Echoes From The Attic and Poems, A CELLAR, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Don Johnson, Jan. 2001
Typed by Belford Carver
Written by by Edna F. Campbell
Copyrighted by Edna F. Campbell
With special thanks to her family for permission to use her works.

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A CELLAR, NOVELTY IN HAMMOND, COMMONPLACE TO IOWANS

"Everyone has a cellar in Iowa," was the comment made by Mr. Charles B. Lillie, 
whose home on 301 East Church was among the first in Hammond to have one.  Mr. 
and Mrs. L. T. Lillie moved to Hammond in 1897, and the family residence, 311 
North Cherry Street which is rented and occupied, is still owned by his son, Mr. 
Charles B. Lillie.

The name Lillie is synonymous with "painting" for both Mr. L. T. Lillie and his 
son, were painting contractors. "I have worked on almost every house in Hammond," 
said Mr. Charles Lillie.

Cellars were quite unusual in southern built homes, so when the eleven by 
twenty-two feet one was being constructed, it created wide interest.

Mr. Charles B. Lillie, assisted by his father, built the large home on 301 East 
Church Street in the early months of 1908; however, he did not live in the house 
but rented it for several years.  Later in the year, in December, he was married 
to Miss Annie Feigler, and they resided with his parents for some time.

The rental of the property injects a portion of Loranger history, for the 
newly-built home was rented to Mr. U. R. Loranger, a co-owner of the Genessee 
Lumber Company, partner with his brothers, Arthur, H. R. and F. C. Loranger.  
This was about the time when Loranger was pictured to numbers of people in the 
midwest and north, as a typical Utopia.  An extensive advertising program caused 
the people to literally pour into the community.

As time went on and the true conditions were realized, there was a general exodus 
of people returning to their former homes, however, a number remained on and 
helped to develop the town of Loranger.

Other members of the J. T. Lillie family include Mrs. L. A. (Susan) June, Hammond; 
Mrs. Lester Fellows (Mamye), Padukah, Ky.; Byron Lillie (deceased).

Mr. L. T. Lillie had another mark of distinction, other than being a pioneer 
painting contractor, for he was said to have been one of the first street 
commissioners of the City of Hammond.

Children of the Charles B. Lillie family who enjoyed childhood life in the 
spacious home with the "novel" cellar, were Marguerite, now Mrs. L. E. Guilbeau, 
of New Iberia; Mary Ellen, Mrs. W. A. Ogden, Pollack; Miss Annie Lucille Lillie, 
Hammond; and Betty Lillie (foster), Mrs. James C. Edmondson, Metairie.

(From ECHOES FROM THE ATTIC, II, 1967, by Edna F. Campbell)