We received several requests for information about 1403 Chambers St. after last week’s article, so we decided to continue our break highlighting the histories of buildings saved by the foundation. The home located at 1403 Chambers St. is another Colonial Revival house, but this time designed by Rawson and Paunack Architects for Thomas C. and Florence Catchings and built by Mann Building and Manufacturing Company. Charles Rawson and William Paunack came to Vicksburg in April 1902 from Madison, Wisconsin, where they had established a firm in April 1900. They designed a number of buildings here, but only stayed in town until about May 1904, before returning to Madison. Paunack died at 27 years old in 1905 in Madison, and Rawson presumably continued to live in Madison, not returning to Vicksburg.

Thomas Catchings was one of the most influential men of his time as is exemplified by his obituary on December 27, 1927. “In the death of General Thomas C. Catchings, Vicksburg has lost a statesman of the old school, a man who had the courage to refuse surrender of his convictions when popular clamor was against him. He twice filled the office of Attorney General of Mississippi, and ably served the old delta district in Congress in the days when there were intellectual giants on Capitol Hill, and he ranked among the best of them. For many years he was recognized as the foremost authority in Congress on rivers and harbors, and was, in reality, the father of the Mississippi levee system, having framed and secured passage of the first bill ever offered in Congress appropriating federal funds for that purpose. He secured the appropriation of $1,200,000 made by Congress for the diversion of the Yazoo River so as to give Vicksburg a deep water channel at its feet, and was very influential in securing passage of the act creating the Vicksburg National Military Park. The entire record of his career was one of honor and usefulness. The friend of Grover Cleveland and other great men of that day, his voice was ever raised for honesty and purity in our national life.”

Florence Catchings died a month before her husband at their home. Following their deaths, the house became apartments and had many occupants until about 1954 when Col. Allison and Henriette Williams moved in. Col. Allison retired here after a long career in engineering and military service in both World War I and World War II. He was in charge of electrical utilities control for Army and Navy projects during World War II. The Williams had two daughters, Betty Bullard and Mrs. U. Grey Flowers Jr. Col. Allison died on Aug. 27, 1966, and Henriette continued to live in the house until her death on January 1, 2000, at the age of 92. The house has had several owners since this time and continues to be a beautiful part of the Chambers Street landscape.  

– Nancy Bell, Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation.