Note to Viewers

Note to Viewers

Please see "OLDER POSTS"  at the bottom of the last page as you scroll down. Or for mobile viewers use the arrow to the right on the last page.

We often update older posts as we get more information and photos, but the original post date keeps these at the bottom of the blog.

An example:  we  just added information and photos to Killarney, one of our earliest posts.

Bolivar and Lallie Kemp

Many of us who call Amite home, having lived there from birth through the last day of high school, remember the names Bolivar and Lallie Kemp. Although the names were familiar, most of us knew little of them, as they had died before we were even “thought of.” We would hear stories from time to time about their prominence – that Mr. Bolivar was a US Congressman who died while in office and that Miss Lallie was encouraged to take his place, but ended up deciding not to. We knew the hospital in Independence was named in her honor. We heard that her name was Lallie Conner Kemp, and we had heard of Conner’s Hill. Some of us probably heard Conner Davis speak often about the Conner family.

Joan Sanders Furr, a cousin and almost like an older sister to me, would tell me stories of seeing Miss Lallie. Joan lived on North Laurel, and as a young girl in the 30’s and 40’s, she would see Miss Lallie pass with her driver in her big Packard on the way to visit the Wilsons, the Conners and the Dysons.  Only now, as we take the time to look at the books, newspapers and memorials and ask those who can remember, do we find out more about them.

Their large house at the end of Laurel Street was called Afton. The name Sweet Afton was given by Miss Lallie in honor of her father, Mr. Sydney Simonton Conner. “Sweet Afton” was his favorite ballad, and this was mentioned in the newspaper account of his death. The newspaper article also said that his dying request was that his daughter sing “Sweet Afton.” He had always wanted that song, sung by his daughter, to be the last thing he heard on earth, and within moments of the song’s finish, he died. We do not know which daughter it was who sang the song, but she was accompanied by her brother, Jamie Conner, on the violin. Thus, the home's name, Sweet Afton. 

The homestead was the childhood home of Eleanor “Peeps” Kemp Ellis. She continued to live there after her marriage to Robert Ellis, until her death in 2003 at the age of 93. Members of the Ellis family still reside at Afton.

These pages from a small book titled:
Bolivar E. Kemp
Late A  Representative
From Louisiana
MEMORIAL ADDRESSES DELIVERED IN CONGRESS

From a newspaper article written by Edwin Schilling

The third floor of the Guaranty Bank Building
The building was completed in 1926;
Rooms appear unchanged over all these years.

Lallie Kemp named this home "Sweet Afton" in honor
of her father.

The Old Neighborhood along Chestnut Street at Laurel

The old neighborhood along Chestnut Street at Laurel has some interesting facts I never realized.

Green Lawn and the house just east of it were built by Bolivar and Sarah Stewart Edwards. Bolivar Edwards had a noted history as being one of the members of the Immortal 600, a group of Confederate soldiers held prisoner and determined to survive.   A piece of the story is that three of those held  by the Union Army at Fort Delaware Prison , and used as human shields at Ft Sumter, Charleston, SC were from this area.  During their time together and determined to survive they promised each other that if they survived they would name their sons after each other.

The three prisoners were Bolivar Edwards, William Breed Kemp and Marion Bankston.   William Breed Kemp had Bolivar Edwards Kemp; Marion Bankston had William Breed Bankston; Bolivar Edwards had no children.

In 1873 Mrs. Sarah Stewart Edwards, wife of Bolivar Edwards acquires all of Square 16.
From the book Pistols and Politics by Samuel Hyde, Jr.: “In a hotly contested 1873 race, Democrat Bolivar Edwards defeats F.M. Bankston for District Attorney. “  There is much controversy about this race and the victory is overturned by a Republican Committee.   This is very much a part of the “Bloody Tangipahoa” era.

Bolivar and Sarah Edwards build a house at the corner of Chestnut and Laurel, sometime after 1873. They have no children.  Bolivar’s sister Esther Edwards who married Leander Varnado has a least three daughters (four are listed later) and who lives in Osyka, Mississippi dies at age of 30 in 1878.  The three daughters come to live with Bolivar and Sarah in Amite.  .  Sometime just before 1900, they move this house to the east and build Green Lawn.  Bolivar Edwards dies on 1903.

One of the daughters, Dean Edwards Varnado will become the owner of Greenlawn.  She has a long history as an educator and Dean of Women at the Northwestern in Natchitoches for 30 years. She retires to return to Green Lawn in 1942.

The neighborhood is connected.  Across the street on the opposite corner is the household of Charles S. Stewart.  He is the father of Roy Stewart, Sr and Marion Stewart.   His first wife died and he marries Edna King Stewart of that marriage is born Sarah Stewart who marries Mervin Falcon.  In the census of 1930 also listed in that household is Alva McDavitt.  (She is 11 and Sarah is 8 in 1930).  Alva will marry John (Pee Wee) Luther and live her life in the first house built by Bolivar and Sarah Stewart Edwards.  Alva will be known in Amite as “Teddy” Luther.  In 1954 Dean Edwards Varnado has a brief illness and goes to stay next door with Teddy Luther and dies there.

First house built by Bolivar and Sarah Edwards. 

This is the house as it looks today after
much restoration.

Green Lawn

After the death of Teddy Luther the house fell into a bad state of repair.

Bolivar Edwards at the time of
his marriage.

Sarah Stewart Edwards at the time
of her marriage.

The Stuart house.

Neighbors Mrs Edna Stewart and
Mrs Dean Varnado
(picture provided by Libby Dean Covington)

Blythwood - the home of D. H. Sanders and family

Blythewood - as it looked in 1968   

  Information taken from the book Amite Now and Then, by Edwin Schilling.

     

Daniel Hardy Sanders was a banker and businessman in Amite at the turn of the century. He was one of the founders of Amite Bank and Trust Company and for many years was it's president. He was a provider of goods--grocery, clothing, hardware,feed and seed to the community through his retail stores.

Daniel Hardy purchased a 640 acre tract of land lying between Duncan Avenue and the Tangipahoa River in 1890.  The property contained a large home "Blythewood" which was destroyed by fire several years later. He built another home a few hundred yards to the east which he also named "Blythewood" in about 1905.

He grew cotton on his land and developed deposits of sand and gravel.  He gained a considerable part of his wealth as a cotton broker, negotiating contracts throughout south Louisiana.

Blythewood has had a long history.

Blythewood in 1910 from a Picture Postcard

After a storm in 1940?

For many years when the house stood silent, lived
in only by Mrs Adeline Sanders Gilreath, people
and children in the neighborhood grew accustomed
to seeing her drive a 1925 Studebaker up through
the late 1960's

Many told stories that during the 1950's and 60's
they feared going near the place.

Blythewood today

100 Years Ago in Amite City

Times-Picayune March 15, 1916

FLAMES MENACE IMPORTANT PART OF AMITE CITY

     Destroy Both Annexes of Hotel and Two Residences; Loss Set at $25,000.

 Amite City, La., March 14.--This place was visited by a very disastrous fire today at 10 o'clock, and for an hour or more the flames spread rapidly, entailing a property loss estimated at $25,000.

The fire originated in the right annex in the Campbell Hotel, one of the oldest hostelries in Amite City. Before being discovered the flames had gained great headway and the fire department was badly handicapped. The bucket brigade did good work, in the absence of regular fire fighting apparatus. A strong wind from the southwest fanned the fire, until at one time it looked as though the entire section visited would be destroyed.

The main building of the hotel was saved, but both of the annexes went up in smoke. Situated near, and practically adjoining the right annex, wa a residence owned by Dr. G.O. Sanders. This was destroyed. The residence owned by the Atkinson estate and occupied by Joseph Palmier, on the corner of Oak and Laurel streets, was burned. The home of Louis Lefevre was saved, also the residences across the street from the scene of the conflagration.

Dr. J.R. Johnson's residence was discovered on fire shortly after the hotel but by aid  of citizens it was saved.

Assistance was summoned from Hammond and the fire company there sent an engine and twenty-five men, the motor truck making the run of sixteen miles in less than forty minutes. Before the arrival of the Hammond firemen, the flames practically had been subdued. The Illinois Central sent a freight engine here from Hammond and the water in the tender was utilized by the bucket brigade.

Insurance carried will amount to  perhaps one-third of the total loss. Mrs. Campbell, proprietor of the hotel, lost $150 in cash, besides losing all furnishings, etc., in several rooms. Arthur Bender, manager of Campbell's Opera House, had $2,000 in currency in his room, but this was saved by Joe Ogle, who boarded at the hotel.

The question of waterworks was discussed at a meeting of the icty council Monday night and the fire today will prove a stimulant toward getting this much needed improvement here. It is understood that the council approved the plans of X.A. Kramer, of Magnolia, Miss., for the installation of a system of waterworks at an expenditure of about $50,000. The election to get the sense of the voters will be held at an early date. It is believed that the taxpayers will vote waterworks

Neola Farm

Neola Farm – A place of beauty,  of tragedy , of silent sadness.

Neola Farm 1968

Burned 4-7-2014

Percy Luzenburg McCay was a well known and progressive businessman from New Orleans. His name was well known in Louisiana and in the cotton industry around the year 1900.  Time takes its toll and now, over 100 years after his death, his name has very little recognition in Amite City.  Percy L. McCay is buried in the Amite Cemetery, but what is his story?

In 1886-1887 Percy Luzenburg McCay and George DeRussey purchased land near Amite to create a model farm which was named “Neola Farm.” The new landowners apparently had more than farming in mind because both of these men married Amite women shortly after establishing Neola.  Mr. McCay won the hand of Eleanor “Nellie” Conner and Mr. DeRussey married Miss Minnie Lotspeich. After a few years  Neola became the property of the McCays as the DeRussey’s moved to South Louisiana to work in the sugar industry.

The McCay family shared time between Neola and their home in New Orleans.  The marriage of Percy L. McCay and Nellie Conner resulted in the births of Edith Luzenberg McCay, Anna Conner McCay, Percy Luzenberg McCay, Jr. and Thompson McCay. Of note to the Amite area is that Anna Conner McCay was the first wife of Robert Stephen Ellis, Jr. She died early in their marriage.

Mr. McCay grew up in New Orleans and attended college in Virginia. McCay graduated with distinction and was valedictorian of his class at Locust Dale College. McCay began his career in the cotton brokerage  firm of W.B. Thompson and Co. He started work as an office boy and clerk but rose though the ranks. He served in just about every position at the firm until finally he became a partner were he remained until his death in 1903. 

After the death of her husband Nellie Conner McCay continued to be active in Amite activities.  One of her sisters, Lallie Conner, married Bolivar E. Kemp. 

Neola remains in the hands of the McCay family but the noted home there burned in 2014. The grounds there are still quite beautiful.

Watermelon at Neola Farm. Image located at www.nuckollswebsite.com. Pictured left to right; Lillie Lotspeich,  Mr. DeRussy, Nellie Conner, Mr. Adams, Lallie Conner, Mr. McCay, Mr. Conner, Mr. Rugely, Minnie Lotspeich.

An ad from May 1, 1887 Times Picayune

Thank you to Robert D. Vernon for the history, the research,  and guide to grave sites.

Goldsby's Drug Store

Goldsby's Drug Store

Edwin Schillng in his book “Amite Now and Then”, writes about the Northeast Corner of Square 9 which  for many years was the location of Guaranty Bank.  He says “The building on the corner was built in 1926 as a bank building and was used for that purpose for a number of years.  It has been donated to Amite.   The building that formerly occupied that corner was the residence and business location of J.J. Lautier.  The next three buildings were built at about the same time.  The building adjacent to the bank was built by Mr. Hugh Goldsby.  He utilized the North portion for his drug store and the South portion was occupied by the post office.

Mr. Goldsby in the white coat.  We suspected this may be early in the life of the drugstore, so this picture may date back to the 1920's.

Capdau's used the same soda fountain .

The Annex

The Annex

The history and information on The Annex comes from two sources.

First from an article titled “The Beginning of the End”, written by Ann Pugh Doherty for the Sunday Advocate, Baton Rouge, La April 26, 1970.  The Second source is a narrative written by Eleanor Ellis for this Amite City Living History.

Ann  Doherty states the origins are lost in obscurity , but available evidence indicates it was built in 1852 by Mr. Korn, had a number of owners until bought by J.M. Wright family who occupied it for a number of years.  In May, 1886 Thomas Cargill Warner Ellis (TCW Ellis) acquired the house and 70 acres from Mrs. Martha Warren of New Orleans. It remained in the Ellis family until 1960, when Dr James Lenoir of New Orleans bought it.

Eleanor Ellis writes: I don't know who the first occupants were. Possibly some people from New Orleans - people from New Orleans used to come to Amite in the summers to escape the disease and heat of the city. (at one point the Werleins would rent the Annex in the summer, they were around Mama's age, Lorraine Werlein was always a good friend of Mama's, and Betty Werlein, who married Hodding Carter, and I imagine their brothers and parents) At any rate, the Annex was a smaller house at the time, just the back part of the house as I understand it. After the original owners Judge TCW Ellis bought the house and lived there with his two unmarried daughters, Sarah and a daughter called Nini (real name, Martina, named after Martina Virginia Hamilton Ellis). Eventually TCW added the front part of the Annex, the rooms and porch etc.  

Doherty goes further to say (quoting Ellis family members) that TCW Ellis and his wife Martina turned the house into a show place. Martina died in 1891.  In 1908 Ellis and his two daughters had the house extensively remodeled adding the gallery and several rooms.  The Annex contained nineteen rooms, all of them downstairs.  The upstairs was never completed and the imposing stairway leads only to an attic. He called it the Annex as he liked to think of it as an annex to his father's home Ingleside, located not far away.

Eleanor continues the story:   After them, it was lived in by Uncle Bullit Grant and his wife, Aunt Ollie Ellis Grant. They at first lived at Birdwood , then moved into the Annex, I suppose TCW and the two daughters had died by then. After Aunt Ollie died, Heloise Ellis Raacke and her sons Tippy (Norbert) and Stephen lived there with Uncle Bullitt. After he died he left the house to Heloise and Martina Ellis Buck. They sold it to Jim Lenore, who indicated he wanted to repair it and fix it up and live there, and he never did that, although he owned it for a long time. By the time Graden Clemons bought it, there had been so much damage and neglect that it was too late to save the house. There is an old camellia bush in the front yard which my sister Martina once told me is over 100 years old. That seems to be most of what is left. 

Doherty closes with quotes from Mrs. Heloise Raacke (TCW Ellis’ granddaughter) that help was impossible to get, that by that time the house had obtained a reputation for being haunted.  Mrs. Heloise is quoted “You know how people are about old houses, they claim they heard a strange noise and so forth.  I never saw or heard anything unusual the whole time I lived there.”

Ann Doherty writes that neighbors will not go near the place, many swear they see flickering light through the windows at night.  A large owl which can be seen flying around the house in the moonlight is enough to keep the most adventuresome away.

Thank you to Eleanor Ellis for input and to Robert Vernon for newspaper research.

The Annex- Revisited

We went back to see the hundred year old camellia, parked in the Clemons drive and  started taking pictures.  Laura Clemons road up on her bike shortly after we arrived; after introductions and a friendly visit, we asked was there anything else left of the old place.  With super southern friendliness she offered to show us.   So instead of shooting us, she invited us in.  Gradon arrived shortly after and showed us the photos of the place when they bought it.  They showed us how they used the shutters, inside columns, and  the pocket doors they saved from the old house in their new home.   When we thanked them and bid them farewell; leaving thru the front door, they explained that they had placed the new front door in almost the exact same spot  where the old one had been.  We looked across the lawn and thought the view must be much the same, with so many of the live oaks saved.  We came away feeling that although they were unable to save the old place, they saved what they could and showed respect for where it had been.