Madie Carroll House

The Madie Carroll House Preservation Society's mission is to inspire and develop a knowledge of, an appreciation for, and a pride in the artistic, historic and architectural wealth of the Historic Madie Carroll House and surrounding communities; to assist in the practical preservation, restoration, reconstruction, and maintenance of the Historic House; to protect historically significant structures; and to work with individuals, private clubs, and governmental organizations involved in providing for the needs and concerns of citizens.

As legend goes, the Madie Carroll House arrived in Guyandotte by flatboat in 1810. James Gallaher, a river tradesman, had obtained the house in Gallipolis, Ohio and placed the house on lot number 34 in Guyandotte. At one time, Mr. Gallaher owned over 20 lots in Guyandotte. He later became a prominent business man in the area, and he was a trustee for Marshall Academy in 1838 which is now Marshall University. By 1836, he had moved out of Guyandotte and onto the old Russell farm then located along the Ohio River between 14th street and 11th street, Huntington, West Virginia. Mr. Gallaher and his descendants continued to prosper in this area. One son, John Gallaher, founded Gallahersville; one daughter, Ann, married Robert Poage, a prominent business man of Ashland, Kentucky; another daughter, Sarah, married J. Harvey Poage and inherited the family farm and another son, James, married Mary, daughter of Samuel W. Johnson.

Thomas Carroll arrived in Guyandotte, VA. in 1852. Thomas, his wife, Anne Burnes, and their children - Thomas, Michael, Austin, Margaret - moved into their new home, November 2, 1852. The home, at the time belonged to Lucian M. Wolcott, and he later sold Mr. Carroll the home in 1855.

Thomas Carroll operated his home as an inn on the James River and Kanawha Turnpike. He obtained his first license to operate an "ordinary" (inn), December 1853. In 1854, along with others in Cabell County, Mr. Carroll was declined a license for an ordinary, but was given a license to operate a "house of private entertainment." After Thomas died, Mary Carroll continued to obtain licenses to operate an inn. The inn was know as the "Carroll House." According to other sources, Thomas also made his living as a carpenter and a stonesman.

Mary Carroll saved the house from destruction, November 11, 1861, when the Federal Troops burned most of the town of Guyandotte. She barricaded herself and children in the brick kitchen of the house. However, the Carroll family did lose property during the burning of the town. In 1892, Mary Carroll requested that the Federal Government pay her for the loss of a second dwelling and two story frame storage building/barn. J.H. Write bore witness to the loss in an affidavit he signed May 2, 1892, and he stated that the "claimant was and is loyal to the US Government."

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