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Origins of Vicksburg
1541-2 - Hernando DeSoto's men (Spain) - first Europeans to pass "Vicksburg" site on the Mississippi River.
1682 - Rene' Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle (La Salle) claims entire Mississippi Valley (including Vicksburg) for France.
1719 - French Fort St. Piere (Peter) built north of "Vicksburg". Indians burn it in 1730.
1750 - Plantations line the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Natchez - and beyond.
1763 - France cedes all land East of Mississippi River (including "Vicksburg") to Britain. Britain gives large land grants to encourage colonization.
1767 - 1783 - "Walnut Hills" emerges as trading post.
1783 - Britain cedes all land North of 31st parallel (including "Vicksburg") to Spain who in turn cede it to the United States. Land remained in dispute for years.
1790 - Spanish built Fort Mount Vigue - now Fort Hill; and Fort Nogales and other forts in the Vicksburg area.
1797 - Andrew Glass builds first "Vicksburg" brick structure at (what is now) McRaven Tour Home.
1798 - United States of America takes physical control of (what is now) "Vicksburg" with US troops.
1803 - United States opens Natchez Trace. Burwell Vick comes from Kentucky to Natchez (and becomes a judge).
Photo of Burwell Vick
The Family
1812 - Major (Revolutionary War) Burwell Vick comes to (what is now) Vicksburg - secures vast land grants between Vicksburg and Memphis.
1814 - Rev. Newit Vick, Burwell's brother, comes to Vicksburg. Establishes ME Church. Negotiates with Andrew Glass (McRaven House) for 1180 acres - now the "old" downtown Vicksburg.
1816 - (May 22) - Martha Patience Vick, Burwell's daughter, marries Col. (War of 1812) William Willis. They have one son, John. Wedding presents include House on Cherry Street and Panther Burn Plantation.
1819 - (August 5) - Rev. Newit Vick and his wife die within minutes of each other, leaving 13 children.
1823 - State Senator William Willis dies in state Capital (Washington, outside Natchez, not Jackson) - Martha and her son, John, Willis move to home on Crawford Street - Burwell Vick later lives in home with them.
1825 - Vicksburg incorporated - named for Newit Vick by his son, Hartwell, and brother, Burwell.
1831 - Vicksburg (McRaven Home) is way station during "Trail of Tears" to Oklahoma Territory.
1835 - 1861 - Jefferson Davis runs successful 1800 acre Brierfield Plantation, located south of Vicksburg in Warren County.
1844 - Burwell Vick dies and is buried on Nitta Yuma Plantation (his son, Henry Vick's home)
1845 - Newit Vick's daughters' case is landmark at U.S. Supreme Court - allowing daughters to inherit from fathers.
Photo of John Willis
1846 - John Willis raises company of men (Southrons) for Mexican War - Regiment commanded by Jefferson Davis - John Willis takes command when Davis is wounded at battle of Buena Vista. Returns with long-fiber cotton plant.
The Builder
1853-5 (?) - (December 3) - Fannie Vick Willis born to John & Annie Ricks Willis. Attends St. Francis Xavier School. (She may have also had the additional middle name of Winter - from her mothers side)
1861-2 - Fannie (age 7 or 9) and family move out of Crawford Street home. It becomes Confederate Headquarters during Campaign for Vicksburg - now a National Landmark - known as Pemberton House (Gen. John Pemberton, CSA) or the Willis-Cowan House.
1863 (July 4) - Vicksburg surrenders. Does not celebrate July 4th until 1947(for General Dwight D. Eisenhower).
1863 - 1877 - Mississippi goes from the richest to the poorest State in the Union (Civil War & reconstruction)
1876 - 1877 - Rutherford Hayes elected President. Union Occupation Troops leave the South. Reconstruction ends.
1881 (May 3) - Fannie Vick Willis marries Junius Ward Johnson at Christ's Church. They have no children. Junius' father, Gen. George W. Johnson, was first confederate Governor of Kentucky - Killed at Shiloh. Junius' great - uncle, Richard M. Johnson, was Vice President of the United States - killed Tecumseh in battle.
Photo of Fannie Vick Willis
1885 - (?) Carriage House on Drummond St. completed (?)
1888 (?) - Railroad between Vicksburg and Panther Burn (and other plantations) completed. Plantation owners become weekly "commuters" to Vicksburg town houses.
1877 - 1908 (?) - Fannie and Junius live between Pemberton (Willis - Cowan) House, Duff Green Mansion, and Panther Burn Plantation.
1893 - (October 23) - Fannie's last brother, St. John, dies at Panther Burn Plantation.
The Home
1902 - 1908 (?) Fannie's Home at 2430 Drummond Street (now Stained Glass Manor - Oak Hall) completed. Probably designed by George W. Maher - Father of "Indigenous American Architecture" - often called "Prairie" or "Mission" . (Frank Lloyd Wright was taught by Maher - early years). Art (Stained) Glass by Louis J. Millet - who taught Maher and Wright - and did Art Glass in State Capitol in Jackson. Louis J. Millet was the first dean of architecture in Chicago and the head of The Chicago Art Institute. Home is on National Register of Historic Places, U.S. Department of the Interior.
1919 - (March 16) - Junius W. Johnson killed by tornado at Panther Burn. Fannie sells Panther Burn in December.
1929 - Rotary Club of Vicksburg honors Fannie with Loving Cup Award(1929) which originally was to have been "The man who has done the most for Vicksburg." (Fannie shuns publicity, & graciously refuses to be photographed or interviewed).
1931 - (September 20) - Fannie Vick Willis Johnson passes away. Her tombstone reads: "She lived for others"
1931 - 1966 - Fannie's home administered as widows home by Episcopal Diocese.
1966 - Mayor John Holland (and wife Sarah) buy home. Home then has series of renters / owners.
1995 - Bill and Shirley Smollen become trustees of this National Historic Register Tour Home; rename it Stained Glass Manor - Oak Hall. It is also a Bed and Breakfast - Charter Member of the Mississippi B&B; Association.
The Contributor
Continual gifts to and construction of Mississippi Public Libraries.
Fannie's donations help build Library at University of Mississippi.
Fannie's donations build Libraries outside Mississippi as far as Maryland and Kentucky.
Provides Duff Green Mansion as an orphans home.
Establishes Scholarships and Endowments All Saints College (now All Saints Episcopal School).
Old Willis home (Martha Patience Vick Willis, Fannies grandmother's home) on Cherry Street used by All Saints as offices, etc.
Builds Johnson Hall (Dormitory) at All Saints College (1926)(All Saints Annual dedicated to Fannie as their "Fairy Godmother").
Builds or finances a series of churches.
Donates pipe organ to Christ's Church, Vicksburg
Builds St. Mary's Episcopal Church and School
Builds Junius Ward Johnson YMCA on Clay St. in 1923 - (Fannie shuns spotlight at dedication - sits in general audience).
Builds Jackson Street YMCA for Vicksburg's Black Citizens.
Because of her concern for repetitive flooding of the farms and plantations in the Mississippi Delta, North of Vicksburg, Fannie (and others) influence the passage of National Flood Control Legislation -Placing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers firmly in the business of levee building and other flood control measures (1926) - Mississippi River Commission is moved to Vicksburg and the Waterways Experiment Station is established in Vicksburg (1929)
Donates or builds playgrounds, gymnasiums, land, etc. to community.
Leaves her home as home for widows - before social security, retirement plans, and pensions existed.
Duff Green Mansion becomes Salvation Army Headquarters for over 50 years - until Harry Sharp restored it as a tour home and B & B.
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