Main Street Homes
Places Unique to Main Street District
Thomas White, Jr. House--1928--Queen Anne with Eastlake Details |
Dr. Thomas White, who made his fortune in tobacco, contracted Durham builder W. C. Bain to raise this house to his specifications. Costing less than four thousand dollars at that time, the ornamental outside appearance was complemented by inside details such as the seamless copper bathtub with balloon rivens Thomas White ordered to complete his grand residence. After White's death, his wife Kate, in 1907 exchanged houses with her sister and her husband (Ida Penn Hunt and Dr. Edmund Thomas White) who lived across the street in the Herndon-White-Sharpe House listed further below. Other owners of this house include: Ida Hixie White Smith and Edna White Wood inherited the property from their parents, Edmund Thomas and Ida White; in 1977, the property was sold to Joe E. and Manie Van Currin.
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William Henry Fleming House--1922--Colonial Revival / Bungalow |
William Henry Fleming was a proprietor of a tobacco warehouse, likely Fleming Warehouse and most probably the builder of this house. Early deeds show the sale of a store house and this lot from Henry Clay and William Gaston Herndon to Augustus Landis in 1881. By 1884 a cottage in this location was being used as a residence.
Other owners of this property were: Robert Barnett and wife, Fannie B. Burnett who sold in 1883 to Mollie C. Frink and Miss Maria Landis (both daughters of Augustus Landis); in 1894 the property was sold to Maria as she was occupying the cottage on the property; Maria Landis sold the property to William Henry Fleming in 1921 and the present house was built. The house went to Fleming’s widow, Mabel Cozart Fleming, who sold the property to Daniel Thomas and Lizzie Hart Currin in 1936. Ballard and Gwendolyn Norwood bought the house in 1949 but it reverted back to Daniel Thomas and Lizzie Hart Currin in 1953. Left to the Currin heirs, Daniel Thomas Currin, Jr. bought the property in 1971 and it was left to his second wife, Brenda Swain Rankin Currin. The property was sold to Peter Tocci and Ricky Dixon in 2013. |
Permission to publish photo has not been given. |
J. Robert Wood House--bet. 1915-1922--Colonial RevivalAlthough this house is named for J.
Robert Wood, a prominent business man dealing in furniture and funeral homes,
the house was likely built by Edmund Townes and Mary Tazzie Rawlins as
indicated by the deed when James Young Landis sold the property to them in 1882
“for the purpose of building a house to be used as a dwelling”. J. Robert Wood bought the property from Mary
Tazzie Rawlins, widow, in 1918 at an increase in price about $4000 higher than
what the Rawlins’ had paid for it in 1882.
J. Robert Wood’s wife, Edna
White, the daughter of Edmund Thomas and Ida White who once lived in the corner
house next door, was very active in the Oxford Woman’s Club and wrote a brief
history of the Oxford Methodist Church around 1950.
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Other owners of this house include: At J. Robert Wood’s death, the house was left to his widow and his children, who sold the property in 1945 to Lonnie Elvin Jones and wife, Mary Eliza Bullock. At the death of Lonnie Jones, the property went to Mary until her death, at which time it would be left Mary’s mother, then her two sisters, then to the Methodist Church. The Trustees for the Methodist Church sold the house to J. W. and Naomi Boring in 1965. Their daughters inherited it in 1974 and they sold the property to Arthur R. and Priscilla A. Gelsinger in 1996. In 1997, the house was bought by Daniel R. and Janet M. Stuchlak and finally sold to Effie Moten and her sister Frankie Hinchen in 1999.
Samuel Hall House--1936--Colonial Revival (brick)John Green Hall, in 1906, acquired this lot as well as the corner lot beside it from Elizabeth Lanier, widow of Marcellus Volney Lanier whose house backed these lots and faced Gilliam St. At John Green Hall’s death, the property went to his heirs. One of his sons, Sam Hall and wife, Mary Powell, bought the property from his siblings in 1936 and built the house. At the death of Sam Hall in 1988, the property went to his children. One of his daughters, Leslie Perry Hall Paynter bought the house from her siblings in 1990.
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John G. Hall House--1913--Neo-ClassicalJohn Greene Hall opened Hall’s Drug Store in 1879 and left that business to be run by his two oldest sons. The store was operated by the family until 1963 and was thought to be the oldest drug store in the state that had never relocated. Hall’s Drug Store continued to exist in the same location and was open for over 100 years. John Greene and his wife, Helen, left the house to their children who converted it into apartments in the late 1930s. It was sold in 1988 to Joyce Shoffner and Sharon Kinder who converted it back to a single family dwelling. More recent owners are Dr. Deed and family and Marc and Erika Brooks.
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Samuel M. Watkins (Williams-Watkins House)--1880s-- Second Empire |
Thomas L. Williams built this house between 1882 and 1885. It is one of three examples of French Second Empire style homes in Oxford and the only one three stories high. Multicolored slate shingles, laid in geometric patterns adorn the mansard roof which is the most classic feature of the house. Mrs. N. W. Aiken bought the house at the courthouse steps in 1885 when it was sold to settle Williams’ estate. In 1901 she and her husband sold it to J. H. and W. J. Long, brothers who ran Long Brothers Dry Goods store in Oxford. At the death of J. H. Long, W. J. and his wife inherited the property and in 1912 sold it to Samuel Marsh Watkins and wife Elizabeth (Lizzie). They conveyed this land to secure a bond with Beverly Sampson Royster and wife, Mamie. When Beverly Sampson Royster died, Mamie foreclosed on the deed of trust and the property once again went to the courthouse steps. The Watkins’ son, J. R. Watkins and wife, Rebecca purchased the house in 1935 and gave Elizabeth (Lizzie) Watkins lifetime rights to live in the house. At her death the property went to all the heirs and was sold in 1939 to Chandler Reid Watkins and his wife, Louise. The property passed to Chandler Reid Watkins, Jr. in 1973 and then to his children.
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Dr. Coleman White House--1886--I-House / Colonial Revival |
Edmund Thomas White and wife, Ida Penn Hunt sold this property to Dr. Coleman White in 1886. Dr. White left the property to Wilbur W. Smith at his death and Wilbur Smith sold the house and lot to the Excelsior Seat Company in 1912. This company was based in Columbus, Ohio but had its southern factory in Oxford, NC, having taken over the plant and business of Harris-Glenn (located where Southern States stands in 2015. When the European War interfered with business and the plant in Oxford closed for two years, the Excelsior Seat Company sold the house and property in 1915 to the trustees of the Oxford Baptist Church. The Excelsior Seat Company in 1917 was taken over and operated by the Oxford Body Company, a company organized for the purpose of continuing the business. The house and property while owned by the Oxford Baptist Church was used as its parsonage for about 75 years. In 2006, the property was sold to Louis E. Barrington. He sold it to Pam and Eddie Dalton who operated the house as a Bed & Breakfast for a little over a year. In 2015, Stephen and Jayne Kirkpatrick bought the house.
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Permission to publish photo has not been given.Permission to publish photo has not been given.Permission to publish photo has not been given. |
Herndon-White-Sharp House--1872--I-House / ItalianateThis house was listed as being new in the November 14, 1914 edition of the Torchlight (a local newspaper). Purportedly an outbuilding on the property of Dr. Henry Clay Herndon, the structure (according to local historian Francis B. Hays) sat further back on the lot at one time. It was moved into its present place by W. R. Turner and turned into a residence which at that time was the only one between Dr. Herndon's mansion and Sycamore Street. As it was considered the new residence of Mr. Thomas D. Crawford, a local druggist and once a mayor of Oxford, one might assume that W. R. Turner was the mover, not an owner of the property. At some point Dr. Edmund Thomas White and wife, Ida Penn bought the house. This is the property that was traded with Ida's sister Kate, after the death of Kate's husband, Thomas White, Jr. (the corner house across Main St known as the Thomas White, Jr. house listed above). The house went to May White Taylor, Kate's daughter, at the time of Kate's death, and then to May's nephews and their wives. It was sold in 1985 to Albert R. Sharpe, Jr. and his wife Nettie, then to Jesse A. Sullins and wife, Jane Hedrick Sullins, in 1987. In 1994, Jeffrey Scott Rhea and wife, Cynthia Robinson purchased the property.Sarah Hall House--1880s--I-House / Italianate
Thomas D. Crawford and wife sold this property to Reverend John T. Gibbs (Minister of the Oxford Methodist Church) in 1874. The lot ran along Main St. to what was then known as Sycamore Lane. The Methodist Church sat across the lane where the Parks-Routon House is located today. The property was sold in 1880 to Mrs. Sarah Hall, widow of John Green Hall. Left to Sarah's children and purchased by John Green Hall, II and wife, Helen, the house was sold to Luther Bell Crews and wife, Carrie in 1919. Richard S. Montague bought the house in 1921, leaving it to his wife Lemma and daughter, Catherine and her husband Reuben Taylor Green in 1944. When Lemma died, her share was left to another daughter, Patsy. The property was bought by William B. Tarry, Jr. and wife, Peyton in 1957, sold to Christian H. Witzke and wife, in 1967, and bought by Carl and Evelyn Harris in 1974.
Parks-Routon House--1880s--Colonial Revival
Both the first and third Methodist Church buildings stood on this property, the first building being later used as a blacksmith shop. The waters of ownership are somewhat muddy in the earlier days. William Osborne Baskerville and wife, Mattie sold the property to David Parks and wife in 1896. At some point David's siblings were all connected to the property, as in 1917, it was deeded to Lela Routon by her uncle, Charles Parks (David Parks' brother) et al. James A. Taylor, a commissioner, was administrator of Lela Routon's estate and represented the estate against David's siblings when the property was sold to Judge William Augustus Devin in 1935. Lela Routon was the daughter of Maria Louise Parks, one of David Parks sisters, and Wilson B. Routon. Devin sold the property to Annie Belle Smith, unmarried, in 1952 and she sold it to William Franklin Currin and wife, Edith in 1961. Charles F. Jones and wife, Frances bought the house in 1962.
Cannady Family House--1880s--Queen AnneIt appears that this property was created from combined portions of neighboring lots. In 1895 Joseph Morton Baird purchased of J. A. Roberts and wife, Lou and Miss J. M. Daniel and Miss F. L. Daniel, a lot. In March of 1896, he purchased another lot from Howard Dorsey and wife, M. E., J. B. Parham and wife, Emma and J. H. A. Jenkins. A third portion of land was added to Baird's purchase in a lot from Harriett Herndon in April of 1896. This newly formed lot was sold in 1905 to Nathaniel Hillman Cannady and wife, Caroline. The property passed to Harold William Elrod and wife, Ellen in November of 1974 and was sold to their daughter, Patsy and her husband John Ernest Newell in December of that same year. Benjamin M. Floyd and Phillip Earl McNeill bought the property in 1997 and after remodeling, sold the house was sold to Gloria Dawn Sweeney in 2002.
Cozart-Cannady House--1870s--Italianate / Colonial Revival
This house was built by Benjamin H. Cozart, a Civil War veteran and prominent political figure who served as clerk of the Superior Court for eight years as well as mayor of Oxford. The home changed hands twice before being bought in 1895 by Dr. Samuel H. Cannady, and wife, Sally. Dr. Samuel Cannady practiced medicine in Oxford for forty years. Following Sally's death in 1963, the house went through a few owners, before Elizabeth Davis purchased it in 1976. Dr. John Anderson and wife, Jodi purchased the house.
Hester-Harris House--1916--BungalowThis property, once owned by Henry C. Herndon, was sold to Benjamin H. Cozart and wife, Fannie in 1875. William R. Beasley bought the lot in 1884, selling it to T. A. Williams in 1887. The lot went to T. A. Williams' business partner, J. P. Williams and was sold to Dr. Samuel Cannady and wife, Sally in 1896. This land was sold in 1915 to John W. Hester who built the house on the property. J. P. Harris purchased the house in 1943. In 1970, it was passed to J. P. Harris, Jr. and wife Mary Green and Harris' widow, Mattie. G. Thomas Houlihan and wife, Diane bought the property in 1986, selling it in 1990 to Dr. Stacy Benton Lewis and wife, Faye. G. Thomas Houlihan served as Superintendent of Granville County Schools.
Dr. G. S. Watkins House--1919--Colonial Revival / Bungalow
This property was sold for payment of debts of Lyman Latham, a blacksmith in 1876. Highest bidder was Benjamin H. Cozart and wife, Fannie. It was bought by Robert I. Devin and wife, Mary in 1884 and sold to Dr. G. S. Watkins in 1909. At Dr. Watkins death, the property passed to Willie, his wife and others (his children and their spouses) and in 1944 they sold the house to Nellie U. Carrington, widow of Dr. Samuel Macon Carrington. The house sold to Robert G. and Colleen Teel in 1965. Teel became well-known through Tim Tyson's book Blood Done Sign My Name. The Teel family was living here during the murder, trial and turmoil that followed in Oxford in 1970. The city manager, Hugh Thomas (Tom) Ragland and wife, Odell purchased the house in 1972. It was sold in 1977 to Charles W. Harper and wife, Patricia. In 1982, William A Powell , II and wife, Helen bought the house. It was sold to Thomas L. Currin and wife Grey in 1983.
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