95
Charles Henry Hoskins lived in Seguin until 1895
when the family moved to Gonzales. For a while
he worked in the Kokernot Brothers grocery store,
and then became a member of the dry goods firm
of Hoskins and Jones. This firm later became B.B.
Hoskins & Sons. In 1910, he became president of
Hoskins Mercantile Company. Shortly after his
marriage in 1910, Charles purchased the lots where
the house now stands. He employed noted architect,
Atlee B. Ayers, to design his home and construction
was completed in 1911.
Atlee Ayres was named a "state architect" in 1915
and designed many government buildings in San
Antonio as well as some buildings on the campus
of the University of Texas. Courthouses in Alice,
Brownsville, Refugio, and Kingsville were designed
by Ayers. Charles Hoskins died in 1918 during the
Spanish influenza epidemic.
Winkie and Charlotte McKnight owned the home
from 1973 to 2004. In 1990, when the McKnights
decided to enlarge the kitchen and add a family room
to the back of the house, they discovered a home on
the north side of town that had been built in 1888
but had fallen into decay. They bought the siding that
matched the original siding on their home, making
the addition look original. The former owner added
the porte cochere and did extensive renovations.
The current owner is Lillian Smith who is an
accomplished Ranch Real Estate Agent and in the oil
and gas business. She retained award-winning interior
designer Zoe Murphy Compton to head up a two
C.H. HOSKINS
HOUSE
906 St. Louis Street
