Sketch of Historic Buildings in Oxford, May 9, 1922

Modern Building Takes Place of Ancient Structure on Williamsboro Street. . . Interesting Historical Sketch of the Ancient Building Occupied by Hicks & Stem

For some time past Messrs. Hicks & Stem have been working on their new offices in the rear of the old Banky Gee store building, which they occupied as their offices. The brick work in the rear of it was all completed before they begun tearing down the old building which is now nearly razed to the ground. This old building has been in Oxford for many years, it was conveyed in 1842 by a deed describing it as a house with three rooms up stairs and three down stairs adjoining the lands of John Blacknall, Russell Kingsbury and others. George B. Hester, the carpenter who is tearing it down, found three ancient pieces of money about the old building. The first is a dime which bears the date “1841”, the second a very large unworn one-cent piece was minted in 1853, the third a very large two-cent piece unworn was cast in 1864. The corner posts of this house were sawed on the outside with a whoop-saw and were made of one log and the inside of the corner was cut out with an ax or foot-adze. All of the timbers were morticed and pinned together and the timber is of the very best original growth heart and form all appearances if kept covered would have lasted for ages. This building, save one other below the Orpheum Theatre, is the last of the ancient business section of Oxford.

Many years ago it belonged to Daniel A. Paschall, who sold the same to R.N. and D.C. Herndon. They did business there for many years. It was next door to the store of Robert Kyle, an Irishman who lived in Oxford many years and was the uncle of the late John Johnson and of Fullerton, Esq., the father of Mr. T.N. Fullerton of Stovall and of Nick Fullerton. Mr. Fullerton married Miss Laura Norman and moved to Texas. Mr. Kyle had no children, but his widow lived in Oxford within the knowledge of some people now living. A memorial window to Mrs. Kyle will be placed in St. Stephen’s Church in a few weeks. This property was bought by Dr. L.C. Taylor in 1854; his deed, however, was not registered, and in 1963 he and Charles H.K. Taylor conveyed the same to Dr. H.C. Herndon, described as lot known as No. 24, being 38 feet front and 25 feet back, but as it is only 56 feet six inches now it must have shrunk just a little with age. Dr. Herndon sold the lot to Banky Gee on July 8th, 1878 and at the end of Banky Gee’s career, Judge Winston bought it and in turn sold it to Mr. R.W. Lassiter. He sold it soon thereafter to the present owner.

Once it was conveyed as the residence where Mr. Kennon Parham “now resides,” once it was conveyed as “the place where Capt. John A. Williams now conducts a variety store.” It has missed all the conflagrations of Oxford and served its day, and several generations, and will be replaced by a substantial brick building. For the present Messrs. Hicks & Stem may be found in their temporary quarters in the new building just erected between this place and the Orpheum Theatre.

From the front page of The Oxford Public Ledger, May 9, 1922