J. B. Kennard House

James Blake Kennard was born on June 24, 1861, in Plantersville, Texas, to Nathaniel Kennard of Maryland and Nancy DeJournett Kennard of Alabama. On June 25, 1883, James married Mary Fore in Navasota. The couple had one daughter, but their time together was tragically short. Mary died in 1888, likely due to complications during childbirth.

Following Mary's death, James moved to Gonzales in 1893, seeking a fresh start and new opportunities. He initially opened a retail lumber business, which later expanded into a successful wholesale operation based out of Houston and Waco. On August 16, 1893, James married Anna Ashby Jones, the daughter of Hartwell King Jones and Mary Frances Braches Jones. The couple honeymooned in Chicago, a testament to their shared enthusiasm for travel and modern culture. They had one son together.

In early 1895, Kennard purchased several lots and commissioned renowned architect J. Riely Gordon to design an imposing Queen Anne-style residence. Completed later that same year, the house is a striking example of late 19th-century architecture, featuring elaborate craftsmanship and exquisite materials.

Upon hearing of Kennard's plans, associates from across the country sent select pieces of high-quality wood for its construction, resulting in an interior that reflects extraordinary craftsmanship and attention to detail. The home boasts six fireplaces, two of which were salvaged from the old Jones family home near Dilworth, preserving a piece of local history. It also features three baths, twelve-foot ceilings, ten-foot doors, and intricate parquet floors that remain in pristine condition.

The two-story structure, with its large attic and striking corner tower, is clad in cypress fish-tail shingles and longleaf pine clapboard siding. The dramatic silhouette is enhanced by a high-pitched hip roof and gabled ells, while the corner tower's third-story open arcade is topped by a tall six-sided pyramidal roof partially covered in copper. Decorative bands of embossed metal wrap the tower, and the cupola showcases intricate mosaics made of glass pieces set in cement.

Inside, exquisite French beveled glass windows, framed by intricate Tiffany leaded glass designs, adorn both the cupola and dining room. Original light fixtures, carefully refinished with their original shades, complement the rare bath fixtures, which have also been restored to their former elegance. This elegant home, with its fishtail shingles, clapboard siding, and unique glass and pottery-chip mosaics, continues to captivate visitors, preserving its architectural beauty and a piece of local history.