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)