Talk:Oak Hill Cottage

Feedback Requested- Expanded History of Oak Hill
I am intending to edit this article, expanding the history of Oak Hill Cottage, particularly the pre-1900's history. I will include past owners of the house and any interesting facts that I have come across in my research. So far I have found a good deal of information from newspaper sources. I would welcome any feedback and suggestions, particularly suggestions on where I might find more information on Oak Hill.

I will write an initial rough draft of my revision on October 2, a revised draft on October 9, and a final draft on October 13. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Sammytomato (talk • contribs) 15:34, 27 September 2014 (UTC)

Here is what I have dug up so far:

Land for Oak Hill was purchased in April 1844 by John H. Robinson from Edward Wilkinson (Deed Rec. Vol. 27 pg 75.) He named the land White Oak Hill. He probably had Oak Hill built in 1847. It was designed in a style unlike most other Mansfield homes. It was later called “The one perfect Gothic house I’ve seen in the United States.” By the architect of the New York Cathedral, Ralph Adams Cram. House was built in what may seem an odd location because Robinson wished his residence to be near the railroad and Mansfield’s business district. He returned the house back to the bank. Harvey Hall bought the house from Farmer’s Bank in 1861. Most prominent and famous owner: Dr. Johannes Aten Jones, bought in 1864. Dr. Jones met Francis Barr, the sister of one of his patients and married her. It was she and the couple’s four daughters, Madell, Bess, Ida and Leile who made Oak Hill Cottage a showplace and the centerpiece of many of Mansfield’s leading social affairs at the time, including informal receptions given by Dr. Jones to musicians visiting and performing in Mansfield. In 1924, Pulitzer Prize winning author Louis Bromfield, who was Mrs. Jones’s grandnephew, had such fond memories of time spent at the house as a child, used Oak Hill Cottage as the basis for “Shane’s Castle” in his novel “The Green Bay Tree.”

Dr. Jones passed away in 1895. His funeral services were held in the house. Francis lived on at Oak Hill until her death in 1912. Leile Barrett, the youngest daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Jones, was the last private owner of Oak Hill Cottage. Due to a decline in fortunes and her own failing physical health, she had been forced to allow the house to fall into disrepair.

The House was purchased for $10,000 by the Richland County Historical Society in 1965.

I will also write about the legend that Oak Hill Cottage had been used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. This legend was disproved by a relative of the first owner of the house.