One of Henry County’s oldest surviving homes officially has its place in history.

  The Thomas Wingfield Chapter of the National Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century dedicated a historical marker on Sunday at the Brown House, 71 Macon St., in McDonough.

  The facility is currently the home of the Genealogical Society of Henry and Clayton Counties.

  Susan Sloan is the chairman of Marking and Preservation of Historic Sites for the Thomas Wingfield Chapter. She said her organization seeks opportunities to honor older homes in the county.

  “It’s just recognizing our history in a special way that’s permanent, so that for people who come here to do genealogy, we’ve got that plaque that gives the history of what they are,” said Sloan. “It’s not just a house they go to do genealogy now, but it has a long history that goes back to 1826, and it makes people aware of that.”

  Sloan said the Brown House was built for Revolutionary War veteran Andrew McBride. He was among the first to purchase a town lot in McDonough prior to his death in 1836.

  The following year, the executor of his estate sold the house to Henry Tindall, said Sloan during a brief ceremony for the plaque dedication.

  “From 1837 to 1852, the property changed ownership three times, the third owner being Asa R. Brown, from whom the Brown House acquired its present name,” said Sloan.

  “Asa and his wife, Sarah Knott Brown, had six daughters, so it is likely that the home remained a family dwelling during his lifetime.”

  The building stood as a hotel from Asa Brown’s death in January 1874 to March 1883, when the earliest known reference to the Brown House appeared in a local newspaper.

  The publication chronicled additions to the building, including a second floor and a two-tiered front porch with Victorian trim.

  “The newspaper noted that Mrs. Asa Brown was having a second floor added to the house, which was identified as her ‘hotel building,’” said Sloan.

  “In the process of installing the second floor, Mrs. Brown had the old heart pine walls and ceilings removed from several of the downstairs rooms and used for flooring in the new upstairs. She also added a two-tiered front porch with Victorian trim, which

marked the front facade until it was removed in 1954. Among her additions was a large upstairs back room that served as the location of the Superior Court in 1897 when the new courthouse was under construction.”

    The house was later sold to the Fouche family, who operated it as a boarding house, hotel and private residence, said Sloan.

  “After the Great Depression, it was primarily a private residence and a boarding house,” she said. “The major feature added by the Fouche family was a kitchen and dining wing, added off the south rear of the house. It could seat 50 people and became a popular place for breakfast and dinner in the county. The Henry County Grand Jury regularly took meals there, as did many of the local businessmen.”

  The Brown House changed ownership again several times in the years that followed, said Sloan.

  “On November 8, 1987, Mr. and Mrs. William Smith deeded the historic building to Henry County Landmarks, Inc.,” she said. “The local genealogical society has lovingly restored and cared for this house ever since.”

  Sloan said it is important to honor the history of a building like the Brown House. She acknowledged that advancements in technology in recent years have resulted in more people being interested in genealogy and

history of the area.

  Cynthia Howard is the vice-president of the Genealogical Society of Henry and Clayton Counties. She expressed her appreciation to the Colonial Dames for issuing the historical marker.

  Howard said the marker helps to shine a light on the Genealogical

Society and the history of Henry County for longtime residents as well as newcomers.   “It’s just another recognition by a wonderful organization, of the history this house has for the county,” said Howard. “I’m a Henry Countian through and through. I worked Friday and had a family come in from California. Somebody had told them that they had relatives in Henry County, so they made a point of coming by here. They spent a couple hours here and we were able to show that there’s information about the family. I am tickled pink that we can share that.”