Merrillton (ca. 1856) (Newport, Rhode Island) | place with historical importance, cottage, estate (manor / mansion land)

 house, place with historical importance, cottage, estate (manor / mansion land)

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Designed by architects Powel & Spencer and built for Samuel Powel (1818-1885) @ 1856.

note - Although Samuel Powel (1738-1793) died without an heir, the Powel name survived through Elizabeth Willing Powel adoption of nephew John Hare (1786-1856), who later changed his name to John Hare Powel. John, whose pursuits included diplomacy, land agency, cattle husbandry, and a stint in the state senate, had seven children with wife Julia De Veaux Powel, the oldest of whom they named Samuel (1818-1885). Samuel's wife, Mary Johnston, (of Newport, R.I.), came from a long line of West Indies plantation owners. Her father, Robert Johnston, owned a number of plantations in Jamaica, some of which were inherited through Robert's wife, Catherine Cole Taylor Johnston, from her father, John Taylor.

The house remained in the Powell family until 1933, when it was purchased by George and Pauline (Dresser) Merrill of New York. George was an Episcopal minister and rector and Pauline was the sister of Natalie Bayard Dresser (1869-1950), wife of John Nicholas Brown. In 1972, the house was purchased by the noted singer and performer Jane Pickens (b.1908- d.21 February 1992)
[on the market for 2.5m in 2012]



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