SYLVEST HOUSE, WASHINGTON PARISH, LA, DONATED TO FAIR IN 1977 TO BECOME PART OF THE MILE BRANCH SETTLEMENT. Written by Sue Bailey, Submitted by Carolyn Brumfield Henderson Date: June, 2001 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ SYLVEST HOUSE Nehemiah Sylvest 1846 - 1916 Lenora Jane Sylvest 1855 - 1935 Both fathers came from Portugal Nehemiah was a farmer. Donated to fair in 1977. House was started in 1880 and completed in 1881. It was built on 119.03 acres of land. Nehemiah & Lenora Jane built and lived in a large smoke house with a dirt floor and 5 children during the building of the home. 7 more children were born in this house - a total of 12. Built in the "Gum Swamp" area, 5 miles west of Franklinton on Sylvest Road. In that day this house was very modern. It was called a double pen log house. It consisted of a full front porch, center hallway, two large "pens" (wings) one on each side of hallway. Each wing consisted of 2 rooms, one front room-master bedroom, the other front room-parlor or guest bedroom, 2 rear rooms - children bedrooms. Kitchen, dining room & pantry & back porch were added to the rear & was connected by a long "dog trot" or covered walkway. The foundation was constructed of heart pine blocks & native sandstone blocks. Prime pine logs was used for the main structure. The back porch enclosed a well. All rooms were accessible from the hallway. In the dining room was a table large enough to seat 25 people. In the front side of the yard was a storm cellar accessible by wooden steps. Gatherings here were frequent as Lenora Jane was known for her hospitality. She made molasses teacakes by the dish-panful & wore starched petticoats known as "three-by-fours." Nehemiah would put a wooden ladder in his orange tree and climb up and give out oranges. In the late 1800's or early 1900's Nehemian & Lenora Jane helped establish a public school in Washington Parish and later the Gorman High School which was located on Arcola Road. The first Parish Corn Club was established at Gorman High, from which the great Washington Parish Free Fair got its start 0 in 1911. Nehemiah & Lenora Jane organized the Bethel Baptist Church in 1907 which was a short distance from their home and is today still an active church. Nehemiah & Lenora Jane and many more Sylvests are buried in the Bethel Church Cemetery. Lenora Washtella Sylvest (daughter) was also instrumental in organizing he Bethel Sunday School. She married George O. Brumfield in the parlor of this house in 1907. Also, 2 sons, John Dolphus & Chris, were married in this house.