Attmore-Oliver History

History of the Attmore-Oliver Family

Clouds of the Civil War gathered around New Bern and three of Hannah Oliver’s brothers enlisted in the Confederate army. Her oldest brother, Sitgreaves Attmore and her middle brother, Isaac Taylor Attmore, died while in Confederate service. The youngest Attmore boy, George, was only 13 when the war began. He was wounded while serving in the Confederate army but survived. The house, too, survived the burdens of the war, to provide residence for yet another generation of the Attmore-Oliver family.

Hannah survived the desperate times of the Civil War. Her family as well as most of New Bern endured economic hardships during the long reconstruction period. Hannah died in 1881, leaving the home to her three daughters. It was during this time that William Oliver began selling insurance, still his profession when he died in 1908.

William and Hannah’s daughter Mary Taylor Oliver eventually became the sole owner of the house. She ran the family insurance business from her home and died in 1951 at age 91. The New Bern Historical Society purchased the house from her four nephews in 1954 for $30,000.

In the late 1950′s, the Historical Society furnished the house. A few Attmore and Oliver family pieces have been returned to the property. Furniture of the Federal, Empire and Victorian is placed throughout the house.

As the house is used frequently for Historical Society functions, the Attmore-Oliver House is not strictly a museum. However, it provides a uniqure opportunity for visitors to see a home lived in by only two New Bern families throughout most of the 19th century and half of the 20th century.

The Attmore-Oliver House is available for guided tours, by appointment only.

Contact the New Bern Historical Society
512 Pollock Street
New Bern, NC 28560
Telephone: 252-638-8558

Email: pat@newbernhistorical.org