Silcox--Mary Ann Matilda's Story

I've always called this house the "Chocolate House" because of the color.

Today we walked by it once more and I became curious of it's history. I read that it was in the Silcox family until around 1968 or so, so I did a little research on the Silcox family.
I saw that they owned 9 Franklin but another article said 17 Franklin, so I am un-sure if it was both, or what?
the "Chocolate House" reads 17 Franklin Street. The front door also says "17".

Franklin Street used to be called "Back Street" because it was a the back of the city!

I love the front door--it looks original to the house!

The Greek Revival home was built around 1849 and had ten bedrooms, corinthian columns, two big beautiful piazzas, pine floors inside and marble steps on the outside.It was built by B.C. Pressley. 

We saw some old pictures of the house and the nice white wall and the black iron gate that has the birds and the nice fruit was not there

This is Daniel Hardy Silcox:

born 1813 in Somerset, England

came to America in 1827 with his brothers. He lived in New York City for awhile, then came to Charleston.
He had a furniture store on King street.

He married Martha Smith Myer

she was born in 1819. Died 1871
she was from Jamaica

they had six kids
all boys except Mary Ann Matilda, pictured below:

I wonder how old she was in this portrait? Look at her fancy dress and her lace gloves--is she holding something? Are those curly ribbons hanging down from her hair? Looks like her hair was up in a bun maybe?

She was born in 1845. Died 1905

Mary Ann Matilda in later years

Mary Ann Matilda had grown up, got married, and was expecting her first child when her husband was killed in Virginia

She named the baby girl Martha and called her Mattie. Mattie was born in Anderson, South Carolina, in 1865.
She re-married William H.H. Williams and he raised Mattie as well as the seven children they had together.
This is Mary Ann Matilda's SECOND HUSBAND:

William H.H. Williams, named after President Harrison

He had six brothers and sisters. He was ordained young, in his twenties, and was in Richmond, VA, during the War. He was a Confederate Chaplain at the hospital. When the Civil War was over, he went to the Southern Baptist Seminary and became a pastor. He pastored many Baptist churches in the South and in later years they moved to St. Louis and he owned the Central Baptist newspaper. He died unexpectedly, in 1893, and their daughter May Belle ran the newspaper for a few years, until it finally sold.

So there was Mattie, and Carrie(1871) (died young,like 16), kate(1877), and william,(below)

William Harrison Williams, born 1879. He was also a Baptist minister, and lived until 1974

 Elizabeth-(1881), robert-(1890) and:
Maybelle:

MayBelle-Mary Ann Matilda's daughter, born 1870

MayBelle was VERY BAPTIST! She was the sister of a Baptist minister, the daughter of a Baptist minister and she grew up and married a Baptist minister! So she was very active in church activities in the many places she lived. She graduated from Hosmer Hall School, which was in St. Louis. I read she raised five children, but I could only find information on two of her girls, Bessie, and Kina. I believe all her children grew up and went to college. Her husband was President of Furman University, and on the day of May Belle's funeral, they closed down all classes at the University that day, to honor her.

May Bells's Husband Dr. William Joseph McGlothin

 Mary Ann Matilda's Granddaughters

MayBelle-had a little girl named Bessie, born in 1898. Here it looks like she is sitting on the front porch steps somewhere. It could've been at Her Grandma Mary Ann Matilda's home--which may have been the "chocolate house" or somewhere else. I think the family lived in Greenville, South Carolina, so it could've been their porch there. Look at her cute little boots shoes and you can see her frilly little petticoat peeking out from her dress.  She had long dark ringlets and had her hand on someone else who looks to be in a dress as well, maybe her sister? Her sister was born a year after her.

MayBelle's girl Bessie

Sadly,Bessie died when she was about ten years old. I could not find out if it was illness, an accidental death, disease, or what. 
She had a sister named "Kina"

MayBelle's little girl, Kathryn (Kina) born 1899She had long dark ringlets as well, and in the style of the day, big bows were worn. Little girls looked like little girls back then. Lace and ruffles and bows. Is she on some type of tricyle...or is that one of the little carts that were pulled by small goats and were so popular back in that era?

Kina in later years, she grew up to be a History teacher!

She had a little girl she named Elizabeth Geraldine. She was born in 1933. Her Dad was Alfred Taylor, an English Professor. Sadly, I think she died when she was only about five years old. Kina died in 1994.

Ladies Home Journal

Young ladies around 1910 to 1915--this might've been how Kina dressed when she was around thirteen years old

Mary ann matilda also had emma geraldine- born 1870:

Mary Ann Matilda's daughter, Emma. She lived until 1962. Wow, look at those huge puffy sleeves! And some kind of floral adornment in her hair, which seems to be some type of braid/bun. I think by the time Emma was a young woman, the Gibson Girl was the popular look and also the big leg o'mutton sleeves. Women still wore corsets and well dressed ladies still wore hats. The bustle was on the way OUT. She had 2 sons- Charles and Everett, and one daughter she named Elizabeth, born in 1906.

Emma's son Everett-born1901-one of Mary Ann Matilda's grandsons

Granddaughter Mattie grew up and had a daughter she named Carolyn, born 1890. She went by the nickname Carrie. I think maybe Mattie named her Carrie after her sister that died so young, she died when she was only about 16.

I so enjoyed learning all about Mary Ann Matilda and her story! I loved learning all about her many children, and how they grew up and what they became! I am sure she was very proud of all of them!

The "chocolate house" may not have even been brown back in those days...it very likely could've been pink, or white, or blue! I may never know....but it sure is fun to imagine isn't it?

I love reading about who lived in Charleston's big old houses, and what their lives were like.