Stillman, Charles, House

The Charles Stillman House, circa 1850, is one of the oldest residences in Brownsville This fine small-scale Greek Revival structure was built as the home of Charles Stillman, owner, and developer of the original townsite of Brownsville, Thomas Carson, agent for the Stillman interests and mayor of Brownsville from 1879-1892, occupied the home in the 1890s.

Charles Stillman arrived at Brazos de Santiago, Mexico, on February 2, 1828. Stillman was to remain there and in Matamoros, Mexico, until the end of the Mexican War in 1848. Throughout his residence in Matamoros, Stillman was engaged in several partnerships involved in the mercantile trade, and his pursuits proved to be very successful.

In 1848, following the end of the Mexican War, Stillman came to realize the importance of a townsite opposite Matamoros, and so he took steps to insure that he would profit from the land boom, Stillman hired local surveyor George Lyons soon thereafter to survey 4,676 acres and layout town lots adjacent to the already established United States Army base of Fort Brown, for which the township was named. On December 9, 1848, the Brownsville Town Company was formed and Stillman entered into a partnership with Samuel A. Belden and Jacob Mussina, Brownsville experienced a land boom throughout 1849 and the city was incorporated in 1850.

Stillman had the home at the corner of 13th and E. Washington Streets built for his new wife Elizabeth Pamela Goodrich by the time they arrived in Brownsville in August of 1849. Two of Stillman's children, James Jewett and Isabel Goodrich Stillman, were born and christened in the home. Because of the heat and high rate of disease, Stillman's wife and two eldest children left Brownsville in June 1853, for New York. Thereafter, until 1866, Stillman saw his wife and children only in the summers, when he traveled north to escape the heat.

Stillman remained in the south conducting his business with growing success. He owned a silver mine and imported goods from Europe and Mexico. Stillman also engaged in trading throughout the Gulf Coast, forming partnerships with Mifflin Kenedy, Richard King, and James O'Donnell. In 1866 Stillman rejoined his family in New York, maintaining only his cotton brokerage, Stillman died on December 18, 1875, but remained an ardent Texan throughout his lifetime.

The house itself had several subsequent owners. It was occupied by Thomas Carson in the 1890s. Carson, agent for the Stillman interests, was mayor of Brownsville from 1879-1892. Later the Joseph Trevino family inhabited the home.