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[ John W. Sheppard House ]
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[ John W. Sheppard House ]
This is where Earnest Berryhill, the storekeeper, lived. Can't you see
him getting up in the morning and walking across the intersection to
work? But that's getting ahead of the story. The Newcomb-Berryhill
House was built in 1884 by John H. Newcomb, Earnest's father-in-law.
John Newcomb was a Yankee from White Plains, New York who had moved to
Charlotte in 1879 with his brother George to establish a bellows
factory. The two wives, Annie Augusta, nicknamed Gussie, and Susie A.
Newcomb, ran a fancy hat shop on West Trade Street. Gussie would travel
to New York City to purchase the finest material and ribbons, and Susie
would make the hats. Because Charlotte was a New South city, it
welcomed Newcomb-Berryhill House enterprising folks from the North,
even if they were Yankees.
The two brothers built houses side by side on West Ninth Street in Fourth War. George's house was torn down many years ago. It's not surprising that John constructed a fancy house, because by 1884 he and his brother had become building contractors. The Newcomb-Berryhill House and its elaborate trim and dramatic tent-roofed tower were advertisements of sorts. John Newcomb died on July 27, 1892, at the age of 47. Soon thereafter, Earnest Berryhill, the Newcomb's son-in-law, moved in. "Gussie" lived on in the house until September 13, 1933, which ironically was her 83rd birthday. The funerals for John and Gussie, who were members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, were held in the house.
In 1940, the Newcomb-Berryhill House was turned into a four-unit apartment house. By the mid-1970's, it was in serious disrepair and seemingly forgotten. The Junior League of Charlotte came to the rescue. It purchased the house on October 28, 1975, refurbished it, and sold it with restrictive deed covenants. This assured that the Newcomb-Berryhill House would be saved. Don't you think John and Gussie would be pleased? Maybe Gussie would put on a fancy hat with pretty ribbons!
Walk east on Ninth Street. The only original house on the left side of Ninth Street is the Newcomb-Berryhill House. All the others were moved from elsewhere in Fourth Ward in the 1970's. At the end of the block you will come to another fountain. Continue around the fountain and look at the house on your immediate left that faces Poplar Street.
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