Stephen F. Austin State University

Ginocchio-Cook-Pedison Home

615 N. Washington, Marshall

Current Owner 2013: David W. & Keri C. Hollowell & Morris L. & Deborah M. Hollowell

Sanborn Maps:

National Register

The Ginocchio-Pedison House was listed on the National Register within a group of structures that make up the Ginocchio Historic District in Marshall, TX.

TX Historical Landmark

The Ginocchio-Cook-Pedison home became a TX Historical Landmark in 1973.

Architectural Survey

Architectural Survey

The Ginocchio-Cook-Pedison house is a brick, three-story, 1886 Queen Anne structure. It has a steeply pitched roof of irrgeular shape, with a dominant front-facing octangle gable. The one-story porch, supported by wood coloms and containing spindlework rialing and lace-like brackets, is small, and has a flat roof.

Historical Background

Designed and built by C.G. Lancaster in 1886, the Ginocchio-Cook-Pedison home is one of several structures that make up the Ginocchio Historical District in Marshall. The home was built for Charles A. Ginocchio who came to the United States in 1848 from Italy. After serving in the Civil War under General Lee, he married his wife, Roxana Walters in Grenada, Mississippi on November 29, 1870. (Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.) According to Ancestry.com, the spelling of the name is "Genocchio," but at some point the spelling was changed to its present way, and stands that way in all other historical documents. A year later they moved to Marshall, due to the development of the Texas and Pacific Railway. Charles Ginocchio became a successful businessman, opening several restaraunts along the rail line in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas. ("Inventory for the National Register Program"-Gary Hume, Theodore Power, and John Volz; 1972)

According to the 1880 United States Census, ten people lived together with Charles and his wife before the home was completed, Charles and his wife Roxana, their daughter Stella, two nephews, Augustine and George Signaigo, Roxana's brother, William Walters, two friends, John Seneva and Frank Reptto, and two slaves, Sarah Cooper and Sidney Williams. (Year: 1880; Census Place: Marshall, Harrison, Texas; Roll: 1309; Family History Film: 1255309; Page: 368A; Enumeration District: 044.) By 1893, Roxana, her brother William and her daughter Stella had died. According to the City Directory, only Charels Ginocchio, his two nephews were living in the home. Once the Ginocchio Hotel was completed in 1896, the three men moved into the hotel, vacating the home. Charles Ginocchio died on May 30, 1898, and two years later his nephew George and his wife Elizabeth Alma Cook sold the house to Elizabeth's parents, Behn and Eudora Cook in 1900. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 59, Pg. 349, filed January 31, 1900.)

Once the Texas and Pacific Railroad added diner cars to their trains, George Signaigo sold all of the hotels he had inherited from his uncle, and moved to Dallas. After Behn Cook died in 1932, Eudora also moved to Dallas to be closer to her daughter. The home was rented out to a newly married couple in 1934, Anthony Pedison and Anthippi Tsamblakou, both of whom were newly arrived from Chios Greece. After Eudora Cook died in 1942, George and Elizabeth sold the home to Anthony, and his brother James Pedi,son in 1945. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 284, Pg. 101, filed April 19, 1945.) James transferred the full title to the house to Anthony when he returned to Greece in 1966. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 629, Pg. 21.) After Anthippi died in 1996, her son, James Anthony Pedison, sold the home to Joe and Betty Lambright in 1997. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 1680, Pg. 99, filed August 23, 1997.) The Lambrights owned the home until 2008, when they sold it to David W. and Keri C. Hollowell. (Harrison County Deed Records, Vol. 4143, Pg. 36, filed, March 31, 2008.)

The Ginocchio-Cook-Pedison home has receieved very few alterations and remains much in its original state. A fifth porch from the northeast corner was removed along with all but one of the chimneys. Every family who has owned the home have preserved the history and the architectural integrity of the structure, providing Marshall with a beautiful example of Victorian architecture.

Ginocchio-Pedison Home Photos