Pinkney Vaughn, Mississippi

Going down the rabbit hole of this website, there's this interesting info on Pinkney Vaughn, grandson of Benjamin Vaughn: 

"Pinkney  lived about eight miles out of Meridian, Mississippi, in a community called Hookston.  In 1858 or 1859 he built a large two story antebellum home, according to the Meridian Star Newspaper dated January 1928.  This home was deeded to his daughter Eliza T. and her husband Robert W. Maxey about 1881/1882.  Don't know for sure if this was Pinkney or John A. Vaughn's home.  Some say it wsa Pinkney's home others say it was John A. Vaughn's home.  The records show all the children and Telitha signed the papers to deed the property to Eliza T. Vaughn Maxey.  When Eliza died May 22, 1898 this property was deeded to her youngest son Russell Eugene Vaughn Maxey.  When Eliza died May 22, 1898 this property was deeded to her youngest son, Russell Eugene Maxey, and sometime between 1902 and 1928 the property was sold to C.W. Smith.  On January 28, 1928 the home burned.  It was the oldest antebellum home in this part of Mississippi.  The home looked like the William Cole house, in the book "Paths To The Past" on page 157.  The show place of that area.  The barn stood for many years after the house burned.  On of Mr. Smith's granddaughters described it as the biggest, finest built barn she had ever seen.  It had big real glass windows and a stairway instead of a ladder to go to the loft.  The house must have been magnificent.

Relatives of the Smith family describe the house and barn.  The porch extended the full house width.  Upper and lower galleries both had banisters with perpendicular spindles only - no decorative touches, (Christine, described the columns and banisters as real decorative for that time) four or five steps leading up to the porch.  There was a porch at back of the dining room - not certain how it might have connected to the wrap around kitchen porch with screened milk room.  As to the upper level.  The gallery matched the lower one.  The stairs were from the corner of the dining room to the upstairs hall which was flanked by matching bedrooms.  The back area - possibly space for two more bedrooms remained unfinished.  (Aunt Lois, kin to the Smith family), tells how Mr. Maxey stored his coffin in the unfinished area awaiting use when he was once ill.  They always refrained from visiting  that northwest corner because they thought it "spooky".  One specific memory concerns the dining room.  There was a pass through window for serving from the kitchen; and the sideboard remained locked with only Grandma Smith carrying a key.  The story is told that when the fire first started, she hurried into the dining room, unlocked a drawer, removed some silver and locked it back before exiting!  The stairway was right by the door to "Aunt Minnie's room.  Neither remembered if the boxed in lower stairway invaded the front hall"  room, which was a large room with wicker furniture.  Aunt Lois was born in the front bedroom in July 1910.  That room was "Aunt Bessie Smith's room. 

Christine writes, her papa used to take them to visit the Smith grandparents: I have a mind picture of the beautiful old place.  We usually always entered the side door which led into the kitchen which had a huge fireplace with a tall mantle.  On each side of the mantle long streams of dried red pepper hung on both sides.  The kitchen always smelled of fresh coffee made from coffee beans fresh ground.  You go out of the kitchen into a huge dining hall.  On the west side of the dining area was Aunt Minnie's bedroom.  She was the black maid.  On the east side of the dining room was two bedrooms.  Those bedrooms were private.  I can't remember the furnishings, if I ever saw them.  There was a stairway between Aunt Minnie's room and the hall to the front.  Now let's come in the front way.  On the right of the hall was a bedroom.  The Christmas tree was placed on the left side of the hall.  This letter was from LoRita Mitcham to a Mr. Harvey dated September 20, 1993.  Farnell Vaughn sent it to me. 

Great grandson John D. McDonald said he remembers the barn for it stood for many years after the house was gone.  It was close to the Vaughn Beason Cemetery.  He said when General Sherman was marching to Meridian his troops camped all around Pinkney's house.  The Suqualena first station is on the site of the home place now."