The Bride's House/ Avant-Stone House
- Jay Brothers
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
Washington and North 5th St. Oxford, MS
Circa 1835-40. 2-story Greek Revival mansion
The home was renowned as one of the grandest in Oxford - in College Hill area near Central Elementary School.
It was built in 1835-40 by W. T. Avant and Fannie Brown Avant. She was the daughter of James B. Brown. Brown was the founder of the Mississippi Central Railroad whose tracks ran near the property.
Ownership was passed to Judge Edward Mayes (1846-1917), who wed Frances Eliza "Fannie" Lamar Mayes (1849-1923), the daughter of L.Q.C. & Jennie Lamar. Mayes was a Chancellor of the Univ. of Mississippi from 1887-1891. He next taught at and was dean of the law school at Millsaps College. Chancellor Mayes built an extensive library.
In 1900, James Stone (1854-1936) and Rosamond Alston Stone (1858-1942) purchased the property. Stone was the principal attorney at James Stone and Sons where he practiced from 1905-1962. He was the chief counsel for the Illinois Central Railroad. His law office was an old home at 1013 Jackson Ave. East. It is now the Visit Oxford building and was one of the few buildings to survive the Civil War Square burning. Rising local author William Faulkner was close friends with their son Phil and enjoyed their library and wrote there.
The home burned in 1942, and much of the library including original Faulkner writings was lost but not all. The family is remembered through Stone Park.
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