Todd-McKay-Wheat House
Marshall, Harrison County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Todd-McKay-Wheat House Originally constructed before the Civil War and modified during the 1880s and again in 1909, this house is significant for its historical associations and for its representation as an evolutionary house form. In 1856, Mary Britt bought the property and married Judge William S. Todd, later a signer of the 1861 ordinance of secession. Although it is possible a structure was on the site when she purchased it. The increase in value at the time the Todds sold the property in 1858 points to construction of a house here during their ownership. North Carolina native Gilchrist McKay, also a signer of the secession ordinance, purchased the property from the Todds after he moved to Marshall to establish a law practice. During his service in the Confederate army, he was captured at Arkansas Post, imprisoned at Camp Chase (Ohio) and killed in the 1864 Battle of Mansfield. The house was sold in 1869 as part of his estate. After a series of subsequent owners, Naomi and William Wheat purchased the home. It was most likely during their ownership (1880-1888) that the two-story, full-length front porch with turned wood posts and jig-sawn brackets was added, in keeping with the Victorian tastes of the time. In 1909, Oscar Brown purchased the house and added a one-story section to the southeast corner. An engineer for the Texas and Pacific Railroad, Brown and his family resided here until 1926 and then leased the house until selling it in 1970. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This Marshall house grew in layers from before the Civil War through the early 20th century. Mary Britt bought the land in 1856 and married Judge William S. Todd, a signer of Texas's 1861 secession ordinance; a later owner, Gilchrist McKay, also signed the ordinance and died fighting for the Confederacy at the 1864 Battle of Mansfield. Victorian-era owners added the ornate two-story porch in the 1880s, and a railroad engineer expanded the house again in 1909.
Why it matters
Its evolving form and its ties to secession-era Texas make it a physical record of the region's Civil War history and changing architectural tastes.
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Related people
- · William S. Todd
- · Gilchrist McKay
Related events
- · Battle of Mansfield
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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