| One of the most complete and distinctive country residences in southwestern Mississippi, including several early outbuildings such as the kitchen, guest house, tenant house, school, and barn. It was built in two stages for Jane Wood and her husband, James Payne, on land purchased in 1812 by the locally prominent Wood family, who emigrated to Mississippi from Maryland.The house is a Greek Revival enlargement (circa 1850) of an older Federal Style House (circa 1828-30). The following was compiled by Mimi Miller, Historic Natchez Foundation, c.1986: "Oak Grove is built in two distinct sections. An early Federal style, two-story frame house with two rooms per floor was later incorporated into a much grander two-story house with double-pile plan and central hallway. The northern portion of the house is the older and its rooms are remarkably unaltered despite their incorporation into a grander Greek Revival residence. "The traditional date for Oak Grove is given in the National Register nomination as 1828. The house is believed to have been built for Jane Wood Payne (1807-1877) and her husband James Payne (1807-1853) on land purchased in 1812 by James Gilliam Wood (Deed Book C1, p. 15). Stylistic details indicate that the earlier portion of the house may have been built earlier than its traditional date and was possibly originally the home of James Gilliam Wood. The Federal mantel pieces feature early gouge carving and one is adorned with urns. One mantel piece exhibits the same fake granite painting as a mantel piece in the upper half story of The Elms (Natchez) and the Torrey House. The exterior end chimneys, linked by a chimney pent to form a closet room, are unique for Mississippi and are more commonly associated with houses in James Gilliam Wood's native Maryland--another indication that Oak Grove may have been built for Wood soon after his arrival in Mississippi. "James Gilliam Wood moved from Maryland to Jefferson County, Mississippi, in 1812, and was among the earliest settlers of the Church Hill community (Maryland Settlement) in Jefferson County (WEEKLY COURIER AND JOURNAL [Natchez], June 18, 1845). Four area plantation homes were associated with his family: Auburn Hall (Destroyed 1808), Woodland, The Cedars, and Oak Grove. The existing house known as Lagonia, located across the road from Oak Grove and The Cedars, is believed by some descendants to have served as an overseer's house. "A more in-depth study of Federal mantel pieces and trim in the old Natchez District would aid in establishing whether or not the earlier portion of Oak Grove was definitely built during the territorial period." This house was individually listed on the National Register on 28 March 1979, with approximately 50 acres of land, and it was later included as a contributing element (element #2a) in the Church Hill Rural Historic District, which was placed on the National Register on 8 September 2000. It is included in "Classic Natchez" (1996) (pp. 106-107). |