The original home was built in 1890’s by Searles family.
This home was owned by Mr. W.W. Reeder a bookkeeper for
Drake Hardware. He was a very prominent citizen. This
home was possibly added to in 1901-02. Mr. Reeder was
the proprietor of Rose Lawn Poultry yards. He produced
prize winning high class birds and had one of the most
thriving businesses in North Louisiana. When he was
interviewed by the Minden Democrat the reporter asked
him about different breeds, this is what he had to say
“there are many excellent ones but: breeds may rise and
breeds may fall but the Plymouth Rocks will survive them
all!” He would move between 1914-1915 to a home located
at 623 Park Hwy. The home was then rebuilt in 1921 by
Kate Crichton Gredley; The next owners were the Tom
Crichton family in 1922 the home would burn and be
rebuilt again in 1925. Tom’s grandfather was Peter
Crichton. Peter and wife Marion with their eight
children and Mrs. Crichton’s mother would suffer much
tragedy when they came to Minden about 10 years before
the War Between the States began, from Georgia. Marion
Grieve Crichton wasn’t born in Georgia, she came all the
way across the Atlantic from Scotland to become an
American she just didn’t know it would cost her so much.
They had a happy life, at least until that war started.
Eventually Peter and four of the boys joined the
Confederate Army, only two of the boys – John and Tom --
ever came back home. The two sons, George and William
were killed and later brought home for burial in the
Minden Cemetery by their brother Tom. It is Tom’s son
Tom Jr. that would come to live in this home. Marion – I
see you’ve come to visit us today, a day we remember our
soldiers. I guess I know more than I ever want to know
about soldiers. I’m Marion Grieve Crichton – these are
two of my sons, George and William. I came to Minden
about 10 years before the War Between the States began,
from Georgia. Wasn’t born in Georgia, I came all the way
across the Atlantic from Scotland to become an American
– just didn’t know it would cost me so much. My husband
Peter and I came to Louisiana with our 8 children and my
Mother. We had a happy life, at least until that war
started. Eventually Peter and four of my boys joined the
Confederate Army, only two of the boys – John and Tom --
ever came back home.
The following is a script from Minden Cemetery Ghost
Walk
George – Momma, you know how much we wanted to fight
with our neighbors and take a part. I was so
disappointed that day in April 1861, when brother
William marched off with the Minden Blues to fight the
Yankees. We’d moved to Homer then but he went back down
to Minden to fight with his friends. Me being the older
brother, seemed like I should have gone, but in July, I
was able to head to Virginia with brother John to join
the Blues. I missed the fight at Manassas in July, in
August, I settled into camp. Never got a chance to fight
those Yankees, though. Started feeling sick and came
down with the fever. They took me to Mrs. Johnson’s
house near the camp and that’s where I died – on
September 10, 1861, never took part in any battle. And
you know it took me a long time to figure out how I got
back to Minden. William, you want to tell them about
that.
William – I’ll get to it, but since I did get to fight,
let me tell my story. Like George said, I left with the
Blues in April ’61, before we knew it we were at Camp
Moore, and then we were in Virginia, fighting in the
Army of Northern Virginia under General Beauregard. He
was proud of us being from Louisiana fighting under him.
It was at Manassas that we found out we didn’t need
those pretty blue uniforms the ladies in Minden made for
us. They got us shot at by some other boys from our
army, thought we were Yankees. We won that battle,
whipped them good and then when George got there, it
seemed like good times all around. But like George said,
he got sick, who ever thought a boy from Louisiana would
go to Virginia and get swamp fever. After he died, it
just didn’t seem the same. We fought on through some
pretty tough battles. In the Spring of ’62, we were sent
out to the Shenandoah Valley, to fight under Stonewall
Jackson against General Banks, that’s where I met my
maker, at Port Republic, in June 1862. I’ve got to tell
you George; I’m not sure how either of us got back to
Minden, though.
Marion – Well, I know that sad story. After those two
boys were gone, I’d had enough of this war, but it just
kept going and getting worse. In April of 1863, my Peter
was killed, down in South Louisiana at Franklin fighting
that same Yankee, Banks. Before I even heard about that,
I found out John had got himself shot at
Chancellorsville, the same place Stonewall Jackson got
killed. They sent him back to Louisiana but he got
better and went back to Virginia and then young Tom
insisted he had to join up and he went to the army, too.
At least John and Tom survived. And as for how we
brought George and William back. After the war, Tom got
a horse and a wagon and he went to Virginia and found
those two boys and brought them back home, to Minden. I
guess it’s good to celebrate the bravery, but I’ve heard
and lived too much war for my liking.3
