John McQueen House, U.S. Highway 80 west of Highway 37, Burkville

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,43-BURK.V,5-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The John McQueen House was the center of a large antebellum plantation located in northeast Lowndes County. The McQueen family originally settled the site in the and were prominent planters. Although the house is no longer extant, the site provides information important to the understanding of the evolution of Alabama "Black Belt" plantation complexes. PART

Historical Information

Physical History: Date of erection: ca. John McQueen Jr. acquired this land from a U. S. patent in The census lists McQueen as occupying the site with his large family. Descendants of the McQueen family state that the house was built around and it resembled the nearby Young-Nail house in appearance. Architect: Not known. 3. Original and subsequent owners: The chain of ownership for all properties in the Burkville Multiple Resource Area is incomplete due to incomplete county records. The following is the most complete chronological progression possible according to identifiable deed and will records. Reference is to the Clerk*s office in the Lowndes County Courthouse in Hayneville, Alabama.

JOHN MCQUEEN HOUSE HABS NcA.L-887 (Page 2) Land Patent Volume 6, page recorded April 16, Original land patent given to John McQueen Jr. for eighty acres containing the McQueen house site. Deed November 16, Book F, page 630 James D. McQueen to John P. McQueen and Benjamin F. McQueen Deed January 20, Book K, page 22 Benjamin McQueen to Julia A. McQueen Will November 5, Book 8, page 150 Julia McQueen to B. H. McQueen Will May 6, Book BK, page 20 B. H. McQueen to wife and various heirs Deed Book QQ, page 598 Wife and heirs to Ben White 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: Unknown 5. Original plans and construction; None located. B. Historical Context: The McQueen family was one of the most prominent families of century Lowndes County. In John McQueen Jr.

of South Carolina received a land patent to eighty acres in Lowndes County and he and his family moved to Alabama shortly after. Within a few years McQueen1s land holdings increased and he became a prosperous cotton planter and owned many slaves. Around McQueen built a large frame home known as "Queensdale" which was loca- ted on a hill near the western boundary of McQueen's property. The McQueens continued to own the land and occupy the house until the mid-20th century. John McQueen Jr. was one of the largest landowners in the county during the early century with property totalling acres upon his death. McQueen had nine children and several of them built smaller homes on the plantation. Many members of the McQueen family are JOHN MCQUEEN HOUSE HABS No.

AI.-887(Page 3) listed as residing in this section of Lowndes County from to The census shows that the McQueen family owned 142 slaves and cultivated large quantities of corn and cotton. The family also raised cattle, pigs and sheep. When John McQueen died in all of his property and slaves were divided among his children. Unlike many families in the area, the McQueen family remained relatively prosperous after the Civil War. The house and lands eventually passed into the hands of Benjamin McQueen who farmed the land utilizing the tenant system. Several frame houses associated with tenant farmers remain extant on land near the Queensdale house site. Benjamin McQueen's son, B. Harris McQueen, received the property in which consisted of 924 acres.

The production of cotton was eventually phased out and the land used for pasture. Queensdale continued to be occupied by the McQueen family until the when i t was sold and the house abandoned. The house was unoccupied when it burned ca. Foundations of the house are visible at the site and the McQueen family cemetery and various outbuildings remain extant nearby. The McQueen family cemetery is a significant component of the McQueen house site. The cemetery is located north- west of the house site and contains six marked graves. Interred in the cemetery are John McQueen Benjamin F. McQueen and various other family members. The use of the cemetery is recorded between and The cemetery has been abandoned for the past several decades and is in great disrepair. PART II.

ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1. Architectural character: This structure no longer exists, having burned ca. and no visual evidence has been located. B. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: The original site of the house is now a large clearing. 2. Historic landscape design: No elements of a significant historic landscape design exist. 3. Outbuildings: A servant's house is located to the southeast of the main house site and the family cemetery is located to the west of the site. Further to the southeast is a surviving tenant house, the McCary House. JOHN MCQUEEN HOUSE HABS No. AL-887 (Page 4) PART III. SOURCES OF INFORMATION A. Original Architectural Drawings: None located. B. Early Views: None located. C. Interviews: McQueen, John P. Montgomery, Alabama.

Augus t 19 , Shreiner, Charles. Burkville, Alabama. August 19, D.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,43-BURK.V,5-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources: Alabama State Census State Library and Archives, Montgomery, Alabama. "Lowndes County Cemetery Records". Undated manuscript on file, Alabama Department of Archives and History. Lowndes County Deed, Inventory, Minute and Will Records, Lowndes County Courthouse, Hayneville, Alabama. "Lowndes County Historical Society Newsletter", Vol. Ft, Deposit, Alabama: Private Printing, United States Census Records. E. Supplemental Material: Additional historical/ genealogical information on file with The Ehrenkrantz Group/Building Conservation Technology, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee. Prepared by; Michael Emrick, Historical Arch- itect and Philip Thomason, Archi- tectural Historian The Ehrenkrantz Group/Building Con- servation Technology, Inc.

August - September JOHN MCQUEEN HOUSE HABS No. AT.-887 (Page 5) PART IV. PROJECT INFORMATION This recording project was conducted by The Ehrenkrantz Group/ Building Conservation Technology, Inc., of Nashville, Tennessee under contract from Environmental Res earch and Technology, Inc. for General Electric - Montgomery Project, Burkville, Alabama. Project personnel included Michael Emrick, Project Architect (project coordination, architectural data); James Thompson, Architect (measured drawings and sketch plans) ; Philip Thomason, project historian; and Barry Starkey, photographer. Agency involvement included the Mobile District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Southeast Regional Office of the National Park Service.