A.V. Tapp House

217 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue

Built: 1910

Alonzo (Lon) Tapp was one of eight children born to Vincent J. and Myra J. Tapp. This was a time when large families were not unusual. Both his parents had been born in Alabama, but the family moved west and Lon had been born in Texas. By 1912 he had met and married Juanita Stafford, daughter of a popular Pittsburg sheriff, and was residing with his in-laws. Soon he built the house, and the family grew to include two girls, Vivian and Melba. The house changed hands several times after the Tapps moved to another home. But from 1919 until 2008, several generations of the Williams family - Annie, Mabel, P.H. and Velma - each in turn, called it home.

The Carson House

302 Mt. Pleasant Street

Built: 1878

This beautiful Gothic Victorian House was built in 1878 by Pierce Ligon. In 1887 it became the home of William Henry Carson. William was in the lumber business and held interest in a circus, as well as a rail line which traveled between Texas and Mexico.In 1898 Mr. Carson discovered a tract of land containing Curly Heart Pine, an extremely rare variant of the long leaf pine tree with a unique iridescent curly grain. Mr. Carson used this curly pine lumber for baseboards, door casing, and wainscot through the Carson House. The Carson House is one of the few places where it is known to exist.

A.A. Hall House

309 Quitman Street

Built: 1917

Born in 1894 as the only son of prominent citizens, L.R. and Julia Hall, Alfred Alexander Hall's future appeared bright. Education was the principal factor of his young life. He attended grade school in Pittsburg, Bingham Military Academy in North Carolina, Castle Heights Military Academy in Tennessee and Tyler Commercial School of Business in Tyler, Texas. Predictably, he followed his father's footsteps into banking and began his career as a bookkeeper at the Pittsburg National Bank in 1914. He married Ruth Eclair Clayton, niece of the owner of the Clayton Hotel, in 1916. Returning home from their honeymoon, they resided with the L.R. Hall's until their home could be completed next door. Despite the loss of his father in 1922, A.A. Hall's career in banking soared. He was promoted to cashier in 1922, and advanced to vice president and member of the board of directors in 1934; he was elected president in 1937 and remained active in the bank until his death in 1961. The Halls were active in so many ways to support the community and their fellow man...too many to list here. A.A. and Julia raised four children: Julia, Lee, Kathy and William, and they attended the Methodist Church.

Original Owner: Ashton P. Holman

334 Quitman Street

Built: 1911

Ashton Pruitt Holman was born in 1883 to John Miller Holman and Eula Pruitt, a member of an old Morris County family. She died in 1890. John Miller Holman’s second marriage in 1891 to Sue Russell Hill produced six half-siblings for Ashton. In 1906 Ashton married Wilsey Berry. They had two children – a son, John William (Jack) and a daughter, Jane. In his younger years, Mr. Holman was engaged in the furniture and hardware business in Pittsburg, Daingerfield and Naples. He quit the mercantile business and was a traveling representative for furniture concerns in three states. After spending 30 or more years in Dallas, he returned to Pittsburg and retired from business. He was a lifetime member of the Methodist Church.

Original Owner: C.A. Dyke

230 College Street

Built: 1899

Clinton A. Dyke was the son of one of the pioneer families of Harrison County, who had moved to Texas from Massachusetts. He was born in Marshall, Texas and moved to Pittsburg in 1895. He was a successful wholesale grocer. In 1904 he acquired the telephone exchange in Gilmer and operated it as an independent system. In 1915 he moved to Gilmer to take active charge of the operation, as well as to manage his considerable real estate business.

Original Owner: D.H. Abernathy

406 Quitman Street

Built: 1896

David Harper Abernathy was born in 1858 in Arkansas. He moved with his family to Pittsburg in 1864. After learning business in Nashville, Tennessee, David returned to help run his father's dry goods store. He was a major leader in town and was heavily involved in the Methodist church. This house was built for the Abernathy family in 1896 by George Barber. It is a two-story Queen Anne-style home, with a wraparound porch, spindle work and a front gable. The original front door is intact and much of the interior has remained unchanged. The house was expanded and modified after World war II. The house is a reminder of a century of the influential Abernathy family. 

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2015

Original Owner: Dr. R.Y. Lacy

320 Quitman Street

Built: 1909

Dr. Robert Yeager Lacey was born in Palestine, Texas in 1875. He attended the University of Texas, the University of Texas Medical School in Galveston, and Jefferson Medical College which was the medical branch of Princeton University. Dr. Lacy and his bride, Florence Wren Harman, moved to Pittsburg in 1902. As a young doctor he was called to pronounce the death at the last public hanging in Camp County; this was 1903. The next morning he was awakened by Sheriff Jim Stafford banging on the door, "I've had reports that the family fed the deceased milk and biscuits and revived him. We've go to check it out." He accompanied the Sheriff to the home, took the lid off the coffin and again pronounced the man dead. Dr. Lacy was a no-nonsense, dignified expert, but this was tempered with a quick sense of humor and an inexhaustible fund of good stories. He was a meticulous, kindly gentleman who always wore a flower in the lapel of his well-cut suit, usually a red carnation, but he favored blue cornflowers in the summer. Dr. Lacy, along with three other doctors, founded Pittsburg's Medical and Surgical Hospital in 1940; this later became ETMC Pittsburg. Dr. and Mrs. Lacy had two children; William and Eugenia. Mrs. Lacy died ion 1921, and R. Lacy later married Mrs. Minnie Hood Fleming, widow of Dr. Fleming of Mt. Pleasant. Dr. Lacy served the community for more than half a century. He was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church, on the board of directors of two banks, and a member of the Pittsburg School Board.

Original Owner: E. Fore/Stafford-Paris

333 Quitman Street

Built: 1899

This Victoria residence with ornate gingerbread woodwork was built 1899 for the family of Eugene Fore. In 1913 it was sold to Camp County Sheriff J.D. Stafford, who lived here for 24 years. Dr. Ernest Paris, a prominent local chiropractor, and his wife Margret bought the home in 1941. Other community leaders who resided here include Dr. R.Y. Lacy and Dr. R.C. Treynham whose wife Cora was the stepdaughter of W.H. Pitts for who the town was named.

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1981

Original Owner: G.A. Hess

311 Quitman Street

Built: 1911

Larkin Hess brought his family to Texas in 1858 from Mississippi. One of his sons, George W. Hess, married Sarah Jane Ligon in 1871; he was in the livery and dray business in Pittsburg. The couple had 10 children. One son, Aubrey Hess, became a grocer and his brother, Louie B. Hess, had a clothing store. The daughters married into families with names like Ellis, Lockhart and Russell. In 1902 Aubrey married Nannie Kate Cleveland and they raised twin sons, Robert and Aubrey. One year the twins rode in the Northeast Texas Fair parade in a car decorated as "The Gold Dust Twins." The family lived for many years on Mt. Pleasant Street until a fire destroyed their home. When Aubrey Hess acquired the Quitman Street property, an existing house was moved back to Fairview Street and the present two-story home was constructed. Mr. Hess was a retail and wholesale supply grocer. He was an active leader in the Chamber of Commerce, the Ferndale Club, Rotary Club, and was a member of the school board. The family attended the Baptist Church.

Original Owner: George W. Davis

242 Rusk Street

Built: 1885

George Washington Davis was born in Twiggs County, Georgia in 1831 and came to Pittsburg about 1850. He settled in Upshur County, later known as Camp County. He was one of the leaders in building Pittsburg when it was established in 1858 by Major Pitts. He was an early day merchant and organized and served as the President of the first bank, the Camp County Bank, besides having large farming interests. He served in the Confederate Army (1861-1865) as 1^st Lieutenant of Co. F, 14^th Texas Infantry, Clark’s Regiment. In 1868 he married Harriette Amanda Aldredge, and five children were born to this union.

Original Owner: H.A. Stamps

619 Daingerfield Street

Built: 1882

At the age of four, about 1858, Henry Augustus Stamps came with his family from Atlanta, Georgia in an ox drawn wagon to Pittsburg, Texas. His father, Rev. James Stamps, was the first Baptist preacher in Pittsburg. Henry recalled that where Pittsburg now stands there was nothing but a forest with a log house here and there. Henry married Laura Lucinda O’Fiel on September 14, 1876, and they lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. They were blessed with at least seven children. He was a carpenter and built the house at 619 Daingerfield Highway in 1882. Upon his death in 1927, H. A. Stamps had resided in Pittsburg longer than anyone else, 69 years, and was well respected for his knowledge of its history and development. Henry, Laura and much of their family are buried very near their home in Rose Hill Cemetery.

Original Owner: J.A. Bailey

315 Quitman Street

Built: 1907

J. Alonzo (Lon) Bailey and Nannie Lasater Bailey bought a 6 are parcel of land along Quitman Street from J.A. Smith in 1899. Mr. Bailey, a druggist by trade, had acquired stock in the Golden Peacock Cosmetics Company, which later became Revlon. In 1907 he sold $20,000 worth of stock, built this home for $7500 and never worked again as a druggist. They raised three children in this home and were very active in the community and the Methodist church.

Original Owner: James A. Sewell

504 Jefferson Street

Built: 1918

James Andrew Sewell was born in 1862 in Campbell County, Georgia. By 1886 he had married Elizabeth Elvira Hudgins and was living in Upshur County, Texas. The family grew to include three girls – Sallie Lee, Annie Mae and Mary Ethel – and a son, Drew. A man of many talents, he operated a farm of several hundred acres, owned and operated a cotton gin, sawmill, shingle mill, blacksmith shop, woodworking shop and operated a small commissary for his tenants and employees. Jim, Lizzie and Drew moved to Camp County and Pittsburg in early 1918. He purchased property on Jefferson Street from the Bass family and built the house at 504 Jefferson. Several acres of this property included land which is now part of Rose Hill Cemetery. Jim continued to farm, both on his property in town and a farm in the country. He built a large potato storage house behind his home in which he stored potatoes from his own farm, as well as for other farmers. In the spring of each year, he grew sweet potato plants on a plot east of his home. He shipped thousands of potato plants to Texas farmers each year. 

Jim Sewell was also active in civic affairs. He served on the City Council and on the School Board of Pittsburg. Jim and Lizzie were both lifelong members of the First Methodist Church. 

In the early 1920’s he purchased property and built a service station on what is now U.S. Hwy. 271. It was run by his son, Drew. This later became “Sewell’s,” a business owned and run by Jim Sewell’s grandson, James.

Original Owner: John L. Sheppard

217 Mt. Pleasant Street

Built 1884

Home of the Sheppard family from 1884, when the house was built, until 1891. During that time John L. Sheppard (1852-1902) served as district attorney and then judge for the Fifth Judicial District. In 1899 he was elected to U.S.Congress and died in office. His son, Morris Sheppard (1875-1941), succeeded him in congress, then served with distinction in the U.S. Senate from 1913-1951. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1974.

Original Owner: John M. Holman

218 North Texas Street

Built: 1913

Mr. John Miller Holman arrived in 1873 and married Eula Pruitt Holman in 1882. They had a son, Ashton Pruitt Holman. However, Eula died in 1890. 

John married Sue Russell Hill in 1891. From the 1891 Pittsburg Gazette; “John M. Holman is considered one of the leading businessmen of Pittsburg, esteemed for his moral worth, and the bride is one of the brightest jewels of Mt. Vernon.” They had six children: Christine, Beulah Lee, Harry Hill, Mary, John and Guy. 

John Miller Holman and partner Dean had a hardware store.  There was a manually operated elevator in 1892 to move items from the ground floor to the upstairs floor. Coffins were among the items stored upstairs. Later the business was Holman & Hall.  In 1900 Mr. Holman acquired full interest of the business. Located at 121 Quitman Street, the building and elevator are still in use today. 

Mr. Holman was also a banker and an agent for automobiles.

John Holman built fifteen houses in Pittsburg, including one for his son, Aston P. Holman at 334 Quitman Street in 1911, and his own new family home at 218 N.. Texas Street in 1913. The two-story white house is built in the plantation style vs the popular Victorian or Georgian style of the time. It was to honor the southern heritage of Sue's mother who lived there until she passed away. It has two large columns, a balcony, and most of the woodwork inside is wide original growth pine. It was one of the first houses in the area built with an indoor bathroom connected to the new city water and sewer system. The knob and tube and cotton-wrapped wired electrical system was the most up-to-date at the time. 

 Mr. Holman passed away in the house in 1925, and his business partner took over his portion of the business.  Mrs. Holman was left to take in boarders to make ends meet during the great depression. Mrs. Holman passed away in the house in 1940. Her son Guy Holman lived there and raised his family until his death in 1990. 

Original Owner: P.W. Thorsell

315 Rusk Street

Built: 1910

Paul Wilford Thorsell was born April 7, 1871 in Torstuna, Vastmainland, Sweden. He came to the United States as a small boy, and settled on a farm in Joplin, Missouri. In 1890 he moved to Texarkana, Texas and three years later came to Pittsburg, Texas. He worked as a machinist and acquired the Pittsburg Foundry and Machine Shop in 1893. Rev. Burrell Cannon, a local Baptist minister and engineer, asked for Paul’s assistance in building an airplane based on scriptures from the book of Ezekiel. In 1902 it was built in Mr. Thorsell’s foundry. A replica of the Ezekiel Airship may be seen in the Northeast Texas Rural Heritage Museum here in Pittsburg.

In 1910 Paul built his home on Rusk Street, now occupied by the Erman Smith Funeral Home. Paul had a son, Robert Lee, with his first wife, Laura R. Laster, who died in 1932. He later married Lucy Mabell Warrick Darby, and had a son, Paul Wilford Thorsell, Jr. 

Mr. Thorsell served the community in many capacities. As a member of the First Baptist Church, he was a deacon, trustee, superintendent, and Sunday school teacher. He was a Mason, a Shriner and at one time a director of Buckner’s Orphan’s Home. He served on the public school board and was on the board of directors of the Pittsburg National Bank.

Original Owner: W.C. Hargrove

312 Quitman Street

Built: 1910

William Chester Hargrove was born in Homer, LA in 1862. Soon after the Civil Was his family moved to Sulphur Springs in Hopkins County, TX. The family had a farm and as a youth, he worked in a grocery store. He learned the business, saved his money, and went into business for himself. He bought bank stock, learned about banking, and helped to organize the City National Bank in Sulphur Springs. He met his future wife, Florence Stone, when she came into the bank to open an account. They were married in 1894 and established their home in Pittsburg. Eight children (two of whom died in infancy) followed: William C.,Jr., Stone, Mary Florence, Grace, Harold and Frances. Mr. and Mrs Hargrove joined the First Baptist Church. He was ordained as a deacon and served as Sunday School Superintendent for 25 years. He also served as a trustee of Buckner Children's Home for many years. He assisted with opening the First National Bank, invested in real estate and bought the Pittsburg Cotton Seed Oil Mill. As their financial means improved and the family grew, they built the house on Quitman Street. Mrs. Hargrove was a gracious lady and often hosted functions to benefit their church and the community. They both died in 1950, just months apart, after long, fruitful lives in service to God and to others.

Original Owner: William Rhymes

216 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue

Built: 1900

There were three William Rhymes. The grandfather, H.W. Rhymes, was a Confederate War veteran, charter member of the First Presbyterian Church and land owner. He was one of the first men in the area to register an ear notch to distinguish his swine. The second William, Oscar William Rhymes, married Eva Stuckey but did not live long enough to see the birth of his only son. Mrs. Eva Rhymes was a long time employee at W.L. Garrett Department Store, and evidently a devoted mother. Her son, the third William Rhymes, was one of Pittsburg's most outstanding citizens and progressively served as employee, vice president, member of the board of directors and then president of the Pittsburg National Bank after A.A. Hall's death in 1961.

Original Owner: W.P. Woods

318 Daingerfield Hwy.

Built: 1904

The year 1896 seemed bright and promising for W.P. Woods and his new bride, Eula Bass. The future darkened, however, with her death on June 15, 1897. The 1900 census shows W.P. Woods as a single male residing in a hotel; his occupation - lumber dealer. Records do not indicate that he ever remarried, however, he worked hard and built the pretty house on the Daingerfield Highway. In the 1920 census we find that W.P. has his brother, sister-in-law and family and possibly his mother in the house with him. Shelly Woods was a descendant that many people remember living in the house.

Original Owner: W.R. Heath

316 Quitman Street

Built: 1904

William Robert Heath was the son of Mary Drucilla Pitts and William K. Heath, a nephew of Maj W.K. Pitts for whom Pittsburg is named, and the great uncle of the current homeowner, Carolyn Heath Franks. He was a practicing attorney, and married Hattie Brooks in 1892. They had five children: Winnie, Fred, Josephine, Marshall and Mary Ruth.