Sweet Auburn

Sweet Auburn, a simple, but elegant, federal style antebellum house tucked off Old Highway 84 in Washington, is situated among lush rolling lawns, a reflective pond and expressive oak trees.

Dr. John Wesley Monette and his wife Cornelia Jane Newman — French Hugenots who immigrated to America — built the house in 1833. Monette is renowned for his work in preventing the spread of Yellow Fever through quarantine. He is also known for his published works on Mississippi’s geographical society.

Monette acquired a 50-acre tract of land in Washington where the house was built. The brick was made on the property. Original millwork, including columns, archways, window casings, mantels and door frames, which were produced in Cincinnati and shipped down the Mississippi River, still enhance the space.

Monette’s doctor’s office and li- brary, which are still intact, sit separately on the left and right of Sweet Auburn, connected by an original red brick walkway. Original shelving and mantels still hang in the library and doctor’s office. Modern lighting has been added. Monette, a revered member of the Washington community, died at the age of 47. At the time of Monette’s existence, Washington was a place of importance — as the territorial capital of the Southwest region and the literary center of the

The plaster on the exterior walls is scored to resemble quarried stones.

Original plaster ceiling medallions are also located throughout the house. One of the ceiling medallions is accented by a period three-light gasolier with shades etched with a Greek key motif.

Added during the renovation were two fenestrated pocket doors that are ornamented with stained, etched and painted glasswork. from the ownership of the Monette family. The original third story had a continuous row of glass windows protected by latticed blinds on all four sides. state. A graveyard exists just yards from Sweet Auburn’s back door, where Dr. and Mrs. Monette are buried with several family members. The first floor of the three-story house is made of brick and contains six rooms — three on either side of a broad hall. The hall is entered by double doors, with fan-shaped windows over the doors to light the hall. The third floor was the most striking feature of the house, and was removed by owners after it passed

The doors, still present today, were used to divide the front addition from the back portion of the house, where the billiard hall had been.

In 1877, two Natchez natives, Joseph Newman Stone and his wife Theodora Britton, bought the house.

The house has been owned and occupied by descendants of the Stone family since its purchase in 1877. It is currently owned by Joseph B. Stone, great-grandson of Joseph Newman Stone. The J.N. Stone House is also home to a collection of antique maps and rare books. Included in the collection of family mementos is a personalized copy of “To Kill a Mockingbird” and a family photo of Harper Lee and Truman Capote.

It received the Foundation Award for Restoration in 2005.

In front is a large portico, which was also removed by previous owners.

Marlon and Charlotte Copeland of Natchez bought and own the house, which was overgrown and in disrepair 17 years ago. With the help of old photographs, the Copelands were able to reconstruct the original appearance of Sweet Auburn, though the origin of the house’s name is a mystery. The third story and portico were reconstructed to closely resemble the original house. The basement that was equipped with a tunnel to a cistern away from the house was used for the escape of Newman’s uncle during the Civil War. The Copelands received the George and Ethel Kelly restoration award for Sweet Auburn from the Historic Natchez Foundation in 2010.