Natchez, Symbol of the Old South

by Nola Nance Oliver

This house was built about 110 years ago by Andrew Brown and is owned today by Andrew B. Learned, a direct descendant.

Andrew Brown was a native of Scotland, and a great lover of flowers. After building a home of the early American type, with wide galleries, handsome Doric columns, spacious halls and large rooms, he found self-expression in creating a garden which has been famous for generations, from St. Louis to New Orleans, as “Brown’s Gardens”.

A formal driveway, bordered with Louis Philippe roses, leads to the mansion. Giant magnolias and evergreen laurimundi splash the landscape with white and green. Formal flower beds, with boxwood borders, cover the entire acreage of the foreground to Magnolia Vale.

The Mississippi River has continuously eaten into the grounds of Magnolia Vale until much of this promontory has vanished into the waters. Although the great house shows marked evidence of “settling” from year to year, and is occupied now by a caretaker only, the gardens are given constant attention. The same trim boxwood hedges, the same formal walks and beloved flower beds, the same shrubs, the same tall trees, and the maze of gardenia and japonica greet the visitor and shed perfume across the broad and mighty river, which ravenously eats at the very roots of these gorgeous plants.

Mount Repose

Here is a huge, comfortable, old-fashioned, country gentleman’s home—in appearance and in literal fact “Mount Repose”. The name aptly describes the first impression of every visitor.

The house is situated on an elevation, surrounded by broad green acres.

Built in the early 1800’s, Mount Repose has been the scene of much that is interesting in the story of Natchez. It is part of the original estate of William Bisland, a Scotsman. From this family comes the author Elizabeth Bisland who through close association with Lafcadio Hearn, when both of them worked for the old New Orleans Picayune, was able to write the interesting life of that genius. This book and many others by Elizabeth Bisland, including Candle of Understanding and The Case of John Smith, can be found in public libraries today.

The present owners of Mount Repose, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Baldwin of New York, are direct descendants of the Bisland family. Its present occupants, the J. D. Shields family are also descendants of the Bislands. Mrs. Shields is a descendant of the renowned English beauty, Margaret Watts, who married the Spanish Governor, Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, who is prominently identified with Natchez’ earliest history.