There’s no doubt that Mississippi is full of incredible gems, beautiful stories, and a rich history. One of the lesser talked about gems in our state is the Rosalie Mansion.

About the Rosalie Mansion

Where did the Rosalie Mansion get its name? In 1716, French settlers named the plot of land that they purchased, “Rosalie”. Its name is in honor of the Countess of the Pontchartrain. The phenomenal, early classical revival style mansion is located in Natchez, MS. In its years of standing, its walls have housed several families and became a headquarters for the Union during the Civil War.

The Littles

Let’s start with Peter Little. Peter, originally a native of Pennsylvania, relocated to Natchez, MS in 1798. By 1820, he purchased the plot of land the French settlers initially purchased, to build his home. This home is what we know today as the Rosalie Mansion. He decided it was best to name the home after the plot of land to honor the fort that was built and the settlers who bought it. Peter got married to Eliza Lowe, whose father, Jacob Lowe (and his family) he became acquainted with by using their ferryboat to keep tabs on his property in Louisiana. Unfortunately, yellow fever took Jacob Lowe’s life. Soon after, Jacob’s wife contracted the devastating disease, as well, and asked Peter to care for Eliza in the event of her passing. After she died, Peter, who was twenty-five, married Eliza, who was fourteen. He sent her to school in Baltimore, MD. During this time, the mansion was still being built.

By 1823, the Rosalie Mansion had reached its final form. By this time, Eliza Little, now college educated, moved back to Mississippi from Maryland. They soon moved into their new home where they lived out the remainder of their lives. Although they never had children of their own, their home was still used as a safe haven for many children.

Natchez Children’s Home

Eliza, passionate about helping children, founded the Natchez Children’s Home. Many of these children found solace within the walls of the Rosalie Mansion. After forty-five years of devoted marriage to Peter, yellow fever claimed the life of Eliza Little.

The Wilsons

In 1857, the home was purchased by Andrew and Eliza Wilson. Like the Littles, Andrew and Eliza did not have children. While very little is known about this couple, we do know that they raised two orphaned family friends while they lived at the Rosalie. The children’s names were Theodore Wensel and Fannie McMurty.

The Union’s Headquarters

A few years later, in 1863, the Rosalie became the Union Army’s headquarters under General Walter Gresham. Under General Gresham, the Rosalie was well maintained, from the inside out. He made sure to preserve the contents of the house, such as: the clothing, scrapbooks, and furniture. Because of its location on the Mississippi River, the Rosalie was the perfect place for its function as the Union’s headquarters.

Although the mansion was occupied by its use as the Union’s headquarters, several Union generals allowed Eliza Wilson and Fannie McMurty to live in two of the rooms upstairs. After the Civil War ended, Fannie married successful businessman Stephan Rumble. They had a large family, including themselves and six children. The Rumbles lived comfortably in the Rosalie for a while. Then came the Great Depression, the cotton boll weevil, unforeseen theft, and death, which turned their lives upside down. By 1938, two of the surviving Rumble sisters were forced to sell the mansion.