Chambers County Alabama Photos.....George A. & Ophelia Singer & House - Marcoot
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http://theusgenweb.org/al/chambers/
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Contributed by Don L. Clark Aug 2006
George A. & Ophelia Singer & House - Marcoot
Pictured above are portraits of George A. Singer (1862-1896) and wife
Ophelia Jarrell Still Singer (1853-1944).
George A. "Bud" Singer was the son of Abram M. Singer (1833-1863), a Russian emigrant and wife
Mariah Williams Singer. Ophelia Jarrell Still Singer was the daughter of Henry C. Jarrell and Hulda
Carmichael Jarrell. Ophelia was married 1st in 1872 to Andrew J. Still (1853-1879).
Several children were born of this marriage - two known sons were Seaborn Hugh "Seab" (1876 - 1954) and Jim.
In 1880 George A. and Ophelia were wed and six known daughters were born from this marriage:
Infant girl (B&D 1881); Annie (1882 - 1923) who married John B. Tatum; Mattie Lou (1884 - 1929 )
who married Walter Y. Longshore; Sara "Susie" Ava (1886 - 1932) who married Thomas Boazman;
Ida Eugenia (1890-1967) who marred Dr. W. G. Lowe; and Cora (1893) who married Roy Stillwell.
G. A. and Ophelia Singer are buried in Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery at Marcoot.
(Click on image for larger view)
In 1893 the Singers built this substantial residence at Marcoot on possibly the site of an older home.
The multi-gabled house with pyramidal roof was a favorite style for successful cotton farmers in
Chambers County during this period. The house originally consisted of eight rooms with a fireplace
in all but one. Walls and ceilings were sealed with beaded heart pine tongue and grooved planks with
an attractive wainscoting and chair rail in the front rooms and hall. The front porch originally
had turned posts with much elaborate Victorian style trim. It is remembered that the body of the
house was painted yellow, trimmed in red, with dark green blinds (shutters) on the windows.
In the early 1900s the local telephone switchboard was in the left front room with one of the
Singer daughters as the exchange operator.
Mrs. Singer's son "Seab" Still and wife Dora Meadors Still later occupied the house followed by
Mr. & Mrs. Charlie Richardson, Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Calhoun and the current owners Mr. & Mrs. Bradley
Harmon. (This photograph of the NE corner was made ca. 1984 by Michael V. Sims.)
(Click on image for larger view)
A parlor room that was on the right front and a similar room on the rear was removed during the
Richardson occupancy. Also removed were two chimneys that each had two fireplaces. An exterior
chimney with fireplace was built in the right front room as a result of the older ones removal.
The Victorian style porch was also removed and replaced with the one in the above photograph.
(This photograph of the NW corner was made ca. 1984 by Michael V. Sims.)
(Click on image for larger view)
Photographed ca. 1947, the Singer House had just been remodeled by Charlie and Edna Jackson Richardson.
Scaffolding used to construct an unfinished outside brick chimney can be seen at the right of the photo.
Pictured from left to right are: Charlie Richardson, Fred Looser, G. I. Jackson,
Claudine Looser Richardson, Sandra Richardson, Waymon Richardson, Becky Richardson,
Jack Richardson and Hugh Richardson.
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