Thomas Sappington's 200 acres were gifted to him by his parents, John and Jemima (Fowler) Sappington, as a wedding gift. Thomas Sappington's first wife was Mary Ann Kinkead. Thomas had the house built in 1808. The labor of enslaved persons was used to complete the house.
The construction of the house is very unique. The design of the house is Federal style. The bricks used for the house are not kiln-baked. Instead, they were set to dry out in the sun. The house frame is held together with wooden pegs, no nails were used. Wooden shingles were used for the roof. The wooden fireplace mantles and cabinetry are something to be seen.
Inside the house are many unique artifacts. Some of the artifacts are original to the Sappington Family. One item is the prayer book of Lucinda Sappington. Inside the prayer book, she lists the birthdays and death dates of the enslaved people who served her household. Some other unique items include a courting candle, apothecary's chest, beautiful embroidery pieces, and so much more. There is even a cherry sugar chest.
The Herb garden is located on the front side of the Thomas Sappington House. Originally, these herbs would have been used by the Sappington family for medicinal purposes in addition to flavoring food. The Formal Garden is located behind the Thomas Sappington House. The garden changed from a sun garden put in in 1966 by the Crestwood Area Federated Woman's Garden Club to a shade garden. For 55 years the club has maintained the garden.
Originally a separate Summer Kitchen would have been used by enslaved persons to prepare food for the Sappingtons during the warmer months. By 1820 a kitchen was built attached to the house around 1820 and the Summer Kitchen was no longer used.
Archaeological digs performed by students during 2015 through 2019 confirmed this suspicion when they uncovered proof of the Summer Kitchen and cistern off to the left side of the house close to the current kitchen just past the cottage. An estimated 2,000 artifacts including various broken pottery shards indicate that this area was used for culinary purposes. Additionally, various animal bones, mostly pig, were also found.
A few other artifacts were also uncovered, including Native American arrowhead points.
Over the years, the property of Thomas Sappington has evolved. The location of several barns and outbuildings has changed over time. A painting from early 1900 indicates that a barn was located where a pond is today. Additionally, there was a larger barn where the Barn Restaurant and Loft Gift Shop are now located.
During the 1960s Sappington House restoration, outbuilding timbers were discovered near the Library of Americana and Decorative Arts. These rough-hewn timbers were stacked in a way that made it unclear the exact type of building these timbers were used for. It is possible that these may have been from the cabins of enslaved persons. It is also possible that these timbers were the frame for a chicken coup or simple outbuilding that may have served many purposes.
According to the Sappington House Foundation, "The Library of Americana and Decorative Arts nestled in verdant Sappington Park contains an extensive collection of books detailing Missouri and American history, antiques, and genealogy. The Library of Americana is a nationally recognized research library where reading and browsing are encouraged; however, holdings are not available to borrow."
This research library was dedicated on September 21, 1975, and is currently open to the public for specialty research. There are over two hundred books and seventy rare books in the collection. Some of these include "The American Gardener's Calendar" by Bernard Mahon, written in 1809, and "Morse's Universal Geography" by Jedidiah Morse, written in 1812.
The Library of Americana and Decorative Arts has a few art pieces as well. These include gild-framed oil paintings, one of Mrs. Carolyn McDonnell's. Mrs. McDonnell is responsible for the restoration and refurbishment of the house. Many of the books in this collection were used by Mrs. McDonnell to plan the restoration of gardens as well as the house. There are also a few different ceramic pieces, including vases and plates. Because the Thomas Sappington House is only partially handicapped accessible, a nineteen-minute virtual tour of the Thomas Sappington house can also be found in the Library of Americana and Decorative Arts.
A short drive from the Thomas Sappington House Museum is the Sappington Family Cemetery. Sappington Family Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Missouri. This cemetery was originally a part of the vast plantation of John Sappington, father of Thomas Sappington. Within this cemetery rest the remains of pioneer settlers, servicemen, and the Sappington family. Sadly, some of the headstones have been lost to time, but many remain.
John Sappington established this cemetery for his family shortly after arriving in the area. Neighbors were also buried here, and it is believed that the remains of enslaved persons can also be found at the cemetery. The markers for enslaved persons would have been made of wood and have disintegrated over time.
Sgt John Sappington was born September 3, 1750, and died August 10, 1815. He served with General George Washington at Valley Forge. He had 17 children. Capt John Long married one of Sgt John Sappington's daughters. Many of Sgt John Sappington's children are also buried here. Including Zephaniah Sappington, Thomas Sappington, Elizabeth Sappington Long, Margaret Sappington Parke, Rezin Sappington, and Patience Sappinton Smith just to list a few.
Historic Sappington House
1015 S. Sappington Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63126 1004
HSH located near the intersection of Interstates 44 and 270 less than 20 minutes from Gateway Arch
Museum and Library 314 822 8171
Sources:
Breme, Nancy B. "Sappington, Thomas J." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. June 28, 1974. https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/media/63820376/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MO/74002209.pdf.
Dierkes, D., Lutes, D., & Cakouros, S. (2021, March 9). Sappington House Foundation Proposal to the City of Crestwood, Missouri [Letter].
Giulvezan, I., & Reals, W. M. (1966). Tombstone Inscriptions from Sappington Cemetery (pp. 1-6, Rep.). Crestwood, MO: Sappington House Foundation.
Historic Sappington House built in 1808: Restoration Garden Plan as Designed by Edith Mason in 1966, June 16th 2018. Accessed April 9th 2021.
ONeal, T. (2021, April). Sappington Family [Photograph]. St. Louis
Painting a Summertime Past, June 16th 2018. Accessed April 9th 2021.
"Sappington House Historical Site." City of Crestwood. Accessed June 24, 2019. https://www.cityofcrestwood.org/topic/index.php?topicid=117&structureid=15.
S. (n.d.). SAGA OF HISTORIC SAPPINGTON HOUSE. Retrieved March 30, 2021, from https://historicsappingtonhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SAGA-OF-HISTORIC-SAPPINGTON-HOUSE.pdf
Sappington House Library Rare Book List. (2018, October 2). Retrieved from https://historicsappingtonhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Sappington-House-Library-Rare-Book-List-Handout-2018-10-03.pdf
Sappington House Library Catalog by Title. (2018, October 2). Retrieved from https://historicsappingtonhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Sappington-House-Library-Catalog-by-Title-2018-10-02.pdf
Sappington Cemetery, Crestwood, Missouri. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Sappington_Cemetery%2C_Crestwood%2C_Missouri
The Thomas Sappington house museum. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2021, from https://historicsappingtonhouse.org/