The Fulton Owners
Captian John Fulton, a Native to Ireland, was a Merchant and Factor and married to Mary Campbell Chambers Nesbit. He came to Salisbury in the late eighteenth century. On 6 August 1803, he purchased lots #49, 50 and 57 in the West Square from Hugh Jenkins. In 1820, he undertook construction of this house which bears his name. On 9 January 1821 he published a notice in the Western Carolinian defining his intention to provide boarding accomodations for young ladies attending Salisbury's Female Academy.
The home had Federal Style Woodwork, which is Greek and Roman influenced. After
the discovery of the ruins of Pompeii, this style became very popular again from 1780-1830. It is balanced and symmetrical similar to Georgian Style.
John Fulton died on 6 April 1827. He was a kind and indulgent, to a fault, in his family; liberal beyond his means in all laudable public projects; charitable to the indigent, and tolerant to his enemies, if it can be said he had any on earth. He was the "noblest work of God."
Maxwell Chambers was John Fulton's step son he was granted the house after
Fulton's death. He bequeathed one part of his estate to Davidson College.
The Mock Owners
Acquilla Jones Mock acquires the home after Maxwell Chamber's death. She remodels the former Salisbury Academy building. Mr Mock a member of the family for whom Mocksville was named, was a prominent Salisbury merchant. He remodeled the former academy building in the then fashionable Italianate style, which was popular from the late 1840's to the 1890's, the popularity was due to its being suitable for many different building materials and budgets, adding richly scrolled brackets and the bracketed hoods over the windows. Having placed the property under mortgage to John Steele Henderson in 1875, he had defaulted on the mortgage and become bankrupt. The home was offered at public auction and was purchased by Mrs. Charlotte Cowan Mock for $2,000.00. The property went back under mortgage to John Steele Henderson and the Mock family continued to reside in the house throught Mr. Mock's death on 12 July 1888. With default having occured again, Mr. Henderson foreclosed, and on 24 December 1888, Christmas Eve, the house was put up at auction at the Rowan County Courthouse. Mrs. Mary White Mock one of the couple's four daughters, placed the highest bid, $1795.00 and the property was deeded to her.
The home remained a family residence, the home of Mrs. Mock, her son Lee Cowan Mock, and Mary White Mock until her death on 11 June 1925. Between 1863 and 1925 the front porch was fitted or refitted for handsome flutted columns. The house stood unoccupied from Mary White's death in June 1925 until 20 March 1931, when the house and its lot, reduced by the sale of the rear grounds overlooking Ellis Street in 1906 to BE Summer, was again sold at public auction at the Rowan County Courthouse.
The Fluted Columns & Two Tier Porch
Added by the Mock Family
Metal Baskets and Balconies
The Blackmer Owners
Sidney Alderman Blackmer place the high bid of $10,396.00 the property was conveyed to Mr. Blackmer on 13 and 15 April 1931. It was reported that Mrs. Blackmer had the house competely renovated, but she kept it typically Colonial.
Sidney blacker was born in Salisbury in 1895. Graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1931. In 1917, he made a brief debut on Broadway before serving his country for two years during World War I. He help found the North Carolina School for the Arts and helped establish the Actor's Equity Association. Sidney served as national vice president of the United States Muscular Dystrophy Association. He earned 175 film credits for movies and television.
Sidney married his second wife, Suzanne Kaaren in 1943. They raised two sons here in the house and maintained a rent-controlled apartment on Central Park South in New York City. Donald Trumph purchased that building and wanted Suzanne to vacate it so he could get fair market value for her apartment. Suzanne sued and won her case against Trump.
Sidney Blackmer died in 1973. Suzanne Kaaren Blackmer died in 2004.
The Fulton Mock Blackmer house remained in the Blackmer family until 2 July 2012, when Sidney Jonathon Cole Blackmer, the actor's son, sold the property to the Historic Salisbury Foundation.
You Tube Video Watch Sidney Blackmer here: Sidney Blackmer
You Tube Video Watch Suzanne Kaaren Blackmer here: Suzanne Kaaren Blackmer