Form No 10-300 ,0.7 &\

FOR NPS U S E ONLY 1 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES RECEJVEQ

INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM

SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLE7E NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES - - COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS

NAME HISTORIC

French, C o l o n e l W i l l i a m Henderson, House

AND/OR C O M M O N

French, C o l o n e l W i l l i a m Henderson, House; "Legend V a l l e y arm"

STREET & N U M B E R

1 m i l e e a s t o f W.Va. Rou te 20 -NOT FOR PUBLICATION

CITY. T O W N CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Athens X VICINITY OF Fourth STATE CODE COUNTY CODE

West V i r g i n i a 54 M e r c e r 055

CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY O W N E R S H I P , STATUS

-DISTRICT -PUBLIC SOCCUPIED XBUILDINGIS) XPRIVATE -UNOCCUPIED

-STRUCTURE -BOTH -WORK I N PROGRESS

-SITE PUBLIC A C Q U I S I T I O N ACCESSIBLE -OBJECT -IN PROCESS EYES RESTRICTED

-BEING CONSIDERED -YES UNRESTRICTED

-NO

PRESENT USE

?AGRICULTURE -MUSEUM

-COMMERCIAL -PARK

-EDUCATIONAL XPRIVATE RESIDENCE

-ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS

-GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC

- INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION

-MILITARY -OTHER:

N A M E Mr. and M r s . James W. F o s t e r

STREET & N U M B E R

Box 348, A t h e n s S t a r R o u t e CITY. T O W N STATE

P r i n c e t o n VICINITY OF West V i r g i n i a

COURTHOUSE.

R E G I S T R Y O F DEEDS,ETC M e r c e r County Cour thouse STREET & N U M B E R

M a i n S t r e e t CITY. T O W N STATE

P r i n c e t o n West V i r , g i n i a

TITLE

-FEDERAL -STATE -COUNTY -LOCAL

DEPOSITORY FOR

SURVEY RECORDS

CITY, T O W N STATE

a DESCRIPTION

CONDITION CHECK ONE CHECK ONE

XEXCELLENT _ D E T E R I O R A T E D - U N A L T E R E D XORIGINAL SITE

-GOOD - R U I N S XALTERED - M O V E D DATE

- F A I R - U N E X P O S E D

DESCRIBE T H E PRESENT A N D ORIGINAL ( I F KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Like most houses c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e United S t a t e s d u r i n g p e r i o d s when c e r t a i n a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t y l e s were i n vogue, t h e Colonel Will iam Henderson French House, l o c a t e d i n mountainous s o u t h e r n West V i r g i n i a , i s an a d a p t a t i o n s u i t e d t o t h e p e c u l i a r i t i e s of l o c a t i o n and c i r c u m s t a n c e s of t h e b u i l d e r . Because t h e house was c o n s t r u c t e d d u r i n g t h e 1850s by one who could a f f o r d h i r i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l s and purchas ing q u a l i t y m a t e r i a l s , i t i s n o t a t a l l s u r p r i s i n g t h a t i t i s we l l b u i l t , l a r g e and of f i n e l i n e s . S ince t h e fami ly of i t s b u i l d e r was e s t a b l i s h e d i n ITlrginia b e f o r e t h e Revolu t ion and fol lowed p a t t e r n s of m i g r a t i o n westward, i t i s n o t a t a l l s u r p r i s i n g t h a t t h e French house has Greek Revival o v e r t o n e s s t r o n g l y i n f l u e n c e d by l o c a l c o n d i t i o n s .

B i l a t e r a l symmetry i s modif ied t o a f l o o r p lan which i n c o r p o r a t e s an " e l l , " formed by t h e p l a c i n g of s imple r e c t a n g u l a r b locks s e t a g a i n s t each o t h e r w i t h o u t t r a n s i t i o n a l f e a t u r e s o r r e - e n t r a n t a n g l e s . Although t h e r e i s no long o r pedimented p o r t i c o , t h e r e a r e t h r e e porches , t h o s e on t h e sou th and n o r t h s i d e s runn ing t h e l e n g t h of t h e s t r u c t u r e and t h a t a t t h e e n t r a n c e on t h e e a s t c o v e r i n g t h e a r e a between t h e main door and windows on e i t h e r s i d e . Hor izon ta l p a t t e r n s a r e e v i d e n t th roughout , t h e r e i s a h ipped roof o f low p i t c h , and a l l doors and windows have f l a t l i n t e l s .

Beginning w i t h t h e founda t ion , t h e fo l lowing p rov ides a d d i t i o n a l d e s c r i p t i v e m a t e r i a l s about t h e e x t e r i o r . The f o u n d a t i o n i t s e l f i s of l a r g e sands tone b l o c k s from t h e a r e a . Ca l led t h e ground, o r f i r s t , f l o o r by t h e occupan ts , t h i s l e v e l i s f a i r l y w e l l l i g h t e d by 6 / 6 double-hung windows on t h e sou th e l e v a t i o n and s m a l l e r openings on t h e o t h e r s i d e s . The f o u r windows on t h e e a s t ( i n l i n e w i t h t h o s e on t h e two f l o o r s above) a r e s l i g h t l y obscured by a s e r i e s of wooden b a r s p l a c e d by t h e o r i g i n a l b u i l d e r .

The second l e v e l h a s porches on t h e e a s t , n o r t h and s o u t h e l e v a t i o n s . The l a t t e r i s suppor ted by h i g h b r i c k p i l l a r s , and i t s f l o o r forms t h e roof of a porch f o r t h e ground l e v e l . Each of t h e s e porches h a s smal l , rounded columns and r a i l i n g s o f v a r i o u s des igns formed by c r o s s i n g h o r i z o n t a l , v e r t i c a l and d i a g o n a l e lements . The e n t r a n c e on t h e e a s t h a s a roof suppor ted by f o u r , c l o s e l y p laced columns w i t h p i l a s t e r s a t t h e e l e v a t i o n ' s f a c e . Each porch, a s w i t h t h e e n t i r e s t r u c t u r e a t t h e r o o f l i n e , h a s an i n t e r e s t i n g c o r n i c e of s l i g h t l y curved b r a c k e t s and c i r c u l a r ( s q u a r e on t h e n o r t h porch) wooden b l o c k s between. Windows h e r e a r e s l i g h t l y l o n g e r t h a n t h o s e on t h e t h i r d l e v e l b u t , l i k e t h o s e above, a r e 6 / 6 double-hung s a s h and have s h u t t e r s . The main e n t r a n c e i s s e r v e d by double doors which have s i d e l i g h t s .

The t h i r d f l o o r i s a r e p e a t of t h e second i n i t s openings and e x t e r i o r d e s i g n , i n c l u d i n g a s i d e l i g h t e d window above t h e main e n t r a n c e . As w i t h t h e second f l o o r a l s o , t h e window on t h e s o u t h e a s t c o r n e r i s f a l s e ; i t appears t o be behind c l o s e d s h u t t e r s , but t h e b u i l d e r r e a l l y enc losed p a r t o f t h e chimney and w a l l i n o r d e r t o r e t a i n symmetry.

The t h r e e f l o o r s on t h e i n t e r i o r have a g r e a t d e a l of symmetry i n room p l a c e - ment. I n t h e main s e c t i o n t h e r e a r e two l a r g e rooms on each l e v e l , t h o s e on t h e second and t h i r d f l o o r s b e i n g s e p a r a t e d by a wide h a l l and s t a i r w e l l . The k i t c h e n on t h e ground l e v e l a s w e l l a s t h e two rooms above ( l i b r a r y and bedroom) have f i r e p l a c e s served by t h e same chimney on t h e s o u t h w a l l , and a l though t h e r o o t c e l l a r behind t h e k i t c h e n does n o t have a f i r e p l a c e , t h e p a r l o r and bedroom on t h e

l e v e l s above have them on t h e n o r t h w a l l . The e l l i n c l u d e s a d i n i n g room on t h e ground f l o o r , morning and a s s o c i a t e d

rooms on t h e second and a bedroom and d r e s s i n g room on t h e t h i r d . Each o f t h e main

a SIGNIFICANCE

PERIOD AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE

-PREHISTORIC A R C H E O L U G Y - P R E H I S T O R I C -COMMUNITY P U N N I N G

-1400-1499 A R C H E O L O G Y - H I S T O R I C - C O N S E R V A T I O N

-1 500- 1599 A G R I C U L T U R E - E C O N O M I C S

-1 600-1 699 5~~~~~~~~~~~ -EDUCATION

-1 700-1 799 A R T - E N G I N E E R I N G

CHECK A N D JUSTIFY BELOW

-LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE -RELIGION

-LAW -SCIENCE

- L I T E R A T U R E - S C U L P T U R E

XMILITARY - S O C I A U H U M A N I T A R I A N

- M U S I C -THEATER

'Ci 800-1 a99 ) [ C O M M E R C E - E X P L O R A T I O N / S E T T L E M E N T - P H I L O S O P H Y - T R A N S P O R T A T I O N

-1 900- -COMMUNICATIONS - I N D U S T R Y &POLITICS/GOVERNMENT - O T H E R (SPECIFY)

-1 N V E N T I O N

SPECIFIC DATES c , 1855 BUI LDER/ARCH ITECT

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Colonel Wil l iam Henderson French House s t a n d s a s a reminder o f t h e e a r l y development of what i s today s o u t h e r n West V i r g i n i a , f o r i t s b u i l d e r was an a c t i v e a r e a businessman, l a n d owner and r e a l t o r . M r . French was much more, though, e s p e c i a l l y i n h i s s e r v i c e as a p o l i t i c a l l e a d e r , and h e was one of t h e b e t t e r remembered m i l i t a r y o f f i c e r s of t h e Confederacy i n w e s t e r n V i r g i n i a . Aside from p e r s o n a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s , i t might be s a i d t h a t h i s house a l s o added t o Mercer ~ o u n t ~ ' s n o t e , f o r i t i s one of t h e f i n e s t an tebe l lum s t r u c t u r e s i n t h i s p a r t o f t h e s t a t e and p o s s i b l y t h e o l d e s t , con t inuous ly used home now s t a n d i n g i n t h e coun ty .

Th is French f a m i l y had i t s American beg inn ings i n t h e e a r l y p a r t of t h e e i g h - t e e n t h c e n t u r y and, a s wi th so many o t h e r s , took p a r t i n t h e g e n e r a l westward m i g r a t i o n both b e f o r e and a f t e r t h e Revolu t ionary War. Will iam H. French was t h e grandson (on b o t h s i d e s ) of m i l i t i a m e n of w e s t e r n V i r g i n i a who were l o c a l l y a c t i v e d u r i n g t h e Revolu t ion , and h i s f a t h e r was prominent i n both t h e p o l i t i c a l and s o c i a l rea lms o f what became Gi les County, V i r g i n i a ( i n f a c t , h e was appo in ted i t s f i r s t c l e r k i n 1806) . S h o r t l y a f t e r t u r n i n g twenty-one, W i l l i a m was appo in ted a depu ty s h e r i f f of t h e county.

As w e s t e r n ~ i r g i n i a ' s popu la t ion expanded, fo rmat ion of new p o l i t i c a l sub- d i v i s i o n s was spawned a t an ever i n c r e a s i n g pace . I n 1837 Mercer County was formed from p a r t s of G i l e s and Tazewel l , and W i l l i a m Henderson French was among t h e p e t i - t i o n e r s f o r t h e d i v i s i o n . Between t h a t y e a r and h i s d e a t h i n 1872, French became

' t h e l a r g e s t l a n d h o l d e r i n Mercer County and was invo lved i n such schemes of l a n d d e a l i n g a s s e l l i n g p r o p e r t y and t r a n s p o r t i n g persons from England t o s e t t l e i n t h e a r e a . He a l s o had t h e d i s t i n c t i o n ( c o n s i d e r e d so a t t h a t t ime a t l e a s t ) o f b e i n g t h e c o u n t y ' s l a r g e s t s l a v e h o l d e r p r i o r t o t h e C i v i l War.

A Whig u n t i l t h e 1850s, Will iam H . French was e l e c t e d on h i s p a r t y ' s t i c k e t a s a member of t h e V i r g i n i a House of De lega tes from t h e d i s t r i c t of G i l e s and Mercer i n 1842, 1843 and a g a i n i n 1845. Wis p o l i t i c a l c a r e e r a p p a r e n t l y s u f f e r e d when h e swi tched t o t h e Democratic p a r t y a t a t ime of growing c i v i l u n r e s t i n t h e coun ty . He may n o t have a p p r e c i a t e d t h e s e n t i m e n t s of much of t h e a r e a ' s e l e c t o r a t e when h i s s e c e s s i o n sympathies and Democratic p r e f e r e n c e l e d t o h i s d e f e a t f o r a s e a t a s a d e l e g a t e t o t h e Secess ion Convention o f 1861. That e l e c t i o n , i r o n i c a l l y , p i t t e d him a g a i n s t h i s b r o t h e r , Kapoleon B. French, then a member of t h e V i r g i n i a S e n a t e and l a t e r a Confederate o f f i c e r .

Sou thern sen t iment l e d t o a blow t o W i l l i a m ' s p o l i t i c a l c a r e e r , e s p e c i a l l y d u r i n g " t e s t o a t h " c o n t r o v e r s i e s and d i s f r a n c h i s i n g movements i n post-war West V i r g i n i a . In 1865, he was unsea ted from e l e c t e d membership t o t h e West V i r g l n i a L e g i s l a t u r e ' s s e s s i o n scheduled f o r h 'heeling, and h i s p o l i t i c a l f o r t u n e s never r e c o v e r e d , f o r even a f t e r being allowed t h e v o t e a g a i n and runn ing f o r membership a t t h e s t a t e ' s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l conven t ion s e t f o r 1872, Colonel French was d e f e a t e d .

With t h e s t a r t o f t h e C i v i l War, h e j o i n e d t h e Confedera te army and was commissioned t o head a c a v a l r y company o r g a n i z e d a s "Captain Wil l iam H. F r e n c h ' s

i n r v ( v - ( 9 1

U N I l L:D S r A 11:s I > L : I ~ ~ \ K 1 ~ ~ 1 L h T 0 1 - 7 Ilk I h T t - K I O K N A T I O N A L PARK SERVICE

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NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED

CONTI NU ATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER PAGE one

7. DESCRIPTION (Continued)

rooms i s se rved by a f i r e p l a c e on t h e west w a l l , and t h e r e i s a b u i l t - i n c l o s e t between t h e f i r e p l a c e and t h e s o u t h w a l l on t h e second l e v e l and b u i l t - i n c l o s e t s on e i t h e r s i d e o f t h e t h i r d - f l o o r f i r e p l a c e . T h i s f e a t u r e i s i n c l u d e d i n t h e s o u t h t h i r d f l o o r bedroom of t h e main s e c t i o n , and t h e l i b r a r y h a s a b u i l t - i n bookcase. Second and t h i r d f l o o r rooms have o r i g i n a l board f l o o r i n g .

U n t i l t h e house was r e s t o r e d i n t h e e a r l y 1970s by t h e p r e s e n t owners, t h e s t r u c t u r e underwent l i t t l e change and was allowed t o d e t e r i o r a t e . The house h a s s i n c e been made l i v a b l e by modem s t a n d a r d s ( b a t h s added i n former d r e s s i n g rooms; plumbing, h e a t i n g and e l e c t r i c b e i n g expanded; an e n t r a n c e from t h e main s e c t i o n t o t h e e l l be ing made on t h e t h i r d f l o o r ) , b u t no major a l t e r a t i o n s have been made.

8 . SIGNIFICANCE (Continued)

Company, V i r g i n i a Volun tee rs . " E v e n t u a l l y , t h e group became p a r t of t h e 1 7 t h Regiment, V i r g i n i a Cavalry , and French was promoted t o c o l o n e l on January 28, 1863. He and h i s u n i t saw much a c t i v i t y i n t h e i r home a r e a of sou thwes te rn V i r g i n i a , b u t i t a l s o p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e l a r g e r maneuvers which c a r r i e d i t through t h e V a l l e y o f V i r g i n i a a s p a r t of General A l b e r t G a l l a t i n J e n k i n s ' c a v a l r y which l e d Lee 's advance toward Get tysburg.

It was d u r i n g t h e e a r l y 1850s t h a t Wil l iam H. French planned t o marry and took up t h e p r o j e c t of b u i l d i n g a s u b s t a n t i a l house f o r h i s i n t e n d e d . For some r e a s o n t h e m a r r i a g e d i d n o t t a k e p l a c e , b u t French had h i r e d a c o n t r a c t o r from Richmond t o d e s i g n and b u i l d t h e f i n e house which today b e a r s h i s name. Many o f t h e e lements were prepared l o c a l l y , y e t a g r e a t d e a l of t h e appointments and m a t e r i a l s were t r a n s p o r t e d a long t h e James River and thence by l and o v e r t h e mountains and o n t o t h e o l d Red Sulphur P ike which passed i n f r o n t o f t h e s e l e c t e d s i t e between Concord Church ( p r e s e n t Athens) and P r i n c e t o n . The grand s t r u c t u r e had Greek Revival l i n e s modif ied t o s u i t t h e l o c a t i o n , and i t s t h r e e f l o o r s w i t h i t s many rooms and l a r g e e n t r a n c e h a l l made i t one of t h e f i n e s t i n t h e a r e a . The l and d e a l e r and p o l i t i c i a n was hereby e s t a b l i s h e d i n household a s w e l l a s s o c i e t y , and h i s v i s i t o r s cou ld a t t e s t t o l u x u r i o u s su r roundings and s e r v i c e .

To ment ion an a d d i t i o n a l f a c e t o f n o t e of Colonel F rench ' s home, i t i s s a i d t h a t i t se rved a s some s o r t o f a h o s p i t a l a t t imes d u r i n g t h e C i v i l War, and t h e ev idence seems q u i t e c l e a r t h a t two Confedera te s o l d i e r s , wounded i n a nearby ambush, d i e d i n t h e main e n t r a n c e h a l l .

The French house was saved from con t inued d e t e r i o r a t i o n and p o s s i b l e d e s t r u c - t i o n i n t h e e a r l y 1970s by t h e p r e s e n t owners. R e s t o r a t i o n h a s brought t h e name of Colonel Wil l iam Henderson French a g a i n t o t h e minds of Mercer County 's c i t i z e n r y , and t h e nearby g rave of t h e former b u s i n e s s m a n - p o l i t i c i a n - s o l d i e r i s now marked f o r p o s t e r i t y .

Fowler, C < l r o l . "French :.Ici!lsion Endur-ng E s - . ~ p l e o f S t a t e l y 1850s L iv ing S tandards , ' ' B l u e £ i e l d (W.Va.) Dai ly Tele;;r.?ph, Jznuary 14, 1973.

Johns ton , David E . A H i s t o r y o f Yiddlc Sew River S e t t l e m e n t s and Contiguous - - -- T e r r i t o r y . Hunt ing ton , W.Va.: SLandard P r i n t i n g and P u b l i s h i n g Co., 1906. ( p p . 169-70, 176-77, 180-81, 206-07, 322-23, 339, 347-48, 402-05, 463, 487-89)

N c C o ~ n i c k , Kyle. A Br ie f H i s t o r y of Zlercer County. ( p p . 8-10) N a r t i n , James H. T T ~ o l o n e l ~ i l l i a m T e n d e r s o n French, C.S.A." Address d e l i v e r e d

A C R E A G E O F N O ~ I I N A T E D P R O P E R T Y 5 a c r e s U T M R E F E R E N C E S

~ [ 1 , 7 ] 1 4 1 9 , 7 1 6 , 4 , 0 ] 14 ,113 ,8 ]6 ,2 ,5J 8wL-ld-LJ11111111. ZONE EASTING NORTHING ZONE EASTING NORTHING

c w lJ-Ld l-Jl-LJ VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

o w I A J LLlLLd

LIST ALL STATES A N D COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES

STATE CODE C O U N T Y CODE

STATE C O D E C O U N T Y CODE

-

FORM PREPARED BY N A M E / TITLE

James E . Harding, Research Ana lys t ORGANIZATION DATE

West V i r g i n i a A n t i q u i t i e s Commission October 6 , 1975 S T R E E T & N U M B E R T E L E P H O N E

P.O. Box 630 (304) 296-1791 CITY OR TOWN STATE

Morgantown West V i r g i n i a

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION

NATIONAL - STATE 2 ' LOCAL -

As the des~gnated State Hlstorlc Preservation Off~cer for the Nat~onal H ~ s t o r ~ c Preservat~on Act of 1966 (Public Law 8 9 - 6 6 5 ) . 1 hereby nomlnate t h ~ s property for ~ncluslon

crlterla and procedures set forth by the N a t ~ o

STATE HISTORIC P R E S E R V A T I O N OFFICER S I G N A T U R E

-4 -

West V i r g i n i a S t a t e H i s t o r i c P r e s e r v a t i o n O f f i c e r DATE November 10, 1975

GPO 8 9 2 - 4 5 3

t n e v I U 1 - 1

U h i 1 i:D S T 4 TI:S D t f ' , IRT \ I t hT Ol- T l i t IhT1 KIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

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NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED i CONTl NU A T l O N SHEET ITEM N U M B E R PAGE t w n

9. mJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICALREFERENCES (Continued)

September 16, 1961. Copy on file with the West Virginia Antiquities Commission, P.O. Box 630, Morgantown, W.Va.

Roberts, John. "Remodeled Home--Beautiful Link to Past," Princeton (W.Va.) Times, August 21, 1975.

- - - Form No 10-301

- - - ( R e v 10-74)

UNITED ST.L\TES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR IFOR NPS USE ONLY 1 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM

SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO-COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES --!ENCLOSE WITH MAP

NAME HISTORIC French, Colonel William Henderson, House

A N D / O R C O M M O N French, Colonel William Henderson, House; "Legend Valley Farm" , ,I

LOCATION CITY. TOWN

Athens COUNTY

Mercer STATE

West V i rg in i a

a MAP REFERENCE S O U R C E U . S. Geological Survey (Athens, W . Va., 7.5 ' Quadrangle)

SCALE 1 : 24000 DATE 1968