Formerly 1266 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN
Circa 1856. Classic 2 story white brick Greek Revival home
The mansion was built by Quintus Cincinnatus “Q. C.” Atkinson (1810-1864) and Sarah Elizabeth Tuck Atkinson (1818-1882) in 1856. They wed in 1842. It was Greek Revival home with 20 acres. He came to Memphis from Clarksville and Dickson. His first wife was Arabella C. West whom he married in 1835. Atkinson had businesses with his father-in-law Robert J. West, in both Montgomery and Shelby Co. He had owned Sailors Rest Furnace in Montgomery Co. and Dickson Forge in Dickson Co. Those entities had 15,000 acres in many parcels. They dissolved the partnership in 1848. Atkinson received the Memphis portions. In Memphis, he advertised as an iron broker as well as a general merchant. Later, he became a private banker. He was a director of the Memphis Insurance Company about 1860.
After Atkinson, there were several owners until W. A. Williams. The Williams family sold the mansion and its 20 acres to the Van Vleets about 1884.
Philip) Peter Van Vleet (1849-1915) and Ramelle McKay Van Vleet (1859-1931) owned the property next. They wed in 1884. They called their mansion Chetolah, a Native American phrase for “this peaceful place.” Arriving in Memphis in 1871 on his way to Charleston, SC, Van Vleet stayed. After several years as a drug clerk and then as a half-interest partner in a drug firm, he founded his own wholesale drug company, Van Vleet & Co. in 1884. After a decade of success, he engineered a series of mergers and formed Van Vleet-Mansfield Co. about 1895. Important to his commercial success, Van Vleet also made and sold liquor: he had a number of brands and waited until trademark laws were strengthened in 1904 to pursue trademarks for them. One of his buildings at Second and Gayoso Streets is now Van Vleet Flats. He was also founder and director of the Bank of Commerce & Trust Co.
The Van Vleets were seasoned travelers and furnished their home with many great items from their travels. Peter and Ramelle had three children: Elsa Van Vleet Connor, (Angus) McKay Van Vleet, and Ramelle Van Vleet King. Elsa moved to Washington; McKay remained in Memphis; Ramelle married Charles Curtis King of the King family of Kingsland.
After Van Vleet died, Ramelle sold Chetolah and 10 acres of its land to the City of Memphis to be used as a new Memphis Technical High School. The other 10 acres was developed as Van Vleet Park.
The large stone lions which had guarded the driveway entrance were donated to the Memphis Zoo. The school enjoyed using the old “Castle building” for almost 15 years until moving to a new building in 1928. The home was demolished in the late 1930s for more residential development. Cordra York built a home and purchased many inside and outside items from the Van Vleet estate for his home. His grandson Ray Gill resides in the home now and continues to watch over the items of Van Vleet and Memphis heritage. See Kingsland
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