Historical Patillo/Key Home

The Patillo Home, built around 1846 and used primarily for rental property, was named after Trenton A. Patillo, a pioneer lawyer, county judge, and co-founder of the Texas Republican. According to early deed and probate records, the site of the Patillo House was part of the Richardson Addition, one of the oldest sections of Marshall, and owned by Mrs. Lavenia Richardson.
Colonial William S. Richardson came from Alabama to Bastrop County, Texas in 1840, and then moved to Marshall with his family in 1842. After he died in 1850, Col. Richardson left his wife Lavenia with one grown son and four daughters. In 1859, when she was unable to secure sufficient funds to meet the bond requirements for the guardianship of her minor children, Trenton A. Patillo was appointed by the Country Court as guardian of the estates of Frances A. and Emily V. Richardson. Eventually Lavenia had to mortgage her homestead and other properties to Mr. Patillo, although she never lost the title to the original 5 acre purchased two of the lots between North Washington Avenue and the Marshall Cemetery on April 18, 1877, from their mother's estate. The Patillo House occupies the south half of this property, while a frame house of identical design occupies the north half. But according to public records, the sisters lived in neither of these houses. After the death of her sister, Mrs. Sanders moved to El Paso and sold her home and the remaining lots of the original 5 acre plot. Although a complete abstract exists on Outlot 27, N-E, it does not show conclusively whether the Patillo House was built by the Richardson sisters or by the subsequent owner, William Hugh Lane. William Hugh Lane, from an Irish immigrant family, came to Harrison County where he established a law practice with Isaac Van Zandt and Judge William B. Ochiltree. According to Deed Records, William Lane purchased the property from J.E. Davis. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 49, Pg. 44, filed May 17, 1902). The Patillo house represents the change that took place in the neighborhood adjacent to the railroad yards after the construction of the Texas and Pacific shops in the early 1970's. In 1963, Commander Hobart Key, Jr., USNR acquired all of Out-lot 27 from Bertha Davis, the widowed wife of J.E. Davis. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 587, Pg. 86, filed June 18, 1963.) The Patillo House is the third Texas Medallion structure to be preserved by Mr. Key, who also owned the Ginocchio Hotel and the Key Log Cabin. The Key family came to East Texas in the 1840's, thirty-seven years after their relative Francis Scott Key, wrote the "Star-Spangled Banner." When Mr. Key purchased the Patillo Home he restored it to its original state. The home staid in the Key family until Thomas Fisher Key and Richard Garrett Key sold it to Wayne and Michelle Fontenot in 2000. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 2146, Pg. 43, filed September 22, 2000.)The Fontenots sold the structure to the current owners Lee H. Hardy Jr. and his wife Carolyn H. in 2003. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 2604, Pg. 139, filed April 14, 2003). It is interesting to note that when the Patillo Home was built, very few people in Marshall lived in brick homes. As late as 1894, it was the only brick residence on North Bolivar Street, according to the Sanborn-Perris Insurance Maps.