Dr. J. J. Fouts House

This beautiful Greek Revival home was built in 1902 by Dr. Jesse Jonathan Fouts, a highly respected physician in the area. Born on February 11, 1858, in Green Cove Springs, Florida, Jesse was the son of Martin and Annie Gomillion Fouts, who hailed from South Carolina. After graduating from Tulane Medical University in 1886, he practiced in New York, Waelder, and Galveston before finally settling in the area in 1890, a period when the community was growing and developing.

Dr. Fouts met Mary Franke, who was born on September 24, 1860, to Louis Franke of Germany and Bernadine Ramberg Franke of Fayette County, Texas. Mary was a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music and came to the area in 1892 to teach music. On her first Sunday in town, she and Jesse shared a hymnal in the First Baptist Church choir, and the rest is history. They married on September 10, 1893, in Black Jack, Texas. Together, they had three sons and one daughter.

Dr. Fouts was not only a doctor but also contributed to the growth of the area’s medical facilities during a time when the community was facing a changing landscape. His practice coincided with a period of growth in Gonzales, which was becoming a more established town with a larger population. Dr. Fouts passed away on January 15, 1936, and Mary moved to Cleburne to live with their daughter. In 1942, she sold the property, and Mary died on January 21, 1943. Both are buried in the Masonic Cemetery.

The home was constructed of cypress and Florida curly pine, materials shipped from Dr. Fouts’ father’s sawmill in Florida. This construction choice symbolized the family's roots and contributed to the house’s timeless character.