My name is Jessica Barnett, I live at 502 Saint Vincent St., and my husband and I purchased this home in 2022. From the information the previous owners have given us, we believe the house was built back in 1915. We have also reached out to the Randle Rather Building where they keep all the archive records for the city of Gonzales. We were thrilled to discover that there is more to this house than meets the eye.
Before the house was built, the land that the house currently sits on was owned by Laura E. Mitchell Ford in 1886, the daughter of Eli Mitchell, who was the man that fired the first shot in the “Come and Take It” battle. It was on his wagon that the famous cannon was fired. Fast forward to May 5th,1914, H.E Adams sold the land to J.W Holmes who was the owner of the dry goods store in Gonzales named “Star Shoe Store.” Then, on March 15th 1915 J.W Holmes sold to C.A Hoskins, who was the District Clerk from 1902-1919 and the County Judge from 1912-1916. On March 17th, 1917, C.A Hoskins sold to H. L Ramsey. Later, on March 26th, 1923, H. L Ramsey sold it to Miss Sue Ramsey.
The history of this historical house is so important. It tells a story not just about this town, but the people that made an impact in it. That is why we took on the task of restoring the house, to preserve the history that it holds. This home needed everything from foundation repair to studs on the original vertical cedar planks, so that proper electrical could be updated. We saved pieces of the wallpaper hidden behind cracked drywall. The wood flooring that desperately needed to be sanded and refinished, was restored.
This project has definitely been a labor of love, but this beautiful 1915 Craftsman has character and history that can’t be duplicated. That is why we feel so strongly in preserving it, so that everyone can appreciate the story that is being preserved in this beautiful historical home.