James and Julia Anderson House
Jewett, Leon County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Ohio-born James Elgin Anderson (1836-1918) settled in Leon County in 1857. He enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861, serving with the Leon Hunters, Hood's Texas Brigade. After standing with Gen. Robert E. Lee at Appomattox in 1865, Capt. Anderson returned to Leon County, where he became a distinguished educator and married Julia Evans (1847-1897) in 1867. The Andersons purchased property here in 1875 and built a house with outside end chimneys. In keeping with Victorian trends, they remodeled the house between 1885 and 1895, adding a second story and the exuberant Eastlake detailing so prominent on the porches and along the roofline. A noted piece of Jewett's heritage, the house remained in the family for many years. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1999
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Ohio-born James Elgin Anderson settled in Leon County in 1857, enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861 with Hood's Texas Brigade, and stood with Robert E. Lee at Appomattox in 1865. Returning home as a captain, he became a distinguished educator and married Julia Evans in 1867. The couple bought this property in 1875 and built a house with outside end chimneys, then remodeled it between 1885 and 1895 in the Victorian fashion, adding a second story and the exuberant Eastlake trim that still graces its porches and rooflines.
Why it matters
The house links a Confederate veteran's turn to teaching with the architectural exuberance of the Gilded Age, embodying how a war-scarred generation rebuilt settled, cultured lives in postwar Texas.
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Related people
- · James Elgin Anderson
- · Julia Evans Anderson
Themes & tags
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