Richmond (also known as Marshall House) is a historic mansion in

Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the only city in and the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,520 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia, Louisiana, Natchez was ...

. It was the nineteenth century private residence of a leading businessman and agricultural landowner in Natchez.

Location

The mansion is located on Government Fleet Road, also called Canal Street South, in Natchez, Adams County,

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

.Historic Resources Inventory: Richmond
/ref> The nearby terrain contains deep bayous and is heavily forested.

History

The property was originally owned by Juan St. Germaine, a Native American interpreter. Local and family tradition claim a first construction date of 1784 for the mansion,“Richmond,” Natchez
''Mississippi in Preservation'' though other sources use a ca. 1800-1810 date based on details of the original interior's Federal style woodwork. In 1832, the property was purchased for $7,500 by Levin R. Marshall, a wealthy banker and planter who was the first president of the

Commercial Bank A commercial bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and gives loans for the purposes of consumption and investment to make a profit. It can also refer to a bank or a division of a larger bank that deals with whol ...

. Shortly after, the furniture, which is still there, was shipped from

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

.Emily Lane
Marshall family walls can, do talk
''The Natchez Democrat'', March 26, 2011 Improvements were made in 1832, and by 1840, the house had been extended to the west with an addition in the Greek Revival architectural style. A third section was added in 1860. Marshall was a wealthy businessman and invested in agriculture, by the start of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

he had 2,500 acres in Adams County alone, worked by 150 slaves and another 32 servants at the Richmond mansion.D. Clayton James, ''Antebellum Natchez'', p. 155
/ref> His total holdings exceeded 25,000 acres in three states. His son, George, married a daughter of the very rich planter David Hunt and resided at Lansdowne. Richmond passed to Marshall's widow upon his death at age 69 in 1870, and was still occupied by the Marshall family in 2011.

Heritage significance

Richmond has been listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

since November 16, 1978. Its primary significance is as the home of Levin R. Marshall and the role he played in the economic history of Natchez. The mansion is said to have been one of the most significant Greek Revival residences and was one of the first such in Natchez.

References

External links

Tour of Richmond
{{National Register of Historic Places Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Mississippi Houses in Natchez, Mississippi Houses completed in 1784 Greek Revival houses in Mississippi National Register of Historic Places in Natchez, Mississippi