One of the oldest houses in Danville, this Green Estate House, is located at 875 Green Street. The antebellum home was built some time before 1860 on land that had previously been part of the large estate owned by Dr. Nathaniel Green. In 1863, the house was  purchased by George Carter and Sallie Welsh Brown who had lived in the residence as renters since at least 1860 when they appear on that year’s census.

The Browns were a young and newly married couple when they moved into the Green Street home. George, born in 1935, was twenty-five in 1860. Sallie was a mere 21. The couple were married in November of 1858, and so it is not inconceivable that this was their first marital home. Sallie was born in Richmond but was certainly in Danville by 1850. Records relating to George Brown disagree as to his place of birth. His death notice of 1872 indicates that he came to Danville from Buckingham county, though other records identify his birthplace as Danville. Mr. Brown was a prominent merchant and tobacco manufacturer. In 1870, the Browns sold the home to James Wood and relocated to Lynchburg. In October of 1872 Mr. Brown was declared bankrupt, and upon walking away from the court that day “fell” from a railroad bridge and was drowned, leaving behind five children, all of whom were born while living on Green Street.

James Wood was born in 1831 in Orlean, Fauquier County, Virginia and married Caroline Chambers on the 9th of January 1854 in Culpeper, Virginia. The couple had five children. Mr. Wood and his family arrived in Danville in 1865 as assistant assessor of internal revenue. He worked for the U.S. government until 1880 when he was elected City Sergeant. He died in 1894.

The city directory of 1888 indicates that the family of Thomas M. Bass occupied the home in that year. Thomas M. and his sons Thomas E. and William M. were tobacco buyers. Later, and until his death in 1922 of a sudden heart attack, Thomas E. became a representative for the American Tobacco Company.

Records show that the property was owned for a time by B.S. Graves. The only B.S. Graves on record in the area was a Barzillia Graves, a lifelong resident of Caswell County and one time mayor of Yanceyville. B.S. as he was referred to (his father having been a Civil War hero and having used his Christian name rather flamboyantly, the distinction was necessary) and his wife were extremely active in the local Episcopal Church and Mrs. Graves was a presiding member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. For these reasons, it’s possible they maintained a second home here for a short time.

In 1900, the Graves sold the home to T.D Newton. It was at this time that the Victorian façade was added to the north half of the front elevation, updating the house to something more modern and stylish according to the belated ideals of the Victorian era (even while other parts of the country were recognizing their patriotism by readopting an allegiance to the more “American” Colonial style, of which the original antebellum structure was a perfect example.

Newton’s neighbor was Richard Button Graham, who had built his own unique brick and wood frame Queen Anne home next door. It’s possible Graham had something to do with the exterior remodel of his neighbor’s house at 875 Green Street.

There are, however, no records of a Newton ever having lived here, and so perhaps he was merely a financial trustee. Whatever the story it was R.B. Graham himself who sold the home in 1909 to Archie W. Griggs. We’ve covered the Griggs in some detail already, but it is significant to note that the Griggs maintained ownership of the home (as well as others on the street) for some 65 years.

Sometime in the 1970’s the house became the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Major Reid who retained ownership for some forty years.

In March of 2017, the City acquired the house – an important part of Danville’s history and one of the very oldest houses in the city.

***Our gratitude to Gary Grant for having sourced most of the information in this post.