James S. Trimble House
Encyclopedia
The James S. Trimble House is a historic residence in the village of Mount Gilead
, Ohio
, United States
. The most significant house in the village, it was built in the middle of the nineteenth century, and it has been designated a historic site
.
Born in 1818 in Mount Vernon
into one of the area's pioneer families, Trimble was a merchant
in Mount Gilead, operating a shop on Main Street by 1848. Finding his wealth growing, Trimble paid less attention to his dry goods
store, opening a warehouse and becoming involved in selling grain in the nearby village of Edison
; as time passed, he also formed a bank.
Possessed of a large lot along Iberia Street in Mount Gilead, Trimble chose to build his house on the property in 1853. Constructed of brick, and designed by the architectural firm of Miller and Smith, it is the largest and most elaborate house in the village, due largely to its unusually high degree of preservation. Few ornate Italianate
houses built before the Civil War
remain in the area, and the large lot makes the house even more prominent in Mount Gilead, one of Ohio's smallest county seat
s. Trimble lived in the house for twenty-five years; in April 1878, his investments in other businesses proved ruinous when those businesses failed, and he was forced to sell the house in his bankruptcy
. For many years after this event, it was the home of Perry Cook and his family; they sold it to another family in the 1940s, and it was purchased from that family by the local Presbyterian
church in 1982.
In 1982, the James S. Trimble House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, qualifying because of its historically significant architecture. Fully 4 acres (1.6 ha) of land were designated as historic, and five different buildings in this area qualified as contributing properties
. Trimble's home is one of four Mount Gilead properties to have received this distinction, and one of fifteen countywide.
Mount Gilead, Ohio
Mount Gilead is a village in Morrow County, Ohio, United States.Mount Gilead's population was 3,290 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morrow County and the center of population of Ohio. The village was established in 1832, eight years after white settlers arrived in the region...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The most significant house in the village, it was built in the middle of the nineteenth century, and it has been designated a historic site
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
.
Born in 1818 in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, Ohio
Mount Vernon is a city in Knox County, Ohio, United States. The population was 16,990 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is named after Mount Vernon, the plantation owned by George Washington.-History:...
into one of the area's pioneer families, Trimble was a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
in Mount Gilead, operating a shop on Main Street by 1848. Finding his wealth growing, Trimble paid less attention to his dry goods
Dry goods
Dry goods are products such as textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, and sundries. In U.S. retailing, a dry goods store carries consumer goods that are distinct from those carried by hardware stores and grocery stores, though "dry goods" as a term for textiles has been dated back to 1742 in England or...
store, opening a warehouse and becoming involved in selling grain in the nearby village of Edison
Edison, Ohio
Edison is a village in Morrow County, Ohio, United States. The population was 437 at the 2000 census. Edison is adjacent to and west of Mount Gilead, Ohio, the county seat.-Geography:Edison is located at...
; as time passed, he also formed a bank.
Possessed of a large lot along Iberia Street in Mount Gilead, Trimble chose to build his house on the property in 1853. Constructed of brick, and designed by the architectural firm of Miller and Smith, it is the largest and most elaborate house in the village, due largely to its unusually high degree of preservation. Few ornate Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
houses built before the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
remain in the area, and the large lot makes the house even more prominent in Mount Gilead, one of Ohio's smallest county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
s. Trimble lived in the house for twenty-five years; in April 1878, his investments in other businesses proved ruinous when those businesses failed, and he was forced to sell the house in his bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. For many years after this event, it was the home of Perry Cook and his family; they sold it to another family in the 1940s, and it was purchased from that family by the local Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
church in 1982.
In 1982, the James S. Trimble House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, qualifying because of its historically significant architecture. Fully 4 acres (1.6 ha) of land were designated as historic, and five different buildings in this area qualified as contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
. Trimble's home is one of four Mount Gilead properties to have received this distinction, and one of fifteen countywide.