Bristol’s Whitten Home Has A Long, Storied History

By Bud Phillips
Special to the Herald Courier
Published: July 6, 2008

Eighteen seventy-one was a great year for Bristol. It might well be called “the great expansion year.”
Up until then, Bristol, both business and residential, was largely confined to what most old timers called the Beaver Flats. That is what we now know as the downtown section of our city. There, business houses and residences were mixed together. It was very evident that if Bristol were to grow, adjoining land must be had.
It was then that Joseph Johnston of Philadelphia, Pa., agreed to sell a large tract of land for this much needed expansion. Most of this tract was part of the old James King plantation and included what we now know as Solar Hill. He had bought it before the Civil War for speculation. That opportunity was then at hand.
The area was laid off in streets and lots, and was sold at auction on July 5, 1871. David Sullins, for whom Sullins College was named, served as auctioneer. He rode a horse named Prince as he went from lot to lot “crying” for the sale.
This horse belonged to Captain J. H. Wood (who built my own Pleasant Hill upon one of the lots sold that day). Prince Street was named for this horse.
The land cost the town $24,937.50 with 10 years to pay. It might be well to tell here that Johnson Street was named in honor of the seller of this land, but somewhere along the way, the name lost it’s “t.” This often happens to the Johnston name. (For a detailed description of this sale, see my first book of Bristol history beginning on page 62).
Lots sold on that day usually brought in the range of $100 to a bit over $600. Perhaps I should tell that J.S. Jefferson got the bargain of the day. He bought three lots at $15 each!
The lot on which our featured house is located sold that day to Professor J.H. Winston, who resold it in a day or two to a Mr. G.M. Whitten.
Though the record shows that G.M. Whitten bought it, it appears that the house was actually built by Dr. William Whitten.
Construction of this house began July 12, 1871. Andrew Fillinger was the contractor.
It was solidly built of brick and is in a style not at all common in this part of Virginia.
At a later time in Bristol history, it was considered to be a stigma of varying degrees to rent sleeping rooms in a private home. Not so in early days.
Very soon after its completion, Dr. Whitten’s wife was offering rooms in the new home they had named Grand View. As a selling point in her advertisement, she mentioned the “grand view” of the distant mountains.
Later, a Dr. Wallace, a druggist, occupied this house. He had daughters each marrying into prominent Bristol families.
Then later, the house was sold to LaFayette (L.F.) Johnston, a very early and prominent merchant here. He later deeded it to a daughter, Mrs. Wirt Johnson Turner-Carrington.
In later years, he was taken back in by this daughter and spent his final years there.
The late Mrs. Tom (Esme) Smith remembered attending Mr. Johnston’s funeral, held in the front parlor of this house in 1904. (She also told me he was the first dead person she ever saw.)
His widow, who as a child had been entertained by Thomas Jefferson, lived on there until her death in 1916 at the age of 98.
She had a son, Frank Johnson, who lived with her. One day while showing area children how far he could jump from a tree and not be injured, he climbed a bit too high and received injuries that proved to be fatal. This, along with the death of her husband, caused her to wear mourning clothes for the rest of her life.
About 80 years ago, W.H. (Bill) Blakely (Blakely-Mitchell Company) had the house remodeled and enlarged under the planning and direction of Bristol architect C.B. Kearfott. This brought the house to its present form.
Not only is it a visible reminder of the great Johnston Land Sale, but it has the distinction of being one of Bristol’s oldest homes.

BUD PHILLIPS is a local historian and author. He can be reached at (276) 466-6435.