Howry-Wright-Purser House: Hidden Ole Miss Gold in His Yard & Faulkner Teachers
- Jay Brothers
- May 2
- 1 min read
824 University Ave. Oxford, MS
Circa 1836 or 1858 (disagreement).
Attorney and judge James Moorman Howry (1804- 1884), emigrated from Virginia to Oxford, MS. He was married to Narcissa Bowen Howry (1818-1870). He commenced construction of the home but was not finished until after the Civil War. Judge Howry served as a Trustee on the University of Mississippi board from 1844-1870. He was an original trustee of the Treasury Board. The judge hid the University of Mississippi gold and his own gold under rose bushes from Union soldiers. When the Union soldiers discovered he was the University of Miss. treasurer, they searched but did not find the gold.
Their son, Judge Charles Bowen Howry (1844-1928), married three times: Edmonia Beverly Carter Howry (1847-1879, related to the "King" Carter family of Virginia); Hallie Holt Harris Howry (1859-1898); and the widow Sarah Bethaland "Sallie" Bird Howry (1862-1942). Howry served as a Mississippi state representative from 1880-84. He then became an assistant attorney-general of the United States, 1893-96 and an associate justice of the U.S. court of claims, 1896.
He sold the home in 1897 to Dr. Patrick Wright. Dr. Wright led the First Baptist Church. The Wright’s daughter, Mrs. Purser, restored the home in 1950. Dr. Frank M. and Anna Wright Purser resided with her sister Ella Wright. Anna and were teachers, and Ella was a renowned history teacher at Oxford Graded School who influenced countless students to history and literature including Billy Faulker -- author William Faulkner.
In 2025, the Purser House and affiliated buildings have been restored and are available to rent. See Howry-Ho]ill House/ Fiddlers Folly
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