Roswell’s Francis Robert Goulding

Dr. Francis Robert Goulding was born in 1810, the son of Reverend Thomas Goulding who was the founder and first president of Columbia Theological Seminary.  Roswell residents may recognize the Goulding name.  The Goulding House is the large home sitting at the end of Goulding Place, just off of Canton Street, steps from Historic Roswell.  Francis Robert Goulding was an author, clergyman and inventor and lived in this house at the time of his death August 22, 1881 and is buried in the Roswell Presbyterian Cemetery. Graduated from the University of Georgia in 1830, he was licensed to preach in 1833. 

A Little Holiday Cheer from the IRS

First-time homebuyers should begin planning now to take advantage of a new tax credit included in the recently enacted Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

Available for a limited time only, the credit:

· Applies to home purchases after April 8, 2008 and before July 1, 2009

· Reduces the taxpayer’s tax bill or increases his or her refund, dollar for dollar.  Is fully refundable, meaning that  the credit will be paid out to eligible taxpayers, even if they owe no tax or the credit is more than the tax that  they owe.

Roswell Presbyterian Church

Roswell Presbyterian Church plays a large part in the city of Roswell’s history.  Roswell’s founding father, Roswell King, initially organized the town’s layout to include Roswell Presbyterian Church as the focal point.  The town’s limits were to be one mile in each direction from the Church.  Fifteen Presbyterian men and women organized the Church in 1839.  These charter members included James Stephens Bulloch, John Dunwody, Eliza King Hand, Roswell King, Smith Pratt families, and Elizabeth and Helen Magill, Susan Elliott and Sarah Gould.  John Dunwody, Sr., Barrington King, and Archibald Smith were elected elders.  In 1840, they invited Reverend Nathaniel A. Pratt to become their first minister.  Reverend Pratt was married to Catherine King Pratt, another of Roswell King’s daughters.  He remained on as the minister of the Church until 1879.

November’s Home Tips and Trends

‘Tis the season to deck the halls, but don’t forget to keep fire safety in mind.  According to the U.S. Fire Administration, fires that occur during the holiday season claim the lives of more than 400 people, injure 1,650 people or more, and cause over $990 million in damage each year.  Follow these tips to prevent holiday fires:

Select a fresh Christmas tree.  Needles should be green and attached firmly to the branches, and they should not break if the tree is freshly cut.  Don’t place the tree near a heat source, such as a heat vent or fireplace.  Keep the tree stand filled with water to keep it moist, and don’t leave the tree up longer than two weeks.  When it becomes dry, discard it immediately.

Roswell’s Mountain Park Explained

Several of my clients have asked me what the deal with Mountain Park is.  While showing property in this community, one even commented that it must be where people in the witness protection program go to live.  This comment was predicated on the fact that maps do not accurately reflect the city streets and some even reference non-existent streets. 

Before Mountain Park was incorporated in 1927, it was mostly comprised of summer cottages for Atlanta’s wealthy.  Mountain Park is an officially designated wildlife refuge, which protects all wildlife including birds, animals and reptiles.  Some are rare and live in Mountain Park either part or all of the year.

The Lost Mill Worker’s Monument in Historic Roswell

In 1838, Roswell’s founding father, Roswell King began work on the first cotton mill.  In 1839 it was incorporated as The Roswell Manufacturing Company, just one year after the native Cherokee people were forced onto the Trail of Tears.  The company was hugely successful and during the Civil War, they were one of the leading suppliers of goods to the Confederacy.  When Union soldiers arrived in Roswell to take the river bridge, they discovered two things:  the bridge has been destroyed by Confederate troops and the mills were still in operation.  In an attempt to save the mills, Theophile Roche, a French citizen, flew a French flag over the mills to disguise their purpose.  The letters “CSA” (Confederate States of America) were found on the cloth being produced.  This action angered General W.T. Sherman and he ordered the mills burned.  Some 400 mill workers, mostly women and children, since the men were fighting the war, were arrested and charged with treason and shipped North to uncertain fates.  

Experience Historic Roswell’s Bulloch Hall

Bulloch Hall was completed in 1839 for Major James Stephens Bulloch, one of Roswell’s first settlers and the grandson of Georgia’s revolutionary Governor, Archibald Bulloch.  Major Bulloch’s second daughter Mittie grew up in this home fell in love with a Northerner and got married here.  In December 1853, Mittie married Theodore Roosevelt in the dining room of Bulloch Hall.  Little did those in attendance realize they were witnessing a union that would produce a U.S. President, Teddy Roosevelt.  After their December 22nd wedding, Mittie and Theodore moved to New York City where they raised their four children; Anna, Elliott, Theodore, and Corrine. Theodore carried on the tradition of his ancestors with a life dedicated to public service. He became the youngest President of the United States after the death of President William McKinley in 1901. He served as our 26th President from 1901 – 1908.
 
Another of Mittie and Theodore’s children, Elliott, was the father of Eleanor Roosevelt who married Franklin, her fifth cousin, the 32nd President of the United States.

Experience Coleman Farm in Roswell

Ora Kermit Coleman is the owner of Coleman Farm.  Mr. Coleman’s farm is on Coleman Road, nestled among high priced homes and located less than a mile from Historic Roswell.  Born in 1923 in a farmhouse that stands only a few hundred yards down the road, he was the 5th of 6 brothers and at age 23, built his own home where he currently resides.  His farmhouse sits on a part of the original 40-acre farm that Ora’s father bought for $10 an acre. Today, Ora has 6.6 acres to raise his chickens, goats and rabbits. 

Experience Founder’s Mill in Historic Roswell

Ever wonder what those nearly new, well maintained townhouses just up from Roswell Mill are like?  Hedgewood Properties built this project in 2003.  This infill townhouse development is a prime example of how to turn an under-utilized site into prime residential real estate.  Case in point, Founder’s Mill sits on 1.293 acres of a former parking lot, across the street from 19th century mill buildings near historic downtown Roswell.  Great care was taken to maintain the architectural integrity of the buildings.  The utilitarian style was recreated to match the style of the manufacturing facilities built in Roswell between 1840 and 1890.  Simple rectangular buildings with lots of windows, aligned symmetrically.

Historical Markers at Chattahoochee River Park

Ever wonder what the two State of Georgia historical markers are on the running trail by the Chattahoochee River Park in Roswell?

Brigadier General Kenner Garrard commanded the 2nd U.S. Cavalry Division that invaded Roswell on July 5, 1864 and burned the mills.  They marched about 400 factory workers, mostly woman and children, to Marietta where they were loaded on cattle cars and shipped to northern states.  Garrard’s historical marker signifies the spot where Garrard’s Union Cavalry waded the Chattahoochee River in face of opposition from the south side.  The Roswell bridge had been previously destroyed by the retreating Confederates.  Some of Garrard’s soldiers, as many as 36,000 at times, stayed in the Roswell area.  They took to camping on the grounds of beautiful Roswell homes until September of that year.

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