Chilton-Lipstate-Taylor House

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Chilton-Lipstate-Taylor House in Smith County. Now settle in, because this one house has held more history than most courthouses. In 1887, Horace and Mary Chilton, Mary being a Grinnan before she married, acquired land in the Yarbrough addition and set about building a family home.

The design came from an unknown architect, though the story goes it was modeled after Mary's own childhood home back in Virginia. Whatever the inspiration, what rose up on that lot was something to behold. A steeply pitched hipped roof, Ionic columns standing tall out front, a cantilevered balcony, turned wood balusters, and first floor window surrounds that told anyone passing by this was not an ordinary address.

Biggest dwelling in what would become the Brick Streets Historic District, and it still holds that title. Now Horace Chilton was not a man content to sit on a fine porch. He pursued a career in law, was appointed assistant attorney general by Governor Oran Roberts, and then in 1891, Governor James Hogg appointed him to the United States Senate to complete the unexpired term of John H.

Reagan. He went on to serve a full Senate term from 1895 to 1901, and here is the part worth saying slow: Horace Chilton was Texas's first native-born United States Senator. Let that sit a moment.

The Chiltons eventually sold the property in 1903 to Jacob and Rogenia Lipstate. Jacob Lipstate was a very successful Tyler merchant and real estate investor, the kind of man who helped organize a chamber of commerce, which he did in 1900. The Lipstates also subdivided a portion of the land into smaller lots, planting additional houses around the old estate like seeds off a big oak.

They sold the house itself in 1909 to a man named W.P. Douglas, who turned right around and sold it in 1910 to Gus F. and Helen Taylor, Helen being a Minge before the marriage. Gus Taylor was a Smith County native who organized and served as president of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Tyler, which later became Citizens National Bank, and he held that role from 1905 to 1944.

Taylor's heirs lived in that house until 1955, when they sold it to Caldwell Schools, which operated a preschool on the property all the way until 1998. So think about what that house witnessed. A senator made history under its roof.

Merchants and bankers called it home. And then for decades, the laughter of small children echoed off those Ionic columns. One house, built to remind a woman of Virginia, and it ended up holding a piece of just about everything Texas had to offer.

What the marker says

In 1887, Horace and Mary (Grinnan) Chilton acquired land in the Yarbrough addition and soon after started construction on a house for their family. The design, by an unknown architect, is reportedly modeled after Mary's childhood home in Virginia. Horace Chilton pursued a career in law and was appointed assistant attorney general by Governor Oran Roberts. In 1891, Governor James Hogg appointed him to the U. S. Senate to complete the unexpired term of John H. Reagan. Chilton served a full senate term from 1895-1901 and was Texas" first native-born U. S. Senator. The Chiltons sold the property to Jacob and Rogenia Lipstate in 1903. Jacob Lipstate was a very successful Tyler merchant and real estate investor and helped organize the chamber of commerce in 1900. While the Lipstates owned the property, they subdivided a portion of the land into smaller lots for additional houses. The Lipstates sold the house in 1909 to W.P. Douglas, who then sold it to Gus F. And Helen (Minge) Taylor in 1910. Gus Taylor was a smith county native who organized and was president of the Farmers and Merchants National Bank of Tyler (later Citizens National Bank) from 1905-44. Taylor's heirs lived here until 1955, when they sold the property to Caldwell Schools, which operated a preschool on the property until 1998. The high style classical revival house is the largest dwelling in the brick streets historic district, and reflects late-19th century development in Smith County. Notable features include a steeply pitched hipped roof, ionic columns, a cantilevered balcony, turned wood balusters and first floor window surrounds.