County of home: Franklin County
Location of home: MO-T, behind elementary school, S. limits of Labadie
Built: approx. 1840
"Further west is a small later farm structure, part of it a garage. To the west
of this is another one-room log building, nineteen feet square, without chink
ing but with a plank floor intact. This too has lean-to's on either side,
roofed with rusty but sound metal. Both log buildings have gable roofs." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"The James North House is significant according to the criteria of eligibility
under definitions B and C, to wit: it is associated with the lives of the
North family, who were pioneers in an early settlement of Franklin County,
Missouri, and were prominent in the effort to settle and civilize the area.
The James North House is the oldest known house in its vicinity, built in a
form characteristic of early Missouri. The areas of significance are as
follows:
"Agriculture: The James North family pioneered and improved a
sizable farm; Flavius North, of the second generation, expanded on
this base to become one of the county's wealthiest farmers, and one of
the major tobacco producers in the antebellum years.
"Architecture: Although the exact construction date is unknown, the
older section is thought to be the "house of James North" extant in
1819. It appears to have been originally built as a braced-frame I
house. Detached chimneys with sloping set-offs, one incorporating an
unusual recessed tympanum, .are at gable ends, but set forward of the
apex of the roof. Although the sequence of the growth of the house is
unclear, it appears that the house was expanded to a double-pile Georgian plan, probably by mid-century. Further, a one-story ell was'
added and, later, joined to a summer kitchen by a shed roof'passage;
the house probably assumed its present form by 1860. The front, or
earlier section has low ceilings—less than eight feet in height, down
stairs, under seven feet upstairs. The main and upper hallways have
wide, planed and beaded boards horizontal on the walls, and batten doors. Stylistic pretentions were introduced in the late antebellum
years: in the Greek Revival mantels, in the Italianate molded window
and door surrounds of the main floor, and in the straight run stair
way. Identical tapered octagonal posts with turnings occur at either
terminus of the first run; dual posts appear to be a local characteristic. The later pretentions imposed upon the older structure resulted
in a combination of features probably unique to this house.
"Exploration/Settlement: In addition to farming, James North
established a tannery, built the first water mill in the county, and
practiced medicine. Following their arrival in Franklin County about
1817, the North family earned a promenent position in the county
gentry, who supplied most of the early leaders and established a
social and political influence which persisted for many years. James
and Flavius North held state and county offices of public trust
throughout their lives. Over generations, the family contributed to
the progress of the of the country as physicians, lawyers, farmers, and teachers." ~ NRHP Nomination Form