or “Miss Rose,” took over Sunnyside. Miss Rose remembered many of the early characters in Sewanee and wrote vividly about them in Purple Sewanee. After the rest of the family died, a friend from Virginia, Miss Lily Baker, lived with Miss Rose. The garden toward the west of the house was said to be one of the most charming on the Mountain and was kept up until Miss Rose's death in 1936. After Miss Rose’s death, the Lovell Home was rented to families of University staff. The widow of the last renters, Mrs. Raymond Hall, remained in the home after her husband’s death and took in student boarders. The house was razed in 1953 when Hunter Hall was built.
This house was built in the fall of 1870 for General Gorgas. He and his family first stayed in the Gailor cottage while Brierfield was being built. Gorgas named it Brierfield for the town in Alabama where he had had iron works. General Gorgas came to be Headmaster of the Junior Department in March 1869, and was made Vice-Chancellor in 1872. General Gorgas' son, "Willie," lived here while he attended the University from 1869 until he graduated in 1875. He was the Director and Captain of the Hardee Baseball Team and President of the Football Club. He, of course, was the famous Major General William Crawford Gorgas of Yellow Fever fame at Panama. He was Surgeon General of World War I, and was made a Knight of the British Order of St. Michael and St. George by King George of England, in June, 1920, shortly before he died. General Gorgas sold Brierfield to Dr. Telfair Hodgson when he came to Sewanee in 1878. Dr. Hodgson was first made Dean of the Theological School. As finances were very low in 1878, it was thought best not to elect a Vice-Chancellor and thereby avoid paying that salary. He did become Vice-Chancellor in 1879. Dr. Hodgson built the tower on the north of the house and had his office in the room on the first floor under it. He is suspect to have added the bay windows, the porch on the south, and the servants' house at the same time. His widow lived in the house until her death in 1907. His son, Telfair, Jr. was Treasurer of the University from 1907 until 1949 when he retired. He made extensive additions on the south side and changes inside. The house was never a dormitory for students, but Mr. Telfair Hodgson kept a bachelor hall in it until he married in 1917. His widow, Mrs. Medora Cheatham Hodgson, did live there after his death in 1952 and the house continued to be a center of Sewanee life. Mrs. Hodgeson, daughter of Brigadier General B. Frank Cheatham, C.S.A., died on March 14, 1969 at the age of 92. The home is now owned by her daughter, Mrs. Edward F. Parker. Brierfield has been in the Hodgeson family for 115 years.
In 1870, soon after she built Saint’s Rest, Mrs. Stephen Elliott had this cottage built to "accommodate 10 students." When her older daughter, Esther (“Hessie”), married Dr. Francis Shoup a year or so later, it became their home and has been called Shoup Lodge most of the time since. Dr. Shoup, a graduate of West Point, was a Brigadier General of the Confederacy who became a clergyman after the Civil War. He fought alongside Bishop Leonidas Polk and was baptized on the battlefield by Bishop Elliott. He taught mathematics at the University of Mississippi for a while after the war and came to Sewanee as a mathematics instructor and acting chaplain in 1870. He was described by one of his students as "Handsome as Plato, indolent until aroused to mental coruscation; mathematician, engineer, Confederate General and, last, metaphysician." For a time, Dr. Shoup had a parish in Waterford, New York where he inspired an Episcopal family in giving Sewanee’s famous Breslin Tower. However, the Shoups returned to Sewanee and he returned to the University faculty in 1883. After Dr. Shoup died in 1896, Mrs. Shoup was the mistress of Shoup Lodge. After the Shoups, the house was rented to various people but has been owned always by Elliott family ancestors. When Bishop Craik Morris of Louisiana retired he lived in the house for some years until his death in 1944. It was inherited from Mr. Robert W.B. Elliott by Mrs. Charles McD. Puckette, wife of a grandson of Bishop Stephen Elliott. The house was passed on to Mrs. Puckette’s daughter Isabelle Howe in 1979. In 2001, it was bought by a different Puckette, Emily, and her husband John Benson.
In 1887 the Kappa Sigmas built the first phase of this house, which had only two large rooms and a kitchen. The Cheapes purchased the house around 1900. They added a bathroom and a second level accessed by a set of exterior stairs at the rear of the house. They also created a new kitchen area by constructing a wall in the rear room. Beginning in 1916 it was used as a Sewanee Military Academy fraternity house for two years. About this time, it was owned by Ina Mae Myers' grandfather, but he never lived in it. Sheriff Jackson bought it in the early 1920s and his widow still resided there when she died more than 50 years later. Jackson made many changes to the house. He had his sons build the sun porch in the front and dig and pick out the stone to make a cellar for the furnace. He also had the fireplace and the front porch stoned. Jackson then made the small porch on the side a “blind” porch. He also had Mr. Castleberry construct an unusual unsupported stairway in the front entranceway and a bay window. Phil and Jerry White purchased the house in 1975 from Dr. Harold Jackson, a son of Sheriff Jackson’s. An unusual modification made by Jackson was the installation of what he called a “rectifier” in the ground outside the living room. It was still there in 1975 and White noted, “It held and aged the moonshine he took in raids. He used it, in part, as currency to pay Arthur Terrill and others for odds jobs around the house. The pipe from which he drew the whiskey was still sticking out of the ground when I bought the house, but I did not have gumption enough to see if I could recover some mellow shine.”
This house was built in October 1874, by Mrs. T.K. Sharkey of Mississippi. The University Record of October 1874 noted, “The cottages of Dr. Bickham, of New Orleans, and Mrs. Sharkey, of Mississippi, ...will add very much to the beauty of the street leading from the village.” After living in the house for a brief time Mrs. Sharkey sold it in May 1875 to Mrs. Joseph Q. Lovell, sister of Antonia Quitman Lovell (whose Sewanee home was Sunnyside). Mrs. Joseph Lovell, a widow with two daughters, lived in Natchez and used this house as a summer home. When she died, the house was taken by the Cocke family. The Cockes had three sons in the University including son Charles who gave the Latin Salutatory in 1892. Following the Cocke family, the house had several different residents. In 1907, Mr. Hardy the druggist lived there. Then, Miss Lizzie Wadhams lived in the house for a while. Preston Brooks Jr. bought the house in 1921 and the Brooks family lived there for nearly fifty years. In 1970, his widow sold it to Mrs. Kathryn Raulston, who later sold it to Dr. Kenneth Wilson Jones. The only major change to the exterior of this house has been the removal of a narrow porch from each side of the larger, center porch.
This house was built in October 1874, by Mrs. T.K. Sharkey of Mississippi. The University Record of October 1874 noted, “The cottages of Dr. Bickham, of New Orleans, and Mrs. Sharkey, of Mississippi, ...will add very much to the beauty of the street leading from the village.” After living in the house for a brief time Mrs. Sharkey sold it in May 1875 to Mrs. Joseph Q. Lovell, sister of Antonia Quitman Lovell (whose Sewanee home was Sunnyside). Mrs. Joseph Lovell, a widow with two daughters, lived in Natchez and used this house as a summer home. When she died, the house was taken by the Cocke family. The Cockes had three sons in the University including son Charles who gave the Latin Salutatory in 1892. Following the Cocke family, the house had several different residents. In 1907, Mr. Hardy the druggist lived there. Then, Miss Lizzie Wadhams lived in the house for a while. Preston Brooks, Jr. bought the house in 1921 and the Brooks family lived there for nearly fifty years. In 1970, his widow sold it to Mrs. Kathryn Raulston, who later sold it to Dr. Kenneth Wilson Jones. The only major change to the exterior of this house has been the removal of a narrow porch from each side of the larger, center porch.
This cottage was the location of the first drug store in Sewanee. H. N. Caldwell built it in 1872 and ran a combined “Book Store and Pharmacy” for the University, reported The Sewanee Record in 1872. In 1875 Col. Lovell bought both Mr. Caldwell’s house and this cottage. Lovell used the house as his summer home and gave the cottage to his brother-in-law, Dr. E. W. Johns ,who succeeded Caldwell as the town druggist. He continued to operate the drug store in the cottage, renaming it “E. W. Johns and Company, Druggists and Stationers.” He also “refitted the cottage and added several buildings” (University Record, 1875). Johns’ newspaper advertisement read: “Books, stationary, drugs, medicines, perfumery, coal oil, putty, glass, and all other articles demanded by the Sewanee Trade…” In the early 1900s the house was home to Miss Harvey's School and in 1922 the Rev. Charles Wright purchased it to use as a summer home. Wright was a graduate of both the college and the seminary. A close friend of Bishop Quintard’s family, he maintained his Sewanee connections as a member of the Board of Regents for 20 years. Wright died in 1932. Mrs. Thaddeus Miller bought the house in 1938. In 1940 she was employed by the University as a dietitian at Emerald-Hodgson Hospital. She also worked simultaneously at Magnolia Hall as their dietitian for periods at a time. A student hospitalized for any period of time usually ended up with his favorite dish before he was released. Mrs. Miller died in 1967 and the house was acquired by the University. It is now the Leaseholder’s Office.
This house was built by Mr. Hayes for Mrs. M.R. DeSaussure. She came to Sewanee to educate her four sons. There were four DeSaussures in the Grammar School in 1873 but only one of them went on to the University. In 1874 Dr. George T. Wilmer came to teach and owned the house until he left in 1887. He taught metaphysics, political science, history, and commercial law and banking. In 1877, the lease was taken by M.J. Carruthers and after that again by Mr. Hayes. In 1888, Dr. Cameron Piggott bought the house and lived there for more than 20 years. During his ownership the house became the first building on the plateau to have running water. Piggott, a graduate of Johns Hopkins, taught chemistry, geology, and mineralogy at the University. However, he was best remembered as a dedicated doctor. He delivered all the babies, came to houses on call, and sat up and stayed with the dying. For many years he served as the health officer. Piggott was also famous for being the only person who had fallen 60 feet off Clara's Point and lived to tell the tale. He died in 1911. In 1926, Cotesworth Pickney bought the house for his brother-in-law, Bishop Craik Morris, to use when he retired. However, Mrs. Morris did not want to live here so they sold it to John Luke in 1929. Luke, a major in World War I, was ordained a clergyman in 1924. He used the house as a summer home and kept it until his death in 1951. Mrs. Luke stayed in it for some years after his death. She sold part of the lot with a small chapel to John Hodges. Dr. and Mrs. Keppler bought the house in September 1956, and lived there until around 2010. The house is currently owned by Martin and Marion Knoll.
Rev. Arthur Gray’s residence was located east of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in the Alabama-Mississippi Ave. area. In 1911, Gray gave his home to the University for use as the vice-chancellor’s residence. The University sold it to Bishop Albion Knight, who would become vice-chancellor in 1914. Vice-Chancellor Knight led the University during the trying times of World War I and its effects. However, the Bishop made at least three significant contributions to the University: he paid off an accumulated debt of $300,000; launched and substantially completely a drive for a $1,000,000 endowment; and greatly improved the physical plant. Knight also oversaw the construction of Sewanee staples such as Convocation Hall and Elliot Hall, and brought electricity to the mountain. Vice-Chancellor Knight lived in the Gray mansion until it burned in 1921. Despite the loss of the house, a few good anecdotes came out of this fire. While the house was burning Dr. John Nottingham Ware, professor of French, rushed over to help. He had heard there were valuable papers in the attic. Resourcefully, and at great danger, he made his way to the master bedroom where there was a trap door to the attic. However, with no ladder it appeared hopeless until he thought of bouncing on the bed, trampoline style. He made a couple of good jumps when Mrs. Knight called out, “John Ware, get your dirty feet off my bed.” Another story is that the students knew Bishop Knight had a supply of wine in his cellar. The more energetic of them were able to salvage the entire contents of the wine cellar, though some of his fine books were lost to the flames. It was reported that not all of the wine found its way back to the Bishop after the fire.
This house was built by John W. Elam in 1872 on the west side of University Avenue across from Kendal. In 1886 the lease was still held by Mrs. Mary Elam. For several years beginning in 1897, it was the residence of Dr. W.F. Shine. In 1900, the Rev. Frederick Ancrum deRosset purchased the house for his mother-in-law, Mrs. Ella Green. Mrs. Green, the widow of Dr. James Green who had practiced medicine in Monteagle, took in boarders and lived in this house until her death in 1925. The deRosset family still owns this house. Colonel William G. deRosset made it into a two-family house with two furnaces and rented it for many years. When deRosset's brother Armand deRosset and his wife retired and moved to Sewanee they lived in the house. Susan Holmes and Greg Maynard have owned the house since 1996.
Symbolically, this house is one of the most important of Sewanee’s early buildings. The building was named for the Rev. Francis Tremlett, an English clergyman, who hosted and assisted Bishop Quintard on his trip to England in 1867 to raise money to open the University. With the funds raised on that trip, Bishop Quintard was able to construct this building—the first boardinghouse for students at University Place. Built on the site of Mrs. Gass’ house, Tremlett Hall was a small dormitory holding 42 students. Constructed in the summer of 1868 at Rowe (Polk) spring—the spring itself was also renamed Tremlett Spring in honor of the Rev. Tremlett. The hall was described as a sturdy, blockish building of massed plan and two stories tall. In 1870, a four-room and a two-room cottage added to the yard. In 1897, Tremlett was remodeled and opened as a boarding house for the medical students. The charge for board was 12 dollars per month. It functioned for two seasons. Tremlett Hall was for many years the domain of Miss Fannie M. Preston, the most famous of all Sewanee's matrons. She was known for her regal and quiet demeanor. She left Tremlett to look after old Hoffman when it was built in 1899. Tremlett Hall was razed in 1916 by the University.