A Tribute to Ric Elliott

Franklin County lost a friend on August 16, 2016, with the passing of Ric Elliott (MVHS '71). He lived and worked for forty years in the Metroplex. But there was never a time since he came of age that he did not own property in Franklin County.

Ron Barker gave the eulogy at Ric's funeral. John Hicks (MVHS '71) officiated. I was a pallbearer. I knew that Ron would speak, and I warned him that if there were no credit for preservation efforts, that I would have to rise out of my pew and break the solemn occasion with an addendum to the eulogy. Ron did give the mention of Ric and historic preservation and I sat silent.

Granted, Ric married into preservation with his marriage to Sharron Meek Elliott. Sharron is the daughter of our Association's founding president, Doris Meek. They purchased that first horne in Dallas (and there would be several), but they didn't have the Dallas home long before Ric had found the Penn Chitsey home up for sale and purchased the 19th Century two-story, built by Confederate Veteran Romulus Talbott, which then passed on to teacher Minnie Banister, and then to Penn Chitsey.

This is the late 1970's. The first wave of renovators are moving back to Mt. Vernon. Ron and Sue Barker purchase the Dupree-Harvey home on West Main in 1977. I have purchased the Stephenson House on Holbrook in 1976. Debbie and David Norman purchase the Tittle House on West Main in 1978. Dave and Michelle Elliott have purchased the oldest house in town, the 1870 Wright-Vaughan Home in about 1975.

Ric and Sharron come every weekend; and they take that shell and complete a gorgeous renovation. This is when we were proud to show off homes on our annual tours organized by Doris Meek and a crew of volunteers.

Ric and Sharron aren't content. The Joyce House on South Kaufman is falling in; they purchase the house; they renovate it; and they move on. They purchase the Rutherford House on West Main, Mt. Vernon's first brick house, 1920. And it is restored and they sell it to the Tunnels. And then they purchase the Gray Motor Courts. And the courts office, a remnant from the Bankhead Highway route of 1920, is restored.

Ric was never afraid to splurge; he was a building engineer by training and he practiced it here. He had the bridge built back to the acreage where there were once a dozen small motor courts; that beautiful bridge. And he died owning the site of the Huckleberry School just north of town; once a community with the school, a store, a gin, and two churches (Baptist and Methodist, of course). There is still a cemetery back in the woods.

Ric was a good father. And that son had to come and help with a lot of projects here. Ric loved Mt. Vernon and he planned to retire here. He had me calling around trying to find a home; we had actually walked through one in June and he was negotiating the price with that family and asking about another.

And then he was dead. My childhood friend. We must have talked at least once a week for 50 years. He has left a son and grandchildren and a legacy for our children in the restored homes.

We maintain the signs on over sixty historic homes; at least five stand because of Richard Perry Elliott (1953-2016). He lives on.