Elliott-Meek-Nunnally House


The Elliott-Meek-Nunnally House The Elliott-Meek-Nunnally home, which is known by the names of the only three families that have owned it, was completed for Camden attorney, James T. Elliott in the year of 1857. Jim Tom Elliott was admitted to the bar in 1854. He was interested in railroads and was the President of the Mississippi, Ouachita, and Red River Railroad in 1858. By 1860 the railroad had built about seven miles of railroad and had a steam engine, the Tom Dockery. J. T. Elliott was appointed Mayor and Provost Marshall for the 2nd district of Arkansas. In December 1862 he was the enrolling officer for Division # 4. The Elliott Home was occupied by General Kirby Smith for two weeks in 1863 according to Henry Merrill autobiography. When the federal troops entered Camden in 1864 the first floor became headquarters for Brigadier General Frederick Solomon, commander of General Frederick Steele's 3rd Division. Mrs. Elliott and the children were allowed to remain on the second floor. The diary of Captain F. Heineman, adjutant to General Solomon, is recorded in the book, Garden of Memories. As the column of Union troops came into Camden on Washington Road, a squad of Lothar's Texas Calvary sat on their horses in the front yard. The remainder of Lothar's detachment was busy cutting a Confederate Pontoon Bridge loose near present day Sandy Beach. The pontoon boats were reused down river to cross Confederate artillery batteries making the battles of Poison Springs and Marks Mill possible. Following events of the Civil War era, close examination of the property surrounding this house provided some interesting artifacts. Metal detectors used on the left front yard of the house revealed two federal blouse buttons, .36 caliber pistol bullets, a pistol cylinder, and a trouser button. This was believed to be the site of either a guard post or possibly a game of chance. A single lead canister shot was found in the right front yard. In the east side yard a vent pick for a cannon and relic of a fuse knife were found. In the back yard several horse shoe blanks with horse shoe nails, and a hasp with the inscription C. W. Pasker Co. 1863 was uncovered. During the federal occupation of this house, the immediate property surrounding the house was thought to have also been used as a portable forge. The Elliott- Meek-Nunnally house, an example of Greek Revival architecture, has eight fire places. The siding is cypress. The kitchen was originally separate from the house, but was attached to the house after the Civil War. There have been alterations, which is evidenced by the three dormers with windows and wide overhang of the roof. The original roof was probably a much lower pitched hip roof and, according to certain records, may have accommodated a third floor.

The Elliott-Meek-Nunnally House

The Elliott-Meek-Nunnally home, which is known by the names of the only three families that have owned it, was completed for Camden attorney, James T. Elliott in the year of 1857. Jim Tom Elliott was admitted to the bar in 1854. He was interested in railroads and was the President of the Mississippi, Ouachita, and Red River Railroad in 1858. By 1860 the railroad had built about seven miles of railroad and had a steam engine, the Tom Dockery. J. T. Elliott was appointed Mayor and Provost Marshall for the 2nd district of Arkansas. In December 1862 he was the enrolling officer for Division # 4.

The Elliott Home was occupied by General Kirby Smith for two weeks in 1863 according to Henry Merrill autobiography. When the federal troops entered Camden in 1864 the first floor became headquarters for Brigadier General Frederick Solomon, commander of General Frederick Steele's 3rd Division. Mrs. Elliott and the children were allowed to remain on the second floor. The diary of Captain F. Heineman, adjutant to General Solomon, is recorded in the book, Garden of Memories.

As the column of Union troops came into Camden on Washington Road, a squad of Lothar's Texas Calvary sat on their horses in the front yard. The remainder of Lothar's detachment was busy cutting a Confederate Pontoon Bridge loose near present day Sandy Beach. The pontoon boats were reused down river to cross Confederate artillery batteries making the battles of Poison Springs and Marks Mill possible.

Following events of the Civil War era, close examination of the property surrounding this house provided some interesting artifacts. Metal detectors used on the left front yard of the house revealed two federal blouse buttons, .36 caliber pistol bullets, a pistol cylinder, and a trouser button. This was believed to be the site of either a guard post or possibly a game of chance. A single lead canister shot was found in the right front yard. In the east side yard a vent pick for a cannon and relic of a fuse knife were found. In the back yard several horse shoe blanks with horse shoe nails, and a hasp with the inscription C. W. Pasker Co. 1863 was uncovered. During the federal occupation of this house, the immediate property surrounding the house was thought to have also been used as a portable forge.

The Elliott- Meek-Nunnally house, an example of Greek Revival architecture, has eight fire places. The siding is cypress. The kitchen was originally separate from the house, but was attached to the house after the Civil War. There have been alterations, which is evidenced by the three dormers with windows and wide overhang of the roof. The original roof was probably a much lower pitched hip roof and, according to certain records, may have accommodated a third floor.