The James House, 939 Green Street

🔊 Hear The Story

The property upon which 939 Green Street would be built was acquired by A.M. Wheeler by William Diffendall in 1891. Prior to the construction of the circa 1900 house that stood here until its demolition in 2020, another house, as shown on the Beers Map of 1877, was in existence. The Censuses of 1860 and 1880 suggest that the family of John Mills, an African American factory worker lived here, and had done so for at least thirty years. John and Mary had four children in 1860, including John, age 4. It was he who was head of the Green Street household in 1880, along with his wife Alice and their daughter Margaret.

In 1891, A.M. and F.M. Wheeler, upon whose land the house stood, sold that rear portion of lot (that which faced Green Street) to William Diffendall. By then, Dr. John James was already living here, according to the 1888 city directory.

Dr. John James, who practiced medicine for a time in Pittsylvania county, married Anna Maria Jones in 1876 and shortly thereafter moved to Danville to take up the tobacco trade. He founded James Tobacco company, which eventually became the firm of Coles and James when he took on Russell J. Coles as a partner.

Dr. and Mrs. James had six children, three of whom, Bartlett James, Captain Russell James, and Lieutenant J. Fred James, died in service. Mrs. James, whose parents died during the civil war, and who had five brothers who served the confederacy, was no stranger to the sacrifices of war’s demands. Another son, Jules James, survived his service in World War I and went on to be a highly decorated Naval Commander in World War II.

The Jameses also had two daughters. Helen married Randolph Meade, who was the uncle of the author Julian Randolph Meade and his brother Robert Meade, a professor at Randolph-Macon College and biographer of Patrick Henry. Their youngest daughter, Miss Harriet, was a socialite, attending local parties held in honor of the likes of Lady Astor and her sister, Mrs. Charles Dana Gibson.

Dr. James died in 1928 from complications of a fractured hip but Harriet remained to care for her mother until Mrs. James died in January of 1931. Ironically it was that year, the last year she lived there, that the house was put into her name.

Harriett travelled a great deal, often visiting her brother wherever he might be stationed, in Europe or the Philippines. In 1924, one of these excursions took her to France, where she befriended the exiled Russian Prince Serge Gagarin and his wife. A year later, and on several occasions following, they came to Danville and stayed as guests at the house on Green Street.

The Old West End was abuzz with the news of visiting Russian nobility.  “The Bee” ran no less than six notices about these visits shown below:

24 Jan 1925:  Princess Serge Gagarine late of Paris, but who came with her husband and children to this country in September is expected in Danville this afternoon for a week’s visit to Miss Harriet James on Green Street. Miss James met the visitor in Paris last year.  She and her household left Russia with General Wrangell at the time of the establishment of Communism and they have been living since that time in Paris.  Prince Serge is a nephew of Prince Troubezkoi who married Miss Amelia Reeves.

27 Jan 1925:  Mrs. R. R. King entertained at a tea yesterday afternoon at her home in Greensboro complimentary to Princess Gagarine.  [In the early 1920s, Greensboro was smaller than Danville.] Mrs. John James, Princess Gagarine, Mrs. Randolph Meade [1050 Main Street, pictured today at right] and Miss Harriet James motored to Greensboro for the occasion, returning to Danville last night.

27 Jan 1925:  Princess Serge Gagarine, of New York, who has been the guest of Miss Harriet James for a few days, left for Richmond this morning accompanied by Miss James, Mrs. Randolph Meade and Mrs. S. R. Dula [936 Main Street, also shown at right.].  The party made the trip in Mrs. Dula’s car and they will remain in Richmond with friends until Thursday, when Princess Gagarine will return to New York and Mrs. Dula, Mrs. Meade, and Miss James will return to Danville.

10 Jul 1926:  Princess Gagarine of New York is the guest of Miss Harriet James.

18 Aug 1926:  Prince Gagarine, who has been spending the past moth as the guest of Miss Harriet James and Randolph Meade, Jr., left last night for his home in New York.

3 Oct 1928:  Miss Harriet James who has been the guest of Miss Eleanor Gamble in Haverford, Pa., and Mrs. Serge Gagarine, in New York, has returned home.

Princess Gagarin (the correct spelling) was born Catherine Shukova in 1887 in Pskow, Russia.  She married Prince Serge Andrew Gagarin in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1914.  Together with their two oldest children, Andrew and Serge, they fled to Paris in 1920.  Their third son Peter was born there in 1924.  Members of the Gagarin family came to the United States at various times between 1923 and 1928.  They became naturalized citizens in 1930.

In the 1930 census, Serge, the Prince Gagarin, is shown working as an accountant for a steamship company while his wife Catherine, the Princess Gagarin, was a dressmaker.  However, they traveled extensively, and their children were educated at the best boarding schools and universities.  Many of their descendants today hold important positions at major corporations.

After the death of her mother, Harriet traveled more and was often with her brother or abroad with friends. By 1945, the James children sold the home for $10,000.

he James family sold their Green Street home in 1945 for $10,000.

The final adventure reported by the papers was that of Miss Harriett’s trip to London in 1957. While touring the Tower of London, she fell and broke her hip. Her holiday, which was meant to include an extended stay in Italy, was cut short and she was sent back to a hospital in Washington D.C. She was 68 years old at the time. Two years later, she died of cancer.

For many years, prior to the home’s demolition, it was poorly maintained rental property. Its demise is a heartbreaking testament to the value every piece of historic architecture lends to the fabric of a historic neighborhood. Today, 939 Green Street is an empty space. Those who live in this section of the Old West End hope to see it put to some use that may benefit the community.

A community garden, perhaps?