Rogers-Drummond House

The Rogers-Drummond-Perkins House, 1853 1854, is an outstanding example of a vernacular interpretation of Greek Revival architecture. The front porch is much taller and asymmetrical to the windows and doors across the front facade. As Drury Blakely Alexander noted in his book, Texas Homes of the Nineteenth Century; "The Drummond House is an early Greek Revival house of unusual proportions in the height of the front in relation to the windows and doors. The treatment of the frieze and cornice is particularly interesting." Another unique feature of the house is the interior wall painting, dating from 1884 to 1885, which remains intact in the east and west front rooms. The painting in both these rooms is an excellent representation of nineteenth-century wood graining and stenciling. The house is also recognized as being the oldest remaining house in Franklin County.

The Rogers-Drummond-Perkins House has been owned and occupied by six generations of the same family. In 1850, the James Rogers family moved from Mississippi, purchased 1280 acres in Hopewell Community, and erected a temporary log cabin. In 1853, Aaron and Lark Griffin, nephews of Rogers, began construction of the present house. They cut timber from Rogers' land and hauled it to Matt Caton's sawmill, where it was rough-sawn into lumber, dried and hand dressed. Brick was made by slave labor. Foundation pillars, 12 inches square, were hand-hewn with broad axes. Corner posts were hand-hewn of heart pine in the shape of a trough so that weatherboarding and the ceilings could be fastened to the same post. Corners were based above and below with scantling. Rafters and plates were hand-hewn of heart pine. Floor joists are all heavy 3x10 inch heart pine.

In 1856, James Rogers deeded 188 acres, including the homestead, to his only surviving child, Larkin. In 1861, James Rogers gave 6 acres of his remaining land to the community to be used for churches, schools, and a cemetery. Larking Rogers' daughter, Sarah, was the first child to be born in the home." Sarah married John Drummond and later live there. Sarah's first son, James, was born in the home and inherited it in 1908. James, and later his widow, owned the house until 1978. James' daughter, Martha, also born on the property, married Rural Perkins and recently deeded it to her son, Dr. James Perkins.

In the nineteenth century, the property functioned much like a typical Southern Plantation. Slaves served as domestics, field workers, blacksmiths, and furniture makers. Furnishings used in the house were either brought from Mississippi or made on the site. The Rogers brought a corded bed, a four-poster bed and a Gateleg solid walnut table with them from Mississippi. They purchased a square piano and a dresser in New Orleans and had it shipped by boat to Jefferson, Texas and then by wagon to the home. Adding to the evidently tasteful furnishings was the interior decorative painting, done in 1884-85. The designs are simple, but carefully and finely executed. Such well-preserved examples of residential interior painting are very rare.

At the present time, the house is unoccupied and in need of maintenance. Outbuildings remaining on the site, considered to be contributing to the property, are a barn, located southwest of the house, and a shed, to the southeast.