LOOKING BACK: Traveling down Monroe Street’s memory lane

Published 8:00 am Wednesday, March 8, 2023

The two-story Queen Anne at 1105 Monroe St. was built in 1904 on the east side of Monroe Street, next to the American Foursquare in last week’s article.

As with that house, 1105 was built by the Ledbetter Brothers for Mrs. J.S. Harrison. It was designed by William Stanton and Son, a well-known architectural firm in Vicksburg.

William Stanton moved to the city from Natchez in about 1877. He and his wife Susan had three children, one of whom, William A. (Will), practiced with his father as early as 1888.

Will was a trained architect, attending Cornell University. A 1915 Southern Architect and Building News article about Vicksburg recounts the history of the Stanton firm: “Many of the homes here illustrated were designed by Mr. W.A. Stanton who enjoys the distinction of being the surviving member of a firm that was established as early as 1823 and so is without the shadow of a doubt the oldest firm of architects in the United States. During their long and honorable professional career, which had its incipiency in Natchez, a business has been developed which extends to all parts of the South, and most of these homes bear the stamp of his progressive architectural thought and constructive skill, and besides have designed many of the monuments in the National Cemetery here.”

In 1928, Will was appointed by Gov. Bilbo to a four-year term on the new State Board of Architecture. He also worked with the architect A. Hays Town on the first HABS documentation team in Mississippi from 1933-34.

Like 1101 Monroe St., 1105 would be a rental property. In 1906, Louis, a clerk with the U.S. Engineers Office, and Leila Lenti lived in the house. By 1911, another employee with that office, Albert Smith, and his wife Sophie called the house home.

By 1914, the house had been converted into two apartments with Daniel and Lucile Flohr in one apartment and Thomas and Annette Caughlin living in the other. Flohr was the manager of Jones Smoke House and Caughlin was a clerk with D.J. Shlenker and Co.

By 1921, Wallace and Margaret F. Chase and their son, William, and William (a notary public at Merchants Bank) and Alma Lake lived here. Elva and Lillie Hearn are listed in the city directory at 1105 and then Watson Tickell in 1939.

The house remains an important part of the Monroe Street streetscape today.