The Collection of Reverend Gerard F. Young

The Collection of Gerard F. Young
in Darrow, Louisiana

 

A Celebration of Creole Construction along the Great River Road

Located along the meandering Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Darrow provides a portal into Louisiana’s storied past. Known as the Great River Road, one of North America’s oldest, longest and most unique scenic byways, this region is recognized by its distinct architectural style.

While it’s the area’s collection of grand Greek Revival plantation houses that is most often touted, this historic rural region was first settled by French Creoles whose surviving domestic architecture rivals the importance of the later Greek Revival homes. These structures’ most distinguishing features were French wraparound mantels, which in the earliest and finest of the Creole homes was accompanied by a decorated overmantel.

Today, only a limited number of pre-Civil War Creole houses survive, and Creole houses with both wraparound mantels and decorative overmantels are even rarer, with the Division of Historic Preservation having identified only six houses in the Great River Road region in which these features survive. Their permanence is a testament to the diligence, vision and commitment of those who lend their hands, quite literally, to preserving these houses’ irreplaceable stories.

A Divine Dwelling

Father Jerry Young, a pastor from Baton Rouge with an interest in architecture, had the opportunity to get acquainted with the River Road’s rich history and characteristic homes while serving as pastor at St. Anthony of Padua. During this time, he visited several plantation homes and cottages, sparking his love of historic preservation and restoration. Recognizing the priest’s devout interest in historic homes, a parishioner sold Fr. Young the Wilton Dependency (ca. 1830), a small dwelling that sat untouched and with no roof on an acre while Fr. Young lived in the rectory and came up with a plan for its restoration. But it wasn’t long before another building came along, completing Fr. Young’s vision for his own historic haven in Darrow.

Once located on the Mississippi River in St. James Parish, The Helvetia Dependency (ca. 1820) began as a two-story sugar house at Helvetia Plantation, featuring the Creole style’s characteristic wraparound mantels and overmantels and Federal woodwork, examples of which are especially rare within the houses of the River Road. After enduring the river’s many floods, the house’s seven-foot basement was inundated by mud and the house itself tangled up in weeds before it was purchased by Fr. Young in 1973 and moved to join the Wilton Dependency in Ascension Parish. For four years, Fr. Young worked tirelessly to bring both houses back to life, with the priest doing much of the work himself and relying on assistance from friends, family members, parishioners and the area’s many carpenters willing to help in exchange for sandwiches and drinks. “The priesthood is head work and heart work. Working with my hands keeps me sane,” Fr. Young told Baton Rouge’s inRegister magazine in 2009. Ultimately, the renovated buildings were adjoined and made into Fr. Young’s beloved country home.

Despite the move and several alterations and additions, the Helvetia Dependency impressively retains its distinguishing Creole and Federal character, with its characteristic features intact. Today, the house holds a revered place on the National Register of Historic Places, one of only three Darrow properties with that distinction.

 

A Devotion to Antiques

In addition to playing a key role in the restoration of the historic properties, Fr. Young faithfully served as his own decorator. Having spent much of his childhood in New Orleans with family members with an appreciation for French-style furniture, he, too, acquired a taste and eye for antiques. Thanks to family, friends and his own antique-hunting adventures around the world, Fr. Young built a collection of furnishings with which he thoughtfully outfitted his Darrow home. These included works by old Louisiana painters to whom he was introduced by Baton Rouge art and antique dealer Merritt Shilg and a dining table from the Ursuline Convent in New Orleans. The home also featured a variety of religious items gifted to Fr. Young throughout the years.

A Beloved Spirit

Born in New Orleans, Fr. Young remained connected to the Crescent City’s rich culture, architecture and cuisine long after moving to Baton Rouge as a child, thanks to regular family visits. It would be family strolls along Magazine Street, where his grandparents acquired a cherished collection of antique furniture, which would inspire his lifelong affinity for antiques.

Much like he was drawn to New Orleans’s vibrancy, so were others magnetized by Fr. Young’s warmth and charisma, which made family members, friends and parishioners always feel welcomed and supported. Part of a large and close family, he enjoyed spending time surrounded by loved ones, including his three nieces and nephews.

A very sickly child, Fr. Young’s mother prayed often for his health, once pleading with God that if He let him live, he would go on to honor Him for the rest of his life. Whether it was his mother’s word or God’s divine intervention, no one knows, but Fr. Young had committed himself to the priesthood long before his mother had shared this story. When he was ordained in 1963, he joined several other family members who’d also been called to serve as priests and nuns. It was his great uncle, Fr. Henry Shutten, who inspired him the most.

Fr. Young spent many years as pastor of St. James Catholic Church and Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, among other parishes, before joining St. Joseph Cathedral, where he retired in 2009 after 12 years. Over his five decades as a reverend, Fr. Young was beloved by all who encountered him for his friendly demeanor and enlightened spirit.

During his time off, Fr. Young enjoyed traveling whenever possible, particularly to Rome and Vatican City – destinations he visited frequently after his retirement. Time at home was spent going to the theater and enjoying dinner with friends.

All along, Fr. Young amassed an impressive collection of Creole furniture and Southern regional art, complementing the storied walls of his cherished Darrow home, where he enjoyed spending as much time as possible, sharing its history with all of those who would listen.

Fr. Young celebrated his 89th birthday this year and lives under the care of loved ones in Baton Rouge. Despite being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago, Fr. Young’s spirit has remained untouched, according to those closest to him, who have been fortunate to still catch a smile and see the twinkle in his eye.

New Orleans Auction Galleries is honored to present more than 100 lots of furniture and art from The Collection of Reverend Gerard F Young.

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COLLECTION OF REVEREND GERARD F. YOUNG