Yancey Brothers Store

From Our Island Heritage, Vols. 2-3 - Compiled by Sophie Haley & Mickie Smith:

At this location, Thomas J. Chisum owned a store and about 1913 his store, Mr. Knight's and Mr. Owens' stores all burned.  Stephen Richard Yancey bought the lot and built this store about 1914 and had a nice general store, carrying a line of dry goods, groceries and farm supplies.  (Editor's note:  In a later history written by Mickie Smith (Here), it is stated that the store that burned belonged to Mr. Yancey, not Mr. Chisum and that Mr. Yancey rebuilt the store.)

Stephen Richard Yancey was born and reared in Jonesville, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.  He married Miss Laura Wood from Tensas Parish about 1906-1907 and lived there until forced out by high water.  They moved to Sicily Island and lived in a small four room house owned by Mrs. Anna Peniston.

From the Tensas Gazette, July 7, 1922 (courtesy of LSU/Library of Congress):

Children born to the marriage of Stephen Richard and Laura Wood Yancey were:

John Richard, 1907-1981 (m. Luceil Chambers)
Clarence Langston, 1908-1982 (m. Irene Elizabeth Gayden)
Charles Fredrick, 1913-1970
Honor Eloise, 1916-2001 (m. Raphiel Teagle)

As so many stores, this one was built with a "false front".  The outside upper part was of hammered tin, and the inside ceiling was decorative hammered tin squares.  It was a long store and coal oil was kept in the back in a barrel with a hand crank on it.  So, to get a gallon of this very necessary item, you had to walk all the way to the back.

After the death of Mr. Yancey, the store was vacant for some time.  In 1931, the building was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Montgomery and they had a general store here.

Charles S. Montgomery Store

In the depression years, most of the stores had benches built between the posts that supported the brows.  There was little money for entertainment and these benches were much in demand as all the friends and neighbors of the merchants came to sit and visit in the late afternoon and evening hours.  Each person had their favorite store to visit, but the town was lively as the laughter and friendly banter flowed back and forth across the street.

After Mr. Montgomery's death, Mrs. Montgomery continued to operate her store in this building until 1963.  The merchandise was moved into a building owned by her daughter, Mrs. A. B. (Margie) Chisum.  The building in the sketch was bought by the bank and torn down.  The lot is used for bank parking.

Editor's Note:  The photograph below was taken in 2011.  The area marked with the red star is the former location of Thomas J. Chisum's store in the early 1900s, then later the location of Stephen Richard Yancey  between 1912 and 1914.  Charles S. Montgomery purchased the Yancey Brothers Store in 1931. 

Yancey House, 2011