606 W. Burleson, Marshall
Current Owner 2013: Barbara Jo Anderson
Sanborn Maps:
- Marshall 1899, Sheet 6, Block 2A, Lot 508
- Marshall 1904, Sheet 6, Block 2A, Lot 508
- Marshall 1909, Sheet 10, Block 2A, Lot 508
- Marshall 1915, Sheet 14, Block 132 (2A), Lot 508
TX Historical Marker
The Todd-McKay-Wheat House recieved a TX Historical Marker in 2001.Architectural Survey
• Description: The Todd-McKay-Wheat home is two-story box structure with Victorian detailing. The full-length, double gallery porch is laced with gingerbread cross bracing along the front. The hipped roof gallery covers a single door primary entrance with a headlight and one transom on the right.
• Significance: The Todd-McKay-Wheat home is an example of evolved architecture, and housed two signers of the 1861 Texas Ordinance of Secession.
Historical Background
The Todd-McKay-Wheat home was built sometime in the 1850s by James McCulloch according to information found in the Harrison County Archives in the Todd-McKay-Wheat file. It was sold in 1856 to Mary Britt who soon afterwards married Judge William S. Todd. (Ancestry.com. Texas Marriage Collection, 1814-1909 and 1966-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.) The Todds sold their home in 1858 to Gilchrist McKay who owned the home until he was killed in battle fighting in Confederate Army in 1864. The home was sold in 1869 when his property holdings were sold. At some point during the following years, William and Naomi Wheat purchased the home. The Wheats were responsible for adding the double-story porches which added Victorian flourishes to the home see in gingerbread arches. Because of this, the house is sometimes referred to as the "Riverboat House" since it was reminiscent of the trim on steamboat decks.
Oscar and Josephine Brown purchased the home in 1909 where they lived until 1926. Although the state marker states the Browns sold their home in 1970, deed records suggest otherwise. Manie Brown Elliott and husband E.T. Elliott deeded the property to Dolores Jean Ammerman in 1970. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 689, Pg. 158, filed October 2, 1970.) During the Ammerman's ownership, they used part of the home as an antique shop, until they sold it to Meredith G. Eirchenberg and Barbara Jo Anderson in 1981.(Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 954, Pg. 57, filed December 30, 1981.) In 1990, Meredith Eichenberg deeded her portion of the home to Barbara Anderson who was later responsible for restoring the home to its present state. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 1242, Pg. 270, filed April 3, 1990.) Barbara remains the present owner of the structure which was been kept up and portrays a unique type of architecture.
