A historic Centreville residence was destroyed in the early morning hours of January 19, 2024. The home was owned by Natasha Rinehart Traughber of Centreville. The home is believed to have been built as early as 1888. The owner told the Centreville Press that she has owned the home since 2003 after inheriting the property from her Grandfather. For many years the home was owned and occupied by her ancestors, Hugh & Mary Tubbs.
The home was occupied by Bobbie Leigh Hogue and Britini Brown and their 8 children. A Facebook page for Bobbie Leigh has family details and how you can assist the family with their expenses and lost possessions.
The home was located on Mill Street, just behind G&H Hardware and had undergone substantial renovations over the years by the present owner. Property tax records indicate that the 2200 SF home had approximately 1600 SF on the first and 600 SF on the second floor.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. In addition to the two-story home at least three automobiles were damaged and appear to be total losses. The sleeping occupants of the home were awakened by their barking dog around 1 a.m. to find the house in flames. No one was injured.
HISTORIC UPDATE:
This home has historic ties to the founders of the original W.E. Belcher Lumber Company and the Olon Belcher Lumber Company. Sisters Martha Ella and Margaret Jane Elam married brothers W.E. “Eddie” (1874-1945) and H.A. “Addie” Belcher (1874-1953) and may have been the home’s original builders and original residents, according to Belcher family members consulted for this information. The brothers were responsible for the creation of the W.E. Belcher Lumber Company in the early 20th century. Their offspring created the Olon Belcher Lumber Company (Brent), the W.A. Belcher Lumber Company (Birmingham) and a lumber mill at Greenpond, AL that became Gray Lumber Company in the 1960’s.
Property records in Bibb County reveal that Shelby E. Belcher Sr. (the oldest of H.A. {Addie’s} children sold this property to Isaiah & Nell Ragland in 1956. The legal description in that deed describes this property as Lot 30 Block C of the Fairdale Addition to the Town of Centreville containing the H.A. Belcher dwelling house. Isaiah Ragland conveyed the property to Hugh Tubbs in 1961. Tubbs assumed an existing real property mortgage to Belcher Lumber Sales Ltd. when he acquired the real estate.
The children of H.A. & Margaret Jane Belcher included sons Shelby, Olon, & Albert Belcher and daughters Lena Belcher Hobson, Lola Belcher Carlisle, and Lillie Belcher Holcombe.
