21/2009 4:16:00 PM Days gone by TAYLORVILLE—Grayton Mansion, also known as the Vandeveer Estate, was a statement of elegance and wealth after it was completed in 1911. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Vandeveer, the mansion presided over 20 acres, which also included formal flower gardens, a carriage house, a caretaker’s cottage and a large swimming pool. The Vandeveers frequently entertained in their music room, large enough for two grand pianos and an audience. (Photo courtesy of Mrs. James Cooper) TAYLORVILLE—Grayton Mansion, also known as the Vandeveer Estate, was a statement of elegance and wealth after it was completed in 1911. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Vandeveer, the mansion presided over 20 acres, which also included formal flower gardens, a carriage house, a caretaker’s cottage and a large swimming pool. The Vandeveers frequently entertained in their music room, large enough for two grand pianos and an audience. (Photo courtesy of Mrs. James Cooper) TAYLORVILLE—Visitors to Grayton Mansion, home to Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Vandeveer and their three daughters, entered through a gate which opened to North St. The lavish estate was built on 20 acres, now the site of Jenson Furniture Store. (Photo courtesy of Mrs. James Cooper) TAYLORVILLE—Visitors to Grayton Mansion, home to Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Vandeveer and their three daughters, entered through a gate which opened to North St. The lavish estate was built on 20 acres, now the site of Jenson Furniture Store. (Photo courtesy of Mrs. James Cooper) TAYLORVILLE-Only a banker or a farmer could afford this 28-room mansion, and owner E.A. Vandeveer pursued both professions. Eugene Aaron Vandeveer was born in Taylorville in 1853, according to Christian County History: Sesquicentennial Edition. He married Eudora Dolly G. Atwood of Akron, Ohio, in the summer of 1883. The couple moved into their English country style mansion Grayton after its completion in 1911. The couple had three daughters, Yolande, Vida and Eugenia. Visitors to the mansion, located at 125 North St., rode or drive through an ivy-covered gate to a winding brick lane to reach the imposing three-story residence. The estate covered 20 acres with formal gardens, including a rose garden, a swimming pool large enough to compliment the mansion, and a caretakers cottage. Built in a U-shape, the home was constructed of brick covered by light gray stucco. According to a 1991 Breeze-Courier article written by Mrs. James Cooper, who was invited to Grayton frequently. A forward-looking man, Vandeveer built a carriage house with a feeding room and stables for his horses and a four-car garage for his automobiles. An upstairs apartment took the second floor. An open passageway from the carriage house led to an open court yard. Visitors were often entertained in the music room, which was spacious enough to accommodate two grand pianos, couches, and a lovely fireplace, according to Mrs. Cooper. Decades ahead of the norm in their planning, the Vandeveers installed a bathroom with each bedroom. The third floor included a grand ballroom, a billiards room and storage. The first owner, E.A. was the second son of Judge H.M. and Mary J. Vandeveer. He attended elementary school in Taylorville and then took college-level courses at home and abroad. When E.A. returned, he joined his older brother William in the family banking business. Banking was Williams second career choice. A lawyer by profession, he joined the practice of his father, Horatio. Unfortunately for William, visitors to their office preferred to do business with the Judge. Williams professional future was saved because his father had installed a safe in the office. People would ask father or son to hold their money in the safe. On occasion, patrons would make a partial withdrawal, which required the Vandeveers to set up a bookkeeping system. The enterprise grew into a private bank, H.M. Vandeveer and Company. William managed the bank, and it was his gift of $100,000 to the local school system that put the Vandeveer name over the front entrance of Taylorville High School. E.A. became a partner in the bank, which grew into the largest private bank in Illinois and one of the strongest in the nation, according to the Christian County historical record After the judge died in 1894, E.A. developed his interest in farming, buying many properties which he cultivated into showplaces. He, too, was a benefactor to Taylorville, donating his birthplace for a public library, now home to DePaepe Law Office. E.A. died in 1915 and William in 1936. When one of the Vandeveer girls married a Vollintine, the mansion was called the Vollintine Estate, which was torn down in 1962. The carriage house stood until the early 1980s, when it was razed to build a Wal-Mart store. Jenson Furniture Store now occupies the site.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 09:55:48 +0000
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