ROSE TERRACE

Built in 1880's

Photo of Rose Terrace

From The Story of Oliver Springs, TN and Its People, Vol II, by Snyder E. Roberts 1983

The story of this landmark house and its various owners and occupants is worthy of consideration. The attention of a traveler along Main Street, Oliver Springs, is attracted to the eye-catching, elegant old two-story brick house which sits almost astride the Roane-Anderson County line on a bank at the foot of Walden Ridge with a dominant view of all activities in the center of town. Even a stranger observing this house with its solid-brick walls, its lacy white "gingerbread" trimmed eaves and gables, its stained glass windows, and broad veranda has a strong feeling that "there just has to be a story about that house."

The house was built by James K. Butler (1850-1930) [ son of John W. Butler and Nancy Crowe] in the mid-1800's at the beginning of the coal boom, and at a time when the town was beginning to be discovered as a mineral spa. Butler, who was a coal mine operator, was a descendant of a pioneer family that settled on Poplar Creek in the late 1790's. This house built with hand-made brick was sold by James K. and his wife, Laura, to W. S. Geers (1816-1905) and his wife, Martha Wiley Geers (1827-1905). James K. and his wife then built a home on Roane Street which has been remodeled and is now the Sharp Funeral Home.

William S. Geers married into the wealthy Wiley family and was soon a partner in their coal mining and Land Company operations. He was the Administrator of the estate of his brother-in-law, Dr. Joseph Estabrook, which included the problems inherited from the defunct Salt Wells operations. During the Geers family occupancy the brick home was the scene of many high social functions which represented the epitome of elegant and gracious living. Looking at the picture of Rose Terrace made in the 1920's one sees the luxuriant shrubbery, the latticed porch banisters, the latticed well-house, and a portion of the semi-curricular stone retaining wall which partially enclosed a courtyard located at a lower elevation and which is now the site of commercial buildings. The stone wall was broken at intervals with alcoves inset in the bank. These alcoves contained seats, and were covered with trellises for climbing roses, the shade from the sun, and the light from a half-moon must have been environmentally conducive to romances. The level grassy courtyard contained croquet courts and other amusements for those who preferred that kind of action to the alcove type.

The house was later occupied by A. J. "Jack" Queener, former Mayor, a coal mine operator, and son-in-law of the Geers, and on a rental basis by Martin Brown, a Rev. Hoyle, and possibly others before it was sold in 1921 by the Geers heirs to Chris J. Ladd (1876-1927) and Matilda (Tilda) Cox Ladd (1879). The Ladds remodeled the house, and installed new modern conveniences. Chris Ladd was a likeable well-to-do contractor in the logging and road construction business. He was elected as Sheriff of Roane County in 1926, but died nine months later. At his death, his lovely and courageous wife, Tilda, was sworn in as Sheriff and served 13 days until the County Court met and elected her brother-in-law, Frank L. Ladd, to the office. The Ladds had a son, Joe Ladd, who died at the age of nine years, and three daughters: Dora Ladd married Howard H. Baker, Sr., Myrtle Ladd married Glen Tidwell; and Frankie Ladd married "Spike" Webb. The Ladds were very active in social and political circles. Congressman J. Will Taylor and other notables were frequent guests in their home.

Dora Ladd

Dora Ladd was born 9 November 1901 in Sugar Grove Valley in Roane County. She attended Roane County schools, and was an excellent student. Local residents remember her as most attractive and a very pleasant personality. She taught at Dyllis School in Roane County before entering the College of Law at the University of TN, where she made excellent grades for two years. A romance blossomed between Dora and one of her classmates which resulted in her marriage to Howard H. Baker (1902-1964) shortly after he received his L.L.B. degree in June of 1924. The wedding ceremony was conducted in the Ladd home in Oliver Springs.

Soon after their honeymoon, the young couple made their home in Huntsville, TN, where Howard took over the law practice of his ailing father, Judge James F. Baker, who died two weeks after their arrival.

Their first child born 15 November 1925 was named Howard Henry Baker, Jr. and is now the famous U. S. Senator from TN. Tragically, Dora Ladd Baker died in the prime of life from peritonitis following an operation 13 April 1934. She left two children; Howard, Jr. age eight years, an Mary Elizabeth Baker, age two years (who lataer married Congressman William Walmpler from the 9th District in VA). The surviving husband, Howard Baker, Sr. was elected later to the U. Congress from the 2nd District in TN.

When her daughters married and became scattered, Mrs. Tilda Ladd rented the brick house for several years to Mayor Arvil Anderson. Then in 1942, she sold the house to Henry L. Halburnt (1879-1958), Spanish-American War veteran, and former Commissary Manager at the Windrock Mines, and his wife Docia Ruffner Halburnt. After Mr. and Mrs. Halburnt's death, the heirs sold their interest in the old home to a daughter and son-in-law, Martin and Onelda Halburnt McCubbins. When Senator Baker came to Oliver Springs, he usually sat up his mike in front of the old home, and sometimes quickly slipped off for a few minutes up the steps to the old house to look around.

POSTSCRIPT from Pat McDonald

The Halburnts were my grandparents, and Onelda McCubbins my mother's sister. I have spent many happy hours in this house, visiting with relatives and especially with my first cousins, Doug McCubbins, Dr. Lanny Cross and Norma Cross May, R.N. It was a bittersweet time for me in 1996 when the McCubbins decided to move to Asheville, NC to be near Doug and Sarah McCubbins. But I understand the new owner, Ray Stockburger, plans to renovate Rose Terrace, so I am thankful the happy times will continue in this property.

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