Liberty Hall (Kenansville, North Carolina)
Encyclopedia
Liberty Hall in Kenansville
, North Carolina
, USA, is a historic plantation house. It is now one of North Carolina's museums.
Thomas Kenan was the first Kenan to come to this country and he sailed from Ireland
in 1736 and landed in Wilmington, North Carolina
that same year. Thomas Kenan lived on this plantation until his death in 1766. His wife Elizabeth Johnson Kenan continued to live in the old place until her death in 1789 at which time it passed to their son Gen. James Kenan who named the home Liberty Hall due to the many political meetings and gather things that took place during this in American history. This first Liberty Hall was furnished with many pieces brought over from Europe and also contained several American pieces in particular a few choice North Carolina pieces. This home burned to the ground prior to 1800, however several furnishings were saved .
; Thomas and Mary Rand's oldest son stayed behind and have his own plantation and family. Owen Rand married Sarah Rebecca Graham and made Liberty Hall their home. They did make a few structural changes including adding two porches and attaching the Kitchen to the house. Owen Rand and Sarah had four children, James Graham Kenan, William Rand Kenan, Thomas S Kenan and Annie D. Kenan. These were happy antebellum times all the children were well educated and enjoyed playing music. There were constant visitors and guests at Liberty Hall and the motto that became associated with the house once hung as a needle point in the hall way " he who enters these open gates never comes to early or leaves to late" Later on Owen Kenan was made a Major during the War between the states Liberty Hall escaped harm though Northern Troops were in the immediate area. Owen Rand Kenan
three sons also survived the war came home married and moved away Owen died in 1887 and Liberty hall was left to his unmarried daughter Annie D. Kenan, who also lived out her life at Liberty Hall.
In 1965 the liberty Hall Restoration Commission was formed. Liberty Hall was structurally sound and full of priceless family ailerons but needed much work done before it could be opened to the public.
In 1968 Liberty Hall was opened to the public it was decided to decorate the house in a federal style (Civil War). Tom Kenan is the Current Head of the Restoration Committee and oversees all things associated with Liberty Hall. He also oversees several family trusts that pay for all of the upkeep and staff at Liberty Hall.
Liberty Hall is open to the public; there is a small fee for admission.
Kenansville, North Carolina
Kenansville is a town in Duplin County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,149 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Duplin County.-Geography:Kenansville is located at ....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, USA, is a historic plantation house. It is now one of North Carolina's museums.
History of the first Kenans to come to America
The first Liberty Hall was built by Thomas Kenan in the late 1730s. This home was located on what was then called Turkey Branch Plantation near the present town of Turkey, North CarolinaTurkey, North Carolina
Turkey is a town in Sampson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 262 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Turkey is located at ....
Thomas Kenan was the first Kenan to come to this country and he sailed from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1736 and landed in Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
that same year. Thomas Kenan lived on this plantation until his death in 1766. His wife Elizabeth Johnson Kenan continued to live in the old place until her death in 1789 at which time it passed to their son Gen. James Kenan who named the home Liberty Hall due to the many political meetings and gather things that took place during this in American history. This first Liberty Hall was furnished with many pieces brought over from Europe and also contained several American pieces in particular a few choice North Carolina pieces. This home burned to the ground prior to 1800, however several furnishings were saved .
Happy Antebellum times
In the late 1700s, Thomas S Kenan built the present Liberty Hall in Kenansville. In 1833 he and his wife, Mary Rand of Raleigh and their two youngest children moved to Selma Alabama where he died in 1860. Owen Rand KenanOwen Rand Kenan
Owen Rand Kenan, was a North Carolina politician. He was born in Kenansville, North Carolina in Duplin County, and served in the state legislature from 1834 to 1838. He also represented the state during the Civil War in the First Confederate Congress from 1862 to 1864...
; Thomas and Mary Rand's oldest son stayed behind and have his own plantation and family. Owen Rand married Sarah Rebecca Graham and made Liberty Hall their home. They did make a few structural changes including adding two porches and attaching the Kitchen to the house. Owen Rand and Sarah had four children, James Graham Kenan, William Rand Kenan, Thomas S Kenan and Annie D. Kenan. These were happy antebellum times all the children were well educated and enjoyed playing music. There were constant visitors and guests at Liberty Hall and the motto that became associated with the house once hung as a needle point in the hall way " he who enters these open gates never comes to early or leaves to late" Later on Owen Kenan was made a Major during the War between the states Liberty Hall escaped harm though Northern Troops were in the immediate area. Owen Rand Kenan
Owen Rand Kenan
Owen Rand Kenan, was a North Carolina politician. He was born in Kenansville, North Carolina in Duplin County, and served in the state legislature from 1834 to 1838. He also represented the state during the Civil War in the First Confederate Congress from 1862 to 1864...
three sons also survived the war came home married and moved away Owen died in 1887 and Liberty hall was left to his unmarried daughter Annie D. Kenan, who also lived out her life at Liberty Hall.
Wedding
In August 1901, Liberty Hall hosted its most grand event, the wedding of Annie’s niece Mary Lilly Kenan and the "Father of Miami", Henry Flagler. Flagler was one of the richest men in America at that time, whose notable achievements included founding Standard Oil Company with John D. Rockefeller and putting the railroad through Florida. The wedding attracted international attention and well known people from various parts of the country attended. Mary Lilly's father had grown up in Liberty Hall and Mary Lilly herself had spent many summers in the home and cherished it for the many memories she had made there. One of Flagler's wedding gifts to Mary Lilly was a white marble mansion in Palm Beach, Florida called White Hall, which is open to the public as a museum.Closed up but not forgotten
In April 1906, Annie Kenan died, the old home was boarded and closed up along with all its history and treasured family collections. Annie left Liberty Hall to her niece Mary Lilly. At Mary Lily’s death she left the house to her nephew Owen Hill Kenan a survivor of the RMS Lusitania Lusitania disaster. The Kenan family had always cherished their ancestral home.Restoration begins
However it was not until Owen Hill's death Frank H Kenan took the home and surrounding land and deeded to the board of Education in hopes the home would one day be a museum.In 1965 the liberty Hall Restoration Commission was formed. Liberty Hall was structurally sound and full of priceless family ailerons but needed much work done before it could be opened to the public.
In 1968 Liberty Hall was opened to the public it was decided to decorate the house in a federal style (Civil War). Tom Kenan is the Current Head of the Restoration Committee and oversees all things associated with Liberty Hall. He also oversees several family trusts that pay for all of the upkeep and staff at Liberty Hall.
Liberty Hall is open to the public; there is a small fee for admission.