DOTY-KIRKHAM HOUSE 409 N. BUFFALO ST. TEXAS HISTORICAL LANDMARK Built in 1867 and owned by the Johnson County Historical Commission, the house is preserved as it was in the mid-1800s. The Southern Colonial Cottage has two front rooms with fireplaces on each side of a central hallway.
John W. Doty owned the house in 1876 and added two wings behind each front room. John’ s nephew, L. F. Doty inherited the house in 1904. It sold three times before it was sold to Thomas Pierce Kirkham in 1912.
Kirkham used the stone structure in the backyard as his millinery-cleaners business. Widowed, Kirkham married his childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth“ Bessie” Jennings. Bessie, also widowed, had a 2-year-old daughter, Mellie Louise Jennings.
Mellie lived in the home until she married Harry Coulston. When Coulston was drafted and sent overseas, Mellie moved back into the Kirkham home with her young daughter, Linda. When Harry returned he accepted a job in San Antonio with plans to move his family with him. On one of the trips from San Antonio to Cleburne, they were in an auto accident and he passed. Mellie and Linda remained in the Kirkham home until Mellie married William L. Fullerton in 1948.
After the death of Thomas Kirkham in 1954, his son Tom Kirkham and Mellie Fullerton inherited the house. Mellie bought out Tom’ s interest and became the owner. It was used as a rental and fell to disrepair. Mellie had considered tearing it down when she was approached by Tommie Kimbro to sell it to the city.
Special guest day of the tour is Kirkham’ s step-granddaughter, Linda Coulston Ball, to share her memories of living in the home.
OSBORNE-FONSECA HOUSE 708 N. ANGLIN ST. SECOND TIME ON TOUR
Thomas and Sallie Osborne were the first owners of this 1898 Hip Roof Farmhouse style home. Thomas was the co-owner of Tidbell and Osborne Furniture. He later served as a salesman for Dickson’ s Hardware and Furniture.
Walter and Blanche Chafin bought the house and the house behind it at 206 Meredith Ave. in 1945.
Tonya Fonseca, working with an investor, purchased the home in 2019 with the plans to remodel and resale. While remodeling, she realized how well-built the home was and fell in love with the property and decided to keep it. That was six years ago.
Tonya removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room of the main house, which opened up the left side of the house, taking advantage of the sunlight, making it bright and inviting.
The middle room of the three bedrooms on the right side of the house serves as a relaxing sitting room.
She remodeled the old school
house that sits behind the main house and turned it into her art studio. She’ s done extensive landscaping and built a garden area on the property.
Tonya is an artist, muralist and Interior designer. Originally from Glen Rose, she painted her first large scale outdoor mural there 14 years ago. The mural was“ Greetings From Glen Rose Texas” which led to her creating murals all over Glen Rose and beyond. Locally, she painted murals at Hey There Sunshine Boutique and Our Place Restaurant.
Tonya and her daughter, Whitney Pryor, now work as full-time muralists from their studio that sits behind the main house.
SMALL FRY KINDERGARTEN 206 MEREDITH AVE. A WORKING ARTIST STUDIO Annie Bigham, widowed, was the first owner of the small house at 206 Meredith Ave. built in 1928. It sold several times until Walter Chafin, an engineer for Santa Fe Railroad, bought the house in 1945.
Chafin tore the house down and built a building to resemble an old fashioned schoolhouse. Walter’ s daughter, Daryl Cornelius opened Small Fry Kindergarten in 1946. The children, finding it hard to pronounce Mrs. Cornelius’ name, called her“ Dah.”
The kindergarten specialized in dining etiquette, social behavior, conversation and manners. The last class to graduate from Small Fry was in 1955.
The building then served as a meeting place for the Grand International Auxiliary Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers # 194 and # 500 AFLCIO from 1957-75.
Owner, Tonya Fonseca and her daughter, Whitney Pryor have a business called“ A Working Artist Studio.” They use the old school house as their personal studio where they design murals, signs and logos and paint commissioned pieces.
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