Historic Mansion For Sale: 16-room Victorian home hits market; five generations leave legacy

A grand 19th-century mansion in West Virginia, once the home of a prominent banker, businessman and former mayor, is being offered for sale for the first time since it was built nearly 150 years ago. Known as the Chancellor House, the 5,827-square-foot property at 904 Juliana Street in Parkersburg has remained in the same family for five generations. It is now listed for $695,000, according to Realtor.com and the current property listing. Built in 1878 by William Nelson Chancellor for his wife, Ellen Charles King, and their family, the Second Empire-style mansion reflects the wealth Chancellor accumulated through banking, oil, real estate and other business ventures. The Greater Parkersburg Convention & Visitors Bureau identifies him as a two-term mayor of Parkersburg and a prominent local developer.A home built for a prominent Parkersburg familyChancellor was not simply a homeowner with grand ambitions. He played a significant role in the development of late-19th-century Parkersburg. He helped organize the First National Bank in 1863 and was involved in the city’s railroad, navigation and oil industries. He also developed several notable local buildings, including the Blennerh...